“BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW”

DATE: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015

BY: Jackie Brett

VEGAS COLUMN

 

RITA RUDNER ADDED TO RED ROCK’S NEW COMEDY ROCK SERIES

               Comedienne Rita Rudner has been added to the new Comedy Rocks series at Rocks Lounge inside Red Rock Resort on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. and due to overwhelming demand has added a second show on Friday, Oct. 16. Tickets are $25 and $35.

                Recently, Rudner recorded her first stand up TV special in over a decade, “Rita Rudner: Live From Las Vegas” for PBS, as well as a radio series for the BBC. Future comedians include: Orny Adams on Nov. 21; Hal Sparks Jan. 23; and Justin Willman Feb. 20.

 

THE JUDDS CRUISED INTO THE VENETIAN IN A CLASSIC ‘57 CHEVY

               The Judds arrived at The Venetian® this month for their nine-show residency, “Girls Night Out,” in style cruising up to the resort’s entrance bridge in a classic, cherry red ‘57 Chevy. Upon their arrival, the mother-daughter duo was officially welcomed to the resort by Venetian and AEG Live executives before addressing the crowd.

               Remaining performances are Oct.13, 14, 16, 17, 21, 23 and 24. Tickets start at $59.50.

 

SHAKE SHACK OPENS SECOND LOCATION IN VEGAS

               Shake Shack opened its second Las Vegas location off the Strip this time in the new Downtown Summerlin. A ceremonial ribbon cutting was held.              
               Shake Shack® (NYSE: SHAK) is a modern day “roadside” burger stand known for its 100-percent all-natural, antibiotic-free Angus beef burgers (no hormones added ever), hot dogs, frozen custard, crinkle cut fries, beer and wine (available at select locations), and more. The original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC’s Madison Square Park.

 

BIG ERN’S BBQ OPENS SECOND LOCATION AT FIESTA RANCHO

               Big Ern’s BBQ is opening a second location this month at the Fiesta Rancho. The new restaurant will be located just off the casino floor, with country barn and picnic table decor mirroring that of Big Ern’s BBQ’s first location at Downtown Container Park. The new casino location will feature an expanded menu with several new side dishes. Big Ern’s BBQ started with little more than a tent and a smoker before getting a small space in Container Park.

 

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT’S ‘SUITE HOLIDAYS’ OFFERS PRIVATE VIEWING

               Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada’s Suite Holidays will take place Saturday, Dec. 5 from 3 to 10 p.m. Now in its fifth year Suite Holidays enables guests to tour Las Vegas’ exclusive high roller and VIP suites that normally are not accessible to the general public. Attendees will enjoy gourmet bites prepared by participating resorts’ chefs, paired with wine or cocktail selections chosen by sommeliers, and complimentary shuttle service between properties. Participating resorts so far include: The Cosmopolitan; The High Roller at The LINQ; Palms Resort; Paris and Westgate.
               Only 300 tickets are available with net proceeds from event ticket sales, sponsorships, silent auction and raffle tickets benefiting Junior Achievement. Early Bird tickets are $175 or $1,500 for a group of 10 and after Nov. 5 increase to $200 and $1,750; visit jalasvegas.org.

 

OSCAR GOODMAN WILL REGALE ATTENDEES AT PLAZA DINNER

               The next  Oscar Dinner Series evening with former city of Las Vegas Mayor, Oscar B. Goodman will be Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. Goodman, the former criminal defense attorney for notorious mob figures, will be speaking about “Wingy, Hunchy and Lefty – Just a Few of My Characters” at Oscar’s Beef – Booze – Broads steakhouse at the Plaza. Cost for the three-course wine paired dinner is $150, call 702-386-7227 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

PBR MOVES TYSON FAN ZONE TO SOUTH POINT’S PRIEFERT PAVILION

               The PBR (Professional Bull Riders) will offer the Tyson Fan Zone to fans for the third year during the 2015 Built Ford Tough World Finals Oct. 20 through 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Different from past World Finals, the Tyson Fan Zone will be held indoors in the Priefert Pavilion at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center.

