Desert Companion - May 2012

M ay 2 01 2

Learn the secrets of the lake you thought you knew

P LUS :

!

Spleawsah ter Nin to escapes ur ‘wet’ yo e appetit

the most important soul food of all by kathryn kruse

he talks to bread. he is the yeastmaster by debbie lee

the strange saga of the invisible heiress by david mckee

worlds away on just a tank of gas

by mark sedenquist

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ING T UR A E F NEERW IAL A

2

S ACT

editor’s note

i

Liquid courage I was later told it looked like I

Next Month in Desert Companion

We let the dogs out as we unleash our Pet Issue

2 | Desert

was doing some sort of bizarre, avantgarde dance: Whipping and whirling and hands flapping wildly as my legs bent at completely unnatural angles, scrobbling and pedaling cartoonlike for purchase on the water-slicked rocks. We were hiking up Boy Scout Canyon — just one stop on our daylong kayaking trip down Black Canyon — and I’d clearly met my nemesis in the form of this rocky keyhole waterfall. Between the babbling water and the slimy coating of moss, negotiating the tight pass was already a slippery proposition. Add in my natural clumsiness that makes me an unwitting slapstick act most of the time, and we had on our hands a recipe for OW MY FACE. Then, a miracle. Somehow, my hooves found safe ground — I seem to recall my knees locking like parking brakes at the first faint intimation of solidity — and I was spared the dubious souvenir of a skull tattoo courtesy of mondo faceplant. That didn’t prevent the later jabs and jokes from tripmates about my dork ballet debut, but better that than the alternative — sucking chicken broth through the mouth slot of a head cast. In short, this little backways tour of just one facet of Lake Mead took me unawares — and I lost my footing.

The stumble is a facile metaphor, but apt: Lake Mead surprised me. To be frank, I’ve always thought of Lake Mead National Recreation Area as an outsized blue-collar kiddie pool, a place for ruffian staycations enjoyed by people who wear Daisy Duke cutoff

Companion | MAY 2012

jeans without a whiff of irony. That’s more or less how I used to partake of the lake in my youth (minus, I should say, the Daisy Dukes): We’d trundle out there in a friend’s van, veer off a side road, build a roaring pallet bonfire and ingest inadvisable volumes of Funyuns, Schaefer beer and other substances while blaring very important and awful punk rock tapes.

We kept the lake at a moral distance — and not arbitrarily. In our mind, Lake Mead’s artificiality inspired an amused contempt for it. Besides, how seriously could you take a lake whose most notorious feature was carp as big as Yugos? Any body of water that hosted such brutes surely hid other mutant horrors in its turgid waters — say, tentacled dominatrix mermaids with machine guns and flesh-eating pro wrestlers.

Well, I’ve never enjoyed being proven wrong so much. At the urging of the National Parks Conservation Association’s Lynn Davis — an undying fan of and tireless advocate for Nevada’s natural gems — Art Director Chris Smith and I spent three separate days exploring the lake we thought we knew, from its lazy, lolling river solitudes to its sun-dappled open water, from its historic secrets to its wild and severe outlands. We chronicled our adventure on page 46 — and that’s where yours begins in our annual travel issue. Of course, if you’re looking for escapes further off the horizon, we’ve got those too — whether it’s one-tank trips in our big Southwest backyard (p. 63) or splashier excursions around the con-

tinent (p. 57). In short, whatever your taste for a trip this summer, we’re sure to have only pleasant surprises in store. In all cases, buckle your seatbelt or strap on your life jacket.

But most importantly: Don’t forget your capacity for wonder. * * * Corrections Artist Brent Sommerhauser was

an assistant gaffer in the creation of the Domsky Glass sculpture for The Cosmopolitan’s Book & Stage venue.

Artist Larry Domsky conceived, designed and fabricated the piece.

The location for April’s “British

Invasion” fashion spread was the theater for The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage.

Andrew Kiraly Editor

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contents desert companion magazine // desertcompanion.com

05.2012

DEPARTMENTS 11

All Things to All People Feel the darkness

20

Discomfort Zone The grating outdoors

By Alan Gegax

24

Community

Serving up soul food

By Kathryn Kruse

30

History

The invisible heiress

By David McKee

39

Dining

An act of loaf

By Debbie Lee

69

Guide

From rock to theater to dance, your guide to culture

FEATURES 46 Water world

Downtown dive

By Andrew Kiraly

There’s a lot of depth to Lake Mead — in more ways than one

57 Make a splash!

Whether you want thrills or just to chill, these trips will ‘wet’ your appetite for adventure 4 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

63 The scenic route (just up the street) One-tank trips that feel worlds away

on the cover Emerald Cave on the Colorado River Photography Christopher Smith

L A K E m ea d : C h r i s to p h e r S m i t h ; Sk y c o u r t e s y o f t h e n at i o n al pa r k s s e r v i ce ; k i tc h e n L i n e : B i ll H u g h e s ; B r ea d : Sab i n O r r

80

History lesson

UPCOMING SHOWS T I C K E T S S TA R T I N G AT $2 4

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Buddy Guy with Quinn Sullivan

Saturday, May 19 – 8:00pm

Alan Safier as George Burns in Say Goodnight Gracie

Friday, May 11 – 7:00pm Saturday, May 12 – 3:00pm & 7:00pm

The Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater “Five Year Anniversary Spring Concert Series 2012”

|

TheSmithCenter.com

Lily Tomlin

Sunday, May 13 – 2:00pm

Idina Menzel

Sunday, June 10 – 7:30pm

Tuesday, May 29 – 7:30pm

Clint Holmes

Friday, May 4 Saturday, May 5

James Gavin’s STORMY WEATHER: The Lena Horne Project Starring Mary Wilson Friday, May 11 Saturday, May 12

Visit TheSmithCenter.com to see the full lineup today.

361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas NV 89106

Jane Monheit

Friday, May 18 Saturday, May 19

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702 .749.2000

PSY by Seven Fingers

Tuesday, May 15 – 7:30pm Wednesday, May 16 – 7:30pm

Million Dollar Quartet

Tuesday, June 12 – Sunday, June 17 Tuesday – Sunday – 7:30pm Saturday & Sunday – 2:00pm

Barbara Cook

Thursday, May 24 through Sunday, May 27

p u blishe D B y nevada p u blic radio

Mission Statement

Desert Companion is the premier city magazine that celebrates the pursuits, passions and aspirations of Southern Nevadans. With award-winning lifestyle journalism and design, Desert Companion does more than inform and entertain. We spark dialogue, engage people and define the spirit of the Las Vegas Valley.

Editorial & Art

Andrew Kiraly Editor CHRISTOPHER SMITH Art Director

Advertising

CHRISTINE KIELY Corporate Support Manager laura alcaraz National Account Manager Sharon Clifton Senior Account Executive allen grant Senior Account Executive elizabeth guernsey Account Executive Markus Van’t Hul Senior Account Executive

Marketing

Catherine Kim Marketing Manager

Subscriptions

Chris Bitonti Subscription Manager

OnLine

Senior Staff

Florence M.E. Rogers President / General Manager Melanie Cannon Director of Development Cynthia M. Dobek Director of Business, Finance & Human Resources Phil Burger Director of Broadcast Operations

Contributing Writers

Cybele, Alan Gegax, Michael Green, John Hardin, JoAnna Haugen, Julie Hession, Kathryn Kruse, Heidi Kyser, Debbie Lee, David McKee Christie Moeller, Brock Radke, Mark Sedenquist, Sonja Swanson

Contributing Artists

David Calvert, Troy Cummings, Bill Hughes, Bruce H. Jones, Sabin Orr, Peter Thody, Hernan Valencia

Danielle Branton Web Administrator To submit your organization’s event listings for the Desert Companion events guide, send complete information to guide@desertcompanion.com. Feedback and story ideas are always welcome, too.

Editorial: Andrew Kiraly, (702) 259-7856; andrew@desertcompanion.com Fax: (702) 258-5646 Advertising: Christine Kiely, (702) 259-7813; christine@desertcompanion.com

Subscriptions: Chris Bitonti, (702) 259-7810; subscriptions@desertcompanion.com

Website: www.desertcompanion.com Desert Companion is published 12 times a year by Nevada Public Radio, 1289 S. Torrey Pines Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89146. It is available by subscription at www.desertcompanion.com, or as part of Nevada Public Radio membership. It is also distributed free of charge at select locations in the Las Vegas Valley.

All photographs, artwork and ad designs printed are the sole property of Desert Companion and may not be duplicated or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

The views of Desert Companion contributing writers are not necessarily the views of Desert Companion or Nevada Public Radio. Contact Chris Bitonti for back issues, which are available for purchase for $7.95.

ISSN 2157-8389 (print) ISSN 2157-8397 (online)

6 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

Expect only the highest level of care for your heart.

An advanced standard of care is now available in St. Rose Dominican Hospitals’ new state-of-the-art hybrid operating suite. This suite integrates all of the equipment needed to seamlessly diagnose and treat patients requiring multiple procedures - a universal operating room that easily adapts to endovascular, minimally invasive, open surgery and hybrid procedures.

St. Rose now also offers Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) - a groundbreaking minimallyinvasive cardiac treatment that provides help and hope for patients who have been diagnosed with severe aortic valve disease. When you expect the best in care, make sure you turn to St. Rose.

To learn more about our Cardiology Centers:

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FORWARD TOGETHER Before there was music, there was a partnership.

p u blishe D B y nevada p u blic radio

Nevada Public Radio Board of Directors

Nevada Public Radio Community Advisory Board

Officers

Mark ricciardi, esq.

Chairman Fisher & Phillips, LLP

Elizabeth FRETWELL, Chair City of Las Vegas Susan Brennan, vice chair Brennan Consulting Group, LLC

“We are particularly gratified that our lending is from a local, community-based bank because this is a facility that was built for the community. It makes for a great collaborative partnership.”

REED RADOSEVICH, Treasurer Northern Trust Bank Florence M.E. Rogers, Secretary Nevada Public Radio

Directors

DENNIS COBB President, DCC Group Richard I. Dreitzer Fox Rothschild LLP Carolyn G. Goodman Meadows School Marilyn Gubler The Las Vegas Archive

shamoon ahmad, m.d., mba, facp

Kurtis Wade Johnson Absolute Auto Care

Cynthia Alexander, Esq. Snell & Wilmer

Megan Jones MKJ Consulting

Louis Castle, Director Emeritus Patrick N. Chapin, Esq., Director Emeritus KIRK V. CLAUSEN Wells Fargo sherri gilligan MGM Resorts International jan L. jones Caesars Entertainment Corporation John R. Klai II Klai Juba Architects Lamar Marchese, President Emeritus William mason Taylor International Corporation

Richard Johnson Chief Financial Officer The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

David Cabral Business Finance Corporation

Chris Murray Director Emeritus Avissa Corporation Jerry Nadal Cirque du Soleil Peter O’Neill R&R Partners William J. “Bill” Noonan, Director Emeritus Boyd Gaming Corporation

edmÉe s. marcek College of Southern Nevada Susan K. Moore Lieutenant Governor’s Office JENNA MORTON Steve Parker UNLV Richard Plaster Signature Homes Chris Roman Entravision Kim Russell Smith Center for the Performing Arts CANDY SCHNEIDER Smith Center for the Performing Arts Stephanie Smith Bob Stoldal Sunbelt Communications Co. kate turner whiteley Kirvin Doak Communications Brent Wright Wright Engineers bob gerst Boyd Gaming Corporation

MARK RICCiARDI, Esq., director emeritus Fisher & Phillips, LLP Mickey Roemer, Director Emeritus Roemer Gaming

702.248.4200 bankofnevada.com/smith-center

TIM WONG Arcata Associates

Follow us online: www.facebook.com/desertcompanion www.twitter.com/DesertCompanion

03/12

Bank of Nevada is an affiliate of Western Alliance Bancorporation

8 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

MY STORY, MY DESIGN

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05.2012

NE W S PEOP L E

t o a ll p e o pl e

PO L ITI C S S H OP H U MOR

Community

wash the block

h EN V IRONMENT

One of the Great Basin’s most precious resources? The sky.

P h oto C o u r t e s y o f t h e N at i o n a l Pa r k s e r v i c e

Leave Great Basin in the dark Here’s a bright idea: Turn off the lights and look up.

Unfortunately, light pollution is a growing problem in the United States, so you may not see much.

“People are from cities,” says Dr. Tyler Nordgren, an astronomy professor at the University of Redlands.

“Almost nobody today sees a natural night sky the way it used to be seen.” There’s more at stake than missing out on a few extra constellations; light pollution also disrupts the lives of migratory and nocturnal animals such as birds and bats. Some studies suggest that we humans need naturally dark skies to keep certain chemicals and hormones at healthy levels.

To savor the stars this summer — and learn how you can keep them shining — head for Great Basin National Park. Home to one of the darkest night skies in the lower 48 states, Great Basin is the ideal place to set up camp for the third annual Astronomy Festival, June 14-16. It includes workshops, solar viewing sessions and, of course, lots of stargazing.

“Great Basin is the picture-perfect example of all the ways in which people can experience astronomy when they visit a national park,” Nordgren says. Its distance from light-drenched cities, high altitude and minimal humidity make viewing conditions ideal.

HEAR MORE

Are your neighborhood’s sidewalks too narrow?

Your strip mall storefronts shuttered? Can your street use some more trees? You could sit around and wish it were better — or you can do what Build a Greener Block did last month on the 1042 block of Main Street. The grassroots group staged an instant neighborhood rehab on the block sent reeling when a NV Energy transformer exploded in July 2010, damaging nearby shops and ultimately putting several out of business. The April 28-29 event saw portions of Main Street alive with music, classes, pop-up cafes and

If you don’t know Canis Major from Cassiopeia, don’t worry. The event is geared toward those unfamiliar with the night sky. “Most people have never looked through a telescope before, and here they can do it in one of the darkest places in the United States,” says Kelly Carroll, a Great Basin park ranger and festival coordinator. (They’ve even got the telescopes covered.)

Most festivalgoers aren’t going to buy a telescope when they get home, but Carroll hopes they’ll take home a new respect for the night sky. “It’s important they realize that a dark sky is a resource continued on pg. 12 that needs to be protected just like the wildlife and landscape,” he says. But it’s also a Keep up with Desert free souvenir. “The only thing they can Companion events, news take home from the national park is the and bonus features at night sky. All they have to do is turn off desertcompanion.com. the lights.” What a brilliant idea, indeed.

— JoAnna Haugen The Great 2012 Astronomy Festival takes place June 14-16 in Great Basin National Park.

It has first-come-first-served campgrounds, but if you arrive on Thursday, you should have no problem securing a spot. Ely is the closest large town with hotels, about 80 miles away. Info: nps.gov

Learn about a new species of shrimp discovered in Great Basin on “KNPR’s State of Nevada” at desertcompanion.com/hearmore DesertCompanion.com | 11

continued from pg. 11

news

restaurants with a green ethic — think solar power, chalk-drawn bike lanes and eco-friendly paint.

