The Playground
Work is hard. Everybody needs recess.
05.31.09 · 11:44 AM
All that’s fit to tattoo at Ink-n-Art Festival
Toting a coffin, I leave the building. Others remain with bandages covering fresh wounds while even more are still under the gun. Just another day at the Art-n-Ink Tattoo Festival. Beginning on Friday, the festival at the South Point brought people from Vegas and beyond gathered to ink and be inked. Vendors displayed wares ranging from Bettie Page clothing, body jewelry and artwork on canvas to the aforementioned coffins. But while I expected a more festive mood a la the ... Read more...
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Facebook05.31.09 · 11:16 AM
From X to R: Sasha Grey bridges the gap
Award-winning pornstar Sasha Grey may have made it to the mainstream but she’s not about to abandon her X-rated roots. The AVN and XRCO 2008 “Female Performer of the Year” has recently attracted a lot of attention for her role in the Steven Soderbergh film, The Girlfriend Experience. Grey’s first major mainstream role certainly won’t be her last: She has two more mainstream movies, Quit and Smash Cut, due out this summer. Still, Grey isn’t about to turn her back ... Read more...
05.30.09 · 12:13 PM
More Maher: Bill talks Barack and burqas at the Orleans
When you’re a comedian like Bill Maher, one who thrives on political discord and stupidity from the higher ups and middle managers of the nation, a good president is like being told there’s no more coffee at Starbucks. “But why?” you ask. “That’s where I get all my caffeine. Can’t you understand that without Starbucks coffee I’m a dry, slothly, less interesting human being? You’re ruining me!” But even with a president in the White House who “eats arugula and ... Read more...
05.29.09 · 12:40 PM
Top secret Top Chef
Sometimes a secret is so good it’s hard to keep. You know the kind: It’s so exciting it just begs to be spilled. I’ve got one of those big burning secrets right now. And it’s a juicy one, let me tell you. Delicious, even. Alas, I am a good secret-keeper and my lips will remain sealed. For a few months, at least. The spicy secret in question stems from a top secret Top Chef filming that I may or may ... Read more...
05.29.09 · 11:55 AM
Weekend celebrity forecast: Christina Aguilera, Sasha Grey, Khloe Kardashian, and more
Pop, porn and reality TV princesses are among the VIPs visiting Vegas this weekend While the star sightings hardly stopped during the work week – hot couple Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy were in town; Nelly continued his Memorial Day celebrations; and former Oakland Athletics designated hitter, free agent Frank Thomas marked his 41st birthday – the weekend is here and once again and is bringing a handful of celebs with it. Christina Aguilera will kick things off tonight ... Read more...
05.28.09 · 7:47 PM
Hollywood, hip hop and hockey stars to align for NHL Awards
Three very different worlds – Hollywood, hip hop and hockey – are about to converge in Las Vegas. The three very star-studded universes will unite on June 18 at the Palms for the 2009 the NHL Awards. This year is the first time the annual awards show will be held somewhere other than Toronto, and the first time the gala event will be open to the public. (Tickets are currently on sale at the Pearl box office.) Snoop Dogg, Lauren ... Read more...
05.28.09 · 12:30 PM
Sexy styles for a Rehab summer
While you’re out on the family boat or tanning in your yard, the only requirement for your suit is that it covers the slices of prime real estate. But anyone who has stepped onto the cement deck of a casino pool knows that if you throw on any old bit of lycra you’re going to look piteously out of place. To fit in with the fashionable poolsiders, take a few tips from Hard Rock Retail Director Krista Tye, who scopes ... Read more...
05.27.09 · 1:58 PM
Celebrity swoonings, snacks and sightings take over Memorial Day weekend
From celebrity swoonings to Octagon beatdowns to Playboy models poolside, Las Vegas was jam-packed with celebrities and stars of varying brilliance this Memorial Day long weekend. Party points go to San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis who made the most of his weekend, partying at Tao Beach, Rain and Ghostbar, to name a few. The hands-down casualty of this Memorial Day long weekend was New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey, who, after being spotted at the Palms and the ... Read more...