               Another change is the PBR bull rider meet-and-greet schedule. From Oct. 21-24 at 9:30 a.m., 10 different cowboys will spend 90 minutes each morning in the Tyson Fan Zone signing autographs and taking pictures. Admission to the Tyson Fan Zone is complimentary.

 

RANDOM ITEMS

               The World Pasta Eating Championship at Paris date was moved to Saturday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. under the faux Arc De Triomphe at Paris.

               Carlos Santana has announced his 2016 performance dates of “An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live,” which will mark the fourth year of performances at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay: Jan. 27, 29-31; Feb. 3-6; and May 18, 20-22, 25, and 27-29. Tickets start at $99.50.

               Celine Dion has announced 23 more performances have been added in 2016 of her critically-acclaimed Las Vegas residency show, “Celine” at Caesars Palace. Tickets for the shows scheduled from Feb. 23 through June 4 are on sale now.

               The deadline for the “Legends in Concert” live tribute show search for the first Olivia Newton-John tribute artist will run through Saturday, Oct. 31. Aspiring singers should submit a video via the Legends website.

               Roy’s restaurant on East Flamingo on Monday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. will hold a four-course dinner paired with handcrafted beer from Bad Beat Brewery. The dinner is $59, call 702-691-2053.

               Minus5 Ice Bar is celebrating longtime Las Vegas headliner Gordie Brown by creating a cocktail, The Golden Gordie Brown, in his honor. The all-new signature cocktail is made with ginger vodka, honey scotch, sweet and sour, topped with a splash of pineapple juice.

               Former NBA LA Lakers and Boston Celtics player Rick Fox will take over the DJ booth Tuesday, Oct. 13 at Hyde Bellagio®.

               Margaritaville on Oct. 17 will host its annual weekend pool party to coincide with Jimmy Buffet’s concert at the MGM Arena that Saturday. Guests can join the all-day, outdoor pool party at The Flamingo GO Pool from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. with interactive games, great food and drinks, live entertainment by Tommy Rocker and Margaritaville giveaway prizes and even Jimmy Buffet concert tickets. Admission is free.

               Five concierge team members from The Venetian® and The Palazzo® were recently inducted into the prestigious Les Clefs d’Or concierge organization. The addition of these five team members gives The Venetian and The Palazzo 12 “keyed” concierge – an unprecedented number of Les Clefs d’Or members for a resort in the United States. Membership to Les Clefs d’Or is the highest professional achievement that a concierge can obtain.

               Celebrating its 31st year, registration is now open for the 2016 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show that will return to Las Vegas March 7-9. As the largest annual bar and nightlife event, the show welcomes more than 39,000 nightlife professionals who represent more than 200,000 establishments from around the world, showcases more than 700 exhibitors and offers 92 information-packed seminars and workshops from more than 100 industry experts.

               October’s “Taste & Learn” at Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar will spotlight wines from owner Gino Ferraro’s favorite winemaking region…Italy’s Piedmont from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. Guests will taste pours of four wines accompanied by an Italian small plate. Tickets are $65, call 702-364-5300.

               Las Vegas will host the presidential candidates when they debate on Oct. 19, 2016, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV Campus.

               In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, CRUSH at the MGM Grand is donating $1 of every PUNCH, DRUNK, LOVE cocktail purchased in October to the Susan G. Komen® organization.

               Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat has new pricing: effective immediately: adults: $22; children (4-12) $17; children (3 and under) free and annual passes: adults: $55; children $42.

 

RECKLESS IN VEGAS HOSTS COSTUME PARTY-CONCERT

               Unique power trio Reckless In Vegas will hold their next Cabaret Jazz show at The Smith Center on Friday, Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. The group is inviting the public to wear their best 1950s and 60s-era fashions for a spirited costume contest that will take place throughout the evening’s performance with UNLV’s history fashion expert Deirdre Clemente judging. The first-place winner will receive $250, second-place $150, and third-place a Reckless In Vegas swag bag.
               Reckless In Vegas combines the imagery, banter and classic music from the 1960s “glory days” of Las Vegas with a contemporary rock band aesthetic. Think The Rat Pack meets Green Day. Tickets start at $35.

