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from the editor don’t miss Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Te venetian Teater, now through august 18. I’ve always considered myself to be a desert queen, but now there are three others in town—and they all just happen to be men … who have more sequins and feathers than I do. and more power to them! an incredibly enjoyable evening indoors awaits at this latest addition to Strip entertainment. venetian.com
you’re invited to our party! In honor of this month’s cocktail special section, Vegas/Rated is hosting a bash at Lily in Bellagio at 9 p.m. July 12. come say hello and sample some delicious drinks— because there’s no better time than now to raise a glass (indoors!). rsvp@wendohmedia.com
MeLIndA SheCkeLLS Editor-in-Chief Follow us on Twitter @vegasrated
have a cocktaIL wIth me on JuLy 12.
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Ryan Reason; styling: nicole chandleR; haiR: MaRshall VanieRland; Makeup: natasha chaMbeRlin; dRess: dolce & gabbana, neiMan MaRcus, Fashion show; lily: MaRtin tessleR
There are a bunch of indoor activities I am obsessed with right now in an effort to take my mind off the soaring outdoor temperatures. And since July is expected to bring the heat— and by heat, we mean the month started with temps topping 115 degrees—most of my days are occupied with drinking, shopping, eating and watching shows and concerts. Or running from the car to the offce. You know: indoors! Among my indoor obsessions right now are “green” cocktails, and the city’s best are featured in our special mixology section this month (“Garden Variety Cocktails,” Page 74). The Avocado Smash at China Poblano is just about the best thing that’s ever been poured in a glass, and it goes down so easy with my favorite dish there: the chilaquiles (order a side of guacamole and dip away). If it’s so hot your eyes are even sweating, cool off by taking a gander at “Ice Age,” a tour of the many glamorous forms that frozen water can take (Page 86). Cubed, crushed, balled—it’s all relative to what you drink it with. The process by which it is made is as much of an art form as the cocktails it cools. Once you’ve enjoyed a few of the aforementioned drinks, chill out in one of Las Vegas’ air-conditioned retail centers—yup, it’s time for a little shoe shopping! We’ve searched the city for the best places to buy those of the sexy, strappy variety (Page 28). Or, if your toes are in need of a more relaxing therapy, head to the spa and take in an aqua treatment, which is quite different than the type of experience you will get from venturing into one of the outdoor aqueous environments. But if you must step outside, head for one of our cool pools, which serve up inventive cocktails that are as exotic as they are refreshing (Page 74). So to summarize: My best advice for surviving Vegas in the dead of summer is to drink, shop, play in the water at the spa, go out to the pool, drink some more, and then return to the great indoors. The end.
T H E
W O R L D ’ S
P R E M I E R
C O L L E C T I O N
O F
L U X U R Y
CONTRIBUTORS
“HOW DO YOU kEEP COOL DURING A VEGAS SUMMER?” C. MOON REED This month, Reed indulged her artistic side by interviewing Polaroid photographer/camera collector Stephen Silberkraus (“Instant Antiquarian,” Page 68). In her contributor photo—shot by Silberkraus on a Polaroid, naturally—Reed is holding one of Andy Warhol’s favorite cameras, a ’70s-era Polaroid Big Shot. “Set the air conditioning at a warm temperature so that it’s not a shock to the system every time you go inside. For example, if it’s 72 inside and 112 outside, that’s a 40-degree disparity, which will make you miserable.”
XANIA WOODMAN Balancing work and play in vibrant Las Vegas can be daunting, even after 12 years. But the search for balanced cocktails is what drives Woodman. In addition to being a contributing editor to Vegas/Rated, her work has also appeared in Saveur and on Expedia Australia. When Woodman (a United States Bartenders’ Guild member since 2009) isn’t judging a cocktail competition, she’s blogging about them for her new site, nowdrinkthis.com. “Nothing sticks it to summer like a $10 baby pool, a garden hose and a cold beer, preferably locally made.”
CAMILLE CANNON Leaving Berkeley last year wasn’t easy for this California native, but Cannon has learned that there’s a lot to love about living in Las Vegas. When she’s not writing for sister publication Vegas Seven, you’ll fnd her baking sweets, writing raps or mixing up a batch of Mod Podge to tackle all the DIY projects she’s pinned … but hasn’t done yet. “I’ve only spent one summer here so far. If I recall correctly, that’s when I bought my frst steering wheel cover. It’s an absolute necessity.”