05.26.09 · 4:51 PM
What we learned during Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas…
Taylor Swift writes songs like a seasoned pro, but dances like a seventh grader. Even though George Bush has been out of office for several months, Lewis Black still has a lot to complain about. Just because there’s a party at a pool, that does not make it a “pool party.” Check with security before jumping in or you’ll be thrown out. Some football players just can’t handle their booze, even if they’re 250-pounds, like New Orleans Saints tight end ... Read more...
05.26.09 · 1:30 PM
Reality is Lewis Black’s drug of choice
Lewis Black doesn’t need weed, speed, coke or E; he says the morning newspaper is trippy enough. The 60-year-old comedian openly admits he’s done his fair share of drugs, but says these days, reality is so surreal he doesn’t need anything else. And with the nation’s economy in the toilet, housing market in shambles, looming energy crisis and debatable political process, Black has a lot to trip out on – and talk about. Audiences got an earful of Black’s signature, ... Read more...
05.24.09 · 11:32 AM
“Grumpy old stoners:” Cheech and Chong on their “official” drug policy
Everyone’s favorite stoners, Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong, don’t smoke anymore, but if they did, they say they’d share. Chong has just one (hypothetical) rule: “If you take my stash, make sure you replace it.” “I’m very liberal,” he explained. “I tell my kids, if you’re going to do drugs, replace them.” Still, the iconic druggie duo’s days of toking up went up in smoke years ago – officially speaking, at least. “Officially, we don’t smoke, never have,” Chong ... Read more...
05.23.09 · 11:26 AM
UFC 98: Where to watch
When the UFC rolls into town you can expect bloodshed, sports betting and a whole lot of parting. UFC 98 at MGM Grand Garden Arena: holds true to form with both pre and post fight bashes celebrating those who get bashed in the ring. In a first for the UFC party world, two fighters from the same bout will have their afterparties together: The Ultimate Fighter alums Dave Kaplan and George Roop will both party at Hawaiian Tropic Zone, no ... Read more...
05.23.09 · 11:05 AM
Kendra and Holly pair up poolside
Kendra Wilkinson has a big month ahead of her: Her new reality show will debut on June 4 and she’s getting married two weeks later. Despite all that is on her plate, the 23-year-old was anything but stressed Friday afternoon as she and fiancé Hank Baskett kicked off their Memorial Day weekend at Wet Republic. Wilkinson’s former Girls Next Door co-star, Dancing with the Stars alum and future Peepshow star, Holly Madison, also joined her at the pool. The blondes ... Read more...
05.22.09 · 4:43 PM
For Taylor Swift, Vegas is rated PG
Nineteen-year-old Taylor Swift might be too young to truly experience Las Vegas, but that doesn’t mean country music’s sweet-singing wonder kid will spend the weekend pouting in her hotel room. “I can definitely enjoy it anyway,” Swift, who plays Mandalay Bay Saturday, said. “There’s just so much going on that you can look at … The hotels themselves are just so much fun to wonder around and the shopping is amazing.” “I’m kind of restricted from 95 percent of Las ... Read more...
05.22.09 · 2:05 PM
My name is canceled
It’s a sad day for redneck comedy lovers. NBC has announced that we will no longer be able to enjoy the antics of Earl, Randy, Catalina, Joy and Crabman. After a four season run, the network has pulled the plug on My Name is Earl. Say goodbye to that ridiculous mustache; the ride is over. For those of you not lowering your flags to half mast and rapidly donning black, Earl was a rare bird. It featured Jason Lee as ... Read more...
05.22.09 · 1:25 PM
Two Angels, no saints, as Madame Tussauds unveils new wax
It wasn’t an illusion: There were two Criss Angels at the Venetian yesterday afternoon. While the pair shared many similarities, there was one major difference: One of them was flesh and bones, and the other was made of wax. The lifeless version of the “Mindfreak” magician is the newest addition to the already-impressive collection of celebrity statues at Madame Tussauds. The living, breathing Angel was at the museum Thursday to unveil his wax statue. “If you look really quick and ... Read more...
