Las Vegas Weekly

May 1, 2009 · 1:55 PM

Strip Scribbles: Robert Horry and Kardashian sisters open Sapphire Pool

By Robin Leach

Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian.

Photo: Hew Burney/www.hewburney.com

Two of the three Kardashian sisters are back in town this weekend, and they’re joining basketball star Robert Horry to host the grand opening of the sexy Brazilian theme Sapphire Pool at The Rio. Yes, that world famous Sapphire Men’s Adult Club, which means if you don’t want tan lines, just toss your top! Musician Alisa Apps will present a special live performance, too.

The NBA star played ball for 16 years, winning seven championships while with the Houston Rockets, the L.A. Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs. Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian will be representing the Keeping Up clan while Kim is away in New York. Khloe and Kourtney are about to open their second Dash boutique in South Beach, and the cameras will follow them there to record those adventures for the reality show. Tomorrow’s party runs for three hours starting at 7 p.m., with the red carpet photo op at 8:30.

*My Border Grill chef friend Susan Feniger from Mandalay Bay is getting incredible raves and acclaim for her new Street restaurant concept in Los Angeles that she will eventually bring to Las Vegas. Yesterday, she had no less than five appearances on TV news broadcasts there, and MTV’s top show The Hills is filming there, too, for a segment that will air in two weeks. Click HERE for our photo gallery and HERE for our initial opening report. Since then, Ellen DeGeneres, Jodie Foster, Will Ferrell, Bob Saget and a host of Paramount TV studio stars and execs from around the corner in Hollywood have become regulars!

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

Marie Osmond and her dolls at the Flamingo.

*It’s a weekend of several celebrity appearances: Entertainer Marie Osmond has another one of her meet and greet doll-signing sessions tomorrow as part of “Girl Power” weekend with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure here in Las Vegas. The Flamingo headliner is featuring her “Dolls for the Cure” collection, along with the “Too Sweet Tots” collection. Any race participant wearing their numbered bib gets a 10 percent discount automatically! Marie will be in the Flamingo’s gift shop promenade from 2 to 6 p.m. tomorrow. … Renowned artist Dale Chihuly will autograph copies of his latest, stunning 208-page work Chihuly Black published inside black glass at his Chihuly store in the Bellagio. … Known for his skilled glass blowing, Dale designed the extraordinary Italian chandelier that dominates the Bellagio lobby in magnificent splendor. … James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef Charlie Trotter will host a “Lessons in Wine Service” event in his Palazzo restaurant tomorrow. He will educate guests on wine pairings, service and selections -- and sign a copy of his new book of lessons! As every food critic in the nation always declares, “Charlie is all about and only about his passion for perfection with food and drink.” … Carey Hart’s new Hard Rock Hotel tattoo parlor has joined forces with New Era Caps for a tattoo artist collaboration charity auction tomorrow night. Carey’s tattoo artists including Jason Blanco, Clark North, Jason Tritten and Mike Roche have created hand-painted pieces for a limited edition of the caps. They will be auctioned off and the funds presented to the Road 2 Recovery Foundation, which assists professional AMA-licensed motocross members with sustained career-ending injuries.

*Sorry to hear that the economic slowdown has hit two more institutions. Say goodbye to the Fuschia restaurant at the Luxor. It’s closed as of immediately, and new plans for the space will be announced sometime in the future. In addition, the Liberace Foundation has had to cut its scholarship grants from $200,000 per year to $100,000 a year, and just days after the Liberace Museum celebrated its 30th anniversary, executive Darin Hollingsworth has had to step down in a reorganization brought on by the current economic downturn. Click HERE for our Editor Johnny Kats’ story.

*If you’re into tea like me and not a joe junkie, then you’ll enjoy the World Tea Expo that opens tomorrow for three days at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. For the second year, there will be the World Tea Championships to find the highest-quality and best-tasting tea. In addition, Master Sen So-oku, Japan’s grand tea master, will conduct several intimate and authentic tea ceremonies. More than 300 worldwide tea suppliers are exhibiting and offering samples to the thousands of tea aficionados and sellers coming in from across the world.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Mayor Oscar and Carolyn Goodman.

*We often get ceremonial invitations to red-ribbon cuttings, but in 50 years of this game, I’ve never had one for a “carrot breaking!” Who better than our Merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman to do the honors as he performs this afternoon’s grand opening ceremony of the Las Vegas Farmers Market at 4 p.m. The new weekly market held at the Fremont East Entertainment District downtown will feature more than 20 vendors with fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, plus breads, pastries, pastas and salad mixers. The El Cortez is co-sponsor of the weekly market, and I say bravo to any farmer who can raise produce in our desert soil conditions. I plan to support them, and I hope you will, too.

We’ve also got a mixed basket of goodies from our desert kingdom as your taste treats for the weekend, so plant firmly and farm through the highlights in the pickings we refer to affectionately around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

Photo: Lisa Rose

Jennifer Hudson.

Photo: RobinThicke.com

Robin Thicke.

