Desert Companion - February/March 2022

MEAL TICKET

Supper clubs dish up swank

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Love and loss at my locals casino

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FEB/MAR 2022

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A poet, a protest, a solar farm

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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 1 D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N . C O M

Feb/Mar ALL THINGS 13 ENTERTAINMENT

America’s Got Talent is the new variety show, with stars

By Mike Weatherford

15 Parting thoughts on 21 years in Vegas

By Sarah Jane Woodall

18 BOOKS

A Grand Prix history with lots of racing — and some mob, too

By Geoff Schumacher

20 POP CULTURE

The enduring cool of two iconic Strip movies

By Josh Bell

25

29

DINING

CULTURE

This paella is fire!

By Jason Harris

24

26

NIGHTLIFE

FOOD

Supper clubs are back, and they’re bringing the luxe

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Events, gatherings, and performances to start 2022 off right

A gourmet mushroom farm springs to life in the desert

By Greg Thilmont

32 WRITER IN RESIDENCE

That time The Real World “home” was the Gold Spike

By Krista Diamond

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURE

34

43

PROFILE

BEST OF THE CITY

A poetic act of protest in the desert

By Michael Hanson

Our experts share their favorite places to go, things to do, and people to see in Greater Las Vegas now

38 TECHNOLOGY

Whitney Houston hologram elicits applause, questions

By Oona Robertson

( EXTRAS ) 8

DESIGN BY

60

EDITOR’S NOTE

6 | DESERT

( COVER ) Christopher Smith

SENSE OF PLACE

Terrible’s was home, but Silver Sevens led me back to myself

By Brittany Bronson

MEAL TICKET

Supper clubs dish up swank

FRIEND ZONE

Love and loss at my locals casino

U.S. $4.99

C O M PA N I O N

.

F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

FEB/MAR 2022

HOLO BACK GIRL

Whitney Houston’s uncanny return UNHAPPY CAMPER

A poet, a protest, a solar farm

C O F F E E : S A B I N O R R ; A E R I A L I S T S C O U R T E S Y O F A M E R I C A ' S G O T TA L E N T L I V E ; M AY FA I R I N T E R I O R C O U R T E S Y O F B E L L A G I O

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CONTRIBUTORS

BEST WISHES W

elp, no lie, I’d really hoped to be smashing out a triumphal, capslocked, comeback Editor’s Note that would herald our 2022 Best of the City issue as a resoundingly decisive return to normal, but instead I’m typing this from home in my warmups in a state of glummish bemusement. The past year did not go quite as I’d envisioned. Which isn’t to say I’ve been completely robbed of optimism: As of now I can still venture, at least, the earnest wish that 2022 won’t be, as the now-well-worn joke goes, 2020 too? One of my new year’s resolutions is to carpe more diem, so let’s beta test that puppy here: In what by all accounts is a “new normal” era of endemic uncertainty and continual, free-floating moral peril, there’s little good reason not to safely and responsibly celebrate this city, right now, in all its fracturedness, vanity, and fragility. And what better guide than our Best of the City feature, with its honorees fiercely handpicked by our unapologetically enthusiastic experts and fanatics? Enjoy but, please, read between the lines as well: Also in this issue, we have stories that confront the realities behind the fantasies so steadily manufactured about our city and state, whether it’s the numerous shadows cast by our industrial fever-dream of becoming a major solar power producer (“‘Running from the Apocalypse’” by Michael Hanson); the more technologically twisted iterations of the tribute act emerging in the entertainment space (“Ghost in the Machine” by Oona Robertson); or the quotidian locals casino as a site of longing and loss (“Silver Sevens” by Brittany Bronson).

Oooh, great opportunity for a transition: Image and reality also come into play later this year, in our June/July “Focus on Nevada” Photo Contest issue. Now in its 10th year, the contest is open for entries through April 10. Visit desertcompanion. com for details. Perhaps your unique vision of where we live can supply a bit of comfort and inspiration amid all the strange new normals surely to come.

Andrew Kiraly editor

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F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Michael Hanson is a Minnesota native who has chased warm weather in Hawaii, California, Hong Kong, Australia, and now Las Vegas. He is currently an MFA student in UNLV’s Creative Writing program.

Oona Robertson was born in San Francisco a decade before the tech boom, and has lived in New York City and Western Massachusetts.

Her recent writing has been published in Witness, Post Journal, and The VOMIT ZINE, which she co-created. Oona also makes furniture.

A N D R E W K I R A LY : C H R I S T O P H E R S M I T H

Editor’s Note

Brittany Bronson is a writer based in Las Vegas.

Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Times of London, and others. She has received awards and recognitions from the Nevada Arts Council, the Pinch Literary awards, and TalkPoverty.org. She earned her MFA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2014.

Jerry Nadal Favian Perez EDITOR Andrew Kiraly ART DIRECTOR Christopher Smith DEPUTY EDITOR Heidi Kyser SENIOR DESIGNER Scott Lien PUBLISHER

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Christopher Alvarez-Aguilar, Dawn-Michelle Baude, Josh Bell, Larry Bialek, Lorraine Blanco Moss, Brittany Bronson, Krista Diamond, Michael Hanson, Jason Harris, Zachary Green, Kristen Kidman, Zoneil Maharaj, Mike Prevatt, James P. Reza, Oona Robertson, Nikole Robinson Carroll, Oona Robertson, Lissa Townsend Rodgers, Gabriela Rodriguez, Geoff Schumacher, Paul Szydelko, Greg Thilmont, Mike Weatherford, Mitchell Wilburn, Sarah Jane Woodall CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Brent Holmes, Sabin Orr CONTACT

Andrew Kiraly, (702) 259-7856; andrew@desertcompanion.com

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F E B R U A RY/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

A LL THINGS IDEAS, FOOD, A CULTURE, N WAYS T D OTHER O THIS CIT USE Y

The Variety Pack Is Back E N T E R TA I N M E N T

D U O T R A N S C E N D C O U R T E S Y O F A M E R I C A’ S G OT TA L E N T L I V E

Bemoan reality TV all you want, but shows such as America’s Got Talent Live are just what Vegas needs right now BY

Mike Weatherford

T

flips the way things usually run in Las Vegas. David Copperfield, Criss hey were passing out pencils and paper at the doors of Angel, and Penn & Teller built their fame for years before settling in America’s Got Talent Las Vegas Live at the Luxor. There on the Strip. But Tavella took the fast track: The relatable, nice-guy was only one possible use for those little miniature-golf magician closes this show because AGT viewers picked him as the pencils: We were gonna vote! Makes sense. After all, it’s most recent winner. our show. We, the people, have voted for who would win the NBC AGT Las Vegas Live represents the whole “entertainment as talent show for 16 seasons now. sports” phenomenon come home to roost. The Food Network used Turns out I was wrong. A little, anyway. The pencils were just part to be the sleepy home of how-to cooking shows before Chopped and of an audience-participation trick for show-closing magician Dustin Christmas Cookie Challenge turned the kitchen into an arena, Tavella. The AGT Las Vegas Live lineup is actually pretty and gave Las Vegas a whole new tier of “headliners” such as locked down (with a bit of flexibility for substitutions) for ACROTASTIC Duo Transcend Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis. And pop music — at the near future in Luxor’s big theater. No one gets voted on at the least the corner occupied by many a Las Vegas diva — was or off. But Tavella and eight more acts jammed into less than performs Luxor’s AGT permanently transformed by the specific formula of Amer90 minutes are still the result of an odd democracy, which adaptation.

F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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Q U O TA B L E

Without America’s Got Talent and its reliable branding of reliable formulas, the only entertainment news coming out of Las Vegas would be the big-name headliners — and the big announcements on that front already came with reminders that superstars can be ridiculously expensive (Adele) or vulnerable to health-related cancellations (Celine Dion).

America’s Got Talent doesn’t give you “stars” that it didn’t create itself. But, significantly, it does give you their names. Those acrobats and daredevils we typically take for granted on the Strip are the secret sauce of AGT, which gave prime-time visibility to niche talents you once found only in Vegas or on cruise ships. But this time we know who they are. The Strip is crawling with acrobats. However, they mainly work for Cirque, where they often become anonymous cast members cloaked in barrister wigs and epaulets. No one gets billing. (Not even the star talent: Carly Smithson, a high-profile American Idol contestant back in the day, wore a red wig and covered up her identifiable tattoos when she joined Cirque’s Viva Elvis).

“I sat in head coaching interviews (in the NBA) and people said two things: ‘You’ve only been in San Antonio’ and ‘You’ve never been a head coach.’ ... (The Aces) saw me as a head coach right now.” – Becky Hammon, from Yahoo! Sports interview 14 | D E S E R T

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F E B R U A RY/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

H A M M O N C O U R T E S Y O F L A S V E G A S AC E S ; L I G H T B A L A N C E C O U R T E S Y O F A M E R I C A’ S G OT TA L E N T L I V E

ican Idol and The Voice: Each singer starts down in that dramatic low range for the first verse, then bridges up to the wailing, extended note-stretching that makes the young studio audience erupt in whoops and hollers mid-song.

This influence is upending the standard Vegas entertainment model. Usually, it’s the producers who believe in a show enough to roll the dice, and only then do ticket-buyers tell them if that was a good decision. But this time, TV viewers help determine who gets to be onstage, and the producers have to hold their breath and hope people still remember — or care about — whom they SAY WATT picked the next time they’re show-shop- Light Balance performs in ping in Vegas.

These new rules leave the Luxor with AGT Las Vegas Live charge of this popularity contest. a predictably mixed bag. Two previous And they have a lot of wiggle attempts at a Las Vegas spin-off of room: Years of season winners and runAmerica’s Got Talent (at Planet Hollywood in ners-up give them a deep bullpen to buffer 2009 and the Palazzo in 2012) proved a live the winners who may not have tons of stage show version was trickier than you’d think. experience with those who do. In fact, what Turns out those who can perform their own they’re really selling is this accumulated full-length show already do: Terry Fator, strength in the title and the brand. Sure, Mat Franco, and Piff the Magic Dragon are some fans will be excited that singer Jimmie but three winners or finalists who had every Herrod is on the bill. But it’s just as likely element of Las Vegas success already in they’re buying the AGT title itself, similar place — except for that extra, supercharged to how some people may go to a comedy boost of prime-time exposure and bragging club to see a specific headliner — but more rights that Talent provided. of them put their faith in a curated lineup.

Others, well … they get their moment.

That makes the Luxor production of AmerEspecially the singers. That’s where AGT ica’s Got Talent Las Vegas Live the right show fame can be transient, and emotional backfor right now. The property was in a unique stories carry disproportionate weight. Case position to bring the Strip something new in point here is singer-pianist Kodi Lee. yet familiar just when we needed it. After When he comes out, we cheer ourselves all, Cirque du Soleil is stalled, doing all it hoarse because we love his spirit and what can just to restore its status quo on the Strip he’s accomplished as an artist who’s blind in pandemic times. If there’s any forward and autistic. And then he does two cover thinking in Montreal about new shows at tunes, and they are … fine. Just enough. At all, it’s certainly with deep reservations least in this keep-’em-coming format. after the mojo-zapping failure of Cirque’s This is where it helps to remember that all action-themed R.U.N in the very same room. voting aside, the producers are ultimately in

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

The Luxor revue gives us three power couples to beef up the backstories: Who hasn’t pondered whether you trust your partner enough to let him throw knives at you?

Deadly Games knife-slinger Alfredo Silva and Aleksandra Kiedrowicz are Las Vegans who worked on less grandiose stages — such as V - The Ultimate Variety Show at Planet Hollywood’s mall — before getting the poofs of fire and other big-budget trappings that Simon Cowell cash can buy. (Unlike Talent’s two past Las Vegas incarnations, this one is gorgeously packaged, with video-mapping on the side walls and other production elements possibly inherited from R.U.N.) But Talent gave the Deadly Games duo something else too: A personality, and a chance to feel properly introduced to Thommy and Amélie

(the mind-reading Clairvoyants) or Tyce and Mary Ellen (the aerial gymnasts of Duo Transcend, who powered through a televised accident in 2018). This shotgun-marriage of acts even manages to squeeze in spoken-word poetry from Brandon Leake and artsy shadow dancing from the Silhouettes troupe. It all flies by quickly, and if you don’t like an act, you can always say, “I didn’t vote for them.”

Democracy can be rough, as we’ve all learned in recent years. If you’re really bummed that you didn’t get to vote, you can still get your picture taken at a replica of the judges’ desk in the lobby.

And down the road, if they want to bring on Top Chef Las Vegas Live! — or Buddy vs.

Duff, the Ultimate Vegas Cake Showdown?

We’re ready, pencils sharpened. ✦

Hitting 21 E S S AY

I bounced around the neon maze of Las Vegas for two decades. But I didn’t find fulfillment until I bounced out BY

Sarah Jane Woodall

Editor’s note: Sarah Jane Woodall, aka Wonderhussy, is a writer and YouTuber whose work humorously explores the quirkier side of the Southwest. After 21 years living and working in Las Vegas, Woodall recently moved to Death Valley to pursue her next chapter. This essay, based on one of her recent YouTube videos, is her fond farewell to Las Vegas.

I

recently hit a milestone: the 21st anniversary of my move to Las Vegas.

This isn’t just any old anniversary — 21 is a special number in Vegas.

Being dealt 21 means you’ve hit it big! You beat the house at their own game! YOU’RE RICH! When I look back at my 21 years here … well, I’m certainly not rich, and I wouldn’t even say I hit it medium, let alone big. But I have no criminal record, debt, or addictions — and I still have my original breasts, lips, and hair. So, in Vegas terms, I guess you could say I broke even!

When I first announced my decision to move to Las Vegas in October 2000, most of my friends and relatives thought I was nuts: “Vegas is a second-chance town — why are you moving there?!” I guess it seemed an unlikely choice for someone with a newly minted art degree, a well-used library card, and an intact hymen. Why on earth would I move to Vegas, of all places?

Now you have to remember, this was Y2K — things were different. Vegas was still gross and dumpy — a place where you could get 99-cent shrimp cocktails and $2.99 steak and eggs while oxygen tank-toting grannies chainsmoked at the penny slots and busted old cowboys cried over their Crown Royal as some shitty lounge singer butchered “Solitaire.” A place where you could sit down at a nightclub without mortgaging your house! Times were different — and I loved it.

Nothing anyone said could dissuade me; I found Vegas — in all its tackiness, F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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2022 OSCAR NIGHT PREDICTIONS •W inners are announced on Oatly cartons •A t entrance, frustrated Jeremy Renner pleads, “I played Hawkeye!

I’m an Avenger!”

Doorman unmoved.

•T he Tender Bar is an Oscar nominee, suggesting it is a film •O ver course of show, Sean Penn erodes into craggy pile of sand

grittiness, fakeness, and realness — uniquely fascinating. And so it was that I embarked on my first, and greatest, Nevada adventure: becoming a Las Vegan.

At the time, I had a very particular idea of what the ultimate in Vegas glamour looked like, and I set out to achieve it in advance of my move: I threw away all my frumpy old hippie clothes and cultivated a new aesthetic I called “Ho Nouveau,” which involved a lot of Spandex, a lot of sequins, and a lot of pink — including my car.

Never mind that I already owned a sensible Nissan Sentra. In my mind, the ultimate Vegasmobile had to be fuel inefficient, American-made, and as square as the silent majority … so I traded that milquetoast 4-banger for some magic beans in the form of a grossly impractical and obscenely oversized 1986 Lincoln Town Car, which I had painted the color of Pepto Bismol. It had a white top, a white interior, ashtrays full of candy, and a leaky oil pan. And the very next day, I set sail across the Mojave Desert!

I wasted no time upon arrival, securing a tidy one-bedroom across the street from Palace Station for $560/month, then hitting the streets to find a job. My original plan was to be a cocktail waitress at Caesars Palace … but back then, they didn’t just hire chicks for being cute; it was more of a merit-based grind of working your way up the union ranks from midweek graveyard at El Cortez, until one of the dinos at Caesars croaked to make way for fresh blood.

So I had to settle for lesser jobs, and in my 21 years in Vegas I did them all — go-go dancer, movie extra, cartoon mascot, camera girl, cigarette girl, Hooters girl, showgirl, convention model, nude model, fetish model … and now, YouTuber. Basically, anything that did not make use of my college degree, or allow me any measure of job security. But I sure had fun!

My first year in Vegas, I went to a different 24-hour coffee shop every night after work for chicken-fried steak — then burned the calories by dancing my pink hot pants off at all the clubs and lounges in town. And over the years, a pattern established itself: eat, drink, and be merry … for tomorrow we get old and ugly!

I once had a fortune cookie at Tao that read, “Those who say YES have more fun,” and I took it to heart. Drinks after work? YES! Dancing at the swingers’ club? SURE! Monday Night Football at the titty bar? WHY NOT??

I swilled rotgut in dive bars, champagne in high-limit rooms, cocktails in a converted laundry-room speakeasy, and bourbon at a biker bar where Manson Family look-alikes screamed obscenities through megaphones. I threw back boozy coffee drinks on Mt. Charleston and boozy slushies on Lake Mead — and vodka cranberries everywhere.

And life was good. Party all day, hustle all night — or vice versa; it didn’t matter. As long as I made my monthly nut … well, there was nothing else to worry about. Stuff like goals and artistic fulfillment and the meaning of life — I successfully kept those black dogs at bay through a strict regimen of drinking, dancing, and professionally pandering to the lower-brow tastes of middle America.

But after a while, no amount of booze could stop self-awareness from creeping in, and I saw myself as a pinball — aimlessly bouncing around the blinking, flashing

16 | D E S E R T

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F E B R U A RY/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

•A ccepting Best Actor award, emotional Dune sandworm blurts, “You like me, you really, really like me!,” eats Angelina Jolie.

•N icolas Cage is glitchy and pixilated on Zoom, also in real life •J ared Leto annoys everyone with new obsession, street magic •F or Best Actress acceptance speech, Frances McDormand builds mudroom cabinet out of Vermont maple •W erner Herzog Zooms in from abandoned bus depot somewhere outside Minsk •N o Time to Die revealed to be just a trailer for actual 17-hour movie •B enedict Cumberbatch wears furry chaps, but they are actually his centaur legs •S urprise musical guest Chainsmokers leap around ball pit to iTunes playlist for seven minutes •J oaquin Phoenix does red-carpet interview entirely in whalesong •M att Damon shows up to announce he is vegan in case anyone was wondering • I n opening statement, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences welcomes brand new COVID variant •A BC quietly rebroadcasts 2019 show, hoping no one will notice. No one does ANDREW KIRALY and HEIDI KYSER

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neon maze of the Strip from gig to gig, party to party, one fun thing to another. $100! Ding! $500 DING!! $1,000! DING DING DING! I was racking up points, and desperately working the flippers to avoid the void.

And then, gradually, my interests shifted. I’m not sure what started it, but I began spending more time exploring the rest of Nevada, outside Vegas — because turns out there’s a whole state outside the city limits! The pinball game lost its allure … and finally, one day I let go of the controls, and let gravity roll me between the flippers, down the hole, and out of the whole glittering machine. Out past the last Dotty’s and the last Del Taco, into the desert … finally coming to a stop somewhere just outside Death Valley.

From my new digs, I can still see the machine’s midnight glow, and feel its distant hum. And I still have a few quarters left, so I could

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BOOKS

LESS MOTOR, MORE MOB Caesars Palace Grand Prix is mainly for auto-racing fans, but has something for mafia-lovers too

BY G E O F F S C H U M AC H E R

Cannon describes the casino’s executives and associates as “a veritable wrecking crew of bookmaking, numbers, policy and strongarm syndicate racketeers and mobsters.”

Topping the list was Jerry Zarowitz, the Caesars executive who was convicted of bribing three New York Giants football players to influence the NFL championship game in 1946. Investigators suspected Zarowitz reported to New York Mafia boss Tony Salerno. Cannon also draws a connection between Caesars and the mob’s legendary financial wizard, Meyer Lansky, through a mysterious intermediary named Alvin Malnik. Interestingly, Cannon notes that

G R A N D P R I X P H OT O : L A S V E G A S N E W S B U R E AU

When it comes to auto racing in Southern Nevada, the first thought for most of us is the annual NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But the history of auto racing in Las Vegas began long before the speedway opened in 1996.

Randy Cannon chronicled the sport’s first major period in Las Vegas in his 2018 book Stardust International Raceway: Motorsports Meets the Mob, 1965-1971.

Now Cannon has tackled another big Las Vegas racing story in Caesars Palace Grand Prix: Las Vegas, Organized Crime and the Pinnacle of Motorsport.

In each case, as the subtitles emphasize, Cannon has identified a theme that expands his potential audience. A reader with only a modest interest in auto racing may be enticed to take a chance on these books to find out how the mob wormed its way into yet another industry.

Cannon is a tremendous researcher, digging deeply into newspaper archives and FBI files for long-forgotten information. For his latest book, he provides not only a detailed narrative of Formula One racing in America, but fascinating insights into how the Caesars Palace executive ranks were riddled with organized crime figures long after its glamorous debut in 1966. wThe link to Hoffa, a heavily mob-connected union leader, might have been trouble enough for Sarno and Mallin, but as Cannon reports, the mob connections and hidden ownership suspicions at Caesars extended well beyond the Teamsters loans.

insert a coin and be right back in the game any time I want, which might be fun to do — or even necessary, at some point.

But it’s been 21 years, y’all … 21 years!! You know what that is in Vegas years?! Ages!!! And for now, I’m okay just toasting my 21 and walking away from the table. They say you gotta know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em — and though I might never be happy with what I have, I figure it’s prudent to cash out while the cashing’s good.

Sure, I’m still as artistically unfulfilled, unlucky in love and most definitely not-rich as ever — but who ever got rich at blackjack, anyway? Even the good casinos only pay 3 to 2.

And like I said earlier … I’m felony-free, addiction-free and debt-free — and still have my original breasts. I’ll take that as breaking even: I may be flat busted … but after 21 years in Vegas, at least I’m not broke! ✦

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

New Jersey gaming regulators were considerably more curious about mob ties at Caesars than their counterparts in Nevada.

Of course, the book’s primary goal is to document how the Grand Prix — the world’s most popular motorsport circuit — came to Las Vegas in 1981. The 2.2-mile course was built in the north parking lot of Caesars, on property that today sits beneath the Forum Shops and The Mirage. The Grand Prix returned to Las Vegas in 1982, but Formula One races did not continue after that because they proved a money-loser for Caesars. While championship boxing matches drew large, high-rolling crowds to Las Vegas, Formula One’s global popularity failed to duplicate boxing’s success. (IndyCar races did continue at Caesars for a couple of years.)

Cannon’s relentless cataloguing of winners and losers in each annual Grand Prix racing series from the 1950s through the 1980s is thorough and authoritative, but it can be mind-numbing for those with minimal interest in the sport. His detailed reporting on the mob connections at Caesars Palace is more intriguing.

But the two stories — auto racing and the mob — do not collide as one might expect.

No evidence is presented that mobsters used nefarious means to bring Grand Prix racing to Las Vegas, nor that they tried to fix the races. There are no offers that can’t be refused, no thugs knocking at the door. This is a story of the mob gone corporate. Cannon sticks to the facts, which is appreciated, even if the result is a book lacking in drama. ✦

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Grandiose Larceny P O P C U LT U R E

Looking back at Diamonds Are Forever and Ocean’s Eleven, two over-the-top Vegas caper flicks BY

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Josh Bell

t would be tough to be cooler in Las Vegas than Danny Ocean or James Bond. The suave, tuxedoed men saunter into Vegas like they own the town, and in their films set in Las Vegas, they pretty much do. We just hit milestone anniversaries for both the 1971 James Bond adventure Diamonds Are Forever and Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 version of Ocean’s Eleven, and both films remain essential components of the pop-culture image of Las Vegas.

