Las Vegas Weekly

August 24, 2010 · 10:26 AM

Photos: Staying cool at Minus5 Ice Bar with Recycled Percussion

By Don Chareunsy

Recycled Percussion of America's Got Talent at Minus5 Ice Bar in Monte Carlo on Aug. 11, 2010.

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

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

It’s no secret that Las Vegas gets hot in the summertime -- really, really, really hot. Minus5 Ice Lounge in Mandalay Bay opened in September 2008 as a cure for the summertime heat (and blues), and a sister location, Minus5 Ice Bar, has opened this month in Monte Carlo.

The Minus5 concept, created in New Zealand by Craig Ling, is an ice-themed experience in which patrons enjoy vodka cocktails served in a glass made of ice in an ice environment of -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit). The experience begins with donning Minus5 parkas or faux mink coats a la Dr. Zhivago, gloves, hats and boots and entering a frozen room with ice walls, an ice bar, ice seating covered with faux fur pelts, ice tables and ice sculptures.

The new 1,200-square-foot ice-encased lounge in Monte Carlo is about 300 square feet larger than its predecessor and holds as many as 120 people, according to Minus5 Ice Bar General Manager Rupert King, and the extra space is noticeable. Minus5 Ice Lounge is cozy and jam-packed with ice sculptures, including a tribute to Holly Madison (read below), and recently included a Mini Cooper ice sculpture for a private party.

Minus5 Ice Bar is more spacious -- it is North America’s largest ice bar, after all -- and meant to be more of a VIP experience, hence the two semi-private VIP rooms and the creative, intricate and impressive ice leather walls, built-in LED light system chandeliers and a hand-carved, 10-foot Mount Rushmore ice sculpture. Where the ice sculpture shot in its predecessor exits from a woman’s, well, think about it, here it’s “an electric shot seat” resembling a barbershop chair. Minus5 Ice Bar is filled with 22 tons of carved ice.

Friendly bartender Jared, who keeps warm in his snowboarding pants and three layers, “loves the cold” and was working alongside equally friendly bartender Chris, said a recent customer spent 7 hours at Minus5 Ice Bar in Monte Carlo and made it through the cocktail list -- six vodka drinks and one made with tequila -- twice.

A guest on a recent visit was skeptical about Minus5 but said afterward that he had a lot of fun at Minus5, and the fact that he was eating his drinking glasses, molded and shipped frozen from New Zealand, is proof. The proof is in the … ice glasses? Another customer stripped down to his boxer shorts for a photograph, and another went without snow boots or any sort of footwear.

Minus5 Ice Bar at Monte Carlo recently hosted America’s Got Talent Season 4 finalists Recycled Percussion during the construction process, as well as some of the contestants from last night’s 2010 Miss Universe Pageant at Mandalay Bay Events Center won by Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete.

Minus5 at Mandalay Bay includes cocktails named after Peepshow and Holly’s World star Holly Madison and Luxor headliner comedian Carrot Top. Madison’s concoction, which isn’t on the menu yet but is served at Monte Carlo, too, is pink and tastes like bubble gum -- loved it. The talented Imperial Palace headliners Human Nature stopped by Minus5 in Mandalay Bay in May for a photo shoot.

New Hampshire’s Recycled Percussion appears on tomorrow’s America’s Got Talent and then begin a run at Studio 54 in MGM Grand on Monday. The four boys have had recent red carpet appearances in Las Vegas at The Expendables at Planet Hollywood, Takers at Lagasse’s Stadium in the Palazzo and Primp Clothing’s party for MAGIC Fashion Week at Mix Lounge in The Hotel at Mandalay Bay.

Get out of the heat with a visit to Minus5, which opens daily at 4 p.m. and stays open until as late as 3 a.m. (call ahead). There isn’t a better way to truly stay cool in Las Vegas, and commemorative hats and photographs prove it.

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 VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Share This