C’est la Vie
By Patricia Richards, property mixologist, Wynn/Encore
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 (midnight)
Well hello, gorgeous! But super-premium Oxley small batch dry gin has the chops to back up her bottle’s outer beauty. It took 38 recipes and eight years to develop the method for making a spirit with cold distillation, where the product “boils” at -5 Celsius. Used in the perfume industry, the process is now being patented for spirits. Purportedly the only spirit ever made in this fashion, Oxley is the result of 14 botanicals, with grapefruit peel, orange peel, lemon peel, dried vanilla, and almond-y meadowsweet among them. Handmade then individually inspected, numbered, and given its leather seal of approval, Oxley is remarkably sippable neat or on the rocks (unique for a gin) and performs beautifully in mixologists Patricia Richards’ C’est la Vie, which she whipped up just hours before my Oxley tasting. But be forewarned: Oxley’s creators in the UK put out just 240 bottles per day. (This is your cue to race out and get it; Taste of Wynn, $120.)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Oxley Gin
.5 oz. St. Germain
.5 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. fresh lemon sour
1 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Method:
Shake all ingredients over ice; strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with another sprig of rosemary.
With world-class dining, shopping, spas, golf and entertainment, there's no shortage of things to do at Wynn. The resort’s aquatic acrobatic show, “Le Reve—The Dream,” a creation by Cirque Du Soleil veteran Franco Dragone and Steve Wynn, will leave guests wanting more with its breathtaking performances that conjure an imaginary world. The Wynn Esplanade offers a unique shopping experience with stores including Chanel, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta and many more. Tryst is its signature nightclub, offering a secluded lagoon inside the club and spacious dance floor. Blush, the Wynn’s ultra lounge, draws swanky party-goers. Tryst, Wynn’s signature nightclub, is situated along a private lagoon under a 90-foot waterfall and plays host to some of the world’s most renown DJs.
Encore is nearly a mirror image of the Wynn Las Vegas, from the brown glass exterior to the style and placement of the logo — and it's just as luxurious as the original. Some call Encore the younger, hipper sister of Wynn.
Located steps from Wynn Las Vegas, yet under the same roof, Encore's fanciful and intimate atmosphere is unlike anything anywhere, with an environment that is uniquely Wynn and distinctly Encore.
Steve Wynn spared no detail in his newest property when designing Encore. The casino floor is decorated in rich reds, browns and purples with mosaic butterflies embedded into the marble floors and fresh flowers greeting guests in the casino atrium.
Luxury doesn't end of the casino floor. Encore boasts 2,034 impeccable guest rooms and suites. The standard suites resort accommodations are 700 square feet with the larger suites measuring in at 5,800 square feet. Standard suites guest rooms feature plasma screen TVs, high-end bath products, spectacular views of the Strip, and also plush linens and mattresses, which can be purchased in the Encore store, in case you can't get enough.
Dining options include Chef Theo Schoenegger's fine Italian cuisine at Chef Theo Schoenegger's, Sinatra's and the pan-Asian café creations of Chef Jet Tila at Wazuzu.
Guests can also dine on steaks and chops at star Botero Steak. At Switch, Encore's French restaurant, the walls come to life mid-meal and your surroundings appear to change before your eyes. For decadent, hip Asian dining before or after a night at one of resort’s ultra-chic nightclubs, visit Andrea’s, the newest dining experience at Encore.
XS headlines Encore's nightlife and pool party scene while Danny Gans takes care of humor and entertainment. Encore also features two of the most celebrated nightlife experiences in Vegas, XS Nightclub and Surrender. Both feature main room dance floors that flow outside to pools, patio spaces and gaming areas.
When the temperature rises, don’t miss Encore Beach Club, the premier daylife destination that features three tiered pools and luxurious cabanas and bungalows with private infinity pools.
Encore Esplanade features 11 high-end retail stores, with brands like Hermes, Chanel, Loro Piana and Rock, and Republic Piaget luxury watches. The resort also has a Forbes Five-Star spa, a salon and an 18-hole, on-site golf course, which is adjacent to the Wynn.

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