Which is about all they have in common.

The quality of the movies themselves is far from equal. Diamonds Are Forever is not a great (or even good) James Bond movie, although for an hour or so it comes close.

Ocean’s Eleven is one of the all-time great Vegas movies — and simply a fantastic movie on its own, an improvement in nearly every way over the 1960 Rat Pack original.

There’s plenty of camp value in Diamonds Are Forever, but Ocean’s Eleven offers the pleasure of watching a master filmmaker at the top of his craft.

By 1971, Sean Connery was doubly over playing James Bond, having returned to the role following George Lazenby’s exit, lured in by a major payday, but already on his way out again. The script doesn’t do him many favors, with an underwhelming, convoluted plot focused on stolen diamonds that pivots into a late-breaking showdown with longtime Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Charles Gray).

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There’s about half an hour of set-up (including a clumsy, obvious fake-out death for Blofeld) before Bond gets to Vegas, as he first catches up with a shipment of stolen diamonds in Amsterdam. There, he meets Tiffany Case (Jill St. John), his surprisingly proactive love interest. She’s part of the smuggling operation, but her heart isn’t really in it, especially once she succumbs to Bond’s masculine wiles. The two of them head to Vegas separately, with Bond arriving via an amusingly bizarre funeral home in the middle of the desert, where the diamonds have been transported from Europe via corpse. Things get even more ridiculous from there, and Diamonds Are Forever represents Connery’s Bond at his goofiest. Bond and Tiffany eventually wind up at the excessively lavish Whyte House, a hotel-casino owned by the reclusive, Howard Hughes-style tycoon Willard Whyte (Jimmy Dean).

The International (now the Westgate) stands in for the Whyte House, and one of the movie’s most memorable sequences features Bond riding on top of the hotel’s exterior elevator, before rappelling along the outside of the hotel, with a full view of the Vegas skyline behind him. The Downtown car chase is an even better showcase for the neon lights of Vegas, and director Guy Hamilton makes sure that Bond drives past each glowing sign at least twice as he attempts to evade his pursuers. The movie falls apart as soon as it leaves Vegas, but

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for a while, the coolness of the city and the secret agent are in perfect harmony: When Bond walks onto a casino floor to gamble, he’s impeccably decked out in a tuxedo while surrounded by schlubs in casual wear.

Thirty years later, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) carries that same air of sophistication as he walks into the Bellagio, also wearing a tuxedo amid the slovenly rubes. In Ocean’s Eleven, Danny, fresh out of prison, hooks back up with his former partner in crime Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) and hatches a scheme to rob $160 million from three Las Vegas casinos. The heist plan is every bit as convoluted as the plot of Diamonds Are Forever—probably more so—but its incomprehensible intricacies are part of its charm. Danny and Rusty put together a crew of 11 veteran criminals to pull off the job, and despite the large cast, Soderbergh and screenwriter Ted Griffin give every character the chance to shine. Better yet, the filmmaking is as slick and dazzling as Danny’s heist plan, full of glamour and delightful misdirection. Danny’s ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts) gets about as much character development as a Bond girl, but Soderbergh and Roberts make her believably alluring and cultured.

If Diamonds Are Forever treats Vegas as a weird funhouse detour for Bond, Ocean’s Eleven affords the city more respect, so much so that parts of it could double as a tourism ad. Vegas celebrities like Wayne Newton and Siegfried & Roy even have cameos as themselves.

The movie’s most iconic scene is the postheist montage of the characters standing at the Bellagio fountains, departing one by one to head back where they came from, as Claude Debussy’s “Claire de Lune” plays on the soundtrack. It’s the kind of magical ending that anyone would want for their own Vegas trip with friends — even if they weren’t leaving with $160 million. ✦

NEVADA BACK COUNTRY

WATERING HOLES WORTH VISITING!

No doubt Nevada’s urban cities dish up some lavish sips and eats.

But, if you’re craving something a little less refined and less confined, here’s a list of some back country establishments that are sure to deliver that “REAL NEVADA” worth making a weekend trip for!

DIR TY DIC K’S BEL

MO NT SAL OO N

Dirty Dick’s Belmont Saloon ♦ Belmont, NV

If the name didn’t peek your interest, how about the fact that this saloon is completely off-grid.

That’s right, it operates totally on generator and solar power, adding to the allure of the place.

Serving up Nevada brewed beer, whiskey, tequila and their famous Bloody Mary using a recipe handed down from the bar’s original owner.

Santa Fe Saloon ♦ Goldfield, NV ON SA NTA FE SA LO

Claiming to be the oldest continuously operating business in Goldfield is quite a feat considering it was established in 1905. The building has survived a flood, fire and the rowdiness of an early boomtown. Serving up favorites in the beer and liquor categories, it also offers up some tasty pizza. Stay the night in the adjacent Motel.

Happy Burro Chili & Beer ♦ Beatty, NV HAPPY BURRO CHILI & BEER

Located in the heart of Beatty, this saloon has a true Old West Saloon front. Open the creaky wooden door and walk into a bygone era. If you’re lucky, you might bump into some of Beatty’s cowboys who regularly roam the town performing Old West Shootouts. Happy Burro offers award-winning chili, an outdoor patio and a very “unique” touch in the men’s restroom.

Overland hotel & Saloon ♦ Pioche, NV

This is a place known for its spirits, and we’re not just talking about the booze! Once the most rambunctious town in the West, Pioche is home to the now infamous Boot Hill Cemetery and regularly catches the interest of paranormal enthusiasts. The saloon, equipped with an original Brunswick bar counter, offers the perfect setting to grab a drink and listen to some of the towns crazy history from one of the local storytellers.

TE OV ER LA ND HO

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W US FOLLOPECIAL

FOR S UNTS DISCO FERS F AND O

NEVADA RENO CARSON CIT Y

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LAS VEGA S

NevadaSilverTrails.com

A TAVOLA NON SI INVECCHIA! Thank you to everyone who attended Restaurant Awards at Al Solito Posto on December 9. This year’s honorees included both local stalwarts and fresh upstarts who embraced simple, enduring values: quality food, outstanding service, and inviting ambiance.

FOOD + DRINK

COURTESY DESERT MOON

THE SPORE, THE MERRIER These gourmet blue oyster mushrooms are just one variety grown by local outfit Desert Moon Farms.

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Musical Chairs TREND

Craft cocktails, intimate spaces, and luxury touches define the new supper club boom BY

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Lissa Townsend Rodgers

ven before COVID, Las Vegas nightlife was ready for a change.

For more than two decades, mammoth-sized, big-name, highpriced clubs dominated, but the scene was beginning to lose steam: Consider Kaos at the Palms, which opened with a multimillion-dollar bang in April 2019 and closed with an empty-wallet whimper less than eight months later. Clubs had become places you endured visiting mostly so you could tell everyone that you went.

What has been doing brisk business as we head toward 2022 are supper clubs. Places where people can enjoy intimate spaces and unique decor rather than dark, cavernous rooms, where they can share well-crafted cocktails and conversation rather than slapdash bottle service and deafening DJs. It seems that the newest way to party in Las Vegas is a throwback to how they swung at the Sands and the Sahara 60 years ago.

The Wynn’s supper club, Delilah, is one of the most glamorous rooms in the city. It’s a lavish Art Deco space with big-entrance staircases and golden palm trees, where marble, chrome, and inlaid wood gleam at varying degrees of luminosity and you

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half-expect to see Myrna Loy or Jean Harlow slinking across the dance floor. The entertainment is jazz bands and torch singers, which makes for a lovely atmosphere, but it is just atmosphere. The menu leans into new twists on classic dishes, like a short rib and scallop surf ’n’ turf or Caesar salad with king crab. The bar program, put together by the Wynn’s resident alchemist, Mariena Mercer Boarini, likewise zazzes up tradition — the Film Noir gives a spicy kick to the Old Fashioned, while the Stepford Wife hits a French 75 with flavors of strawberry and lemongrass, as well as tongue-tingling edible glitter. Even if you’re not up to the full menu and full show, Delilah’s Bubble Bar with its celebrity caricatures and cruiseship vibe is worth a trip. (702-770-3300, wynnlasvegas.com) If Delilah is the 1930s, the Bellagio’s Mayfair is the 1950s, featuring decor that blends blush and aqua tones with undersea motifs for a sort of mid-mod baroque — coral branch lamps, etched-glass jellyfish mirrors, and fountain views. The club recently hosted a residency by Lío Ibiza, a full-blown production with a dozen entertainers, multiple costume changes (all sequinned), songs,

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impressions, a dance-off and a Madonna tribute replete with voguing: It’s a show that is très Eurovision but, in its over-the-top shimmy and glitter, also feels very Vegas.

The regular Mayfair show is more intimate, more jazz than pop, with several performers singing, dancing, and playing a white baby grand. The space and the shows are delightful, but the food menu lacks the same style and panache — a set menu of sushi, steak, and other standards offered up without particular flair. (702-693-8876, themayfairlv.com) Operating in its own orbit is the Cosmopolitan’s Superfrico, the first restaurant from Absinthe creators Spiegelworld. The setting and the floor show have the off-kilter, acrobatic sensibility of the company’s shows. The dining room glows with psychedelic art and neon colors alongside a space capsule-sleek bar that flows into the adjacent Opium show space; there’s also a “secret” bar with a ski lodge theme — all stone walls, wood beams and taxidermy. However, Superfrico’s menu is gimmick-free, and takes its interpretation of classic Italian dishes seriously. The chicken parmesan is cheesy, saucy comfort food and may be the best in town, while an array of pizzas are topped with everything from house-made mozzarella to pistachio pesto with mortadella and stracciatella.

The cocktails lean more to the “extra” of the decor than the mama vibe of the food but, from a selection of Negronis to the now-ubiquitous espresso martini, they’re elegantly done. Superfrico has no stage or live band, but a series of acts that pop in, hop on a banquette, and dazzle the audience for a few minutes. It could be a juggler, a magician, a tap dancer, a quick-change act, or all of the above, but they all share the flashy wit for which Spiegelworld is known. (702-534-3419, cosmopolitanlasvegas.com) If you prefer your act to have a bit more

V E N U E I M AG E S C O U R T E S Y O F M AY FA I R A N D D E L I L A H ; VA L E N C I A N G O L D P H OT O S : C H R I S T O P H E R S M I T H

DINNER AND A SHOW Left, live music is on the menu at Mayfair in the Bellagio; right, the stylish courtyard at Delilah in the Wynn Las Vegas.

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

class, it doesn’t get classier than the NoMad Library, a deep-toned, high-ceilinged space in Park MGM that’s adorned with giant chandeliers and 80,000 books from the Rockefeller family’s private collection.

The Library has begun offering late-night entertainment in its restaurant space, which actually works very well as a venue — there’s plenty of room for a bandstand at one end and a banquette-flanked elevated runway down the center of the room accommodates trumpet solos and burlesque routines. Or both, as is the case when Brian Newman, band leader for Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano, brings his own show to the room as bandleader/horn player with guest spots by his wife, former Miss Exotic World Angie Pontani. With a crack band backing on Frank Sinatra tunes and dueling each other on Charlie Parker numbers — as well as a few showgirls in cute, trumpet-themed outfits — it’s the sort of gig one could imagine playing the Casbar Lounge at 2 a.m. back in the day.

The NoMad late-night menu isn’t as lavish as their dinner selection of shellfish towers and wagyu for two, but the chicken fingers and French fries are at the same level of plate-licking deliciousness. (702-730-6785, nomadlasvegas.com) But not all of the action is on the Strip: A mile or two off of Las Vegas Boulevard is the Vegas Nevada Rooms, whose opening is part of the rebirth of Commercial Center and the return of authentic, old-school Vegas. There’s a small cabaret room, a larger showroom and a piano bar, all decorated by showgirl/ choreographer/costume designer Mistinguett.

The calendar is booked with veteran Las Vegas acts, including Jimmy Hopper, Vita Drew, and Bobby Brooks Wilson. One of the highlights is the weekly “Sit In with Kelly Clinton,” during which the engaging singer/comedienne hosts a string of special guests who keep the room applauding for hours — the performers might have just come from touring with a full orchestra or a shift in the emergency room, but all are impressively talented. (702-500-1813, vegasnevadarooms.com) After so many months of having to experience the world through a screen, we want to be in the same room where the musicians are playing, the dancers are dancing and the corks are popping. We want to be in a room that’s full of people, but doesn’t crowd us together.

Hell, we’re ready to wear real pants and shoes with heels! Sin City’s newest nightlife trend may be a return to its golden age, but supper clubs makes everyone feel a little like a movie star — or the chairman of the board — and that never goes out of style. ✦

DINING

FLAVOR ON FIRE

JEFFREY WEISS STRAPS a shiny gold flamethrower to his back. “Fuego!” he yells, and his crew joins in a shouted chorus. Then Weiss blasts his targets with fire. It’s quite a spectacle, and the scene looks more With a flair for the suited to an action movie than a restaurant kitchen. dramatic, Valencian But Weiss isn’t lighting up supervillains in a climactic Gold turns up the heat on traditional paella blockbuster scene. His targets: paella pans. He breaks out the flamethrower every time his signature rice

BY JASON HARRIS dishes need some added heat while they cook on his custom-built, open-rack, rotating oven.

Weiss is like Willy Wonka if he fell in love with Spanish and Valencian cuisine. Visit Valencian Gold, and you’ll see (and taste) how Weiss combines his love of food with a hearty dose of whimsy. This combination of expertise and eccentricity has helped Weiss create the most exciting Spanish restaurant in Las Vegas since EDO Tapas & Wine opened.

Weiss — a former competitive pairs figure skater — took a circuitous route to become a chef and open this restaurant. His first flirtation with Spain came while visiting his sister, who lived there. The food was only part of what drew him in. “I think I fell in love with the culture first,” Weiss says. “As a byproduct, when you’re experiencing the culture, you’re experiencing the food.”

You can’t get a much better education than Weiss did in the kitchens of Spanish maestros. In America, he worked for José Andrés, often manning the paella station at Jaleo in Washington, D.C. (without a flamethrower). Then it was back to Spain to cook with Adolfo Muñoz at his Toledo restaurant empire. From there, he traveled to the Spanish countryside to work at Carlos Tristancho’s pig farm and learn all things charcuterie. Finally, he landed with three-Michelin-star chef Dani García, and continued to hone his craft. It seemed only natural that Weiss would become a kind of Spanish cuisine kingpin upon his return to the United States.

The first version of Valencian Gold, which opened in July 2019, was a novel concept. Weiss took Spanish food and gave it the bowl treatment. It was like paella had gone Chipotle. And while it was a fun fast-casual idea, nothing in this version of the restaurant showcased who Weiss was as a chef. Diners were pleased if underwhelmed. Weiss recalls, “People would come in at night and ask, ‘Can I get paella in the pan? Can I get cocktails? Can I get sangria?’ They’re asking for this concept to be more.” Weiss was asking himself similar questions.

He says, “With my experiences and the people I’ve worked for and with, and the places I’ve been to and have knowledge of, why not put this out there as a more evolved experience of this concept?”

Weiss shuttered the restaurant as the pandemic took hold, but used the time to develop the concept that Valencian Gold is today. His menu is an amalgam of F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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7960 S. Rainbow Blvd. #8000A, 702-776-7707, valenciangold.com

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HIS LATEST FLAME Jeffrey Weiss applies a bit of fire to his paella pans at Valencian Gold.

Shroom Boom PROFILE

Enrique Gonzalez and EvaSara Luna have brought a gourmet fungus farm to life in the desert BY

I

Greg Thilmont

N A SMALL, TIGHTLY packed warehouse in the shadow of the Tropicana, EvaSara Luna unzips the flexible door of a Mylar-lined, LED-illuminated grow tent.

Inside, along the soft walls, are lines of industrial-strength shelves packed with epicurean gold.

“They’re called ‘pink oyster,’” Luna says, pointing to curvy-cupped gourmet fungi bursting triumphantly from clear, recyclable plastic bags. These savory beauties, unmistakably rose-tinted, are among the many varieties grown at this hyperlocal mycological enterprise, Desert Moon Mushrooms.

Maybe you’ve seen pictures of vast, dank indoor farms whose acre-wide dirt floors are dotted with symmetrical round caps of white button mushrooms. Desert Moon is the aesthetic opposite of that. Here, inside a handful of grow tents, multihued organic fungi burgeon to fruition: delicate, furry-looking lion’s mane; golden oysters reminiscent of orchestral trumpets; fairyland-like black pearl kings; and more. The kaleidoscopic urban garden scene brings to mind a tropical coral reef blended with a space telescope nebula photo.

“A mushroom’s life begins with those bags — that one is oak, this one is organic soybean hulls,” says Enrique Gonzalez, Luna’s life and business partner, in another part of the snug warehouse. There, the duo assembles 12-pound bags of substrate, a 50-50 blend of shredded wood and legume husks. “The soy hulls are kind of like a supplement,” he adds. “Higher nutrition, higher nitrogen.”

Once filled, the bags are sterilized with steam for 13 hours. Only then are mushroom spores — the fungi kingdom’s equivalent of seeds — introduced to the substrate in a cleanroom outfitted with laboratory-grade HEPA air filters. Utmost hygiene is essential in cultivating Desert Moon’s culinary product line.

Luna and Gonzalez turn out some 140 inoculated bags a week, and they have a sizeable repertoire of mushroom varieties resting in spore state as well. “We have more than 20,” Gonzalez says of the company’s total unique cultivars. “But we don’t grow them all at the same time.”

“We do six on our menu, our usual that we have at all times, but we’re always coming up with new mushrooms here and there,” Luna says.

E N R I Q U E G O N Z A L E Z A N D E VA S A R A LU N A P O R T R A I T: C H R I S T O P H E R S M I T H ; M U S H R O O M P H OT O S : C O U R T E S Y D E S E R T M O O N

his influences and his quirks, offering both traditional Spanish tapas and main courses, and modern, Americanized riffs on these Spanish plates.

Gill Hayon, a restaurant consultant currently acting as Valencian Gold’s de facto general manager, says, “There is this crazy, weird vibe. We take food that’s maybe a little weird and esoteric to the American palate, traditionally Spanish, in a tapas-style dining environment, mix it all together, and put in some gold glitter, and this is what we got.”

No part of the menu exemplifies that crazy vibe better than the paella.

The section is split between “tradicional” and “new school.” The traditional part includes paella Valencia with rabbit and snails. There’s also arròs negre with calamari, prawns, uni, and squid ink, which turns the rice black. Those looking for something new can order items such as the Super Mario, so named because of its focus on mushrooms. And then there’s the “All of the Sins,” which contains baby shrimp, chorizo, corn, and charred corn crema.

“There’s a reason it’s called ‘All of the Sins,’” Weiss says. “I’m pretty much acknowledging that this particular paella does not follow any of the established rules of paella. I put chorizo in that thing. That’s the number-one no-no of making paella.

You’re not supposed to put any kind of cured pork product in. I’m using a raw, Mexican chorizo.” By pouring equal passion into the tried-and-true dishes along with the rule-breakers, Weiss has cooked up a concept that’s clearly on fire. ✦

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

What led Luna and Gonzalez to this niche market? Curiously, neither had a deep familial or cultural attachment to mushrooms when they were growing up in Las Vegas. For both, the fascination started after graduating from UNLV. Gonzalez brings a bit of the wild side to their shared story. Armed with a mechanical engineering degree, he went north from the sere Mojave Desert to the verdant forests of Alaska for six years. There was a gastronomic kicker, though: “All my buddies were into hunting, but I’m vegan,” Gonzalez says. “So what I hunted were mushrooms.”

Luna got her degree in sociology, but casework was not in her career plan. “I knew I wanted to start a business after college. I didn’t want to do the 9-to-5 thing,” she says.

“I did a lot of research on what would match my values — I’m also vegan.”

After Gonzalez returned to Southern Nevada, their mycelial endeavor started to take root. Luna spent a lot of time researching micro-mushroom farming on YouTube and beyond, and a business plan began to take hold.

In the less than two years since the couple embarked on their agronomic venture, their products have become a hit in the Las Vegas food world. But it was all something of a lark at the start, Luna says. “‘Let’s just give it a try,’” she recalls them saying their first days in business. “And pretty much it just blew up from there.”

These days, Desert Moon delivers delectable merchandise across town, including to acclaimed restaurants such as Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas, where Executive Chef Joshua Smith created a side dish including the Desert Moon name. That’s extraordinary for a small, new-to-the-game vendor.

“Our mix usually includes chestnut, lion’s mane, black pearl king, and pink oyster mushrooms,” Smith says. “We use them as a garnish in a few dishes, but primarily we use them for a side dish that sells very well.”

And while Desert Moon’s mushrooms can look exotic — even extraterrestrial — they are eminently approachable on the plate (and palate).

“We prepare their mushrooms very simply with basic aromatics like olive oil, salt, pepper, shallots, garlic, and sherry wine,” Smith says. “We serve them with whole-roasted garlic cloves and a sweetand-savory sauce that includes white miso, sherry vinegar, kombu seaweed, and a knob of smoked butter.”

It’s no trade secret that the food-service industry, especially on the supply chain side, can be an impersonal, take-it-or-leave-it affair.

Not so with Desert Moon, according Smith.

“One of my favorite things about working with EvaSara and Enrique is their customer service,” he says. “They write us often to ask if we’re happy with the product and to see if there’s anything they can do better. I wish all vendors were this caring.”

Chef Smith’s guest-favorite mushroom mélange is likely an occasional, on-Strip treat for most Las Vegans, but Desert Moon delicacies also show up seasonally at neighborhood eateries such as EDO Tapas & Wine in Chinatown and Summerlin-adjacent Honey Salt.

Beyond restaurants, Desert Moon also sells its fantastic fungi to retail customers at farmers markets throughout the valley, including the Wednesday gatherings at Bruce Trent Park on Rampart Bouldevard. Maitakes, shitakes, and chestnuts sometimes make a show at the Desert Moon booth, as do premade mushroom growing kits for home chefs.

Building on its accomplishments, Desert Moon has other developments in the works.

First, Luna and Gonzalez are in the process of creating a new product: mushroom jerky.

“We’re hoping to get into something like Whole Foods with it,” Luna says.

Increasing Desert Moon’s chances of dried snack success, Luna was recently chosen as one of 10 participants in a Farm2Food Accelerator program cosponsored by the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation. The five-month curriculum mentors woman-owned farming, food, and beverage businesses in expanding into new markets.

Continuing Luna and Gonzalez’s mix of serendipity and commitment, the Farm2Food Accelerator award came as a surprise.

First, Luna received an email out of the blue to apply. She did, but adds, laughing, that she didn’t go overboard on her application — she thought she had a slim chance of getting accepted. But here she is.

She describes the entrepreneurial training program as being about creating a new value-added product. “It’s been very helpful so far,” she says. “It’s only been two weeks, and I’ve learned a slew of things. I just feel lucky being part of it. I feel it’s going to do us well.”

In response to demand, Luna and Gonzalez are also planning to move into a much larger warehouse space soon. Business is growing like … well, you know. ✦

MY OH MYCOLOGY Top, Desert Moon’s blue oyster mushrooms; below, pink oyster mushrooms

CULTURE (Nature)

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY

DA N C E

Ballet Folklorico de Mexico

MARCH 19

MARCH 23

Yes, this truly is an international occasion, being marked as far away as Iran (albeit later in the spring) and as close as the Clark County Wetlands Park, where the event is one of hundreds coordinated

by Environment for the Americas. Our local reststop for travel-weary fowl on their way home from points south for the summer provides a fitting vantage point from which to educate participants in the conservation of migratory bird habitat, the purpose of the event.

