Las Vegas Weekly

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Loved by socialites, jetsetters and hipsters, New York’s Henri Bendel will open two outlets over the next few weeks here, and store executives have enlisted the help of Cirque du Soleil’s sexy “Zumanity” cast to promote the Las Vegas outlets.

The first Henri Bendel opens at Fashion Show mall Aug. 29 and then another Nov. 15 at the Forum Shops in Caesars Palace. But the party to celebrate the locations will be held in Manhattan on Sept. 6 and tied to the star-studded annual fundraiser Fashion’s Night Out.

The retailer has invited “Zumanity” at New York-New York to transform the retailer’s Manhattan store atrium into a lavish Las Vegas casino. “Zumanity” stars will present a fashion show with one-of-a-kind living displays of their costumer Thierry Mugler’s extravagant and provocative designs encrusted with Swarovski sparklers.

ALL EYES ON ELLIE: Fifteen-year-old Ellie Smith, the YouTube singing sensation from Henderson, competed in the first of three competitions at Tuesday night’s Miss America Outstanding Teen in Orlando, Fla. After last night’s talent segment, tonight she will compete in the evening gown segment and answer the dreaded onstage question. On Thursday, Ellie will compete in lifestyle and fitness and then Saturday’s finals when the winners will be announced.

ELVIS ANNIVERSARY: It’s 35 years ago Thursday that Elvis Presley died. While tens of thousands of fans will attend a candlelight vigil in Memphis, the King’s memory will be remembered here, too. Our beloved charity Opportunity Village has scheduled a one-time performance by hometown Elvis impersonator Jesse Garon. Elvis was a longtime supporter of Opportunity Village, who manufactured his signature scarves.

Before sending the scarves to Elvis for his then Las Vegas Hilton concerts, the people who made the scarves would kiss each one. As a tribute to Opportunity Village, Elvis would kiss the famous scarves before he threw them to a fan. Opportunity Village still includes the beautiful hand-painted scarves in its Art Enrichment program sold at O.V. stores and at gift shops in Strip casinos.

WICKED WHISPERS & RACY RUMORS

Which hotel restaurant is about to be abruptly closed after nearly a decade and handed over to new operators with a new dining concept and name?

Television’s tallest funnyman Brad Garrett is remaking the late-night after-show weekend of his MGM Grand comedy club. This Friday, he’ll present his new concept “American Cool” with Australian recording star Gregg Arthur. The weekly changing music concept officially launches in October.

Latin music artist and Miss USO Myra Veronica is to be inducted into the Hard Rock Hotel’s Hall of Fame before month’s end. She has been wearing outfits from the Bettie Page fashion line and is one of the new faces promoting the pin-up styles.

SMARTER THAN A ROCK STAR: KISS by Monster Mini Golf has booked a rock star lineup for its weekly, free, two-hour rock trivia contest Are You Smarter Than a Rock Star? The lineup includes former KISS band member Bruce Kulick, who’ll participate Aug. 28.

Every Tuesday, for eight weeks, contestants will compete in a rock trivia contest that will consist of three, 30-minute rounds containing 30 rock-related questions in each round. The first three rounds will be against fellow fans of rock, while the fourth round pits the winner against one of rock’s very own. On Tuesday, it was Brent Muscat of Faster Pussycat and Zach Throne of the Heights.

The schedule: Frank Dimino of Angel next Tuesday; Bruce Kulick and Jimmy Crespo of Aerosmith on Aug. 28; Paul Shortino of Quiet Riot on Sept. 4; Blas Elias of Slaughter on Sept. 11; and Ron Keel of Keel on Sept. 18.

STAR SURVEILLANCE Director Francis Ford Coppola took a tour Tuesday of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and golfer Kevin Na, winner of Justin Timberlake’s 2011 Shriners Children’s Hospital Open, met with former Mayor Oscar Goodman to go over plans for this year’s event at TPC Summerlin on Oct. 1-7.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Chef Emeril Lagasse holds court with an autograph and photo session at his namesake sports bar at the Palazzo. The gypsy jazz group Hot Club headlines for two nights at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, where tonight’s “Top Chef” Season 4 filmed here will be shown on the giant marquee. Olivia Black from the History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” and the Gold and Silver Pawnshop holds a back-to-school supply drive until 1 a.m. at Artifice to benefit Casa de Luz. The kids need book bags, notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, backpacks and more.

As Michael Turco opens his show “Magic & Mayhem” co-produced by “Dancing With the Stars” pro dancer Lacey Schwimmer at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile Shops, he’ll give a young magician a shot at stardom performing onstage with him through the weekend. And in honor of National Roller Coaster Day on Thursday, it’s free to ride the Desperado at Buffalo Bill’s in Primm, which was named one of the Travel Channel’s fastest coasters on Earth.

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 Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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

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