Desert companion - December 2014

INSIDE A COP’S HEAD FACE MIND-BLOWING STRESS, THEY

by

BUT NEED MORE BACKUP

Heidi Kyser

12 DECEMBER

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PLUS

BACK OF THE CLASS

A FAMILY TRIP GOES TERRIBLY, HILARIOUSLY WRONG

Question 3’s defeat was a milestone. So what’s next for our schools? pg. 15

PEN TO MOUTH

Comics artist Larime Taylor doesn’t draw to inspire you — but he just might pg. 36 esc spä argot our tzle fro s Rest m of th auran t e Ye ar

pg. 51

THE EIGHTEENTH

annual

RESTAURANTawards

AND AND MANY MANY MORE M

MORE E SHOPS SHOPS

EDiTOR’S Note

Raise your forks

I

have this borderline stalker-ish awe and admiration for chefs, probably because I myself am an enthusiastic cook. Enthusiastic but terrible. Oh, sure, I’ve got the sandwich and salad basics down, and I can whip up an incredibly digestible smoothie, but flip on an oven burner and any dubious culinary instincts of mine go rogue, resulting in infamous dishes such as Soup Casserole Delite, Meatish Surprise II, Fish Brittle and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Hey What Exactly Is This. So, any trip to a restaurant with more than two dollar signs on Yelp guarantees that I’ll spend half the meal vivisecting my entrée with the delicacy of a neurosurgeon, hoping to somehow grok the gossamer secrets of the chef’s soul.

I was especially spoiled this year. I’ve lost count of how many new restaurants opened, but yeah, I’ll take the invention of foie gras cotton candy as a sign that 2014 was the year Vegas got an electoral majority of its groove back.

Foie gras cotton candy, by the way, is the brainchild of the restlessly innovative José Andrés, whose latest project, Bazaar Meat, is a culinary anchor in the new SLS Las Vegas on the North Strip. It’s also a convenient metaphor for an exciting year of dining in which we saw spirited mashups of high and low, East and West, uptown and down-home, classy and casual.

And it’s just one of the restaurants that was part of our critics’ conversation leading up to their selections for the (elaborate flourish!) 2014 Restaurant Awards (p. 51). Once again, we’ve turned Next MOnth to some of the valley’s most discerning mouths and exuberant eaters — Al ManRing in the new year cini of Vegas Seven, native foodie and with some culturist James Reza, critic-at-large Jim Big Ideas!

Begley and Desert Companion’s own Deb*party horn blast* bie Lee — to serve up their picks for the

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year’s best chefs, restaurants and dishes.

A quick detour into where the sausage is made. Now, usually, the critics’ first-blush nominations slowly and eventually settle into a graceful orbit of nodding consensus — favorites emerge, second-placers float off, everyone goes home friends — and balance is restored to The Force. But this year, the seeming volume of new restaurants arriving on the scene — whether it was big splashes on the Strip or boutique micro-spots in Chinatown — meant that the critics’ nominations, in short, were a crazy quilt Rorschach splatter of undiluted passion. It took numerous sessions of wrangling, argument, discussion, feverish emailing and, in some cases, hostage negotiations to sort it all out and avoid too many fork-based stab wounds.

Many worthy nominees didn’t make the final list. Tough love reigned; we resisted the sketchy urge to enlarge the tent with new categories to accommodate all the excellence, dole out As for effort or grade on a curve. If a category didn’t inspire the critics to pitch nominees they’d kill for, we shelved it. After all, what’s the meaning of an award if everyone wins? Which isn’t to say that there aren’t killer dishes that deserve singling out for a mouthful of praise — that’s where our Side Dish awards come in, highlighting plates (and the personalities behind them) that helped define the dining year.

So, raise your fork to this year’s Restaurant Awards winners. And dig in — because the best part is that this celebration of excellence is edible.

Andrew Kiraly editor

Follow Desert Companion www.facebook.com/DesertCompanion www.twitter.com/DesertCompanion

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HEALTH

For “Out There,” an essay in our November issue, journalist George Knapp looked back on his decades of reporting on Area 51, and the craziness that followed his first story LICENSE TO CHILL on UFO whistleblower Bob Lazar, 25 years B ago. “Love all your stuff, George,” effused commenter Moe Flanagan. “I also believe Bob Lazar.” Joining the 54 amen corner was Patricia Howe Butcher: “Great reporting and later and we know nothing more than investigating.” Reader Paul Terry thinks we did then.”

Also in November’s issue, staff writthe mock-ready topic of Area 51 might er Heidi Kyser looked at the division overshadow Knapp’s other journalistic between licensed psychologists and achievements. “Like an actor forever various therapists over who can employ typecast due to one singular, stand-out hypnotherapy. Recent court actions have role,” Terry writes, “despite a great body favored limiting the practice to psycholoof eclectic investigative work you will gists. But commenter Loretta Peters Martin, be forever typecast by certain dismissive colleagues as the nutty UFO reporter.” a certified and advanced clinical hypnotist and life coach at the Hypnosis Center of Of course, vindication will arrive with Nashville, writes on Facebook that there’s the first verified alien. “The irony,” Terry adds, “is one day, when and if extrater- a downside to that. “A huge problem with this is that ‘licensed’ psychologists might restrial intelligence is confirmed and undeniable, it will be regarded as per- only take a class or two in hypnosis, so they don’t have the training to be effective with haps the most important news story of hypnosis. In some cases, ‘licensed’ psycholthe century, and you were at the leading edge of that pioneering effort.” Less pie- ogists have caused more harm than good to their clients because they didn’t know tin-in-the-sky was Facebooker William what they were doing. During my 14 years Garbacz, who thinks, “Twenty-five years A battle is brewing over who can perform hypnotherapy, and who can’t. At stake: the careers of hypnotherapists — and the mental health of their clients B Y H E I D I K YS E R

B

y the time Rachel Blanchette turned to hypnotherapy for help, she’d been cutting herself for nearly a decade. The self-destructive compulsion started when Blanchette was 16. By her mid-20s, she wasn’t just embarrassed by it; she was sick of it — sick of avoiding relationships and situations that could expose her secret.

“I was at a point where I was stuck,” Blanchette says today. “As an adult, I felt I was dealing with a teenage problem. I wanted to grow up and move on with my life.”

She’d done talk therapy before, and it didn’t work. But in her desperation, Blanchette decided to give counseling another shot. An Internet search and a few phone calls led her to a Las Vegas marriage

and family therapist she clicked with. The therapist listened to Blanchette’s story, and then told her she might benefit from hypnosis. Cutting, the therapist explained, is like an addiction. A long-term solution would require addressing more than just the behavior; she’d need to get to the root cause of the behavior — something hypnosis could help with — and work on that.

Blanchette knew a little about hypnosis from an aunt who’d used it to quit smoking. “In my family, we used to tease her about it,” she says. “But she never picked up another cigarette.”

Blanchette decided to go for it. She had several months of sessions, in which the therapist used hypnosis in addition to other techniques (“It was just one tool in her

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toolbox,” Blanchette says). But she knew early on it was working. She recalls one early session, in particular: “While I was in the hypnotic state, I went back to childhood and forgave people I had problems with and even myself. … It was really powerful. I was finally able to move on. It felt like a miracle.”

That was five years ago, and Blanchette hasn’t cut herself since. This year, she got married and moved out of state.

Someone with similar issues might have trouble finding a hypnotherapist in Nevada now. That’s because the hypnotherapy done on Blanchette — performed by a marriage and family therapist — is illegal, at least according to the state’s Board of Psychology Examiners. Based on an obscure 2009 Nevada Supreme Court

opinion, early this year the psychology board started sending cease and desist letters to a variety of professionals telling them, essentially, that unless they’re licensed psychologists, they’re not allowed to practice hypnotherapy.

“Basically, I’m unemployed, as are all of our graduates,” says Robert Bud James, who runs hypnotherapy training school New Vistas International in Reno. “That’s the severity of the impact. … My business partner, who’s a marriage and family therapist, used hypnotherapy at a pain clinic for four years. These are legitimate professionals who are helping people.”

As of this writing, the situation is in limbo. Attorneys representing unions for people who practice hypnotherapy have asked the psychology board to lift its cease and desist order. (The practice of biofeedback is also included in the ban, but has been the subject of less pushback by professionals.) The psych board, in turn, has asked the state’s attorney general to render her own interpretation of the law. As they await the AG’s opinion, expected to be delivered in November, a panoply of licensed and unlicensed professionals are holding their breath; from drug and alcohol counselors to sociologists, guidance counselors to life coaches, they believe their livelihoods — and the well-being of Nevadans like Blanchette — depend on what happens next.

YOU ARE (NOT) GETTING VERY SLEEPY

y the time you arrive for your first face-to-face appointment with hypnotherapist Kevin Cole, he’s already started working on you. Over the phone, he’s spent time getting to know you, helping you articulate your goals and making sure you’re ready for his service. So, when you finally do step into his small, warm office tucked in an outof-the-way professional park on South Pecos, you have a pretty clear idea why you’re there.

Still, Cole doesn’t rush into things. He has you fill out an intake form that makes it clear that he doesn’t diagnose or treat illness and doesn’t prescribe medication.

He carefully explains what hypnosis isn’t

of practicing, I’ve had occasional clients come to see me after they said they were ‘traumatized’ by their therapist attempting to use hypnosis, by taking them back to a rape, incest or traumatic occurrence in a way that made them relive it all over again.” Since the story went to press, the Nevada Board of Psychology Examiners has reportedly rescinded its cease-anddesist order for unlicensed practitioners and negotiations are ongoing.

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Our Geek Issue, meant to celebrate triumphant nerd-dom in Las Vegas, turned out to be a rueful read for one April Herbert. “Sadly, the best, most 55 awesome place in Las Vegas Geekdom no longer exists,” she commented on Desert Companion’s Facebook page. “Star Trek: the Experience closed its door six years ago, but for 10 years before that it was Mecca for anyone who wanted to visit the 24th century. When it closed, many thousands of Trekkies suddenly cried out, and were suddenly silent. (Yeah, I know I’m mixing universes. Whatever.) It was the best job in the galaxy.” Well, perhaps having been struck down, Star Trek: the Experience will become more powerful than we can possibly imagine, and somehow live long and prosper.

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“Great article. It made me mad as hell, but still a great article.” — Reader Eric James Miller on Steve Sebelius’ November report on government tax breaks for businesses.

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December 2014

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Features you can eat!

It’s our 18th annual Restaurant Awards, in which the valley’s top critics weigh in on their favorite chefs, dishes and restaurants of 2014. Dig in!

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65 Chef’s Choice

Our first annual survey of local chefs and restaurateurs has them raving (and ranting) about the valley’s dining scene

68 high alert It’s no secret that policework is stressful. But what happens when that stress boils over?

Police officials are increasingly aware of the importance of mental wellness for cops. But are our law enforcement agencies doing enough to keep cops’ brains safe and sane?

food: Christopher Smith

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32

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departments All Things

28 essay

43 Dining

89 The Guide

15 education Life

Reconnecting with my old man through movies and his music

By Lonn Friend

44 The Dish The

More culture than a yogurt factory!

32 discomfort zone

47 Eat this now The

after Question 3 18 college The UNLV

prez process 20 zeit bites What

the Kveck?

22 Profile Something

sweet from Denmark 24 style Polly’s

personal style touch

The perils of trying to relive a family’s magic mountain trip

By Jarret Keene 36 profile Mouth artist Larime Taylor’s killer instinct

By Andrew Kiraly

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season’s eatings are in these hot fall menus

By Mitchell Wilburn Vegas Meets Italy pizza marries the sweet and savory 48 at first Bite The

culinary fires burn bright at Hearthstone

By Debbie Lee

96 End note Ain’t no Christmas like a Vegas Christmas ’cause a Vegas Christmas don’t stop (drinking, that is)

By Alissa Nutting

on the cover Escargots spätzle from our Restaurant of the Year Photography Sabin Orr

C H e f, I l l u s t r at o r a n d P i a n i s t : B i l l H u g h e s ; I l l u s t r at i o n : H e r n a n Va l e n c i a

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Mission Statement Desert Companion is the premier city magazine that celebrates the pursuits, passions and aspirations of Southern Nevadans. With awardwinning 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.

Publisher Melanie Cannon Associate Publisher Christine Kiely Editor Andrew Kiraly Art Director Christopher Smith deputy editor Scott Dickensheets staff writer Heidi Kyser Graphic Designer Brent Holmes Account executives Sharon Clifton, Favian Perez, Markus Van’t Hul NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Couture Marketing 145 E 17th Street, Suite B4 New York, NY 10003 (917) 821-4429 advertising@couturemarketing Marketing manager Lisa Kelly Subscription manager Chris Bitonti Web administrator Danielle Branton traffic & sales associate Kimberly Chang ADVERTISING COPY EDITOR Carla J. Zvosec

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Contributing writers Jim Begley, Chris Bitonti, Cybele, Lonn Friend, Mélanie Hope, Jarret Keene, Wendy Kveck, Debbie Lee, Al Mancini, Christie Moeller, Alissa Nutting, Launce Rake, James P. Reza, Greg Thilmont, Kristy Totten, Mitchell Wilburn Contributing artists Bill Hughes, Aaron Mayes, Chris Morris, Sabin Orr 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

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Dine at any of our Las Vegas restaurants and receive priority reservations, preferred seating and one complimentary dessert per couple.Compliments of the Chef!

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It is available by subscription at desertcompanion.com, or as part of Nevada Public Radio membership. It is also distributed free at select locations in the Las Vegas Valley. All photos, 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.

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TOP LAWYERS 2014

On October 28, more than 350 guests joined us for the Desert

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What is the meaning of this frosted face? page 20

we d on't need no education?

EDUCATION

Adrift With the margins tax dead and a murky legislative session ahead, Nevada’s schools face an urgent future B y L au n c e R a k e

“T

he public school is at once the symbol of our democracy and the most pervasive means for promoting our common destiny,” Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter said in 1948.

Six decades later, that wisdom seems more up-for-grabs than ever. Schools are in trouble all over the country, but the issues buffeting public education — lack of funding, aging infrastructure, uncertain public support — seem particularly acute in Nevada.

Following last month’s solid electoral defeat of the Question 3 school-funding tax by a vote of 79 percent to 21 percent, the situation seems particularly muddled. Termed the Education Initiative, Question 3 was a 2-percent tax on businesses making more than $1 million a year; it would have added an estimated $800 million to the $2.5 billion Nevada’s public schools get from the state. With that measure safely dead, some of the officials and organizations

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ALL Things

education

that led the effort to defeat it — the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, Gov. Brian Sandoval — have promptly declared the need to rescue education.

Sandoval says he will propose a package of solutions when the Legislature meets in February. But the same election that so decisively defeated Question 3 also saw a raft of new, tax-averse conservatives fill out the GOP majorities in both the Assembly and state Senate.

So it’s back to the drawing board for teachers, administrators and the apparently shrinking core of public-school defenders, who will have to work with this new Legislature to once again find Band-Aids to stop the fiscal hemorrhaging that has made Nevada No. 49 of the 50 states in terms of per-pupil spending on instruction. The bad news is that such stopgaps won’t address the estimated $6.9 billion in capital needs for the Clark County School District alone. Almost half of CCSD’s classrooms are in buildings 10-24 years old, says Carolyn Edwards, returned by voters to the School Board for a third and final term. Another 20 percent are older. “You have aging schools, rising enrollment and no capital fund.”

(Voters defeated a school-rehab and construction bond in 2012.)

“We have needs, as well, as far as the ability to attract and retain teachers,” Edwards said. “We have a starting salary of $32,000, $33,000. In Texas, which also has no income tax, it’s $44,000. So it’s hard to compete with that.” Not surprisingly, CCSD opened this school year with hundreds of vacant teaching positions.

The good news, perhaps, is that there’s not much farther Nevada can fall.

‘something must be done’ According to Education Week’s annual report on public school systems, Nevada ranked 51st when it comes to a student’s “chance for success.” As of the 2010-11 year, just 62 percent of Nevada’s students graduated on time, dead last among all the states that reported (three did not). Nevada’s 2011 instructional spending per pupil was in the bottom tenth among the states. At $8,222 per

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student, that’s about $2,000 less than the national average. Student population growth, which slowed during the recession, easing stress on the infrastructure, is picking up again.

Though the state has seen modest improvements in math and reading scores, clearly the situation is critical. Yet it seems the only consensus that Nevadans can reach is about what not to do.

“The voters sent a clear message that, in their view, a gross-receipts tax was not the appropriate vehicle to fund education,” Senator-elect Becky Harris told Desert Companion after the election. She’s been tagged as the likely chairwoman of the Senate’s education committee. She listed her priorities as teacher shortages, class-size reduction, early literacy programs, English language learners and teacher development.

Her playbook seems to mirror Sandoval’s, which is far from the ideological edge that conservatives have proposed in other parts of the country. During the run-up to the election, though, she also promoted “school choice” as the solution to educational challenges — that is, support for charter schools, vouchers for private schools. (The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council gives Nevada high marks for expanding charter programs last year.) Those concepts might gain traction in the 2015 Legislature.

Jeff Hinton, a teacher at Northwest Career and Technical Academy, was named Nevada Teacher of the Year last December. He failed to win a seat in the Assembly, where he had hoped to argue for increased school funding. He’s not opposed to reforms — merit pay for high-performing teachers, for example — but notes that they carry a price tag.

“These reforms cost money,” he said, “and I believe that Nevadans need to make the financial investment in our future. If we want to live in a modern state with a high-quality education system, we will need to pay for it. It is that simple.”

Annette Magnus, director of Progress Now Nevada, promises that funding will be on top of the agenda for liberal advocacy groups in the next session.

“Something must be done,” she said.

“We cannot keep kicking the can down the road because we have done that for years and it doesn’t work.”

looking ahead If you’re looking for recent precedents for optimism, you’ll probably be disappointed. Other than a stab at boosting school monies in 2003 in a rancorous session of the Legislature, state action has been a series of short-term measures.

So, what does the 2015 Legislature portend? With the margins tax defeated, elements of the business community are signaling a willingness to work toward a solution. Last month, the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance was scheduled to hold a panel talk with business leaders, politicians and education-union officials.

Even the Chamber of Commerce, which led the charge against Question 3 and can reliably be counted to oppose any “additional revenue” (i.e., taxes), said that more money has to be found.

At the same time, both houses of the Legislature are in the hands of conservatives who believe they have a mandate to stop any tax increase — at least, that’s what the would-be Assembly speaker, Ira Hansen of Sparks, told the Review-Journal.

Though Hansen eventually stepped down, the sentiment that initially positioned him as speaker — as one GOP insider told journalist Jon Ralston, Assembly Republicans “wanted someone who wouldn’t toe the company line and was willing to make some noise” — remains. And noise is probably a certainty on this issue, from every part of the political spectrum.

Still, while there's every ingredient for a difficult, potentially fruitless process, Sandoval and moderate Republicans want a public-school win to show the voters.

For her part, Edwards did not vote for Question 3 — she wasn’t convinced it would be a net win for the schools. But she says that money is going to be part of any positive change in schools.

“We hear the Legislature saying, ‘We can’t throw money at education,’” Edwards said. “I’d like them to try, because I don’t think we’ve ever ‘thrown money at education.’”

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ALL Things

higher ed

analytics

Welcome!

Well, maybe. Observations on the process that yielded a new UNLV president

By Scott Dickensheets

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However, his comment came shortly after the revelations that top gaming officials — pretty much the definition of “external partners” in this town — had emailed the school’s interim president, Don Snyder, about a study issued

by UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research. They objected to its rosy projections regarding the Question 3 margins tax. At least one CEO appeared to threaten withdrawal of his company’s support for other UNLV projects. Snyder distanced his administration from the report — a hair-trigger responsiveness to external partners that many immediately saw as an erosion of academic freedoms.

Jessup also said that universities like UNLV must (quoting the RJ’s paraphrase) “try and free themselves of government money and focus on creating revenue through large fundraising campaigns.” In other words, become even more dependent on external partners.

So when he was selected, over UNLV Provost John White and Georgia Regents University President Ricardo Azziz, it was no surprise that there was a throb of social-media angst from a faculty already bruised by frozen wages and recession-driven fears that UNLV would have to cut entire academic departments.

“This is a disaster,” one professor posted, while others critiqued Jessup’s qualifica-

tions (he’s never run a university), salary (at $525,000, considerably more than Smatresk made) and business-attentive attitude. At least one regent wasn’t convinced either. “I just think it’s a huge risk,” Cedric Crear told the Sun, concerned about the lack of experience.