To drive the point home, the park will offer familyfriendly activities, such as crafts, games, and birding walks. (HK) 9a-1p, 7050 Wetlands Park Lane, free, facebook.com/ wetlandspark

Talk about a cultural institution: Amalia Hernandez founded Ballet Folklorico de Mexico in 1952. Her original goal was to share the magic of Mexican dance, and she’s succeeded beyond any measure, not only logging thousands of performances worldwide, but also founding a folklorico dance school to inspire future generations with its dance traditions.

But make no mistake, this tradition is about more than dance — it’s as much about colorful costuming, the rigor of a serious discipline, and the exploration of Mexico’s national psyche. (AK) 7:30p, Reynolds Hall in the Smith Center, $19-79, thesmithcenter.com

(Art)

PORTR AIT OF. L E I S A S M I T H M O S E L E Y.

SEEING/SEEN

BY CAR L SU M M E R LI N .

THROUGH FEB. 26

Seeing/Seen features striking professional photographic portraits of Black women, pictures worthy of a fine-art gallery, to be sure — but the exhibit also includes found images, archival performance photos, slides, and videos. The range of form reflects the richly ambiguous intent of curator Erica Vital-Lazare — in other words, a broad vision calls for a broad range of photographic media.

Vital-Lazare sums up that vision best: “I want this exhibit to offer such teaching and learning in a glance — in the posture of hand tucked beneath the chin, in an open laugh. I want each face, each historical moment to resound as a clarion call for some and the tug of a coattail for others. That gentle urgency and coded message Black women detect and share in the presence of one another provide an exhibit within an exhibit—completing the circuit between us.”

(AK) UNLV’s Marjorie Barrick Museum, free, unlv.edu/barrickmuseum F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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Recent Tragic Events FEB. 4-21

Tell me if this scenario strikes a chord: Despite an unfolding national crisis, a woman decides to go through with a first date. But because of said crisis, she and her date get stuck, along with a family member whose flight is grounded, insider her apartment. This is the premise of Craig Wright’s drama, Recent Tragic Events, being presented by A Public Fit Theatre Company with Erik Amblad directing. The plot — familiar though it sounds — doesn’t hinge on the COVID pandemic, but 9/11, providing the framework for an examination of human connection, fate, and free will. Just goes to show: “Recent” is ongoing. (HK) 2p and 7p, The Usual Place, $35-$40, apublicfit.org

(Author talk)

LOVE IN THE DUNES

(Music)

BEETHOVEN, SIBELIUS, AND MONTGOMERY FEB. 12

The Las Vegas Philharmonic performs a heavyweight concert of classics in this February concert — including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Sibelius’ The Swan of Tuonela. But also on the bill is a future classic from a contemporary heavyweight: Strum by Manhattan-born composer and violinist Jessie Montgomery. This brief but energetic piece, driven by tightly woven pizzicato rhythms, reflects Montgomery’s expansive musical palette that synthesizes American folk idioms with ambitious conceptual verve. Credit to the LV Phil for helping keep classical music alive — while diversifying its programming with forward-looking work by young artists.

(AK) 7:30p, Reynolds Hall in The Smith Center, $29-121, thesmithcenter.com

FEB. 10

Four days before Valentine’s Day, contributors to Nevada Humanities’ 12th installment in the Las Vegas Writes anthology series, Love in the Dunes, will gather to read excerpts from their stories of heartbreak, loneliness, and lust.

The collection’s editor, Jarret Keene (pictured), moderates a discussion that should satisfy everyone — including the Hallmark holiday haters.

Writers include Emily Bordelove, Melissa Bowles-Terry, Kim Idol, Nicole Minton, Jen Nails, Brett Riley, Nicholas Russell, and Tonya Todd. (HK) 6:30-8p, Writer’s Block, free, thewritersblock.org

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OPERA

HAYDN’S LA CANTERINA & MOZART’S THE IMPRESARIO MARCH 10

RuPaul’s Drag Race has got nothing on the dueling divas in this evening of classic comical works put on by UNLV Opera Theater. In Haydn’s La Canterina, mother and daughter Apollonia and Gasparina wittily scheme to outsmart music master Don Pelagio to maintain their posh lifestyles; in Mozart’s The Impresario, theater producer Frank auditions two desperately aspiring actresses for his upcoming production, and they pull out all the stops in a singing battle of epic one-upmanship. If you’ve ever wanted to hear, “She done already done had herses!” in a poignant soprano, this is your chance.

(AK) 7:30p, UNLV Judy Bayley Theatre, $15-25, unlv.edu/pac

B A L L E T F O L K O R I C O : C O U R T E S Y ; J A R R E T K E E N E : C O U R T E S Y ; LV P H I L H A R M O N I C : C O U R T E S Y ; B L A N K E T O F P R O T E C T I O N : PA I N T I N G B Y A D O L F O G O N Z A L E S ; C H A R LOT T E D AY W I L S O N : C O U R T E S Y

(Theater)

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T H E AT E R

THE PROLETARIAT FEB. 18-26

(Musical Theater)

THE BAND’S VISIT FEB. 15-20

This feel-good drama won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Musical, along with numerous other wins and nominations. The story unfolds after an Egyptian band, on its way to play a concert in Israel, accidentally ends up in a small town in the Negev desert. As the band awaits a bus to its intended destination the following day, the town’s café owner, Dina, offers the band leader, Tewfiq, a helping hand. Over the evening that follows, interactions between band members and townspeople weave a story of “hope and faith and silence and music,” said David Yazbek, who wrote the show’s music and lyrics, presenting a selection of numbers for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert (its first of a Broadway show!). The tour stopping at the Smith Center features performers from the Broadway production. (HK) Reynolds Hall, $30-$148, thesmithcenter.com

(Art)

Blanket of Protection THROUGH MARCH 26

You can always count on Left of Center Art Gallery to produce challenging, complex exhibits, and its latest show, Blanket of Protection, will certainly keep up its tradition of stirring conversation. Ten artists consider the role of Black Americans in World War II — as military service members as well as citizens — and explore the moral complications of fighting for a country that refuses to recognize your full humanity. Dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen, the Black military pilots and airmen who served in WWII, this exhibit includes work by artists Adolfo Gonzalez, Tamara Carter, Harold Bradford, Joseph Watson, and Lolita Develay. (AK) Through March 26. Left of Center Art Gallery, free, leftofcenterart.org MUSIC

CHARLOTTE DAY WILSON MARCH 16

It wouldn’t be accurate to call Charlotte Day Wilson “throwback” or “retro” — there’s something a little sui generis going on in her dreamy neo-soul ballads, something lushly assured and sensually matter-of-fact that’s leaning confidently forward instead of looking back. Her debut album Alpha only dropped last year, but her voice belies a talent with deep currents.

(AK) 7:30p, $25-50, The Space, 3460 Cavaretta Court, thespacelv.com

Writer-director Ernest Hemmings, best known for his performance art collective TSTMRKT, has revived his 2013 dark comedy The Proletariat for a limited run at The Playhouse LV, home of Poor Richard’s Players. I haven’t seen the show, which explores office workers’ futile attempts at labor justice, since its original run, but if memory serves me, it’s even more relevant today, post-Great Resignation, than it was eight years ago. And if it’s true to Hemmings’ usual style, seeing this play will invoke that time your older brother held you down and tickled you till you threw up. Funny not funny.

(HK) 8p, The Playhouse LV, $10-$20, theplayhouselv.com/ proletariat

(Author talk)

BREAKOUT WRITERS SERIES: KARLA CORNEJO VILLAVICENCIO FEB. 24

U.S.-Mexico border crossings are soaring. The Senate refuses to take up the new Dream Act passed by the House of Representatives. A moratorium on DACA is working its way through the federal court system. This is the context in which Black Mountain Institute hosts a conversation with Dreamer Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, author of The Undocumented Americans. In the book, Villavicencio weaves vivid first-person storytelling through rigorous reportage to amplify authentic voices of undocumented immigrants. It’s a timely revision of the American experience to include the latest category of people being refused citizenship by a white patriarchy. (HK) 7p, via Zoom, free, blackmountaininstitute.org

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Reality Check Reflecting on the The Real World’s infamous Las Vegas season and the failed promise of Downtown BY

Krista Diamond

Editor’s note: In this six-column series, Krista Diamond explores the intersection where Las Vegas, pop culture, media myths, and urban legend meet. Krista is an MFA candidate in UNLV’s Creative Writing program. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, HuffPost, Electric Literature, Narratively, and elsewhere.

T

he bar remains, but the slot machines have been replaced by couches. At noon, the space is nearly empty and as dark as a basement. Co-work by day and party by night, the Gold Spike’s website says of its living room, touting free Wi-Fi and easy access to draft beers. I am co-working alone, filling out my weekly unemployment claim for the state of Montana, where I’ve just moved from. Nearby, seven twentysomethings in bathing suits argue in front of a camera crew. Later, this footage will air on MTV: The cast of The Real World, drunk and still wet from

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the pool outside, having sloppy, circular conversations. And me in the background, applying for casino jobs I won’t get, my face blurred.

I

* * * * *

moved to Downtown Las Vegas in 2015, seven days after MTV began filming its 31st season of The Real World in the same neighborhood.

The reality show, which premiered in 1992, was suffering an identity crisis. The original This is the true story of seven strangers picked to live in a house together format wasn’t working anymore. The network had started experimenting in recent years — confronting cast members with their exes, adding surprise houseguests. That season, Real World: Go Big or Go Home, was the latest iteration of this: Seven strangers would live together for 70 days at the Gold Spike while completing “missions.” The missions were often things you’d do for fun in Las Vegas anyway — ride the SlotZilla zipline, hike Red Rock Canyon, party in a suite at the Palms — and there was no mention of a cash prize, just the abstract concept of “survival.”

Like The Real World, Downtown was also several years into an attempted renaissance.

In 2012, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh had found-

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ed the Downtown Project and invested $350 million into the neighborhood, promising a Burning Man-inspired community where entrepreneurs and artists could eat tacos, take selfies in front of murals, and dance at outdoor concerts.

At 27, I was going through my own major shift. I had spent my twenties working seasonal jobs in the national parks. Now I was going to have an apartment, a bank account, cell service. Most importantly, I was going to belong somewhere. (I didn’t yet know that the Downtown Project had removed “community” from its statement of core values.)

This is the start of something, I thought, passing by a meerkat art installation. But I couldn’t tell if it would last or if it was just one gigantic Instagram post. There was The Market, a full-scale urban grocery shopping experience with an intimate café setting; Downtown Container Park, a retail and restaurant space made of shipping containers; Grass Roots, an expensive juice bar; and of course, the Gold Spike, a grungy casino turned co-working/party space complete with beer pong and boozy milkshakes. The seventh-floor suite, with its three balconies, blue tiger mural, and glowing letters spelling out VIVA, had just welcomed its first guests.

C R E AT I V E C O M M O N S

WRITER IN RESIDENCE

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

There was Kailah, a recent college graduate who aspired to write “a badass article” (she is now an influencer); Dione, a self-described “carny” with Tarzan hair; singer/ songwriter Sabrina, who said in episode one, “I’m not afraid of heights, but I am afraid of meeting my biological mother”; Dean from Los Angeles, who was going through a divorce; Chris, an ex-Mormon with bassistin-a-folk-band style; and CeeJai', who put off law school for MTV. There was also Jenna.

Real World: Go Big or Go Home is a grotesque season of television for many reasons, but Jenna is at the top of that list. “If you don’t respect the South, you can go back to the North,” she says in her casting tape, shooting a gun from a house where there’s a Confederate flag outside. Jenna is openly racist toward the show’s Black housemates, CeeJai and Dean, repeatedly describing CeeJai as “ratchet” and saying that she feels physically threatened by Dean, the least confrontational person in the house.

She is also homophobic. “The thought of gay people having sex kind of disgusts me,” she tells the group.

While these aren’t the first examples of prejudice in the history of The Real World, what’s significant about the season’s treatment of racism and homophobia — along

with misogyny, gun violence, and abuse — is how they are used as entertainment. In its early years, The Real World was known for turning subjects like these into a national conversation. The show’s third season, which was shot in San Francisco and aired in 1994, featured Pedro Zamora, a gay Cuban immigrant living with AIDS. Viewers empathized with and learned from Pedro.

When he died, President Bill Clinton praised him and the show for teaching “all of us that AIDS is a disease with a human face and one that affects every American, indeed, every citizen, of the world.”

By its 31st season, The Real World was done enlightening. Instead of using CeeJai', whose father shot her mother and was then killed by police, to start a conversation about gun violence, the show sends her shooting with Jenna. Chris, ostracized by his Mormon family for his sexuality, could have been the most compassionate housemate, but he spends his time bullying women and calling them “bitches.” No one on the show changes.

When Jenna’s racism pushes CeeJai' to her breaking point, there is no catharsis in seeing CeeJai' grab Jenna by her hair and repeatedly punch her face — just the tragedy of watching CeeJai' describe her disappointment in succumbing to the kind of violence that claimed her parents. In the aftermath of this event, the other housemates don’t have a conversation about their own privilege; they just laugh and keep drinking.

* * * * * filmed, rumors spread that Tony Hsieh was losing interest in Downtown.

I felt the collective anxiety outside of bar/ arcade Insert Coin(s), which appears shuttered and vacant on The Real World. Outside of my Downtown Project-owned apartment, the fence collapsed. In my kitchen, cabinet doors fell off when opened.

I read about the three people in the Downtown Project community who committed suicide in 2013 and 2014 — one by jumping off a building, one by hanging, and one by gunshot. I read the 2014 open letter in the Las Vegas Weekly from David Gould to Hsieh, published after Gould resigned as director of imagination for the Downtown Project. Gould called the era “a collage of decadence, greed, and missing leadership,” adding that many within the Downtown Project “squandered the opportunity to ‘dent the universe,’ (while) others never cared about doing so in the first place.” I thought I knew everything about Downtown, but it turned out I had only focused on music festivals, sushi bars, and rooftop pools. The stuff that looked fun.

AS THE SHOW

Meaningful change requires that you look away from the party. Real World: Go Big or Go Home is proof of this. What if instead of being challenged by production to walk down Fremont Street in drag, the housemates had gone to the LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada? What if instead of watching Jenna’s repeated racist behavior, we saw the group go to the Historic Westside to learn about segregation in Las Vegas?

Downtown Las Vegas in 2015 also chose the party. Instead of revitalizing the neighborhood with affordable housing, the Downtown Project invested in restaurants and bars. Instead of conversations about mental health, there was a giant cube for people to write their dreams on.

The tree-lined courtyard at my apartment, which had looked so pretty when I arrived, was filled with trash. The Downtown Project was technically my landlord, but they never answered my calls.

* * * * * season of The Real World, Downtown is the only Las Vegas. This 2015 universe is one in which you shuttle between The Market and the Vanguard Lounge. Where you must ignore the fact that The Market, despite its Whole Foods-style branding, sells Walmart products. Where you don’t know yet that in two years a man will get punched in the head outside of the Vanguard Lounge and die immediately, and then in another two years the bar will close, as will The Market, Beauty Bar, Grass Roots, and so many other Downtown businesses.

And then a year after that, Hsieh will retire, die tragically in a fire in Connecticut without a will, and his remaining Downtown properties will be put up for sale.

To watch Real World: Go Big or Go Home now is to visit a Downtown that no longer exists. Today, there are new bars, new murals, and a new hotel that resembles the ones on the Strip.

But if you have $1,000 and you miss the past, you can still stay at The Real World Suite at the Gold Spike. You can swing in the hammock, give a pretend interview in the confessional booth, look down at the changing neighborhood from the balcony.

You can spend a few hours in a bed where someone slept for 70 nights. You can imagine that person, who has abandoned a future in which they are a lawyer or a journalist or an activist or anything approximating change or even a conversation about change. You can go to sleep dreaming that person’s dreams.

Dreams of pleasure, dreams of nothing. ✦

IN THE 31ST

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activist, Salter has been camping near the Yellow Pine solar site off Highway 160 and Tecopa Road to protest one of Nevada’s newest green energy projects. In 2020, the Bureau of Land Management approved Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources’ request to develop the site into a photovoltaic solar farm, which broke ground in January. The electricity from this plant will eventually run through 300 miles of transmission lines to Santa Cruz County in California, with none of it being retained Big Solar is moving into Nevada’s public lands. A local

by Nevada residents or businesses. This has activist is fighting back with poetry activists like Salter arguing for less obtrusive, more locally based energy solutions.

BY Michael Hanson “American public lands are a very special thing,” Salter says. “I really believe they are crucial to the spirit of democracy.

The activist Tim DeChristopher said that Time works funny out here too. The riving west on Highway 160 betyranny can never be complete as long as land feels ancient, because it is. Most of the tween Las Vegas and Pahrump, there’s wilderness. Anyone can camp and valley floor is coated in what geologists call the valley to the south looks like enjoy solitude here for free, and these are desert pavement, a limestone rock surface any other in the Mojave Desert. the lands we stand to lose with projects like dating back 100,000 years. Mammoths and From the seat of a car, the land blurs by in Yellow Pine.” saber-toothed cats once walked across shades of brown and beige. The eye has a Like most environmentalists, Salter isn’t the pebbles, which, for millennia, have funny way of gauging distance out here. The totally against solar. Dependence on fossil been cemented together by networks of mountains across the California border fuels must be addressed, and solar is part fungal mycelium, a type of biological soil seem closer than they are, and between of that equation. She is, however, against crust that has sequestered carbon from the here and there — nothing. Some call it a utility-scale solar plants like Yellow atmosphere for thousands of years. wasteland. Others call it the void. Up close, Today, Pahrump Valley is home to POETIC JUSTICE Pine. Anyone who has driven I-15 however, the desert begins to breathe. many things, from shrikes to shrews Activist Shannon between Las Vegas and L.A. has seen Five-hundred-year-old yuccas lean into Salter at her the three massive solar towers across to gopher snakes. Shannon Salter the wind. Kit foxes chase mice through campsite HQ from Ivanpah dry lakebed. It’s the also lives here. A poet, teacher, and tufts of creosote.

PROFILE

‘RUNNING FROM THE APOCALYPSE’

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JUSTIN MCAFFEE

D

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

largest solar thermal farm in the world, and though that technology has since become outdated, dozens of projects of similar size and scope are currently underway, giving a preview of what the desert landscape could turn into. While figures in government and corporate America laud these arrays as forms of environmental progress, activists like Salter see this as a form of greenwashing.

“They’re trying to sell this as a green solution, but how is tearing up the wilderness eco-friendly? We should be advocating for distributed solar. There’s so much existing infrastructure we could install panels on, from military bases to rooftops to parking lots. Pahrump Valley is the equivalent of an old-growth forest. Some of the plants here are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old.

Biologists already had to relocate 80 desert tortoises out of the Yellow Pine site, and less than a month went by before 26 got eaten by badgers.”

Originally from Orange County, California, Salter has been living in the Las Vegas area since 2009. Several months ago, she filed a leave of absence from her literature Phd program at UNLV to occupy Pahrump Valley full-time. She sleeps in an eight-by-10-foot camper among a pile of John Berger books, working remotely as a writing consultant. She keeps dry goods in totes, perishables in coolers. Her camper features a kitchenette built into the back, where she makes coffee each morning and watches the sun rise. Since moving in, she has become a fixture in the local community, a true lady of the valley. She believes the desert is best experienced at a walking pace, taking time each day to stroll the valley floor.

“A week ago, an army of tarantulas came marching through my camp,” she says. “It’s the tail end of their mating season. They’re very fast, it turns out. Two days ago, I started to see dragonflies. They perch along the creosote. You can’t imagine something so fast and so small holding still like that, but they do. I had one sit next to me for 10 minutes, and it felt like we were sharing something. Sometimes it feels like I’m becoming wild out here myself.”

Salter’s occupation defies desert logic.

Today, many people regard landscapes like Pahrump Valley as places to be traveled through, not lingered in. Before the incursion of white settlers, ancestors of present-day Paiute and Shoshone tribes lived in the area, moving among higher and lower elevations according to season and tradition. Some of the region’s first infrastructure came in the form of Indig-

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PROFILE

enous trading routes, which were later used by the Spanish, then the Mexicans, and Americans. In 1829, the Old Spanish Trail began running these routes from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, bringing traders and fur trappers, pilgrims and pioneers.

These settlers knew better than to pause too long in a place that receives about five inches of rain per year, where temperatures can swing 50 degrees in the winter months, and where the peak of summer averages 100 degrees or higher.

“It’s tough living out here sometimes,” Salter says. “Everything takes more time than you think it would, from cooking to cleaning to brushing your teeth. Sometimes, I shower under a jug of water. Other times I go into Tecopa and soak in the hot springs.

But I don’t feel small in this landscape. I feel enormous. I’ve felt an immense weight fall off me. It’s been a physical sensation. For the first time in a long time, it feels like I’m doing what I want to do, like I’m finally doing what’s right.”

For the past several months, Salter has been calling attention to the environmental impact of utility-scale solar developments by hosting the Jackrabbit Poetry Series near the Yellow Pine site (the next event is scheduled February 5). Salter calls her initiative a poetry in motion, and she’s attracted members of the local literary community, including Nevada’s own Claire Vaye Watkins, as well as people from Pahrump, Tecopa, and Las Vegas.

One of them is Kevin Emmerich, who, along with his wife, Laura Cunningham, founded Basin and Range Watch, a nonprofit that works to conserve the deserts of Nevada and California by educating the public on the region’s history, culture, and biodiversity. Emmerich served as a U.S.

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park ranger for 19 years, and now he uses his biology background to call attention to the ecological impacts of industrial-scale wind and solar projects. A lifelong desert advocate, Emmerich finds Salter’s poetry readings to be a particularly effective way to reach the public.

“Shannon is really nice and funny, and she’s got an enthusiasm that I don’t,” he says. “Her poetry readings have been hugely successful because she gets a lot of people who have never been to that area to come out, and they leave feeling personally connected to it.

When I talk in front of people, I get everyone depressed, but Shannon has a pretty cool way of getting the word out.”

Emmerich and Cunningham met Salter in 2017 at a community engagement meeting for the Crescent Peak Wind Turbine Project that would have erected as many as 248 turbines in the middle of the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Forest Area outside Searchlight, Nevada, on the border of the Mojave National Preserve. The project was proposed by Swedish energy company Eolus Vind, and the BLM hosted four community engagement hearings around Southern Nevada. “Shannon showed up on her own and made some really good comments,” Emmerich says. “We could tell that she was really passionate about the issues.” The project was eventually denied in 2018 after pushback from the local community, which cited adverse effects to wildlife such as golden eagles, Gila monsters, and bighorn sheep, as well as potential health complications from the asbestos that naturally occurs in the region’s soil and would have been churned up by utility road construction. Tribal advocates also opposed the project, insisting that the area be turned into a national

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monument for Avi Kwa Ame, the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain.

Salter eventually joined Basin and Range Watch as a board member, though she has since moved on to create her own organization called Mojave Green, which gives her the autonomy to take a less conventional, more action-based approach.

“We want to see more groups in Southern Nevada that aren’t affiliated with the giant, what we call ‘gang green’ groups that tend to look the other way with a lot of the big solar and wind projects,” Emmerich says.

“We need genuine people that really care about this, and unfortunately a lot of the big environmental organizations have an agenda. But Shannon is a real person who lives in the area and loves the desert and wants to keep it the way it is, the way we’ve always had it.”

Yet the push for distributed solar is nuanced. Like Salter, Dustin Mulvaney, an environmental studies professor at San Jose State University, advocates for distributed solar on rooftops and over parking lots, which he notes is 10 times more prevalent per capita in California than it currently is in Nevada. Rooftop solar can reduce the heat island effect over cities such as Las Vegas, Mulvaney says, but he ultimately sees utility-scale solar as a necessary component to meeting climate goals going forward.