“I call it bootleg urban planning,” says Brandon Wiegand, founding member of Build a Greener Block. A commercial real estate agent by day, he’d cringe when he saw that dying block of Main Street. “But like a lot of people, I was guilty of waiting for someone else to come along and do something about it.” Build a Greener Block was born.

The group’s green team leader Ciara Byrne adds, “We want to show the community how people can improve their neighborhoods — and do it in the most sustainable way possible.”

Their goal is to organize their pop-up events quarterly, targeting a different Vegas ’hood. They’re working on an instruction manual, too, in the form of a film that other would-be community rehabbers can use in their own backyards. Info: greenerblocks. com. — Andrew Kiraly

w

ON THE TOWN One-hundred-year-old Girl Scouts? Sort of.

The venerable cookiepushing leadership org celebrates its 100th anniversary at a special Las Vegas 51s game 7 p.m.

May 18 at Cashman Field.

Info: girlscoutsnv.org.

12 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

T H E ANS W ERS

Q: What should I pack for summer road trips?

A: While the dewdrops of spring still glisten across much of the country, Southern Nevada heads directly into summer. Triple-digit temperatures can be daunting, but a little preparation is all it takes to enjoy hot-weather road trips.

Of course, your vehicle should be in A-1 condition from headlights to tailpipe and roof rack to tire tread. Next, consider your cargo space and these three categories: comfort, emergency and survival.

Comfort is easy, and you’ve probably already got it covered. Choose your tunes, pack your cooler with your favorite noshes, and dress for the conditions.

Now for some ICE. A good thing for any desert road trip, but in this case I’m talking “In Case of Emergency.” Obviously, you’ll pack your cell phone and charger, and you probably already have a first aid kit, fire extinguisher and tire-changing equipment. In addition, throw in a flashlight and extra batteries, extra beach towels and a tarp. (If you ever have to get up close and personal with road surface on a blistering day, you’ll immediately understand how effective a tarp can be against asphalt capable of inflicting second-degree burns.)

Worrying about survival may seem paranoid, but in the chiaroscuro extremes of a summer desert, denial is a poor defense. Enough canned food or Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) to feed two people for four days require remarkably little space. Use the extra room for water — as much as you can fit in. I carry a minimum of three gallons in addition to whatever I expect to consume.

“So last-century,” I’ll hear you cry when you think about these next items, but that’s exactly the reason they’re valuable. Paper maps of the areas where you will travel will never suffer a power outage, and a

CB radio works without Wi-Fi. A whistle, a signal mirror, a knife and a magnesium (waterproof ) firestarter are all cheap, reliable tools that can make a game-changing difference in an emergency. While assembling these antiques, why not toss in a deck of cards and a few paperbacks? Breakdowns

can be dangerous, but they can also be plain boring.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything you might want to pack for a summer desert foray. My own vehicle is stocked with dozens of items I’ve found useful over my years of exploration in the arid expanses of the American West. From dog leash and bungee cords to coveralls and teddy bears, I like to think I’m equipped to handle everything from lost Rover to traumatized child. It’s hubris, though. That’s a mighty desert out there. Enjoy it with respect. — Mark Sedenquist

Got a question? We’ve got the answer. Email it to editor@desertcompanion.com.

Illustration By Troy cummings

MONET

CLAUDE

IMPRESSIONS OF LIGHT

Claude Monet, Grainstack (Sunset), 1891, Oil on canvas, 28 7/8 x 36 1/2 inches, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Juliana Cheney Edwards Collection, Photograph © 2012 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

ON vIew FebRuaRy 18, 2012 ThROugh JaNuaRy 6, 2013 This exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Tickets and Information 702.693.7871 • bellagio.com/bgfa

PROFILE

“ I can see they are surprised — they are getting crazy!”

14 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

Kazi Aziz

Olive oil guru Kazi Aziz has the rumpled, scholarly look of someone who spends more time among dusty books than kitchen appliances and utensils. Ah, but first impressions can be slippery. The Bangladesh native is, in fact, a passionate home chef who helped develop a line of more than 36 infused olive oils and vinegars with a business partner in Arizona. Now, along with his wife Sadia, he’s opened a store dedicated solely to olive oil and balsamic vinegar, Cucina Olive Oil (in Tivoli Village, 463-2759, cucinaoliveoil. com). Store? Actually, it’s more like a shrine. Hundreds of bottles sit in dark, gleaming rows on shelves lining the olive-hued walls. You can sample the goods by dipping bread into an oil and vinegar concoction — or by swigging the stuff straight in a mini-shot of pungent flavor. It’s uncannily reminiscent of a religious rite. Such overtones are not lost on Aziz, who has made more than a few converts to the faith. “When (customers) walk into this specialty store, I can see they are surprised — they are getting crazy, they call this store divine!” says Aziz, who deploys discerning buyers to scour the globe for the best filtered olive oil. But what about tips for the typical shopper? “Look for a darker green and less tart flavor. The more green it is, the less acidity it has.” Age is also key. “The fresher the olive oil, the better. Harvesting takes place overseas, in Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco, around November and December. It takes about a month to process everything. So your oil should ideally be no older than about a year.” On the other hand, balsamic vinegar should be well-aged. “The older they are, the thicker they are, and the more delicious.”

Indeed, his balsamic vinegars drizzle out lazily like black gold. “Our balsamic comes from Modena, Italy, which is the only place in the world that produces the best grapes for balsamic vinegar. We get these vinegars, which are all 18 years old.”

His current fave combo: mango balsamic vinegar and citrus habañero olive oil.

You, too, can be a connoisseur with one simple step: Education. “Not too many people are educated about the virginity of olive oil, how to use it,” Aziz says.

They’re content to buy supermarket varieties — until they try the good stuff and find olive-infused enlightenment. “That is my satisfaction. When they see the difference, they say, yes, this is the olive oil.”

Another convert. — Sonja Swanson PHOTOGRAPH BY SABIN ORR

SHOP

3Floz clutch travel kit 3Floz is a one-stop shop for all of your favorite beauty products in TSA-friendly sizes — they’ll even ship directly to your hotel.

Clutch hangover kit, $46; 21 Drops hangover treatment, $29, 3floz.com

Landing gear

Make your great escape this summer — in firstclass style and comfort

White + Warren travel gear Go first-class with the comfort and luxury of cashmere. Slippers, $185; eye mask, $100; travel wrap, $295, whiteandwarren.com

By Christie Moeller

Bobble filter bottle A stylish, reusable water bottle that filters water as you drink. Fresh, filtered water — whether it’s from the hotel tap or water fountain. $8.99-$12.99, Bloomingdale’s Home and American Apparel

16 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

Tory Burch Robinson Concierge wallet Jet-setting to multiple countries? Organize your travels with this sleek, unique wallet that includes four pockets with tab dividers, plus 16 card slots and currency departments. $295, Tory Burch in the Forum Shops at Caesars

CH Carolina Herrera universal travel adapter Plug in anywhere in the world with this chic travel adapter — in a stunning lambskin leather case. $305, CH Carolina Herrera in the Forum Shops at Caesars

Jerry Travel Humidifier by Stadler Form Keeps your dry hotel room at a pleasant and healthy level of humidity — just add your own half-liter water bottle and plug it in. Yes, it’s got adapters for those crazy Euro plugs. $49.99, stadlerformusa.com

Anna Sui for Tumi Just in Case Tote Stand out from the crowd and let the airport be your catwalk.

Fashion designer Anna Sui teamed up with legendary travel brand Tumi for this stunning carry-on. $145, at select Tumi stores and tumi.com

Tiffany & Co. Easton messenger bag Carry your gear safely and stylishly — leaving your hands free to check in on Foursquare and earn your world traveler badges. $995, Tiffany & Co. in the Bellagio, Crystals at CityCenter and the Forum Shops at Caesars

DKNY Cozy This travel wrap can be styled 12 different ways — from day looks to evening wear — making it a must-have for looking good on any getaway. $195, DKNY Forum Shops at Caesars or DKNY.com

DesertCompanion.com | 17

TRAVEL

D e s t i n at i o n k n o w n

Cathedral Rock

It’s Mt. Charleston season again! Short but steep, Cathedral Rock makes the perfect introduction to the lung-busting and highly rewarding sport of alpine hiking. This limestone cliff looms 1,000 feet above the Mt. Charleston Lodge and has unobstructed views of Kyle Canyon.

Hikers will meander amidst stands of pines, through the destruction of an avalanche chute, and alongside snow-fed waterfalls, ending atop the sheer precipice. Just watch that last step. It’s a doozy. — Alan Gegax

Asian inspiration LuckyRice Festival

18 | Desert

i

If a Memorial Day road trip is on your bucket list, consider a trek through the White Mountains to the charming hamlet of Bishop, Calif. This route would be splendid enough the last week in May if it only offered mountain views and blooming wildflowers. Over Memorial Day weekend, however, you get all that and something extra. Since 1969, Bishop has played host to more than 700 mules and mule skinners eager to compete in its annual Mule Days Celebration.

Heading north out of town along US-95, roll past Beatty and skirt the southern edge of the Nevada Test Site before turning west at Lida Junction. Note the photogenic ruins of a two-story stone house on the north side of the road just past Lida Summit — a relic of the long-forgotten silver mining town of Palmetto. From Palmetto, the road passes into the green alfalfa fields of Fish Lake Valley. After a twisty drive to the top of Gilbert Pass, descend into Deep Springs Valley, home of Deep Springs College, a unique liberal arts institution founded in 1917. Its two-year program, the only one on the country that includes manual labor as part of its curriculum, prepares students to transfer to top-flight universities across the country.

Approaching 7,313-foot Westgard Pass, look for wildflowers among the junipers. Just beyond the

Here’s some good fortune: You don’t have to hop on a jet this summer to get your chopsticks on some great Asian cuisine. New York’s annual LuckyRice culinary bash is serving up a portion of its festival in Las Vegas: The LuckyRice Vegas Night Market.

It’s a one-night Asian food crawl at The Cosmopolitan that’ll offer everything from Beijing-style street food to experimental noshes — from

Companion | MAY 2012

pass, turn onto White Mountain Road and enjoy panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada as you follow the paved road up to the Schulman Grove and Visitor Center at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.

A short walk leads to some of the oldest trees in the world. Take a gravel road to the Patriarch Grove to see trees as old the Great Pyramid — and still alive.

Descending to the valley floor, check out “The Ears,” the Owens Valley Radio Observatory that is still waiting for ET to call back. The facility offers otherworldly photo opportunities at sunset.

In addition to being “ground zero” for hundreds of mules over Memorial Day weekend, Bishop is home to a couple of renowned food purveyors and outstanding murals. Try savory venison jerky at Mahogany Meats and grab a scone or a loaf of sheep herder’s bread at Schat’s Bakery. Check out the art on walls around town on your way to the Tri-County Fairgrounds for the weekend’s main event.

Fourteen different mule shows include coonjumping (an event inspired by raccoon hunters), cattle working, chariot racing and gymkhana. Enjoy good barbecue, dancing and country music throughout the weekend. In-town lodging goes fast, so reservations are recommended if you want to experience the greatest mule show on earth. — Mark Sedenquist Cheat sheet: US-95 to NV-266 to CA-168 to US-395.

talent such as Red Medicine’s Jordan Kahn and local ninjas such as Lotus of Siam’s Saipin Chutima. Drinking? Local and guest mixologists will be slinging culinary cocktails using their newest toy: Bombay Sapphire EAST, a new Asian-inspired gin.

The LuckyRice Vegas Night Market happens 8-11 p.m. June 23 at The Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool. Tickets $88-$125. Info: luckyrice.com. — Andrew Kiraly LuckyRice

c at h e d r a l c a n yo n : ALA N G E G A X ; M ULE RA C E : D av i d C a lv e r t/ B i s h o p M u l e D ay s C e l e b r at i o n ; l u c k y r i c e : n i k e c o mm u n i c at i o n s

Wildflowers, mountain vistas — and the greatest mule show on earth!

Bishop’s Mule Days literally race by.

HEAR MORE

Alan Gegax discusses hiking safety on “KNPR’s State of Nevada” at desertcompanion.com/hearmore

discomfort zone

The grating outdoors

m

The first rule of backcountry hiking: Be prepared. But what if you’re too prepared?

By ALan gegax | Illustration Hernan valencia My feet were hamburger, socks soaked through with blood. I knew I needed medical attention, but I was isolated in the backcountry of Zion.

I’d left ALICE miles behind, atop Zion’s West Rim, possibly never to see her again, nor the precious supplies she carried. Now, desperately replenishing my body with the cool water of this tiny spring, I had to decide whether to march back to ALICE and contin-

20 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

ue our misadventure, or plod on through coming darkness toward the safety of civilization.

I should probably mention that this was the first time I had ever backpacked. Sure, I had hiked with a backpack on. And I had camped.

But I had never used the former to do the latter. The one thing I knew about backpacking was that it paid off to be prepared. Out in the wilderness, fully alone, my life would depend on what I carried. “Better to have it and not

need it, than to need it and not have it,” right?

To fit all these supplies, I needed a really big backpack. That’s where ALICE came in, my trusty Vietnam-era pack. She’s one of those giant, camouflage jobs that looks as big as the soldier carrying her. ALICE, incidentally, stands for All-purpose, Lightweight, Infantry Carrying Equipment.

There is nothing lightweight about her. But she could carry. Oh, how she could carry.

So I packed. I packed for comfort. I packed for boredom. I packed for safety. I knew the ability to make fire might save my life, so in disparate packs and pouches I stowed three books of matches, three Bic lighters, a magnesium fire starter, waterproof matches and a windproof lighter. (Fires aren’t even allowed in Zion’s backcountry. The only items I brought that I could legally set ablaze were cigars — eight Punch Royal Coronations, to be exact.) A sampling — just a sampling — of what else I brought: one fluorescent lantern, two LED flashlights, one 2-liter hydration system, three half-liter bottles of water, a water filtration pump, a three-subject notebook, two pencils, two pens, a felt marker, four spare AA batteries, 12 pairs of socks, eight pairs of underwear, two rolls of toilet paper, a Gerber multi-tool, a Swiss The discomfort: army knife, a headHis first big solo backpacking trip — lamp, compact field carrying everything binoculars, a camera, but the kitchen sink six rolls of film, two The zone: bottles of Deet, a tent, Zion’s beautiful — but rugged — West Rim tent repair kit, eight steel tent stakes, eight backup aluminum tent stakes, a roll of duct tape, a spade, three space blankets, 50 feet of rope, six feet of twine and 15 various plastic bags.

Did I overpack? Let’s put it this way: When the outfitter picked me up in Springdale, Utah, to drive me to the trailhead, he refused to lift ALICE into his van for fear of injury. This guy lifts packs for a living.

B ra k e t i m e I was undeterred. After all, I had five days to cover only 16 miles. Most of my time would be spent with the pack off, reveling in nature’s wonder. I’d be traveling through the kind of place where I could get that deep quiescence not only of environment, but of spirit.

