BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW
Date: June 20, 2021
FOURTH OF JULY CALLS FOR FIREWORKS
Las Vegas is making up for lost time and missing New Year’s Eve by throwing an epic Fourth of July fireworks celebration to show the world Vegas is back. This occasion marks the first time the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has presented a firework show on the Fourth of July. The show will feature Fireworks by Grucci.
At 11 p.m. on July 4, a themed, coordinated fireworks spectacular will be launched from the rooftops of Aria, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, the new Resorts World, The STRAT, Treasure Island and The Venetian Resort.
The STRAT will have unbeatable views of the fireworks show on the Strip as it hosts the highest fireworks launch site on the Strip from its 1,149-foot-tall tower, which will be illuminated in red, white and blue as a patriotic salute starting at dusk.
Other fireworks throughout the destination on Fourth of July weekend will include the Plaza for three nights at 10 p.m., Red Rock, Green Valley Ranch and Lake Las Vegas.
In celebration of Fourth of July, the ladies of “Fantasy” at the Luxor will gift a lucky audience member a complimentary, patriotic-themed basket after the performance on Sunday, July 4. During the show headliner and lead vocalist Lorena Peril will perform a special song to celebrate the holiday. All audience members will be entered into a drawing for a random chance to win a basket packed with gifts from the cast.
SECOND VAN GOGH EXHIBIT WILL PREMIERE ATNEW LIGHTHOUSE
Folks have been increasingly baffled by the dueling Van Gogh exhibits around America and now in Las Vegas. There are five competing exhibits traveling the U.S. right now — all using projections, screens, music, virtual reality technology and sometimes even smells to create “immersive” experiences. Currently Van Gogh is the artist leading the world in high-tech immersive exhibitions, and he has been dead for 130 years. Van Gogh’s work has been around long enough to be legally reproduced, which may be the at the root of so many exhibits.
The “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” currently at AREA15 was supposed to run through July 5 and has been extended through July. “Immersive Van Gogh” will debut on the Strip at the all-new Lighthouse Las Vegas at The Shops at Crystals on Level 3, adjacent to Aria, on Monday, July 26.Already the exhibit has been extended through Thanksgiving.
The visually striking exhibition encourages guests to experience the awe-inspiring works of post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh through 500,000 cubic feet of immersive projections, 60,600 frames of video and 90-million pixels. Audiences can “step inside” the iconic works through art, light, music, movement and imagination.
The Immersive Van Gogh team includes creator Massimiliano Siccardi; composer Luca Longobardi and art director Vittorio Guidotti, all of whom have created immersive art exhibits in Europe. In addition, David Korins, the award-winning designer of numerous Broadway hits including “Hamilton” and “Dear Evan Hansen” has joined forces with the Italian creative team to sculpt the Immersive Van Gogh public spaces. This exhibit has already opened to acclaim in Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York.
Tickets are on sale at the website VanGoghVegas.com and range in price from $59.99 to $99.99 plus taxes and fees.
DELILAH AT WYNN FORMULATES FOOD & BEVERAGE PROGRAM
Executive Chef Joshua Smith and Resort Mixologist Mariena Mercer Boarini will be at the helm of the food and beverage program for Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas, a modern-day supper club offering a lively social dining atmosphere opening July 14 in partnership with acclaimed global hospitality firm The h.wood Group, owned by John Terzian and Brian Toll.
Located in the exclusive Tower Suites enclave, Delilah at Wynn will be open Wednesday through Sunday starting at 5:30 p.m. The restaurant will operate until 11 p.m., with the bar and lounge remaining open during late night hours.
Together, Smith and Mercer Boarini have pushed boundaries to craft a highly visual, irresistible menu with a mixture of modern and classic American cuisine, accented by a collection of whimsical cocktails. To elevate the experience, they have created all-new signature recipes offered exclusively at Delilah. Signature libations will include Stepford Wife; Champagne Papi; Film Noir; and Hollywood Land.
MAKERS & FINDERS OFFERSPOP-UP KIOSK AT AREA15
Makers & Finders has opened a new location inside AREA15, Las Vegas’ newest immersive events and entertainment district. The company, owned by the Molina family, opened in 2014 in the heart of Vegas’ Arts District. The concept was developed to create a vibrant, upbeat environment where craft coffee, Latin comfort food and hospitality are the program pillars.
Makers & Finders is the first major coffee brand at AREA15 with its very own kiosk on-site venue. The outlet is offering some of its signature beverages and two all-new beverages exclusive to the AREA15 location, which is in the SPINE and near the Wild Muse Boutique. New drinks are Rainbow Latte and Glowed Up, a magical drink that glows in black light.
Operating hours are 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily. Makers & Finders also features assorted pastries including muffins, chocolate croissants, honey wheat bagels, black & white cookies and cheese Danishes.