“I know that Basin and Range Watch and Shannon tend to argue against utility-scale in general,” Mulvaney says. “But I don’t have the luxury to argue for an ideal. I am thinking more about where to put these utility-scale solar farms, because that’s the way our grid system is set up right now. We have so much degraded land across California and Nevada. There’s abandoned mines and

E V E N T P H OT O S : S H A N N O N S A LT E R

DESERT DEFENDERS A March 2021 event near the Yellow Pine solar site included signs, costumes, and poetry readings.

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landfills, there’s abandoned agriculture.

There’s no reason to develop public land, but in Nevada, the parent companies for utility-scale solar projects also own the development companies that install them, so you can see why they are taking this route.”

(We contacted NextEra Energy Solutions to weigh in on this issue, but the company didn’t respond.)

Much of Mulvaney’s research focuses on “circular economy,” which is a mode of production that seeks to recycle existing materials as long as possible — a stark contrast to the linear “take-make-toss” modes of production that have been in place since the early days of industrialization. Though renewable energy sources such as wind and solar sound green to the average consumer, they still rely on mining and other extractives industries, which can quickly cancel their intended carbon mitigation depending on how they are implemented. Mulvaney worries that we are repeating the mistakes of the last two centuries as we seek to move out of their industrial shadow.

“We just have a bad federal policy where we’ve decided that, because we gave public lands to mining companies and oil and gas companies in 1872, suddenly, the new energies deserve a similar bargain,” he says. “People really root for giant solar farms. But when you look at the impacts on groundwater and endangered species and habitat fragmentation, not to mention these conflicts on the development of public lands, it makes me think that people don’t have any clue what’s going on out in the desert.”

Mulvaney has noticed a bias against public desert lands as wastelands and nonproductive landscapes, so he’s glad that Salter is calling attention to these issues. Yet at the end of the day, even Salter admits that, at least superficially, protesting the Yellow Pine installation is a fruitless act. As this story went to press, shovels were hitting the ground.

But Yellow Pine is just the beginning of planned solar development in Pahrump Valley. The nearby Trout Canyon substation will accommodate up to six solar arrays of similar size and scope, and four additional sites are already proposed for Pahrump Valley alone. With Greenlink, Nevada’s 585-mile-long transmission line being installed between Las Vegas, Yerington, and Ely, and with the BLM opening nine million acres of public land for solar, more valleys like Pahrump are bound to fill up with solar arrays, none of which will be guaranteed to power Nevada itself. As tech

companies expand ever outward from the Bay Area, much of Nevada’s solar energy will be plugged into the regional grid and sold to the highest bidder.

In this context, Salter’s Yellow Pine protest is just the beginning of her efforts. The way she sees it, Big Solar is moving in, and none of Nevada’s public deserts are safe from future development.

“One of the biggest things I have learned through all of this is that most people involved are just doing their jobs and trying

to provide for their families,” Salter says.

“The construction workers aren’t the enemy; neither are the biologists or field workers.

The real problem, at the end of the day, is the way we live our lives, how the global industrial order requires constant expansion to survive. We’ve developed an apocalyptic attitude when it comes to the climate crisis, but we shouldn’t be running from the apocalypse; we should be building a heaven on earth. We can have that. We just have to go about it the right way.” ✦

The Mob Museum is hitting an exceptional tenth anniversary milestone on February 14, 2022 and has a robust lineup of exciting events and programs in February to commemorate this special occasion.

February 10 | 7 pm - 8:30 pm The Story of The Mob Museum: Celebrating Its Past, Charting Its Future February 11 & 12 | 8 pm - Midnight Live Entertainment in The Underground February 14 | 9 am - 9 pm Free Admission For Nevada Residents and The Massacre Tommy Guns: A Special Display of Historic Firearms February 17 | 7 pm - 10 pm Undercover of the Night Gala February 25 | 6 pm - 9 pm Donnie Brasco: A 25th Anniversary Screening of a Mob Classic

For more events and programs go to

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TECHNOLOGY

GHOST IN THE MACHINE An Evening With Whitney delights fans, but raises questions about the ethics of hologram shows BY

Oona Robertson

W

hitney Houston bursts back into existence from a nucleus of light. She is projected on a transparent screen hanging behind the backup dancers and in front of the band, her face ethereal, her body draped in a glittery gold gown, arms opening to the audience. She’s just slightly transparent and her skin has a filtered glow. The first bars of “Higher Love” play. Her gilded skirt brushes the solid floor. As she sings, keywords flash on the screen like karaoke prompts, and the live backup dancers perform energetic moves, their outfits adding sparkle to all the other sparkle. When the song ends, without hesitation, the audience begins to clap.

Harrah’s Showroom is a small theater — 544 seats all stationed at a distance from the stage that feels intimate. Tickets cost $47 to $92 plus fees, and the show is every night except Mondays. On the way up the escalator to An Evening With Whitney: The Whitney Houston Hologram Experience, I passed Harrah’s other show, Menopause the Musical, and the two vibes couldn’t be more different. For the Whitney Houston show, the

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audience is bathed in purple light, and the music of Chaka Kahn and her contemporaries preps us for what’s to come. Waitstaff take drink orders ($14 for a Coors Light), and a photographer shoots flash photos to sell later stuck into cheap paper frames. Selfies pop all around, and a few people have already started dancing in their seats. “If it wasn’t for Bobby Brown we woulda been watching this live,” says the man sitting next to me.

Whitney Houston’s is not the first or last celebrity hologram, but it is the most permanent — her posthumous residency has no official end date. Its appearance in Las Vegas hints at a new era in simulated performances.

When Tupac rose from the Coachella stage in 2012 to perform with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, he kicked off a quickly accelerating industry of tech-driven resurrection. Watching video of that performance, I felt uneasy about this type of representation, particularly in the music industry, with its well-known history of exploiting Black performers.

Since then, holograms of our dead idols have appeared every so often at big music industry events, most notably Michael

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Jackson at the 2014 Billboard Awards and Prince during Justin Timberlake’s 2018 Super Bowl halftime show. Both raised a storm of controversy — with Jackson, over which tech company owned the rights to his hologram; with Prince, over whether a hologram should even have been made, because the artist was clear, while he was alive, that he was against it.

Timberlake and team tried to assuage the anger of Prince fans by announcing they weren’t using a hologram. Instead, a huge image of Prince was projected onto a billowy screen on stage. They were right, technically; it wasn’t a hologram. But the star of An Evening With Whitney isn’t one either, technically. So far, all so-called “holograms” have been some form a light projected onto a surface.

The Tupac illusion was produced with the Pepper’s Ghost effect, a method conceived of in the 16th century that had its heyday in Victorian-era England, where phantasmagoria was lucrative business. This type of hologram-like technology is an illusion. Put a dark room below, to the side, or above the audience, place a sheet of glass at a 45-degree angle, and a ghost of whatever is lit in the dark room appears in front of the audience. The Coachella audience — and millions of YouTube viewers since then — saw something 3-D that was actually 2-D. For An Evening With Whitney, developers used a different technology. “It’s effectively projection of the (image) on a proprietary scrim,” says the show’s executive producer for BASE Entertainment, Matt Franzetti, who wouldn’t comment on the specifics of the technology. “And by doing that, we are able to get a crisper picture. Also, from a more practical perspective, it makes it easier to tour and get it up every night.” A tour is scheduled for 2023 that will launch after a new biopic is released.

Many other films, most of them documentaries, have been made about Houston since her death, and not all were officially approved by the singer’s estate. An Evening With Whitney, however, is an estate-sanctioned project.

“It all stems from an idea that Whitney and Pat — Pat Houston, her sister-in-law and former manager — had, where Whitney always wanted to do a show called An Evening With Whitney,” Franzetti says. “She never wanted to do the big arena spectacle. She liked the idea of doing something intimate, where she can connect with the fans.”

When Whitney Houston died in 2012, her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown inherited her estate. After Brown died in 2015, Whitney’s mother, Cissy Houston, inherited it. She passed it to Whitney’s brothers Gary and Michael Houston, who passed it to Pat Houston, the

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TECHNOLOGY current executor of the estate. The estate controls the assets Whitney Houston had when she died, including the right of publicity.

That is “the right of a person to control commercial exploitation of their name and likeness,” says Mary LaFrance, a UNLV law professor who specializes in intellectual property. “A hologram is an intangible three-dimensional image, and it has to be created from some other existing image or images, so I think there would be several different kinds of intellectual property at issue in creating and utilizing and exploiting a hologram,” LaFrance says. (To clarify, La France is using exploit in the legal sense of using a resource for commercial ends.) To make the Whitney Houston hologram, BASE Entertainment needed to get permission to use the music and lyrics. They also needed to get permission from photographers and film companies for whatever footage and images they used in making the hologram.

“And then in exploiting that hologram, now you are not only exploiting the copyrighted content that went into it, but you’re also exploiting the right of publicity of the person,” LaFrance says. “So you would also need to either be the owner or the licensee of the right of publicity, in this case a postmortem right of publicity, in order to have the exclusive right to exploit that content.”

BASE Entertainment has that right. Franzetti says, “Pat Houston has been involved from day one. She has final say on pretty much all creative decisions. … It’s really been a blessing to have them, because they know best what Whitney would have liked and what her vision would have been.”

Conversations with the estate began five years ago, Franzetti says, and then there were five years of development. He says the team studied “what was it like when Whitney performed ... talking to past music directors, band members, security, anyone that might lend insight to what (she) was like.”

The result of that research and development is a concert with two scrims, four dancers, a four-piece band, and live music with voice from Houston’s live shows set over it. “It is wildly technical. It’s literally physics, figuring out where to hang things and how the audience member is going to be able to see the hologram so she doesn’t flatten out,” Franzetti says.

From the second row, she looks flat to me.

The light effects pulsing around her remind me that there is a screen where her body should be. Houston looks too tall and too small at once, in comparison to the dancers, who have big smiles and are undeniably working it. Their chests heave with effort.

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I stare at Houston’s for minutes, trying to catch it move. “There’s always a real body, everything you’re seeing is real video footage, so there is breathing,” Franzetti says.

After most songs, her outfit changes in a burst of light, from a silver ball gown, to a red jumpsuit, to jeans and leather jacket for “I’m Every Woman.” The audience claps after each song, whether the backup dancers are onstage or it’s just Houston serenading us.

“Get ’em, Whit!” someone in the audience shouts during “I Have Nothing.”

I compared my take on the show with that of my friend and fellow writer (and Desert Companion contributor) Sin á Tes Souhaits. He saw the show because someone had bought him a ticket, and he’s a Whitney Houston fan. He enjoyed it.

“I experienced the hologram (as) a very high-quality animation of a person,” á Tes Souhaits says. “If a singer was moving her arms up and down, she wouldn’t hit the same top point and the same bottom point every single time with her elbow and her hand … The way they had certain things happen, it was very clearly programmed as opposed to natural.”

Just before the curtain went down, the Houston hologram sang “Greatest Love of All” among a montage of family photos.

“I was really crying at the end,” á Tes Souhaits says. “When I left, I was reminded of the magnitude that the loss of Whitney Houston really was. Just an incredible artist — honestly, I always say, the greatest voice of all time.”

What happens to the greatest voice of all time when the person it belonged to dies?

A hologram allows a producer to take an artist who has died and make their likeness perform six nights a week with no end date.

“On an ethical and economic level, I would liken it to a form of ‘ghost slavery,’” wrote Simon Reynolds, author of Retromania: Pop Culture’s Addiction to its own Past, in a June 2019 blog post titled, “Dead Pop Stars and Their Profitable Afterlife.” He adds, “That applies certainly when done without the consent of the star, by the artist’s estate in collusion with the record company or tour promoter.” Whether it’s “ghost slavery” or just showbiz in the 21st century, the rise of holographic entertainers raises numerous legal and moral questions.

LaFrance says, “If it’s as simple as hiring somebody to be a dancer and then just putting an image of the celebrity’s face, incorporating that into the hologram, then you could certainly do it without the cooperation of the celebrity ... which would mean that lots of unauthorized parties could try to put together a hologram show exploiting Whitney Houston, or Michael Jackson, or Prince, or any deceased entertainer.”

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Although many simulations have been made, it’s curious that both á Tes Souhaits and LaFrance listed these three — all Black artists with huge earning potential, who died with drugs in their systems. Any type of unpaid labor, including the re-commercializing of someone who has died, has a racial association.

“Whitney, she did not get love when she was alive,” á Tes Souhaits says. “I mean, there were periods of her career where she was celebrated, but for large parts of her career, and afterwards, she was slandered and ridiculed and mistreated, both by the people who managed her and the people who consumed her art. It seems unfair that we resurrect them in a hologram. Can it ever be fair to do that?”

As holograms become prevalent, more artists might go the way of Chance the Rapper, who stated, “Please don’t make no holograms, don’t wanna do it twice” in his 2019 song “Sun Comes Down.” But a wish in a song isn’t legally binding, and whoever ends up having power over an estate may decide otherwise.

“I don’t think it will replace the way that we watch shows,” Franzetti says. “People have no problem with a tribute band, and I think this is just another way to pay tribute. In fact, I would argue that this tribute is better because it’s endorsed by the estate of the artist.”

Tribute bands and celebrity impersonations are popular in Las Vegas because right of publicity laws here have exclusions that allow them, LaFrance says. “So if somebody wanted to do a live impersonation of Whitney Houston in Las Vegas, there’s a good chance that would not be infringing.”

But the word “live” has multiple meanings in the entertainment business. “Does that mean you are simulating how that person behaved when they did a live performance?

Or does that mean you have to be giving a live performance in imitating the person?”

LaFrance asks. “I would say the Nevada statute is ambiguous as to whether a hologram performance would qualify for the exception.”

So, while the An Evening With Whitney has the right of publicity through Houston’s estate, many future projects could go forward without such permission.

Through self-driving car accidents and smartphone privacy invasions, we’ve seen how slow the law is to catch up with technology, if it ever does. Currently, hologram-like technology is being used in theme parks, museum displays, and immersive entertainment — with much more in development that will enrich production and technology companies, estates, and record labels, but not the deceased artists themselves. Ghosts can perform, but they cannot profit. ✦

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D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

Is it us, or is it getting superlative in here? Read on for the best Las Vegas has to offer in dining, shopping, culture, and family fun!

O U R B E S T E R S CHRISTOPHER ALVAREZ-AGUILAR, DAWN-MICHELLE BAUDE, JOSH BELL, LARRY BIALEK, LORRAINE BLANCO MOSS, BRITTANY BRONSON, KRISTA DIAMOND, JASON HARRIS, ZACHARY GREEN, KRISTEN KIDMAN, ANDREW KIRALY, HEIDI KYSER, ZONEIL MAHARAJ, MIKE PREVATT, JAMES P. REZA, NIKOLE ROBINSON CARROLL, LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS, GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ, PAUL SZYDELKO, MIKE WEATHERFORD, MITCHELL WILBURN P H O T O G R A P H Y SABIN ORR, BRENT HOLMES & CHRISTOPHER SMITH

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BEST OUTLET STORE

SHOPS & SERVICES BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE

ROCKIN BETTIE

Tucked away in an Arts District bungalow, this boutique specializes in retro-inspired clothes for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend set. From 1950s-style pinup dresses made for a tiki bar dance floor, to sultry pencil skirts perfect for slipping into a banquette at a dimly lit steakhouse, Rockin Bettie’s selection proves that even if you can’t go back to mid-century Las Vegas, you can still dress like you belong there. KD 1302 S. Third St., 702-8773000, rockinbettie.com

BEST SUIT STORE

INDOCHINO

Specializing in made-to-measure suits, Indochino gives customers a bespoke product at an off-the-rack price point.

You can pick the style, fabric, lapels, buttons, pockets, and lining of your suit, and even have your name or a message embroidered on the inside.

They take your measurements, and then your suit arrives in just three weeks. CM Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 725-5000533, indochino.com

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It’s crazy to think of Downtown’s North Premium Outlets as a Las Vegas retail institution, but it is. And my favorite shop there is happily an institution as well: the John Varvatos Company Store. My go-to spot for stress-free retail therapy, the John Varvatos Company store boasts the same signature styles as the mainline store, but at prices that are beyond low — think half to a third of the price you’d typically pay retail. Add to these amazing deals a boutique setting with hardwood floors, rock ’n’ roll artwork, groovy music, and a knowledgeable staff, and the only thing that will remind you you’re at an outlet is the price at checkout. CM In the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets, premiumoutlets. com, johnvarvatos.com BEST NAIL SALON

KIWI + BEE

Located inside Mystique Hair Studio, Kiwi + Bee is a hidden gem offering gel nail services and spa pedicures since January 2020. Owner Cristina Ball is the only employee, so oneon-one service is guaranteed, and her spirited attitude and creative mindset keep sessions fun. Retro touches, such as macramé flower hangers, make the location feel like someone’s cozy living room.

Kiwi + Bee is equipped with 390 color choices and a massage chair. Its only drawback is you’ll have to plan ahead: Appointments are booked four months out. LB 3801 W. Sahara Ave., 702-797-0486, vagaro.com/ kiwiandbee BEST MASSAGE STUDIO

NEKO MASSAGE

Located in the same small business complex that holds Carson Kitchen and Donut Bar, Neko (pronounced “neck-o”) Massage is a warm, unassuming little studio that opened in the spring of 2019 and has since

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established itself as Downtown’s most reliable spot for affordable, relaxing massages.

Neko is one of those rare offStrip businesses that’s cracked the code of satisfying both locals and tourists — in this case by offering a wide range of services, from a 15-minute session ($20) in one of two full-body automatic massage chairs, to an 80-minute signature massage ($105) by one of the licensed staff therapists.

I’ve had great massages by SOCIAL POLL

BEST HAIR SALON a. B ombshell Beauty Lounge b. Detox Salon c. Haute Fringe Salon & Spa d. Jasper & Jade Studios e. L ook Style Society f. Makeshift Union

Ahem ... “ Been seeing Jay and Jodi Gilbert for 20 years. They are awesome.”

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everyone I’ve seen there so far, but if you need a name recommendation, you can’t go wrong with Neko Owner Cesar Castaneda, who bought the studio in September 2020 from its previous owner. HK 124 S. Sixth St. , Suite 170, 702-768-5450, nekomassage.com BEST VINTAGE DÉCOR DEALER

FUNKY LITTLE SUITE

Funky Little Suite fulfills your vintage dreams with unique finds that exude the coolness of generations past. Ranging from Art Deco mirrors, to mid-century lamps, to ’80s glassware, the selection will inspire you to toss your current furnishings and redecorate. Founder Pamela Pereira devotes her time to discovering the stuff, which also means pieces go quickly.

So, be sure to turn on post notifications when following Funky Little Suite. GR instagram.com/funkylittlesuite BEST THRIFT STORE FOR DESIGNER GOODS

DEJA BLUE BOUTIQUE

If you’re a fan of Nike, Coach, and Tory Burch, this Goodwill Boutique is for you and your fellow picky fashionistas D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

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BEST OF THE CITY

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

BEST NAIL ARTIST

ARIELLE MOSSES Self-proclaimed indie nail fairy Arielle Mosses lives up to the internet hype about her work by seeking inspiration from experimental visuals and various art mediums. Sessions with her are unlike those with a typical manicurist. It’s just you and her sitting down in an art-filled space without the bustle of a salon, almost as if you’re visiting a friend. However, there is a seriousness in Mosses’ face as she zooms in on the canvas of your nail beds, perfecting every detail in her freehand designs and leaving you with the trendiest set you will have ever seen. GR instagram.com/ariellemosses/

(including me!). I’m the kind of person who wears four-inch stilettos to bake a cake, and I’m impressed with their selection. The staff keeps the displays organized efficiently and beautifully. You can find size 2 or 2x, and everything’s grouped into neat categories and subcategories. My proudest thrifting moment here: vintage gray velvet Christian Louboutins. Take my $50, and I’ll cherish those bright red soles forever. LBM 10300 W. Charleston Blvd.

Suite 1, 702-586-1100, goodwill.vegas/boutique BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE

THE ATTIC VINTAGE CLOTHING CO. The Attic, Vegas’ iconic vintage clothing store, is back. It was a Downtown staple in the ’90s, and it’s now owned and operated by Christina Politis, daughter of the original owner. Christina selects every piece the boutique carries, specializing in nostalgia-heavy garments from the ’80s and ’90s. She’s enticing a new generation of conscious shoppers who want to own unique pieces nobody else will have. CM 1010 N. Main St., 702-518-2657, theatticvintageco.etsy.com

is filled with a handpicked selection of sellers, classics, and more edgy publications, but they can also order (and ship) a huge array of books. The Writer’s Block also offers the kinds of experiences you can’t order online — a coffee shop with brews and smoothies, as well as events ranging from book signings to Bourbon Book Club meetings. LTR 519 S. Sixth St., Suite 100, 702-550-6399, thewritersblock.org BEST GAME STORE

THE GAMING GOAT

tables, rugs, and other donated goods, both gently used and new. On a recent shopping trip, I landed a century-old Japanese teacup set for only $30! And the big T-Rex-sized bonus of shopping at Dinosaurs & Roses: a portion of proceeds supports scholarships for students in Nevada. ZG 5220 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 1345, 702-2773752, dinosaursandroses.org

BEST STORE FOR NEW BOOKS

THE WRITER’S BLOCK

The Writer’s Block has been open only since 2014, but it’s already carved its own niche in Las Vegas. During lockdown, their mail order/pickup service kept many of us sane, and they reopened with both shelves and the calendar fully restocked for the community. The store

Whether you’re looking to revive family game night, find something new to try with friends, or unplug your gaming experience, the Gaming Goat can help. They specialize in board, trading card, and other tabletop games, and offer a varied and beautifully displayed selection. From party-style games like 5-Minute Dungeon and Munchkin, to a classic Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying adventure, you can find games for any skill level across multiple genres. Elaborate cardboard adaptations of popular video games jump off the shelves at me when I’m there—Fallout: The Board Game is one I recommend.

In addition to major and mainstream titles, the Gaming Goat also has a publishing arm that supports independent developers. TGG Games coordinates crowdfunding

BEST THRIFT STORE FOR RANDOM TREASURES

DINOSAURS & ROSES

Dinosaurs & Roses offers the thrill of a great deal. This bazaar-style shop peddles unique and affordable treasures — and if the price isn’t right, they’re willing to negotiate. You can find artwork, clothing, coffee F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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You feel a certain coziness, not just because there’s music everywhere, but because it’s a mom-and-pop shop; and you’ll be able to strike up an intimate conversation with the owner, David Levin, while you shop. CAA 1641 E. Sunset Rd., Suite B104, 702-528-3738, vegasvinylrecords.com BEST FLORIST WITH BOOZE

NAAKITI FLORAL/ CORK AND THORN

MaximuM Comics

MaximuM Comics opened its first store in Las Vegas in 2007 with the goal of sharing a love of comic books in a warm, welcoming, well-organized space. Owner Jay Bosworth nailed that target. There’s always something new and cool to see, including toys and books for kids (my 3-year-old already has a few tomes from MaximuM in his library, because you’re never too young to start pursuing geekdom!). Jay’s people are super knowledgeable without being intimidating. You don’t have to worry about proving your nerd cred, but they can keep up if you’re a superfan. MaximuM also grades and buys comic books if you’re looking to rehome some of your collection. NRC Multiple locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, 702-701-8600, maximumcomics.com

HALL OF FAME

BEST PLANT STORE

CARRIE LYNN’S

A whimsical and intriguing spot in Downtown Summerlin, Carrie Lynn’s is for both experienced plant parents and those who decided the pandemic was the perfect time to test out their green thumbs.