PJ PEREZ Writer, illustrator and general busybody Perez has been contributing to the fabric of Las Vegas’ culture and media for most of his 20-plus years of residency, and recently through various publications and his own boutique publishing label, Pop! Goes the Icon. Perez got to know James Turrell (“Artist James Turrell Makes Crystals Sparkle,” Page 18) for this issue. “There is no keeping cool during a Vegas summer, and anyone who claims to is either a liar or a reptile.”
BRYAN HAINER A Las Vegas-based photographer, Hainer is expanding his reach in the West Coast. He was schooled in sociology to better his understanding of portraiture. The camera gives Hainer many opportunities to observe various social strata that would otherwise be inaccessible. Whether taking a portrait, photographing food or capturing a unique setting, it is through the lens that he most enjoys seeing the world. Check out Hainer’s feature “Instant Antiquarian” (Page 68). “I keep cool with iced coffee and popsicles!”
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Ryan T. DoheRTy | JusTin WenigeR PuBLisheRs assoCiaTe PuBLisheR eDiToR-in-ChieF aRT DiReCToR
michael skenandore melinda sheckells scott lien
Managing eDiToR
genevie durano
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sean defrank, paul szydelko jessica acu単a kiara bass, chanel cassanello, tiffany franklin, ashton hall, monica kran, jane lloyd, erin timrawi
ConTRiBuTing eDiToRs
grace bascos, geoff carter, michael shulman, xania woodman
ConTRiBuTing WRiTeRs
camille cannon, jen chase, pj perez, benedetta pignatelli, c. moon reed, sondra schneider, kate stowell
gRaPhiC DesigneR senioR ConTRiBuTing PhoTogRaPheR ConTRiBuTing PhoTogRaPheRs
jesse sutherland anthony mair francisx2, bryan hainer, andrew sea james, kin lui, sabin orr, lucky wenzel,
VP Business DeVeLoPMenT, Business DeVeLoPMenT DiReCToR
jacqueline bicknell christy corda
senioR aCCounT ManageR
nicole feely
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nicole bullis
DiReCToR oF PRoDuCTion/DisTRiBuTion aDVeRTising ManageR DisTRiBuTion CooRDinaToR
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Ryan T. DoheRTy | JusTin WenigeR ViCe PResiDenT, PuBLishing ChieF FinanCiaL oFFiCeR assisTanT ConTRoLLeR eDiToRiaL DiReCToR
michael skenandore kevin j. woodward donna nolls phil hagen
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sherwin yumul
CReaTiVe DiReCToR CusToM PuBLiCaTions
benjamin ward
ViCe PResiDenT, MaRkeTing & eVenTs
kyle markman
eVenTs & PRoMoTions CooRDinaToR
robert opacki
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francis Shiroma erica carpino luyin zeng
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Vegas/Rated速 is a registered trademark of Sandow Media, LLC and used in partnership with WENDOH Media Companies. Vegas/Rated (ISSN 2162-6340) Vol. 2, No. 11 is published monthly by WENDOH Media Las Vegas, NV.