Friday, May 1

*Grammy Award winners Jennifer Hudson and Robin Thicke co-headline a powerhouse R&B concert at The Pearl in the Palms. Jennifer, who competed in the third season of American Idol, went on to star in Dreamgirls, for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. This is her first tour after the family tragedy in her hometown of Chicago. Robin is celebrating the success of his third studio album Something Else. Robin is the son of my longtime pal, Growing Pains star Alan Thicke, so I’ve watched him with pride grow up from young teen to music sensation. This truly is a chartbuster concert of champions.

*Jazzed-up soul singer Boz Scaggs came out of semi-retirement running his Scaggs Vineyard and Slims San Francisco nightclub to go through the Great American Songbook, and even though he will “Speak Low,” we’ll say cheers for his night at the Hilton.

*Singer entertainer Tony Orlando has returned to “Tie Another Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree” at the South Point through Sunday night.

Photo: Coast Casinos

The Four Tops.

*Sweet soul sounds of yesterday are still right up to date with the anthems of The Four Tops as they start a three-night run at The Orleans. They’ve enjoyed such hits as “I Cant Help Myself,” “Same Old Song” and “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” over three consecutive decades.

*Our local Las Vegas Tenors -- Bill Fayne, Bobby Black and Teddy Devey -- with their magical and enchanting voices thrill for three nights of everything from opera to jazz to Broadway up at the Suncoast. They’ll also sing some classic pop sounds for good measure, too.

*The third season of Friday Night Live poolside concerts at the Hard Rock Hotel starts with Rusted Root playing their rock and percussion soul sound.

*Be it scotch or whiskey, the Black Label Bash is serving rounds at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay with Black Label Society, Dogs and Cycle of Pain making a hangover-free music marathon.

Photo: Mansholt PR

Sin City Bad Girls.

*Eight sexy dancers, including powerhouse singer Lorena Peril and known as the Sin City Bad Girls, kick off their run of nightly shows at the Hilton. Lorena used to impersonate Christina Aguilera on the Strip. Yes, the girls go topless, and the backup band is live!

*The new Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel presents its first boxing matches as Top Rank Boxing promotes a lightweight clash between undefeated Urbano Antillon and “Fists of Fury” Tyrone Harris. Incidentally, Urbano has been a sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao. There’s also the clash between welterweights Juan Manuel Buendia and Alfonso Gomez, who was on the reality series The Contender.

*The biggest mini bike race in the world known as Maxxis Mini Moto SX takes place at The Orleans Arena. It’s the sixth annual outing for 700 riders, including stars Derek Costella and Jeremy McGrath competing in 14 class races. Stock Mod play bikes and Vintage pit bikes also will race this time around. … The D.C. Motocross team athletes celebrate the opening of D.C.’s newest flagship store in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile, with meet and greet autograph and photograph sessions from 3 to 5 p.m.

Party patrol

Grammy Award-winning artist Robin Thicke will host his concert after-party at Prive in Planet Hollywood. … The turntables will be twisting for the opening night festivities of the Asian nightclub-influenced new Huntington Ink tattoo lounge at the Palms. … Naughty by Nature are set for a guest performance at Wet Republic at MGM.

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

A sharp-looking Manny Pacquiao.

Saturday, May 2

*It’s the big 12-round fight between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton for the junior welterweight world title at MGM Grand. Even the $1,000 ringside tickets are sold out, but you can watch on closed circuit at a number of MGM properties on the Strip. Ricky will celebrate his after-fight party at Studio 54 at MGM.

*Tickets go on sale at noon for Chicago and Earth Wind & Fire, who will co-headline at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on July 25.

*It’s the heaviest of hard rock at the Hard Rock Hotel pool with The Cult’s punk Goth sounds and Led Zeppelin-like guitar orchestrations. The English group that launched in 1984 kicks off the Hard Rock’s new Saturday series of weekly outdoor pool concerts for the summer. … The seven members of War declare action with their music at the Cannery.

*Comedy Central puffs for Stephen Lynch as the comedian blows up with his 3 Balloons Tour at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

2009 Miss America Pageant host Mario Lopez.

Party patrol

Supermodel Janice Dickinson hosts Krave’s Katwalk fashion show at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. She’ll judge the 12 finalists, and the winner will be the new ad face of the nightclub. Twins Doug and Derek Perry spin the turntables. … On and off screen couple Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, along with fellow True Blood cast mates Sam Trammel and Alexander Skarsgard, celebrated at Tabu ultra lounge in MGM Grand. … Handsome hunk Mario Lopez takes a break from his hosting duties on Extra to host the night of fun at Prive. … Sexy actress Mirtha Michelle of Fast & Furious teams up with FHM model Niki Ghazian to celebrate birthdays in the seductive Cathouse ultra lounge at the Luxor.

Sunday, May 3

*Even if he’s bruised and battered, fighter Ricky Hatton will host the daylong Wet Republic pool party.

*When the curtain comes down at 9 p.m. for Jersey Boys at the Palazzo, it will mark the first anniversary and start of its second year. There’ll be cake and the appropriate libations for celebration.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Ricky Hatton.

Monday’s tease

British boxer Ricky Hatton will be partying on the town and at the pool, and we’ll have the full photo coverage! Plus, a very sexy photo gallery of all the Playboy cover girls and centerfolds as they celebrate the new Playmate of the Year with Hugh Hefner, plus the Kardashian sisters at the opening of The Rio Sapphire pool -- so all told, an eye-popping bust-out kind of Monday!

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.

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