CARVERSTEAK WILL OPEN AT RESORTS WORLD IN DECEMBER
Carver Road Hospitality will introduce Carversteak at Resorts World this December, the hospitality company’s first concept to be announced since launching in fall 2020. The 14,500-square-foot restaurant, the city’s largest luxury steakhouse and the resort’s only steak-focused outlet, will offer a contemporary take on the classic steakhouse experience.
Carversteak’s design will have a mid-century modern aesthetic with a rich palette and original highlights such as The Knife Shop and Scotch Room, both of which double as private dining rooms. An expansive 70-foot honed quartzite stone bar will lead to the main dining floor and 3,500-square-foot terrace complete with a bar, dining and lounge gardens overlooking the Strip. The restaurant’s interior will serve as a gallery for the range of rotating digital and traditional art pieces alongside a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system.
A standout feature designed to appeal to today’s business traveler includes the spacious main bar and lounge. Offering the full menu, 24 bar seats and abundant lounge seating, the space will feature a 30-foot LCD screen displaying art and sporting events.
POWERSOUL CAFÉ WILL LAUNCH IN LAS VEGAS NEXT YEAR
Dina Mitchell, who is the acclaimed driving force behind a food and smoothie chain that grew to more than 900 stores nationwide, will debut her new brand PowerSoul Café, a quick-service restaurant project next year in Las Vegas. The chain is set to be the world’s first 100% gluten-free fast-food restaurant chain, offering both vegan and keto options, no GMOs and real fruit blended smoothies.
Nevada has been selected as the launching pad for the new venture projecting 159 stores and thousands of jobs nationwide over the next decade. The first location is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2022, with an additional six locations planned the first year. Each location will range from 500 to 1,500 square feet with various footprints: drive thru, inline, casino, sporting arenas and airports.
Mitchell, a longtime Nevada-based entrepreneur, popularized Tropical Smoothie’s 900-store chain from 2000 to 2014 all along the West Coast. With a proven track record of success, she is a true believer in establishing businesses which are good for the local and global environment.
As part of the brand’s emphasis on being socially and community conscious, PowerSoul Cafe is also creating a Pay-It-Forward program called “Smoothie Sopreso.” The platform will give patrons the choice to round up their orders or buy and donate a smoothie, so that part of their purchases will be donated in the form of food and smoothies directly to nonprofits. In the same spirit, PowerSoul Cafe will also compensate workers for the time they spend volunteering for chosen local charities.
RESORTS WORLD - GRUBHUB TEAM UP FOR MOBILE ORDERING
Resorts World has initiated a first-of-its-kind partnership with Grubhub, a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery platform, to become the first resort to offer Grubhub’s advanced ordering technology. Through On The Fly at Resorts World powered by Grubhub, guests can conveniently order and charge the cost to their room or credit card via the Grubhub app from the resort’s 40 food and beverage concepts and select retail shops for pickup or delivery to guest rooms as well as the resort’s 5.5-acre pool complex.
Guests can place orders on their phone with the Grubhub app or by scanning Grubhub QR codes located throughout the property. For deliveries to the pool deck at Resorts World, guests will be able to pick up their order from a secure, QR code-activated restaurant locker, which features touchless opening. This marks the first time Grubhub has partnered with a hotel and casino to provide its technology and will take the place of traditional in-room dining.
RETURNING - CIRQUE SHOWS ‘BLUE MAN,’ ‘O,’ AND ‘MYSTÈRE’
“Blue Man Group” is celebrating its grand return to the Luxor this week on Thursday, June 24. Following the global hiatus, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group has announced the intermission is over. Beginning July 1, the trio will perform Thursday through Monday at 5 and 8 p.m. with an additional performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 3 and performances at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. only on Sunday, July 4.
On Thursday, July 1, “O” by Cirque du Soleil will return to Bellagio in grand fashion with a welcome back processional through the resort led a carousel horse, the cast and crew parading and performing through the resort fully outfitted in the show’s surreal costumes as they ready themselves to make their first appearance back in the aquatic theater. Bellagio employees and Cirque du Soleil fans will line the parade route to officially welcome “O” back to the resort, where the show has had more than 17 million guests.
“Mystère” at Treasure Island will return to its stage at on June 28.
THE BUFFET AT WYNN REOPENS WITH EXPANDED OFFERINGS
Wynn Las Vegas announced the return of The Buffet with an all-you-can-eat experience on Thursday, July 1. The Buffet features a vibrant new entrance with eight magnificent, live royal palms imported from south Florida. Equally eye-catching will be the revamped menu, which showcases many of the same favorites, plus new recipes for brunch created by Executive Chef Jason Duarte, who is now at the helm.
The Buffet will reopen with 16 food stations, including an all-new eggs Benedict station featuring decadent selections, such as Lobster Benedict, Smoked Salmon Lox Benedict and Corncake & Spinach Benedict, to name a few. The menu will feature classic breakfast, lunch and dinner favorites—plus an array of sides that are as tasty as the entrees.
Upon reopening, The Buffet will offer guests additional services for greater ease and convenience, including the option for reservations, and the ability to pay directly at the table for a more seamless experience.