These competing perspectives, of course, are proxy arguments for the real subject under debate, also voiced in January by Molly Corbett Broad of the American Council on Higher Education: “What kind of university do they want UNLV to be?” Can it serve as a fruitful nexus for business partnerships and be a Tier 1 bastion of unfettered academia? With the 2015 Legislature coming up, can Jessup sweet-talk the millions needed for UNLV’s med school from lawmakers — and from a community that’s not in a giving mood? He’s a masterful fundraiser, but education’s a tough sell now. The citizenry frets over unions and waste and character foibles — it’s telling that the RJ’s coverage dwelled heavily on the candidates’ minor shortcomings (Azziz’s inappropriately paid-for carport!) — and doesn’t always bother with the big picture. So part of the equation becomes, how will we react? It seems that the meanings of “responsive” — to whom? in what ways? — sit very near the center of the question-swarm now buzzing toward UNLV’s new leader.

C o u r t e s y O f UNLV

“R

esponsive.” Such a blandly straightforward word, usually taking on the flavor of the context in which it’s used. But there was so much chewy context in the air on Nov. 12, when Len Jessup, then a candidate for UNLV’s presidency, used the word in a public forum, that you wanted to geotag it to see where it ended up on the spectrum of possible meanings.

The topic was academic freedom.

Here’s what Jessup said, according to the Review-Journal: “Academic freedom is very important and (is) something that needs to be preserved and protected fundamentally.

You’ve got to find a balance between that and the new model for American public higher-ed, (which) is more partnerships externally and you’ve got to be responsive to those external partners.”

To many ears, that’s not at all controversial — a modern university should work hand-in-hand with community institutions, including business, if it’s going to thrive. “If you don’t weld the community to the school, you don’t have a shot,” the late Jim Rogers, business mogul and onetime higher-ed chancellor, told Desert Companion a year ago, after the resignation of previous UNLV boss Neal Smatresk.

Looking ahead to the president search to come, Regent Kevin Page endorsed a businesslike mindset for whoever got the job: “This is running a big business.” (See “But you just got here,” January.) Jessup, by the way, runs the Eller School of Management at the University of Arizona.

ALL Things

zeit bites Antisocial media

visual literacy

Looking at art with artists Wendy Kveck talks about her painting, “Couched” The hybrid: The female figures in my paintings are often collages of multiple images. Through repetition, dissection and reconfiguration, the resulting hybrids may suggest shared experience, the construction or layering of identities, the potential of transformation ...

Line and color: Another layer in this work is the more recent influence of children’s art. I’ve been inspired by my niece’s earlier coloring books, in particular what I choose to interpret as the “subversive” color and mark-marking that disregards and in some cases destroys the pristine lines of Disney’s stylized princesses and heroines. The next generation of feminism!

by the numbers

Wendy Kveck’s work will show Dec. 4-27 at Trifecta Gallery, trifectagallery.com

Nevada Ballet Theater

33: Years NBT has presented The Nutcracker 3: Years for this version, conceived and choreographed

by Artistic Director James Canfield 100 +: Performers 60: Performers who are students

December 2014

A postmortem on Life is Beautiful, in the form of posts to the neighborhood’s NextDoor.com page It did definitely seem like Skrillex turned it up at about 11 last night.

I have two boys and with disabilities, it was hell.

We were not pissed. Just thought it was over the top.

Downtown Las Vegas is not a concert hall. The organizers and government officials ... have shown a total disrespect for all who live in the City of Las Vegas, and who pay taxes.

Suggestion — for Sunday night, schedule the head-bangers for earlier in the evening and some more sedate group for the 11 p.m. slot.

I actually thought it was pretty cool to be able to hear it from my house. … If you live here you should expect some noise: music, helicopter, sirens, etc.

I too was annoyed at the noise level on Friday night, but after a while, I … enjoyed the free concert in my backyard.

(T)his page is full of negative Nancys and grumpy neighbors. It makes me cry.

Being kept up and waking up early on a Monday and dealing with my under-rested child proved to be a task.

Buuuuttttt now it’s Tuesday. We hit the sack early last night, and I seem to have survived intact. Really, there’s no reason to get so snippy with each other!

Two great traditions

THE NUTCRACKER

20

The face: I move between staging and photographing improvisations about female social rituals, and the solitary act of studio painting. The photographs generate source imagery for new paintings and vice versa. In “Couched,” I’ve collaged one of my staged photographs of a frosted woman’s face onto the body of an image sourced from the Internet to disrupt the viewer’s experience of that image. It’s also an over-the-top reference to consumption and a critique of the commodification of women in the media.

Oh, my aching Skrillex!

DesertCompanion.com

30: Height, in feet, of the growing Christmas tree onstage 600: Jewels in each of the snow maidens’ headpieces Dec. 13-21, Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center, $29 and up, nevadaballet.org

THE GREAT SANTA RUN Opportunity Village

10: Years of The Great Santa Run 4,000: Runners the first year 15,000: Projected runners this year 99: Percentage of runners likely to wear Santa suits $136 million: Fundraising goal needed to expand OV’s facility

$500,000: Amount OV hopes to raise from Santa Run $6 million: Wages paid by OV to workers previously considered unemployable Dec. 6, Downtown Las Vegas, opportunityvillage.org

ILLUSTRATION B R E N T HOLM E S

ALL Things

people

profile

Flemming Pedersen pastry chef

H

e really wanted to be a chef. But in Denmark back then, if you aspired to learn kitchen work you had to apprentice at night.

That turned out to be a problem for young Flemming Pedersen. “I played soccer,” he says, which is what boys did where he lived, in a village you’ve never heard of, outside of a slightly larger town you’ve never heard of, outside of Copenhagen. “Soccer practice was also at night.” So there went that plan. A friend who was apprenticing as a baker during the day convinced him to try that, instead.

Four decades later, he’s sitting loose-limbed and relaxed at a table in Chef Flemming’s Bake Shop, on Henderson’s Water Street, the day’s shift over(ish) at 1 o’clock — he rolled in at 3:40 a.m. so he doesn’t have to rush the baking. The display cases are packed with an I want THAT and THAT and THAT selection of cookies, tarts, rolls, breads, bread puddings and much more. As Pedersen talks, the words lightly frosted with a Danish accent, his eyes sweep across a bakery-themed mural painted by his wife. Seven S. Water Street is his own small, delicious corner of the world. He thinks back to his apprenticeship in Holbæk, the slightly larger town, which you’ve now heard of. “I apprenticed with seven different men and women,” he says. “I’m the only one still doing baking.”

Water Street? Not exactly a hotbed of foodie enthusiasm. But the intimate feel of it takes him back. “I’m from a very small town in Denmark,” Pedersen says. “When I graduated, there were 130 kids in the whole school.” So he’s comfortable here. He took over the store from some guy in September 2008 — Hello, recession!

Try a cookie? — in part because the city, in those palmier times, was talking about seriously sprucing up Water Street, and since he lives 10 minutes away, he wanted to be a part of that. (Didn’t quite happen.) Though Pedersen wishes more people would drive in from, say, Anthem — really, folks, the freeway is right there — Flemming’s Bake Shop has built a solid clientele of locals who appreciate the difference between his handmade pastries and the over-sugared glop you snatch off supermarket counters. That was a struggle for a while — he says people complained that his products weren’t sweet enough. “We pride ourselves, as a European bake shop, our products are not so sweet,” he agrees. He and his

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employees don’t trowel the frosting onto the Danishes, for example, in the American-standard too-much-is-never-enough manner. “That’s just part of being European,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be sweet to be flavorful. We probably use 40 percent less sugar.”

It’s a distinction you can taste.

So, a guy calls Flemming’s Bake Shop a few months ago. He needs a specialty Danish cake for a convention of expatriate Danes. “‘Can you make it?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ And he asked, ‘How did you come over,’ and I told him” — brought over in 1976 by a Scandanavian restaurateur who had a big restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia — “and he’d come over the exact same way. The same restaurant had hired him. He left the year before I got there.” Pedersen eventually made his way through a number of Las Vegas pastry kitchens — the Showboat, the Trop, the Flamingo (twice), culminating in 16 years at the Golden Nugget. Now, as his own boss, he can futz with offbeat recipes — tip: try the walnut-onion bread — and indulge customers who bring in family recipes penned in granny’s spidery handwriting. “If I make something special for you, that you request, and I like it, I’m gonna put it in my showcase!” he says, laughing. “Not long ago, someone asked me to make Rocky Road cookies. I had never made them. So I made them. Man, they were good! So they’re now in my rotation. You’ve got to keep it current.”

In his enthusiasm you can glimpse the younger Flemming Pedersen, the one who wanted to get into cooking for a simple but compelling reason: “I really felt good doing it.” — Scott Dickensheets

p h oto g r a p h y B i l l Hu g h e s

December 2014

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ALL Things

style

trendsetter

Polly Weinstein Jeweler, founder of The Jeweler’s Daughter; director of marketing at Tower of Jewels b y C h r i s t i e M o e ll e r

H

ow would you describe your personal style?

A twist on tradition. I let my look be effortless but chic, polished, but not too polished. I like to mix high and low, old and new to create comfortable, functional, stylish ensembles.

Here’s my big style secret: so many of my favorite items are from thrift stores or Target designer collections. On any given day, my outfit consists of thriftstore steals combined with high-end designer investment pieces with layers of jewelry on top. It’s those well-balanced outfits that make me feel like a million bucks! It doesn’t do anything for me to walk into a store and buy an outfit off the rack.

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Your biggest style influence?

My life at any given moment inspires what I’m wearing. I like to slightly overdress for the occasion, whether it’s a day at the office or something on the fancier side.

You’ll always find me in a lot of jewelry — estate or designed by a Weinstein. During the holiday season, when I’m spending most of my time at the store, I like easy, chic outfits that I can throw on. Clean skin and minimal makeup that lasts all day. Rea-

sonable shoes — gasp! At work, I’ve toned down my personal style a bit because it’s important for the jewelry and the service to be what the customer remembers most.

Your number one style rule?

You’ve got to feel good in it! There are no hard and fast fashion rules, as far as I’m concerned. I love navy and black together. We live in Las Vegas! Wear white all year long! Style can’t be taught or listed

P h oto g r a p h y c h r i sto p h e r s m i t h

in a rulebook. Style is feeling confident in what you’re wearing and being aware of the impression it’s making. Considered silhouettes, intentionality, putting some love into your look — that’s style.

Five things she can’t live without this winter

1

Any teenage fashion faux pas you’d rather forget?

Dyeing my hair brown. I was in a school uniform or ballet clothes most of the time, so luckily I didn’t get a ton of opportunities to make fashion faux pas as a young’un, but I decided after that, I am most definitely a blonde.

3

What’s been your best style find?

When I was living in New York, I would scour a certain suburban thrift store for designer goods. One half-priced Wednesday, I discovered a navy blue, silk Gucci button-down with a vintage label, in perfect condition — for $7.99. I almost plotzed. After finding that, I came back once a week and filled my closet with button-downs and blazers from Escada, Armani, Halston and more.

1

Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Magic Cream, $95, Nordstrom in the Fashion Show Mall

2

NARS Cruella velvet matte lip pencil, $25, NARS in the Forum Shops at Caesars

What’s one thing women can do to elevate their style?

In Las Vegas, I would say put your “assets” away. I love my curves. I embrace them, but I keep my hemlines and necklines pretty modest. Our city would shoot up in chic points if ladies started making style decisions based on their own personal tastes rather than on what attracts ogling eyes.

4

Somersault Letterpress “Jumping Deer” and “Santa Wants Beer” holiday cards, $5 each, somersaultletterpress. com

Tom Ford Fragrance “Tobacco Vanille” Eau de Parfum, $525, Neiman Marcus in the Fashion Show Mall

5

I could rock nude nails, red toes and a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress from now until the day I die.

Chic, effortless work ensembles that flow seamlessly from day to night.

We’re open seven days a week from Nov. 13 through Dec. 24, so you’ll find me at the jewelry store rocking business chic now till then.

3

4

If you could only wear one look forever, what would it be?

What are you wearing this winter?

2

The Jeweler’s Daughter Rings Rings Rings 14-karat gold stacking rings, starting at $150, Tower of Jewels

5 December 2014

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25

Celebrate the Holidays at Town Square Make merry at our holiday festivities

Photos with Santa November 15 – December 24 Text “SANTA” to 708-323-2689 to reserve your visit

Stockings with Mrs. Claus December 7: 1 pm – 4 pm RSVP online beginning November 21 at mytownsquarelavegas.com

Snow in the Square November 14 – December 23 Monday – Thursday: 7 pm Friday – Sunday: 7 pm and 8 pm

Noon Year’s Eve December 31: 10am – 1pm

Holiday Nights & Lights Community Concerts Thursdays November 20 – December 18 6 pm – 7 pm Claus & Paws Pet Photos Wednesdays November 19 – December 17 10 am – 9 pm

Enjoy a show on us

HaPPY HoLidaYS! Spend $250 shopping or dining at Town Square Las Vegas, or purchase a $250 Town Square gift card, and you’ll receive two complimentary tickets to one of four great shows: Blue Man Group, absinthe, Rock of ages, or Jersey Boys. it’s our gift to you for the holidays!

6605 South Las Vegas Boulevard | Las Vegas, NV 89119 702-269-5000 | MyTownSquareLasVegas.com

106.5 Valid original receipts must be presented to the Town Square Concierge to redeem. Limit one transaction per customer. Promotion ends December 31, 2014 or while supplies last. Not applicable to purchases made online. Ticket vouchers are valid for use through June 30, 2015.

Essay

Theatrical release: Lonn and his father, Donald Friend.

Senior matinees I'm getting to know my dad again through movies and music. Two tickets, please

J

anet sees us coming. The line at the Suncoast theaters in Summerlin is only about five deep, and she smiles before we hit the counter.

“Jersey Boys,” I say, laying down two Boyd Gaming Rewards cards, one visibly more worn than the other. “Here they are again,” she says with her Long Island accent. “The senior father and son.

How you fellas doing today? I hear this is a good one. Clint Eastwood directed. He’s still delivering, must be in his 80s.”

The man behind the biopic of Frankie

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Valli and the Four Seasons has something in common with the white-haired fellow making a beeline for the refreshment counter. Like Dirty Harry, Donald Friend — my father, a Chicago-born piano player — is still delivering in his 80s, performing for the golden souls in assisted-living centers across the valley. To the residents of Mira Loma, Desert Springs, Seville Terrace, Aegis, Sunlake Terrace and Las Ventanas, my dad’s name evokes absolute joy, because when he shows up to sing and play the classics, time stands still, illnesses abate

By Lonn M. Friend

and, for one melodic hour, a semblance of youth is restored.

At 85 (14 months Clint’s senior) my dad’s been crooning through retirement since he and my stepmom moved to the desert in the mid-’90s. It doesn’t just keep him busy; it keeps him alive. “I feel better behind the piano,” he says. “My aches and pains disappear. And when I see the faces of the people I’m playing for, most of whom are sick and disabled — when they sing along to the songs they remember — that makes me feel young again.”

P h oto g r a p h y B i l l H u g h e s

So does going to movies, as he learned a year or two ago. When his weekly pinochle game broke up, “I started going to movies every week, by myself.” Until last January, when his pilgrim son, following the death of his mother, decided the city of angels was getting devilishly difficult to afford and returned to the land of his father. Sitting in the dark for two hours was about to get enlightening.

As a 16-year student of Kundalini yoga, I’m all about reflection. When I exiled myself here for divorce and self-exploration in 2003, I was 47. My dad was 74.

Now I’m back, age 58, and my dad is 85.

He taps keys; I tap keys. It’s senior dementia, Vegas-style, where, when you hit 50, you’re officially old and eligible for discounts galore. So we go to the movies.

As irony would have it, the first film we caught together was Alexander Payne’s brilliant and brutal father-son drama, Nebraska. Bruce Dern’s character got him thinking about how getting old is rough on the body and mind, especially when you factor in the booze. “I’m glad I never drank,” Pop mused.

But we do eat. Windy City Beefs ’N Dogs on West Lake Mead Boulevard is packed tighter than a fat ass into a Cubs’ season seat. This place has become part of our routine. “This is the best hot dog in Las Vegas, real Chicago-style,” my dad proclaims. “Right down to the poppy-seed bun and celery salt.” Pop orders one, I order two. He’s right; they’re awesome. They snap when you bite ’em. The skies are monsoon-threatening and we’re seeing, I kid you not, Noah at 2. I bring up the flood synchronicity over lunch as the windshield on my dad’s little red Chevy welcomes droplets from above. “Well, the Bible is just a story, you know?” says the Hebrew son of Polish immigrants to his mystically inclined offspring. The dialogue after the Christian-tinged Heaven is for Real ignites a similar debate. “People believe in what they believe, Lonn.” Hallelujah and pass the mustard. Such is the essence of our Wednesdays — tales are told and ancient truths barked as I savor new insights into my old man.

“When I was 3 years old, I had an ear infection,” he says between bites. “Pus was

coming out, so my mother took me to the doctor, who accidentally punctured my left eardrum while trying to drain it. The other ear was good so I never thought much about being deaf on one side. It never affected my music. Didn’t need a hearing aid until about 10 years ago. I know I miss a lot of things people say, the words get muddled sometimes. It’s getting worse, but that’s one of the things I love about going to these modern theaters with their big, bright screens and loud sound systems. It’s beautiful. I can hear everything.”

B

eyond summer trips to the East Coast to visit him and his new family during the ’70s, I didn’t know my father well. We didn’t speak often on the phone, even during the peak of my professional run as a writer, when I was trekking the globe with rock stars and seeing places he’d never been.

That is, until my own divorce in 2003, when I landed on his Summerlin doorstep and spent the first two bleeding weeks of separation on his sofa. Before I moved back to L.A. in ’06, I saw a lot of my dad, made up for decades of lost time and shared thoughts over dinners at the Lakes Lounge. But we rarely went deep.

There’s something different now, a sharper view and a willingness to be more transparent and blunt about his legacy, his aches, his heritage, his successes and failures, and how many notes he’s got left to play.

On June 11, we catch a superb picture starring Joaquin Phoenix and the intoxicating Marion Cotillard called The Immigrant, which inspires a conversation about origins. His. Mine. Directed

by James Gray, it depicts the plight of two sisters arriving at Ellis Island in the 1920s, same time period my relatives escaped post-World War I Poland. “My mother’s family in Poland had nine children,” he says. Both my dad’s older brother, Sol, founder of the On-Cor frozen food empire in Chicago, and younger brother, Larry, a successful stockbroker and co-owner of the original Phoenix Suns, are gone. They were rich, but my father’s the only one with the million-dollar

2014 PRESENTING SPONSOR

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December 13 – 21, 2014 702.749.2000 NevadaBallet.org

*For balcony seating on select dates, does not include box office fees.

December 2014

DesertCompanion.com

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Essay

December 11-13, 2014 Henderson Events Plaza | 200 Water St.

Thursday, December 11 | 7pm

Henderson Symphony Orchestra Performance

Friday, December 12 | 6pm-9pm Tree Lighting Ceremony • 6pm

Saturday, December 13 | Noon-8pm

Evening Light Parade • 5pm Friday & Saturday

Visits with Santa • Children’s Activities • Arts & Crafts Bazaar Festival of Trees • Gingerbread House Display • Food Trucks

Admission and activities are complimentary

HendersonLive.com | 702-267-2171 Schedule is subject to change or cancellation without prior notice. Management reserves all rights.

We are on the move! The Desert Companion Photo Showcase will be on display at the Green Valley Library! Check out the beautiful photography from our 2nd Annual ‘Focus on Nevada’ photo contest now through December.

More information at desertcompanion.com/ events

SHOWCASE

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voice. “My cousin Sid lived the last 25 years of his life here in Vegas,” Pop says.

“He died at 89. Like in the movie, Sid’s father was standing in line at Ellis Island. He didn’t speak good English, so he changed his name after hearing someone behind him in line say the name ‘Bloom.’”

On July 2, the day before my dad’s 85th birthday, he’s in the mood for a comedy, so we see his girl Melissa McCarthy’s new feature, Tammy. My dad’s review is succinct: “Boy, that was terrible.” But given the day’s significance, I think a discussion of musical DNA is fitting. “My grandfather was a very respected rabbi in Poland,” Pop said. “He was musically inclined, had a beautiful voice. My father bought an upright piano, sat down one day and just start playing, by ear. During the First World War, they gave him a clarinet, he blew into it and a song came out.

That talent kept him off the battlefield. I guess I inherited the same gift.”

After urging my dad to see a film outside his comfort zone, the edgy, futuristic Lucy, we get into a rap about fame and substance abuse. Lucy’s an unwitting drug mule who turns into a telekinetic super-chick when a bag of synthetic newfangled ecstasy bursts open in her belly. In 1953, my dad teamed up with a performer named Mike Riley, who wrote the novelty hit, “The Music Goes Round and Round.”

It was his first glimpse of the entertainer’s kingdom. “I played the Golden Nugget with Riley when it was just a casino and bar,” he says. “I remember Mike putting away this bottle of wine before our set, and I thought, ‘Hey, I gotta become one of the boys, can’t just sit here.’ I’d never drank before. I tasted it and it was awful. Never took a liking to alcohol.” Or any other mood-altering substance — kinda reminds me of another clean-living Hebrew musician, Gene Simmons, though that’s where the similarity ends.

