BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW
Date: April 7, 2019
FLY LINQ BECOMES FIRST ZIPLINE TO OFFER FOUR WAYS TO RIDE
FLY LINQ is now the only zipline in the world to offer four ride styles, which can be launched simultaneously on 10 side-by-side lines at The LINQ Promenade. The four positions being offered to riders are: prone or “superhero” backward; prone or “superhero” frontward; seated backward; and seated frontward.
FLY LINQ guests start by taking an elevator to the top of the 114-foot-tall launch tower with views of the Strip and surroundings. After their gear-fitting and a photo opportunity, the experience continues by traveling 1,121 feet through The LINQ Promenade to the landing tower. Riders disembark near the base of High Roller. Hours are daily 10 a.m. to midnight.
NEW ‘HUNGER GAMES’ ATTRACTION WILL OPEN AT MGM GRAND
“The Hunger Games: The Exhibition” featuring a fully-immersive archery training experience, props and set decorations, 30 original costumes and more will open at the MGM Grand in May.
At the worldwide box office, the movie grossed more than $3 billion and celebrated character Katniss Everdeen’s journey from humble beginnings in District 12 to her rise as the Mockingjay. Fans will be able to explore the Hall of Justice, President Snow’s Office, the Tribute Train and District 13. Some featured costumes will include the Girl on Fire dress, the Mockingjay gown, and Katniss’ Mockingjay armor and pin.
A retail shop, Capital Couture, will sell exclusive clothing and collectible items.
GALAXY THEATRES LUXURY+® BOULEVARD IS IMPRESSIVE
Last week was busy, which included attending the pre-opening of the Galaxy Theatres Luxury+® Boulevard, home to Las Vegas’ largest screen and first all-Laser projection theatre in addition to the first Sony Digital Cinema™ in the world, and seeing the screening of “Shazam!”
The auditorium’s largest screen in Las Vegas is four-stories tall by seven-stories wide while experiencing D-BOX’s motion seats perfectly synchronized with on-screen action and audio providing subtle movement, smooth rolling and vibration.
The Boulevard mall movie complex a couple miles from the Strip has a convenient quick service café offering a full, deluxe menu while specialty cocktails, beer and wine are offered at the full-service bar.
All nine auditoriums feature Galaxy’s popular state-of-the-art power reclining seats. The theatre will be regularly hosting special events and screenings, including Flashback Cinema offering a different classic movie each week on Sundays and Wednesdays. Flashback Cinema will debut with “Singing in the Rain” on Sunday, April 21 and Wednesday, April 24.
ANITA BAKER VISITS VENETIAN ON FAREWELL TOUR
R&B legend and eight-time Grammy winner Anita Baker will perform at The Venetian for a five-night limited engagement as part of her farewell concert series. The Detroit-bred contralto will appear in The Venetian Theater May 31, June 1, 5, 7 and 8.
Baker’s decades-spanning career as a singer with her sultry vibe and songwriter has garnered four platinum and two gold albums with hits including “Sweet Love,” “Caught Up in the Rapture,” and “Giving You the Best That I Got.”
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY REVIVES HER ROLE AS CHICAGO’S ROXIE HART
Joining the national tour of the Tony Award-winning hit musical “Chicago,” gorgeous supermodel and actress Christie Brinkley will again star as Roxie Hart for a limited seven show engagement at The Venetian Theatre April 10-14. Brinkley’s Broadway stage debut was in 2010 playing the role of the merry murderess and she made a return engagement in 2012. Her stage success also had her reprising the role in London’s West End for a limited four-week run.
‘ABSINTHE’ CELEBRATES 8TH ANNIVERSARY AND LIGHTS ELECTRIC OAK
“Absinthe” recently celebrating its 8th anniversary with a VIP party has become a favorite must-see Las Vegas show. At the show’s conclusion, The Gazillionaire invited the audience to the courtyard for the official lighting of the Absinthe Electric Oak tree, which is now center in the courtyard. Truly magnificent, it’s 35-feet tall with 120,000 LED leaves of ever-changing color.
CONNECTING WITH THERESA CAPUTO AT ORLEANS ARENA
The star of TLC’s hit show, “Long Island Medium,” Theresa Caputo will bring he show “Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience” to the Orleans Arena Saturday, June 15. Tickets start at $39.75 for Caputo’s 7:30 p.m. performance.
A practicing medium for more than 20 years, Caputo’s television show follows her life as a typical Long Island mother with inspiring abilities to communicate with the dead. Her appearance at the Orleans will bring her face-to-face with fans and feature a video display ensuring everyone in the venue has an up-close and hands-on experience.
As an author, her best-selling books include: “There’s More to Life Than This” (2013); “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” (2014); and “Good Grief: Heal Your Soul, Honor Your Loved Ones, and Learn to Live Again” (2017).
REEVES AND WILSON BRING MOTOWN SOUND TO ORLEANS SHOWROOM
The “Legendary Ladies of Motown” starring Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson will take over the Orleans Showroom on Saturday, April 27 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39.95.