It has an impressive selection of indoor plants and unique pots. And if your windowshopping excursion turns into a full-blown plant commitment, plenty of enthusiastic staff members are on hand to share their knowledge. KK Downtown Summerlin, 1875 Festival Plaza Dr., Suite 170, 702-910-0400, carrielynns.com

campaigns for indie games and sells them in-store. NRC Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Suite C135, 702405-9193, tgg-games.com BEST STORE FOR USED BOOKS

DRAGON CASTLE

Just a humble strip mall storefront, no window displays, plain wood bookcases inside — but the real story is what’s on those shelves. Dragon Castle stocks books of all genres — sure, there’s fantasy and sci-fi, but also classical literature and trashy romance. In nonfiction, you’ll find biography, history, cooking, music … the sections aren’t vast, but each yields up treasures, both appealingly vintage and in like-new condition. In film, you may find a history of the Beverly Hills Hotel and its resident stars; in

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children’s books, a motherlode of mid-century Golden Books; and the comics will make you realize not only that there was an Evil Dead/Xena Warrior Princess crossover, but also that, yes, you need all four volumes. LTR 3142 N. Rainbow Blvd., 702658-8583, dragon-castle-books.square.site

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BEST RECORD STORE

VEGAS VINYL

The alliterative name of this shop says it all: When you enter Vegas Vinyl, you’ll find it looks like a storage room, and that’s actually one of its strengths. There are vinyl records and CDs everywhere, on the floor and on tables.

BEST DISPENSARY FOR LOCALS

SAHARA WELLNESS

Almost five years after they opened their doors to recreational customers, dispensaries have become a regular part of the landscape. Some are bells-and-whistles tourist traps; others have the chill D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

MAXIMUM COMICS: BRENT HOLMES; VEGAS VINYL: CHRISTOPHER SMITH; BRUNO MAR S COURTESY MGM RESORTS

BEST COMIC STORE

Naakiti Floral offers not only awe-inspiring floral arrangements, but also delicious cocktails. You can order an arrangement for pick-up or delivery, or take a design-yourown class to learn everything from succulents arranging to flower crown crafting. And while you’re there, check out the tempting tannins and charcuterie of Cork and Thorn. It’s like a choose-your-own-floraladventure — with booze. CM 70 W. Imperial Ave., 702-385-5484, naakitifloraldesign.com

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practicality of your local deli.

The intimate Sahara Wellness is definitely the latter: plenty of nearby parking and product choices, no long waits or pushy salespeople — just mellow folks who want to talk about your tastes and budget before making a recommendation.

Best of all, they’re happy to hustle your favorite strain out for quick curbside pickup. LTR 420 E. Sahara Ave., 702-478-5533, 420sahara.com BEST FITNESS CLASS

F45 TRAINING SUMMERLIN It’s 45 minutes of fun. And hell. F45 stands for Functional 45 minutes. The high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes take you through a series of super-challenging exercises designed to fatigue your muscles and supersize your workout. A professional trainer first demonstrates each station with proper form. Then, a timer starts, the music gets pumping, and your heart starts racing as you move through all the stations, doing multiple sets at each. I love it! And I hate it. LBM 1000 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 12, 702-518-3332, f45training.com BEST AUTO DETAILING

GOLDEN BOYZ

I found Frankie Rodriguez, owner of Golden Boyz Auto Detailing, the old-school way — through word-of-mouth — and he delivered with oldschool service, under-promising and over-delivering for a competitive price. Frankie showed up at my place with a pickup truck bed full of equipment, converted my driveway into a mobile detail shop, and went to work on my 9-year-old Nissan’s coffee-stained, dog hair-encrusted interior. By the time he was done (under three hours total), it was restored to its gleaming, just-off-the-lot glory, complete with new car smell! HK 702-937-0402, instagram. com/goldenboyzdetailing

BEST STRIP SHOW

BEST OF THE CITY

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BEST STRIP RESIDENCY

BRUNO MARS

New-Vegas residencies by the likes of Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera call back to the era of overstuffed showgirl spectaculars. Bruno Mars counterbalances them by mining a different side of old Vegas: the big-personality headliners who didn’t need big productions. Mars and his band The Hooligans spend their whole Dolby Live set in front of one giant prop, the letters spelling out his name. That lets us focus on the throwback funk and Apollo Theater barnstorming, with Mars’ familiar pop hits taking on a rough edge and a loose, in-the-moment exuberance that would make James Brown smile. MW At Dolby Live in Park MGM, parkmgm.com

MAT FRANCO

“I feel bad you missed that helicopter,” Mat Franco jokes to latecomers, playing off the absence of what he calls “hokey boxes” and “contraptions” from his six-year magic showcase at The Linq. The 2014 America’s Got Talent winner prefers a minimalist stage decorated mostly with videos panels, to display his more skillful feats of sleightof-hand and playing-card manipulation. And also, that smile. There will come a day when Franco needs to push his magic forward to hold his ground in a city flush with magicians. But for now, being 33 years old, likable and relatable to younger magic converts is enough. MW At the Mat Franco Theater in The Linq, matfranco.com BEST VARIETY SHOW

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT LAS VEGAS LIVE After 15 years of codependency, NBC’s talent show and Las Vegas got serious just when it seems like the Strip could use something that’s both new yet familiar. True to the purest definition of “variety show,” the mix of nine acts jammed into 90 minutes at Luxor can be jarring — Knife-throwing!

Mentalism! Spoken-word poetry! — and the talent is uneven. But the production design is sumptuous and unifying: Taiko drums in the aisles punch up the power-couple acrobats of Duo Transcend; Jimmie Herrod sings to the shadow dancing of The Silhouettes. It’s a lively stew that makes previous AGT Live attempts in 2009 and 2012 seem modular and halfhearted by comparison. MW At Luxor Theater in the Luxor, luxor.com BEST NEW LOCAL BAND

MOROSIS

Morosis calls its sound “nugaze,” a twist on the subgenre of shoegaze: Droning riffs, dreamy vocals, and distorted tones blend together in a F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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BEST DJ

NIGHT WEAPONS

Night Weapons is quickly becoming a household name among the regulars at certified cool-kid bars such as Berlin, Oddfellows, and The Griffin — and for good reason. Spinning vinyl slices of everything from New Order dance-floor classics to deeper cuts from current darkwave artists such as Boy Harsher and Light Asylum, Night Weapons’ notoriously intense DJ sets please ’80s throwback fans and contemporary synthpop addicts alike. GR instagram.com/night. weapons

BEST VEGAS BREAKOUT BAND a. The Killers b. The Crystal Method c. Imagine Dragons d. 702 e. Five Finger Death Punch f. Ne-Yo g. Panic! At the Disco h. Slaughter

Ahem ...

“ Your list needs more Toni Basil.”

— Jerry Perkins

from projecting exuberance, poise, verve, and a charming earnestness. Should another shutdown happen, Walt Haleigh will keep harmonious company. MP linktr.ee/WaltHaleigh BEST VEGAS BREAKOUT

BABY KEEM

BEST NEW LOCAL ALBUM

WALT HALEIGH, SELF-TITLED RECORD Like many local artists, Adam Christopher Smith — aka Walt Haleigh — used the isolation of COVID as an excuse to freely create. The local singer-songwriter even challenged himself to pen 100 songs. A temporarily stymied career, a delayed move to Los Angeles, and a breakup fueled his writing spree, but as the final, seven-song survey of guitar-forward indie rock demonstrates, none of that frustration prevents Smith

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When rap juggernaut Kendrick Lamar headlined this year’s Day N Vegas festival, he welcomed surprise guest Baby Keem to the stage, saying: “Vegas, your hometown hero is here.” The 21-year-old Vegas resident has had a breakout year with his debut album, The Melodic Blue, and a high-profile appearance on Kanye West’s Donda. Sure, it helps that Kendrick and Keem are cousins, as solidified on Keem’s explosive single “Family Ties,” but his rapid ascent is more than nepotism. Named one of NPR’s best albums of the year (at No. 16, just two notches behind Adele’s 30), The Melodic Blue sees Keem casting his own monolithic shadow with an experimental rap opus that showcases his masterful wordplay, ear for bombastic production, and flow-switching agility. His success might just kick open the door for the rest of Vegas’ untapped talent. ZM themelodicblue.com

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BEST VEGAS BREAKOUT CANDIDATE

BEST ALTERNATIVE NIGHT CLUB

BEVERLY CHILLZ

ODDFELLOWS

Multigenre singer-songwriter Beverly Chillz can rock an open mic with just an acoustic guitar accompaniment; bang out a midtempo electro-R&B ballad like 2021’s “Wait Around”; organize an artist’s camp to inspire his creative peers; and produce an entire musical in the middle of the desert, as he did late last year with his Heaven Oh Two performance during the Bullfrog Biennial near Beatty. It is the sum of his talents — as well as the conviction with which he deploys them — that makes him worthy of success beyond Las Vegas. MP soundcloud.com/beverlychillz BEST-KEPT MUSICAL SECRET

PAPICHULOTEEJ

If there are any rules to making music, Papichuloteej didn’t get the memo. The 24-year-old Air Force veteran makes music without boundaries, effortlessly shifting his sound with every song. He can kick a bouncy, heartbroken pop ballad (“Do Better”) as easily as he can craft a head-nodding R&B bop (“S.O.S.”). When you think you’ve got him pegged, he pitches a grunge curveball with “Stockton,” full of heavy guitar riffs and abrasive raps.

Put him in any lane, and he’s outpacing everyone at light speed. ZM instagram.com/papichuloteej

This unassuming Downtown bar hides one of hottest local dance floors in Las Vegas.

Oddfellows is like a musical gelato shop; picking which night to go is like having to pick your favorite flavor — but whether you hit this club for old-school hip-hop, indie dance, Latin alt, or dark electro, you’re sure to find your new favorite flavor. Best of all, unlike at the touristy megaclubs, at Oddfellows, you’ll never feel like a greasy pig trying to awkwardly shuffle in a packed pen. ZG 150 Las Vegas Blvd. North, #190, oddfellowslv.com BEST THEMED MUSIC NIGHT

SONIDERO

Be sure to bring a partner to Sonidero — because you’re guaranteed to be hitting the dance floor hard. Edwin Lazer and guest DJs host this Thursday night event at Lucky Day Tequila & Mezcal House, dishing up reggaeton throwbacks, cumbia classics, and rock en español jams. If you’re self-conscious about your moves, don’t worry: Attendees regularly hype each other on the dance floor whether they’re smooth or not — a testament to the venue’s welcoming vibe (and the free-flowing tequila). GR instagram.com/soniderolv

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A L B U M C O U R T E S Y O F WA LT H A L E I G H ; S O N I D E R O C O U R T E S Y O F S O N I D E R O ; T I K I D I A M O R E : L I N D A E VA N S

harmony of epic, crafted noise.

On its latest EP, Saturnine, Morosis is moving toward a more serious sound. The must-listen track is “Open Hands,” with its gorgeous waves of shimmering darkness and ethereal vocals. Keep your eye (and ear) on this talented local band; Morosis is just getting started. GR Morosis.bandcamp.com

SOCIAL POLL

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surprise out-of-town friends (or a Vegas-jaded date) with a taste of those ever-elusive Old Vegas vibes. JPR 3449 S. Sammy Davis Jr. Dr., 702-476-5328, starloungelv.com BEST GAY BAR

THE GARAGE

BEST TIKI LOUNGE

TIKI DI AMORE With kitschy decorations, boozy cocktails, and a full schedule of live music, Tiki Di Amore has all the required essentials of the best tiki lounge. It’s located on the back patio of Casa di Amore, so the faint sounds of nearby traffic could almost be mistaken for the sea. Tiki Di Amore’s bamboo bar, fake greenery, colored lights, and oversized sea creatures are unapologetic in their cheekiness.

If you let them, they will briefly transport you away from a dingy Tropicana Avenue strip mall to an imaginary tropical locale.

Sample the full menu of rum-heavy cocktails garnished with flowers, swords, and the occasional alien doll while enjoying Casa Di Amore’s full Italian menu. Before you leave, don’t forget to look up to see the huge gorilla keeping watch on the roof. BB 2850 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-433-4967, tikidiamore.com

BEST KARAOKE

BEST LOUNGE

For some of us, karaoke is the public form of humiliation we missed most during the pandemic. If belting out Aretha, Creed, or Prince is your definition of a good time, Ninja Karaoke off Main Street boasts private rooms, flavored Soju, and a 150,000+ songbook. Easily select and queue up your setlist from an iPad and even change your preferred key to take your performance to the next level.

Bottle service and hookah are also available. Check in before 6:30 p.m. to get Ninja’s $20/ person happy hour rate, which includes a two-hour room rental and two drink tickets (two-person minimum). BB 1009 S. Main St., 702-487-6213, ninjakaraoke.com

Responsibility comes with morphing an old-school joint (Sonny’s Saloon) into the Star Piano Cocktail Lounge.

Credit former Strip promoter Eduardo Cordova, as his new lounge feels at once classic and contemporary. The bones remain familiar, but the space has been magically transformed in such a way — dark colors and comfy seating boosted by impossibly complimentary lighting from chandeliers and string lights — that suggests the Rat Pack (or the cast of Legends in Concert) may have thrown back a few at the horseshoe-shaped bar.

A creative cocktail menu and nightly live entertainers make Star the perfect place to

NINJA KARAOKE

STAR PIANO COCKTAIL LOUNGE

Oh, pit crew! The Garage is not your typical gay bar. Instead of pictures of hunky models and rainbow flags on the walls, there’s car culture paraphernalia and bartenders dressed as mechanics ready to service a good time. Unlike many gay clubs and cocktail lounges in town, at any given hour The Garage has unique steals on great drinks. (One recent trip resulted in four large vodka cranberries for only $10.)

And once you’ve gotten your drink on, it makes sparking a conversation with The Garage’s attractive clientele less daunting. Whether you know it or not, it’s time for a tune up. ZG 1487 E. Flamingo Road, 702440-6333, thegaragelv.com BEST THEATER COMPANY

Sandman to rave reviews. If this is Majestic in adversity, then just imagine what better times will bring. HK 1217 S. Main St., 702-4236366, majesticrepertory.com BEST ACTOR

MOLLY BERNARD

Las Vegas Academy graduate Molly Bernard has been acting professionally since appearing in the Las Vegas-set drama Pay It Forward at age 12, but 2021 proved to be her breakout year. After six seasons of playing offbeat publicist/visionary Lauren Heller on Younger, she was rewarded with a more significant storyline on the show’s seventh and final season. She also scored her first leading film role in the indie dramedy Milkwater, playing another quirky NYC hipster, who embraces surrogate motherhood like it’s the latest fashion trend. Bernard makes these potentially insufferable characters into charismatic weirdos who are a joy to spend time with. JB Younger, Hulu and Paramount+; Milkwater, Netflix

MAJESTIC REPERTORY THEATRE

BEST USE OF LAS VEGAS ONSCREEN

The artistic chops of Majestic founder Troy Heard have been apparent since his 2016-17 inaugural season. That year’s lineup, featuring the 1956 dramatic thriller The Bad Seed alongside Carrie the Musical, telegraphed Majestic’s now-familiar MO: an idiosyncratic blend of creepiness, nerve, and skill. But in 2020-21, Heard and company demonstrated something new, an astonishing capacity to tailor their talents to ever-changing restrictions in public performance brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled by a dogged determination to keep theater (or at least Majestic Repertory Theatre) alive. As if Instagram plays, parking-lot shows, and drive-through theater weren’t enough of an accomplishment, Heard capped Majestic’s current season by presenting the U.S. premiere of the musical The

Although very little of this dramedy’s 10-episode first season was actually shot in Las Vegas, it still captures a quintessentially Vegas fixture in Jean Smart’s veteran comedian Deborah Vance. An old-school Vegas headliner who’s increasingly out of place among resident DJs and pop stars, Deborah holds onto the crowd-pleasing virtues of her time-tested act, even as young comedy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) pushes her slowly toward modernity. Deborah’s professional life is split between the Strip and strip malls, embodying the unique grind of Vegas entertainers both legendary and aspiring. JB HBO Max

HACKS

BEST COMEDIAN

BUTCH BRADLEY

Keep an eye on the back of the room during any of Butch

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Bradley’s performances at L.A. Comedy Club in The Strat: The wall will be lined with other comics, both local and visiting, taking in yet another unpredictable show from one of their favorites.

Fans and peers love Bradley — who’s as much a storyteller as a comic — for his ability to mine hilarity from whatever’s happening in the moment. (“I can’t believe they got rid of the Confederate flag. That was the only way to know who the crazy f---ing white people were!”) He’s also renowned (sometimes begrudgingly) for his crowd work; I’ve seen Bradley just eviscerate entire audiences — and they still love him. That’s a skill few comics have mastered. JH butchbradleycomedy.com

BEST POET

JENNIFER BATTISTI

Jennifer Battisti’s most recent book, Off Boulder Highway, combines memoir, lyric essay, and poetry to paint an unforgettable picture of growing up in east Las Vegas.

Both a coming-of-age and becoming-adult story, Off Boulder Highway carries readers across the valley, where galaxies form under the eaves of 7-Elevens and eternity is found outside an AutoZone.

Battisti’s interwoven mural of addiction, divorce, motherhood, and recovery captures what few other writers

understand about this city: That we are as beautiful as we are broken, and to heal, we must fall in love with both. BB jenniferbattisti.com BEST FIGURE IN LOCAL CULTURE

FAWN DOUGLAS

In 2021, Fawn Douglas produced an ambitious art exhibit at UNLV titled AH’WAH-NEE, a Paiute word for “balance.” It doesn’t get more metaphorically apt than that: Douglas herself performed a grand balancing act in curating the art, producing work for the show, and putting

on a symposium to discuss the exhibit’s core subject — the complex, kaleidoscopic roles Indigenous women play in family and society. AH’-WAHNEE also represented the fruition of what has made Douglas such a vital figure in local culture, which is her natural penchant for insistently expanding art’s usual scope of discourse to creatively entangle with — and not just be “about” — Indigenous issues, social justice, and environmental activism. She’s been doing this for years. It’s just that now, she’s marshaled the resources and the clout to do it on a larger scale, with ex-

BEST ART GALLERY

ASAP

BEST STRIP MAINSTAY

KÀ

HALL OF FAME

DMB

900 Karen Ave., C-214, availablespaceartprojects.com

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It would probably be a good thing if KÀ is one day stripped of bragging rights as the biggest-budget production show on the Strip ($165 million, and that’s just what Cirque du Soleil owned up to). But that seems unlikely in this new phase of concert stars, so KÀ stands as a monument to that high-flying Vegas 2005 era of derivatives and subprime mortgages — when neither Cirque or the Strip could be held back, and all it took was money to free the very stage from gravity. It helped that artistic director Robert Lepage brought a unifying vision and a pioneering use of video-mapping. KÀ has a heartbeat beneath the spectacle, and has outlasted what was both a proud point and a liability — that it’s an original story not based on a movie or whatnot — to unlock a new tier: inspiring its own dedicated fandom. Now it nestles right in with the Comic-Con and Game of Thrones crowd that it just had to wait for. MW At the MGM Grand, cirquedusoleil.com D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

ART COURTESY OF ASAP; KA COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS; @VEGASISSUES: CHRISTOPHER SMITH

Playful artistic experiments on deck! ASAP—Available Space Art Projects—specializes in one-of-a-kind exhibitions.

As Las Vegas’ only artist-run project space, ASAP invites artists to conceive, execute, and display their work for short, 10-days-or-fewer shows. The brainchild of artists Homero Hidalgo and Holly Lay, ASAP delivers fresh creativity in its cozy Commercial Center space. No recycling old works here. Ditto for limits on artistic medium or concept.

Artists have free rein to test new ideas while viewers enjoy results at openings, closings, and by appointment. Exhibitions by JK Russ and Aaron Sheppard coming this spring.

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hibits such as AH’-WAH-NEE, with spaces such as Nuwu Art + Activism Studios, and with potent, challenging — and beautiful — art of her own. AK nuwuart.com

BEST INSTAGRAM FEED

@VEGASISSUES

The best part about an inside joke is knowing that only you and your friends are in on it.

When it comes to poking fun at our uniquely Vegas quirks, the @vegasissues Instagram feed goes no-holds-barred, with jokes about everything from the endless road construction to Summerlin moms to drivers on the 215. @vegasissues provides its own staunch humor alongside curated posts of the best tweets, commentary, and tips from other local social media voices.

In addition to casino industry updates and Las Vegas meme gold, the feed also offers more serious moments of reflection on important community milestones. Overall, this feed doesn’t feel like the work of an influencer, but someone who wants us to cope with our issues (and laugh at them) together. BB @vegasissues BEST VEGAS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL

R/VEGASLOCALS

I don’t know exactly when Nextdoor turned into an all-

caps rage generator, but, yeah, big nope to that caterwauling viper pit of poisoned souls.

And, sure, Facebook can be decent for local intel if you don’t mind hopscotching around the touch-deprived ratchets who often burrow into otherwise civil threads. No thanks. Instead, I’ve been turning to the r/vegaslocals subreddit for my dose of Vegas insight. Because r/vegaslocals is more actively moderated, the fungal lunacy that typically thrives in social media is *sigh of relief* minimal; better yet, the subreddit’s posts and comments are often useful, practical, uplifting, and funny. Vegas Redditors cheerfully — even graciously!

— trade info on everything from job opportunities to restaurant recommendations, and the sometimes surprisingly thoughtful opinions on education and local politics read better than whatever paleoconservative cave painting the R-J is currently splashing on its op-ed page.

R/vegaslocals is social media that’s refreshingly sociable. AK reddit.com/r/vegaslocals BEST TWITTER FEED

@VITALVEGAS

In a social-mediaverse often characterized by toxic feeds full of one-upmanship and muckraking, VitalVegas (run

by Scott Roeben) is a welcome antidote. An unapologetic Vegas-lover, Reoben has built a network of reliable insider sources who help him break legitimate news about our neon city’s primary industries faster than traditional media can. What distinguishes VitalVegas from other Vegas-centric tweet-feeds is that his isn’t full of polarizing hot-takes just for the sake of it. Roeben’s restraint shows a genuine interest in (and appreciation for) Las Vegas — with a little tough love (and good humor) thrown in as necessary. When he’s not breaking news, he’s out on the town, dropping photos of food and drink from the places he loves.

And why not? We all could use a feel-good feed now and then.

Especially on Twitter. JPR twitter.com/vitalvegas

BEST OF THE CITY

FOOD & DRINK BEST TACOS

LOS ARCOS BIRRIERIA

What is it we like in a “perfect” taco? Savory, juicy, slowcooked meat, with a balance of spices and oil, lime and salt, and a whole mess of cheese?

Okay. Take that idea, crank the flavors up by a factor of 10, and make the whole experience an orgy of decadent, belly-bursting intensity. Now you have a better idea of why birria tacos have become such a craze.

The meat (beef or goat for the true connoisseur) is cooked for hours in a broth of spices, vegetables, and chilies, stuffed into a corn shell filled with melted cheese, and griddled in its own spicy, neon-red oil.

Served with the usual sides of onion, cilantro, and lime wedges, along with a big cup of “consommé” (the meat- and spice-infused broth it was cooked in), Los Arcos’ tacos are not for the faint of heart — or the easily stained of shirt. MW 2201 S. Maryland Parkway, 702-586-6020, birrierialosarcos.com BEST PIZZA

MONZÚ ITALIAN OVEN + BAR It’s nice when a wine bar has really good charcuterie, right?