Pop reminds me that in 1960, he and his new partner, Herbie Tepper, did two weeks at the El Cortez. “We set up behind the bar and played to drunks and half-asleep locals every night,” he smiles.

“Tepper was frustrated, couldn’t get any laughs. So one night he jokes, ‘They don’t bury the dead in Las Vegas. They

Hear the precious sounds of the

Striking a chord: Donald Friend plays to stay young.

seat ’em at the bar at the El Cortez.’” A couple years later, Tepper and Friend knocked ’em dead at The Fremont. Pop’s last Sin City casino appearance was at the Mint in 1968 with his band The Five Chords, a Four Freshman-type vocal ensemble that recorded one LP and had humble touring success.

Not long before The Beatles debuted on Ed Sullivan — the night my musical heart began beating — Don and Barbara Friend were divorced. In 1969, my dad met Sherry, his 21-year-old bride-to-be, and has been in a good mood ever since.

They relocated to the South; he went to work as a salesman for a national hardware company to keep food on the table while moonlighting in local clubs. He retired from selling nuts and bolts in 1994, grabbed the missus and headed for the sands of Summerlin. Might not make a blockbuster, but my dad’s life could translate to a pretty sweet indie flick.

I

t’s Tuesday night at the Las Ventanas assisted-living community in Summerlin. A placard in the lobby reads, “Don Friend 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the dining room.”

“Mr. Entertainment,” the receptionist beams as we enter the spotless facility. Celebrity may have escaped my father, but in the eyes and hearts of these small, fragile audiences, he is bigger than Frank, with pipes that rival The Chairman’s. Beethoven didn’t need to hear the notes. He felt them. So does my dad. Bet the money line he’ll be pitch perfect till the curtain falls.

The room gently pulses with nurses, wheelchairs, waiters and caregivers. Residents dig into Yankee pot roast and scalloped potatoes as the piano man opens with an Irving Berlin medley before sidling smoothly into Doris Day’s “Sentimental Journey.” Iced teas refill as the maestro asks the crowd the first of many rhetorical questions that all begin with, “Remember this one?” His fingers glide across the keyboard he’s known since his mother commissioned piano lessons when he was 5, a million miles and million songs from here. “Show me the way to go home/I’m tired and I wanna go to bed.” The ones who can sing along do. The ones who can’t are reminded of a time they could. I watch him as he watches them, his eyes, their eyes — reflections of gratitude.

W

e discuss Jersey Boys on the ride home. “You know, ‘Sherry’ was the Four Seasons' first number one hit,” shines the man who 45 years ago wooed a girl with the same name to come, come, come out tonight. “I really liked that movie, especially the music. We picked a good one this week. Bob Gaudio wrote great songs and Frankie was a fantastic vocalist. I used to do, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.’ Terrific ballad. But you know, all that pain and drama, I wonder if it was worth it?”

One more rhetorical question for the road.

It’s all about mortality these days — how many more senior matinees have we got left? I just renewed my lease for another six months. We’ve seen some very promising trailers.

All of us at Desert Valley Audiology want to wish you and your family a wonderful Holiday Season. We want to express our gratitude to our many valued patients who have made this a great year.

If your hearing is not letting you capture the precious sounds of the holidays, please let us help. Call (702) 605-9133 today to schedule a hearing screening and evaluation.

Tim Hunsaker, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology

Las Vegas 501 S. Rancho Drive, Suite A6 Las Vegas, Nevada 89106

Henderson 1701 N. Green Valley Parkway Building 8, Suite B Henderson, Nevada 89074

702-605-9133 phone 702-678-6159 fax

December 2014

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Discomfort zone

S

Downhill from here Lost credit cards, sick kids, smashed fingers and other mishaps when we tried to relive a favorite family trip B y Ja r r e t K e e n e

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ometimes — okay, very often — as vacation-committed parents, we grow weary of inflicting theme-park death marches upon ourselves and our little ones. Sure, kids love nothing more than trekking across alcohol-barren concrete landscapes of LEGO blocks and Disney amusements. But an endless kiosk-gauntlet of plastic toys can be daunting and costly. For the price of two chirping, flashing light sabers, my wife and I calculated, we could buy a tank of gas to ferry us to a ski resort in Utah come winter.

So we did exactly that, booking a weekend at beautiful Eagle Point in Beaver, Utah, between Christmas and New Year’s.

Watching my sons (ages 5 and 7) and their mother skiing pristine, uncrowded slopes was incredible. (At 40, I seem to have lost the will to continuously slam my body into snowpacks. I took trail-vantaged photos of my family with a Nikon and drank beer in the lodge.) The boys picked up skiing so effortlessly and had so much non-whiny fun that my wife and I, during the drive back to Las Vegas, discussed the idea of returning the very next weekend.

Thus, I misguidedly presented an idea that, on its surface, seemed harmless enough: Why don’t we invite our neighbors Matt and Alyssa and their two boys to Eagle Point?

And so I ignored, at our own peril, a fundamental tenet of what I like to call Reality-based Parenting 101. Actually, two tenets. The first goes like this: One kid is fine, two kids are tough, and three or more comprise an act of self-destruction. Second rule? It’s always a bad idea to try to relive a perfect moment with more participants.

What was it French existential philosopher Sartre famously announced again?

Hell is other people’s puking, tyke-sized skiers? Yes, I’m sure that’s what he said.

Our neighbors accepted my poorly considered invitation for the first week in January. We rode to Beaver in separate SUVs, spending the night at the Best Western Butch Cassidy Inn at the base of the mountain. In the morning, we drove up, arriving at the services lodge just before it opened so that we could rent ski equipment.

i l lu st r at i o n H e r n a n va l e n c i a

Discomfort zone Things began to go wrong very quickly. En route, Matt and Alyssa’s 7-year-old son Ennis had thrown up his complimentary breakfast inside their vehicle.

Now the poor thing was, uh, decorating the parking lot and his shoes.

“Car sickness,” his mother shrugged.

“Happens to him all the time.”

I nodded and offered to help Matt sponge the floor mats. Irritated by the task, he shooed me away, so I got in line for the rental shop, slipping into my role as porter. Little did I know just how extensive and thoroughly exhausting my role would be on that nerve-shredding day.

In minutes, I signed waivers and secured gear and helmets for my family. I watched them launch down a pretty, powdery slope, my wife screaming at our daredevil sons: “Pizza!” (If you don’t know, it refers to forming a triangular wedge with your ski tips pointed together, a brak-

ing and turning technique for novices.) I snapped a terrific photo of them tearing off. Laughing, I trudged back to the lodge.

It would be the only flattering picture of our visit, and my last moment of levity.

Ennis was fully suited and booted, but his complexion was green. He looked drained, his eyes barely open. He stood at wilted attention, dazed.

“He can’t still have motion sickness, can he?” I said to his mother. She didn’t hear, as she was engaged in a losing debate with her husband and older son and the rental cashier regarding snowboards.

I didn’t think it wise to rent a board without taking at least one lesson, either. But I had no opportunity to interject my lack of expertise. That’s because Ennis suddenly threw up waffle batter and syrup on his ski pants and rental boots.

Eyes wide with horror, his parents stared at him, then looked at each other.

“I bet it’s food poisoning,” she said.

Matt shook his head in repulsed surrender and turned his attention to the matter of snowboards. Meanwhile, the super-friendly lodge staff hurried to fetch kitty litter.

Trying to make the best of a bile situation, I took Ennis by the clammy hand and into the men’s room, where I used the sink and paper towels to spot-wash him. He seemed better, his complexion slightly improved, so we exited the restroom.

But then Ennis bumped into another kid from behind, upchucking on his ski jacket. The kid didn’t notice and, with a bit of Ennis’ breakfast resting in his hood, boot-clomped in pursuit of his father. Ennis and I said nothing. I still feel kind of bad about that.

Returning to the rental shop, I noticed that Ennis’ initial pile had been littered and scooped from the lodge carpet. Matt,

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Alyssa and the older boy were outfitted.

Which meant my fate was sealed: I would be relegated to Sherpa and care for Ennis.

“He’ll probably feel better soon,” said Alyssa, stooping and struggling to fasten the last aluminum buckle on her boot.

“Matt and Chris really want to ski now.”

“No problem,” I said, as her pouting husband pushed off with his ski poles toward the slope instead of helping her.

“We’ll be in the café. Go have fun. Wait, let me help.”

In the process of snapping the boot clip into place, I somehow pinched my fingers fiercely enough so that I was cut, my index finger welling. I sucked the blood.

“Thanks,” she said, oblivious. She hurried to catch up.

I helped Ennis upstairs, where he laid down on a wooden picnic bench. I ordered a coffee and was about to take a sip when my wife texted me. She had lost her credit card somewhere in the parking lot.

She had removed it from the wallet in her purse and slipped it in her jacket pocket.

Only it wasn’t there now.

Please look for it?

“Be right back,” I said to green-fleshed Ennis, who nod-groaned with his eyes shut.

I rapidly scoured the ground by our cars. Nothing. I checked the lodge’s lost and found. Nothing. When I went back to the café, Ennis was ready to hurl again. I retrieved a plastic sack from the garbage.

It’s a multitasking moment that will forever mark a low point in my adult life: using a threadbare T-Mobile connection to chat with a Bank of America representative in India while simultaneously encouraging a sick, lime-hued child to heave into a Lays potato-chip bag instead of into his rented helmet. I did this while hands-free slurping from a Styrofoam cup of lukewarm coffee, after having clumsily wrapped my mangled, still-oozing finger with cheap restaurant napkins.

And then, after canceling our missing Visa, I really jinxed myself, because it occurred to me: Well, at least our vacation weekend can’t get any worse.

That’s when I gazed out the lodge window and onto the slopes below to see my 7-year-old blowing right past the ski lift at the end of the green-circle (beginner-level)

trail. He was now plummeting along a bluesquare (intermediate) trail and darting for a tunnel at what looked like top speed. He disappeared into the maw, on his way to, I was completely convinced, a deadly double-black diamond (advanced) trail rife with tall, bone-crushing alpine trees.

To my wife’s credit, she didn’t collapse from panic. Instead, she and our fearless pizza-wedging 5-year-old headed in pursuit of the older child. I said a silent prayer to John Cusack, who played a high school ski-team captain in the ’80s teen-comedy film Better Off Dead.

Better my wife than me.

It was the lady selling hot dogs in the café who suggested the obvious. “You know we’re at an elevation of 11,000 feet, right?” she said, indicating suffering Ennis. “He’s got a serious case of altitude sickness. You should take him to the tent.”

“The tent?” I said.

“First-aid station. They’ll hook him up to some oxygen and he’ll be good as new.”

“Great!”

We were descending the staircase when the boy’s mother showed up, to my relief, but sans husband. She led Ennis to see the onsite medical team, who snapped a mask on Ennis’ face. I had just finished my cold coffee and exchanged texts with my wife confirming that everyone was alive and back on the green-circle trails. I was about to order a hot dog when Alyssa said, “He’s not responding to the oxygen. The EMTs told me we have to get Ennis off this mountain right now. Before he dehydrates!”

“OK,” I said. “What do you need from me?”

She needed my wife’s car, which we’d bought two weeks ago. The kid’s dad was out on the slopes, his cell phone turned off, and he had the only keys to their SUV. So I had to either lend Alyssa our shiny, new-car-smelling Hyundai Santa Fe, or I had to drive them down the mountain myself. I opted for the latter, hoping she would sit in the back seat with him and catch any of his overflow.

“I can’t sit next to him,” she warned, “or I’ll puke, too.”

Great. Which means — you guessed it — the kid eventually projectiled all over the back seat (and against the back of the

bucket seats) in our brand-new Hyundai, which I’d driven off the lot 10 days prior.

So much for that new car smell, replaced by an odor that is, for the most part, gone now thanks to copious amounts of baking soda and abundant air fresheners, save for a lingering ghost trace now and then.

At least I found my wife’s canceled Visa card in the drink holder.

I drove my neighbor and her son off the mountain. As soon as we pulled into a diner, Ennis was restored. His color was back.

He stopped puking. He smiled and ordered a big slice of apple pie with ice cream. Who knew a marathon-hurling session could leave someone famished? I would have eaten something, too, but somehow the effort of borrowing a hose and some rags from the eatery to wipe out the insides of our new car killed my appetite.

It was my bad. I had enjoyed a wonderful moment with my family and sought to expand the pleasure I derived by expanding the participants. It had seemed like a wonderful notion, but the numbers — the odds — were stacked in my disfavor. Little kids are, I have since confirmed, little more than glorified puke spouts that offer fleeting moments of cuteness. I had tempted fate by returning to gorgeous, picture-perfect Eagle Point with another family in tow, and fate responded. How? By uncorking one of the four children we’d brought with us to this powdery paradise.

I bear Ennis no ill will. He’s a great kid, even if he pretty much ruined my wife’s wheels and strained our marriage.

We remain close friends with our neighbors Matt and Alyssa. In some respects, we’re a lot closer now that we have endured such an ordeal together. And despite our last experience at Eagle Point, my family is planning to go back this season — just the four of us, of course. More importantly, I’ve learned that it can be better to savor a moment in memory rather than risk tarnishing that memory with a second, riskier, more complicated go-around.

At this point, the only destination we can ever bring both families to is a soul-gouging theme park in California. We’re already saving up for those light sabers.

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Profile Novel graphics: Born with arthrogryposis, Larime Taylor illustrates his comic series A Voice in the Dark solely with his mouth.

practical an answer it is, and how it reveals perhaps a subtle but pernicious stereotype you cling to in which you somehow expect people with disabilities who happen to do interesting things to have some secret heroic spirit surging through them, and perhaps you seek to be assured that the deep satisfaction they get out of doing whatever they do despite their disability — performing, drawing, writing, painting — somehow compensates for, even magically eclipses, their disability.

That makes everything okay, right?

Not really. Larime Taylor was born with arthrogryposis, a birth defect that made his arm and leg joints permanently contracted, folded into his body. But Larime Taylor is like a lot of us: He needs to pay the bills. Isn’t that enough heroism?

Taylor himself doesn’t have many stereotypical ideas about heroes. Consider: The protagonist of his highly praised comic book, A Voice in the Dark, is a black female serial killer college student who hosts an anonymous call-in show on the campus radio station. Ironically, the idea germinated from a youth spent watching the classic horror slashfests that made mincemeat of countless teens in the Reagan era.

“It started out as a parody homage to all the slasher movies I grew up with in the ’80s and ’90s,” he says. “I kind of grew up at the time when all that — the Nightmare on Elm Streets and Friday the 13ths and Halloweens — were getting really big.

What comes out of Larime Taylor’s mouth? A dark, stylish story I wanted to turn a lot of the tropes upside that might change your ideas about comic books (and serial killers) down. So, the first rule of those movies B y A n d r e w K i r a ly is the ethnic character always dies first.

I thought, what if she was my sole survivor? What if she were the killer? I t’s the last question of the interview go flip burgers, or do odd jobs realized along the way there’s actu— the biggie, the closer that usually for construction, or clean park- Hear ally a pretty interesting story there unlocks a heartfelt quote glimmer- ing lots. I can’t do anything else. and a lot of things I could play with more ing with poignant inspiration and This is what I’ve got. At the end psychologically, and a lot of things I Learn about the Latino insight: Why? Why does he do it? of the day, that’s why I do it: I could deal with on a meta level.” comic book Why does Larime Taylor, who does not need to make a living.” scene on The gold ring have the use of his arms or legs, take pen Oh. He doesn’t say this “KNPR's aylor had no idea whether the to mouth every day and spend hours in an angry, resigned or State of Nevada” at idea would take off. In 2012, he upon hours drawing and writing? self-pitying way. He says it desertcom launched a Kickstarter cam“Honestly? I do it to make a living. Art very matter-of-factly. And panion.com/ paign with the goal of raising $1,500 and writing is all I’ve got,” he says. “I can’t you’re a bit shocked by how hearmore

Killer instinct

I

T

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Profile to put together a sample package to pitch to a comics publisher. Instead, he raised $9,000. Encouraged by the response, he conceived and drew a 56page graphic novel. He didn't have to shop it around long before he landed a deal with Top Cow, a subsidiary of Image Comics, the famed indie imprint founded by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. “It was kind of the gold ring, and I got it on the first try,” Taylor says.

Since then, he’s published eight issues that tell the story of Zoey Aarons, a college student juggling all the things a college student juggles: grades, class schedules, dormmates, dating life — oh, and a compulsion to kill.

“I wanted to do a story where they were a reluctant killer, someone who doesn’t necessarily want to do what they do or revel in what they do, and I wanted to deal with them in a much more human way,” Taylor says. “Rather than gleefully glorifying it, I thought, how can I humanize this and make it more relatable? She’s not a psychopath or sociopath, she’s not unrepentant.”

And amid A Voice in the Dark’s moody panels awash in lurid watercolor streaks and blots, there's grim humor, too. In one scene, Zoey goes on a blind coffee date with Rio, a secret admirer who is a serial killer too. The get-toknow-you small talk is the chilling inverse of first-date chatter. “Me? I’ve got traumatic adolescent bullshit that's made me a social cripple around most women. I lash out at those who remind of her,” Rio explains, plumbing his murderer’s psyche as casually as if he's rattling on about his favorite pastimes.

The angle has hooked comics fans.

“Characterization is the strongest aspect of A Voice in the Dark. ... (Zoey) isn't lovable, but she is interesting, accessible and emotionally complex, and Taylor uses her predicament to explore deeper themes of free will and identity,” writes reviewer Jennifer Cheng for website Comic Book Resources. A Voice in the Dark was also a nominee for Favorite New Series of 2013 by the “Behind the Panels” comic books podcast.

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Profile 'As I go along'

T

aylor's process is slow, deliberate and constant, taking place largely in his head before anything appears on the screen. But when he finally takes pen to tablet, Taylor first writes a script with scene descriptions, following a general story arc, leaving room for discovery and improvisation. “I write wherever it wants to go. I don’t decide something has to end this way or that way. If a new idea comes along the way that changes things, I’m fine with that. I’m not afraid to make it up as I go along.”

The illustrations begin with real life.

He starts by enlisting his friends to model poses and body positions with basic props as backgrounds, using photos of them as the foundation to illustrate the panels with his mouth, using an electronic pen and Wacom Cintiq tablet. Any limitations you might

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Death panels: A Voice in the Dark’s protagonist is a complex killer.

think Taylor has are transformed into strengths: The strong lines and sparse backgrounds make for a lean, haunted look that intensifies the focus on the characters and adds tension to the story. His wife, Sylv, sometimes colors the covers, but she’s also his sounding board and brainstorming partner.

“He came up with the original idea on his own, but as he changed direction with the focus of the story and that got more and more complex, he'd talk to me about the changes, and we still discuss how to work the pacing and narrative and reveals,” she says. “And because we both write and draw, we can discuss these things as writers and artists,” she adds. “He doesn't just come to me with, ‘Hey, sweetie, I have a thing!’ but also from the perspective that we both, as

professionals and partners, want this book to be the best it can be, however we can make it be.”

Their livelihood largely depends on it. Indeed, theirs isn’t the picture of hip, upwardly mobile young creative-classers who while the day away drawing at a leisurely pace.

“I’ve seen him put 20-hour days, every day for weeks, without a break, to get this book done, while juggling bills, rent, groceries, because we were (and still are) living under the poverty line,” says Sylv, who has lupus and is legally blind. “He was working on it when we were getting ready to move to Vegas. He's been pitching other projects as well, because we need the work.” To make extra money, several nights a week Taylor also draws caricatures for tips on the Strip. But it wasn't until electronic tablet tech came along that he was able do a full-blown comic.

"Five, six years ago, I wasn't really able to do what I'm doing now. It's taken the technology catching up to where I can draw directly on my screen for me to be able to do what I do. Once I got this tablet, I was able to take that big leap. It removed all the barriers."

And yet “disabled mouth artist” is part of his sales proposition. Indeed, at the risk of forcing a facile metaphor, you can readily see a connection between Taylor and his protagonist Zoey: There's an undeniable part of them that can't be changed, so they sublimate it, put it in service of a better life. Again, there's that no-nonsense pragmatism. "(Arthrogryposis) is something I've lived with all my life, so it's kind of automatic to me," Taylor says. "And for all that it does limit or get in the way of, the situation can be used to my advantage. And I take advantage of it, because you use what you got. I do get more press attention because I draw the book with my mouth, and I'm not going to shy away from that.

"But at the end of the day, the art and the quality has to be there to back it up.

If the story wasn't compelling, if the art wasn't at least decent, people wouldn't care how I do it."

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Dining out The dish

Legends of the fall The turn of seasons means impressive changes to some Strip menus B y

m i tc h e l l w i l b u r n

After experimenting through the long, hot summer, many Strip chefs have rolled out cool new autumn menus. Here are some tasty highlights from our recent foragings.