 

VEGAS IS HALLOWEEN TO THE EXTREME ON OCT. 31

               Zowie Bowie Costume Contest and Party will be held in Club Madrid at Sunset Station on Oct. 31 with a grand prize of $1,000. Costume registration will be from 10 to 11 p.m., with five winners being selected at 11:30 p.m. There’s no cover and winners must be Boarding Pass members. Masks may not be worn on the casino floor.

               The Fetish & Fantasy 20th Anniversary Halloween Ball with more than 7,000 guests partying and dressed to extreme will be held in The Joint at the Hard Rock on Oct. 31 starting at 10 p.m. Tickets start at $65 and you must be 21 or older.

               Ghostbar at the Palms will host “The Day and Night of the Killer Costumes” bash that starts at 1 p.m. and extends through the early morning hours. The Dayclub partygoers donning sexy, creative, scary and playful costumes can compete for their chance to win the “Best Overall Costume” contest. First place is $2,000, second $1,000 and a one-night stay for third. After Dark, the costume contest prizes are $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000.

               On Halloween at the LINQ Promenade, street musicians, face painters and creepy atmospheric elements such as stilt walkers will take over the outdoor space. There will be a Halloween costume contest from 9-9:30 p.m. for guests 21 with $5,000 in prizes, a live band performance from 7-11 p.m. at The LINQ fountain stage, and drink specials from Modelo, Corona and Bacardi.

               Additionally, the High Roller will welcome riders to the official Zombie Zone with themed décor, as well as actors and staff dressed as zombies throughout the experience from 6 p.m. to midnight. The High Roller will be lit with a Halloween-themed light pattern.

               PBR Rock Bar’s party will be complete with costume bull-riding contests, $2,000 in cash and prizes for the best costumes, with contests held every 90 minutes beginning at 9:30 p.m. There will be $5 shot specials.

               Via Brasil will host its second Halloween Ball at 7 p.m. The neighborhood Brazilian steakhouse is throwing a spooky bash complete with costumes, dancing, DJs, and cocktails. Guests should dress up for a chance to win the restaurant’s costume contest. This event is free. Happy hour pricing will be available at the bar and patio.

               At the Rockhouse, the costume contests start at 9:30 p.m. and continue every 90 minutes. Cash and prizes will be awarded to the snazziest dressers.

 

OTHER HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION EVENTS

               Freakling Bros. The Trilogy of Terror returned on Oct. 9 for its 23rd petrifying participants in Las Vegas with a frightening new haunt at the Grand Canyon Shopping Center at Flamingo and the 215 Beltway. The Trilogy of Terror is operating from 7 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday–Thursday.

This year, Freakling Bros. retired Circus of Horrors and replaced it with the COVEN of 13, a haunting journey through witches, warlocks and black magic. The other haunts are Castle Vampyre and the R-rated Gates of Hell. Tickets are $14 and $15 and there is a $35 “Freak Pass.”

               Mr. Prickles’ first Howl & Prowl Bash Halloween charity event for the Nevada SPCA will be held at Linde Studios at 5125 Oquendo on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 7 to 11 p.m.  The party is hosted by Mr. Prickles and includes costume contests, live entertainment, open bar, food, live and silent auctions, and more. Tickets are $75, visit LindeStudio.com.

               The LINQ Promenade will celebrate the ghoulish season with Halloween décor beginning Thursday, Oct. 22. On Thursday, Oct. 29 from 6-10 p.m., families can participate in the annual Triq or Treat event throughout the promenade with face painters and atmospheric street musicians while retailers hand out candy. A Thriller flash mob will also perform on Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 and 7:30 p.m.

