Las Vegas Weekly

December 2, 2009 · 3:02 PM

Strip Scribbles: Three Las Vegas chefs on CBS’s The Early Show

By Robin Leach

Wynn chef Paul Bartolotta.

Photo: Wynn

Bon Appetit’s 2010 Vegas Uncork’d, the four-day culinary festival, will be held over Mother’s Day weekend in May at Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Wynn/Encore, Caesars Palace and The Venetian/Palazzo, and three Las Vegas chefs will be guests on CBS’s The Early Show tomorrow to preview the event scheduled for May 6-9.

Paul Bartolotta of Wynn, Bradley Ogden of Caesars Palace and Rick Moonen of RM Seafood in Mandalay Bay, who flew out at 6 a.m. today after attending last night’s Vdara opening, will participate in an on-air cook-off to preview the cuisine they’ll be offering during Uncork’d.

Photo: The Venetian

Ocean Spray cranberries at the Palazzo.

*On Dec. 9, The Palazzo will celebrate the arrival of the holiday season by unveiling the Arctic-inspired Winter Wonderland display in the Waterfall Atrium at 5 p.m. The seasonal decor includes a 16-foot-tall polar bear mother and 6-foot tall polar bear baby made of 10,000 white poinsettias. The holiday event led by an Ice King and Queen will begin with the pouring of more than 225,000 cranberries donated by Ocean Spray into a water feature and continue with the topping off of the polar bear topiary and snowfall.

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Mayor Oscar Goodman, Siegfried & Roy and Hans Klok at the 2008 Great Santa Run.

*The program for our Opportunity Village’s Fifth Annual Great Santa Run this Saturday morning at Town Square includes yours truly, Siegfried & Roy, Mayor Oscar Goodman, Zowie Bowie, Yellow Brick Road and NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, who is representing Golden Gaming. Registration is still open at LasVegasSantaRun.org, and Golden Gaming is doing another Kill the Keg promotion to get the word out at the PT’s at Spring Mountain and Arville this Friday. You get a bottomless mug for $15, and the person who gets the last beer receives prizes. Remember: Our goal is 15,000 Santa-costumed entrants to wrest back the Guinness World Record, which is 12,965 Santas in Derry City, Northern Ireland, on Sept. 9, 2007.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Terry Fator and Winston the Impersonating Turtle at Frank Caliendo's grand opening at the Monte Carlo on Nov. 13, 2009.

*Mirage headliner Terry Fator gives audiences another reason to be jolly this holiday season with A Very Terry Christmas, a holiday-themed version of his hit show. Through Dec. 26, Terry and his cast will slip into the spirit of the season with special holiday additions. “Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of year, and I’m thrilled to be spending this Christmas performing in my new hometown,” Terry said.

*Monte Carlo headliner Lance Burton will spread holiday cheer by bringing his friends to entertain the students at the Variety School, Miller School, Variety Day Home and the Zelzah Shrine Temple the week before Christmas. His show will be dark Dec. 13-25 and reopen Dec. 26-30.

*Hash House a Go Go is opening its second Las Vegas location at Imperial Palace on Dec. 10. Imperial Palace’s Dealertainers are helping to celebrate the occasion, as you can see in these wacky photos. Hash House A Go Go is known for its creative menu offerings, oversized portions, unique presentation and a tradition of using only the freshest ingredients. “Hash House A Go Go has such a loyal customer base, we’re confident it’ll be a draw to both locals and tourists alike,” said Rick Mazer, president of Imperial Palace. Hash House will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

*In the past few holiday seasons, ABC’s Good Morning America has transformed its Times Square studios into a Winter Wonderland by showcasing different cities in holiday window displays. This year, Las Vegas has been selected, and as part of the showcase, host and weatherman Sam Champion will be in Las Vegas on Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. shooting live remotes from Fremont Street Experience. The set is around the Christmas tree in front of the 3rd Street Stage, and GMA is collecting coats for the annual Burlington Coat Drive.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Kevin Skinner and Jerry Springer at America's Got Talent Live! at Planet Hollywood.

*Jerry Springer’s America’s Got Talent Live! at Planet Hollywood ends this Sunday but will return for a limited run Dec. 26-30 with special start times of 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

*The nominations for the 2010 AVN Adult Movie Awards have been announced, with winners in more than 100 categories to be revealed at the AVN Awards Show on Jan. 9 at The Pearl Concert Theater in the Palms. This year’s event is co-hosted by Kayden Kross and Kirsten Price, two of the biggest names in the adult film industry. Awards will be handed out in 125 categories. A full list of categories and nominees can be found at AVNAwards.com.

Photo: Shane O'Neal/N9NE Group

Ryan Cabrera, left, and friends at Moon in the Palms.

Photo: Sprint

Penn Jillette, Monica Palumbo, Teller and Anne-Marie Rhodes.

Star surveillance

Singer and musician Ryan Cabrera partied in a group of eight at Moon in the Palms, and they enjoyed Ketel One cocktails and Fiji water. … NASCAR superstar Kurt Busch partnered with Golden Gaming, owners and operators of PT’s and Sierra Gold, for a charity golf tournament to benefit the Kurt Busch Foundation at DragonRidge Country Club. … Both Miss Sprint Cups, Monica Palumbo and Anne-Marie Rhodes, in town for NASCAR’s Champions Week, posed for a photo with Rio headliners Penn & Teller. … Untamed Illusions star Ferdinand Fercos watched Wayne Newton’s Once Before I Go at the Tropicana. The Fercos Brothers -- Tony and Ferdinand -- are bringing their illusions, dancers and wild animals to Planet Hollywood’s Theatre for the Performing Arts from Dec. 22-Jan. 3.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Bobby Flay in the kitchen of Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace.

Tonight’s tips

On The Food Network’s Throwdown With Bobby Flay at 9 p.m., Bobby and his team face Team Pellegrino at Rao’s in Caesars Palace, which also is home to Bobby’s Mesa Grill. Three fish dishes is the challenge. … At 11 p.m., the Louis Vuitton store at Crystals puts on a light show with more than 4,000 LEDs. Louis Vuitton President Daniel Lalonde will host a private dinner in the store and then light the first facade illumination. … Fremont Street Experience is going country for the 23rd Annual Hoedown kickoff party for the National Finals Rodeo. The free live concerts on two stages downtown are 6:30 to 8 p.m., Gloriana, 1st Street Stage;
 6:30 to 8 p.m., Jonathan Singleton, 3rd Street Stage;
9 to 10:30 p.m., The Lost Trailers, 1st Street Stage;
9 to 10:30 p.m., Emerson Drive, 3rd Street Stage. Free country music concerts continue through Dec. 12 on the 1st Street Stage from 8 to 11 p.m. nightly. … The Miss Rodeo America Pageant fashion show is at The Orleans.

Photo: Kirvin Doak Communications

The exterior of Crystals.

Tomorrow’s teases

It’s opening day for Crystals, the palace of retail stores at the new CityCenter, plus Eva Longoria Parker plays tour guide for a private peek at her new Beso restaurant and Eve nightclub there. Expect Strip traffic chaos because the Top 12 drivers of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup series will drive a victory lap along the Strip at 3:30 p.m. for an hour. Wayne Newton will wave the green flag to start the lap, which goes from the MGM Grand intersection up to The Venetian/Palazzo/Wynn/Treasure Island intersection for a pit stop, and then back down the Strip the other way.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

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