Kurobota Pork Duo StripSteak

Chef Gerald Chin has done nothing but impress since beginning at StripSteak, and this is one of his best concepts. The first element of the duo is tenderloin, wrapped in bacon and stuffed with diced apple, Matsutake mushrooms and parsley. The second is braised belly, topped with a celery root “angel hair” and served with spiced, baked apple.

The tenderloin is done to barely medium, leaving the moist, savory center with a bit of softness, the mark of a chef who knows how to handle good pork. Inside Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., mandalaybay.com

Tonnarelli with Crab

Carnevino Carnevino excels at using great seasonal ingredients, and Chef Nicole Brisson has rolled out a big menu change that’s pushing its reputation even further. The long, thin tonnarelli pasta is done in a sauce that combines fresh Dungeness crab, some of the crab roe, a bit of puréed jalapeño and caramelized cipollini onions. The effect is a high-concept but balanced kaleidoscope of flavors: spicy, sweet and savory. It pairs perfectly with a glass of Bastianich Vespa, which brings out the crisp minerality of the crab. Inside the Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S., carnevino.com

Crispy Chicken

Rose. Rabbit. Lie. Homespun favorites really sing when chefs like Wesley Holton take hold of

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them, and Southern-style fried chicken is no exception. Using Mary’s Chicken (known among gourmands as perhaps the best chicken source), Rose.Rabbit.

Lie. marinates the breast in buttermilk and deep-fat fries it, plating it alongside a potato and scallion purée quenelle with Italian black truffle jus. Inside The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd.

S., roserabbitlie.com

Fall Salad

Le Cirque New Chef de Cuisine Wilfried Bergerhausen’s first menu is full of dishes that combine seasonal cuisine with his Alsatian palate. Such as this salad: hearts of artichoke, avocado, thinly shaved aged parmesan and Iberico ham (prosciutto from a wild boar raised on mostly acorns), all tossed in a delicate Dijon-based dressing. This is topped with grated foie gras for a touch of savory

richness. Inside Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., lecirque.com

Escargot Pot Pie

Comme Ça The pot pie is a cool weather classic, and Comme Ça puts their inspired touch on it by loading tons of flavor onto a worthy workhorse, escargot. After cooking the snails down with onions, mushrooms and root vegetables, they put it in an iron crock and bake a puff-pastry lattice onto it. They then go completely off the rails, pouring in a decadent sherry-andfoie gras cream sauce, loaded with fresh herbs. Inside The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., commecarestaurant.com

Muscovy Duck

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loni filled with duck confit, wrapped almost like a dolma. All the major players in this dish are perfect examples of earthy fall flavors in fine balance. Inside the Mandarin Oriental, 3752 Las Vegas Blvd.

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Autumn SQuash “Little Purses”

Sage

matches — and sometimes surpasses — that of Robuchon, Savoy and others. Take the Muscovy Duck. Barely medium rare and thinly sliced, the duck is served with cracked green peppercorns and a whiskey jus. Dotted about the plate are caramelized D’Anjou pear and pine nuts, all playing against the gamey flavor of the duck. On the side is an eggplant cannel-

Inside the dumpling-like “little purse” is a purée of seasonal roasted squash and a small mix of root-vegetable mirepoix.

They are covered in an absolutely addictive toasted-hazelnut brown butter sauce, and garnished with crispy duck confit (almost like a duck bacon), a few leaves of fried Brussels sprouts and a bit of crème fraîche foam on top. This dish was a collaboration between three great minds in the Sage kitchen: Executive Chef Richard Caramota, new Chef de Cuisine Christophe de Lellis (formerly a sous at Robuchon) and Sous Chef Emily Brubaker. Inside Aria, 3730 Las Vegas Blvd. S., arialasvegas.com

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Dining out Roasted Diver Scallops and Foie Gras

Scarpetta The sweet sea flavor of scallops with the rich, buttery, nuttiness of seared foie gras results in something that tastes almost like sea urchin. Scarpetta pairs this with a great combination of a blini-size fluffy pancake and warm huckleberries. Huckleberries are a terrific fall ingredient, and their presentation with the scallop and foie gras works perfectly. Inside The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd.

S., scottconant.com

Pan-Seared Foie Gras

Delmonico The seared slice of foie gras from Bella Farms is perched on top of a crisp, toasted slice of brioche, there to soak up the extreme goodness that is the sauce.

Good liver: Delmonico's pan-seared foie gras

Using apples from Gilcrease Orchard and honey from a Pahrump beekeeper, Chef Ronnie Rainwater builds a caramelized sauce right in the same pan the foie gras was seared in, so the rendered fat is incorporated into the sauce

for a rich, sweet flavor. As always, the Whiskey Wizard behind the bar, “Mad” Max Solano, can whip up a truly inventive cocktail to pair with it. Inside the Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S., emerilsrestaurants.com

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The Vegas Meets Italy at Old School Pizzeria

2040 E. Craig Road, 702-990-0070, pizzaoldschool.com The name Old School Pizzeria may not evoke much more than a greasy pepperoni slice, but I’m pretty sure there’s a saying about judging a pie by its cover. Old School Pizzeria can sling a standard slice with the best of them, but go for one of their specialty pies — like The Vegas Meets Italy. This globetrotting grub starts with a thin sourdough crust, but twists from the traditional by adding a date cream sauce in place of tomato. The variation continues with smoked mozzarella, ricotta, pistachios and more dates before finishing with arugula, thin-sliced prosciutto and heirloom cherry tomatoes. With an ingredient lineup like this, you might expect the VMI to be an acquired taste for the higher of brow, but far from it. Rather, it’s a sensational comfort-food mashup that successfully mixes sweet, savory, crispy and creamy. — Chris Bitonti

The Proper Reuben v e g a s m e e t s i t a ly : C h r i s t o p h e r s m i t h

at TAP Sports Bar

Inside MGM Grand, 702-891-1111 When it comes to sandwiches, I’m no size queen. Mile-high stacks of meat and foot-long Dagwoods might impress the eyes, but they won’t satisfy my belly. Flavor comes first, and in the case of the Reuben, this one is the best in the city. Every building block of this glorious Jewish deli staple is treated with care: the slow-roasted corned beef is sliced thick and served hot, a glaze of Russian dressing is generous without being messy, and the rye bread is buttered and griddled for a toasty exterior. Despite the use of Havarti cheese (it’s not “proper” without Swiss), I’d even go as far to say that it’s deserving of its outrageous Strip price ($18). — Debbie Lee

ultimo — weekend of excellence dec. 5-7 It's three days of high-style Italian dining at The Venetian and Palazzo! Fine fare from an all-star lineup of famous chefs — Boulud, Lagasse, Valastro, Batali, Puck, Keller — highlight a series of extravagant meals. Friday night's Grand Banquet, for example: Daniel Boulud, Emeril Lagasse and Buddy Valastro will oversee a lavish meal and interact with diners, as well. Other highlights include a fashion show, private baking class with Valastro and truffle farewell brunch. $75-$500, venetian.com/ultimo-event.html cabo wabo cantina + ufc dec. 6 While Johny "Bigg Rigg" Hendricks and Robbie "Ruthless" Lawler slug it out in UFC 181, for $25 you can slug down Sammy Hagar's tequila (of course), beer and bar-food specials in the new upstairs Loft of his Cabo Wabo Cantina in the Miracle Mile Shops. The place is declaring itself "ultimate fighting headquarters." Which further means that on Dec. 13 and 20, during airings of Fox's Fight Night, Cabo Wabo will have more bruising specials. Visit cabowabocantina for more. spago's throwback menu dec. 15-19 Twenty-two years ago this month, Wolfgang Puck opened Spago Las Vegas in the Forum Shops at Caesars. This move is widely recognized as beginning the fine-dining revolution here. Spago will mark the occasion with a menu that recalls 1992 — beloved old-school dishes and prices.

Example: Yellowfin tuna "steak frites" with horseradish potatoes, spinach and an Armagnac peppercorn sauce. Can't you just taste the nostalgia?! For details and reservations, go to wolfgangpuck.com

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Dining out

at FIRST Bite

Rustic gets a remix At Hearthstone, rustic fare is refashioned for the wristband set

By Debbie Lee

Y

ou could argue that curating a restaurant playlist requires just as much care and consideration as a drink list. I can take or leave a cocktail, but a dinner Judging by the crowds on a recent service soundtrack is something I have weeknight, things look promising. The no say over. Our collective ears and, in downside is that there are kinks that many cases, overall impression of a meal need to be worked out. Our wait time for are at the mercy of whoever’s iPod is menus was 15 minutes. Cocktails were plugged into the dock that evening.

86'd early in the evening. Entrées were Given my taste in music, Snoop Dogg’s delivered only minutes after our starters.

“Drop It Like It’s Hot” is a fine match for But gaps in service shouldn’t be an a refreshing scallop tartare I recently issue once the staff grows accustomed had at Hearthstone, the massive New to the crowds — nor should it deter loAmerican restaurant at Red Rock Resort. cals from using the restaurant as a date My only wish was that the volume was night destination or pre-gaming venue. a bit lower. That way I might have been The Light Group’s corporate Executive able to hear our drop-dead gorgeous Chef Brian Massie (STACK, Citizen’s waitress as she sold us on the food.

Kitchen & Bar, Diablo’s Cantina) has deThe thumping beats and stunning signed a wide-ranging menu that’s very servers are typical of The Light Group, au courant. There is a charcuterie bar whose portfolio of hot spots include with hooved pig legs on display, upgrad1OAK, The Bank and, of ed bar bites, and options for course, Light. Hearthstone the vegan/paleo/diet-of-thehearthstone is the company’s eighth moment set.

Inside Red Rock Casino Resort restaurant in the city — and And just like the menu at & Spa, 11011 W. more importantly, its first nearby Made L.V., there is Charleston Blvd., venture off the Strip. Can a section dedicated to jars.

702-693-8300, the masterminds behind the A play on peanut butter hearthstonelv.com city’s best day- and nightand jelly in the form of foie clubs satisfy the tastes of lo- HOURS gras mousse and berry preSun-Thu, 5-10p cal suburbanites? serves is the most decadent

of the bunch. The crustless toast that accompanied the spread was a cute detail. Cruelty-free diners can opt for something more virtuous, like the harvest quinoa salad with chickpeas and pumpkin seeds.

Of two tartares, the aforementioned scallops are superior but could use an extra dose of salt. A butcher steak version is flavorful, but ours suffered from an uneven and overworked texture. A better bet is to try the flatbreads, made by the restaurant’s Naples-born pizzaiolo. Using an old family recipe, he tops his wood-fired dough six different ways. The carbonara, strewn with pancetta and crowned with a soft-boiled egg, is a standout.

Most items are made to be passed around the table and shared, but my single favorite bite comes from a limited entrée section. Pasta alla chitarra with Hawaiian shrimp and spicy Calabrian chiles is comfort in a bowl. Unfortunately, on a return visit, the delightfully chewy, housemade egg noodles were replaced with plain spaghetti.

The Wagyu short rib is another

Fri-Sat, 5-11p

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P h oto g r a p h y c h r i sto p h e r s m i t h

Hearth of gold: From top right, Hearthstone's apple tart, pasta alla chitarra, braised short ribs, and foie gras PB&J

great example of a chilly weather dish.

Braised in stout and spices, the sweet meat is reminiscent of Chinese barbecue. Never mind the forgettable dollop of ricotta and broccoli rabe that comes with it — you will need room for an ultra luxurious side of polenta, enriched with mascarpone and studded with chunks of

lobster meat. Or try the roasted squash with creamy burrata cheese and brown butter nut granola. The gorgeous composition of seasonal produce is a match for its flavors. It’s Massie at his best.

You can finish your meal with a cheese board or choose from four ultra-simple composed desserts. None are short of delicious. The usual ho-hum chocolate lava cake is replaced with a peanut butter version; butterscotch, bananas, and brown butter ice cream take it over the top. And an apple tart made with tender cream cheese dough is akin to rugelach on steroids. A smooth scoop of sour cream ice cream was a perfect match for its warm spices.

Hearthstone replaces Hachi, which closed this past spring, and is part of a $35 million rehab of Red Rock. Combined with the arrival of Downtown Summerlin, it signals the neighborhood’s onward march towards being a respectable dining destination. Just be sure to bring your earplugs, because it’ll be as noisy as it is tasty. As the old saying goes: You can take The Light Group out of the Strip …

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ANNUAL D e s e r t co m pa n i o n

RESTAURANT AWARDS

and familiar faces expanding their brands, firing up an already vibrant culinary scene.

It was those restaurants that captured the imagination of our

2014

critics this year. Indeed, if 2014’s was an anxious

culinary scene has a theme, it’s

year for foodies — but a good

new, new, new — new menus,

kind of anxious. The kind of anx-

new trends and new restau-

ious that comes from maintain-

rants. Which makes complete

ing a feverish, nearly athletic din-

sense: Newness is what Vegas

ing schedule to try to keep up

does best. And yet we strongly

with all the new restaurants that

suspect the newcomers we cel-

opened this year. (Or will open,

ebrate in this year’s Restaurant

or will have opened by the time

Awards will be the classics of

chef and Desert Companion’s dining critic.

I finish this sentence.) Whether

tomorrow. Dig in.

Al Mancini is Vegas Seven’s

Summerlin, on the Strip or in the

Our judges Jim Begley is a freelance food writer whose work appears in Las Vegas Weekly, Las Vegas Magazine and Desert Companion.

Debbie Lee is a former pastry

dining critic.

it was Downtown or Downtown

suburbs, 2014 witnessed fresh

James P. Reza is a longtime local writer and columnist for Vegas Seven.

upstarts making splashy debuts

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Cocktail bar of the year

Herbs & Rye 3713 W. Sahara Ave., 702-982-8036, herbsandrye.com

Their passion for cocktails took them to the national stage. Their relentless focus on craft makes them a hometown favorite

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L

ocated in a stand-alone building noteworthy for its start as the Ruvo family’s old-school Venetian Ristorante, Herbs & Rye channels the past to create the present. Dim lights, a swinging soundtrack and a selection of steaks, pastas and pies lay a foundation for a night of exploring the drink.

Though the barkeeps here are demonstrably more than capable, the Herbs & Rye cocktail menu (organized into colorful categories like “Gothic Age,” “Dark Age” and “Golden Age”) eschews reinvention in favor of a high reverence for the classics. The searing Sazerac. The potent and delectable Ford. The rye-reverent Ward Eight. Need more proof of Herbs’ greatness?

Consider this: Where else in this grand boozing city of ours can you drink a legitimate daiquiri, one that came from a bottle and not a blender? Here, it’s the aptly named Hemingway. And if you are one of those who simply must drink vodka, there’s always the Moscow Mule.

You may recall that we’ve previously honored this cozy west-central bar and restaurant with Cocktail Bar of the Year in 2012. That was before they wrestled down an honor that no other Las Vegas bar has: Herbs & Rye was called to a national cocktail invitational, and they came home with a trophy. And not just any national cocktail invitational, the national cocktail invitational: New Orleans’ Tales of the Cocktail 2014. That Herbs & Rye bested five other finalists in the popular vote of the “Bar Fight Club” competition tells you all you need to know about this place. They take their drinking very seriously.

We don’t take our repetition of recognition for Herbs & Rye lightly. This team has elevated both service and style, and the results are now national. These are classic cocktails: potent, properly poured and beautifully balanced. James P. Reza

Dealicious Meal of the year

The Tomato

at The Goodwich

1516 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-910-8681, the-goodwich.com

Bartender of the year

Max Solano

at Delmonico steakhouse In the Venetian, 702-414-3737, emerilsrestaurants.com

When he’s on shift, the curated cocktails spill their secrets

W

e’re so spoiled. With bars stretching across the valley and drinking gone upscale, your neighborhood watering hole likely has a microbrew list and a mixology menu. That’s well and good, but you can’t have truly great drinks without someone great at preparing them.

So in a town crowded with barkeeps, what makes one Bartender of the Year? Exceptional cocktails, of course. And being essential to an operation certainly doesn’t hurt your cause. But most of all, it’s got to be someone whose bar you’d like to sidle up to time after time after time.

This year, that bartender is Delmonico Steakhouse mixologist, beverage manager and renaissance man Max Solano.

Any mention of Solano must begin with whiskey. He’s quietly assembled the Strip’s most diverse collection of brown liquor, with more than 650 to choose from. But even more impressive are the cocktail options available on a quartet of special menus. Three are readily available to the public: the Vintage, Specialty and Whisky menus. The Vintage offers up classics such as the Blood & Sand and Monkey Gland, while the Specialty and Whisky menus include the smoky Bacon & Bourbon Manhattan, combining housemade barrel-aged bitters with smoky bacon-infused Baker’s, and the Dark Roast, a nutty, Dewar’s-based nightcap with dark chocolate-infused simple syrup and Florio espresso.

But best of all are the selections from the Secret Cocktail Menu, only available when Solano himself is on the stick. The Secret Menu comprises almost 20 cocktails painstakingly prepared with ingredients ranging from five-spice simple syrup to black walnut bitters to, simply, smoke.

It’s an inspired collection of riffs on traditional whiskey cocktails such as the Penicillin and the Old Fashioned, and it’s only available when Solano brings the bright red Secret Menu binder into work with him. These are secrets worth sharing — heck, make it a double. Jim Begley

Proving that less is way more, The Tomato is a marvel of sandwich simplicity

T

he tomato sandwich. The most simple of sandwiches, composed of tomato, mayo and salt on white bread. A staple in the South rarely seen outside of the boundaries of the old Confederacy, it hinges on the humble tomato.

Small problem: In Vegas, our tomatoes are typically abysmal. Somehow, though, for only $3, The Goodwich serves an upscale version with sweet, firm tomatoes swaddled between buttery slices of toasted white bread, with creamy housemade aioli and sharp smoked sea salt. It’s real and it’s spectacular. The downside: You’ll have to wait until summer to taste for yourself; The Tomato is only available when the heirlooms are in their juicy prime. The upside: There are plenty of other hand-crafted sandwiches on The Goodwich menu to occupy your mouth until then. JB

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appetizer of the year

bacon Jam

at Carson kitchen

124 S. 6th St. #100, 702-473-9523, carsonkitchen.com

Witness the pinnacle of human ingenuity: bacon you can spread

W

ith Carson Kitchen, Kerry Simon has given downtown what it’s long needed — a restaurant that rivals the most interesting spots on the Strip. The way the ailing chef (battling the life-threatening illness Multiple System Atrophy) has used his fine-dining experience to elevate simple comfort food classics is nothing short of brilliant. Moreover, it’s perfect for the neighborhood: accessible enough for the young and hip downtown denizens, yet sophisticated enough to attract serious foodies from across the Valley. No dish may illustrate this better than the bacon jam, a deceptively simple spread served with toasted bread. The multiple ingredients — sugar, garlic, vinegar, salty bacon and hot chilis — present themselves one at a time, then blend into a blissful umami symphony.

There’s so much going on in the jam itself, you don’t really need the melted brie that tops it. But you’ll won’t find me complaining about good cheese on a dish. (In fact, for a real treat, save a little of the jam to mix into Simon’s macaroni and cheese.) Al Mancini

Signature dish of the year

Escargots SpÄtzle

at db Brasserie

In the Venetian, 702-430-1235, dbbrasserie.com

This French twist on tradition sets the tone for a lively, innovative menu

W

ith the opening of db Brasserie earlier this year, the Strip welcomed Daniel Boulud back after a four-year hiatus. During his storied career, the longtime restaurateur and celebrity chef has built a vast culinary empire with a bevy of signature dishes. And with db Brasserie, he has a venue to highlight these hits from elsewhere while interspersing some found only here in Vegas.

The best of his signature dishes at db Brasserie is one from db Bistro Modern in NYC, a dish executive chef David Middleton fashions flawlessly: the escargots spätzle. Burgundy snail fricassee is intermixed with chicken “oysters” with hazelnuts over housemade spätzle, strewn with an addictive parsley coulis. The dish blends textures and flavors seamlessly. Dark meat “oysters” offer a contrast to the chewier snails, with almonds contributing hints of firmness — all while swimming in sharp coulis. The dish couldn’t be a better reintroduction to Vegas. JB

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Dessert of the year

Banana pudding in a Mason jar

at Made LV

In Tivoli Village, 450 S. Rampart Blvd. #120, 702-722-2000, made-lv.com

A homespun classic gets a decadent twist that even Grandma would approve

I

t’s been open a short few months, but we’ve already noshed our way through much of the Made LV menu. There’s hardly a miss at this modern gastropub, which makes leaving room for dessert a culinary challenge of the first order. However, we must insist that you do leave room, and we must also insist — no matter how tempting the Bag of Donut Holes or S’mores Nachos may sound — that you pass them up and head straight for the banana pudding. Sometimes, the best things are the simple traditions, and this one has been modernized just enough to make it utterly addictive. It’s delectable, perfectly sweet, oh-socreamy and served straight from a Mason jar bottomed out with Nilla wafers and loaded with whipped cream and the perfect foil of salted caramel. That it’s served in a jar is a nifty conceit, one that always leaves us looking over our shoulder to see if anyone notices us sticking our finger in, running it around the inside and then popping it in our mouth. Grandma never minded. JPR

Ethnic Restaurant of the year

District One Kitchen & Bar

3400 S. Jones Blvd. #8, 702-413-6868

This not-so-Vietnamese Vietnamese restaurant upends expectations with generous portions and surprising mashups

V

District One's razor clams

Big Bone Soup

ietnamese cuisine in Vegas has always been underwhelming, with menus largely limited to the standard offerings of pho, bahn mi and spring rolls. But with the arrival of District One earlier this year, Vegas got a revolutionary Vietnamese restaurant — or at least a revolutionary restaurant with Vietnamese influences. Whatever District One is, what’s happening here is so much better than anything you’ve had before.