True solitude. Real tranquility.

Turns out I don’t really care for solitude. As for tranquility? I wouldn’t know whether I like tranquility — because it was on the first day, at a time when tranquility should have been at its height, that my trip came unraveled.

It was only two miles of downhill trail to my first campsite. Like in a car, descending does not tax the engine. It taxes the brakes.

My lungs and my quadriceps handled it splendidly. My boots, however, were slightly too big, and so with every braking step, my feet would slide forward just a bit. Just enough to cause friction and heat.

Arriving at camp, I kicked off my boots and saw red. I had already grown and broken a huge blister on the outside of my left big toe. “No problem,” I told myself. I was going to spend two nights at this campsite, taking short hikes and lounging. This blister and its smaller friends wouldn’t even slow me down.

I patched it up, set up camp — and promptly ran out of things to do.

Relaxation and boredom inhabit nearby spaces in the mind. Driven by boredom, I lit a cigar, took in the scenery, and waited for the sun to set. The scenery was amazing. The western sky turned from blue to orange to purple to indigo, pines set against it in black.

Sun extinguished, cigar extinguished, I retired to my tent where, for the first time in my life, I would sleep in true solitude.

T h e night speaks It was terrifying.

The forest speaks at night. It rustles, thumps, even screeches. To a racing mind, these are all beasts of the night, coming to feast on the flesh of unwary campers. I had to calm down. I tried meditating. I tried reading.

I heard a rustle next to my tent …

“What was that!” I brought my hammer and air horn in close (like I said, I came prepared), ready to thwart any attack. What if it was a raccoon?! I wondered, trembling. My rational mind knew I could kick a raccoon’s ass, but it didn’t matter. I was in panic mode.

This was not the tranquility I’d signed up for.

That night, I decided that I would scrap the rest of the trip and hike out in the morning.

Before sunrise, I repacked ALICE, shouldered her, and hit the trail. Damn, she was heavy! I plodded across Horse Pasture Plateau as her shoulder straps pulled my arms back with surprising, continuous force. After two miles, the trail made a long descent into Potato Hollow. My feet heated up and began to blister anew. Adding insult to injury, I caught occasional glimpses of the other side of Potato Hollow and was reminded this descent came with a matching ascent.

That climb, my first with ALICE, came all too soon. I was already a “husky” guy, and ALICE put me over the 300-pound mark. Climbing exposed my lack of fitness, exhausting me to

the point that I could only hike short distances before stopping to catch my breath. I was working so hard that I needed to guzzle water just to keep heat exhaustion at bay. Worse, going uphill attacked my already blistered feet from a new angle. I was in over my head.

Once I finally reached Zion’s West Rim, I was out of energy, out of water, and my feet were nearly out of skin. Dehydration would affect my brain first, so I had to think while I still could.

I decided to try sucking moisture from a cactus. Cutting away the plant’s thick skin, I treated myself to a mouthful of sticky pulp and two handfuls of cactus needles. Less than refreshing.

All the while, I was hiking through the most beautiful country I’d ever seen. The West Rim of Zion features panoramic views of enormous monoliths and mesas in a stunning variety of colors. The views, unfortunately, had to take a back seat to survival.

Another torturous mile passed and I made the decision to leave ALICE behind and make haste to West Rim Spring, where I could refill my water reserves. I set ALICE next to two huge tree stumps, filled a day pack with basic supplies, and set off for the spring.

Free at last — b ut not f o r lo n g Unburdened by ALICE, I bounded down the trail like an Apollo astronaut. My battered feet carried me dutifully to the spring, where there was a vulture — a real, literal vulture — waiting for me. “Not so fast, vulture!” I said.

My thirst slaked, I was faced with that decision: Do I go back to ALICE or head toward civilization? I opted to head back to ALICE. Reunited as twilight fell, I set up my tent, crawled inside, removed my boots and nervously surveyed the damage.

They were worse than I had imagined. If I were a kid, I’d have given up right there, refusing to budge until my parents carried me.

When quitting is not an option, it is remarkable what we can endure. I let my feet get some air and promptly, fearlessly, fell asleep.

I was startled awake in utter darkness to what sounded like a jet engine roaring past my tent. Seconds later, my vision was assaulted with a blinding flash. Thunderstorm. Rain pounded my tent. I counted my blessings for deciding to return to ALICE and went back to sleep.

The next morning, I found the peace I sought. I unzipped my tent and looked through the morning dew, spotting a family

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discomfort zone of deer, silently nibbling on revitalized desert grass. I looked back inside my tent, saw four bloody socks piled in the corner, and steeled myself for the day’s hike.

To protect my skinless soles from further damage, I wrapped them in duct tape. It was one of the few good decisions I made during the trip. The tape was a physical barrier between my flesh and the sock, and its slickness reduced friction.

The third day’s travels sent me down a trail literally blasted into the face of a cliff. It’s not a hike for the unsteady. Then, I got my first glimpse of inner Zion Canyon. I could actually see my destination. Only one ascent stood between me and safety.

Al m ost t h e r e If only it were that easy. Climbing once again exhausted me. Bursts of travel were reduced to 20 feet. It was during one of those breaks that I saw my first hikers. “We packed in a hurry,” they told me, “and we forgot to bring matches. Do you have anything we could borrow?” Do I ever!

I continued uphill for ages, finally reaching Scout Slickrock, today’s apex, at midday. It’s all downhill from here.

Three days of abuse had taken their toll. I was so worn out now that, even on downhills, I could only trudge 10 yards at a time before pain and fatigue forced a break. On one of these breaks, just below Angels Landing, I met an older couple from Denver. We talked for a few minutes. The husband was a former adventure racer who could relate to my ordeal.

Seeing my obvious distress, they offered to carry ALICE for me. I politely declined and started to hobble away. The couple, pointing out the cliffs I had yet to confront, insisted. I relented and helped the husband put on ALICE. “Holy crap!” he said when he hefted my pack. “How did you hike anywhere with this thing on?”

That wiry fellow carried ALICE all the way to my car. Once safely off the trail, the kind couple even offered me a shower and first aid.

I had to decline. I knew that once I got my boots off, it might be weeks before I could put them on again.

Indeed it was. A referral to UMC’s burn unit told me I had second degree burns over large portions of both feet. I had to walk in funnylooking shoes for a while, but eventually I healed.

I’ve since hiked the West Rim Trail three more times. To this day, it remains the most scenic place I’ve ever been. ALICE has never been back.

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Dinner on Us does more than feed the homeless. It pampers them with feasts that celebrate international cuisine — and nourish the spirit

By Kathryn Kruse Photography Bill Hughes

24 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

Juicy, tender roast ham. Mashed potatoes. Tossed green salad. Deviled eggs. Peas and carrots. Steaming fried rice. Fruit salad.

Chocolate-covered strawberries. And pink sugar cookies, too.

It takes more than 40 volunteers to dish out this feast for nearly 900 men and women who march through the Las Vegas Rescue Mission on the day before Easter. Though they’re getting great food (the buzz today is about the succulent ham and fluffy, flavorful fried rice), this is no mere bread line: Witness the live hymns, the handmade decorations adorning the walls, the little girls in their Easter best handing out plastic eggs filled with chocolate.

The Dinner on Us crew serves up an Easter feast at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission.

This is Dinner on Us, the brainchild of Giovanna Raccosta, an advocate with an eye for detail. And a taste for good food. Born into a Sicilian household where her family pressed their own olive oil (“A lot of the stuff they sell here in the U.S., we called machine oil,” she jokes), Raccosta throws a good party. Dinner on Us’s goal is not to just serve food to the homeless and recovering, but to create memorable events that feed the spirit and fill the belly — with home-cooked dishes, flowers on the tables and live entertainment. (Everyone’s still buzzing about last month’s tango dancers.)

Celebration, quality of experience, and love is what drives Dinner on Us. “They can get food every day. Who cares? We give love through

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community food. That is the difference,” says Raccosta.

The Rescue Mission provides hot meals every night, but tight budgets keep them from serving the fine cuisine Dinner on Us brings.

“We have fresh herbs. We are not going to buy dried basil,” Raccosta quips, dismissing the idea of a dried herb with a gesture that would send most homemakers to hide their spice rack in shame.

Kym Tso, a Dinner on Us volunteer and donor, says, “These residents get to see what we see every day at restaurants.”

“When you are (homeless),” says one diner, “anything that is a little better than normal is good.”

In need o f r e s cu e Just east of where the freeway overpass swallows Bonanza Road sits the 12-building Las Vegas Rescue Mission com-

plex, which offers addiction support, shelter and emergency supplies to the needy. The organization’s thrift store opens onto the street, but a large fence surrounds the rest of the evangelically based mission. Visitors — both those with housing and those without — must pass through security to enter. The organization runs on volunteers. Up to 300 people pour into the facilities each week to offer assistance.

“When acceptance (of street life) sets in, you are toast,” says Matthew Quinn. He’s clean cut, average-looking. No one who would stand out in a crowd. Almost 36, Quinn has already had a lot of life: a wife and kids, jobs in high-end restaurants, addictions, divorce, criminal activity, recovery and, for the past year, the post of general kitchen manager at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission.

Quinn holds up a framed photo. The man in the picture is dirty. His hair and beard hang long and scrubby. “That was me when I came here. On the street, I had a lack of hope. You are in a hole and you are looking up and you try to climb out but you fall back in the hole.”

Left: Dinner on Us founder Giovanna Raccosta says the idea came to her in a dream. Below: Clients of the Las Vegas Rescue Mission enjoy the pampering — complete with flowers — of Dinner on Us events.

“ They can get food every day,” Raccosta says. “Who cares? We give love through food. That is the difference.”

And then, after a while, the acceptance sets in.

In November of 2011, Quinn decided to stop using and ended up at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission’s 12-month residential addiction recovery program. After graduation, he decided to stay on as the kitchen manager, and he now supervises a team of recovery program participants that staff the kitchen 22 hours a day and serve 30,000 meals a month to the homeless. These meals, while not gourmet, offer a bit of hope to people whose pasts mirror Quinn’s: bad choices, addictions, money problems, criminal records. People who could use a little support.

Monthly, Dinner on Us arrives and breaks up the hum-drum of the kitchen’s work. It’s extravagant and classy, a little over-the-top — and, in its own way, completely necessary.

“It is energizing and inspiring,” says Rescue

Mission Director of Development John Foger.

“It encourages residents to feel like they matter. It brings the outside world into this place where (residents in the recovery program) stay for a year. It reminds people of the goal of what they are working towards. It provides tools of interaction.”

While the monthly event centers on food, the creation story behind Dinner on Us has spiritual roots.

“I woke up one night with a calling from God to feed the homeless,” says Raccosta.

“I got up and by morning, everything was ready to send out — Facebook messages. A vision.” That was last September, and a few weeks later the first dinner went up. Italian, of course.

Since that night, Raccosta has tended the group and helped it grow. Through Facebook,

word of mouth and newspapers volunteers, cash and food donations make their way to Raccosta. What began as an event focused on the residents of the Rescue Mission’s recovery program quickly grew to feed the overnight shelter residents and other people coming by for an evening meal. Each month sees the Dinner on Us crew virtually trotting to another part of the globe for culinary inspiration: Asia, Mexico, Iran ...

Many of the volunteers come from strong religious backgrounds and Raccosta herself is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She feels that, while Dinner on Us is inspired by God, that does not impact whom she wants to assist.

“We don’t need to ask what they believe.

If they read the Bible. If they drink or smoke.

None of that matters,” she says.

Fo o d f o r t h o u g h t The Rescue Mission residents all agree that the grub is a cut above; standard fare for dinner at the mission is soup and sandwiches. Kacie, 23, pretty and poised, has been

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DesertCompanion.com | 27

community in and out of rehabs for several years. And she knows food. Her father owned an Italian deli.

“After the Italian meal (from Dinner on Us), I called my dad and said, ‘I found someone who can cook as good as you.’” Such reminders of home mean a lot to people isolated at the mission and working hard to make a “regular life” for themselves.

The people giving their time to Dinner on

Us get as much out of the experience as the people they serve. The majority of the volunteers are housewives. Before she heads off to hand out toothbrushes, volunteer Hanna Carson, mother of three, talks about how proud her family is of her work. She’s been with the group since the beginning. Then she looks around at the other volunteers. “Sometimes you need some adult conversation.”

Kym Tso agrees. “We are getting together

BROADWAY SHOWS

28 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

and meeting other people. I am networking with other moms.”

While this networking might lead to more philanthropic acts, it is definitely also building a community among these women. And, as they intend to help the homeless, they are also helping themselves. “Everyone can give something. Someone can chop potatoes. Someone has a nice smile. Then you feel useful and alive, feel your value,” says Raccosta.

She says Dinner on Us gave her a reason to stay in Vegas, a meaning for her life. “I wanted to leave Las Vegas because I had nothing. We women are finding a reason to be here and enjoying ourselves. We are busy and learning and having fun. Now I don’t want to go. Why would I? When you are at Dinner on Us, you could be anywhere, but you feel the energy and the love.”

A n e w co u r s e That energy and love seems to be building. Tso is considering a career that involves assisting the community. Foger says that Dinner on Us volunteers have come looking for other ways to support the Rescue Mission.

And here, in the kitchen, Cathy Shultz ministers the deviled eggs. Most of her previous service has centered on members of her church: bringing food to families with a new baby or who are grieving the death of a loved one. She looks down the line of men and women waiting to eat and says, “This is the first time I worked with the homeless. They are not like I thought. They are clean and courteous and sober.” Shultz represents the important little changes Dinner on Us has wrought.

For his part, Rescue Mission General Kitchen Manager Quinn benefits from Dinner on Us, too.

“This event helps me. I know I’m just one mistake from where I was, and it’s a help to see people giving their time freely.” It reminds him of why he’s stayed on to work at the Rescue Mission — and why he is staying sober.

Around the dining room, circles of friends and acquaintances eat together. But there are also men and women alone with their trays of food.

Quinn says, “When I was homeless, towards the end, I yearned for someone to talk to me.

To treat me normal. It was rare and it was special and my day got a little bit better.”

Raccosta and Dinner on Us hope to make a lot of people’s days better, one monthly meal at a time. But that committed sense of mission is always lightened by a sense of joy and play at the heart of the organization. Next month? It’s a Hawaiian luau — complete with coconuts, orchids and an entire pig.

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Left: a young Huguette Clark.

Right: Huguette’s love for dolls would take an obsessive turn later in life.

Below: selections from a recent auction of the Clark estate.

a

The invisible heiress and the half-blood princes A year after the reclusive eccentric’s death, the fight for the estate of Huguette Clark continues to generate headlines — and it’s all thanks to Las Vegas

By David Mckee

30 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

A massive fortune made in Clark County is slowly being scattered to the four winds, in accordance with what is surely among the most hotly disputed wills of the 21st century. Reclusive heiress Huguette Clark, daughter of the man who literally sold Las Vegas, died on May 24, 2011, a fortnight shy of her 105th birthday. She left an estate worth $400 million. A year later, it remains a treasure over which distant relatives continue to battle with Mme. Clark’s business associates amid mounting rancor.