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contents
voluMe 2 | issue 11
32 Pulse
v/Rated exclusives trending Seven things to do right now
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V/rated 28 Shop these four boutiques and buy the season’s hottest sandals
V/rated 46 Fire in the hole! Five spicy dishes that’ll make you say “Uncle”
water wOrLd 32 Catch some Daylight at Vegas’ newest beach club
taSting Menu 50 A decadent meal in three parts at Origin India
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PLaY 22 Tese hotels are beggin’ to host a woof-cation ShOP Berry-licious objets d’art
dine
in stoRe & on tRend
watch 18 Experience artist James Turrell’s work while you shop dine Te dessert of a lifetime
shoP
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trend 42 Forget the iPhone. Check out a real camera
the culinaRy scene
Music
Beck • Imagine Dragons • Pretty Lights Empire of the Sun • Passion Pit • Jurassic 5 childish gambino • Zedd • STS9 • Purity Ring • Big Gigantic • Portugal. The Man
Danny Brown • Dawes • Andrew McMahon • earl sweatshirt • The Joy Formidable Charli XCX • Living Colour • Allen Stone • Capital Cities • Haim Youngblood Hawke • Twenty One Pilots • ZZ Ward • Poolside • Family of the Year Robert DeLong • Wallpaper. • Five Knives • Cayucas • Cosmic Suckerpunch
Knocked Up Kids • Moondog matinee • Shalvoy Music • Most Thieves • Rusty Maples • Kid Meets Cougar • Same Sex Mary Beau Hodges Band • DJ88 • The Dirty Hooks • American Cream • Sabriel • Crazy Chief • DJ Supra • HaleAmanO A crowd of small adventures • Jordan Kate Mitchell • DJ ZO • Joey pero and his band • Albi Loves Chicken Tenders Food
Bruce & Eric Bromberg • Scott Conant • Jonathan Waxman • Hubert Keller • Cat Cora • Michael Mina • Chris Cosentino Rick Moonen • Kim Canteenwalla • Jet Tila • Donald Link • TTom om Colicchio • Michael Symon • Aaron Sanchez Paul Bartolotta • David Burke • Charlie Palmer • Mary Sue Milliken • Susan Feniger • David Myers • Todd English Kerry Simon • André Rochat • Carla Pellegrino • SVEN Mede • Marcel Vigneron • Mike Minor • Megan Romano Elias Cairo • Josh Graves • Jason Tuley • Sean Kinoshita • Rebecca Wilcomb • Ben Hammond • Grant MacPherson Michael Kornick • Natalie Young • Dan Coughlin • Massimiliano Campanari • Carlos Buscaglia • Vinod Ahuja • Manuel Hinojosa Cirque du Soleil
The Beatles Love • Michael Jackson One • Mystére • “o” • Zarkana • Kà • Zumanity • CRISS ANGEL Believe
www.lifeisbeautifulfestival.com
/ Eat a classic piece of pie
Top That
So what doeS a JameS Beard award winner do after he’s conquered steakhouse, vegetarian fare and contemporary american cuisine? he opens a pizza joint, of course. well, if you’re Shawn mcClain, you do, anyway. this month at aria Las Vegas, mcClain cranks up his ovens at five50 Pizza Bar, his take on the classic american pizzeria. “we want it to have the soul of the pizzeria, but we want it be more dynamic than that,” mcClain says. “we want to be recognizable and not a formula, for sure.” the rockwell Group-designed, 120-seat restaurant features a huge, hand-cut photograph mural and a centerpiece bar that touts 12 craft beers on tap. the pizzas themselves come out of wood-fred ovens from washington. there are eight signature pies to start with, all on the more traditional side, served on a crust that has great chew and some tang. think of your favorite sausage and pepperoni slice, or a great white pizza with garlic and fresh basil and smoked cheddar cheese. mcClain uses handmade sausages or cured meats produced just for five50 and seasonal ingredients obtained by his own foragers. he describes it as “defnitely more traditional; it’s east Coast-inspired. when i think of seasonal ingredients, more of that will go around the pizzas—on the salads, small plates, sides, things like that. Pizza, to me, i equate with tradition, i’d like to keep some of those.” although pizza is the focus, it will be hard to miss the other dishes, such as the shared plates of crostini with braised artichokes and pork belly, or the meatballs made with a smoked red sauce with dates. mcClain and his team have worked hard to make these bites stand out. “what surrounds that pizza, we want also to be interesting, imaginative, seasonal …” he says. “all those same things are going into our food again. we want it to be memorable in a lot of different ways. Vegas outdoes everything; it’s hard to top it every time.” 702.590.7550; arialasvegas.com –Grace Bascos
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HEADER HERE Top: SAUVAGE swimsuit Everything But Water in Fashion Show; CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN shoes Christian Louboutin in The Forum Shops at Caesars. Bottom: KARLA COLLETTO swimsuit Everything But Water; HERVE VAN DER STRAETEN earrings Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show
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Left: PRADA shoes Prada in The Shops at Crystals. Right: SAUVAGE swimsuit Everything But Water in Fashion Show; GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI shoes Barneys New York in The Shoppes at The Palazzo; KENNETH JAY LANE cuff Saks Fifth Avenue in Fashion Show; VINTAGE rings
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Left: mara HoFFmaN swimsuit marahofman.com; vINtaGe bangles right: vINtaGe swimsuit; toPSHoP skirt Topshop in Fashion Show; vINtaGe rings
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LOVE LOVE BY JAMI swimsuit lovelovebyjami. com; HERVE VAN DER STRAETEN cuff Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show
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Suicide frieS at naked city pizza Shop are worth the trip away from the Strip.