And when they have homemade bread from their own curated wild yeast strain? Oh, and there’s fancy craft cocktails? And huge, innovative, imaginative wood-fired pizzas? Antipasti? Fancy entrees too? Some of the finest pizzas in town (with dipping sauces for the crusts)? What on earth kind of wine bar is this? Some kind of magical, utopian wine bar? That’s Monzú, and it’s F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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BEST BURGER

NEVADA BREW WORKS

This homegrown Arts District ale house might bristle at the idea of being boosted for its burger rather than its beer, but this is no backhanded backslap. The suds selection (much of it brewed on-site) is top notch, and the expansive Main Street patio a joy. But it’s the Brew Works Classic Cheeseburger that keeps beckoning us back. Fans of sandy-floored SoCal seaside joints (think TK Burger) will feel right at home scarfing this double-stacked delight sloppy with special sauce. Plus, on Wednesdays it’s half-price (seven bucks!) with a side of hand-cut fries.

Righteous, bruh. JPR 1327 S. Main St., 702-664-1500, nevadabrewworks.com

BEST WINGS

BEST STEAK

Some of us have misty-eyed memories of when hot wings first flew into Las Vegas. It was back in the ’70s, when Dad had to fire up the Pontiac and trek a good seven miles to pick up that hot, vinegary bag of Buffalo badness.

Not anymore. Wings are now inescapable. They are (almost literally) everywhere — something that, counterintuitively, makes good wings hard to find, and great ones near impossible. Never fear, Chris Palmeri and his brother, Michael, are here — two Buffalo brothers doing the Nickel City proper. Yeah, they have barbeque and Sicilian style. But you want them hot and old-school. Right? What?

You think you’re some kind of tough guy or somethin’?

Order them Suicide-style.

We dare you. JPR 4608 Paradise Road, 702222-2241, nakedcitylv.com

Tucked away off Paradise Road, Herbs & Rye’s lesser-known twin sister, Cleaver, offers the same hole-in-thewall ambiance but with a more classic steakhouse feel. The dim lighting, oversized booths, and floral wallpaper set a speakeasy scene, letting guests in on their best-kept secret: Happy hour steaks, all night long. Steak connoisseurs will find their preferred cuts along with the tastiest crusts, sauces, and butters that lift and enhance the flavors of expertly prepared meat. Cleaver offers upscale, steakhouse dining but at a slightly more accessible price point, transforming any regular weeknight into a special occasion. Add in some happy hour appetizers and Cleaver’s extensive bar menu — you’ll have no choice but to do chophouse dining the right way, prolonged over several courses, cocktails, and cutleries. BB 3900 Paradise Road, #D-1, 702-538-9888, cleaverlasvegas.com

NAKED CITY PIZZA

CLEAVER

BEST MEXICAN

LA MOJARRA LOCA

We have a wealth of perfectly fine Mexican restaurants that boast house-made chips and extensive menus, but La Mojarra Loca is in a different category altogether. The true gem of La Mojarra Loca’s is the molcajetes. You know the giant lava-stone mortars used for tableside guacamole? Imagine putting one of those into an oven until screaming hot, then using it to sear up meats, cheeses, cactus, and shrimp, before filling it with a spicy salsa and broth combination.

It’s a kingly bowl of delights for a humble price. MW 2797 S. Maryland Parkway, 702-293-4444, lamojarralocagrill.com BEST CHINESE

CHENGDU TASTE

China is big — roughly the size of Canada with about 30 times the population, and a diversity of language groups that rivals

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Europe. Chengdu is a city in the Sichuan region, almost in the dead center of China. The taste of Chengdu is shaped by a 2,000-year history at the heart of the Silk Road, comprising flavors from across India, Persia, Southeast Asia, Mongolia, and more. This menu is a snapshot of that, with items such as cumin-spiced lamb on toothpicks, cold spicy beef, fish boiled in pureed green peppers, diced rabbit in “younger sister’s secret recipe,” and many more.

Not all the dishes are spicy, but the ones that describe themselves as “numbing” or have more than one little chili pepper next to the name — take them very seriously. MW 3950 Schiff Drive, 702-437-7888, chengdutastevegas.com BEST JAPANESE

KAISEKI YUZU

There’s so much to Japanese cuisine that we don’t usually see in Las Vegas. A kaiseki is Japan’s version of a degustation menu, a set of dishes curated to guide you through a world of the chef’s own creation. It’s all about the finest ingredients, the loving care, even the pageantry of it.

A meal at Kaiseki Yuzu is not D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

WINGS COURTESY OF NAKED CITY PIZZA; ESTHER’S KITHCEN CHRISTOPHER SMITH

about to be your new favorite restaurant, let alone your new favorite pizzeria. MW 6020 W. Flamingo Road #10, 702-749-5959, monzulv.com

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dining room and ogle the extravagant display of giant salmon steaks and whole halibut, as well as lobsters and crabs in glass tanks at an on-site fish market. On your plate, a wide array of sashimi ranges from opalescent loup de mer to ruby-red tuna, while charcoal-grilled octopus combines the flavor of fire with the taste of the sea.

However, the Milos Special involves no seafood: It’s a sort of mille-feuille of lightly fried zucchini and eggplant slices in a creamy tzatziki sauce. As you clean the plate, you’ll feel the urge to order another, but remember: These are just the appetizers — you do want to leave room for dinner. LTR In the Venetian, estiatoriomilos.com BEST TAPAS

VALENCIAN GOLD just an education in Japanese flavors and techniques, but a vision of a whole new way to appreciate the craft of food as an art. MW 3900 Spring Mountain Road #5, 702-778-8889, kaisekiyuzu.com BEST ITALIAN

ESTHER’S KITCHEN

Since opening in 2018, Esther’s Kitchen has become the true darling of the Arts District. Its house-made bread and pastas, bustling dining room, and seasonal selections offer the comforts of rustic Italian — spaghetti, bucatini — but with something new to sample on repeat visits.

Despite its popularity, Esther’s hasn’t lost its local roots and gracefully maintains what can be a difficult balance: The intimacy of a local favorite with the prestige of culinary excellence. Drive by Esther’s floor-to-ceiling windows any night of the week to find a packed dining room and many patrons outside awaiting their turn at the tables (you’ll want a reservation). Listen close enough, and you’ll hear the buzz of locals, tourists, industry and non-industry people alike, all in perfect agreement:

This is the place to eat. BB 1130 S. Casino Center Blvd. #110, 702-570-7864, estherslv.com BEST APPETIZERS

ESTIATORIO MILOS

Really, the appetizer course at Estiatorio Milos begins as soon as you walk into the SOCIAL POLL

BEST COMFORTFOOD NOSTALGIA TRIP a. Komol b. Chicago Joe’s c. Bob Taylor’s Ranch House d. Farm Basket e. The Hush Puppy f. Lindo Michoacan g. Johnny Mac’s h. The Bootlegger

Ahem “Hush Puppy = childhood. Komol = surly teen (and adult) years.”

— Heika Muller

“Valencian Gold” is what Valencians call paella — their gift to the culinary world. You’ll find this traditional dish in many forms here cooked on a lively fire, creating the perfect socarrat (that deliciously crispy rice at bottom of pan).

But don’t dare skip the tapas here either. Chef Jeff Weiss wrote the book on Spanish charcuterie — literally (and with a foreword by the king of Spanish cooking, José Andrés, no less). I’m a sucker for the foie gras rice krispie treats with goat cheese, the perfect balance of bougie and funky.

Go at “Golden Hour” and get $10 sangria pitchers. Wear sweatpants for maximum food carnage. LBM 7960 S. Rainbow Blvd. #8000A, 702-776-7707, valenciangold.com BEST BUFFET

WICKED SPOON

Las Vegas created the modern buffet — or should I say modern buffets. Our city boasts many buffet themes and price points, but the enduring standout is Wicked Spoon in the Cosmopolitan.

The selection is always unique, and the dishes taste like they were cooked up by a chef rather than batched up

in an industrial kitchen. The offerings change frequently, but I’ve had everything from banh mi-style salads to buildyour-own ramen bowls, from mango panna cotta to canelés, from alligator risotto with etouffee to short-rib polenta.

Also: squid ink pasta, rabbit pot pie, pumpkin ravioli, and even roasted bone marrow.

Truly wicked. MW In The Cosmopolitan, cosmopolitanlasvegas.com BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING

ICHIZA

Japanese pub traditions are hundreds of years old, and for good reason: Even today, there’s nothing more satisfying after a long night of skulling jugs than gorging on a plate of marinated grilled squid with grated ginger.

Ichiza is the place to carry on that noble tradition, and what a place: The atmosphere is cheerfully boisterous, the walls are papered with countless pages trumpeting specials, new items, and one-offs, and the menu itself has dozens more options, whether you’re looking for sushi rolls, grilled skewers, ramen, rice bowls, or even the traditional drinking snack that is “tako wasabi” (seasoned raw octopus with wasabi). MW 4355 Spring Mountain Road, 702-367-3151 BEST VEGAN FOOD

NOBUTCHER

What is a deli with no meat?

It’s NoButcher, where hearing the word no has never sounded so good. NoPepperoni, NoPastrami, NoTurkey, and creamy, Swiss NoCheese. For the meat-averse (and fakemeat-averse), NoButcher’s plant-based Italian cold cuts offer the flavor, texture, and juiciness you expect from a delicatessen, but without the hormones or preservatives that come with “real” meat.

Vegans, aspiring vegans, and carnivores alike will find something to love in NoButcher’s wide selection of plant-based meats and cheeses. Start with the famous NoPork sandwich, then take

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treat? I’ve sweated that queue dozens of times for a creamy, tart Dole Whip. At The Golden Tiki in Chinatown, you can snap a “shellfie” in their massive shell while downing an adult version with dark rum or house-made pineapple vodka.

It’s a taste of your childhood with a serious grown-up kick. (Just make sure a ghost doesn’t steal your drink. This kitschy tiki hangout is also known for its unexplained haunts.) LBM 3939 Spring Mountain Road, 702-222-3196, thegoldentiki.com BEST WINE PROGRAM

home some frozen NoCrab cakes so you can say no again next week. (Finally, make sure to say yes at least once to a refreshing rosemary lemonade or a vegan cookie.) BB 3565 S. Rainbow Blvd. #110, 702-268-7488, nobutcher.com

feel like a getaway. Along with the de rigueur seafood towers, there are extravagant “for two” chicken and prime rib dishes — or perhaps you’d prefer a juicy slab of suckling pig or pasta with chef-flourished truffles. If you want to feel indulgent but not stuffed, the hot and cold oyster plate is wonderfully decadent: on one side, oysters Rockefeller on hot rock; and on the other, oysters chilled with cucumber “snow” served atop ice. Loll on a banquette, pull a volume on Tiffany jewels off the shelf, and dawdle over that glass of bubbly. You deserve it. LTR In Park MGM, nomadlasvegas.mgmresorts.com BEST NEIGHBORHOOD STALWART

VINTNER GRILL BEST SPLURGE

NOMAD LIBRARY

The NoMad may sit in the middle of a Strip casino, but it feels far away, with its Victorian-esque lampshade chandeliers, deep-sea colors, and two-story library. The serene setting, elegant cocktails, and sumptuous food make a few hours at a two-top

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Do you remember where you were scarfing and sipping in 2006? It seems implausible — impossible, even — given all we’ve been through as a city, but if you were a west side socialite, an adventurous foodie, or somebody seeking out the next trendy, upscale bar vibe, chances are you were seated somewhere at this Summerlin hotspot. Hard to find and easy to miss, Vintner’s rabbit-hole location in a nondescript busi-

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ness park initially seemed a handicap to Michael Corrigan’s ambitious venture. But the right people found it, making its lounge seating a cozy, coveted spot for after-work canoodling. As the Summerlin scene arose around it, and with a flash of Vegas magic, Vintner’s underground location may have saved it from being just another hot-and-fast burn in the annals of Vegas dining and nightlife. Instead, Vintner continues to fill its seats — 15 years later! — with the kind of varied, loyal, and discerning crowd any restaurant would be proud to welcome. Credit Vintner’s “secret” vibe and its exceptional selection of flatbreads, pasta, and modern faves — seared halibut with couscous, Moroccan spiced lamb, grilled octopus with baby potatoes — as well as a curated wine list and decidedly upscale scene for its longevity. JPR 10100 W. Charleston Blvd., 702-214-5590 BEST NOSTALGIC ADULT BEVERAGE

THE DOLE WHIP FLOAT AT THE GOLDEN TIKI Who’s waited forever in that long line at Disneyland for the ultimate frozen pineapple

I’ll confess up front that my method of navigating Garagiste’s ever-evolving wine menu is decidedly unconventional.

It goes something like this: I’ll collar Eric or Mario and fumble through an annoying, free-associative description of some imaginary wine I’m craving (“I’m in the mood for a chewy but subtle red” or “I feel like my taste buds need woken up with something tart and challenging” or, simply, “Surprise ma mouf!”) and, a few minutes later, a redolent glass of magic is swirling before me. It’s a testament to their precise, discerning wine palates, and not a surprising one: Garagiste founders Eric Prato and Mario Enriquez are former Strip somms who worked in some of Vegas’ finest dining rooms.

At Garagiste, they’ve imported their expertise into a lively, casual corner wine bar that’s deservedly become an Arts District hit. AK 197 E. California Ave. #140, 702-954-3658, garagistelv.com BEST COCKTAILS

SUPERFRICO

Superfrico is the first restaurant offering from the Spiegelworld production company and, while the dining room may share their shows’ goofy, over-the-top aesthetic, the kitchen and the bar are D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

N O M A D : B E N O I T L I N E R O ; G A R A G I S T E A N D V E S TA : S A B I N O R R ; R O N A L D ’ S D O N U T S : B R E N T H O L M E S

GARAGISTE WINE ROOM & MERCHANT

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an egg, in a croissant? Come on!), painstakingly curated seasonal tea and coffee drinks, and some of the finest coffee in town — roasted in house, no less. *Chef ’s kiss* MW 1114 S. Casino Center Blvd.; 9031 W. Sahara Ave., vestacoffee.com BEST BREAKFAST

VICKIE’S DINER

BEST DONUTS

Ronald’s Donuts

HALL OF FAME

The allure of a good donut shop is in its simplicity, and that’s been the secret to Ronald’s enduring popularity since 1973: dollar-fifty coffee, classic orange booths, straightforward menu, CASH ONLY sign, and a well-stocked display case filled with chocolate, twisted, sprinkled, glazed, jelly- and cream-filled donuts. Oh, and their timeless, comforting slogan: You deserve a donut. But surprise: The top two rows of Ronald’s display case are vegan, giving us all one more reason to indulge. Non-dairy folk will also delight in Ronald’s other vegan offerings, including vegan bagels and almond milk ice cream. Here’s to many more decades of Ronald’s guilt-free delights. BB 4600 Spring Mountain Road, 702-873-1032

serious business. James Beard Award-winner Leo Robitschek’s cocktail program brings a sophistication to the classic drinks and high-proof potables a Vegas party crowd wants. There’s a Porn Star Martini that levels up tequila with falernum and vanilla, while their Cosmonaut kicks a conventional Cosmopolitan with chai and vermouth; other inventions include the light, frothy Machine Dazzle with Amaretto and Campari, as well as Penguins Take Manhattan, a black-tie shake of bourbon, rum, sherry and black sesame in a white chocolate-dipped glass. The Negroni selections include pizza or strawberry, and there’s a selection of snazzy mocktails — “psychedelic

Italian-American” indeed. LTR In The Cosmopolitan, superfrico.com BEST BEER PROGRAM

BEER ZOMBIES

In three westside locations many miles away from Downtown’s new beer district, Beer Zombies has built the ultimate destinations for those who hail the almighty ale. And the all-local crew, headed by artist and horror-movie enthusiast Chris Jacobs, haven’t accomplished this with bragworthy inventory numbers, but rather clubhouse vibes, a fine-tuned radar for the most current beer trends, a meticulously curated tap list and bottle selection, and anti-corporate

It’s a cliché that nothing lasts in Las Vegas, but it’s an accurate one. Fortunately, it doesn’t apply to the venerable Vickie’s Diner, which recently relocated from its former home of six decades at the storied White Cross drugstore to the equally legendary Commercial Center. The pink banquettes, “That Painting,” and Vickie herself are still here, and still serving Las Vegas’ favorite classic diner breakfasts. You can get pork chop and eggs, chicken-fried steak and eggs, or trout and eggs, as well as the classic three eggs any style. Thick and sticky French toast, big and fluffy pancakes, and overstuffed omelets are on the menu too. Vickie’s makes a great cup of coffee and, better yet, you never need to ask for your cup to be topped off.

Because it isn’t just the food that makes Vickie’s breakfast the best — the setting and

chutzpah. If you’ve come looking for a Miller High Life or even a Goose Island, you won’t be disappointed — because you’ll be recommended something much better. MP Various locations, thebeerzombies.com BEST COFFEE

VESTA

So many things go into what a “good” coffee shop is. Some have great pastries, but no sandwiches. Others dive into fine coffee, but neglect their teas. Vesta tries to be all things to all people, and succeeds wildly. The coffee shop with two locations strikes the perfect balance, boasting good dishes (truffle parm gravy over F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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BEST BRUNCH

DW BISTRO

In a city inundated with brunches built on a tired formula of bottomless booze, photogenic desserts, and contrived Instagram moments, DW Bistro’s weekend bacchanalia stands apart as an authentic Vegas experience featuring fabulous food and friendly, inclusive vibes. Sure, brunch here may spotlight a surprise song from Debbie Gibson, or the best drag show you never expected to see (have that camera ready!), but the real reason to go is the food — a selection of items that has us drooling over the menu like a St. Bernard at Westminster: French toast soufflé! Jerk pork hash! Fresh fruit tart! It’s so good we may even leave our phone at home. Debbie was there, we swear! JPR 9275 W. Russell Road #190, 702-527-5200, dwbistro.com BEST BAKERY

GERMAN BREAD BAKERY With pumpernickel bread, pretzel croissants, poppy rolls, and sweet yeast raisin loaves, the German Bread Bakery spins flour into gold — or at least golden crusty deliciousness. The two locations in the Vegas Valley are as far from the world of low-carb, high-chemical, mass-production franchise foodstuffs as you can get: breads, rolls and pretzels baked fresh from traditional alte Deuwtschland recipes with no dyes, flavorings, or preservatives.

Beyond bread, they also make some lovely old-school pastry, including apple strudel, lemon roll, and, natürlich, Black Forest cake. LTR 9255 S. Eastern Ave.; 2237 N. Rampart Blvd., germanbreadbakerylasvegas.com

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BEST OF THE CITY

FAMILY & LEISURE BEST PLACE TO TEACH KIDS HISTORY

LAS VEGAS NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM I consulted 8-year-old expert Kaden (my son) on where he likes to learn about history, and his enthusiastic first choice was the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. He hears the word “history,” and his brain immediately jumps to dinosaurs. This museum has a roaring T-Rex in its dinosaur exhibit, along with fossils and animal displays.

The interactive activities keep kids engaged and entertained, and it’s an inexpensive, educational way to spend an afternoon with them. That checks off a lot of boxes for this mom! KK 900 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 89101, 702-384-3466, lvnhm.org

BEST ART MUSEUM

MARJORIE BARRICK MUSEUM OF ART UNLV’s creative nexus used to earn such backhanded compliments as “it’ll do” — usually uttered in the context of Las Vegas lacking a metropolitan art emporium.

But over the past few years,

the Barrick has become more than our de facto contemporary museum. It’s a vital and vibrant showcase of social consciousness, chiefly crafted by homegrown talent we ought to be proud to call our own. And if you’ve attended one of its exhibition openings, you also know: The Barrick throws a good party. MP UNLV, 702-895-3381, unlv.edu/barrickmuseum BEST HISTORY MUSEUM

NEVADA STATE MUSEUM There’s so much to see at the Springs Preserve (The seasonal butterfly habitat!

Botanical garden! Early Las Vegas streetscape! A random coyote?) that it’s possible to entirely miss one of the best parts: the Nevada State Museum. With 70,000 square feet of history exhibits, it’s a comprehensive overview of all things Silver State, including the Folies Bergère costume archive, an ichthyosaur fossil, Indigenous peoples’ artifacts, and photographs of dearly-departed Las Vegas casinos. Bonus: It’s cool and dark inside, making it the perfect summer hideout that isn’t a casino. KD 309 S. Valley View Blvd., 702-486-5205, lasvegasnvmuseum.org D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N .V E G A S

B A R R I C K M U S E U M : LO N N I E T I M M O N S I I I / U N LV, P I N B A L L H A L L O F FA M E : B R E N T H O L M E S

the service do just as much to send you into your day with a smile. LTR 953 E. Sahara Ave. #A-2, 702-444-4459

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BEST PLACE TO WATCH A MOVIE FOR THE REST OF US

REGAL CINEBARRE PALACE STATION

BEST HANDS-ON ATTRACTION

PINBALL HALL OF FAME The Pinball Hall of Fame is the place for those who like oldschool fun. Like a microcosm of the Strip itself, this indoor attraction has lights, bells, buzzers, and music. If you stop to listen, you can even hear the clapping of paddle buttons as everyone enjoys themselves. The new location, which opened across from Mandalay Bay in April, holds more than 200 games — best bang for your buck on the Strip! There’s something here for everyone, so bring out your inner kid. And note to those kids under 40: You have to pay for each game (no downloads!). LB 4925 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-597-2627, pinballmuseum.org BEST DATE NIGHT

AREA 15

She wants to explore a two-story psychedelic rabbit hole. You want to play air hockey and Pac-Man. She wants a celebrity-chef dinner without the white tablecloths. You want a Hogwarts-esque whiskey tasting.

And both of you want to race each other on a lapping, indoor zipline. You can do all

of this — and more — under the same roof. Area15 packs more experiences under one roof than an influencer’s Instagram page, and you just might get lucky afterward too. MP 3215 S. Rancho Dr., 702-846-1900, area15.com​​ BEST FAMILY PHOTO SPOT

ELDORADO DRY LAKE BED

This well-loved spot is no secret — it’s the ideal background for music videos and high-end fashion shoots. But the miles of desert landscape are also great for family photoshoots because of the vastness of the space. The kids can run, and run, and run SOCIAL POLL

BEST FEATURE OF THE LAS VEGAS SKYLINE a. The Strat b. The Luxor c. The High-Roller d. Red Rock/ Spring Mountains e. The sunrise/ sunset f. T he contrails

some more … and not get lost.

There’s almost no competition with other families for the perfect spot. That golden hour glow is incredible in the desert. And you can bring whatever random fancy couch or extreme vehicle to drape yourself over. The one downside: no bathroom. So, plan ahead. Also, it’s a desert out there, so remember water and snacks! KK U.S. 95 South, 1-2 miles south of Boulder City, west side of the road BEST PLACE TO WATCH A MOVIE FOR CINESNOBS

DOLBY CINEMA AT AMC TOWN SQUARE 18 Whenever a Marvel movie opens, 50 screens in town typically show it. But the only one you’d want to view it on looms over the Dolby auditorium in the AMC Town Square 18. There, cinephiles nestle into reclining leather seats that can only absorb a fraction of the movie’s rumbling yet unmuddied sound. Add an astonishingly high-resolution picture, and there’s no other place — not even down the hall in the now-passé IMAX theater — that you’d want to see Deadpool’s butt. MP 6587 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-362-7283, amctheatres.com

For us normals who pay more attention to dialogue than the difference between Dolby and THX, Regal Cinebarre in Palace Station is the best place to catch a flick. It’s like watching a movie with a casino twist.

Luxury seating and in-seat food service from a full menu make you feel like a VIP without having to shell out the big bucks.