When the will was opened on June 22, 2011, it was discovered that the Francophonic lady had left nary a franc to any of the other

H u g u e t t e C la r k : P R O P ERT Y O F T H E E S TATE O F H UGUETTE M . C L A RK , C O URTE S Y O F C H R I S T I E ’ S ; C L ippi n g C o u r t e sy of Th e W illiam A n d r e ws C la r k M e mo r ial L i b r a r y, U C L A ; J E W E L S a n d Ev e n i n g b a g : C H R I S T I E ’ S I M A GE S LTD . 2 0 1 2

history

descendants of her father, Sen. William Andrews Clark (1839-1925). Instead, most of the lucre will go to establish a charitable foundation and museum, headquartered in her seaside Santa Barbara mansion, Bellosguardo.

Bellosguardo’s walls will be adorned with most of her collection of paintings, including works of John Singer Sargent and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

To help underwrite Bellosguardo, Mme. Clark’s trifecta of Manhattan apartments, all at 907 Fifth Avenue, have been placed on the market. So has a 52-acre estate in Connecticut, complete with mansion. The largest and most expensive of the New York apartments offers the palatial splendor of “intricately carved plaster ceilings, dark wood paneling and ancient wood-framed windows, flecked with bits of stained glass, that look out onto the entire expanse of Central Park,” according to the New York Times. Rotary-dial telephones still identify the exchange number as “Butterfield 8.”

A b attle of wills Clark’s funeral, attended only by mortuary employees and from which relatives were barred by the elderly heiress’ lawyer, Wallace Bock, was a harbinger of the will’s revelations. Childless and having outlived everyone on her mother’s side of the Clark family, Huguette Clark’s only blood relations were 21 descendants from William Clark’s first marriage, half-great-nephews and such.

If they thought being kept out of the funeral was a shock, it was nothing compared to the subsequent opening of the will. Clark’s goddaughter, Wanda Styka, received $12 million. Private nurse Hadassah Peri stood to inherit more than $30 million, along with Clark’s legendary collection of French dolls, which Clark treated as family members, often holding conversations with them. Another $1 million legacy went to Bock and his co-executor, accountant Irving Kamsler, two superannuated vassals whom family members have painted as shady characters. (It’s not difficult in the case of Kamsler, once known in AOL chatrooms as “IRV1040” and now a registered sex offender.) For that reason alone, a nasty fight in probate court is a certainty — as will the fact that Bock and Kamsler constitute two-thirds of the newly formed Bellosguardo Foundation, placing them in control of its endowment, thereby generating “unending fees and salaries,” according to reports by MSNBC investigative reporter Bill Dedman.

The will was signed in April 2005 — a year after Clark, under the alias “Harriet Chase,”

entered Beth Israel Medical Center, never to leave again — at least alive. Prior to that, Clark had taken refuge in Manhattan’s Doctors Hospital, possibly as early as 1988 (news accounts vary), where Peri was assigned to her in 1991.

As Clark chronicler Dedman once said, “She made Howard Hughes seem outgoing.” The causes for her long confinements were “many mysterious and imagined ailments,” wrote New York Observer reporter Kim Velsey.

During discovery proceedings, it was learned that Clark had filed another will, six weeks earlier, one that bequeathed all her wealth to family members, save for a $5 million legacy to Peri. Bock and Kamsler, as executors, stood to collect an $8 million commission each — but no cash outright. (If both wills are tossed, family members get everything.) Even if the later will is upheld, things are not looking good for the contro-

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William A. Clark, father of Huguette — and the father of Las Vegas

history versial twosome: Just before Christmas, a Manhattan Surrogate Court suspended Bock and Kamsler as executors, after New York County Public Administrator Ethel Griffin accused them of “dishonesty, improvidence, waste and want of understanding,” as well as tax fraud. Griffin may also attempt a “clawback” of millions that Peri received prior to Huguette Clark’s death.

Although the will itself is still tied up in probate, Griffin’s office is moving swiftly to liquidate the late dowager’s assets. An April auction was slated for Clark’s jewels, including Cartier diamonds worth millions apiece. They fetched $18 million, far more than expected.

T h e man who sol d Las Vegas Huguette Clark and Las Vegas were born soon after one another, and had the same father: William A. Clark, arguably the gaudiest robber baron of the Gilded Age. Although he never lived here, Clark County took its name from Sen. Clark, who presid-

32 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

ed over a mining empire headquartered in Butte, Montana.

In order to deliver his minerals to Los Angeles, Clark and brother J. Ross laid track southward into Nevada. The Clarks finished their route through Jean and what would become Las Vegas by purchasing a half-interest in the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad.

The Clark brothers also formed the Las Vegas Land & Water Co. In 1905 it sold the 2,000 acres from which Las Vegas would spring that year. William A. Clark had originally bought the site as a maintenance yard and depot.

When the Clarks put what is now downtown Vegas on the market, they intended to sell at fair prices — first come, first served. But the

Nathan Adelson Hospice Opens New Inpatient Facility To Better Serve Residents in the Northwest and Summerlin Areas

Irwin Molasky, Founder, and Carole Fisher, President and Chief Executive Officer, of Nathan Adelson Hospice.

built out by Burnette Haase Construction and designed by KGA Architecture.

(Las Vegas)—To better address the needs of those residing in the Northwest and Summerlin areas, Nathan Adelson Hospice, Nevada’s largest non-profit hospice organization, has opened its doors to a newly expanded space in the MountainView Medical Office Building. The new, 15,000 square-foot facility is located on the third floor of the state-of-the-art facility at 3150 N. Tenaya Way at the corner of Cheyenne Avenue, adjacent to MountainView Hospital. It was

There are 18 private rooms with scenic views, concierge room service, improved parking and security, top notch equipment, and additional room for the team that visits patients in their homes. In addition, patients and their families have access to the employee and visitor cafeteria, and the hospital chapel and meditation room. The expanded space was designed to enhance the patient and family experience.

Nathan Adelson Hospice, the trusted partner in hospice care for more than 34 years, is the largest non-profit hospice in Southern Nevada, caring for an average of 400 patients daily at four different campuses. Since inception, Nathan Adelson Hospice has cared for more than 50,000 patients and their families. Its vision is simple: no one should end the journey of life alone, afraid or in pain.

The hospice is home to The Center for Compassionate Care, a non-profit counseling agency providing individual, group and family counseling services to address grief, loss and issues related to surviving life-threatening illnesses. For more information, visit www.nah.org.

“This move is wonderful for our community members living in the Northwest, Summerlin, Sun City, Desert Shores, The Lakes and other surrounding areas,” said Carole Fisher, president and chief executive officer of Nathan Adelson Hospice. “Our hospice needs this additional space so that we can further meet the growing needs of our referral sources and the community. This location allows Nathan Adelson Hospice to be on campus with a well-established, progressive healthcare company.”

The Board of Trustees and Nathan Adelson Founders cut the ribbon during the recent grand opening event

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brothers were forced to auction the land by partner W.H. Bancroft, doling out acreage at 500 percent markups — money that would eventually enable Huguette Clark to live a life of luxury.

A Confederate veteran of the Civil War, W.A. Clark had worked his way west to Montana to mine gold. A couple of years’ labor led him to the astute conclusion that he should diversify by marketing goods to his fellow miners and engaging in moneylending.

In addition to peddling an eggnog called Tom & Jerry, Clark made a mint by selling eggs to miners for $3 per dozen in an era when $4 was a good day’s pay. As his fortune grew, Clark bought politicians themselves, not just influence, becoming synonymous with bribery. Clark even held office himself, serving in the U.S. Senate from 1901 to 1907.

Sen. Clark’s political career was undistinguished, characterized by broken campaign promises and failed ideas. He opposed the Panama Canal in favor of a Nicaraguan route because he would financially benefit from the latter. Referring to Clark’s prominent beard, detractors said, “If you took away the whiskers and the scandal, there would be nothing left.”

A Nevada newsman called Mark Twain had even less use for the senator. He called him “as rotten a human being as can be found anywhere under the flag,” adding that he belonged in “a penitentiary with a ball and chain on his leg.”

Th e s i n s o f t h e fat h e r Shortly after his famous Vegas land auction, Sen. Clark relocated to Manhattan, where he built a gargantuan, much-ridiculed mansion in Manhattan and continued to court notoriety. Widowed in 1893, the senator announced in 1904 that he had a wife in Paris: ward Anna Eugenia La Chappelle, though Clark never produced proof of their alleged 1901 nuptials. The second of their two daughters, Huguette, was born in 1906, when Sen. Clark was 67 and Anna Eugenia was 28.

Before his death, Sen. Clark divided his $300 million estate evenly among his children and, in 1927, Huguette Clark came into a $50 million nest egg that would eventually hatch that $400 million fortune. But wealth did not bring happiness. The next year she married a law student, William Gower, a union that was not only fruitless but supposedly unconsummated. Both it and the ensuing scandal would scar Clark for life.

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history Following her 1930 Reno divorce, the heiress — who had shown promise as a painter — slipped from public view, dividing her time between Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and Bellosguardo in Santa Barbara. After her mother died in 1963, Huguette Clark forsook Santa Barbara permanently, although Bellosguardo is still lovingly maintained at her behest. Seeking a potential refuge from World War III, she purchased a mansion in Connecticut in which she never set foot.

Utterly reclusive, Huguette Clark turned her energies to maintaining “Mommy’s” two-story, 42-room apartments, collecting and playing with her dolls (one of which was flown from France as a first-class passenger), having complete episodes of “The Flintstones” transcribed, and subsisting on sardines, bananas and ice cream. She communicated with her antiques dealer and an attorney only through a closed door.

Pi l l agers or protectors?

Such eccentricities would hardly generate headlines on MSNBC.com — whose Dedman is now co-writing a book on the con-

Utterly reclusive, Huguette Clark spent time with her dolls, and subsisted on sardines, bananas and ice cream. voluted Clark saga, “Empty Mansions” — or coverage by NBC’s “Today” were it not for the vast wealth nominally under Huguette’s control. The quiet disposition of $29 million in assets during the past decade began to raise questions about the management of her fortune by Bock and Kamsler. For instance, Bock solicited a $1.5 million donation to a West Bank settlement from his client, flying in the face of New York State legal ethics.

When a Stradivarius violin changed hands, as did a Renoir painting, it appeared that the cat was well and truly among the pigeons, sending Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.’s office into action. Bock and Kamsler remain under investigation by the Manhattan D.A.’s Elder Abuse unit. But the W.A. Clark descendants lack of proof of their alleged manipulations — acts that would be

difficult to substantiate, since Clark ceased communicating with her relatives in 2005, at the time her will was signed.

Mme. Clark hadn’t been dead a week before the New York Times reported that “many eyes have zeroed in on the sumptuous suite of apartments,” with real estate agents jostling for a piece of the action. (Other residents of the building include Martha Stewart.) The vast Fifth Avenue spaces are expected to bring $55 million total, but most of that money is already pledged against estate taxes. Clark’s Connecticut castle-cumbomb-shelter has long been on the market and is currently listing for $20 million, steeply discounted from $34 million. While it was a Clark clan real estate sale that birthed Las Vegas, the fruits of that transaction have created a saga worthy of Hollywood.

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05.2012

News Reviews Interviews e at t h i s n o w !

O n t h e P l at e

The secret to Bon Breads’ much-loved loaves isn’t what you think it is.

40

The dish

Yeasty boy

43

eat this now!

This little piggy went in your mouth

44

Fork off!

Chicken and waffles throwdown

44

On the Plate

May’s dining events

PHOTOGRAPH BY SABIN ORR

DesertCompanion.com | 39

dining TH e d i s h

An act of loaf

c

Bon Breads’ master baker Carlos Pereira gives Vegas the best thing since, well, sliced bread

By DEBBIE LEE Photography SABIN ORR Carlos Pereira is poking a baton of raw dough, brows furrowed. This is his umpteenth attempt at perfecting the French baguette, but with a single motion of his forefinger, he can detect a problem.

“Too much water in the recipe,” he says.

“The shape will be flat.” He gingerly transfers the unbaked bread from a canvas cloth to a flour-dusted conveyer belt. “Let’s bake it anyway, just to see what happens.”

Don’t be mistaken — Pereira is already capable of making a fine baguette. But that doesn’t stop him from tinkering with his recipes. Standing in the middle of a 25,000-square foot baking facility off the Strip, surrounded by swarms of bakers and thousands of loaves of fresh-baked bread, this is his moment of zen.

“I just love the feel of dough,” he says. He slashes the top of the baguette with a razor and slides it into a fiery deck oven. “I don’t believe in predestination, but most people will discover a calling or path in life. Making bread is mine.”

Bread of life When it comes to artisanal bread in Las Vegas, it would not be an exaggeration to proclaim Carlos Pereira a pioneer. As the master baker and owner of Bon Breads Baking Co. (bonbreads.com), he’s the man keeping countless diners on and off the Strip hooked on carbs. The city’s food writers rave about him, local restaurateurs depend on him and celebrity chefs with Vegas outposts forgo hiring bakers in favor of working with him.

Yes, his stuff is that good. (I dare anyone who has tasted Pereira’s bacon bread to tell me otherwise.) In fact, it can sometimes even be too tasty — a fine dining restaurant once demanded that he come up with a new recipe because guests were treating the breadbaskets like troughs and refused to order starters.

40 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

Above: Bon Breads’ Carlos Pereira is driven to deliver great bread. Right: A peek inside Bon Breads’ pantry — including Pereira’s own line of oils.

Such concerns are a far cry from what Pereira envisioned for his adult life. A native of Lima, Peru, he came to Vegas in 1993 to pursue a degree in hospitality management at UNLV. He bided his time (and padded his wallet) with a menial bakery job, but it was only supposed to keep him afloat before returning to his home country.

Pereira’s next job was in the kitchen at Caesars Palace. The idea was to start low on the totem pole and climb into upper management, but the company had other plans for him. Caesars’ then-executive pastry chef John Hui was looking to start an in-house bread program, and — in a town where options were limited to frozen rolls and sliced bread in polka-dot packaging — Pereira was the most promising candidate. Hui, now the corporate pastry chef at Pebble Beach Resorts, chose Pereira from

a staff of 45 bakers to study European breadmaking techniques at the San Francisco Baking Institute.

“Everyone starts in the kitchen by doing all tasks — breakfast pastries, cookies, cakes — and once I see what they’re good at, I place them in certain spots,” says Hui. “Carlos didn’t have formal bread-baking experience, but I observed him in the kitchen, and I could tell he had talent and potential to run the program.”

“I had zero experience with this (European) type of baking,” Pereira admits. “I just showed up and was trained the old-fashioned way — by tough French guys who were a pain the ass.”

