Las Vegas Weekly

January 23, 2009 · 1:55 PM

Strip Scribbles: 2009 Miss America Pageant judge is at work on new Las Vegas salon and spa

By Robin Leach

The judges of the 2009 Miss America Pageant, from left: Laura Bell Bundy, Nicole Johnson, Paige Adams-Geller, Cullen Jones, Beth Klein, Jim Moret and Ken Paves.

Photo: TVT

Hollywood celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves has a double agenda during his visit to Las Vegas as a judge of the 2009 Miss America Pageant. Ken’s about to open with Nicole Oden the new Eleven Spa at Town Square. It’s a 20,000-sqare-foot facility opposite McCarran Airport at the south end of the Strip, and it comes complete with its own helipad to fly in top-notch celebrity clientele! Eleven Spa will offer treatments in 28 rooms with six makeup stations and a full-service Ken Paves salon. In Beverly Hills, Ken tends the tresses of stars such as Jennifer Lopez and Eva Longoria.

*Who knew they even kept count? Apparently porn moguls monitor sales mighty close, and adult actress Teagan Presley is the second-highest-grossing talent right behind her Digital Playground co-star Jesse Jane. Teagan took time out on a Vegas visit to celebrate her financial ranking with a party at Rok Vegas in New York-New York, and our contributing photographer Hew Burney was on hand to capture the hijinx.

*The girls’ gotta eat! Comedienne Kathy Griffin took over a special suite during her Caesars Palace visit to film segments for her Emmy-winning Bravo series My Life on the D-List. She invited her friend Bette Midler up after her Colosseum show for an on-camera chat. But not before both girls called down to Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in the Forum Shops there and had executive chef Eric Klein prepare and deliver a slew of specialty snacks! Don’t know if Eric was filmed making the special delivery, but his food certainly deserves to be in the spotlight.

*Punk rockers Pennywise didn’t disappoint when they jumped on stage for an impromptu performance after Lydia Vance and the Darlings had entertained at Carey Hart’s “Punk Rock Party” at his Wasted Space in the Hard Rock. The crowd cheered when guitarist Fletcher Dragge smashed his guitar and the drum set to smithereens to close their show. The party continued into the wee hours.

*The Nevada Gaming Commission approved two new licenses yesterday, clearing the way with a unanimous recommendation for the new $700 million M Resort to open March 1. The new hotel, the farthest south on the Strip, will have 390 rooms, nine restaurants, 1,800 slot machines, a 92,000-square-foot casino and a super spa and outdoor swim zone. NGC also gave the go-ahead for Australia’s Crown Ltd. in its proposed licensing for the two Cannery casino resorts here. That purchase is still subject to a final go-ahead by Pennsylvania gaming regulators, which is expected in the next few months.

*Chicago Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher was at a VIP dance-floor table last night at Tryst inside the Wynn, and UFC champion Dan Henderson and rapper Too Short were partying at separate tables.

*The new CineVegas Green Film Series gets underway tomorrow at the Springs Preserve every other Saturday for the next four weeks and features environmentally themed movies. “This is the perfect partnership between CineVegas and the Springs Preserve. The new green series allows CineVegas to have a presence in Las Vegas throughout the year, and it also reflects the Springs Preserve’s dedication to sustainability,” said CineVegas Artistic Director Trevor Groth. “The series will give Vegas locals a unique opportunity to come together to watch films about some of the most important issues affecting our environment and start discussions on resolutions.” Tickets are $10, and a “Food and a Flick” package is available for $25 per person and includes a pre-movie dinner at the Springs Preserve Cafe by Wolfgang Puck.

Kicking off the series tomorrow is Flow: For the Love of Water, director Irena Salina’s award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st century: the world water crisis. Irena builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. Flow was a selection at last year’s Sundance Film Festival and also won the International Jury Prize at the Mumbai International Film Festival and Best Documentary at the Vail International Film Festival.

The series continues Feb. 7 with Still Life, from Chinese director Jia Zhang-ke, which recently won the L.A. Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Film and Best Cinematography. Still Life tells the story of two people searching for their spouses in Fengjie, a small village on the Yangtze River, which some state is slowly being destroyed by the building of the highly debated Three Gorges Dam. While it is the largest hydroelectric power station in the world, there are concerns over the dam’s potential negative effects, including the relocation of people, siltation, loss of archaeological and cultural sites and the impact on the regional ecosystem. Still Life had screenings at the Toronto Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Golden Lion Award.