More than 50 years ago, Reeves with Motown pals The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and Marvin Gaye boarded a rented bus on the first Motown Review. She and her backup group, the Vandellas, sang behind Marvin Gaye. Her awards abound including her hit “Dancing in the Street” being entered the Library of Congress Registry of Historical Recordings and the Grammy Hall of Fame. Also, the group was listed among “Rolling Stone” magazine’s “100 Immortal Artists” and Reeves was named one of the “30 Top Lead Singers of all Time.”
Wilson is one of the founders of the female singing group The Supremes, and wrote the best-selling autobiography, “Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme.” The Supremes garnered an unprecedented 12 “Billboard Hot 100” No. 1 hits, including back-to-back awards for “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Stop, In The Name Of Love,” and “Back in My Arms Again.” In 1977, she released her first solo album, “Mary Wilson,” which yielded the dance hit “Red Hot.”
PUDDLES PITY PARTY ADDS ENGAGEMENT DATES
“Puddles Pity Party” starring the sad, seven-foot tall singing clown who was a quarter finalist on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” started the year 2019 with his first artist residency at Caesars Palace with nine performances at Cleopatra’s Barge. More dates have been added between April 25 and June 15. His show meshes plenty of Puddles classics, some new tunes, and improvisational audience participation including a “Luck of the Draw” segment where fans by rolling dice or picking a card determine which song Puddles will sing next.
FIRST ZIPPY’S OUTSIDE OF HAWAII IS IN THE WORKS
Zippy’s Restaurant’s will build its first location outside of Hawaii on land recently purchased in Las Vegas at the southeast corner of Badura Avenue and Montessouri Street. Zippy’s is expected to build a 7,000-square-foot restaurant, take-out, and retail bakery, in addition to a 12,000-square-foot central kitchen/bakery to support future growth in the valley.
The new outlet will require extensive site improvements and the construction of a central kitchen and bakery beyond a standard restaurant build. Therefore, the opening is expected in the later part of 2020. Meanwhile, Zippy’s Restaurants plans to participate in the Pure Aloha Festival April 18-21 at the Silverton.
Francis and Charles Higa founded Zippy’s Restaurants more than 52 years ago in Honolulu and now have 24 locations across Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island. Many Zippy’s are open 24-hours a day.
SILVERTON HOSTS SPRING ALOHA FESTIVAL
The 18th annual Pure Aloha Spring Festival and Concerts will be held at the Silverton April 18-21 featuring traditional Polynesian performances and Island Reggae concerts. The festival will have more than 100 island craft and merchandise booths, food vendors, beer garden, carnival games and amusement rides. The free evening concerts will highlight Baba B, Ekolu, Sudden Rush, Ikaika Marzo, Ka’ikena Scanlan and Tomorrow People.
General admission festival tickets at the entrance are $10 and $15 after 8 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday. Children under 42 inches are free. Hours are 5 p.m. to midnight on Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
VEGAS WEDDINGS HOLDS SOCIAL MEDIA GIVEAWAY
Vegas Weddings started its brand-new Viva Vegas Pop-Up wedding package offering couples the opportunity to get married at various Las Vegas landmarks such as the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, anywhere on the Strip or Fremont Street, Lyft Art Park, etc.
To celebrate the Viva Vegas Pop-Up launch, Vegas Weddings is hosting a social media giveaway for a complimentary pop-up wedding (valued at $777), a two-night stay at the El Cortez, and dinner at Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro at The Grand Canal Shoppes.
To enter, follow Vegas Weddings on Facebook and leave a photo or video in the comments section on the contest post telling why the pop-up wedding is perfect for you by 5 p.m. on April 18 PST. The comment with the most likes wins.
EVENTS HAPPENING AT SOUTH POINT ARENA
The Arabian Breeders World Cup with a gift show will be held at South Point Arena April 11-14 with Arabian horses from around the world being showcased. The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Level One Championship along with the Western Gift Expo will follow April 17-20 celebrating the best national and state level one quarter horse riders. Both events are free and open to the public.
Focusing on another sport, the 2019 USA Open Wresting Championships will take place April 24-28. Wrestling fans will see various types of wrestling matches aimed at all ages, levels and styles competing for championship titles. Tickets are $25.
SAMMY HAGAR - GUY FIERI INTRODUCE SANTO FINO BLANCO TEQUILA
Legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Sammy Hagar, and acclaimed Emmy Award winning chef and restauranteur, Guy Fieri, have collaborated to create a new tequila, Santo Fino Blanco. Expected to launch in May, it is handcrafted and made with 100 percent Blue Weber Agave. Santo Fino Blanco joins Santo Puro Mezquila, the world’s first and only blend of tequila and mezcal, in the award-winning Los Santo family.
DINING BITES
Executive Chef and owner Dan Krohmer with the off-Strip Asian seafood restaurant Other Mama will open two new restaurants in Downtown Las Vegas. Hatsumi is slated for a soft opening in mid-May, followed by La Monjá before summer. Both dining establishments will honor the cuisine and culture experiences Krohmer has encountered on his extensive travels to Japan and Mexico.