With that pain came the pleasure of discovering that he actually loved breadmaking. Pereira returned to Vegas renewed. He not only nixed all of the frozen, factory-made bread from the resort, but he also threw his

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original career plans out the window. Under Chef Hui, Pereira made Caesars the city’s first source for artisan bread.

His talent eventually earned him a highpaying offer from a competing Strip property, which forced Pereira to consider his next move. Should he take the extra dough or settle at Caesars? He turned to Hui for guidance.

“We had a chat,” says Pereira, “and just as I was walking out the door, he said, ‘Carlos, I thought you were smarter than that. I knew you would leave one day, but I was 100 percent sure that when you were ready, it was so that you could open your own place.’”

Pereira says those parting thoughts changed the course of his life.

Loa f by loa f Bon Breads opened in 1999 with 900 square feet of workspace, one dough mixer and a single oven. A one-man operation, Pereira earned five accounts through word of

Bacon onion batard. White toast is for milquetoasts. The breakfast of champions starts with a slice of Pereira’s bacon onion batard — a crusty loaf speckled with bits of heady pork.

Use it again at lunch for a decadent grilled cheese, then tear into the heel of the bread at dinner. All that’ll be left by day’s end are crumbs on your cutting board. — Debbie Lee

Feta batard. Pereira channels Greece with Bon Breads’ feta batard.

An ordinary white loaf on the outside, the inner crumb is strewn with briny cheese, lending a surprising hit of salt with each bite. Oregano adds an earthy aroma and keeps the loaf from being one-note. Eat it with lamb or dip it in hummus — it’s a perfect replacement for pita. — D.L.

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mouth and kept production limited to a few styles of bread. Things were small and manageable, but this was no guarantee that the venture would succeed.

He recalls his first customer, the nowdefunct Summerlin Resort, and laments the short lifespan of food and hospitality businesses off the Strip. “It’s especially a shame to see small restaurants with great chefs go unnoticed and shut down,” he says. “Meanwhile people will spend an hour waiting in line for dinner at a big chain restaurant. There needs

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dining to be more support for local talent, but it’s hard to find.”

Despite that grim reality, Pereira has been fortunate in building a loyal following. Bon Breads is now a 24/7 operation with more than 120 employees, and produces hundreds of types of bread for over 200 resorts and restaurants in the city. Farmers’ market stands and a new retail shop at Town Square are also thriving — on a recent Friday and Saturday, bread was sold out at the brick and mortar.

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42 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

What makes Pereira’s bread so beloved? The answer lies in plastic garbage cans on casters. On a walk-through of Bon Breads’ facility, he rolls a container towards himself and takes a deep breath. Its contents are sour and bubbling, but it’s far from trash.

“This is a 92-year-old starter given to me by a friend in France,” he says. Starter, or pre-ferment, allows dough to rise slowly and develop a depth of flavor. Pereira treats his like a secret formula. “It’s the soul of our bread. It goes into every one of our products, right down to the hamburger buns.”

If Pereira sounds like a romantic or purist, this is the extent of it. He insists that many of the established rules of bread-making are just myths, and he’s proud to debunk them. “Some people won’t use tap water, or others think that fresh yeast is superior to dry,” he says. “It’s all nonsense. Neither makes a difference.”

He also doesn’t believe in pushing the envelope for its own sake. “There have been times when chefs have made special requests, but I will never make something that I don’t think is going to work,” he says. He cites a celebrity chef who once asked for a seaweed-flavored bread; Pereira obliged him with a sample, then tasted it and refused to produce it. “At the end of the day, it’s my name on the product.”

This doesn’t mean that Pereira is averse to experimentation. Even after 12 years in business, he can be found dressed in whites and elbow-deep in dough on any given day. He’s constantly designing new recipes depending on the season, chefs’ special requests, and his own whims.

And while his latest baguette test is a bust, it won’t stop him from trying again the next day, or the day after that. It’s a break from more mundane tasks, plus it keeps him inspired. “I like production,” says Pereira. “As a business owner I have to check emails, read commodities reports, make deliveries. … But as a baker, my only job is to make things better and more interesting.”

dining

eat this now!

Our favorite recent dishes that have us coming back for seconds

Secreto Iberico at Jaleo I didn’t know pigs had skirt steak on them. Leave it to the innovative mind of José Andrés to re-invent pork. This luscious cut from the famous black-footed Iberico pigs of Spain, served with toasted tomato bread and a zesty salsa verde, boasts the most incredible texture you’ll find in swine. It chews like a lean tenderloin, but the fatty flavor and juiciness will throw you off; like much of the experimental cuisine at Jaleo, it’s perplexingly delicious. — Brock Radke

Jaleo in The Cosmopolitan, 698-7950

s e cr e to ib e rico : C h ris to h e r S m i t h

Green Curry at Thai Food to Go Third time’s the charm for this east-side eatery, which has seen three different owners in about as many years. Thankfully, the new regime hasn’t changed too many things. The food was always good, now it’s exceptional. Some dishes, such as the green curry (lunch $4.99, dinner $6.99), are simply transcendent. They top your choice of beef, chicken, pork or tofu with market-fresh vegetables and herbs, then stew it all in a mix of traditional Thai curry made from fresh green chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and coconut milk. The result is savory, creamy, spicy, not-too-sweet and phenomenal when poured over rice. Spice levels range from one to 10; the main ingredient is fresh chili, so one means “mild tingle” and 10 means “mind-altering trip into the heart of a live volcano.” Order wisely. — John Hardin

Thai Food To Go 3242 E. Desert Inn Road #9, 778-8898

DesertCompanion.com | 43

ON THE PLATE

dining

May’s dining events you don’t want to miss F o r k o ff !

Whose chicken and waffles rule the roost?

Two dishes duke it out. DW Bistro’s Jerk Fried Chicken and Waffles, meet Hash House A Go Go’s sage fried rendition. Fight!

By Julie Hession | Photography Christopher smith

Hash House A Go Go

Vegas Uncork’d by bon appetit may 10-13. This four-day festival of food, wine and other spirits includes intimate tasting dinners, themed foodie parties, cooking and mixology demonstrations, wine and spirit tastings, and chef meet-and-greets.

Events take place at the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Cosmopolitan and Mandalay Bay. Ticket prices and more information available at vegasuncorked.com

nevada beer weeks

DW Bistro

Sweet or savory? This is the common dilemma facing those who brunch, one solved by the unlikely pairing of chicken and waffles. Once only found in a handful of restaurants across the United States, this soul food specialty is now ubiquitous, even earning (to the dismay of some) a temporary spot on IHOP’s menu. (It’s only a matter of time before a chicken and waffles-inspired cupcake becomes a thing.) Let’s compare two riffs on this stick-to-your-ribs comfort classic to find which version rules the roost.

The contenders: DW Bistro’s Jerk Fried Chicken and Waffles ($14), and Hash House A Go Go’s Sage Fried Chicken and Waffles ($15.95) The chicken: Hash House coats two large bonein breasts with crispy cornflakes and fresh sage, but could benefit from a heavier hand while seasoning.

DW opts for two boneless breasts, covered in a moderately spicy, beautifully orchestrated jerk flour blend and made memorably juicy by brining. Winner: DW Bistro.

The waffles: DW reigns supreme in the flavor department, adding pure vanilla extract, rum and a splash of Cointreau to the batter. Hash House earns

points for playing the “everything’s better with bacon” card: A thick slice of the hardwood-smoked variety is baked into the waffle itself — genius. Both buttermilk waffles could be crisper on the exterior to contrast their fluffy interiors and stand up to the syrup. Draw.

The fixins: While Hash House’s plate comes well accessorized, with a “secret blend” maple reduction, scene-stealing crunchy fried leeks, diced peppers and a drizzle of their own salty-sweet barbecue sauce, sometimes less is more. The rich but clean flavor of DW’s pure maple syrup, simmered with nutmeg, cinnamon and dark rum and the sprinkle of fresh orange zest round out the dish perfectly. Winner: DW Bistro.

The look: In their signature style, Hash House’s massive platter arrives with an exclamation point in the form of a vertical steak knife holding together the heaping tower of food, topped with a rosemary plume.

DW takes a minimalist approach (well, minimalist for chicken and waffles), as if to say, “Our flavors speak for themselves.” This may be true, but more foodies are snapping photos of the Hash House plate with their iPhones. Winner: Hash House.

Chicken and waffles champ: DW Bistro.

DW Bistro 6115 S. Fort Apache Road Suite #112, 527-5200, dwbistro.com Hash House A Go Go 6800 W. Sahara Ave., 804-4646; also inside the M Resort, Imperial Palace and The Plaza, hashhouseagogo.com

44 | Desert

Companion | MAY 2012

may 21-june 2 In celebration of American Craft Beer Week, the Nevada Brewers Guild is putting on a series of festivals, parties and tastings at breweries, pubs, bars and restaurants in the Las Vegas Valley.

Events include the 9th Annual Brewfest at Barley’s Casino 2 p.m.-8 p.m. May 26, and the Springs Preserve’s Brews & Blues Festival 4 p.m.-8 p.m. June 2. For more information on other related festivals, events and tastings, visit nevadabeerweeks.com

wine away wednesdays May 16, June 20. The third Wednesday of each month at Tivoli Village is Wine Away Wednesday, featuring wine tastings, live entertainment and shopping. Guests are encouraged to fill their “passport” with stamps from businesses for a chance to win $500. $13.65. 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Tickets must be purchased at wineawaywedensday.eventbrite.com

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Water 46 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

world Take the plunge — and rediscover the lake you thought you knew by

andrew kiraly

photography

Christopher Smith

Psst. Here’s a secret: You’re missing out on Lake Mead. Sure, it’s a fine place for a beachy beer-andbarbecue session or some amateur shutterbugging at the dam. But, oh, how you’d be losing out if you stuck just to that. Dip below the surface and you’ll find so much more — eye-boggling rockscapes, eerie living history and, of course, splashier pastimes from kayaking downriver to lazing in hidden coves to sweating it out in deep sauna caves. Dive in — and rediscover this heavenly body of water.

DesertCompanion.com | 47

Lower right: Boy Scout Canyon.

Lower left: Hot, dark Sauna Cave. Above: A view down the Colorado River. Far left: Arizona Hot Springs.

Far right: Serene Emerald Cave

48 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

Black Canyon Paddle, float, soak, explore and paddle some more (faster!)

see how long you can literally

rearing itself riverside — pep-

sweat it out. Marvel at rock

per the placidity with some

formations as you float down

awe. One of the best sights is

the river (The Ear, draped in

both placid and awe-inspiring:

fuzz and greenery, is an easy

Emerald Cave, a serene grotto

one — try instead to find

where the water ripples around

Abraham Lincoln in repose).

you in a dancing blanket of

And while not as menacing

green flame. Further down,

as it sounds, Ringbolt Rapids

as you wend your way to the

will kick your heart — and your

terminal point of Willow Beach,

arms — into high rpms.

keep an eye out for a piece of

If your triceps are screaming

history stuck to the canyon

for mercy near day’s end, you’ll

wall: A tiptoe trail edging the

Hoover Dam may have

hammer as you paddle hard!

have a welcome respite in the

canyon’s east wall that mo-

tamed the Colorado, but the

hard! to cut a berth around a

muscle-melting Arizona Hot

mentarily manifests itself as a

river still bares its wild side on

sucking Charybdis of a current

Springs — just a few shambles

spindly catwalk. That’s the path

occasion. A day trip kayak-

(don’t worry; I exaggerate).

up the sandbagged tiers that

Lake Mead’s gauger would

ing down Black Canyon will

But don’t forget to beach

lead to the source spewing hot

have to traverse to measure

run your heart through all its

your craft for opportunities to

from the rock. (Warning: naked

the day’s water level at the

gears — the murmur of a lazy

explore. Gird your pores (and

people, friendly but alarmingly

gauging station. A cliffhanger

downstream drift, the quicken-

steel your nerves, if you’re

naked, may be present.) Other

— literally. (Information on

ing that comes with discovery

claustrophobic) for a crouch-

features such as Dragon’s Back

Colorado River kayaking trips is

of a hidden cove, the hammer-

ing hike into a sauna cave, and

— a razor-rocked complex

available at nps.gov/lake).

DesertCompanion.com | 49

The lake — just the lake The simple pleasures of open water

is big; there are countless coves, crannies and blanket beaches perfect for pulling up and laying out — or dipping a rod in to see if the fish are biting. 3) Remember that the lake is an architectural tour, too — but I don’t mean the worthy mainstays of the dam and bridge. The shifting matrix of cliffs, caves, buttes and

Here are some affirmative

you spread your hand to catch

hills lure the imaginative eye well

propositions about boating on

some more: 1) “Bathtub ring”?

above the water line — proving

the lake to consider as you’re

Let’s dispense with that dreary

once again that Lake Mead has

skupping along the water’s

domestic nickname — the

plenty going above and below

skin that’s turned into a flecked

rippling band that bounds the

the surface.

tapestry of shimmering deep

lake gives it added dimension,

(Information on boating on

blue and gold, feathered cuts

a touch of flourish. Agreed? 2)

Lake Mead is available at nps.

of spray tickling your face as

Oddly, it’s easy to forget the lake

gov/lake)

50 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

C r u i s i n g b o at s , Fa m i ly S w i m m i n g , F i s h i n g a n d M a r i n a C o u r t e s y o f t h e N at i o n a l pa r k s s e r v i c e

Opposite page: There's more to Lake Mead than water — consider the cliffs, caves and buttes well above the water line. This page: From boating to fishing to swimming, Lake Mead has many depths.

DesertCompanion.com | 51

52 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

Far left: Deep valleys of fiery rock beckon in Pinto Valley.

Upper left: Hidden petroglyphs reward the careful eye — just be sure to look, not touch. Right: Rock formations are ripe for exploration.

Pinto Valley A surprising display of otherworldly terrain They look like dollops

elbow, but there’s precious little

at strangely regular inter-

outpourings of erosion-born

of frozen flame, or alien moth-

moisture in this boulder-strewn

vals. You’ll squeeze through

pebbles that look like noth-

erships run aground eons ago,

outscape. Take plenty of water

shoulder-hugging crevasses

ing so much as some earthen

now rotting in the earth’s crust

— and some tough shoes — as

and scramble over shelves of

jackpot issuing from the

at a dead tilt. Others: clustered

you’ll hike up washes and over

stone to reach these inscru-

sandstone itself. (Take Lake

keylocks and rocky labyrinths

sketchy wildlife trails.

table stone giants — among

Mead Boulevard or Lake Mead

them, imposing sheer rock,

Parkway to Northshore Road;

that puzzle the eye (and some-

The going is an unremark-

times trick the feet). Pinto Val-

able but pleasant enough

checkered and varnished

park on a pullout near mile

ley is north of Lake Mead, not

slog — until you see those

slabs (hiding petroglyphs for

marker 25 several miles after

far from the lake’s northwest

rusty outcroppings, hunched

the careful, patient eye), and

the Callville Bay turnoff)

DesertCompanion.com | 53

Left: The old ice cream parlor is the tallest standing ruin in St. Thomas.