District One doesn’t bind itself to traditional Vietnamese cuisine, which is what makes the fare served in this chic industrial space so appealing. Their beef carpaccio is presented swimming in sesame oil and lime juice, layered with crisp garlic slices — a melding of Italian and Vietnamese cuisine. Their oxtail fried rice is an amalgam of smoke and savory with a richness that’ll warm your soul. The Southern (as in Mississippi, not Maracaibo) and Chinese influences are undeniable and, while not particularly Vietnamese, they are particularly good.

But lest we forget that District One is named after the urban center of Ho Chi Minh City, there is pho. But this is not your mother’s pho — unless she served something as incredible as District One’s whole lobster pho, impressively presented to make it seem like the lobster is trying to scramble out of the bowl. Equally as impressive is the Big Bone Soup, anchored by an enormous bone rich with marrow in all its gelatinous glory.

And then there are the garlic noodles. This dish alone is worth the visit as a rival of those from the now-shuttered Crustacean — the standard by which all garlic noodles should be judged. Accompanied with your choice of protein (I prefer the smoky, lightly grilled crab legs) as a foil to the sharp and buttery pasta, it’s a memorable dish worthy of one of the Valley’s best ethnic restaurants, a stellar, more-than-Vietnamese Vietnamese joint. JB December 2014

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Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year

Carson Kitchen 124 S. Sixth St. #100, 702-473-9523, carsonkitchen.com

With the launch of Simon’s latest restaurant, the Downtown culinary scene has officially arrived

O

ther big names have christened new spots Downtown in recent years, but none hit the ground running quite like Kerry Simon’s Carson Kitchen, which shares space in the renovated John E. Carson Motel with a juice bar, a gourmet donut shop and a new sushi stop. We credit Carson Kitchen’s success to the years of practice that Kerry and his team have when it comes to conjuring hip spots serving energetic young (or young-minded) crowds at what are now

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multiple Kerry Simon restaurants across the country.

Fittingly, it all began in Las Vegas. After a successful stint stirring things up with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York and on the Strip, in 2002 Simon struck out on his own with the Hard Rock’s uber-popular Simon Kitchen & Bar, which Simon sizzled up with the help of notable restaurant guru Elizabeth Blau. Simon Kitchen quickly became the go-to dining spot in a city whose dining scene was still in many ways stuck in a past rife with steak, lobster and Italian. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but Simon vaulted our scene into the now, successfully attracting celebrities, foodies and locals in-

Left, Carson Kitchen's fennel sausage and broccoli flatbread; below, rainbow cauliflower

the-know who were hip to the joint’s quality Modern American menu and lively attitude.

Fast forward to 2014, and Carson Kitchen is where all those years of practice get cooking. Capitalizing on Downtown’s high-energy social vibe, Carson Kitchen corrals the concepts of chefs’ tables, open kitchens, communal seating and bar dining into one glorious, classic rock-fueled party where Downtown movers meet and shakers shake hands, making deals and having dates from lunch to nearly midnight. The story of Carson Kitchen’s immediate and continuing success seems simple enough: The staff is on-point, friendly and fast, and Simon’s signature American menu is tasty, accessible and affordably upscale. Which is probably why there always seems to be a line, day or night.

No worries; the upstairs veranda is now open on the regular, so snag a seat and a cocktail and wait it out. It’s worth it. JPR

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SIDE DISH AWARDS More raves and faves from a great culinary year

Slice of the Year The Forager at Five50 Pizza Bar The city’s best slice is an honor that’s in constant flux — I’ve never said no to any combination of bread and melted cheese.

This year, it’s Shawn McClain’s Five50 at Aria that provoked an epicurean epiphany. Previous pies were admittedly unmemorable, but a forager slice (mushrooms, spinach, rosemary, whipped ricotta) from the to-go counter had all of the qualities I demand in perfect pizza: a crunchy but foldable crust, a complex crumb and pristine toppings. DB

with Calabrian peppers, arugula and aioli. Honey Salt’s grinder puts breast meat inside a brioche roll along with cabbage slaw, Durkee-style mustard sauce, and pickle slices in a tangy tribute to the American South. GT

The Blind Pig, 4515 Dean Martin Drive, 702-430-4444, theblindpiglasvegas.com; Honey Salt, 1031 S. Rampart Blvd., 702-4456100, honeysalt.com

Sandwich of the Year Tie: BP Porchetta at The Blind Pig and Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken at Honey Salt The Blind Pig’s Italian-style offering comes as a toasted ciabatta piled with crispy chunks of herb-stuffed Duroc pork spiked

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Cornish Pasty Co. This friendly nook in Commercial Center packs a mother lode of variations on the Cornish pasty, the ergonomic “hand pie” that had its origin as a portable miner’s meal. The menu starts traditional — think fillings such as steak, potatoes, onion and rutabaga — with the house signature: The Oggie. Then the “paaa-stees” branch into Italian, Cajun, Indian, Greek, Mexican and vegetarian territories. The crusty beauties are always accompanied by sauces from red wine and mustard creme to tzatziki and good old HP brown. There are even a few dessert combinations, including a big peanut butter-banana-raspberry jelly nugget. GT

Surprise of the Year

Burger of the Year

124 S. 6th St., 702-473-9523, carsonkitchen.com

Pies of the Year

953 E. Sahara Ave., 702-8624538, cornishpastyco.com

In Aria at CityCenter, 877-230-2742

Jerk Turkey Burger at Carson Kitchen In topsy-turvy days for Downtown Las Vegas dining, one thing is sure: Kerry Simon’s Carson Kitchen is a hit. And amid a standout menu, the seemingly understated Jerk Turkey Burger is a patty-meets-bun revelation.

It’s a simple but tall construction: juicy, Jamaican-inflected ground gobbler is topped with mango chutney-laden cabbage slaw and skewered inside a puffy, toasted bun. To the side comes a cylinder of tater tots sprinkled with some irresistible spice mix. Greg Thilmont

23 years after Bobby Mercado opened the first Viva Mercado’s at Flamingo and Decatur, his regular diners have returned, feasting on an impressive menu that boasts pages of traditional recipes augmented by a vegetarian Mexican menu that rivals the choices at many bespoke veggie spots. Viva Mercado, indeed! JPR

Crêpe of the Year Classic Buckwheat Crêpe at Marché Bacchus The classic buckwheat crêpe, that thin and rustic Breton pancake, has an elegant home along the water at Desert Shores. Marché Bacchus’ plating wraps tender roast chicken chunks, seasonal mushrooms (from enoki to chanterelle) and a light thyme-tinged Mornay sauce inside a pair of dusky galettes. In true Gallic form, a salad of mixed greens with vinaigrette comes on the side. It’s a combination that falls somewhere between comfort food and light repast. Pair your crêpes with a glass of vino on the patio for maximum Marché Bacchus ambiance. GT

2620 Regatta Drive, 702-8048008, marchebacchus.com

Rose. Rabbit. Lie. With its unveiling, Rose. Rabbit.

Lie. introduced its novel supper-club concept where the entertainment blended seamlessly with the dining experience.

While Executive Chef Wesley Holton brings a sterling pedigree to the kitchen, it’s still remarkable exactly how good Rose. Rabbit.

Lie. is while becoming a bona fide culinary destination. Most surprising of all? Holton is serving some of the Strip’s best Italian fare — so good, I’d argue that Rose. Rabbit.

Lie. is one of the Valley’s best Italian restaurants. Yes, his pastas are that good. JB

In The Cosmopolitan, 877-6670585, roserabbitlie.com

Comeback of the year Viva Mercado’s After suffering more than a year without one of the valley’s best Mexican restaurants, Viva Mercado’s is back with the same menu crafted of quality ingredients and attentive prep. There were some detours, including the moving and upsizing of the original location just as the recession hit, but

9440 W. Sahara Ave. #165, 702454-8482, vivamercadoslv.com

Restaurateur success story of the year Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla A short time after you read this, the husband-and-wife team of chef Kim Canteenwalla and restaurateur Elizabeth Blau will have three of their own off-Strip eateries to watch over. Though they worked together on the successful projects of others for years (Society Cafe, Buddy V’s, Simon Kitchen), it wasn’t until 2012 that the power pair pursued building their very own culinary playground and launched Summerlin’s successful Honey Salt.

Now, with their nearby Made LV Tavern taking names, and Andiron Steak & Sea prepping for its first diners soon, we’re salivating to see just how far these two tastemakers can take the suburban dining scene. JPR

Bar food of the year Sporting Life Bar What happens when you open up a sports bar with Daniel Dalton, a former sous chef from Bouchon, at the helm? You get the best bar food in town: savory pork belly atop cheesy polenta, fall-off-thebone confit chicken wings, the valley’s best fried pickles. And be sure to check for Dalton’s specials, ranging from yellow curry to roasted trout in brown butter to veal presse. Veal presse? See, this ain’t no PT’s. JB

7770 S. Jones Blvd., 702-3314647

Above, StripSteak's kabuto pork; left, beet salad

Chef of the Year

Gerald Chin

Strip Steak

In Mandalay Bay, 702-632-7200, mandalaybay.com

Never willing to settle, he’s turned a respectable steakhouse into a daring culinary sensation

W

hen is a steakhouse not a steakhouse? For the answer, you only have to look as far as the reinvigorated StripSteak at Mandalay Bay, where Executive Chef Gerald Chin has transformed the staid steakhouse into an extraordinary culinary destination.

When Chin was spirited away from his position as The Cosmopolitan’s chef de cuisine

early last year, StripSteak was a steady if unspectacular fixture within the famed Michael Mina empire. With a premier spot along the walkway from the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, it had a captive audience of conventioneers and passersby.

But instead of settling, Chin decided to make his mark.

He was wise enough to keep some perennial favorites: The Maine lobster fritters remain, with their melding of minty shiso and tart Meyer lemon, as does the earthy truffle mac & cheese. StripSteak meats are still prepared atop the showcase wood-burning grill, while the Strip’s best complimentary offering — the amuse bouche duck fat French fry trio — is a fixture at every seating.

But for every mainstay, there’s a new innovation reviving the restaurant. Crispy foie gras dumplings deliver a surprisingly subdued dose of unctuous fattiness balanced by a sharp huck-

leberry and umeboshi jam. And then there’s Instant Bacon. This slab of five-spice-rubbed pork belly accompanied by a tempura oyster atop julienned jicama is delivered under a glass dome clouded with smoke. The unveil releases campfire scents that bathe the senses.

Other highlights: black truffle macaroons and the ultimate surf-and-turf presentation with uni-laden bone marrow — a studied contrast of salinity and earthiness. But best of all might be the spicy fried rice. Comprising pork belly-laden fried rice with duck fat, carrots and sweet peas and endowed with a hint of spice from housemade hot sauce, it’s a savory side exemplifying Chin’s ability to blend contemporary and classic ingredients seamlessly.

Chin is no stranger to the spotlight. As the former victor on Food Network’s “Chopped,” he willed himself to victory in the “Leftovers Overload” episode. He should only be under slightly less scrutiny as our Chef of the Year — but we’re infinitely confident in his continuing ability to wow us. JB

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New Restaurant of the Year

Bazaar Meat

In the SLS Las Vegas, 702-761-7610, slsvegas.com

José Andrés’ wildly inventive carniporium brings the excitement back to dining out

I

f there’s any trace of glitz or glamour left in this city, you’d be hard-pressed to find it on your dinner plate. In case you haven’t noticed, our current restaurant landscape has been infiltrated by a glut of haute casual street food. Besides the few fine dining temples left standing (Guy Savoy, Twist, Joël Robuchon), we live in a world of burgers, pizza, noodles and tacos.

Fortunately, the second half of 2014 brought relief in the form of Bazaar Meat at SLS Las Vegas. Chef José Andrés’ spin-off of his five year-old Beverly Hills restaurant, The Bazaar, provides a novel experience to match Las Vegas’ best assets. It’s grandiose, hospitable, entertaining and the food is delicious.

As the name implies, protein — of every kind, in every form, and made to suit every taste — is the name of the game. (You can also play blackjack inside the restaurant, but I digress.)

There is outrageously priced caviar service for the whales, shrimp cocktail for the traditionalists and Iberico ham for the food snob. Offal enthusiasts are offered kidneys while steakhouse lovers can stick to a Kobe ribeye. Or, for an obscene feast, guests can drop half a grand on an entire suckling pig, roasted in a wood-fired oven.

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But for an over-the-top show, your best bet is to sample Andrés’ signature dishes and succumb to his magic. “Smoke and Ice” oysters arrive under a dramatic smoke-filled glass cloche, while chicken croquettes are served in curious sneaker-shaped dishware. For dessert, a palate-cleansing sorbet is frozen tableside with liquid nitrogen. It’s a lot of gimmickry that my cynical side might shun in any other city.

However, this being Las Vegas, the showmanship is more than welcome — in fact, it’s long overdue. Debbie Lee

Above, Bazaar Meat's foiffle, a foie gras waffle; left, Butifarra spiral sausage; right, José's Asian Taco

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Clockwise from opposite page, steak frites; pâté de campagne Bourguignon; tarte flambée; fig sundae

Restaurant of the Year

db Brasserie

In the Venetian, 702-430-1235, dbbrasserie.com

Just when you thought casual dining hit critical mass, db Brasserie classes it up

I

t was a very American year in Las Vegas dining. Guy Fieri led the way to Flavortown at the LINQ, Giada DeLaurentiis fed Food Network fans from flyover states at The Cromwell,

and Bobby Flay planted a flag on behalf of his namesake Burger Palace at City Center.

However, despite these highly publicized openings, it was a Frenchman who won my heart — and my stomach — in 2014.

This year’s best restaurant, db Brasserie, earns the honor for achieving something that few places could: keeping casual dining tasteful.

Much of the credit is due to its top toques, chef/owner Daniel Boulud and executive chef (and longtime local) David Middleton. The synergy between the revered culinary star and the ALEX/Marché Bacchus alum translates into creative reinterpretations of classic brasserie fare. Traditional Francophiles can opt for familiar items like tarte flambée and steak frites, while spice-lovers can sample exotic dishes in the form of Tunisian lamb and Thai calamari.

The plates are restrained but the flavors are forward — exactly what you’d expect from the classically trained chefs.

Want to display your patriotism on your plate? Don’t let the menu, peppered with French, fool you. The kitchen is not above offering a standout burger topped with pulled pork.

Dining here is a civilized affair, but not necessarily a snobbish one. Finish the meal with a so-

phisticated but playful take on an ice cream sundae if you need more convincing.

Boulud’s return to Las Vegas (his Daniel Boulud Brasserie at the Wynn closed in 2010) could not have come at a better time.

With gastropub cuisine reaching its saturation point, db Brasserie fills the void between high-end hot dogs and tasting menus bearing triple-digit price tags.

And they do it in style. The interior, designed by Jeffrey Beers International, is sexy, subdued and perfect for dates.

The cocktails are creative and a French-heavy wine list with more than 300 selections is a plus for oenophiles. Finally, the service is warm and professional without being intimidating.

It’s a breath of fresh air in this comfort food climate saturated with the scent of truffle oil; it’s shelter from the sea of soulless vanity projects that pepper the Strip. Perhaps it also signals a resurgence of French cooking. Regardless, we can only hope that Boulud will not pull another disappearing act on us anytime soon. DL december 2 0 1 4

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ANNUAL

DESERT COMPANION

Restaurant Awards

Chef’s

Choice Why let the food critics have all the fun?

This year, we quizzed six local culinary luminaries — from high-profile restaurateurs to the city’s most innovative chefs — about the year in dining.

Voila: A little praise, a little panning, a dash of OMG-I-can’t-believe-he-went-there — served piping hot. Order up!

Photography

Brent Holmes

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DESERT COMPANION

ANNUAL

Restaurant Awards

What dish this Where do year made you you eat say, “I wish after work?

I’d thought of that!”?

Chris Decker: “I love the shrimp tacos and jalapeño cheese tamales at Casa Don Juan.

It’s my go-to meal.”

Chris Decker: “The chicken and waffle gelato at Art of Flavors.

Anthony Enough said. Desyreé G. Meidenbauer: Alberganti is a genius.”

“Settebello in Henderson. Hands down the Jolene Mannina: best Neapolitan pizza “José’s Asian Taco at in town. It’s kept the Bazaar Meat. Jamón same quality since day ibérico de bellota, one, important for a toasted nori, flying fish local spot.” roe. I love that José used toasted nori as Jolene Mannina: the taco shell.”

“Herbs & Rye. Tasty bar Rick Moonen: “José Andrés’ liquid olives are an explosion of umami in your mouth. A scientific preparation of concentrated olive juice — yep, the juice you put in your dirty martini.

Sheer genius.”

food and well-made drinks. My favorites: Chorizo meatballs, mussels or a steak.”

Rick Moonen: “Saffron Flavors of India on North Craig Road.

Super-casual, well-balanced cuisine, and great naan too.”

Johnny Church: “Ferraro’s. Family-owned in Vegas for many years, and they take pride in quality, simple food.”

Who’s the chef you admire most in the Valley?

Elizabeth Blau: “Kerry Simon, for his amazing perseverance and commitment in the face of incredible struggle. (And of course my husband, Kim Canteenwalla!)”

Jolene Mannina: “Nina Manchev of Forte Tapas. I love her food; she’s brought something new to Vegas by adding several cuisines to her menu. Nina started young and is moving quickly, keep a eye on her.”

Chris Decker: “Andre Rochat. He’s OG! Many a talent has been through his kitchens, and he inspires great synergy with his staff in the creation process.”

restaurateur you admire most?

Rick Moonen: “Barry Dakake at N9NE Steakhouse deserves more Elizabeth Blau: light on his presence in “Victor Drai. He has an the valley. His dedicaincredible palate, is tion to the community extremely talented and shines through his constantly reinvents cuisine, and his humble himself.” generosity is admirable.”

Rick Moonen: “Giada, believe it or not. She hasn’t settled on an executive chef yet because she cares. I love that about her!”

Who’s the most underrated chef in town?

Elizabeth Blau: “Mark Lorusso, a longtime Vegas chef and great friend. His food continues to evolve and wow.”

Chris Decker: “Chef Matthew Silverton at Vintner Grill. Food is just as good as anywhere on the Strip, and the place is rarely talked about.”

Jolene Mannina: “Joshua Clark, The Goodwich. Most people don’t know he’s classically trained and can create a masterpiece out of anything in the kitchen.”

Elizabeth Blau Owner of Honey Salt, Made LV, and Andiron Steak & Sea

Anthony Meidenbauer Chef for Block 16 Hospitality (Holstein’s, Public House, Barrymore, Blind Pig, Flour & Barley, Haute Doggery and Pink’s)

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Chris Decker Managing partner of Metro Pizza and Lulu’s Bread & Breakfast

Rick Moonen: “Gerald Chin is a genius.

Enough said. Even if he works for Michael Mina.

I miss his culinary input at my restaurant.” johnny church: “Michael Van Staden of Bacchanal Buffet. This guy’s legit. Whoever gets him better be thankful and push his name out there.”

What’s your “guilty pleasure” restaurant?

Elizabeth Blau: “The pies at Chocolate & Spice, Megan Romano’s west-side bakery. Delicious and hand-crafted.”

Chris Decker: “I love going to Sage. It’s a real ‘big city’ restaurant in this tiny city of Las Vegas. I’ve been known to start & finish my meal with the oysters.”

Anthony Meidenbauer: “L’atelier de Joël Robuchon.

Haute cuisine in a semi-casual environment that makes it fun.”

already. Here is where I get the cheap plastic cutting tools that will break in a week. Just can’t stay away. Watch your fingers!”

What trend do you see on the horizon for 2015?

Jolene Mannina: “Tacos El Gordo. Latenight carnitas tacos.

You can never go wrong!”

Rick Moonen: “Monta serves up a great bowl of noodles in a flavorful pork broth. My wife is gluten-intolerant and I have to sneak in a fix from time to time. Don’t tell her.”

Elizabeth Blau: “I think people are still exploring the ancient and alternative grains, which I love.”

What’s your favorite place to buy gear?

Anthony Meidenbauer: “Back to the quality, oldschool classics where solid technique rules instead of test tubes and tweezers.”

