Las Vegas Weekly

September 15, 2009 · 7:37 AM

Our chefs and X Burlesque are a hit at the Toronto Film Festival

By Robin Leach

Michelle Stabile is flanked by X Burlesque dancers Shakeera, left, and Tara at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Photo: Angela Stabile

If you have to showcase our city’s finest assets while competing against Hollywood superstars, you’d better shake and stir them simultaneously to get attention!

The titillating topless dancers from X Burlesque at the Flamingo and two of our town’s top toques flew to Toronto as our star attractions at the annual Toronto International Film Festival. It was a stroke of marketing genius by officials at our Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority to steal the spotlight away from Oscar winners George Clooney and Sir Elton John, as well as Brad Pitt.

Photo: R&R Partners

Jason Bateman, second from right, with chefs, including Carlos Buscaglia of Fiamma at MGM Grand, right.

X Girls Shakeera and Tara cooked up their own recipes for headline excitement there, while chefs Carlos Buscaglia of Fiamma at the MGM Grand and John Schenk of Strip House in Planet Hollywood executed their own tasty treats!

Shakeera and Tara performed for two nights at Jezebel’s burlesque club in the Canadian city, with George and other cinema stars leading the applause. Their performance won them an unexpected gig performing at Elton’s private party there last night. They also met fashion designer D Squared, who booked them to return and perform Nov. 15 during Canada’s Fashion Week.

Photo: R&R Partners

Fiamma chef Carlos Buscaglia and actress Vera Farmiga.

Photo: R&R Partners

Bill Murray, center, is flanked by chefs, including Carlos Buscaglia of Fiamma at MGM Grand, second from right.

“The X Girls personify the sexy side of Las Vegas, and it is such an honor to be chosen to represent the city,” said producer Angela Stabile, who is celebrating X Burlesque’s contract renewal through August 2012 at the Flamingo.

Oscar winner Penelope Cruz was among the stars at four days of cast dinner parties that chefs Carlos and John catered at King Street restaurants decorated as Las Vegas-themed pop-ups. Bill Murray and Vera Farmiga congratulated Carlos and his Fiamma team on the menu created for Jason Bateman, Ivan Reitman, Norman Jewison and George.

Photo: Angela Stabile

Shakeera of X Burlesque at the Flamingo.

“The stars were dazzled by your dancers and chefs as much as the fans were dazzled by the moviemakers,” said my old friend Hans Gerhardt, who looks after celebrities at his Toronto hotels. “It was a great idea and a big success for Las Vegas.”

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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