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TASTING MENU
the spa in mandarin oriental
reliquary Water sanctuary & spa at hard rock hotel & casino
the spa & salon at aria
the aquavana experience at canyon ranch spaclub in the palazzo
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spa day
stones for healing cultures around the world including chinese, Indian, celtic and Native american use crystals and gemstones as vehicles for healing and spirituality, and trump Spa incorporates the stones whenever possible. Te spa’s 5 Intentions focus on helping guests achieve a state of happiness by pairing each intention with a gemstone known for invoking the intention: Balance (diamond), Heal (Sapphire), calm (Sapphire), revitalize (ruby) and Purify (emerald). Te Gemstone treatments use precious gem oils made in dubai that contain the stone named in each oil. each is $250 and lasts 90 minutes.
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KINGS oF LeoN
caPItaL cItIeS
PrettY LIGHtS
Kings of leon: dan winters; capital cities: eliot lee hazel
Life Is Beautiful Life Is Beautiful, a music and cultural event that will take place october 26-27, is the first festival to actually happen within city limits, right in the heart of downtown vegas. Scheduled to appear at Life Is Beautiful is a veritable Spotify playlist’s worth of indie, hip-hop, electronic and pop alternative artists, including Beck, Kings of Leon, Pretty Lights, empire of the Sun, Passion Pit, Jurassic 5, Knocked Up Kids, andrew mcmahon, Portugal. Te man, childish Gambino, Living
colour and cosmic Suckerpunch. and in a nod to the locals, at least two vegas bands—Imagine dragons and Te Killers—will drive very nearly across town to perform. No less remarkable is the panel of chefs Life Is Beautiful has assembled to handle the culinary end of the festival. Honey Salt’s Kim canteenwalla and elizabeth Blau, Scarpetta’s Scott conant, Incanto’s chris cosentino, Fleur’s Hubert Keller, cochon Butcher’s donald Link, StripSteak’s michael mina, rm Seafood’s
rick moonen, the charleston’s Jet tila, Barbuto’s Jonathan Waxman and many more have gathered under the direction of Blue ribbon restaurants’ Bruce and eric Bromberg to create a food bazaar for the ages. In its way, the chef lineup rivals the music lineup for star power: cosentino and tila are huge draws entirely on their own. and there are still more attractions to be revealed—art installations, variety performances, you name it. For more info, visit lifeis beautifulfestival. com. —Geoff Carter
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PHOTOGRAPH BY XX
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v/rated
Las vegas sunset / Four seasons climate-controlled farmers markets have made eating local (or relatively so) easier than ever, even in the desert. and Four Seasons’ worldwide 100 mile cocktail program makes it easy to drink local, too. containing only ingredients sourced within 100 miles from its properties, the locavore-inspired Las vegas Sunset cocktail debuted may 3, along with the resort’s new lobby bar Press. Bar manager Sanjiv Gupta’s farm-to-glass cocktail is built over crushed ice and features Las vegas distillery’s rumskey (a sort of rum-whiskey hybrid), farmers market produce, local honey and a house-made strawberry-rhubarb shrub, a sweetened, vinegar-based syrup. $15, 702.632.5000; fourseasons.com/lasvegas
Las Vegas Sunset
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Phuket
Phuket / tao restaurant & Lounge Te tao cocktail menu has remained largely intact since the pan-asian restaurant opened more than seven years ago. and for much of that time, there has been a Phuket cocktail on the menu. In april, tao Group beverage manager Kyle cardin debuted a version of the cocktail whose name can elicit a giggle. “We love the idea of a margarita with a little kick,” cardin says. Te menu adds a few classics but with a creative tao twist, in this case a sneaky-strong pomegranate-prickly pear margarita with a little habañero heat. cardin also notes that the Phuket can be batched up at home for parties, backyard barbecues or picnics in pitchers, punch bowls or drinks dispensers. dare we suggest, a Phuket bucket? $14, 702.388.8338; taolasvegas.com
Ice Age These are noT your ordinary icebreakers by Xania WoodMan PhoTograPhy sabin orr Bartenders have found something new to obsess over, and it’s neither the latest Brooklyn-based bitters purveyor nor the newest citrus superfruit to come out of the rain forest. It’s ice, pure but not so simple. “Premium ice is essential to assembling the best possible result in a glass,” writes world-renowned mixologist and educator Tony Abou-Ganim in his book Vodka Distilled (Surrey, 2013). “Quality begets quality.” And there is a right ice format for every job—classic crushed, big sexy cubes, clear spheres and specialty shapes. Not surprisingly, Las Vegas has them all.