Rick Moonen: “International Market has unusual gadgets.

Keep in mind that I’m a spoiled chef who has all the expensive stuff

Jolene Mannina: “Slow and low is always a winner. Comfort food has definitely made a comeback.”

Rick Moonen: “Recognizing and celebrating food sources from companies that have evolved as more responsible. True North farmed salmon, for instance. I would have never recommended them before I learned how much they have changed their approach to raising a protein that everyone loves.”

What food or dining trends are you totally over?

Elizabeth Blau: “Snout to tail. Cake pops.”

Jolene Mannina: “Mac and cheese 1,000 ways. Kale. The donut craze, mostly because I want to eat donuts everyday. Stop torturing me!”

Rick Moonen: “Gargantuan piles of crap deemed as something cool. Six hot dogs with one pound of greasy bacon, a dogpile of chili, cheese, foie gras, crème fraîche and Sriracha — just to make it sooo cool. Give me a freakin’ break. I need more room on the airplane. Do a sit up. Eat better, not more.” johnny church: “Tacos. For f----’s sake, it’s a taco, people.”

Anthony Meidenbauer: “Molecular, and farm-totable verbiage. I don’t need a paragraph of where the beet came from. Just serve the damn thing!”

Jolene Mannina Owner of Relish Events and creator of the culinary show “Late Night Chef Fight”

Johnny Church Chef and partner at MTO Cafe

Rick Moonen Chef and owner of RM Seafood and Rx Boiler Room

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High ALERT

Shootouts, grim sights, daily stress, public scrutiny — policework is a mental battlefield.

How do you fix the tortured mind of a cop?

story by

HEIDI KYSER

HIGH ALERT

O

n April 12, about 30 Metro cops headed northeast of Las Vegas to Cliven Bundy’s ranch to prevent a potential bloodbath.

They’d been called out to help keep the peace between Bureau of Land Management officials, who were trying to round up Bundy’s cattle, and protesters, who’d gathered to support Bundy and chase away the BLM. The dispute had started over grazing rights and unpaid fees — but then it turned ugly. Militiamen flaunting weapons. Antigovernment activists making threats. The BLM was in over its head; it called in the cavalry.

“We didn’t show any fear that day,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sergeant Tom Jenkins would later tell 8 News Now’s George Knapp. “But I’ll tell you, in the back of our minds, we thought that could be our last day on Earth. If it went bad.”

There were people on the scene who were looking for a reason to shoot a cop, Jenkins said. A simple car engine backfiring would have been enough to set off a gunfight. News video showed one rifle-wielding protester saying, “It’s going to happen sometime. Might as well happen now.”

In the end, the release of Bundy’s cattle defused the situation. Saving lives was more important than being right, law enforcement officials said.

Less than two months later, Jerad and Amanda Miller, who’d spent just enough time at the Bundy Ranch to be photographed by reporters before being kicked out for Jerad’s illegally carrying a firearm while on parole, walked into CiCi’s Pizza on Nellis and Stewart and shot two Metro cops to death. Officer Alyn Beck was 41 and left behind a wife and three children; Officer Igor Soldo was 31 and left behind a

wife and baby. The Millers went on to kill a civilian, Joseph Wilcox, at a Walmart across the street from CiCi’s and were both killed in a gun battle with police.

In the wake of the Millers’ rampage, the buzz of anti-law enforcement sentiment stirred up by the Bundy Ranch standoff was drowned out by an outpouring of public support for police.

Citizens created an impromptu memorial at CiCi’s, covering the sidewalk in front of the pizzeria with f lowers, candles and mementos. Radio stations, restaurants — even a tattoo parlor — held fundraisers to benefit the families of Beck and Soldo. The Injured Police Officers Fund gathered so many donations that it was able to give each of the officers’ wives a six-figure check.

Another two months later, in early August, Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black man. Several weeks of public protests followed, reig-

photography

aar o n m ayes

niting national discussions about race and police use of force. In North Las Vegas, around a hundred people gathered for a peaceful vigil and rally. But on social media, police-haters churned up the rage, creating hash tags such as #ENDTHEPOLICE to push their message.

In the space of four months, the pendulum of public sentiment about the police seemed to swing from hate to love and back again.

“People don’t want you there till they need you,” says Brian deBecker, a detective with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, “then you can’t get there fast enough. It’s just the nature of the job.

It’s the nature of the relationship between the public and the police. It’s always been that way. … But it’s worse now.”

Southern Nevada cops say they’re a little more nervous lately than usual. They pull up to stoplights wary of the drivers to their right and left; some have started packing a lunch to avoid eating out while on duty, as Beck and Soldo were doing when they were ambushed. It may just be a low point on the rollercoaster relationship the police have always had with the public, but it’s another

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HIGH ALERT

stressor in a job that was already rife with them. Besides Beck and Soldo, two other local officers, Harold Byron Twigg and Michael Sutton, have died this year. Both committed suicide.

However, a movement is underway to help cops better cope with the unique pressures of their job. Individuals and organizations are trying to raise awareness about the emotional perils of policing and the need for more comprehensive wellness programs. At the same time, younger officers are breaking down cultural taboos — about talking about stress, anxiety and grief — that may have hampered past generations. But in the current climate of increased scrutiny, and hostility, much more could be done.

Trouble brewing

I would guess that, in my career, I’ve been to 50 to 100 suicides. There are a lot in this town, and as a sergeant, you have to go to all of them (with your unit). And this one summer day, we had five. … One was a 13-yearold boy who killed himself over algebra. He was failing algebra. I remember the call coming up on the computer, and I could feel those emotions coming up. … I could have called someone. I could have called any other sergeant, and they’d handle it. But what would I say? “I’m feeling a little emotional today.

Can you go handle this suicide?” So I told myself, “Hey, I’m going to get there, and my part won’t take five minutes.” … When I get there, the officer is waiting outside, which is odd when it’s 115 degrees. And he says, “Hey, Sarge, this is what I got: Third room on the left, 13-year-old male, got his dad’s .45, put it in his mouth.” … When I go inside, there’s probably 10 or 12 people in the kitchen, and they’re moaning and making sounds like wild animals, you know, probably the way it would sound at my house if my Boo-Bear blew his brains out. Because the top of this kid’s head is gone. … And I remember them looking at me and (my) feeling like they thought I would fix it. Now, I’m sure they didn’t actually think that, but that’s how I felt. And I wanted to say, “Don’t look at me like that. There’s nothing I can do.”

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This is former Metro Sergeant Clarke Paris’ recollection of the day seven years ago when his pot boiled over. In his metaphor of police officer stress, every cop starts with an empty stew pot. Over the course of his career, things go into the pot: contact with domestic abuse victims you’re unable to help; insults from angry speeding-ticket recipients; negative reviews by supervisors; missed promotions; fights with a spouse. If you’re lucky, you retire before your cop stew boils over.

Paris wasn’t so lucky. During the time of the incident described above, he was suffering an emotional breakdown, for which he eventually sought help. After just a few months of counseling, he worked through the crisis. He spent five more — much happier, he says — years on the force before retiring.

Metro Lieutenant Erik Lloyd, who is the treasurer of the Injured Police Officers Fund, remembers arriving on the scene of his fellow officer Donald Charles Weese’s fatal traffic accident in 1992.

While en route to a gun call, Weese had collided with a civilian vehicle and spun into a traffic light pole.

“I was on duty that night and I had to go to the scene,” Lloyd says. “I had been in the academy with (Weese) just a few years earlier. … He was a massive guy — 6’5”, 260, a body builder. I saw him in the vehicle.

Seeing him reduced to the way he was, it was humbling, the power of a car accident.

I had to hold a sheet up while they did the Jaws of Life to get his body out. I had to shield his body from the media.”

DeBecker will never forget the call he responded to several years ago about a toddler’s body in a dumpster. It was a little girl, whose mother and mother’s boyfriend had beaten her to death and then placed her in the garbage bin. “She was dressed up and had her stuffed animals around her, as if her mom was putting her to bed,” he says.

Looking back on his cop stew moment today, Paris says, “I knew if I got shot but lived, my peers and boss would say, ‘I’m glad Clarke got help.’ But nobody was shooting at me. I was dealing with stuff that’s normal on the job. Why do we call these events ‘normal’ when they happen to a cop? If another person went through that,

they wouldn’t be able to forget it for weeks.”

Gruesome crime scenes aren’t the only potential sources of trauma that cops encounter on a regular basis. According to the FBI’s most recent uniform crime report, 12.6 percent of law enforcement officers in the Mountain West (eight states, including Nevada) were assaulted in 2012 — the highest percentage of any region in the U.S.; 2.4 percent higher than the national average.

About a third of all assaults nationwide happened while officers were responding to disturbance calls (such as bar fights and family quarrels); nearly 28 percent of all assaults resulted in injuries. As for fatalities, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counts 12 total in Nevada from 2004 through 2013: five from auto accidents, four from shootings and one each from beating, drowning and falling.

National firearms-related fatalities are up 63 percent this year over the same time last year, according to Steve Groeninger, senior director of communications for the Memorial Fund. That percentage was poised to go up, he added, due to some officers being in critical condition from gunshot wounds as he spoke.

Sympathy for cops can be a tough sell.

One problem: The number of civilians killed by law enforcement officers easily outpaces that of officers killed by civilians.

In Nevada, that ratio is 65 to 4 from 2009 through 2013, according to Fatal Encounters, a website created this year to track officer-caused civilian deaths, and the Memorial Fund. (Note that eight of the civilians killed by officers during this period are unarmed, according to Fatal Encounters’ reports.) Another problem is cases of corruption, racism and excessive use of force among certain departments and officers, which garner heavy media attention.

And besides, don’t cops know they’re signing up for a risky job? They do. In fact, that’s part of the career’s appeal for some — especially early on. Paris says most young cops will tell you they wish they could do it for free on their days off. But, over time, the gusto diminishes. In some cases, the accumulation of car accidents and dead bodies and threat of bodily harm begins to take a toll.

Several studies have linked alcoholism

“I was dealing with stuff that’s normal on the job.

Why do we call these events ‘normal’ when they happen to a cop? If another person went through that, they wouldn’t be able to forget it for weeks.”

Boiling point: Clarke Paris says policework brews a seething mental "cop stew."

to the occupational stress of police work, and some evidence indicates cops experience high rates of domestic abuse and suicide as well. “Forty percent of the police do not get help for their problems,” writes Neal Trautman in the introduction to his 2005 textbook Police Work: A Career Survival Guide. “Almost half of that 40 percent will assault their children or wives. Nearly 10 percent of that half will either kill themselves or be killed by a member of their own family. … Contrary to popular belief, stress harms more cops than criminals do.” (Police suicide numbers are disputed and difficult to verify because the FBI and Department of Justice don’t collect data on them.)

Why doesn’t that 40 percent get help?

What happens to them between the early embrace of risk and the eventual crush of

stress? The making of cop stew is a slow, almost invisible process that even the cops themselves aren’t aware of. Post-traumatic stress disorder doesn’t only come from one major incident, Paris says. A sense of impending doom combined with helplessness to avert it (the hallmarks of trauma) can build up over time, with repeated exposure to stressful and violent events. Police psychologists are increasingly studying this phenomenon.

Another factor is a cop-specific Catch-22 that also stems from the appeal of the profession. In the introduction to his book, Trautman asks, “What type of person would choose to face daily animosity and ridicule? Who would want to work the long, miserable hours of midnight shift, stand in the rain or cold and direct

traffic or live with the discomfort of wearing a bulletproof vest during the summer?”

Some will cite financial security and prestige, but almost all answers include some variation of, “To help people and make a positive difference in the community.” In other words, the field attracts idealists.

“A lot of these individuals coming in are young, and they think they have their cape and badge and they’re going to change the world,” says Sergeant Tom Harmon, the director of the Police Employee Assistance Program, Metro’s peer-support group.

Now, put these young, idealistic people in a job where they’re repeatedly exposed to the worst aspects of society. It’s a recipe for internal conflict, says Douglas Craig, a clinical psychologist who specializes in police and public safety and teaches at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago.

“Cops learn quickly that the more emotionally invested (in their jobs) they are, the more challenging it is to maintain their composure,” Craig says. “A way to compensate for the trauma they experience is to check out. It’s a way to cope. I think the general community doesn’t see that. They say, ‘They look like jerks. They

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FIREARMS-RELATED

talk to me in a staccato way. They see everyone as future perpetrators of crimes.’

They don’t see that the more a cop cares about the well-being of others, the less able he is to perform his job.”

While emotional disengagement may seem like a professional necessity in law enforcement, it may also stand in the way of personal well-being. Stoicism can mask repressed, unresolved issues and bleed into life outside the job. Officers often say that their job, unlike others, can’t be left at the office at the end of the day. They’re always cops. For some, this means always working, always maintaining the stiff upper lip.

“That’s something ingrained in law enforcement,” Harmon says. “There’s an underlying thing: You still feel like you have to be tough. We’re geared toward helping the world. There will never be enough emphasis on training officers to look in the mirror and say, ‘I need to start by taking care of that person, because then, I can be the cop I want to be, the mommy or daddy I want to be.’”

Toughening down Detective Brian deBecker sits at a table in one corner of a Las Vegas coffee shop, facing the door. Over the years, he’s worked various divisions of Metro, including a six-year stint on patrol, the job that police veterans portray as the most demanding and yet most rewarding. Now, deBecker is with a special sex offender unit, so he’s in street clothes. His steady hazel eyes are a little tired, but hopeful.

An occasional tic interrupts his otherwise relaxed manner: Reaching his right hand under his jacket, toward his left side, he quickly scratches his ribs through his T-shirt. It could have something to do with the habit of carrying a gun there. DeBecker’s been a cop for 24 years.

In that time, he’s seen share of action.

His first of five shootings came while he was still in field training, when a man brandishing a knife rushed him and his partner. In another incident, while he was on patrol alone at 3:30 in the morning, a suspect he’d casually stopped pulled a gun out of his waistband and started shooting.

DeBecker says he’s what cops call a “shit

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39

+8%

TRAFFIC-RELATED

SOUTH magnet”: trouble finds him.

Percentage of Law Enforcement Officers He believes this is because Assaulted by Region & he’s proactive on the job, Geographic Division looking to fight crime inWEST 2012 South West stead of just cruising around % killing time.

MIDWEST “I love what I do,” he says.

“As I get closer to retirement, NORTHEAST I don’t look forward to it as Pacific % much as I used to.”

Middle South East Atlantic % But he was looking forWest North % Central ward to retirement a couple % years ago when his entire life seemed like a shit magnet.

His crisis was more personal than work-related. In 2011, New East North South Atlantic England Mountain Central the mother of two of deBeck% % % % er’s children, among whose family he counts a handful of his closest friends, died. A year and a half later, he lost *Source: FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division his 9-year-old son to a rare (who went on to become Clark County Sherform of cancer. iff) convinced former Sheriff John Moran Add this to the usual pressures of being that the department needed to offer an outa police officer, and deBecker is a poster let for officers to deal with the aftermath of child for police stress. And yet, he’s doing critical incidents. In its 20 years, it’s grown OK. He doesn’t drink too much or abuse not just in staff, from two to seven full-time his family or consider killing himself. employees, but also in acceptance. HarHow has he fared so well? mon’s team is routinely called to critical Maybe, partly, because of age and perincidents such as shootings and fatal car sonality. “I guess it’s just how life goes,” accidents, and, more and more often, suhe says. “I’ve learned that the simpler you pervisors on a crime scene will elect to have can make life, the easier it is.” He doesn’t PEAP there in non-critical incidents too, get worked up about the department poliwhen they feel there’s trauma potential for tics that drive so many other officers crazy. the officers involved. PEAP staff helps the He has a healthy work-life balance. And he officers through the shock and its immespends a lot of time with family, focusing diate aftermath. In addition, any employee on the daughter he still has at home and of Metro, civilian or sworn, can call PEAP the older one living on the West Coast. But any time for help — whether the matter is deBecker has also had help. He acknowljob-related or not. And supervisors can refer edges the role that the Police Employees PEAP to unit members they believe are in Assistance Program, or PEAP, has played need of assistance (although it’s up to the ofin his healthy state. They’ve reached out ficers themselves to accept the help). PEAP to him not only after each of his critical inrepresentatives are trained in peer counselcidents on the job, but also as soon as they ing, not psychological services. They don’t heard news of his personal crises. In fact, diagnose disorders or prescribe treatments. deBecker says, it was PEAP who called to If someone needs more than a sympathetic tell him of his ex-wife’s passing while he ear, PEAP refers him or her to a therapist. was traveling out of town. They wanted This month, Harmon retires after 20 to make sure he heard the news from a years with PEAP. Lead Coordinator Melisfriend, rather than on the evening news. sa Causey, who has 14 years of experience Metro’s confidential peer support crisis of her own on the team, says the departure intervention program began in 1984 when of Harmon — who is practically synonyformer officers Ed Jensen and Jerry Keller

9.2

7.7 11.7

11.1 9.4

9.8 8.3 12.6 10.9

23

OTHER C

3

HIGH ALERT

Nevada Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities

by Primary Reason 2004-2013

1

Preliminary 2014 Law Enforcement officer Fatalities

Please note these numbers reflect total officer fatalities comparing Jan. 1 through Nov. 17, 2014 vs. Jan. 1 through Nov. 17, 2013

2014 2013

44

27

+63% 36

FIREARMS-RELATED

39

+24%

+8% 23

TRAFFIC-RELATED

86

+4% 24

107

TOTAL FATALITIES

OTHER CAUSES

* Source: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

SOUTH

5

Preliminary 2014 Fatalities in mountain west

AUTO

2

1

South West %

9.2 1

1

MIDWEST NORTHEAST

14

BEATING

Pacific

South East

7.7 11.7 %

1

DROWNING

11.13 9.41 %

Middle Atlantic

%

1

+8%

39

9.2

%

%

There will always be more that needs to be done in that area.”

Indeed, only a small fraction of Nevada’s law enforcement job training is spent on self-care. Metro’s police academy, for example, includes around 800 hours of training per officer. Of that, recruits get one hour on health and wellness; one hour on stress management; one hour on the impacts of policing; a two-hour video on emotional survival; and a three-hour class byOTH PEAP officer-involved shootings.

SES CAU ERon Eight hours total.

Leading organizations have begun to admit that law enforcement agencies are falling short when it comes to mental health services and take steps to remedy the problem. The International Association of Chiefs of Police worked with the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing to bring together experts and stakeholders for a national symposium in July 2013. Named “Breaking the Silence,” it addressed “the mental health stigma within law enforcement as well as the critical issue of law enforcement suicide,” according to the resulting report and website, where departments

23

4 4

South Atlantic

Mountain

+4% 24

* Source: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

can get resources for developing their own internal programs.

One such program that’s been held up as a model is the San Diego Police Department Wellness Unit, which Police Chief William Lansdowne founded in 2011 in response to a spate of officer misconduct allegations, including drunk driving, domestic violence and sexual assault. At the time, Lansdowne said the department may have allocated too few resources for FATALITIES TOTAL employee well-being.

The SDPD Wellness Unit isn’t that different from PEAP. Located off-site from the police department, it is staffed by four police officers and oversees chaplains, peer counseling, a crisis hotline and ad+63% diction recovery support 44 groups. It also 36 coordinates with 27 a contracted psycholog+63% ical services provider.

In the year followFIREARMS-RELATED TRAFF 44 36 ing its establishment, journalists from the 27 local ABC News affiliate reported that the FIREARMS-RELATED TRAFF Wellness Unit had made 352 contacts with department and family members, successfully heading off countless behavioral problems before they happened.

“Back when PEAP started, I felt like itWEST

+24%

86

107

2014 2013 2014 2013

was ahead of the curve,” deBecker says.

Pacific

11.1 9.4

MIDWEST

%

South East

%

h %

* Source: Fatal Encounters

Police feloniously killed by civilians, 2009-2013 * Source: National Law Enforcement New Officers Memorial Fund East North England Central % %

9.8 8.3 12.6 10.9

T

65 65

%

West North Central

mous with PEAP — will be tough, but she expects FALL the program will continue to thrive.

She helped organize Metro’s first Wellness Week, which took place SHOT in early November and included an FBI workshop TRA * Source:FFIC National-RELATED on stress manLaw Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund agement, Paris’s seminar on PTSD SOUTH and suicide prevention, and a fitness fair.

She hopes to make the event annual and expand on it next year.

“Officers are required to maintain 24 hours of training per year, and they’re always looking for classes to take,” Causey WEST South West says. “We’re looking for additional tools to % give them, wellness skills.”

“We live in a world where there are so many priorities,” Harmon adds. “Paying attention to that one area (stress management) is a challenge because of everything else they need to do to learn their job.

4 36

Civilians killed by police, 2009-2013

22 TOTAL WEST

63%

Nevada civilian-police deaths

NORTHEAST

MIDWEST

DECEMBER 2014

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WEST

Pacific 73

%

HIGH ALERT

Check your blues: Metro Sergeant Tom Harmon helps keeps cops' minds on an even keel.