Upper right: The remains of the town are now well above water. Lower right: Some residents of St. Thomas waited until the bitter, watery end to leave. Far right: The schoolhouse — and what remains today.

St. Thomas History emerges from a watery grave

their land to the government,

Don’t think of this as some

dismantled their homes and

grim, merely “educational” trip.

moved on. But others refused

St. Thomas grew vegetables

such a watery, whimpering

and mined copper — a hardy

death, and put up a token

settlement, but it was not with-

fight. The story goes that the

out a sense of permanence and

last resident of the town was

fun: The town also had a gen-

quite a holdout — rowing away

eral store, a hotel, a post office

his tiny boat in June 1938 as

and even an ice cream parlor (now, humorously enough, it’s

The surveyors made an

lot of people didn’t believe the

the water of fast-forming Lake

unbelievable announcement to

water would get that high,” says

Mead kissed and lapped at his

the tallest ruin in town, stand-

the people of St. Thomas: We’re

Steve Daron, park archeologist

front porch. With water levels

ing almost defiantly among the

building a dam about 70 miles

for Lake Mead.

fluctuating over the years,

spongy ground). You’ll walk

south of here, and we regret to

The story of St. Thomas is

the ghosts and shells of St.

down the main street — the

inform you that your town is —

not a David and Goliath story.

Thomas have risen time and

gray teeth of long-dead tree

well, we’re not quite sure how to

After getting the news of the

again to wave hello from the

stumps standing, a bit sleep-

put this, so we’ll say it straight

impending flood, residents

past — and today it’s quite

ily, at attention — and peek

— your town is … doomed. “A

— many reluctantly — sold

comfortably on dry land.

into foundations that belie a

54 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

town with seemingly big plans once upon a time: spacious houses, broad basements and deep cisterns. The whimsical, HISTORI C AL PHOTOS C o u r t e s y o f t h e N at i o n a l pa r k s s e r v i c e

seashell-like curve of the steps leading up to what was once the town’s school harbors its own special brand of heartbreak. (And don’t forget to look up — you might see a red-tailed hawk looping lazily overhead.)

(Lake Mead Boulevard or Lake Mead Parkway to North-

Thanks to Lynn Davis of the National Parks Conservation Association; Steven

shore Road to St. Thomas

Daron, Roxanne Dey and Heidi Grigg of Lake Mead National Recreational Area;

Road, which is at the junction

Kim Roundtree of Callville Bay Resort and Marina; and Izzy Collett and Jennifer

where Northshore meets Val-

Heider of Desert Adventures.

ley of Fire Highway)

DesertCompanion.com | 55

Make a splash!

I m a g e c o u r t e s y o f W i s c o n s i n D e l l s V i s to r a n d C o n v e n t i o n b u r e a u / N o a h ' s A r k

From mild to wild, here are nine trips to ‘wet’ your appetite for adventure, relaxation and family fun

DesertCompanion.com | 57

A (worthwhile) trek to Eden in the desert Baker Lake

Nevada

Ride the wind, ride the water Hood River

Oregon Get wet: If a simple splish-splash isn’t your style and you need a dose of adrenaline to keep you kicking, head to Hood River, where the windsurfing is arguably the best in the world.

Take the geographical location of the Columbia River Gorge, add the winds that play through the valley and you have perfect con-

58 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

Windsurfing Oregon's Hood River mixes water and adrenaline.

ditions for riding the waves. Several outfitters offer lessons for beginners and rental equipment is available, but experts will also find plenty of company as they rub (wet) elbows with other professional wind surfers from around the world.

Get there: Located at the crossroads of the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Range, Hood River County has several hotels and inns, but consider camping to best appreciate the natural beauty.

Get the inside scoop: For the best conditions, plan to windsurf during the day. To catch the “boardheads” hard at work, drive to the Columbia Gorge Sailpark or follow Second Street to the waterfront. Kick back and relax at the end of the day with a glass of wine from one of the many vineyards in the area.

— JoAnna Haugen (hoodriver.org)

Water, meet rollercoaster W i s c o n s i n D e ll s

Wisconsin Get wet: Travelers have been flocking to Wisconsin Dells for more than 150 years.

Back in the day, they went for the rowboat tours of the Wisconsin River. Though the scenic, glacier-carved gorge and striking sandstone features are still a draw, it’s the waterpark scene that has people slipping on their swimsuits now. With the largest concentration of indoor and outdoor waterparks on the planet, there’s no shortage of wave pools and water slides. Highlights include America’s first looping waterslide (Scorpion’s Tail at Noah’s Ark) and the world’s fastest and longest indoor water roller coaster (the Fly'n Mayan at Chula Vista Resort).

Get there: Located in southern central Wisconsin, the Dells has lots of lodging at the waterpark resorts, but consider reserving a room at Baker’s Sunset Bay Resort on Lake Delton or a cabin at Birchliff Resort for easy access to hiking along the Wisconsin River.

Get the inside scoop: The waterparks can be crowded, especially on the weekends in the summer, so pack patience with your sunscreen. Otherwise, head for the Dells after Labor Day to take advantage of the year-round, indoor waterparks. — JoAnna Haugen (wisdells.com)

wi n d s u r f e r © Mi c h a e l Hi l d r e t h

Get wet: If you’re looking to evade not only heat, but also neighbors and civilization in general, get out a Nevada map and circle Great Basin National Park, 286 miles from Las Vegas, near the Utah border. The 77,100-acre park is often overlooked because of its distance, but Great Basin offers something many nearer parks don’t: water. Nestled 10,600 feet up in the mountains, between Baker and Pyramid Peaks, is Baker Lake, a sparkly oasis of alpine runoff where you can actually see trout leaping out of the water.

Get there: Sound heavenly? It is, but you’ll have to earn your entry to this paradise, too.

Baker Trail begins at 8,000 feet and travels 12 miles and 2,620 feet up to the lake. Don’t let the butterfly-filled meadows of the first few miles fool you; by the time you finish the switchbacks at the steep end of the trail, you’ll by dying to plunge your feet in the pool. And don’t forget: You’ll be carrying everything you need for the duration of your trip on your back, so plan carefully and travel light. Although you’ll be in a remote area with limited services, there are ways to make the trip more accessible to the less sporty. There’s a campground at the bottom of Baker Creek, and you can shorten the hike by taking the loop cutoff about a mile in.

Get the inside scoop: The small nearby town of Baker offers creature comforts to ease the transition between pinecones and concrete. T&D’s Country Store, Restaurant and Lounge has goods you might have forgotten, like groceries and fishing tackle. The Silver Jack Inn and Lectrolux Café has an art gallery, book store and meals you don’t have to balance on your lap. The lake dries up over summer, so don’t wait too long for your trip. Call for conditions. — Heidi Kyser (nps.gov)

California's Kern River is great for beginners and seasoned rafters.

Thrills and spills for every taste Kern River

W h i t e Wat e r R a f t i n g c o u r t e s y k e r n r iv e r va l l e y C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e ; Wat e r s l id e c o u r t e s y o f W i s c o n s i n D e l l s V i s to r a n d C o n v e n t i o n b u r e a u / N o a h ' s A r k

California

ditioning — alpine breezes. Families like it because of the many available activities: bird-watching, canoeing, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain-biking, picnicking and windsurfing. For most of these, lakeside facilities offer equipment rentals and guides.

Get there: Outdoorsy types can set up headquarters in the Dairy Springs and Double Springs National Forest campgrounds near trailheads for hikes leading to panoramic views of the lake and surrounding area. Those in need of pampering can book rooms, cabins or full halls at Mormon Lake Lodge, starting at $59.

Get the inside scoop: The Prepare for a flood at Noah's Ark at lodge is both green and historic.

Wisconsin Dells.

Built 80 years ago to accommodate loggers, it burned to the ground in 1974. According to lodge lore, local ranchers pooled their money and skills to bring the lodge back to life in time to carry on its annual team-roping competition, which continues today. To seal their Mormon Lake accomplishment, the ranchers burned their Arizona brands into the lodge’s walls. Forever Resorts bought the lodge in 1990 and has since emGet wet: When it’s not experiencing braced an environmentally friendly policy by drought-induced evaporation, Mormon Lake implementing programs such as EPA Waste is the largest natural lake in Arizona. Located Wise and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seaabout 29 miles southeast of Flagstaff at an elfood Watch. — H.K. evation of 7,000 feet, it’s ideal for folks who like (fs.usda.gov) to retreat from the heat using nature’s air con-

Alpine paradise, served lakeside

Get wet: Less crowded than the Colorado River and more discreet than the Gauley River, the Kern River lures beginners and professionals alike to its wild whitewater rapids. The Lower Kern tends to be more popular, with its Class II-IV rapids, while the Upper Kern River offers a bit more bucking and bouncing.

For something even wilder, consider a multiday tour launched from the Forks of the Kern River, which requires hiking in and pack animals to transport food and river gear. Several outfitters offer trips of varying lengths and difficulty, so look around for one that fits your style.

Get there: Located on the southern end of California’s great Central Valley, the Kern River is within a half day’s drive from Los Angeles, San Francisco, the Pacific Coast and Las Vegas. Though you could be rafting by lunchtime, stay the night at a nearby lodge or inn after your day on the water.

Get the inside scoop: The Kern River teems with all manner of recreationists, especially during the summer, so ask around about hiking, fishing, climbing or horseback riding if you want to add something else to your whitewater trip. — J.H. (fs.fed.us)

Bigger-than-life beauty I n s i d e Pa s s ag e

Canada and Alaska Get wet: The Inside Passage is a coastal route that snakes through the islands of the Pacific Northwest, heads north through western British Columbia and extends through southeastern Alaska. Though used by a variety of water vessels, most people enjoy the natural features of the Inside Passage while sipping a mug of hot cocoa from the deck of a cruise ship. Clear water, majestic mountain views, vast forests, glacier-covered fjords, tumbling waterfalls … the Inside Passage is rife with clichés, but there’s no better way to describe this awe-inspiring waterway that somehow makes people feel bigger than life — yet just a small piece of a larger universal picture.

Get there: Most ships cruise round trip out of Seattle. Itineraries vary based on the number of days on the water.

Get the inside scoop: Though most people choose to travel the Inside Passage on a ship with a preset route, independent travelers may

DesertCompanion.com | 59

prefer to take the Alaska Marine Highway, a ferry system that operates a fleet of 11 vessels along a scenic 3,500-mile route from Washington state to the Aleutian Islands. — J.H.

Open up and say spaaaa T e n Th o u s a n d W a v e s

New Mexico

A world-class catch for anglers S a s k a t ch e w a n

Canada Get wet: With 100,000 lakes and rivers, Saskatchewan is on the must-fish list for many freshwater anglers. World-record trout and walleye have been pulled from Lake Diefenbaker and Last Mountain Lake in the south.

There are fly-in lakes throughout the north and, with the right timing, you can fish for four species on a single waterway (monster pike, walleye, lake trout and Arctic grayling).

For those seeking big trout or pike, head north, where fly fishing rivals that found in Alaska.

Of course, there’s no perfect science to the art of fishing, but the consensus is that the best fishing in Saskatchewan is early in the season (June) and late in the season (August), though

60 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

Asian-style relaxation at Ten Thousand Waves in New Mexico

this depends on where and what you’re casting for.

Get there: Two international airports service Saskatchewan, and accommodations are available throughout the province. Stay in a lodge or cabin lakeside so you never have to travel far for the next big catch.

Get the inside scoop: Anglers are notorious for keeping close-lipped when it comes to insider tips — so we’ve been sworn to secrecy not to let the fish out of the bag. — J.H. (sasktourism.com)

Gator-spotting in the glades Everglades

Florida Get wet: Visiting the Everglades with children is like a classroom in a suitcase — the unique ecosystem and awesome wildlife are both entertaining and educational — so make the most of your trip with exploration beyond the average hiking trail. Canoe trails and bike rentals combined with ranger advice and a good map will help you spot one or more of the tens of thousands of alligators in the Everglades. For a more structured experience, sign up for a tram or boat tour, or take advantage of a ranger-led slough slog for fun with a chance of alligator-spotting.

Sunrise fishing on Deschanbault Lake in Northern Saskatchewan

Get there: The Everglades encompasses most of South Florida. Visitor centers in or near Homestead, Flamingo, Miami and Everglades City offer information.

Get the inside scoop: Keep in mind that Everglades National Park isn’t a zoo, and the wildlife is exactly that — wild — so exercise caution if you encounter a gator. Hit up the Anhinga Trail, which winds through a sawgrass marsh, for the chance to see alligators, turtles, anhinga and several other species of birds. Visit during the dry season (December through April) and at dusk or dawn for the best viewing conditions. — J.H. (nps.gov)

RELA X I NG W o m e n c o u r t e s y T e n t h o u s a n d wav e s ; Fi s h i n g : To u r i s m S a s k atc h e wa n / D o u g l a s E . Wa l k e r

Get wet: Climbing the lantern-lined steps from the parking lot, you’ll feel like you’re entering an ancient Japanese bathhouse atop a mountain — but you’re really only a few minutes from downtown Santa Fe. Whether you choose to indulge in Ten Thousand Waves’ day spa services or stay at the resort, the bathing and cleansing experience is just that — an experience. Two communal and several private areas are made complete with hot baths (maintained at 104-106 degrees Fahrenheit), wet and dry saunas, cold plunging spaces, waterfalls and sun decks. At Ten Thousand Waves, the baths are open-air, which is both invigorating and relaxing as your body literally soaks in a variety of temperatures and water experiences.

Get there: Ten Thousand Waves is located just outside of Santa Fe, but don’t rely on a GPS to get you there. Check directions posted on the website before you go.

Get the inside scoop: The yasuragi treatment and ashi anma foot massage are the property’s specialties. Like any spa experience, it’s best if you don’t rush. Arrive at least 20 minutes before your appointment time, and leave a few hours free so you can completely relax. — J.H. (tenthousandwaves.com)

Roads and rivers are better when they’re long and winding.

Getting there is 100% of the fun. Whether it’s with the help of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive or your own paddle, Subaru and our partners are proud to support the never ending pursuit of adventure. Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

Subaru of Las Vegas 5385 West Sahara Avenue (702) 495-2100 Subaruoflasvegas.com Accessory kayak carrier shown.

Revitalizing Las Vegas one performance at a time Bank of America is proud to be a member of the community of funders that helped make the dream of a world-class performing arts center a reality. As a catalyst of the economic revitalization of Las Vegas, The Smith Center project — from groundbreaking to completion — has created thousands of jobs. Future performances will continue to infuse our local economy with a projected $29 million annually.

Juan Mendez is one of the 2,600 people from Clark County employed by The Smith Center development project.