The Buffet will be open Thursday-Monday 8-10 a.m. for breakfast ($38.99 per person), 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch ($45.99), and 3-9 p.m. for dinner ($64.99). Weekend brunch is available Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($48.99). Endless pours are available for an additional $24.99 for guests aged 21 and up. Children aged 2 and under dine for free, with children ages 3 to 9 welcome for half price. Prices do not include tax or gratuity.
GABI’S GORDITAS DEBUTS HEALTHIER LATIN COMFORT FOOD
Gabi’s Gorditas is set to open its doors in the heart of Southwest Las Vegas on Friday, June 25 at 5095 Blue Diamond Rd. #110. The modern, fast-casual Latin cuisine will have a healthier spin playing off global flavors. Conceived by culinary veteran Alfredo Delatorre, Gabi’s Gorditas was founded with the objective of. highlighting an array of eclectic, non-traditional and non-GMO ingredients, and showcasing the gordita, a traditional Latin pastry filled with anything from cheese to meat to potatoes, while promoting healthy living.
Featuring hand-made, flour tortillas and fresh ingredients, the menu includes layers of flavors from around Latin America, including Nopales with grilled cactus; Colorado Pork Loin; Tuna Poke; and Tinga de Pollo with shredded chicken brined for 24 hours.
For beverages there is Gorditas’ house-made Mint Lemonade or the Purple Haze with Ube, almond milk, coconut milk, pickled berries and toasted coconut. For the sweet tooth homemade Fruit Roll-Ups with seasonal, fresh fruit and agave are an answer.
Gabi’s Gorditas will operate daily except Monday at 11 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
RAIL EXPLORERS KICKS OFF NEON LIGHTS NIGHT TOUR JULY 2
Rail Explorers Las Vegas, the year-round, all-ages, outdoor attraction featuring pedal-powered rail bikes, will start offering a new Neon Lights Night Tour beginning July 2. Tours will run at 10 p.m. and midnight during July and August. Guests will light up the night as they pedal their neon-adorned rail bike, while guests are encouraged to bring their best blacklight attire and glow sticks. For the July Fourth weekend, a local food truck will also be on hand.
This attraction is situated in nearby Boulder City, the home of Hoover Dam. Guests pedal the Rail Explorers rail bikes four miles downhill from the Nevada State Railroad Museum to the Railroad Pass picnic area, where they may relax in signature red Adirondack chairs. Each experience concludes with a ride aboard a historic train back to the tour’s starting point. Check the website for pricing. A tandem rail bike for two starts at $90, and a quad for four guests $160.
NIGHTCLUB-BAR SHOW FEATURES Jenny McCarthy’S BLONDIES BUBBLES
Jenny McCarthy, American actress, model, television host and author, will debut Blondies Bubbles, the newest addition to her cocktail line, at this year’s Nightclub & Bar Show in Las Vegas, June 28-30. Blondies Bubbles sparkling cocktails boast a harmonizing balance of flavor and fizz and are available in four energizing flavors, clocking in at only 90 calories. McCarthy will kick-off the show with a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony on the red carpet where she will welcome attendees to the Expo Floor on Tuesday, June 29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. McCarthy’s ready-to-drink cocktails, Blondies and Blondies Bubbles, will also be featured on the Expo Floor.
ABOUT TOWN NEWS
Las Vegas composer and founder of Composer’s Showcase, Keith Thompson, brings Keith Thompson’s Piano Party to The Nevada Room at Commercial Center at 953 E. Sahara Avenue every Wednesday night from 7 to 10 p.m. now until July 28. Thompson will perform his own renditions from Broadway, the Great American Songbook, and more. For reservations, call 725-206-7059 or visit the website.
For the second consecutive year, “USA Today” 10Best Readers’ Choice voted Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters No. 1 in the 2021 travel award contest for Best Helicopter Tour in North America. A panel of travel industry experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees and then the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Papillon’s win comes shortly after receiving two Diamond Awards from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for excellence in maintenance and compliance, also for the second year in a row.
Legacy Club at Circa, with a wraparound terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows, is accepting reservations for its first-ever Fourth of July weekend celebration, July 2–4. Sitting atop the 458-foot Circa hotel tower, the tallest building north of the Strip, Legacy Club will provide a 360-degree vantage point for the city’s various firework displays. Package options from 7-11 p.m. include: general admission featuring an open bar for $250, table for eight, $2,000 and for 12 guests for $3,000 with food and beverage minimum on the latter two options.
A Caesars Rewards member, Joseph Jeckel, hit a Mega Progressive Jackpot on Crazy 4 Poker for $412,911 at Harrah’s this month. The jackpot was the first mega progressive to hit at the all-new Harrah’s, which recently celebrated the completion of a $200 million renovation. Jeckel was visiting the property on vacation from his home in Willoughby, Ohio. After about 15 minutes at the table, Jeckel hit the life-changing hand.