“There will never be enough emphasis on training officers to look in the mirror and say, ‘I need to start by taking care of that person, because then, I can be the cop I want to be, the mommy or daddy I want to be.’”

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“For many years, police work was: You’d go to work, get in a shooting and go home.

There was no outlet to talk about it. I don’t know what I would’ve done without follow-up.”

Still, more can be done, believes Minddie Lloyd, Erik’s wife and the director of the Injured Police Officers Fund. Through her 18-year marriage and the support she’s offered the spouses and other family members of killed and injured police officers, Minddie Lloyd has taken a personal interest in officer wellness. Like Clarke Paris, she believes law enforcement trauma still isn’t accepted and understood broadly enough, and she’d also like to see more awareness and training related to the role of the family, beyond the few optional hours offered during the academy and continuing education.

“A lot of these spouses love being married to cops, and their kids come first, but there isn’t a connection between them,” Lloyd says. Too many men, she believes,

won’t talk to their wives about what’s going on, because of the fear of being misunderstood or a burden; some wives don’t want to hear it, either.

Erik Lloyd adds that police thinking on work-life balance needs to evolve, a concern his colleagues echoed. Discouraged by the discomfort and stigma experienced when socializing with civilians, many cops fall into the trap of only hanging out with other cops. Too often, their preferred way to unwind is with a drink.

“After a while, that’s all you do: drink and tell stories to other cops,” says former Metro officer Robert “Bobby G” Gronauer. “It’s always best to get away and have friends outside the department, people you can talk to who aren’t cops. And you have to know how to go on vacation — more than two weeks — and really go away when you go away. These guys just want to work all the time. It’s not good.”

“Chicago police has a furlough program that’s been successful,” says Douglas Craig,

HIGH ALERT

the Adler School psychologist. “You get 30 days off once a year. … I think it would help more to have greater resources for departments to provide healthy space and support to use paid leave for self-care. I’m not bashing police departments; the majority of large PDs see the need for them, but we’re in the infancy of seeing the importance of those services play in the functioning of departments themselves.”

Shifting culture North Las Vegas Police Officer Ann Cavaricci murmurs a line of code into her radio, flips on her sirens and floors the gas pedal of her black-and-white Ford SUV. On her way to an armed robbery at a mobile phone store, she calmly notes drivers’ failure to move out of her way. Zigzagging through a maze of cars blocking an intersection, she resumes her story about the stressors she’s faced in her job — a mix of those that every cop deals with and some that are unique to women. Arriving at the crime scene, she parks near the entrance to the strip mall where the phone store is located and hops out, murmuring more code into her radio and drawing her gun. Posted at a tree in sight of the store’s front door, she waits for backup, as the suspect may still be in the area. Her fellow NLVPD officer Shane Forsberg, who’s recovering from gunshot wounds sustained Oct. 7 in a traffic stop gone bad, undoubtedly hovers in the back of her mind. Other officers soon arrive, and within 15 minutes, they clear the store and surrounding area. No one is hurt; the robber is long gone with a few hundred bucks in cash.

In his seminar, Paris touches on sexism in law enforcement, paraphrasing one commonly cited source of frustration among females: “If you have short hair, then you must be a lesbian. If you have long hair, then why are you a cop?”

A pervasive undercurrent of machismo in cop culture can undermine both men and women. Women have to work harder to earn their peers’ respect; but they’re also more likely to have an outside support network. If a woman cries at work, she’s seen as weak; if she doesn’t, she’s trying too hard. Either way, though, it’s consid-

ered less shameful than a man crying. In short, nobody has it easy when it comes to stress management.

But that culture of stoicism is shifting.

Cavaricci— at 34, the youngest of the 10 officers interviewed for this story — displays her femininity unabashed: She wears makeup, has long blond hair and a French manicure, and carries her water in a pink Victoria’s Secret bottle. She balances appearing as strong and authoritative as her male counterparts with using her more feminine skills — one moment drawing her gun and shouting, “North Las Vegas Police!

If you’re in there, come out with your hands up!” into a church where an intruder has tripped an alarm; the next, having a motherly talk with a young boy who’s walked out into a busy street (albeit in a crosswalk) without heeding oncoming traffic.

“I like interacting with the community,” Cavaricci says. “I think it’s important to let people know that we’re approachable.”

Although Cavaricci has availed herself of NLVPD Employee Assistance Resource Representatives’ (EARR) services to vent fear and frustration during her 10 years on the job, she says, she has no problem talking about work with her husband, a Metro traffic cop, and mother, who’s proud of her career choice. Like a majority of cops, Cavaricci loves her job and is in good mental health.

Older officers find their younger peers more open to counseling and less bothered by things (e.g., same sex relationships) that would’ve raised eyebrows in old-school locker rooms.

Harmon says PEAP has seen a steady rise in need, from 15-20 after-hours callouts for emergencies per year in the mid’90s, to 65-75 such calls today. It’s not unusual for his team to make 10,000 contacts a year now, including everything from a five-minute conversation to an all-day intervention. He believes the increase is due in part to the growth of Southern Nevada’s population and police force, and in part to rising acceptance of counseling services.

“Now that I’m back on patrol, I’m 47 and I’m in briefing, I see 23-year-olds who are like me back when I started,” Erik Lloyd says. “When I was their age, I used to think, ‘Man those guys are old.’ I look at these kids

now and think, ‘Man, these guys are really good cops.’ They’ve been exposed to more through the Internet. They’re more on the ball than we were back then.”

The nature of police work is changing, he says. There’s more emphasis on community-oriented activities, such as Metro’s monthly First Tuesday public forums at area commands, occasional Coffee with a Cop socials at cafes around town and the Every 15 Minutes anti-drunk driving campaign in local high schools. Police psychologists applaud such efforts, insisting that they’re the key to building mutual cooperation and understanding between the police and public.

“Vegas used to be rough and tumble,” Lloyd says. “Now, I have 17 officers at Southeast who have body cameras.”

Perhaps because so much of their lives are online, younger officers seem to embrace public accountability for their actions. “If you talk to people who’ve been on the job for a long time, there are more rules, a closer look at what they’re doing,” says PEAP’s Harmon. “Rightfully so. Even when we’re doing a good job, there need to be checks and balances to make sure we’re doing the right thing. With a lot of authority comes a lot of responsibility.”

Some feel there’s much work to be done in this regard. “Holding a barbecue once a month isn’t going to fix the systemic problems,” says Kelly Patterson of Nevada Cop Block, a group whose goal is to draw attention to use of force issues and police accountability. Referring to the highly contentious killing of Erik Scott outside a Costco store in 2010, Patterson says, “Everybody saw how they were covering things up. People spent about a year reforming the coroner’s inquest, working through the system, and as soon as the election was over, the new management came in and overthrew it.”

It’s up to recently elected sheriff Joe Lombardo to manage this controversy now, while meeting the day-to-day demands of running a 5,000-person force.

Observers hope that PEAP and EARR won’t get lost in the shuffle, and that Lombardo will support their efforts to expand wellness services.

“The harder the job gets,” Harmon says, “the more they need us.”

DECEMBER 2014

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STORES VARY PER CENTER

SPREAD LOVE TORY BURCH KATE SPADE NEW YORK PREMIUMOUTLETS.COM

BANANA REPUBLIC FACTORY STORE

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GAP OUTLET

Although most people celebrate this holiday season as a time for giving and goodwill, many Southern Nevada organizations exemplify this spirit every day of the year. Whether providing much-needed resources, medical care and assistance, education, opportunities, hope or dreams-come-true, they give from their hearts to make our community a better place for all.

Partner Sponsor

General Sponsor

Services ONE DROP – a non-profit organization established by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté – strives to ensure that water is accessible to all.

The organization uses water as a driving force to improve people’s health and standard of living, as well as their ability to care for themselves and their families. Our unique, community-centered model empowers people to create sustainable, long-term positive changes.

SERVICE AREA Contact

980 Kelly Johnson Drive, Suite 200 Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 1-844-33-WATER one.night@onedrop.org

Mission ONE DROP strives to ensure that water is accessible to all, today and forever

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Globally, ONE DROP’s intervention zones are in Central America, West Africa and Asia. Locally in the desert climate of Las Vegas where water conservation and awareness are more important than ever, ONE DROP has created a partnership with Springs Preserve donating $1M, to continue developing their innovative programming aimed at the youth in Southern Nevada.

Giving From its inception, thanks to the visionary support of its founder, founding partners, corporations and private individual donors, by the end of 2015, ONE DROP will have transformed more than 1 million lives. Here are three ways to do your part and help: • Join us for the 3rd edition of One Night for ONE DROP, an annual celebration to raise funds and awareness for critical water issues. One Night for ONE DROP imagined by Cirque du Soleil; a one night only unique production with world renowned performers alongside artists from Cirque du Soleil. Presented by MGM Resorts international, the event will be hosted at The Mirage Hotel & Casino. For tickets call 1.844.33.WATER or visit onedrop.org/onenight.

• Join us for the ONE DROP Walk for Water at Springs Preserve in October 2015 • Donate online at onedrop.org

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March 20, 2015 A one-night only unique production with world renowned performers alongside artists from Cirque du Soleil to raise funds and awareness for critical water issues

TICKETS ON SALE NOW 1.844.33.WATER • ONEDROP.ORG/ONENIGHT PRESENTED BY

At The Beatles™ LOVE™ Theatre at The Mirage Hotel & Casino

Contact

7220 S. Cimarron Road, Suite 130 Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 702-214-0500 michelle.jackson@ja.org www.JALasVegas.org

Contact

2850 Lindell Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89146 702-367-2582 info@bgcsnv.org www.bgcsnv.org

Mission

Mission

To provide every child with equal access, hope and opportunity.

Vision

To ensure every child reaches their greatest potential in education, health, work and life

We are empowering young people to own their economic success. Our volunteer-based K-12 programs foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy skills, and use experiential learning to inspire kids to dream big and reach their potential.

Purpose

Junior Achievement inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy.

Vision

The envisioned future - what we aspire to become. Junior Achievement maintains an active vision, front and center, on how we can have a positive impact on the lives of more students guided by our core values. Belief in the boundless potential of young people.

Commitment to the principles of market-based economics and entrepreneurship. Passion for what we do and honesty, integrity, and excellence in how we do it. Respect for the talents, creativity, perspectives, and backgrounds of all individuals Belief in the power of partnership and collaboration. Conviction in the educational and motivational impact of relevant, hands-on learning From our values, we articulate our purpose and vision, comprised of our core ideology.

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Contact

100 St. Jude’s Street Boulder City, Nevada 89005 702-294-7100 info@stjudesranch.org www.stjudesranch.org

Mission

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, transforming the lives of abused and at-risk children, young adults and families by empowering them to create new chances, new choices and new hope in a caring community.

Contact

2000 E. Flamingo Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 702-222-9000 www.bbbsn.org

Mission

Provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-toone relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

Vision

All children achieve success in life.

Accountability

By partnering with parents / guardians, volunteers and others in the community we are accountable for each child in our program achieving: • Higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships • Avoidance of risky behaviors • Educational success

Contact

Contact

Mission

Mission

10620 Southern Highlands Parkway, #110-474 Las Vegas, Nevada 89141 702-617-4027 info@goodietwoshoes.org www.goodietwoshoes.org The Goodie Two Shoes Foundation provides disadvantaged children and children in crisis with new shoes and socks via a 48’ mobile shoe-store-on-wheels. Each school year, September to May, GTSF outfits 10,000 school-age children in need at 25 large-scale, highly-coordinated, on-campus shoe distribution events.

To date, GTSF has outfitted more than 59,000 Southern Nevada children in need with new shoes and socks, and often more.

10624 S. Eastern Avenue, Suite A-600 Henderson, Nevada 89052 702-269-9111 info@nevadagives.org www.nevadagives.org To raise awareness of and increase charitable giving in Nevada.

Save the Date! Nevada’s Big Give is March 12, 2015. Nevada’s Big Give is a 24-hour online giving event benefiting the Nevada charities that support our communities. One Big Day. One Big State.

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Services For more than 70 years, the mission of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada has been to serve those in need – the most vulnerable, regardless of race, religion or creed. Through the support and generosity of foundations, grants, organizations and individual donors, Catholic Charities continues to operate programs; each and every day to meet the incredible needs of so many. These five categories – Family Services, Food Services, Senior Services, Immigration and Refugee Services, and Homeless and Housing Services – are providing a wide range of human services and support, from infants to seniors. Programs such as the Emergency Shelter, Meals on Wheels Senior Nutrition and Adoption Services are lifelines for those in need. A community resource that offers help and hope and restores a sense of dignity as it strives to meet the diverse needs of the more than 100,000 clients we serve every year.

Contact

1501 Las Vegas Boulevard North Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 702-385-2662 development@catholiccharities.com www.CatholicCharities.com

Mission

Recognizing that every person is created in the image of God, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada originally was formed to carry on charitable work in the fields of religion, education, and social welfare and continues to carry out the vision and mission of the Roman Catholic Church by: providing services to sustain the human dignity of all persons, fostering social justice, and calling on others to do the same within the counties of Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine in the State of Nevada.

Volunteer St. Vincent Lied Dining Facility Assist us with providing meal service to homeless and vulnerable men, women and children. We serve an average of 1,000 nutritious meals in a clean and safe environment each and every day of the year.

Hands of Hope Community Food Pantry Assist families in need as they shop for groceries, fresh produce, baby goods, and hygiene items in a supermarket setting.

Meals On Wheels Facility The Meals On Wheels Tray Line Volunteer helps our team provide for an average of 1,600 clients daily. This volunteer is responsible for placing appropriate portions of food items on individual trays.

Senior Volunteer Opportunities If you are 55 years and older and would like to find a meaningful way to spend your time and help your community, please contact us today.

For additional volunteer opportunities and to help someone in need visit our website at www.CatholicCharities.com or call 702.385.2662.

Giving

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Your gifts of stewardship, whether financial or donations of time and talent allow us to change people’s lives by giving help and hope to the most vulnerable in our community. $25,000 allows 11 isolated homebound seniors to receive meals and wellness checks for one year $15,000 provides 3 homeless men, seniors, and veterans with overnight shelter for one year $5,000 feeds 3 families in our dining room for 365 days $1,000 provides nutritious foods to 225 families in need visiting our food pantry $500 provides one month rental assistance for a homeless family $100 provides 5 newly resettled refugee families with pots and pans for their new home.

You may also support Catholic Charities through donations of vehicles, gently used items and including us in your estate planning.

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Contact

Contact

Mission

Mission

3720 Howard Hughes Parkway Las Vegas, Nevada 89169 702-770-7611 info@cisnevada.org www.cisnevada.org Communities In Schools of Nevada is the local affiliate of the nation’s largest and most effective organization dedicated to keeping kids in school and succeeding.

Working with schools and the surrounding community, CIS of NV does whatever it takes to help kids stay in school and achieve in life. Based inside schools, the organization connects students and their families to basic and critical resources.

Operating in 43 schools in Southern, Western, and Northeastern Nevada, CIS of NV serves over 44,000 students.

Nationally, CIS provides services in over 2,200 schools in 26 states and D.C., serving 1.3 million students yearly. CIS is proven to both decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates. Please visit us: http://www.cisnevada.org.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

1651 Inner Circle Las Vegas, Nevada 89134 702-243-2623 info@nevadaballet.org www.nevadaballet.org Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) seeks to inspire audiences of all ages, keeping the timeless art form of ballet at the heart of the community. As the largest professional ballet company in the state and Resident Ballet Company of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, NBT celebrates its 43rd Season with a versatile company of professional dancers, an affiliated Academy of over 400 students and a successful Education and Outreach program, Future Dance, which serves over 10,000 students a year in underserved populations.

Featuring live music and larger than life landscapes, NBT will present its annual holiday production of The Nutcracker on December 13-21 at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

Contact

8965 S. Eastern Avenue, Suite 375 Las Vegas, Nevada 89123 702-862-8600 www.lasvegas.adl.org

Mission

ADL is one of the nation’s premier human relations and civil rights organizations, fighting anti-Semitism, bigotry and hate of all forms. ADL’s No Place for Hate® initiative provides schools and communities with an organizing framework for combating bias, bullying and hatred, leading to long-term solutions for creating and maintaining a positive climate. ADL trains law enforcement personnel from county, state and federal agencies in hate crime investigation and extremism.

We also provide education and outreach, including pro-Israel advocacy and protection of civil and human rights to our community.

Sponsored by

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Services

2323 Potosi Street Las Vegas, Nevada 89146 702-252-4663 info@rmhlv.org www.rmhlv.org

• The Ronald McDonald House program provides a “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost. We believe that when a child is hospitalized the love and support of family is as powerful as the strongest medicine prescribed • Lunch is On Us! – In an effort to help relieve the stress of having a child in the hospital, volunteers prepare and deliver sack lunches to families staying with their children at local hospitals.

• Ronald McDonald® Care Mobile – In partnership with Nevada Health Center’s Miles for Smiles, RMHC launched a state-of-the-art mobile dental unit in 2005 to provide access to dental care for underserved children in five rural counties in Nevada.

• RMHC of Greater Las Vegas Scholarship Program – In 2014, RMHC awarded over $325,000 in scholarships to 121 high school recipients, and $60,000 to 60 returning college students

Mission

Volunteer

Contact

Believing that every child deserves a safe and supportive place to grow, Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) of Greater Las Vegas is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that creates and supports programs that directly improve the health, education and well-being of children in our community. The Ronald McDonald House® is the cornerstone program of RMHC, and provides temporary housing for families who travel to Las Vegas to receive critical medical treatment for their children.RMHC of Greater Las Vegas also creates and supports programs that directly improve the health, education and well-being of children in our community. In addition to the House, RMHC’s programs benefit thousands of children and families each year.

Sponsored by

Volunteers make the programs of RMHC possible, providing support for the families we serve. We are so thankful for our volunteers. RMHC of Greater Las Vegas offers several volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups of all ages. Volunteers can cook dinner for families, prepare and deliver lunches, help around the House or in the office, collect Pop Tabs, conduct fundraisers or wish list drives…the list goes on and on! For more information on volunteering, please contact Christine@rmhlv.org.

Giving The Las Vegas Ronald McDonald House provides an oasis of comfort for families during a stressful and unsure time in their lives. The House can accommodate up to 12 families at a time, and offers bedroom suites, play areas, TV rooms, a fully stocked kitchen, laundry facilities, and lounge areas. We ask for a $10 per night donation, but no family is turned away because of their inability to pay.

RMHC of Greater Las Vegas is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that receives the great majority of its funding through local fundraising efforts and private donations. Annual fundraising events include “Runnin’ for the House,” a 5K Run / 1 Mile Walk event on March 21st, and the Annual Gala Dinner each fall. All donations to RMHC of Greater Las Vegas are tax deductible, and all monies raised by RMHC of Greater Las Vegas stay right here in the community.

Because Giving is Always in Season. nvenergy.com Desert Companion_Spirit of Giving Guide_2014-11.indd 1 i n the sp i r i t of g i v i ng

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11/14/2014 2:20:49 PM

Give the Gift of a College Education.

It’s a Gift that will last a Lifetime.

Enrollment Now Open!

• Purchase for Children, Grandchildren, Nieces, and Nephews • Newborn-9th Grade • Purchase in Nevada Use NATIONWIDE • Tuition Plan Choices University or Community College • Three Flexible Payment Options

More Information: (702) 486-2025 NVPrepaid.gov Administered by Nevada State Treasurer

Contact

5105 S. Durango Drive, Suite 100 Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 702-212-9474 www.snv.wish.org

Mission

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. We believe that wishes are game-changers by giving children and their families hope, strength and joy during a time of uncertainty. Our staff works closely with dedicated volunteers who serve as wish granters to help children identify their one true wish and bring it to fruition with the help of generous donors and community resources. The power of a wish is three-fold: wishes bring hope and strength to a child battling a life-threatening illness; wishes deliver joy to the entire family; and wishes unite our volunteers and community to make magic happen every day.

Sponsored by

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Contact

5542 S. Fort Apache Road, Suite 100 Las Vegas, Nevada 89148 702-732-4795 nevada@jdrf.org www.lv.jdrf.org

Mission

JDRF’s mission is to find a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications through the support of research.

Save the Date Type One Nation Diabetes Education Summit Saturday, February 28, 2015 Cashman Center Hope Gala Honoring Julie A. Murray Friday, May 1, 2015 Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

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Contact

Historic Fifth Street School 401 S. Fourth Street, Suite 155 Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 702-895-1958 kenneth.mccown@unlv.edu www.unlvddc.org

Mission

As the firm enters its 20th year since founding, Klai Juba Wald Architects remains ‘proud of our work, our reputation and the company we keep’- and is equally proud of the ‘bridge’ it provides between local design professionals and students of the UNLV School of Architecture, and townspeople too. Its Lecture Series, established in 1997, has been instrumental in presenting architects and multidisciplinary leaders in landscape architecture, interior design and academia from around the world, while expanding public knowledge and understanding of architecture & design, the profession and practice. Lecturers over its 17-year history include: Dana Cuff, Johnpaul Jones, Thom Mayne, Glenn Murcutt, Antoine Predock.