On the second floor of Palace Station, the theater boasts a full bar and lounge area where you can watch the big game — or grab an adult beverage to go with your popcorn! LB Palace Station, 844-4627342, regmovies.com BEST DAY TRIP

MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE Look, there’s nothing wrong with Red Rock, Mt. Charleston, and Lake Mead, but when your go-to wilderness spots just aren’t hitting like they used to, get on the 15 and get yourself to the Mojave National Preserve.

Across the state line in California, this 1.6-million-acre area offers complete solitude just an hour from the Strip. (Read: You won’t get trapped in the crowds that plague more popular destinations such as Zion.) Wander a massive Joshua tree forest, climb the silky-soft hills of the Kelso Dunes, go subterranean inside a lava tube, or check out the visitor center inside 100-year-old train station. The options — and the vistas— are endless. KD 70 miles south of Las Vegas off I-15, 760-252-6100, nps.gov/moja BEST HIKE

LIBERTY BELL ARCH

This hike is named after the natural arch it takes you to, but the real draw is the stunning view of the Colorado River you’ll get if you walk just a little farther. On the Arizona-Nevada line, the Liberty Bell Arch hike shares a trailhead with the popular White Rock Canyon

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BEST ALL-AROUND FAMILY ATTRACTION

Springs Preserve

BEST STAYCATION SPOT

Trail (you know, the one that goes to those hot springs from your friend’s Instagram). The approximately five-mile trail has something for everyone: a side trip to a mine area, the possibility of spotting bighorn sheep, a natural arch, and that final breathtaking overlook of the Colorado River snaking through Black Canyon. KD Lake Mead National Recreation Area, nps.gov/ lake/learn/nature/ liberty-bell-arch BEST PUBLIC INSTITUTION/FACILITY

WINDMILL LIBRARY

Overlook the adolescent bodies strewn over its seats. And never

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LAKE LAS VEGAS

When I make the turn onto Lake Las Vegas Parkway, I feel as though I’ve left Las Vegas behind and entered a remote paradise. There’s a variety of charming restaurants to choose from, and if you wander the village at night, you’re likely to encounter live music.

Multiple water sport options include leisurely kayaking and flyboarding for the more adventurous. The kids can wear themselves out at the Aqua Park while adults enjoy a drink on a yacht called La Contessa.

This is my favorite choice when I need a day or two away in Southern Nevada! KK lakelasvegas.com BEST SPORTS VENUE

LAS VEGAS BALLPARK

T-Mobile Arena may offer a Michael Bay-level experience, but it’s the sports venue mercifully free of a corporate moniker that makes catching a game in person appealing to me. You don’t have to be a fan of the Aviators — the triple-A team of the possibly Vegas-bound Oakland Athletics — to enjoy a night at Summerlin’s crown jewel. It’s a 10,000-plus-seat mini-bowl with an IMAX-dwarfing video board, Vegas-centric food and drink options that are leagues above the dog-and-Bud Light standard, and — for you diamond dippers — a pool.

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P AT H WAY C O U R T E S Y O F T H E S P R I N G S P R E S E R V E ; L I B R A R Y A N D WAT E R S T R E E T : S A B I N O R R

The Springs Preserve ostensibly began as an interactive edutainment complex built on the literal wellspring of Las Vegas, but it’s flourished well beyond any such easy pigeonholing since it opened to the public in 2007. To be sure, the preserve’s educational offerings are as full-fledged as ever — consider its engaging historic exhibits, its rotating roster of classes and demonstrations, its teaching gardens and interactive museums. Bravo for every bell and whistle in its suite of family attractions!

But perhaps just as importantly, the Springs Preserve has also matured, quite naturally, into a vital cultural venue and diverse community gathering space, hosting everything from the Black History Month Festival (Feb. 19) to November’s Dia De Muertos (which itself has evolved into a splendid fall blockbuster). All that, and the preserve also serves as Las Vegas’ Central Park, its looping and meandering trails offering a bit of natural respite amid the thrum and rattle of the restless city. AK 333 S. Valley View Blvd., springspreserve.org

HALL OF FAME

mind the low bar that renders this modernist structure one of the Valley’s greatest architectural marvels. The Windmill branch of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District draws all manner of humanity because it quite literally has something for everyone — be it desktop PCs to watch blooper reels on YouTube, free concerts by touring acts in the auditorium, meeting space for the Dungeons & Dragons club, and countless stacks of artifacts known as books and DVDs. Stimuli abound at the most unlikely hang in Las Vegas. MP 7060 W. Windmill Lane, 702-507-6030, lvccld.org/ locations/wm

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this ballpark continues the tradition of neighborhood stadiums that outcharm their major league equivalents. MP 1650 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-943-7200, thelvballpark.com BEST PLACE TO WALK YOUR DOG

COTTONWOOD CANYON PARK TRAIL This east-west greenway runs along the natural wash bordering The Canyons Village in Summerlin. Bikers, runners, and strollers frequent the three-mile multiuse path that includes multiple offshoots and diversions where you and Rover can do some urban exploring. The trail is an out-and-back running from South Hualapai Way toward the 215 less than a block north of Charleston Boulevard. HK summerlink.com/ community/parks BEST PLAYGROUND

THE TREEHOUSE PLAYGROUND AT DOWNTOWN CONTAINER PARK This giant treehouse is perfect for the active child with a wild imagination. There’s a lot going on in it: a 33-foot slide and plenty of hideouts. Adjacent to the playground is a big grassy area containing foam blocks for kids to build with ... often to the tune of live music. My eight-year-old is a huge fan of the NEOS (electronic-interactive) playground.

Bars and restaurants are close enough that parents can enjoy a drink or two while keeping an eye on the older kids. And the playground stays open for the kids-at-heart after 9 p.m. KK 707 E. Fremont St., 702-359-9982, downtowncontainerpark.com

SOCIAL POLL

BEST PLACE FOR A SELFIE a. C ATCH restaurant at Aria b. The Chandelier bar at the Cosmopolitan c. Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden d. Hoover Dam e. The Linq Promenade f. S even Magic Mountains g. Vegas Neon sign on E. Fremont St. (between LV Blvd. & 6th St.)

Ahem ...

“You are missing the beer can wall at the Silver Stamp!”

– Bruce Smiley

on the best place for a treat: “Yonutz!” This place somehow magically smashes icecream into donuts and tops them with candy. If you’re more in the mood for a chilled treat, you can get a donut-topped milkshake with sugary cereal

smashed inside. And the décor is as bright, colorful, and Instagrammble as the food. These desserts are not for the faint of heart, but they make a fantastic bribe when needed. KK 5765 Centennial Center Blvd.

Suite 180, 702-483-6593, yonutz.com BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE-WATCH

ANY BAR PATIO FACING MAIN STREET “Pretend it’s a city,” Fran Lebowitz once said.

The Arts District is that place where you can pretend Las Vegas is “a city,” rather than a major tourist destination. Sure, the volume of humanity is far greater on the Strip, but for a curated selection, Main Street is the place to go. The tourists are usually a bit more stylish and well-behaved here than the norm (usually), although the crowd runs more local. There’s always someone fully decked in mid-photo shoot, as well as a few art/fashion types who just look that way all the time. Crew members and actors half-costumed for a show, bike clubs on rides twinkling with Christmas lights, couples dawdling over date-night ice cream cones …

Plenty of bars and restaurants

offer seating with a panoramic view, so pull up to ReBar, Hudl, Good Pie or one of the many others and enjoy life’s rich pageant. LTR Downtown Las Vegas, 18barts.org BEST REVIVAL

WATER STREET DISTRICT Decades in the making, Water Street is achieving its potential as a robust community hub.

Replacing the oft-moribund convention center last year, Lifeguard Arena (the Henderson Silver Knights’ HQ) attracts ice skaters and hockey players of all ages from morning to night. MacKenzie River (in the arena), Sticks Tavern, and Chinitas Tapas and Sushi are among the recently arrived culinary delights — and more are on the way. Lovelady and Mojave breweries augment the venerable Gold Mine Tavern.

Reinvestment in The Pass (formerly the Eldorado) vies for the older gaming crowd at more established casinos.

The street’s momentum is as unmistakable as a gifted figure skater gliding across the ice, ready to surprise observers with its next move. PS

BEST PLACE TO TAKE A KID FOR A SUGAR RUSH

YONUTZ! FANTASTICAL DONUTS AND ICE CREAM My son Kaden once again offered his expert opinion F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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n our first visit to the Silver Sevens, we went for bingo. It was 2012, and the casino was called Terrible’s then.

A red-vested cartoon sheriff with a mustache as long as a rattlesnake adorned the marquee outside. We traded dollars for dobbers in the vending machines, weaved past old women with cigarettes and paper rainbow packs, and found a table that could fit all 10 of us.

Our accidental “Bingos!” and laughter were unwelcomed by the regulars, but two of us, including me, won. We were there for the novelty, not the money. Just a group of graduate students exploring things to do on a Friday night in our new, unfamiliar town.

We soon graduated to the casino floor downstairs. We tried our hands at craps and blackjack. The pit was larger then. It pulsed in the center of the casino like an Revisiting the place where I open heart on an operating table. As we learned that Vegas friendships, waited our turn at live action, we looked the dealers for answers: Are we gonna like casinos, come and go to make it, Doc? Back then, everyone had to wait to gamble, because the three-dollar

BY Brittany Bronson minimums had enticed all of us: locals, tourists, addicts, and budget-conscious alike. On good nights, we turned 20 dollars into 40 at the roulette table. Bad nights left us buzzed, but our wallets still plenty full. When we told Jimmy, our favorite dealer, that we were writers, he shared some Terrible’s trivia: We used to have a poetry night! This knowledge, and the pass line, made us believe that we belonged there, that the casino was built for us.

There was no better place to be bored and broke in Vegas. But by graduation, the minimums became too rich for us. We headed Downtown to El Cortez, where we lasted a few months before gentrification pushed us back to our home on Flamingo and Paradise. During our hiatus, a $7 million renovation had transformed Terrible’s into the Silver

SILVER SEVENS

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Sevens. Our sheriff was put behind bars at the Neon Museum. Metallic numbers slashed through the new logo with precision, promising us sums of money higher than we had ever won. We parted the double doors to find our beloved bingo room replaced with slots, our three-dollar tables upped to five, and Jimmy adjusting the accessories of his new uniform: a tuxedo winged-collar, bow tie, and satin cummerbund.

It was a fitting end. Many of us were on our way out anyway. Our Vegas stints had finished with diplomas and out-of-state job offers, so we said our goodbyes amid the slot machines, dizzied by our tears, free drinks, and the swirling pattern of the casino carpet. Only me and my then-boyfriend stayed behind to make lives in Las Vegas. Although we invited new students to join us on our casino outings the following semester, the price tag was too high. They were serious writers who had come to the city to flourish. Plus, we were graduates, has-beens, and the Silver Sevens would never again be Terrible’s. When we did go back, it was as a couple enjoying a date night. We reminisced about our past winnings and our newly old friends.

Whittled down to two players, we discovered that the 1-2 Texas Hold ’em was a game we could afford. Within months, we became poker sharks on opposite sides of the table who eventually devoured each other. The summer after our breakup, we still met at the Silver Sevens, but we bickered often.

Then that friendship, too, burned up on the hot parking lot pavement.

In 2018, Silver Sevens removed the roulette table.

They scaled down to a smaller, bouncier craps table.

The changes forced me to go where I know they had always wanted me: slots. I tried my hand at Buffalo, Wheel of Fortune, and video poker, spending more of my time and my twenties, with no one around to remind me that I wasn’t there for the money.

Terrible’s had been a refuge, but Silver Sevens was the place where people I loved had left me. One night, on a walk of shame to the parking garage, I finally accepted that living in Las Vegas meant that friends, like casinos, come and go. I was the only one left to save me. I stopped visiting Silver Sevens entirely.

A few months ago, I walked into the Silver Sevens for the first time in three years. Jimmy recognized me. He gave me a hug over the craps table. “Haven’t seen you in a while,” he said, and I answered, “Because I’m being good.” I didn’t tell him I have new friends. A new job. A new lover.

A new favorite casino to go to on Friday nights.

I noticed there were far fewer tables for him to rotate between, although he was stuck in the same uniform. But we caught up. He pushed me dice. I tipped him well and often. When I finally got on a heater, our playful banter returned like I’d never left him behind. “Is your arm getting tired?” he asked me. “No,” I told him. “It’s getting stronger.” ✦ PHOTOGRAPH C hristopher Smith

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MAKING THE GRADE

OUR ANNUAL GUIDE TO THE VALLEY’S BEST SCHOOLS FROM PRE-K TO POSTGRAD AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

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wo years into the Covid-19 pandemic, most Vegas Valley schools have returned to full-time, face-to-face instruction. But education in Southern Nevada is definitely not the same.

Certain safety protocols, like masking and social distancing, remain in place. Clark County School District maintains a Covid-19 Parent/Guardian Hotline – (702) 799-4322 – that’s available Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Vegas PBS has set up a statewide website filled with grade and subject specific lessons that parents and teachers can utilize for continuity of learning at home: vegaspbs.org/education. The most notable difference is that schools are offering online instruction along with in-person classes – or a hybrid of the two.

While the current crisis has required more creativity and adaptability from educators, students, and families, the scholastic offerings available in Southern Nevada are as robust as ever. From pre-K to graduate programs to trade schools, the options are nearly endless.

With their flexible curricula and no charge to attend, charter schools continue to be a popular choice.

Several CCSD schools are magnets, federally funded programs that have a specific focus, such as Science, Math, Engineering and Technology (STEM), performing arts, language immersion, or International Baccalaureate (IB) curricula. There are no tuition, application, or entrance fees for magnets. CCSD also offers adult education courses and special education.

Those looking for a bachelor’s or an advanced degree can choose from the College of Southern Nevada (CSN), the University of Nevada (UNLV), the Las Vegas campus of the University of Phoenix, and more.

● HIGH SCHOOL

● C O L L E G E / U N I V E R S I T Y / V O C AT I O N A L

● ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES ACADEMY (1411 Robin Street, NV 89106) is a magnet public high school serving grades 9-12. U.S. News and World Report rated A­TECH as the top high school in Nevada and the #287 high school in the nation.

And the Washington Post selected A­TECH as the Most Challenging Public High School in southern Nevada. A-TECH offers seven magnet CTE programs in Architectural Design, Business Management, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Graphic Design, IT Networking, and Legal Studies.

A-TECH Digital Game Development students collaborated to design and produce a 3D game in Blender and Unity to create a virtual tour of the school, which is accessible from the academy’s website. ● ● Serving pre-school through eighth grade students, the ALEXANDER DAWSON SCHOOL at Rainbow Mountain (10845 West Desert Inn Road, Las Vegas, 89135), an independent school located on 33-acres in the community of Summerlin, is Nevada’s first Stanford University Challenge Success partner school for students in early childhood through grade eight.

Utilizing the unique Challenge Success framework, Dawson uses research-based strategies and programs that emphasize student academics, wellbeing, and a healthy school-life balance to create more engaged,

motivated, and resilient learners and leaders.

As the pandemic has unfolded, Dawson’s administration staff has kept educators and families connected through regular social media updates, Zoomcasts and a podcast. ● ● ● Beginning as a small home school group, AMERICAN HERITAGE ACADEMY (2100 Olympic Ave, Henderson 89014) has grown into a Christian private school for pre-kindergarten to high school students in North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, and Henderson. The curriculum is based on the Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE) methodology. AHA differentiates itself by not having school on Mondays, teaching cursive handwriting and Latin, requiring annual community service projects, and by hosting an annual etiquette dinner for upper grammar students. Students consistently test in the top 10% of the nation academically, and 100% of the Academy’s graduates have been accepted into college. ● ● ● Founded by native Las Vegan and tennis player Andre Agassi, ANDRE AGASSI COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY (1201 W Lake Mead Blvd, Las Vegas, 89106) is a tuition-free public charter school for K – 12th grade scholars. In 2017, Democracy Prep, a Harlem-based network of nonprofit public charter schools, partnered with the Andre Agassi College Prep Academy.

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● E L E M E N TA R Y

● MIDDLE SCHOOL

Democracy Prep’s academic program is rooted in research-proven curricula that have been shown to accelerate progress to mastery for low-income students, including those with disabilities and English language deficits. The students attending Democracy Prep are selected by a public computer-based lottery system. Preference is given to children living in a two-mile radius from the school.

There are no entrance tests or tuition fees required for students to attend. ● Serving Henderson, Summerlin, and Las Vegas, ANGELS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (2720 Crystal Water Way, Las Vegas, 89117) is a privately owned pre-school. Angels offers five programs: Infants, Toddlers, 2’s, Preschool, and Pre-K. The infant program teaches sign language, art, music, and gross motor development activities. The curriculum in the Toddlers program focuses on providing students with early literacy experiences through story time, songs, felt board stories, sign language, and more.

Students can also explore the world around them through hands-on science and sensory activities. Two-year-olds enjoy a classroom with a positive approach to learning social skills as well as age-appropriate academics.

The Preschool program emphasizes Language and Literacy, Social and Emotional, Creative Expression, Mathematics, Gross/Fine Motor Skills, and Science & Social Studies. The Pre-K program focuses on a center-based learning environment with designated areas of study delivered through an individualized curriculum. ● Featuring programs that include Information Technology, Medical, Business and Associate of Applied Science degrees, ASHER COLLEGE (6029 W. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, 89146) is a vocational college and career trade school. With a mission to deliver a quality, market-driven career education, Asher provides classroom and hands-on training experiences that focus on the skills identified by an advisory board of local Las Vegas employers. To ensure its students’ success, Asher offers free tutoring and comprehensive career services assistance designed to help graduates land a position

● HIGH SCHOOL

● C O L L E G E / U N I V E R S I T Y / V O C AT I O N A L

after completing their degree. ● Also known as Basic Academy and Basic High School, BASIC ACADEMY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (400 Palo Verde Dr, Henderson 89015) was the first high school in Henderson and serves grades 9-12.

Basic Academy is a candidate school for three International Baccalaureate programs. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a fiveyear programme that features a curriculum comprised of eight subject groups, providing a broad and balanced education for early adolescents. The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is a rigorous, college-preparation course of study that emphasizes critical analysis and communication skills across six subject areas. In the Career-Related Programme (CP), students undertake a minimum of two IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses, a core consisting of four components and a careerrelated study, preparing them for further education, apprenticeships, or employment. ● Opened in 1954, BISHOP GORMAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL (5959 S Hualapai Way, Las Vegas 89148) has been serving the Las Vegas community for over 65 years as the oldest Catholic high school in the Diocese of Las Vegas. As a college preparatory school, Bishop Gorman has a 98% collegebound rate. The Class of 2021 boasts 31 Scholars and 129 Honors Graduates, two National Merit Scholarship Finalists, and four National Merit Scholarship Commended Students. Students have received $25 million in scholarship offers. The Class of 2021 also had 30 seniors receive athletic scholarships to play at the college level. Fine art classes include ceramics, drawing, digital photography, guitar, orchestra, theatre, dance, and more. ● Serving grades 6-8, BROWN ACADEMY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (307 N. Cannes St, Henderson, 89015), is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) school and home of the Bears. The IB MYP comprises eight subject groups to create a well-rounded education that introduces students to many subject areas: Language

TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN A HYBRID LEARNING MODEL With some schools returning to in-person classes and other programs continuing to be offered remotely, it can be a challenging learning environment for both students and parents. Start by setting up a consistent routine so children know what to expect each day. Then make sure that students have all the supplies they need, both for their online classes and any in-person sessions they may be attending. Consider making a checklist so that nothing is missed. Build movement breaks, such as walking around outside or stretching, into the day so that kids are not sitting in front of a computer for hours at a time. Finally, if they’re not attending school in person, find a way to help students connect with their peers, like joining virtual clubs or getting together outdoors.

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acquisition (Spanish), Language and Literature, Individuals and Societies (history), Sciences, Mathematics, Arts, Physical and Health education, and Design. Robotics, T.V. productions with a studio, musical theater, foreign languages, award-winning fine arts, show choir, and jazz band are among the school’s unique offerings. ● Home to the Leadership and Law Preparatory Academy, a college preparatory magnet program with a four-year program in legal studies, CANYON SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL (350 E Alexander Rd, North Las Vegas, 89032) serves students in grades 9-12. The Canyon Springs Career & Technical Education department provides a hands-on, skills-based curriculum that offers opportunities for students to earn College of Southern Nevada college credits, industryrecognized certifications, and work-based learning experiences. Other majors include Cybersecurity, Forensic Science, International Studies, Landscape Design, Military Leadership, and Robotics. Through its Pioneer Pals program, potential students are partnered with an interested eighth grader to tour the school, attend classes, and get a taste of the Canyon Springs campus life. ● Specializing in healthcare education, CARRINGTON COLLEGE (5740 S Eastern Ave #140, Las Vegas, 89119) has two locations in Nevada: Reno and Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Campus is geared toward students in the medical industry and those looking for a career in criminal justice. The Las Vegas Campus boasts a 28,000-square-foot facility with state-of-theart classrooms and laboratories. Labs are outfitted with microscopes, anatomy models, simulation manikins, and other equipment to approximate each subject areas’ professional settings. Additionally, the campus learning resource center provides 78 computers with internet access, and an inventory of books, journals, CDs, and other media. The Las Vegas campus partners with area hospitals, facilities, and businesses to accommodate students who want hands-on clinical experience. ● CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL (10200 W Centennial Pkwy, Las Vegas, 89149) is a public high school serving grades 9-12 and home of the Bulldogs. Students have received National Merit Finalist Recognitions, scholarships, and Military Academy Appointments. The school’s NJROTC Program has frequently been selected as the number one unit in the nation. BARK!, the school’s newsletter, is published by the advanced journalism students at Centennial High School, with additional contributions from Journalism I students. To prepare students for life after high school, Centennial provides information on Pathway Planning, Apprenticeships, Internships, Credentials, Military, College, Testing, and NCAA/NAIA.

● ● One of four Challenger Schools in Las Vegas, CHALLENGER SCHOOL – SUMMERLIN (9900 W Isaac Newton Way, Las Vegas, 89129) serves preschool through 8th grade students. The curriculum is designed to teach children self-reliance, selfworth, honesty, rationality, integrity, justice, and productivity. The school incorporates science, speech, literature, geography, music, art, and physical education into its well-rounded academic education. Projects and events like Science Fair, Young Author, and Speech Festival span multiple grades (kindergarten–8th) and annually provide students with growth opportunities in the skills the activities promote. ● Home of the Cowboys, CHAPARRAL HIGH SCHOOL (3850 Annie Oakley Dr, Las Vegas, 89121) is a public high school serving grades 9-12. The school focuses on rigorous instruction, relevant content, meaningful relationships, and personal responsibility. Along with foundational coursework, Chaparral offers Automotive Technology, CADD, Culinary Arts, Geoscience, Japanese, Mariachi, and Marketing classes. Chaparral’s athletics department offers spring, fall and winter sports, including flag football, soccer, golf, wrestling, and more. Other activities include Billiards Club, Ceramics, Garden Club, and more.

● COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA (csn.edu) is the largest and most ethnically diverse college in Nevada. Their priority is to deliver an affordable, collaborative, and welcoming environment that allows all students to shine. CSN is a fully accredited institution offering hundreds of degrees and certificates in 70 academic programs—with 26 degrees and certificates available entirely online. CSN is also extremely accessible with three main campuses in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson, as well as multiple sites and centers throughout Southern Nevada.

Outside the classroom, CSN has a variety of clubs, activities and organizations to keep students engaged and connected. CSN’s baseball team has taken home a national championship, and the Coyotes are also represented in basketball, softball, soccer and volleyball. ● CORONADO PREP PRESCHOOL (2650 Sunridge Heights Pkwy, Henderson, 89052) provides Infant Care, Toddler Care, Two’s Care and Preschool for 3- to 5-year-olds.