On Feb. 21, the series will feature Manufactured Landscapes, the striking documentary from director Jennifer Baichwal on the world and work of artist Edward Burtynsky. Internationally acclaimed for his large-scale photographs of “manufactured landscapes” -- quarries, recycling yards, factories, mines and dams -- Burtynsky creates stunningly beautiful art from civilization’s materials and debris. The film follows him through China, as he shoots the evidence and effects of that country’s massive industrial revolution. Manufactured Landscapes played at a number of film festivals, including Toronto, Sundance and Cannes.

The series concludes March 7 with a sneak preview of a new green film to be announced.

For the moment, I’m going to trade green for the red, white and blue of yet another colorful weekend in Las Vegas as we prepare for “global warming” with some hot highlights that we affectionately refer to around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

Friday, Jan. 23

*It was back in 1955 that legendary country music star George Jones scored his first Top 5 hit “Why Baby Why,” and in 2004, he celebrated 50 years as a country recording superstar. And he’s still going strong with more than 100 shows a year! Tonight and tomorrow, he’s at the Silverton Casino Lodge, and “The Race Is Still On.” George recently stood alongside superstars Barbra Streisand, Twyla Tharp, Morgan Freeman, Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey when all were saluted at the 31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors. No wonder when he sang “Walk Through This World With Me,” hundreds of thousands of fans agreed to do just that!

*King of smooth jazz Kenny G hits all the right notes when he blows into The Orleans for three nights of soft, silky shows.

*Jay Leno takes today’s headlines and turns them into comedy material with his standup act and humorous observations for two nights at The Mirage.

*The Overtures star in the Bootleg Sixties Show, traveling back to yesteryear’s pop music hits for three nights up at the Suncoast.

*On the party patrol, 1995 Miss USA Shanna Moakler will host at Prive in Planet Hollywood, while Mariah’s mate Nick Cannon does DJ duty at Pure in Caesars Palace.

Saturday, Jan. 24

*Supermodel Heidi Klum struts the runway for the TV cameras filming her Germany’s Next Model from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in Fashion Show mall.

*Our favorite rebel king of country Willie Nelson brings his inimitable style of song to the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm.

*Rocker Eddie Money breaks the bank at the Boulder Station for a one-night performance. “Baby Hold On” because Eddie will “Take Me Home Tonight.” And, yes, that was Eddie’s daughter on MTV’s Rock the Cradle.

*He’s the god of the guitar! Al Di Meola struck fame in 1974, and since going solo in 1976, he became known as one of the most prominent virtuosos in contemporary instrumental jazz. He can switch between two electric and acoustic guitars with his trademark slashing, frenetic style. With more than 24 recordings and three gold albums, he’s performed with everybody from Pavarotti to Santana and Stevie Wonder. Tonight he’s at Santa Fe Station.

*He’s no relation to the former presidential candidate, but he still gets his fans’ votes: Edwin McCain has a one-night show at the House of Blues. Over at Wasted Space, Head Cat purrs and then runs riot.

*Chinese New Year celebrations get underway at The Venetian and the Palazzo at 3 p.m. when the official dragon and lion dances kick off the Year of the Ox. The ceremony complete with firecrackers will start at the front entryway of The Venetian and continue to the adjoining lobby of the Palazzo. The entire route has been decorated in an elaborate salute to the Chinese New Year, which begins Monday. As part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, Lee-Hom Wang entertains at the MGM Grand.

*RA Sushi celebrates its fourth anniversary at Fashion Show with a prom costume contest, and two guests will be crowned king and queen.

Sunday, Jan. 25

*Former Playboy Club table games dealer Jessica Burciaga returns to the scene of the crime to host “After Dark” at the Palms club. She’s been named February 2009 Playboy Playmate, and her entire provocative, perky pictorial was shot at the Palms.

* Carey Hart keeps rock alive with a performance by Future Cop at Wasted Space.

Weekend notes and Monday’s tease

Be sure to check back here at 8 p.m. today when we reveal the 15 final gold sash winners from TLC’s Miss America: Countdown to the Crown. You then get to vote for the top four who will enter the Final 15 on the live Miss America Pageant telecast hosted by Mario Lopez Saturday night from Planet Hollywood. Then Saturday at 7 p.m., we will post the new 2009 Miss America winner right after she’s crowned -- and then shortly afterwards, we’ll have the first photos and an exclusive interview with her.

We’ll wrap up all the remaining Miss America Pageant news Monday, plus our sensational photos of supermodel Heidi Klum as she arrives in town to film sexy opening segments of Germany’s Next Top Model, which she hosts back home. Plus, all the other weekend highlights and happenings of the stars at play in Sin City.

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