05.21.09 · 1:21 PM
Sweating it out with Dave Kaplan
Imagine wearing a plastic suit to help you sweat off water weight while biking in a hot sauna or hitting a punching bag until you can’t feel your fingers then sparring on the mat for hours daily for three months just so you can get your face bashed in with thousands watching? Local fighter Dave Kaplan, a recent transplant from Virginia, came to Las Vegas to do just this. The college wrestler moved across the country to train here following ... Read more...
05.20.09 · 7:54 PM
Free weed! (Well, tickets to Cheech and Chong, at least)
Stressed and tense from the daily beat down of work and recession blues? De-stress with America’s favorite stoners, Cheech and Chong! Las Vegas Weekly and Citi Private Pass have tickets for you to their smoking show Saturday, May 23rd, at the Pearl at the Palms. Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong, the lovable pot-heads who first brought their THC-laced laughs to us in the ‘70s, have teamed up once again with their outrageous stand-up routine bringing back the days of ... Read more...
05.19.09 · 6:28 PM
Are we boiling yet?
The infamous season has begun: those long sunny days and warm sultry nights when you get into your car, burn your ass on the metal seatbelt and swear you are going to move from this unforgiving hell while you seek refuge in one air-conditioned space after another. Minus 5 ice lounge at Mandalay Bay lowers the thermostat even further than your average too-chilly supermarket and movie theater – all the way down to -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Farenheit). Patrons ... Read more...
05.19.09 · 1:19 PM
Carmen Electra to seduce onstage in Crazy Horse Paris
Carmen Electra is following in fellow stunner Dita Von Teese’s footsteps as a guest star in Crazy Horse Paris. “It is such an iconic show and I was in awe after seeing it for the first time,” said Electra, who co-founded the Pussycat Dolls burlesque dance troupe. “The dancers and the performances are so sensual and sexy.” Electra will begin a week-long engagement with the MGM Grand’s sexiest show July 8. The 37-year-old, who recently celebrated her birthday at Wet ... Read more...
05.18.09 · 2:12 PM
Gwen, George and Ms. Graham - Get your famous people here!
Star sightings in Las Vegas have been heating up as temperatures have continued to rise. In fact, celebrity-watchers didn’t have to wait until the weekend to see famous faces around town. Gwen Stefani, along with son Kingson Rossdale and No Doubt bandmates were spotted across town all week as they took in Cirque du Soleil shows in advance of the group’s performance at Mandalay Bay on Saturday. George Clooney hosted a dinner party at the Hard Rock’s new steakhouse, Rare ... Read more...
05.15.09 · 7:56 PM
Bikini extravaganza play-by-play
12:45 p.m. From the bus window, I watch as two pretty girls in bikinis obligingly smile and hold still for a camera, while two others chat with a tough-looking guy on an impressive street bike. He has sat immobile in that same exact spot for the entire parade. The parade had to divert its path to avoid him. 12:40 p.m. I sign my name and receive an envelope with a $100 bill. 12:00-12:30 p.m. I follow a petite black girl ... Read more...
05.15.09 · 8:56 AM
Weekend Celebrity Forecast: Ja Rule, Gwen Stefani, Tiger Woods, Heather Graham, Sean “Diddy” Combs and more
While this weekend can’t compete with the imminent craziness of Memorial Day Weekend, the next few days are going to be busy for celebrity watchers in Las Vegas. Gwen Stefani and her No Doubt bandmates have already been spotted across town, taking in Cirque du Soleil shows in advance of their own performance at Mandalay Bay tomorrow. The concert is part of Tiger Woods’ ongoing do-gooding: His namesake charity event, Tiger Jam, supports youth empowerment initiatives through his namesake non-profit, ... Read more...
05.14.09 · 9:49 AM
Win tickets to see Criss Angel get waxed
Criss Angel is about to become immortal, and you can be there to see it. No, the “Mindfreak” magician hasn’t discovered the secret for eternal youth. Instead, his likeness is about to be forever preserved in wax. Angel’s waxen image, which many believe already appears far younger than his 41 years, will be unveiled on May 21 during a special event at Madame Tussauds in the Venetian. Sources say the magician will attend the unveiling ceremony, and you can win ... Read more...