Developmental milestones in Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Language and Hearing, Social and Emotional Abilities, and Cognition, are used as progress guidelines for school professionals as well as parents. To ensure the safety of students, Coronado Prep is a

nut-free facility. Coronado Prep Families can keep up with their students’ progress through a live video monitoring system which can be accessed via cell phone or desktop computer. ● ● ● Serving K-12 students, CORAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE LAS VEGAS (7951 Deer Springs Way, Las Vegas, 89131) is a tuition-free school focused on Math and Science. Technology is also integrated throughout the curriculum. CASLV has six campuses throughout the Las Vegas valley and boasts a student/teacher ratio of 20 to 25 students per class. Students have participated in many academic competitions, winning awards at Science Olympiads, Science Fairs, statewide Science Bowls, Math Counts competitions, and Lego Robotics competitions. CASLV has been rated the #1 Elementary School and the #6 Nevada Middle School in the U.S. News and World Report 2022 Best Schools Rankings. ● Founded in 1983 in New Orleans, CRESCENT SCHOOL OF GAMING AND BARTENDING (4180 S. Sandhill Rd, Ste. B8, Las Vegas, 89122) is the largest, most comprehensive bartending and gaming school in the United States. With two locations in Las Vegas, the school offers both bartending and casino gaming courses.

Crescent is an accredited school by ACCET

Nasri Academy

noun

Nas·ri A·cad·e·my | \nas-reə -’ka-d -me\ Definition of Nasri Academy 1. solution to an overlooked, and under-served need for students especially: the only full-time education solution for gifted children in Southern Nevada 2. a private school for the advanced education and unique needs of Pre-K-8th gifted children of ALL socioeconomic backgrounds 3. a community of gifted persons organized to advance (STEAM) science, technology, engineering, arts, and math in the youth of Las Vegas 4. a body of established educators widely accepted as authoritative in the schooling of gifted children Synonyms for Nasri Academy Advocate for the gifted, frustration-breaker

To Learn More About Nasri Academy visit

nasriacademy.com

702.896.8000

C ALL FO R I NFO RM ATI O N ABOUT OUR M ARCH 5 O PEN HO USE!

(the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training). Crescent has two bartending programs: a 3-Week Bartending Course and a 12-Week Bartending and Beverage Management Course. Crescent’s Casino Dealer Training programs include a 350-hour Two-Game Dealing Program and a 750-hour Comprehensive Dealing Program.

Crescent has a full-time Placement Director at each campus. ● CULINARY ACADEMY OF LAS VEGAS (710 West Lake Mead Blvd, North Las Vegas, 89030) is the country’s leading non-profit hospitality training institute offering 15 different programs in hospitality work, digital and employability skills training, and language instruction. Students receive real-world training through applied learning sites and partners. The Westside Bistro is a student-run, full-service restaurant located on the main CALV campus. Culinary Arts Catering and Events is a professional catering service that provides on-site banquet service at their Events Center or off-site at a venue of choice. Students complete applied learning hours throughout the duration of their program and refine skills that are directly applicable in future jobs.

Grant-Funded Lending Library for Individuals with Special Needs The library features thousands of titles including a diverse selection of educational books, DVDs, games, and tools to support individuals with special needs and their parents, caregivers, teachers and providers.

Resources are available for free loan through online orders. No contact pickup is available.

Schedule an appointment at:

vegaspbs.org/specialneeds Se habla Español specialneeds@vegaspbs.org | 702.799.1010 option 7 EDUCATION NOW

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● At DEL SOL ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS (3100 E Patrick Ln, Las Vegas, 89120) magnet students in grades 9-12 have the unique opportunity to study the performing arts along with participating in athletics, visual arts, service organizations, clubs, and countless student activities.

Students may pursue majors in Costume Design, Dance, Mariachi, Band, Orchestra, Vocal, Cinematic Arts/Music Production, Technical Theatre, and Theatre. Magnet students also have access to community internships, Artist-in-Residence programs, and numerous performance opportunities. ● DESERT PINES MAGNET ACADEMY is part of Desert Pines High School (3800 Harris Ave, Las Vegas, 89110), an urban public high school serving grades 9-12.

Desert Pines Magnet Academy is rated by the Magnet Schools of America as a “Magnet School of Excellence” and a “Magnet School of Distinction”. Students can participate in competitive performance groups, such as Marine Corp JROTC, band, and theater. More than 40 extracurricular clubs and activities, including DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, Student Council, National Honors Society, are available, and the school also has strong athletic programs, including football, basketball, track, baseball, soccer and more.

Magnet program students have a 100% graduation rate, and Desert Pines High School graduates have been awarded millions of dollars in scholarships. ● EAST CAREER & TECHNICAL ACADEMY (6705 Vegas Valley Dr, Las Vegas, 89142) is a magnet high school serving grades 9-12. When applying for admission, students

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● E L E M E N TA R Y

● MIDDLE SCHOOL

select their program of choice and can select coursework in Construction Technology, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, Health Information Management, Information Technology, Marketing & Hospitality, Mechanical Technology, Medical Professions, Sports Medicine, and Teaching & Training. Students gain hands-on experience through rigorous coursework, hands-on projects, job-shadowing, and internships. Through the Tiny Titan Preschool for 3- to 5-year-olds, Junior Education Program students prepare and present lessons and take turns being the day director for the early childhood education laboratory school. ● ● FAITH LUTHERAN MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL (2015 S Hualapai Way, Las Vegas, 89117) is a private, Christian school for grades 6-12. In addition to a challenging academic curriculum, students can participate in choir, band, handbells, drama, football, hockey, volleyball, cross country, golf, cheerleading, dance, tennis, soccer, basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, golf, track, swimming, and lacrosse.

The high school offers 191 different courses.

The college prep curriculum features 36 Honors and 21 Advanced Placement courses.

Together, the Class of 2021 was accepted into over 100 different colleges and universities. ● ● FOOTHILLS MONTESSORI SCHOOL (1401 Amador Ln, Henderson, 89012) serves students from three to fourteen years of age. Areas of study include math, science, geography, social studies, history, language, foreign language, music, art, and physical education, delivered in a diverse and age-appropriate manner. The Spanish immersion program offers students the opportunity to become bilingual. Students learn a second language in a natural manner through classroom conversational situations and academic instruction. ● “The Arts: A Way to Learn, A Way to Live, A Way to Achieve!” is the motto of GILBERT MAGNET SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATION AND CREATIVE ARTS (2101 W Cartier Ave, North Las Vegas, 89032), an elementary magnet school for K-5. Students learn via Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), a teaching method that

● HIGH SCHOOL

● C O L L E G E / U N I V E R S I T Y / V O C AT I O N A L

improves critical thinking skills through teacher-facilitated discussions of visual images. VTS encourages participation through a group problem-solving process, using art to teach thinking, communication skills, and visual literacy. ● ● HENDERSON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (1165 Sandy Ridge Ave, Henderson 89052) is a preschool – 8th grade private school. The school’s STEAM curriculum focuses not only on science, technology, engineering, and math but also on art. Every student receives instruction in reading, writing, and mathematics, and multiple times per week in science, social studies, Spanish, performing and fine arts, and physical education. The academic disciplines are complemented by extra- and co-curricular activities, creating well-rounded students. ● HYDE PARK ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS (900 Hinson St, Las Vegas, 89107) is a STEM academy for students in grades six through eight. The program serves students who require an academically demanding and challenging curriculum in the four core content areas: mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies. Advanced Placement (AP) strategies are incorporated into the instructional methodology. Hyde Park Panthers distinguish themselves in classrooms and competitions, in the arts, on the athletics fields, and in giving to the school and community. ● ● JO MACKEY ACADEMY OF LEADERSHIP AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATION (2726 Englestad St, North Las Vegas, 89030) is the first K-8 magnet school in Clark County. Jo Mackey is a leadership-focused educational community that fosters positive character through social responsibility and 21st-century skills. The school is named for Mrs. Jo Mackey, who devoted her life to the under-privileged and handicapped, being handicapped herself. Her legacy lives on through student participation in service projects at every grade level. In addition to their coursework, students can participate in Drill Team, Girls Who Code, Robotics, and the Rubik’s Cube Club.

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF VIDEO LESSONS A hybrid learning model means that many classes are being offered on video. To make the most of the experience, position the computer at eye level in a tidy, well-lit room. This will reduce neck strain and better replicate the body language of being in person. Before signing on, consider joining a test meeting to be sure the technology and equipment are working properly. Use a pen and paper or a tablet to take notes so that your entire computer screen is available for the class.

Close any browser tabs or apps that may be distracting. Turn off or silence the phone and keep the microphone muted during lectures. Use the chat feature to ask questions or join a discussion.

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● ● ● ● KHAN ACADEMY (khanacademy.org) provides a world-class education for anyone – kindergarten-through8th grade, high school, college students, and adult learners – located anywhere in the world, all 100% free. Courses are delivered through an educational website with practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard, all of which empowers learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. Coursework covers math, science, computing, history, art history, economics, and more, including K-14 and test preparation (SAT, Praxis, LSAT) content. ● ● KIDDIE ACADEMY OF HENDERSON (870 Coronado Center Dr, Henderson, 89052) is an educational daycare modeled on the Life Essentials® educational philosophy. Core curriculum is delivered via learning through play, developmentally appropriate classrooms, positive guidance, science, technology, engineering, and math skills, all supplemented with Music & More, weekly 30-minute lessons filled with music and stories. The academy also created an information resource for parents with helpful tips on everything from enriching the school’s STEM program at home to introducing lifelong healthy eating and fitness habits. ● ● LEGACY TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS (locations in North Las Vegas, Southwest Las Vegas, and Henderson) is a non-profit network of tuition-free, A-rated public schools known for their back-tobasics approach to learning. Students benefit from an accelerated pace of study, high expectations for academics and behavior, self-contained K-6 classrooms, bell-to-bell instruction, integrated Language Arts curriculum (Spalding), accelerated mathematics (Saxon), and more. Students also learn and live the principles found in the school’s Standards of Citizenship, which include citizenship, loyalty, responsibility, and service. ● One of the premier arts magnet schools in the nation, LAS VEGAS ACADEMY OF THE ARTS (315 S 7th St, Las Vegas, 89101) serves grades 9-12 and is free for students to attend. Programs available include band, vocal music, dance, guitar, mariachi, orchestra, photography, piano, studio art, technical theatre, theatre, graphic design, video production, and world jazz studies.

Eighty percent of its graduating seniors enroll in a post-secondary institution, and last year, over $22 million in scholarships were awarded. The Arts Schools Network (ASN) awarded LVA Exemplary Status 2018-2023 for overall excellence and leadership in arts education. Niche.com awarded LVA an overall A grade. ● A public high school serving grades 9-12, LAS VEGAS HIGH SCHOOL (6500

Your BIG IDEAS may WIN BIG! We’re searching for the next BIG IDEA to positively impact education in Nevada.

Application deadline is March 31, 2022.

Contest application, timeline and official rules at www.bigideachallenge.org.

THE BIG IDEA CHALLENGE: AN EDUCATION INNOVATION CONTEST™ IS SPEARHEADED BY

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E Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, 89142) offers challenging academic classes, and students can participate in sports, CTE courses, the school’s performing arts program, or its AJROTC program. The school’s sports team, the Wildcats, has won numerous championships, and their athletics programs are recognized as some of the best in Nevada.

Students can also join one of the 40 different clubs and organizations. ● ● The NASRI ACADEMY FOR GIFTED CHILDREN (3695 S Lindell Rd, Las Vegas, 89103) serves pre-K-8 students.

Understanding that gifted children have specialized social, emotional, and academic needs, the Nasri program is designed to focus on all three of these areas. The staff is knowledgeable in working with the specialized needs of gifted children. The Nasri Academy for Gifted Children Educational Philosophy is built around the Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM), which is comprised of three main areas: Overarching Concepts, Advanced Content, and ProcessProduct. Other areas of study include Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Design, and Robotics.​ ● NEVADA CAREER INSTITUTE (3231 N Decatur Blvd #201, Las Vegas, 89130) offers affordable training programs in Medical Assisting, Surgical Technology, Medical Insurance Billing, and Massage Therapy, and more, combining classroom studies with hands-on training. Many programs can be completed in as little as 8 to 9 months. Flexible course schedules and the option to choose day or evening classes make it easier for students to balance school with work and family commitments. ● NEVADA STATE COLLEGE (1300 Nevada State Drive, Henderson, 89002) is a four-year public college offering more than 30 majors and 25 minors, including areas of study such as business, biology, psychology, education, criminal justice, and nursing.

In addition, Nevada State College has developed a Master of Education program in Speech-Language Pathology. Students can learn in-class or online, or a hybrid of both, and Nevada State College offers multiple start dates throughout the year so students can begin coursework at a time that suits their schedules. ● NEVADA STATE HIGH SCHOOL (multiple locations in Las Vegas and Henderson) is a tuition-free, public charter school serving grades 11-12. Juniors and seniors take legitimate college courses with genuine college professors on actual college and university campuses at this state-funded school. Courses count for both high school and college credit, making it possible for students to earn their high school diplomas while getting a jump on their college degrees.

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● Emphasizing college preparation, NORTHWEST CAREER & TECHNICAL ACADEMY (8200 W Tropical Pkwy, Las Vegas, 89149) is a public magnet school serving grades 9-12. NWCTA offers students the ability to complete a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program of study, which allow students to learn industry standards, practice hands-on learning, and the ability to take part in internships and industry partnership opportunities. Programs consist of Biomedical Science, Construction Technology, Culinary Arts, Engineering & Design, Hospitality & Marketing, Mechanical Technology, Teacher Education, and Veterinary Science. ● PALO VERDE HIGH SCHOOL (333 S Pavilion Center Dr, Las Vegas, 89144) is a comprehensive four-year high school enrolling just over 3,300 students in grades 9-12. The mission of Palo Verde is to prepare students to realize their academic, creative, emotional, physical, social, and career potential. The school combines challenging coursework, a robust athletics program, and diverse activities. The class of 2021 earned over $11.7 million in scholarships. The Speech and Debate Team is ranked #1 in the state of Nevada, and the Student Council won the National Gold Council of Excellence and Battle Born Award. ● RANCHO HIGH SCHOOL MAGNET ACADEMY (1900 Searles Ave, Las Vegas, 89101) is a “school-within-a-school” inside Rancho High School. RHS challenges students with a wealth of Honors and Advanced Placement offerings along with specialized education in Aviation, Medicine, and Aerospace Engineering. RHS fosters student creativity and ingenuity through dynamic electives such as orchestra, theater, dance, band, choir, and art. After-school athletic programs and club activities address students’ social needs by providing a sense of community. ● ROBERT O. GIBSON MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (3900 W Washington Ave, Las Vegas, 89107) is a magnet school serving grades 6-8. The curriculum centers on English, Math, and Science along with encouraging students to take initiative, solve problems, work as a team, and address real community needs. Highlights include a House Rewards System, Internationally Recognized Robotics Team, Leadership Ambassador Outreach Program, Drumline Program. The Academy has been recognized with a Magnet School of Excellence, a Spirit of Nevada Student Council Award, and a Quiet Storm Foundation Student Award, and it is an AVID Certified School. ● ROSEMAN UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES (11 Sunset Way, Henderson, 89014) is a private, non-profit university for undergraduate and graduate-

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

level healthcare professionals. With campuses in Henderson and Summerlin, the University is comprised of the College of Dental Medicine, offering an Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics residency, an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency and a Doctor of Dental Medicine; the College of Pharmacy, offering a Doctor of Pharmacy and Professional Continuing Education; the College of Nursing, offering an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing with two learning modality options – Hybrid-Online or On-Campus, and an accelerated Master of Science in Nursing/ Family Nurse Practitioner; and the College of Graduate Studies, offering two master’s degree programs, Biomedical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Roseman University of Health Sciences will also offer a Doctor of Medicine through its College of Medicine once it becomes accredited. ● Serving students in grades K-5, SANDY SEARLES MILLER ACADEMY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (4851 E Lake Mead Blvd, Las Vegas, 89115) is a free, public elementary magnet school named for a former Las Vegas teacher who later became a Nevada first lady. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM). Educators, families, and students collaborate to cultivate a community of inquiring, open-minded, and reflective global citizens. ● SHENKER ACADEMY (9001 Hillpointe Rd, Las Vegas, 89134) is a nationally accredited private preschool. Core programs include a comprehensive academic curriculum in language arts, mathematics, science, technology, and art. Coursework centers on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM), music, American Sign Language, Spanish, Hebrew, sports, and insights from an array of subjects and programs. The academy embraces 21stcentury learning methods and objectives with a focus on critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills in each grade. ● Defined by the four core themes of Entrepreneurial Thinking, Professional Preparedness, Liberal Arts, and Sustainability, SIERRA NEVADA COLLEGE (4300 E Sunset Rd # E1, Henderson, 89014) is a private, four-year institution with campuses in Northern and Southern Nevada and online. The Henderson location offers affordable, professional programs for teachers and educational administrators, including Masters degrees, all scheduled to meet the needs of working adults.

Undergraduate majors in Global Business Management and Psychology and graduate degrees in M.Ed. in Administration and M.Ed. in ELAD are available 100% online.

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● Home of the Mountain Lions, SIERRA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL (8100 W Robindale Rd, Las Vegas, 89113) is a public high school serving grades 9-12. It is one of the most ethnically diverse high schools in the valley. The curriculum and student life are based around the principles of Fortitude, Attitude, Integrity, and Respect. The Mountain Lion Messenger, the school’s student-run news website, provides a snapshot of life at SVHS and the issues concerning the student body.

In 2021, Sierra Vista High’s senior kicker Macy Beck made history by kicking inside of Allegiant Stadium, becoming the first female athlete to play in the NFL arena. ● ● The only public Montessori school in Southern Nevada, SILVER SANDS MONTESORRI CHARTER SCHOOL (1841 Whitney Mesa Dr, Henderson, 89014) is a state-sponsored, tuition-free charter school that serves grades K-8. SSMCS combines Common Core curriculum with the Montessori Method of education. SSMCS supports the development of well-rounded students by offering clubs, field trips, athletics, festivals, before-and-after-school programs and participation in the Southern Nevada Science Fair and Nevada Geography Bee. ● ● ● THE ADELSON EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS (9700 Hillpointe Rd, Las Vegas, 89134) is the only PK-12 Jewish community school in Nevada. The campus consists of two schools: The Preschool/Lower School for students from 18 months through 5th grade and the Upper School for grades 6–12.

AEC strives to develop students into caring, perceptive, engaged thinkers, who are fully prepared for top universities at home and abroad. Unique to AEC is their Startup Incubator, a state-of-the-art technology lab.

While courses are built on Jewish values of civil discourse, empathy, discussion-based explorations of ideas, and imagination, families of all faiths are welcome. ● TOURO UNIVERSITY NEVADA (874 American Pacific Drive, Henderson, 89014) is a non-profit university focused on healthcare and education. Founded on the Judaic values of social justice, intellectual

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pursuit, and service to humanity, Touro offers programs in Education, Medical Health Sciences, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Osteopathic Medicine, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, and Research. Since 2014, the Mobile Healthcare Clinic run by the School of Physician Assistant Studies has given free acute care on a weekly basis for underserved Vegas Valley populations.

Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, the International Baccalaureate with advanced coursework in arts and world languages, and the Military Science (Army JROTC), Cyber Technology, and Emergency Management program. VHS also offers the Valley Viking Scholars program and a variety of cocurricular activities such as Ballet Folklórico, Choir, Mariachi, Student Council, and various clubs.

● TRAPEZE LAS VEGAS (121 E Sunset Rd, Las Vegas, 89119) provides top-notch instruction for locals and visitors in all circus arts, including the high-flying trapeze. Training on a wide variety of aerial arts apparatus takes place in an Outdoor Circus Lot with lots of fresh air and space.

Other unique activities offered include the Wheel of Death, Bungee Trapeze, and more. Recreational training in all circus arts, special events, and a camp for kids of all ages are held at this location.

● Home of the Bulldogs, VARIETY SCHOOL (2800 Stewart Ave, Las Vegas, 89101) serves special needs students in grades 6-12. A Sensory Room space provides individuals with sensory issues the opportunity to regulate their body’s reactions to external stimuli and develop coping skills for these experiences through a variety of Sensory activities. The school features vocational training centers for a laundry, a kitchen and restaurant, a recycling center, a graphics center, and a greenhouse. Students spend time in each area, learning a skill of their choice, with a goal of preparing them for the workforce.

As part of the Graphic Arts program, the school presented Paints and Palettes, an art exhibition of students with Autism.

● Home of the Rebels, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS (unlv.edu) is a public university offering more than 300 majors. UNLV also has more than 125 graduate degree programs and its own law, medicine, and dental medicine schools.

From architecture to women’s studies, UNLV offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate online or hybrid courses in a broad range of subject areas. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is a memberdriven learning community of more than 1,800 retired and semi-retired adults.

Members continue a lifetime of learning by contributing to a program rich in content, shared interests, and life experiences. There are no education requirements to participate in classes and activities. In 2021, UNLV, once again, achieved R1, or “Very High Research” status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One third of UNLV students are the first in their families to go to college, and Military Times listed UNLV as one of its Best for Vets. ● VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL (2839 Burnham Ave, Las Vegas, 89169) is a public high school, serving grades 9-12, that offers three award-winning magnet programs: The

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL REMOTE COLLABORATION Group projects are a key component of many educational programs.

To bridge the gap between those who are in person and those who are studying online, start with a foundation of mutual respect and trust by divvying up roles and responsibilities, allowing students to negotiate who will be responsible for particular tasks. Next, arrange regular virtual meetings and take notes on a shared document like a Google Form so everyone has access to the same information. Finally, don’t procrastinate just because the group members may not be seeing each other face to face. Keep a list of deliverables and timeframes so that no deadlines are missed.

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● A public high school serving grades 9-12, VETERANS TRIBUTE CAREER AND TECHNICAL ACADEMY (2531 Vegas Dr, Las Vegas, 89106) prepares students for careers in public service. Magnet programs include Criminal Justice/Pre-Law, Emergency Medical Services, 911 Dispatch, Law Enforcement, Forensic Science, and Cybersecurity. Veterans Tribute CTA has partnerships with Las Vegas Metro Police Department and other public agencies that offer students experiences designed to give them an advantage over other applicants for public service jobs, while still academically preparing them to apply to college, and creating broader ranges of options for their future. Having instructors in law enforcement, emergency medical response, dispatch careers, criminal justice field, crime scene analyst and cybercrimes provides students with firsthand knowledge and training. ● WGU NEVADA (wgu.edu), which is part of Western Governors University, is an accredited online university offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees for busy adults. Areas of study include Business, Education, Healthcare, and IT. Degree programs start at the first of every month, all year long, so there’s no need for students to wait for spring or fall semester. WGU graduates are employed at top companies and organizations such as Amazon, CedarsSinai, Google, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, the Mayo Clinic, and the United Nations.

Students see an average salary increase of over $12,000 just 2 years after graduation.

Plus, employers have a 98% satisfaction rate with WGU grads.

CCSD MAGNET SCHOOLS

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Adventures await in the following areas: • Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communication • Agriculture & Natural Resources • Automotive/Construction • Business/ Marketing & Hospitality • Cosmetology/Costuming/Fashion • Culinary Arts • Education • Engineering/Aviation/Computer Science/Robotics • Information Technology • International Baccalaureate • Law, Public Safety & Leadership • Medical & Health Sciences • Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

Find us on the web: magnet.ccsd.net Like us on Facebook: CCSD Magnet Schools Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @CCSDMagnet

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