Chef David Chang will be opening Majordōmo Meat & Fish later this year in the former Carnevino restaurant space in The Palazzo tower next to Mott 32. Chang’s new eatery will be built on the DNA of its sister establishment in Los Angeles. A majordomo is a person who takes charge for another.
The Great American Foodie Fest will be held at Sunset Station’s parking lot April 25-28. The four-day event, one of the largest food centric festivals on the West Coast, features innovative food vendors, top gourmet food trucks from around the country, live entertainment, celebrity chef appearances, a beer garden, eating contests, and carnival, and attracts 30,000 to 40,000 attendees.
Uno Más is a new fast casual dining experience at SLS featuring authentic, traditional Mexican dishes with a modern twist and sharable bites. There’s also a variety of street tacos with hand-crafted tortillas made fresh daily. For the sweet tooth, there are house-made churros served with a trio of sauces.
The Nevada Restaurant Association’s Epicurean Affair will be held Thursday, May 16 from 6-10 p.m. at Red Rock Resort. The annual gourmet event has Las Vegas’ restaurants, nightclubs and beverage purveyors coming together to raise funds for the association’s educational and scholarship programs. Tickets start at $100.
The brand-new Maxie’s at The LINQ Promenade is expanding its operation to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Andiron Steak & Sea in Downtown Summerlin will hold a special prix fixe Orin Swift Cellars wine pairing dinner on Tuesday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $69 and an additional $34 for the optional wine pairing. Reservations required.
While kids are dining at Hash House A Go Go restaurants except at the Rio on Easter Sunday, April 21, they can participate in a coloring page contest for a chance to win a holiday basket. Easter food specials include cinnamon roll pancake, griddled ham steak dinner, and caramel cheesecake.
CELEB SIGHTINGS
On any given day, celebrity sightings are happening but especially last weekend with the grand opening of KAOS nightclub at the Palms complete with fireworks. A couple names in attendance included Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, Reggie Bush, Ariel Winter, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Erin Foster, Marshmello, Machine Gun Kelly, Pepa, Kaskade, etc., while Alicia Keys presented an intimate performance inside the Pearl Concert Theater.
This month, Emmy Award-winning actor and director Steve Buscemi caught a performance of “The Beatles™ LOVE™” by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage, which he’s done numerous times as a fan.
Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar visited his Cabo Wabo Cantina inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood before joining chef and restaurateur Guy Fieri at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Nevada to announce their new partnership to launch tequila Santo Fino Blanco.
In town for the 54th ACM Awards, Midland band members Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson were spotted attending “Absinthe” at Caesars Palace. Also, in attendance was MTV reality TV star, Farrah Abrahams.
Washington Redskin Andrew East in town for a bachelor party dined with friends at TAO inside The Venetian. He is expecting his first child with Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson.
At TAO Nightclub, actress Kiirstin Leigh celebrated her birthday with Crazy Rich Asians cast members Chris Pang and Remy Hii.
CMT correspondent Marley Sherwood was spotted filming a commercial for Florida Georgia Line’s Old Camp Whiskey at Virgil’s Real Barbecue at The LINQ Promenade.
ABOUT TOWN NEWS
This is a busy week with the annual National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in town attracting more than 90,000 attendees through April 11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The 22nd annual Viva Las Vegas (VLV) Rockabilly Weekend will take place Thursday-Sunday, April 18-21 at the Orleans resort. The four-day music festival is the city’s longest running music festival featuring 100-plus bands, more than 20 DJs, a major classic car show, more than 120 vendors, tiki pool parties, dancing, burlesque and more. Tickets start at $40.
The Salvation Army’s Women’s Auxiliary 54th Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon will be held Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Orleans Hotel. The fundraising event includes shopping for clothing and accessories at unbelievable prices, a fashion show, and plated lunch. Tickets are $45.
Downtown Container Park’s monthly Wine & Beer Walk series will hold “Stop and Smell the Rosé” on Saturday, April 13 from 5-8 p.m. with live entertainment by Nieve Malandra and Heavy Petting Zoo. Tickets are $25 online and $30 at the gate.
All In Aviation is hosting a free public family-friendly open house event on World Pilots’ Day, April 26 from 4-7 p.m. at their North Las Vegas airport location. Guests will be able to explore All In Aviation’s Cirrus Aircraft fleet, including the all-new SF50 Vision Jet, while learning about general aviation and how to become a private pilot.
Nathan Adelson Hospice will hold its annual fundraising “Flair for Care” Fashion Show on Thursday, April 25 at 11 a.m. in the Le Réve Theater at Wynn featuring 2019 runway and ready-to-wear looks from illustrious designers. Tickets are $250.
Nice note, more than 3,000 walkers, family, friends and pets poured into Town Square on April 7 in support of Aid for AIDS of Nevada's (AFAN) 29th annual AIDS Walk Las Vegas, raising more than $250,000 to benefit those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