Matthais Sauerbruch of Berlin and Simón Vélez of Columbia.

Sponsored by

Contact

821 N. Mojave Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 702-642-7070 www.boystown.org/nevada

Mission

Changing the way America cares for children, families and communities by providing and promoting an Integrated Continuum of Care® that instills Boys Town values to strengthen body, mind and spirit.

Boys Town Nevada opened its doors in 1991, bringing an innovative approach to child and family care to those in need in the Las Vegas area.

The site's Integrated Continuum of services includes a residential campus of five Family Homes, where boys and girls learn valuable skills that give them a foundation for a brighter future. Family-based services, such as In-Home Family Services SM and Common Sense Parenting® classes, prevent disruption in the home and facilitate reunification by ensuring that families have the supports and skills they need to create and maintain a safe, stable environment for their children. Boys Town Nevada is headquartered in Las Vegas and directly serves nearly 2,000 children each year.

Contact

Contact

Mission

Mission

3852 Palos Verde Street Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 702-712-4728 www.freedomhousesoberliving.com Freedom House Sober Living, Inc. was founded in 2010 to provide a safe place for persons in recovery to call home while they transition back into the community. Our mission is to help our clients become self-sufficient and learn to love life in long term recovery. We accomplish this through our housing, food, and recovery support services programs.

4190 N. Pecos Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89115 702-644-FOOD (3663) www.threesquare.org To provide wholesome food to hungry people, while passionately pursuing a hunger-free community.

Vision

No one in our community should be hungry.

One in six Southern Nevadans struggle with hunger – that’s more than 315,000 people in our community who are food insecure, which includes more than 128,000 children. Three Square works with a service network of approximately 1,300 community partners including nonprofit and faith-based organizations, schools, government agencies and businesses to reach struggling individuals and families at risk for hunger.

Together, we can feed everyone.

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BMW Motorrad USA

Motorcycles since 1923

MOTORCYCLE RENTAL.

Call 702.454.6269 to schedule your reservation. See store for details.

6675 South Tenaya Way • www.bmwoflasvegas.com

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e k ta

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your Arts+Entertainment calendar for december

20 Brian Setzer All month Orchestra Pearl at the Palms

The Skull Show Donna Beam Fine Arts Gallery, UNLV The skull is a meaning-rich symbol — among other things, it’s redolent of death, fear, human consciousness and cheesy tattooing — that’s ripe for artistic interpretation by the 40 or so artists in this biennial show.

Through Jan. 31, free, unlv.edu

Under Setzer’s rockabilly-revivalist pompadour is a true fretman, and although his band numbers 17, there’s usually room for some fierce guitar amid all the jump, jive and wail. 8p, $53-$85, palms.com

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As You Repeal Day Like it Party

Black Box Theater, UNLV

The Mob Museum Eighty-one years later, the end of Prohibition still seems like a reason to party: Take that, government do-gooders! The Mob Museum marks the occasion with five hours of dancing, gaming and, natch, a cocktail competition. VIP tix get you an extra hour of fun.

7p, $40 general, $60 VIP, The Mob Museum, themobmuseum.org

The Sparknotes.com synopsis of this great Shakespearean comedy clocks in at 900-plus words — some synopsis!

— and mentions “rules of primogeniture.” So let’s settle for this instead: young lovers, unrequited romance, wrathful royals, comedic cross-dressing, all in the lovely language of the Bard, performed

by Nevada Conservatory Theatre. 8p, Dec. 5, 6 and 11-13, $15, unlv.edu/nct

Meshugginah Klezmorium Winchester Cultural Center “Messhugginah” translates from Yiddish as “crazy,” while Klezmer translates from Wikipedia as “easily identifiable by its characteristic expressive melodies, reminiscent of the human voice.”

Also known as “Jewish jazz,” which oughta translate into fun.

2p, $10 advance, $12 door, 702455-7340

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THE GUIDE ART

ENIGMA BY ANTHONY BONDI

Inspire a love of reading through the world of seven beloved picture books in this literacy traveling exhibit.

DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is collaborating with Spread the Word Nevada holding a Book Drive for this literacy-dedicated non-profit. Through January 4, 2015, the museum will collect books for the children of Southern Nevada. As part of your visit to the museum, please donate new or gently used books (Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade reading level) and receive $2.00 off admission.

Sept. 20 – Jan. 4

Collaboration Partner:

DiscoveryKidsLV.org © 2012 Minnesota Children’s Museum. All rights reserved. Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites™ was created by Minnesota Children’s Museum. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Through Dec. 24.

Bondi’s meticulous handmade collages celebrate the 1950s look and feel of our fabulous city while serving as a commentary on living as an invisible artist amongst the glam. Free.

Sin City Gallery, sincitygallery.com

ABIGAIL GOLDMAN’S HOME SWEET HOME

Through Dec. 28.

Goldman’s “dieoramas” feature miniaturized murder scenes at 1/87th size. Free.

Trifecta Gallery, trifectagallery.com

UNNATURAL SELECTION

Through Jan. 15, Mon-Thu 7a-5:30p. Artist Sam Davis uses his little robots to illustrate the most human aspects of us all. Free. Las Vegas City Hall Grand Gallery, 702-229-1012

SKULL SHOW BIENNIAL

Through Jan. 21.

More than 40 artists explore the subject of perceptions of the skull in its many cultural, scientific, pop and even erotic manifestations. Free. UNLV’s Donna Beam Fine Arts Gallery, unlv.edu

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE ART EXHIBIT

Through Feb. 5, Mon-Thu 7a-5:30p.

This exhibit includes several city, county and state employees who also practice fine art. There will be a variety of media in the exhibit. The curator is Marty Walsh, owner of Trifecta Gallery in the Arts Factory. Free.

Las Vegas City Hall Chamber Gallery, 495 S. Main St., second floor, 702-229-1012

WENDY KVECK “PRINCESS” Dec. 4-28.

A suite of paintings and drawings that extend from Kveck’s “Princess” series depicting images of women dealing with lives complicated by excess. Free. Trifecta Gallery, trifectagallery.com

THE MID-CENTURY LAS VEGAS STAGE: THE ACTS THAT BUILT THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

Dec. 4-Feb. 14, Wed-Fri 12:30-9p; Sat 9a-6p. The exhibit will in-

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FOR MORE THAN 125 YEARS AND IN COUNTLESS WAYS.

CHANGE A LIFE, STARTING WITH YOUR OWN. REDCROSS.ORG/SOUTHERNNEVADA

109704 10/14

THE GUIDE clude photographs from the News Bureau archives showing lounge acts from the mid-20th century in Las Vegas entertainment history, as well as photographs of signs and marquees highlighting the same entertainers. The Nevada State Museum will be loaning a costume from the period. Free. Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St., 702-229-6383

PURE IMAGINATION

Dec. 5-Jan. 31.

The entire gallery becomes a giant chocolate factory of sorts, with pieces themed around the beloved children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Free. Blackbird Studios, blackbirdstudios.com

SURREALIST EXPRESSIONIST IN FINE ART

Dec. 6-Jan. 24, Wed-Fri 9:30a-6:30p; Sat 9:30a-5p The daughter of artist Yabo, Vanessa loved to draw as a child in San Fernando, Calif. She covered her bedroom walls with mushrooms, butterflies and lots of polka dots and heart shapes. Now, she shares her surrealist expressions with the world through her art. Free. W. Las Vegas Arts Center Community Gallery, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-229-4800

IN HONOR OF CHINESE NEW YEAR: YEAR OF THE GOAT

Dec. 19-Feb. 21, by appointment. The upcoming New Year symbol can also be shown as the sheep and is the eighth sign of the Chinese Zodiac. The number eight in Chinese is an auspicious one, symbolizing peace and prosperity. Multiple artists contribute to this annual celebration. Free. Mayor’s Gallery, Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St.; 702-229-1012

DANCE

CSN FALL DANCE CONCERT

Dec. 5-6, 2p and 7p.

The Performing Arts Department’s final show of the year will celebrate with special guests and a showcase of their best performers. $8-$10, CSN’s Nicholas J. Horn Theater, csn.edu/pac

THE NUTCRACKER

Dec. 13, 19 and 20, 7:30p; Dec. 14 and 21, 1p and 5:30p; Dec. 20, 2p.

What if dreams came to life before your

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eyes? They can. Featuring a full orchestra and larger-than-life landscapes, Nevada Ballet Theatre offers the beloved holiday tale with incredible costumes and staging. $29$179. Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center

MUSIC

POPS II: FA LA LA LAS VEGAS

Dec. 6, 2p and 7:30p.

The full orchestra will be joined by the men and women of the Las Vegas Master Singers and other special guests, to present a seasonal program including classical selections from Tchaikovsky and Vaughan Williams alongside Leroy Anderson favorites. $26$94. Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center

WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Dec. 6, 3p and 7p.

The Silver Statesmen Barbershop Chorus and quartets will present their Christmas shows with fabulous a capella music the whole family will enjoy. $12 advance; $15 at the door, children 10 and younger free.

Clark County Library, silverstatesmenbarbershopchorus.com

CHRISTMAS HARMONY WITH CSN BIG BAND

Dec. 6, 4p.

Under the direction of Dr. Dick McGee, the College of Southern Nevada’s 17-piece jazz band will provide a festive performance of familiar holiday and Christmas tunes, including "White Christmas" and "Silent Night." Free. Sahara W. Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave., lvccld.org

GOIN’ ON A SLEIGH RIDE – A WINTER CONCERT

Dec. 6, 7p; Dec. 7, 2p.

The Silvertones Chorus will take you on a mystical ride with holiday favorites old and new. $8. Starbright Theatre, suncity-summerlin.com/starbrighttheatre.htm

TOTALLY '80S SYMPHONIC!

Dec. 7, 7:30p.

From the creator of "Symphonic Rockshow," comes Brody Dolyniuk’s newest production. Combining '80s pop and new wave hits with the sound of a 21-piece orchestra, the show promises to breathe new life into songs from a-ha, Eurythmics, The Cure, Tears For Fears and more. $24-$79.

Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center

TRAVIS CLOER: CHRISTMAS AT MY PLACE

Dec. 8, 7p.

Cloer and his seven-piece band bring an evening full of all your favorite Christmas songs with that old time Holiday TV Special feel, complete with surprise special guests. $36$46. Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center

DUO MYSTIQUE

Dec. 13, 1p.

Experience classical pieces, Celtic tunes and other musical fare tossed in to celebrate all that December has to offer. Free.

Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. N., lvccld.org

HOLIDAYS FROM THE HEART

Dec. 13, 2p and 7p.

Infinitely versatile songstress Kristen Hertzenberg and critically-acclaimed pianist Philip Fortenberry will perform your holiday favorites. $26-$36. Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center

A HOLIDAY PORTRAIT

Dec. 13, 7p; Dec. 14, 2p.

Director Megan Schnizlien has once again planned a fantastic upbeat choral revue that is a heartwarming celebration of all the joy the season can bring. Using the unifying theme of the family photo album, the program takes a touching look at families during the holiday season. $8. Starbright Theatre, suncity-summerlin.com/starbrighttheatre.htm

COLORATIONS IN FROST

Dec. 13, 7:30p.

The Desert Winds’ holiday concert features seasonal classics from cultures around the globe. $10-$15, CSN’s Nicholas J. Horn Theatre, desertwinds.org

NEVADA CHAMBER SYMPHONY - MUSIC WITH A CLASSIC TOUCH Dec. 14, 3p.

Celebrate the season with traditional songs and melodies guaranteed to spark the holiday spirit. Guest artists include the Dean Petersen Elementary School Choir.

Free. Main Theater at Clark County Library, lvccld.org

A HOLIDAY VARIETY SHOW

Dec. 19, 6:30p.

Timeless Entertainment presents Ms.

Senior Nevada and the Lummis Elementary School fourth- and fifth-grade choir to set the pace for a wonderful season. Also appearing will be headliner performers, current and retired professionals. $13. Starbright Theatre, suncity-summerlin.com/ starbrighttheatre.htm

ONE MORE HOLIDAY WITH YOU

Dec. 20, 7p.

Two of Las Vegas’ most critically acclaimed vocal groups, Fifth Avenue and Dangerous Curves, join forces to bring you a holiday show you are not likely to soon forget. Featuring seven-part harmonies, time-honored holiday tunes and some good old-fashioned Christmas cheer. $15.

Starbright Theatre, suncity-summerlin. com/starbrighttheatre.htm

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN'S NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH LAURA OSNES & JESSICA SANCHEZ

Dec. 31, 7:30p.

Ring out the old and ring in the new with a magical evening of America’s most celebrated standards, performed as only this talented trio can. $49-$199. Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center

I KNOW I CAME IN HERE FOR SOMETHING

jan. 4, 3p.

Begin your New Year with laughter and a finger-snapping, toe-tapping journey through life’s experiences. A very happy, memorable show that will have audiences cheering, dancing and laughing. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Gateway Arts Foundation. $15. Starbright Theatre, suncity-summerlin.com/starbrighttheatre. htm and gatewayartsfoundation.org

THEATER

A VERY MERRY UNAUTHORIZED CHILDREN’S SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT Dec. 4-20, Thu-Sat 8p; Sun 2p.

(Special Dec. 20, 2p. No performance Dec. 5.)

It’s the story of L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics, told in the style of a school Christmas pageant, complete with Xenu, E-meters and John Travolta, performed entirely by kids! $25, $20 students/seniors. Art Square Theatre, 1025 S. First St., table8lv.com

Visit VegasPBS.org today to see the complete schedule.

3050 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121 • 702-799-1010 december 2014

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THE GUIDE MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13.

7p; Dec. 7, 13 and 14, 2p. Rainbow Company Youth Theatre Production presents this heartwarming tale of the Smith children, who learn the lessons of life and love as they reluctantly pack to move to New York just as their hometown of St. Louis prepares for the 1904 World’s Fair. $5.

Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St., artslasvegas.org

AS YOU LIKE IT

Dec. 5-6, 11-13, 8P. In this Shakespeare comedy, uncertain of their standing in court and fearing for their lives, Rosalind and Orlando are forced into exile in the Forest of Arden, only to become entangled in a beguiling game of love, lust, and mistaken identity. $15.

UNLV's Black Box Theatre, unlv.edu

A CHRISTMAS STORY

Dec. 12-13 and 18-20.

7p; Dec. 14 and 21, 2p. ll the elements from the beloved motion picture are here, includ-

ing the family's temperamental exploding furnace; Scut Farkas, the school bully; the boys' experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost; the Little Orphan Annie decoder pin; Ralphie's father winning a lamp shaped like a woman's leg in a net stocking; Ralphie's fantasy scenarios and more. $5$15. Las Vegas Little Theatre, lvlt.org

LAS VEGAS IMPROVISATIONAL PLAYERS

Dec. 13, 7p.

Join in on-the-spot creations in the last show of the year. The Holiday edition of LVIP is clean-burning, interactive fun for the whole family. One of the only shows in Las Vegas with live musical improv! $10 at the door, kids free. American Heritage Academy, 6126 S. Sandhill Road, lvimprov.com

TWO TRAINS RUNNING

Dec. 27, 1p; Dec. 28, 3p.

This play by August Wilson explores the social and psychological manifestations of changing attitudes toward race, from the

perspective of urban blacks. For mature audiences. Free. W. Las Vegas Library, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd., lvccld.org

LECTURES, SPEAKERS AND PANELS

FASHION AND THE CHANGING FACE OF AMERICAN FEMININITY Dec. 8, 7:30p.

Cultural historian Deirdre Clemente and clothing connoisseur Corinne Entratter Sidney discuss the evolution of 20th century American fashion and femininity.

Free. UNLV Barrick Museum Auditorium, liberalarts.unlv.edu/forum

CONVERSATIONS WITH NORM PRESENTS WAYNE NEWTON

Dec. 14, 1p.

Wayne Newton will share many of his favorite stories from the Rat Pack years, from his feud with Johnny Carson to his long association with the USO. Norm Clarke’s one-hour interview with “Mr. Las Vegas” will be followed by a half-hour of questions from the audience. $25-$35. Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center

FUNDRAISERS

9TH ANNUAL DIY MESSIAH CHARITY FUNDRAISER POWER OF

1996

2015

Dec. 3, 7p.

Multiple choirs and musicians will perform Handel's "Messiah" to benefit Henderson Presbyterian Church Food Bank. Features Mark Thomsen of the Metropolitan Opera and members of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. The score will be available for purchase and the audience is invited to sing the choruses! Free-will offering; raffle drawing for gift baskets.

Green Valley Presbyterian Church, 1798 Wigwam Parkway, diy-messiah-lasvegas.org

BOB TALLMAN WNFR CHARITY BOWLING TOURNAMENT Join us for the 20th Annual Susan G. Komen Southern Nevada Race for the Cure® SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015 | FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE Register Today!

Visit komensouthernnevada.org • 702.822.2324

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Dec. 6 10:30a. Sign up to bowl and meet Bob Tallman, the voice of professional rodeo and actress/supermodel Lydia Hearst. Proceeds from the annual event will benefit the Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities and the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. $50 individuals, $160 teams of four.

Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, lasvegas.speedwaycharities.org

END NOTE holidaze in vegas

The Spirit of the Season

By Alissa Nutting

T

here is no Christmas like a Vegas Christmas. Nearly the entire Strip is open on Christmas Day, which is the gift Vegas gives to all of us. As a teenager in a Florida suburb, I would go outside on Christmas morning, standing there for 10 minutes to get a breather from the family.

Not a single car went by.

It did not feel celebratory.

It felt postapocalyptic. It seemed as if my parents and I were the only people remaining on Earth, which is not necessarily a teenager’s greatest fantasy.

I’d opened the presents I’d greedily picked out for myself, we told a few jokes about what a great surprise it was, then we ate dinner and my parents folded and unfolded their newspapers and used toothpicks. I felt as though something inside me that was fundamental for generating hope had irrevocably broken.

I did not know about Vegas. If I had, I probably would’ve shaken off my bleak outlook and joined my mother in her very non-ironic viewing of a Hallmark made-for-TV movie. Instead, I went upstairs, lay facedown on my pillow and attempted to pull consciousness out from under me like a throw rug.

I understand the season, and the religious and sociocultural reasons for it. I see the way it gladdens the spir-

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its of others, and I don’t wish to deny this to anyone.

But I will say that beginning in November, each time I enter a public space and hear a Mariah Carey holiday ballad or smell an oversized display of cinnamon/peppermint/ evergreen foaming body wash/hand sanitizer/ toenail poultice, I feel like a small rock gets placed upon my chest. A tiny one, barely the size of a decorative pebble in a goldfish tank.

By Dec. 25 there are enough stones to pave a driveway, and their weight is suffocating. I don’t wake up on Christmas wanting to telephone loved ones or sing carols by a fire: I want to drink enormous, hyperbolic cocktails and make poor decisions of equal size.

I’ve been to Southern, Northern and Midwestern bars on Christmas.

It’s not good. Everyone has a defensive body posture. We’re all waiting for someone to come in and accuse us of something. Of hiding out in a small-town liquor-hole on Christmas, perhaps. The bartender

keeps running a cloth along the countertop, trying to wipe up a stain that won’t wipe up.

Christmas on the Strip, by contrast, is a lively swarm. People are everywhere, like usual. Everyone is drinking. A lot. Just like usual. There’s a festive feeling, but it’s open and oxygenated, not allowed to take on the stagnant, broth-infused odor of an awkward family gathering. On the Strip on Christmas morning, anyone you pass will be your family; just ask them. It’s a friendly place. We’re a friendly bunch — but not too friendly. If you want to be alone, we’ll let you be alone while still surrounded by others. And this makes me feel merry. It makes me feel bright.

I’ll always remember one Christmas night getting a pre-dinner drink at Fiamma Trattoria in the MGM. I looked up and saw an older, white-haired gentleman sitting near the fireplace, drinking what appeared to be an enormous glass of scotch.

He didn’t have a beard or wire-rimmed glasses. He wasn’t wearing a red sweater. But his cheeks were quite rosy, either from the heat of the fire or the booze or both. I remember thinking, Yes — Las Vegas is where Santa would come to live out his alternate life, a place where “naughty” and “nice” aren’t opposing concepts forced to live separate lives. He caught me looking at him and I raised my glass and smiled, a midair toast across the room, then he winked and nodded. It seemed like an acknowledgment between the two of us that it was, secretly, Christmas, and that each of us hoped that the other was having a very pleasant evening. I knew that if we were greeting one another in a different part of the country we might feel obliged to mouth this holiday sentiment aloud. But we didn’t here, and this made my smile grow wider still.

Alissa Nutting is the author of the story collection Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls and the novel Tampa.

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