               RHUMBAR at The Mirage and will hold a Halloween patio party with spooky specials and a DJ from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

               Life Time Athletic Summerlin and Life Time Athletic Green Valley will celebrate Halloween with the “Spooktacular” family event from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Summerlin location and from 10 a.m. to noon at the Green Valley location on Saturday, Oct. 24.

 

JESSICA DRAKE HOSTS AT AVN HALLOWEEN PORN STAR PARTY

               Wicked Pictures adult erotic contract performer, writer and director Jessica Drake will be the host for the exclusive VIP area of the AVN Halloween Porn Star Party being held Oct, 30 and 31 from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at the Artisan Hotel Boutique on W. Sahara Avenue off I-15. The sexiest Halloween outfits at the party will be judged by Drake and other special guests for the AVN Halloween Naughty Costume Contest, with the winner taking home a $1,000 cash prize.

               The exclusive party will feature more than 30 of the hottest adult stars, more than 50 models in sexy Halloween costumes, themed Topless Play Rooms for VIP ticket holders, and a Naughty Costume Contest, with the winner receiving a $1,000 cash prize. Tickets are $200 and $450 for VIP.

 

INDOOR SKYDIVING-FREAKLING BROS. HOLD FACE YOUR FEARS PROMO

               Vegas Indoor Skydiving and Freakling Bros. The Trilogy of Terror, Las Vegas’ premier haunted attraction, are inviting folks to face their fears from National Face Your Fears Day Tuesday, Oct. 13 through October for the chance to earn a free VIP upgrade.

All guests who visit either attraction will have the chance to add VIP upgrades to both experiences by wearing the t-shirt or presenting a receipt from the other business.

 

COATS FOR KIDS

               Harriet Bernard’s Coats for Kids campaign in now it its 16th year. Bernard when she moved to Las Vegas in 1999 realized it actually gets cold in the valley during the winter and kids going to school early in the morning need a coat. Partnering with Albertsons, people can drop off new or slightly used coats at all the chain’s grocery stores in town. Aramark picks them up, Al Phillips the cleaner freshens them and the Salvation Army distributes the items to those in need. When people drop off coats, they can get a ballot and chance to win two tickets to see Terry Fator’s show at The Mirage. This worthwhile drive runs until Nov. 2 and Fator already purchased lots of coats for it.

 

MAKE-A-WISH HOLDS ALL-STAR CULINARY COMMUNITY DINNER

               On Oct. 18, Vegas Valley’s culinary all-stars will host an outside community dinner for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada at Tivoli Village. The all-star lineup includes Johnny Church (Artisanal Foods Cafe and Catering), Kim Canteenwalle (Made L.V.), Sam Marvin (Echo & Rig), Danel Krohmer (Other Mama), and Desyree Alberganti (Gelantology). The five-course, family-style fundraising dinner with live entertainment starts at 5 p.m. and costs $135.

 

PEDIPED CELEBRATES 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH 10 PERCENT SALE

               The award-winning Henderson-based footwear company pediped is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a 10 percent off sale for all purchases made at its boutique at Town Square between Oct. 10 to 19 and Nov. 10 to 19. The company takes its name from the word “pediatric” and the Latin word for foot, which is “ped.” Pronounced “peedy-ped,” the entire collection sold in more than 2,500 retailers in the United States and 40 countries around the globe, is designed to ensure the healthy development of children’s feet from infancy to learning to walk to running. Since 2005, the company has sold approximately 7 million pairs of shoes in 1,500 styles.

 

VEGAS VALLEY BOOK FESTIVAL OFFERS FREE ENTERTAINMENT

        The 14th annual Vegas Valley Book Festival will be held Oct. 15-17 in downtown Las Vegas at the Historic Fifth Street mostly and at the Clark County Library on E. Flamingo Road. The event features a wide variety of literary genres and cultural programs with more than 120 authors and 50 events, including panel discussions, keynote speakers, readings, book signings, workshops, vendor exhibits, art exhibitions, spoken word performances, entertainment, and other special programs. Events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit VegasValleyBookFestival.org/ or call 702-229-3515.