© 2012 Bank of America Corporation

The scenic route

Get away — without going too far — on these one-tank trips by

Mark Sedenquist

( just up the street )

DesertCompanion.com | 63

The Moun t Ch a r l e s t o n Lo o p Scenic awesome in your own backyard

For a 360-degree view of our beautiful local mountains, get an early start on this 220-mile loop. At the end of the road up the east side of Mt. Charleston, pause for a bite to eat at the Mt. Charleston Lodge. Further north at Lee Canyon, ponder vistas of the Nevada Test site from under a canopy of pines.

As you continue the loop down to Cactus Springs, admire Mt. Charleston’s craggy northern slope. If your timing is perfect, you’ll drive past Blue Diamond, Spring Mountain State Park and Calico Basin as the last raking rays of daylight light up those gorgeous red and white sandstone formations. (US 95

Spring Mountain Ranch State Park

to Kyle Canyon Road, NV-160 to NV-159)

Red Rock

64 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

L e e C a n yo n M e a d o w : S TAN S H E B S ; P o n d c o u r t e s y o f S P R I N G M OUN TA I N RAN C H S TAT E PAR K ; R e d R o ck : C h r isto ph e r S mith

Lee Canyon

Southern Utah jaunt

Wild West kitsch and pink sand dunes Don’t use up all your camera memory on the Virgin River Gorge — it’s just the warm-up on this road trip of photogenic delights. Pause at the Virgin Trading Post in Fort Zion to check out the Old West Village.

Swallow any aversion you might have to tacky tourist traps and have your picture taken at the “Wild Ass Saloon” or “Miss Molly’s House of Negotiable Affection.” Continuing east, prepare to marvel at the intense natural color at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. The vivid salmon hues of the dunes against an azure sky make for ridiculously gorgeous photos.

If you have time for an overnight stay, consider the Parry Lodge in nearby Kanab. This was the motel of choice for dozens of film crews over the past eight decades. You can stay in a room once occupied by Frank Sinatra, Jane Russell, Ronald Reagan and a host of other icons of the silver screen. (I-15 to UT-9,

D u n e s a n d V i r gi n T r a d i n g p o st : p e t e r th o dy

UT-59, AZ-389 to Coral Pink Sand Dunes Road)

Virgin Trading Post

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

DesertCompanion.com | 65

The Tehachapi Loop

Borax-hauling mules, German pretzels and a railroad wonder Head south on I-15 as though you’re heading to Los Angeles or San Diego. On this trip, you’re on the path to some truly extraordinary sights instead, beginning with Zzyzx Springs. How many times have you driven past the sign? This time, take the exit and discover this place of erstwhile crazy dreams and current scientific study. After you leave the Interstate on Highway 58, pause for a look at the Rio Tinto Borax mine, California’s largest open-pit mine. The Borax Visitor Center boasts a genuine 20-mule team rig and informative interpretive exhibits. Farther west near the tiny hamlet of Walong, watch fully-laden 100-car trains circle over themselves as they pull the grade around the world-famous Tehachapi Loop. As you head back home, stop in Tehachapi for some freshly baked artisan bread

Soda Lake, east of the Zzyzx Desert Studies Center

The Apple Shed

The Tehachapi Loop

66 | Desert

Companion | May 2012

Z Z Y Z X : M ik e B a i r d , f lick r . b a i r d ph oto s . c o m ; T h e Appl e S h e d : M e g a n e d wa r d s Train: bruce h. jones

or pastries at The Apple Shed. (I-15 to CA-58 to Broome Road and return on CA-58)

Death Valley Run

Relive history at Scotty’s Castle and Rhyolite Enter Death Valley National Park along NV-267 north of Beatty on the first leg of this 247-mile trek. Descend into Grapevine Canyon to Death Valley Ranch. Better known as Scotty’s Castle, this unique stone edifice offers a fascinating glimpse into privileged desert life in the 1920s and 30s.

Make reservations in advance for the two available tours. Led by docents in period dress and character, the first tour includes a walk through the house and gardens. The second tour provides access to the structure’s subterranean tunnels and reveals some of its remarkably advanced technological features. From Scotty’s Castle, Wildflowers in Death Valley

travel south through the park to Daylight Pass Road. Head northeast out of the valley to catch a

W I l d f l o w e r s a n d b a d wat e r B a si n c o u r t e s y N ati o n a l Pa r ks S e r vic e /Al a n Va n Va lk e n b u r g ; B ADWAT ER S I G N AND S C OT T Y ' S C A S T L E c o u r t e s y N ati o n a l Pa r ks S e r vic e / B o b G r e e n bU r g ; RY H O L I T E : Wikim e d i a c o mm o n s / Ta h o e n ath a n

photogenic sunset at Rhyolite ghost town before heading home. (US-Hwy 95 to NV-257 to Scotty’s Castle Road to Daylight Pass Road to US-Hwy 95)

Badwater Scotty's Castle

Whitney Portal

Highs, lows and wildflowers

The ruins of Rhyolite

Roll through some of the best wildflower viewing areas of the Eastern Mojave on this 285-mile route to the Sierra Nevada by way of Death Valley National Park. Even in late spring, you may still find blooming fields of purple mat and yellow pepperweed just south of Pahrump on the way to Shoshone. Inside the park, Ashford Junction is a likely place to see desert gold, purple sand verbena and, if you’re very lucky, some of the more fragile and fleeting spring flowers. Continuing north through Death Valley, look for yellow-crowned brittle bush on the sides of the road. From Badwater, at 262 feet below sea level the lowest spot in North America, traverse the valley floor, the Panamint Mountains and the Owens Valley before ascending to the trailhead at Whitney Portal. Enjoy the crisp air and lofty views at nearly 8,000 feet before winding down the steep road back to US Highway 395. (NV-160 to CA-178 to CA-190 to Whitney Portal Road)

DesertCompanion.com | 67

the phantom of the opera May 18 & 19 • 8 pm • $10

Unmask the secrets with a unique twist on this classic love story! A new revolution in musical theatre, Vox Lumiere’s Phantom combines the excitement of rock & roll, the sophistication of a silent motion picture with the magic of live performance for a riveting show.

live orchestral screening of

charlie chaplin’s modern times

June 1 • 8 pm • $10

The Henderson Symphony Orchestra provides the musical score to Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 comedy, Modern Times, a popular film capturing humanity’s survival during the rise of the Industrial Age.

For Tickets and Info, Call (702) 267-4TIX

STAy COnneCTed!

A Mother’s Day Tradition May 12 & 13 Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Art Festival OF HENDERSON | 2012

COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION Fine Arts & Crafts | Live Entertainment Interactive Imagination Station

Henderson Events Plaza, 200 S. Water Street STAY STAYCONNECTED CONNECTED--STAY STAYIN INTHE THELOOP! LOOP!

HENDERSON HENDERSON EVENTS PLAZA EVENTS PLAZA

@ HENDERSONLIVE @ HENDERSONLIVE

HENDERSON HENDERSON LIVE LIVE

HENDERSON HENDERSON LIVE LIVE

HendersonLive.com | 267-2171

05.2012

Art Music T h e at e r Da n c e

5

FA M I LY

take Russian ballerina Xenia Clistowa was no fragile li’l Miss Footsie Prancyflowers. When the Nazis invaded Leningrad, she tore outta there on a white-knuckle, cross-continental adventure that could be called “Indiana Jones and the Triumphant Leotard.” More sensible heads, though, have called it “Xenia Goes West.” The CSN Dance Ensemble performs it 7 p.m. May 4 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. May 5 at CSN’s Nicholas J. Horn Theatre. Tickets $5-$8. Info: csn.edu/pac

a r t s + e n t e r ta i n m e n t

If we don’t win the war on the drugs, the drugs win — and the last thing we want is for drugs to make us collectively dance in hedonistic abandon in a completely carefree society as flowers and diamonds rain from the sky. Fortunately, Insurgo Theater Movement and Chaos Theatre Company have teamed up to bring us a musical version of 1936’s hysterical anti-drug flick “Reefer Madness.” It plays through May 12 at Insurgo Theater at The Plaza. Tickets $19.99-$29.99. Info: insurgotheater.org

Artist Robby Martin, aka Biscuit Street Preacher, went to Santa Monica and brought back more than questionable tan lines and sand in curious places. The Las Vegas artist known for his mural-like paintings created a series of whimsical, large-scale mixed-media pieces to celebrate his oceanside jaunt. “Santa Monica” is on exhibit May 3-25 at Trifecta Gallery in the Arts Factory. Info: trifectagallery.com

Nevada Ballet Theatre celebrates 40 years with a special treat in this gala event. No, not free ballerinas to take home in fur-lined pet carriers, but something better: original choreography by NBT Artistic Director James Canfield set to live tunes by Matt Goss and his band. It happens 7 p.m. May 5 at The Smith Center.

Tickets $43-$503. Info: nevadaballet.org

Want your event in our guide? Submit your event with a brief description to guide@desertcompanion.com.

When not doing his pied piper bit on kids, convincing them to (hypnotic drone) eat more Happy Meals eat more Happy meals eat more Happy Meals, Ronald McDonald actually does some solid charity work for children. The meat-peddling man-clown hosts the 8th Annual “Runnin’ for the House” 5k and 1-mile walk to support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas. Now excuse me; I have an insatiable desire for a Happy Meal. It happens 6 a.m.-10 a.m. May 19 at 2323 Potosi St., $15-$40. Info: rmhlv.com

DesertCompanion.com | 69

nevada university of nevada press

Landing in Las Vegas

commercial aviation and the making of a tourist city

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ART Mama’s Fabric by John Broussard Through May 5. This exhibit centers on Beatrice Dixon, a community organizer with a passion for sewing. John Broussard combined her collection of fabrics with his photography to bring Americans from diverse ethnic backgrounds together to share their families’ journeys through America. Free.

West Las Vegas Arts Center Gallery, www.artslasvegas.org Nevada Watercolor Society Spring Show Through May 6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Watercolor paintings representing the best of the 2012 Nevada Watercolor Society, from still life, abstracts, portraits and landscapes, utilizing the colors of the desert. Origen Museum in the Springs Preserve Object Builders of the Future Unite: The Sequel Through May 18. Ambitious and varied 3-D works from simple materials by students from CSN and UNLV, co-curated by sculptors CSN Associate Professor Keith Conley and UNLV Assistant Professor Emily Kennerk. Free. Clark County

Government Center Rotunda Gallery, 455-7030 Trash to Treasure: The Sculptures of Dave Thompson Through May 20, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

Artist Dave Thompson transforms old metal into magic. His recycledobject sculptures fill the Gardens at the Springs Preserve with wonder and whimsy. Free for members or included with general admission. The Gardens at the Springs Preserve Coming of Age Through May 26. Kristine McCallister explores the broken, often brief childhood innocence experienced in today’s modern world in oil paintings that employ unique color, pattern and texture. Brett Wesley Gallery UNLV Graduate Student Exhibition Through May 31. This exhibit highlights work by artists attending the UNLV Art Department for their master’s degrees: Austin Dickson, Noelle Garcia, Scott Grow, Fred Mitchell, and Heather Younger. Free. Las Vegas City Hall Terrace Gallery, 495 S. Main St., 2nd floor, www.artslasvegas.org

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Spirited musicians What makes Chicago's Spektral Quartet so ... well, spectral? Think of them as musical ghosts — friendly musical ghosts — who aren't boxed in by categories and genres. Instead, these nimble virtuosos float freely through walls, equally adept at performing work by stalwarts such as Beethoven and Haydn to more modern pieces by Glass and Adés. The Spektral Quartet performs a free concert 7 p.m. May 18 at the West Charleston Library and 2 p.m. May 19 at the Winchester Cultural Center. Tickets for the May 19 show are $10-$12.

Info: spektralquartet.com— Andrew Kiraly

Santa Monica May 3-25. The artist Robby Martin, aka Biscuit Street Preacher, shows new mixed-media work that celebrates the sunny, splashy pastimes of Santa Monica, from tanning in the sand to fishing on the famous pier. Trifecta Gallery in the Arts Factory Red, White and Blue Exhibition May 7-July 19. An artist invitational exploring monochromatic patriotic colors through a variety of subjects. Artists included in the exhibit are Erik Beehn, Diane Bush, Shane Cooper, Justin Favela, Stewart Freshwater, Richard Hooker, Sandra Ward and Joseph Watson. Free.

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April Showers Bring May Flowers Exhibition May 9-July 1; Artists’ reception May 9, 5:307:30 p.m. An artist invitational featuring images of flowers. Artists include Tom Bisesti, Montana Black and more. Free.

Historic Fifth Street School Mayor’s Gallery

The Pinpoint Remains May 31 through July 27; Reception and Artist Talk May 31, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Stephen Hendee’s site-specific sculpture installation references the natural desert landscape while calling attention to the lack of a sense of place in the man-made environment of Las Vegas. His boulder-like forms emit a soft, fluorescent glow that shift with perspective. Free. Clark County Government Center Rotunda Gallery Dreamhouse Through June 1. In this exhibit of paintings and sculpture, Mary Warner, Mark Brandvik and Emily Kennerk engage the image of house and home. They question the American Dream, society’s constructed notion of the perfect home, and the seduction of architecture and objects.

Winchester Cultural Center Gallery Left of Center Juried Art Exhibition Through June 1. Artists working in all media and from all backgrounds are represent-

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Celebrating Life! 2012 Exhibitions and Awards Reception May 25-July 11; Awards Reception May 25, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. A 12th annual juried exhibit for artists aged 50 and better with six media categories, each awarded first, second, third and honorable mention awards: Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media, Photography, Sculpture and Ceramics, Watercolor and Gouache, plus a best of show award. Free. Charleston Heights Arts Center Ballroom, www.artslasvegas.org

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Also playing in 2012 June 21 — October 20

The Merry Wives of Windsor Mary Stuart Titus Andronicus Scapin To Kill a Mockingbird Hamlet Stones in His Pockets

Claude Monet: Impressions of Light Through Jan. 6, 2013. In partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art showcases works that reflect the height of Monet’s work with painting and light. The exhibit features 20 pieces by Monet and eight paintings by his predecessors and contemporaries. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art hello sweetie: New work by Mikayla Whitmore May 4-26; opening reception May 4, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. How do terms of endearment that women hear so often affect the ways in which they progress and digress? Las Vegas native and 2012 NAC Jackpot grant recipient Mikayla Whitmore illustrates questions of condescension vs. compliment through photography and thread.

Free. Kleven Contemporary inside Emergency Arts, www.mikaylawhitmore.com First Friday May 4 and June 1, 6 p.m.-midnight. Downtown’s monthly arts and culture event goes green in May, featuring an exotic animal petting zoo, custom bicycle show, art exhibits, open galleries, live music and DJs, 20 food trucks and new drinking options, performances and more.