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CruSHeD it Delmonico Steakhouse mixologist and beverage manager Max Solano crushes bar ice in a Lewis bag—a small canvas sack built to take a beating—for cocktails including the classic Moscow Mule (vodka, fresh lime juice and ginger beer served in a copper mug) and originals, such as the Mark twain. Fill the bag almost to capacity then pound on each side with a muddler until the ice is uniformly pea-size. So does size matter? “it’s mostly for appearance,” Solano says. Cocktailians still argue whether or not crushed ice dilutes more than, say, a cube or sphere. “My belief is that crushed ice will dilute slightly more than cubes or blocks since there is more surface area with crushed ice.” try it in juleps, tiki drinks and cobblers. Te cocktail kind—not the pie. In Te Venetian, 702.414.1992; venetian.com DIY: Lewis bags are $15 each at themodernmixologist.com.
Hip to be Square More than simply a method of chilling a cocktail, water is an actual ingredient of the textbook defnition of the cocktail, and it’s delivered by ice, both in the shaker and if it’s served on the rocks. Most bartenders prefer 1 ¼-square-inch cubes made with high-quality water as opposed to the hollow, “pillow” ice that—sadly—is the industry standard. For high-volume Las Vegas, this is a job too big for silicone molds, so Kold Draft and Hoshizaki machines dominate this ice category. a reverse-osmosis system flters out impurities to obtain a crystal-clear ice cube that delivers just the right amount of dilution in the shaker and in the glass. Downtown Cocktail room was the frst venue in Las Vegas to ofer Kold Draft ice in 2006. “on an average weeknight, we go through 250 pounds,” says DCr managing partner Jeremy Merritt, and double that on weekends. “ice, in the past, has been highly overlooked as a main component in the service and production of cocktails and spirits,” he says. “Not only does a solid ice cube allow for minimal dilution, it also provides a very attractive presentation in the glass.” 111 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702.880.3696; thedowntownlv.com DIY: 1 ¼–inch-square silicone ice cube trays are $7 at cocktailkingdom.com.
Welcome to the Rock tom colicchio’s craftsteak has been offering guests whiskey “on the Rock” for 11 years. the perfectly clear, 2-inchby-2-inch cubes are made on property using filtered water and the Japanese hoshizaki machine, and are used to serve craftsteak’s 200-plus whiskies, as many as 45 rocks per night. As with the sphere, serving spirits on the Rock—one giant, glass-filling cube!— “creates less dilution and opens up the spirit without interfering with the flavor,” says craftsteak assistant general manager Jim Bibbee. the tough part is selecting one whiskey. In MGM Grand, 702.891.7318; mgmgrand.com DIY: 2-inch-square silicone ice cube trays are $7 at cocktailkingdom.com.
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Green Bitch / VelVeteen raBBit
An unexpected favorite on the menu at Downtown’s newest cocktail bar, co-owner Pamela Dylag’s Green Bitch employs fresh celery juice as the ideal mate for the vegetal complexity of Chartreuse. That high-proof French herbal liqueur takes its color from the chlorophyll in its 130 constituent herbs. Also in the mix: Liquore Strega (literally, “witch”), an Italian herbal digestivo redolent of saffron, fennel and mint. Deceivingly delicate and balanced, the Green Bitch is described by one patron as “a train ride through India.” $8, 1218 S. Main St. 702.685.9645; facebook.com/ velveteenrabbitlv
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Green bitch: zack W
In a mixing glass, combine 1 ounce green Chartreuse, ½ ounce Strega, ½ ounce fresh celery juice, ½ ounce simple syrup, ½ ounce fresh lemon juice, ½ ounce egg white and 1 drop The Bitter End Curry Bitters. Cover and dry-shake (without ice). Add ice, cover and shake again. Strain into a chilled 3½-ounce cocktail coupe.