05.13.09 · 4:17 PM
World’s Largest Bikini Parade. Be there.
The LVCVA really has it together. First they come up with the killer slogan, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” and now they are going to have 300 women in bikinis parading down the Strip. May not solve our current economic conundrum, but it’s still a good idea. The event, which will take place tomorrow from 10 a.m. and 2 a.m., is actually several major events. First, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and Holly Madison, to mark the 50th ... Read more...
05.13.09 · 1:23 PM
Rodeo returns to annual Helldorado Days
For the first time since 1997, the 75th Annual Helldorado Days Celebration will feature a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned rodeo in downtown Las Vegas. The festival gets underway with a concert Wednesday night and runs through Sunday. The celebration was founded in 1934 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks as a way to keep tourists visiting the downtown area when the construction of the Hoover Dam was entering its final phases. In 1944, Helldorado Days added a ... Read more...
05.12.09 · 9:58 PM
Champagne, I believe you know dinner?
If you’re thinking that now is no time for celebration, please excuse us for quietly laughing at you from our linen table-clothed, candlelit table for two through a spray of champagne. Good champagne. There has never been such a time for celebration! Just think: Your dollar will go further today than it did on your last birthday. With the admirable goal of reintroducing champagne to dinner, Mother’s Day weekend at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon saw the soft-launch of what ... Read more...
05.11.09 · 12:21 PM
Screw the diet: it’s National Eat What You Want Day!
I’m not so wild about Hallmark holidays, created solely for the purpose of selling cheesy greeting cards celebrating The Sweetest Day or Middle Child Born in September Day. But give me gratuitous food holidays and I’m all ears, er, stomach. ENVY, the steakhouse at the Renaissance Hotel is celebrating National Eat What You Want Day in a big way. On May 11, leave the Weight Watchers point counter at home and wear your stretchy pants. In honor of Eat What ... Read more...
05.11.09 · 8:36 AM
Carpaccio gets a raw deal, but at Rare 120, it’s revered
Is it possible that eating carpaccio could ever be a transcendent experience? It’s already very nearly a translucent experience. But transcendent?? I say yes. I can already hear some lips curling in disgust. But anyone who would compare a true carpaccio to cruise ship galley-quality beef tartar is as good as calling a Red Rock burro a thoroughbred. Agh, sorry for the mixed meat metaphors there. They are mistaking a cinder block for a gold bar. The carpaccio at Rare ... Read more...
05.9.09 · 12:30 AM
One saber and many chefs kick off Uncork’d 2009
To properly uncork a bottle of Champagne using a saber one must not only know how to wield the blade but also have the confidence to do so deftly and decisively. Any hesitation or a poorly aimed swing will yield a mess of foamy shattered glass and sliced palms. Lucky for the chefs, culinary devotees, media representatives and the media gathered atop Pure Thursday evening for the kickoff of the third annual Vegas Uncork’d, this wasn’t Guy Savoy’s first time ... Read more...
05.8.09 · 4:46 PM
Last minute Mother’s Day ideas
In case you’ve put off Mother’s Day planning until the last minute and were just going to go with a lame e-card, here is your emergency planning guide. There’s a plethora of brunch options, and some less than traditional events like tea on the Titanic. Here are some of our favorite picks to ensure your mom has fun and you have a stress free holiday. Saturday, May 9 Payard Patisserie Mother’s Day Tea: Looking for a way to tell Mom ... Read more...
05.7.09 · 11:20 AM
Dig into Uncork’d, it’s delicious
Las Vegas will be the epicenter of all things epicurean this weekend as Uncork’d is back for its third year and once again bringing with it the best and brightest chefs in the country. There will be scrumptious dinners, insightful workshops and a host of other events to please a range of palates. From ardent meat and potatoes types to the strict, snob food-only set, the annual event offers something for everyone. Yet while culinary circles are converging in Las ... Read more...