Free. Arts District and Fremont East in the Get Back Alley 6 p.m.-2 a.m. www. firstfridaylasvegas.com

DANCE Puebla Linda May 5, 6 p.m. Xyachimal Folklorico recreates in dance the Battle of Puebla, the great battle of Cinco de Mayo, in which Mexican forces defeated the French. The show features traditions and folkloric dancing from states such as Puebla, Nayarit, Michoacan, Yucatan, Sinaloa, Chiapas and Jalisco. $6. Winchester Cultural Center

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Nevada Ballet Theatre’s 40th Anniversary Gala with Matt Goss May 5, 7 p.m. Nevada Ballet Theatre, the Las Vegas Philharmonic and guest artists from American Ballet Theatre and Pacific Northwest Ballet celebrate NBT’s 40 years in Las Vegas and commemorate its debut on the Reynolds Hall stage. A spectacular evening of dance and music includes George Balanchine’s classic “Serenade” set to Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings,” “White Swan Pas de deux” from Swan Lake, as well as original choreography by James Canfield set to live music

by Matt Goss and his band. Tickets $43$503. The Smith Center, nevadaballet.org

Mother’s Day Dinner and Dance May 12, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Enjoy dancing to Swing-era music performed by Walt Boenig Big Band after a dinner by At Your Service Catering. $20.

Charleston Heights Arts Center Ballroom, artslasvegas.org InsideOut – Confessions May 19, 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Enjoy an original dance drama presented by the West Las Vegas Arts Center Performance Ensemble Company. InsideOut explores the minds and expresses the vision of today’s youth, combining dance, music, and spoken word to dramatize real-life experiences. Free, but tickets are required in advance. West Las Vegas Library Theatre, 229-4800 The Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater’s Five-Year Anniversary Concert May 29, 7:30 p.m. Celebrating five years, LVCDT Founding Artistic Director Bernard H. Gaddis showcases a program that includes Ulysses Dove’s “Vespers,” Milton Myers’ “Variations,” “Lifted” by Rennie Harris and “Metamorphosis II” by Bernard H. Gaddis, as well as “Opulence.” $27-$65.

The Smith Center 5th Annual A Choreographers’ Showcase June 9, 1 p.m. and June 10, 1 p.m. Now in its fifth year, this wildly popular performance will include original works featuring the creative talents of artists from both Nevada Ballet Theatre and Cirque du Soleil. Tickets $20-$40. Viva ELVIS Theatre at ARIA Resort and Casino in CityCenter, nevadaballet.org

MUSIC CSN Spring Dance Concert: “Xenia Goes West” May 4, 7 p.m.; May 5, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The CSN Dance Ensemble, the Concert Dance Company, and Nevada Repertory Dance Theatre present the true life story of Russian ballerina Xenia Clistowa, who hopscotched across Europe at age 15 to evade capture during the Nazi invasion of Leningrad. $5-$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre CSN Jazz Combos May 6, 2 p.m. Kevin Stout leads CSN’s student jazz ensembles in a relaxing afternoon of jazz standards. $5-$8. CSN’s BackStage Theatre CSN Orchestra in Concert May 7, 7:30 p.m. The popular CSN Orchestra performs, conducted by Christopher Davis and featuring student soloists. $5$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre

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CSN Concert Band May 8, 7:30 p.m. Under the baton of Dr. Richard McGee, the 55-piece CSN Concert Band will perform forgotten gems by great composers Alfred Reed, W. Francis McBeth and John Phillip Sousa, as well as newly published works for the genre. $5-$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre UNLV Jazz Concert Series: Jazz Combos May 9, 7 p.m. and May 20, 2 p.m. This series highlights the best student musicians from UNLV’s Jazz Studies Program. Each month,

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We usually think of the mind and the body as two separate entities — entities that often bicker, fight and wrestle with one another. Montreal's 7 Fingers' show "PSY" will merge mind and body, exploring and expressing the mystery of the human psyche through mindboggling circus acts that display plenty of physical prowess — but with a touch of surreal humor as well. 7 Fingers performs 7:30 p.m. May 15-16 at The Smith Center. Tickets $24-$59.

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different ensembles perform various styles of jazz from mainstream to contemporary, including vocals and big band. Free. Clark County Library’s Main Theater CSN Big Bands May 9, 7:30 p.m. Celebrate the music of the Swing Era with the CSN Big Band led by Walter Blanton, and the CSN Sextet. $5$8. CSN’s Nicholas J. Horn Theatre Sweet Honey in the Rock May 9, 7:30 p.m. This Grammy Award-winning vocal performance troupe performs a cappella renditions of soul, blues, gospel, reggae, jazz improvisation and more. $24-$59. The Smith Center CSN Spring Choral Concert May 10, 7:30 p.m. CSN’s College Singers, Chamber Chorale, Jazz Singers, students of the Voice Classes and the Thurman White Middle School Singers perform. $5-$8. CSN’s Nicholas J. Horn Theatre James Gavin’s Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project May 11, 8:30 p.m.; May 12, 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

Starring Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Stormy Weather is about Lena Horne, from her reign at MGM’s “dream factory” to fabled night club singer and civil rights activist, featuring rare audio clips, video footage and thrilling performances. $45-$69. The Smith Center Rick Arroyo’s Latin Jazz Quintet May 12, 6 p.m. The band performs tunes from its new CD, “Mr. P,” including pieces in the Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles as well as such jazz standards as “Tin Tin Deo.” $10 advance, $12 door. Winchester Cultural Center The Las Vegas Philharmonic ˇ Masterworks V: DvoRák, Beethoven and Respighi May 12, 8 p.m.; pre-concert conversation with Maestro Itkin 7:15 p.m. The Las Vegas Philharmonic concludes its 2011-12 season with Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9, Beethoven’s “Consecration of the House” and Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome,” featuring brass players in the house as well as on stage. $42-$82. The Smith Center

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Downtown Cultural Series Las Vegas Wind Quintet Concert May 18, noon-1 p.m. Bring your lunch and enjoy a program of folk, light classical and woodwind favorites by the Las Vegas Wind Quintet. Free. Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse Jury Assembly Room, 333 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 229-3515 Ancestral Rhythms May 18, 7 p.m. Nigerian Master Drummer Dele Adelfemi leads a drum circle with

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guest drummers from many cultural backgrounds. Dele will also tell stories and explain the cultural significance of drums and percussion in cultures around the world. $7.

Winchester Cultural Center The Desert Winds Community Band: Don Quixote May 18 and 19, 7:30 p.m. This non-profit concert band made up of volunteer musicians from all walks of life will perform Robert

W. Smith’s 3rd Symphony: “Don Quixote”.

Free. May 18 at Bonanza High School Theater, 6665 Del Rey Ave. and May 19 at Green Valley United Methodist, 2200 Robindale Road, Henderson, www.facebook. com/thedesertwinds Jane Monheit May 18, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.; May 19, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The jazz songstress marks the release of her 10th album with an intimate

live performance. $35-$45. Cabaret Jazz in The Smith Center Spektral Quartet May 18, 7 p.m. West Charleston Library; May 19, 2 p.m. Winchester Cultural Center Chicago’s Spektral Quartet comfortably mixes Haydn and Beethoven with Philip Glass, George Crumb and newer composers. For this concert, they will perform Josef Haydn’s Quartet in F major, Op. 77 No. 2; “Dig Absolutely” by young Chicago composer Christopher Fisher-Lochhead and Maurice Ravel’s Quartet in F major.

West Charleston show is free; Winchester show is $10 advance, $12 door Buddy Guy with Quinn Sullivan May 19, 8 p.m. The quintessential blues legend showcases his famous fretwork with 12-year-old blues prodigy Quinn Sullivan. $26-$79. The Smith Center Barbara Cook May 24-26, 8 p.m.; May 27, 3 p.m. Master of the Broadway musical Barbara Cook performs from a rich repetoire that includes some of her most beloved songs. $40-$70.

Cabaret Jazz in The Smith Center Dynamic Trombone Quartet in Concert May 26, 2 p.m. A concert with a repertoire spanning many styles and genres including classical, popular and contemporary songs.

Directed by Walt Boenig, a veteran of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the musicians of the Dynamic Trombone Quartet are all longtime Las Vegas music professionals. Free with ticket reservation. Charleston Heights Arts Center Theatre, www.artslasvegas.org Taiko Drum Spectacular May 27, 2 p.m. Tsurunokai Taiko of Reno and Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko perform together for an afternoon of thunderous folkloric drum rhythms. Free. Clark County Library’s Main Theater

THEATER Reefer Madness: The Musical Through May 12, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. Cult phenomenon “Reefer Madness” began its cinematic life as a 1936 cautionary film entitled “Tell Your Children.” Now it has a new life as a crazy off-Broadway musical presented by Chaos Theatre Company in conjunction with Insurgo Theater Movement. Tickets: $19.99 plus tax for locals, $29.99 plus tax general admission. Insurgo Theater at The Plaza Hotel and Casino, Reservations: insurgotheater.org Rainbow Company Youth Theatre Presents Sleeping Beauty May 4-5, 7 p.m.; May 5-6, 2 p.m. This glee-

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ful version of the age-old tale features a weapons-wise, no-nonsense heroine who combats a wicked wizard and his bumbling sidekick. The entire family will be tickled by this wacky and lively production. $3-$7. Charleston Heights Arts Center, artslasvegas.org A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum May 3, 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. and May 6 at 2 p.m.

Farce, puns, slamming doors, mistaken identities and satirical comment on social class highlight this bawdy musical comedy with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, presented by Nevada Conservatory Theatre. $20-$30. UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre, pac.unlv.edu Lily Tomlin May 13, 2 p.m. This Mother’s Day performance sees renowned actress and comedian Lily Tomlin reprising some of her most beloved characters and comic monologues. $29-$89. The Smith Center PSY by 7 Fingers May 15-16, 7:30 p.m. This surreal, experimental circus troupe explores the human psyche — including the dark side of

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our unconscious mind — with mind-boggling circus spectacle. $24-$59.

The Smith Center A Grand Night for Singing May 18 and 19, 7 p.m. Super Summer Theatre begins its 37th season with performances of a nostalgic journey through Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most beloved songs from Broadway hits like “Oklahoma!,” “Carousel,” “South Pacific” and “The Sound of Music” performed by top talent from around Las Vegas. $8$10. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, showtix4u.com

FAMILY & FESTIVALS SPACE: A Journey to Our Future - Feature Film Continuous showings daily, starting at 10 a.m. This 6-minute movie shares how the space travels of today and yesterday help us to look far into the future of our exploration of the universe. Free for members or included with general admission. Origen Museum in the Springs Preserve

The Diary of Anne Frank May 20, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. This timeless story of young Anne Frank and her family is a drama of hope, perseverance and grief.

Produced by the Jewish Repertory Theatre. $27-$37. Troesh Studio Theater in The Smith Center

SPACE: A Journey to Our Future - Exhibit Through May 13, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

In this interactive exhibit produced in collaboration with NASA, you’ll touch a lunar sample, step onto the “Moon Scale,” take a spin in the centrifuge and create your own mission to Mars.

Free for members or included with general admission. Origen Museum in the Springs Preserve

Mary Poppins May 22-26, 7:30 p.m.; May 26 and 27, 2 p.m.

Featuring new dance numbers and classic songs, this Broadway production of Mary Poppins is a spectacle for all ages. $24$129. The Smith Center

Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!

Through May 13. This exhibition inspires young children’s natural curiosity as they explore early science, math and engineering through hands-on interactive play. Visitors will recognize

familiar characters and places featured in the classic stories and the television series. Entrance included with $9.50/ $8.50 general admission. Cultural Gallery at Lied Discovery Children’s Museum, ldcm.org Las Vegas Natural History Museum’s Science Expo Day May 5, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. The week-long Las Vegas Science Festival culminates in an all-day Expo. Science-related exhibitors offer engaging hands-on activities, entertainment and education cleverly disguised as fun. Robotics and physics demonstrations, prehistoric dinosaurs, amazing insects and other live animals, giant fossils, planetarium shows, rocket launches and more.

Free. Cashman Center, lasvegassciencefestival.com Girl Scout Night with the Las Vegas 51s May 18, 7:05 p.m. Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada and the Las Vegas 51s celebrate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts at Cashman Field with activities that include a fireworks display. $10 tickets and $2 commemorative patches are only avail-

able at www.girlscoutsnv.org or Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada Leadership Center, 385-3677 8th Annual Runnin’ for the House 5K Run and 1 mile walk May 19, 6 a.m.-10 a.m. Support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas, warm up with Ronald McDonald and enjoy a pancake breakfast at a Family Festival with music and interactive kids’ activities. $15-$40. Ronald McDonald House, 2323 Potosi St. Registration: rmhlv.com Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964 May 19-July 27, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. This bilingual exhibition explores the lives and times of Bracero workers and their families with rich insights into the Mexican-American experience, and provides a historical bridge to modern guest-worker debates.

Free for members or included with general admission. Big Springs Gallery in the Springs Preserve Nevada School of the Arts Summer String Camp June 11-15. Youngsters ages three through high school can enhance their music stud-

ies on violin, viola and cello in a creative and rich musical environment. $185-$325, Nevada School of the Arts, nsamusic.org

FUNDRAISERS An Evening of Fashion, Pampering and Purpose May 4, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Tease Boutique Salon and Luxury host An Evening of Fashion, Pampering and Purpose to benefit Helping Hands Surgical Care, which funds and facilitates medically necessary surgeries for uninsured Nevadans. $40-$240, Tease Boutique Salon, 9540 W. Flamingo Road #160, helpinghandssurgicalcare.com/pampering Third Annual Ladybug Ball May 19, 6 p.m. Benefiting Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation, this event raises critical funds needed to help Las Vegas-area children who are blind and visually impaired. Hosted by the Wagners from “Wake Up with the Wagners” on KSNV My News 3, the evening includes a cocktail reception with the Liberace Scholars String Quartet, a gourmet dinner, silent auction and dance to live music. Single tickets $200, $2,000 for tables of 10. Pinyon Ballroom at Aria Resort and Casino, nvblindchildren.org

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o

Downtown dive Oscar Goodman once glibly proposed imploding the Union Plaza to pave a better prospect to what would later become Symphony Park. Today, the former mayor’s name is stamped on a restaurant in the resort that’s now slicking and primping for maximum swank in the New Downtown. But the truth is that the Union Plaza (now just the Plaza) was always experimenting with swankitude in several forms. As depicted in this 1972 photo, there was originally a pool on the second-floor overlook where Oscar’s now serves up beef and buxom she-mascots.

Of course, something was bound to trickle down. After about a decade of hosting feather-haired femmes and white-slacked guys with porn ’staches, complaints emerged that the pool was leaking onto the

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porte-cochère below. The dry idea: Replace the pool with a restaurant. Originally opening as the Center Stage gourmet room, by some accounts the place whimpered by, failing to snag downtown gamblers more interested in clogging arteries than wrapping mouths around culinary gymnastics. The Center Stage found greater success when it embraced a classic steak-and-seafood menu. Later incarnations of the site — sports bar, tapas nightspot — didn’t prove as successful until it landed on its current avatar: A restaurant that trades on Old Vegas spirit. The pool that hosted thousands of bathers and baskers? We’re told it was emptied but never filled in, and holds its breath just below the floorboards. — Andrew Kiraly

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