05.5.09 · 6:52 PM
“Man v. Food” does battle in Las Vegas
During the course of the first season of the Travel Channel’s grub-shoveling show Man v. Food, Adam Richman has eaten his way through 18 cities and more calories than anyone cares to count. In Amarillo, Texas he took a stab at a 72-ounce steak with full accompaniments. In New Orleans he stopped by Mother’s Restaurant to down “debris,” the shavings off a freshly carved roast. And in St. Louis Richman battled his way through Crown Candy’s Malt Milkshake Challenge of ... Read more...
05.5.09 · 5:18 PM
Champion pole dancer spices up Zumanity
Felix Cane has the almond eyes and feline physique of a cheetah, and she’s probably the only woman alive who got into pole dancing because of her mother. While visiting her daughter in Australia, Cane’s mother decided, out of boredom, to take a free trial pole dancing lesson. She came back raving about how much fun she had. So, Cane signed up for a class, too. Over the next three years, Cane, who was a studying biochemistry and mathematics at ... Read more...
05.5.09 · 1:27 PM
That’s your cup of tea: Convention covers what’s hot from oolong to matcha
Is orange pekoe not your cup of tea? Earl grey got you down? Why not try a cup of kama sutra chai, or crime of passion green tea? Those were just two of the hundreds, if not thousands, of loose leaf possibilities showcased at the 2009 World Tea Expo. The annual conference and show has wrapped up, but I visited the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on Monday morning to see what is new in the world of tea before exhibitors ... Read more...
05.4.09 · 11:47 PM
A funny man with teeth: Dom Irrera
After coming to Las Vegas for more than 20 years, comedian Dom Irrera has learned a few things about this town. Like if a beautiful woman asks if you want to party, she’ll expect you to pay for it – and we’re not just talking about a few rounds of Patron. “I think one of the funniest things about Vegas is … when you don’t know if somebody’s working or not,” he said. Irrera admits he was “so naïve” when ... Read more...
05.4.09 · 5:20 PM
Chef Paul Bartolotta wins James Beard Award
Though thousands of miles away from the James Beard Foundation Award ceremony held this evening, May 4, at the Lincoln Center in New York City, Vegas wasn’t far from the thoughts of the foodies and chefs gathered for what is often referred to as the Oscars of the restaurant industry. Fifteen years after winning his first James Beard Award, Chef Paul Bartolotta of Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas was named the country’s best chef in the Southwest ... Read more...
05.4.09 · 4:24 PM
Photo gallery: Brides wear white to go green
On Friday, May 1st, brides-to-be and their mothers congregated at the Springs Preserve for the first Eco-Elegant Bridal Affair. During a wedding-like fashion show, models wore couture bridal gowns designed by Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Jessica McClintock and others. Hair and makeup were done by Roni Josef International Salon & Spa. Cakes were designed by Little Pastry Chefs. A portion of the proceeds went to benefit the American Cancer Society. We’re not sure how eco-conscious it was, but ... Read more...
05.3.09 · 11:30 AM
Healed and happy, Robbie Maddison comes back to Vegas
Four months after suffering an injury during a death-defying stunt on the Strip, daredevil Robbie Maddison returned to Las Vegas yesterday and vowed to one-up his New Year’s Eve spectacle. The 27-year-old thrill seeker successfully jumped his motorcycle 120 feet to land atop the 96-foot high, 40-foot-wide Arc de Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas on Dec. 31. The injury occurred during the 50-foot freefall that followed, when Maddison tore the flesh between his thumb and forefinger. He was rushed to ... Read more...
05.1.09 · 5:37 PM
Your guide to Cinco de Mayo: Vegas style
Since the government and the CDC are warning against trips to Mexico right now, it’s best to plan on spending your Cinco de Mayo right here in Las Vegas. Though you won’t be south of the border to celebrate the Mexican holiday, you can down enough margaritas and tacos to make you forget that no one stamped your passport on the way into town. As with most Vegas holidays, the party will extend over several days. Here are a few ... Read more...
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SMS Alerts
Featured Cocktail
May 15, 2013
by
Sabrina Chapman
The Golden Pillar: An architectural cocktail built for XS
This Sunday, XS nightclub celebrates the grand reopening of its after-dark pool party, Night Swim. Along with the bash comes a new offering of signature cocktails served by the pitcher, ...
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