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Category: Jackie Brett

 

BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW

 

Date: Nov. 22, 2020

BY: Jackie Bret

 

DONNY OSMOND PLANS SOLO RESIDENCY AT HARRAH’S

 

                Legendary entertainer Donny Osmond will return to Las Vegas and the Caesars Entertainment family with his first-ever solo, multi-year residency at Harrah’s beginning Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. With sister Marie, he ended an 11-year run at the Flamingo on Nov. 16,2019. Ticket prices begin at $65. Performances will take place nightly Tuesday to Saturday with shows beginning at 8 p.m.

                For Osmond’s news show, he will perform his timeless hits, share stories of his greatest showstopping memories, and introduce brand new music in a completely reimagined song and dance celebration.

                Spanning his five decades in showbiz, Osmond has been a singer, actor, triple-threat television series host (talk show, game show, variety show) and best-selling author with his autobiography on the UK bestseller chart at #1. Selling more than 100 million albums worldwide, Osmond has earned 33 gold records. Currently he is working on his 63rd album which is set to have all original music.

 

BRIOCHE BY GUY SAVOY OPENS AT PARIS

 

                Michelin-starred French chef Guy Savoy has opened his second Brioche by Guy Savoy location in Las Vegas adjacent to the hotel lobby and front desk at Paris with his delectable flaky French pastries at affordable prices. Hours are 6 a.m. to midnight.

                Brioche is a quick-service eatery with fresh pastries made in-house daily. For those with a sweet tooth, there are muffins, butter croissants and Pain au Chocolat. On the savory side, folks can try the quiche Lorraine, cheddar and broccoli quiche, or ham and cheese croissant. Side options include yogurt cups, fresh fruit, or chips.

                The coffee program at Brioche is sourced by La Colombe. Guests can sample a simple house blended hot coffee, cappuccino, espresso, latte, café au lait and more. Brioche also offers wine and beer options.

                Guy Savoy’s first Brioche location and his Restaurant Guy Savoy are located at Caesars Palace.

 

CITY’S NEW GATEWAY ARCHES ARE NOW ILLUMINATED

 

                Last week greeting northbound traffic, the City of Las Vegas illuminated its new, 80-foot-tall Gateway Arches spanning Las Vegas Boulevard between St. Louis and Bob Stupak avenues at the base of The STRAT. Conceived and designed by Selbert Perkins Design and fabricated and installed by YESCO, the 100-year-old company synonymous with Las Vegas’ most iconic signs, the archway marks travelers’ official arrival into the City of Las Vegas.


                The blue illuminated arches form a towering gateway to the city’s burgeoning Downtown and feature a suspended pink, retro-inspired Las Vegas emblem in the center above the street. While the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign at the south end of the Strip enjoys world renown, many people do not realize it lies outside the City of Las Vegas’ boundaries in unincorporated Clark County, Nev.

                Some fun facts about the Gateway Arches, which are illuminated every day beginning at dusk. For trivia buffs, one leg of the Gateway Arches weighs 18,400 pounds, there are 13,016 lights, and each arch leg spans 140 feet across Las Vegas Boulevard.

 

ARIA ENLIGHTENS HOLIDAYS WITH A SUGAR PALACE

 

                Aria is sweetening the holiday season with its Winter Wonderland lobby display featuring a Sugar Place standing 15 feet tall and made of edible ingredients. A team of pastry chefs spent more than four weeks crafting the happy masterpiece with 4,000 pounds of sugar used to create pressed sugar bricks, snowflakes coated in crystal sugar, blown-sugar swans and much more. The display will run through Tuesday, Jan. 5.

                The holiday creation required close to 4,000 pounds of sugar to create 1,000 pressed sugar bricks, 500 sugar tiles made of cooked sugar, and the Sugar Palace’s front window, which weighs in at one ton. Additionally, 400 pounds of white royal icing was used to build the structure. Door decorations made from fondant, glistening white meringue drops on the roofline and sugar vines and icicles are a few of the other stunning hand-sculpted items found on the Sugar Palace.

                The Sugar Palace is set in a sparkling white and silver winter wonderland. Hand-carved oversized ornaments, including carousel horses, ballerinas, pirate ships, snowflakes, swans, and trains, hang from the ceiling. The handmade palace is surrounded by a glittering winter forest of stacked custom-designed trees, white manzanita trees detailed with white twinkle lights and shimmering angel hair, and a 17-foot holiday tree decorated with 500 crystals.

 

RED ROCK TRANSFORMS INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND

 

        Red Rock is unveiling its winter wonderland transformation with the launch of Merry Crimson, and the completion of a larger-than-life Red Rock Casino replica gingerbread house.

                The Red Rock’s bake shop created a nearly five-foot-tall by nine feet long gingerbread replica of the resort, which is prominently displayed in the middle of the casino floor. With more than 500 hours of labor by 10 bake shop and carpentry team members putting the masterpiece together, the “Gingerbread Hotel” features all the details of the resort made of edible sweets. There is also a life-size gingerbread dollhouse inside Merry Crimson, complete with miniature furniture, and light up features.  

                Seasonally inspired Merry Crimson opening Nov. 27 will run Thursday-Sunday starting at 5 p.m. Merry Crimson will be a festive indoor and outdoor poolside lounge and terrace decking the halls with an extravagant display of over-the-top holiday décor. The pop-up holiday for guests 21 years and over, will feature comfortable and spacious lounge seating inside and outside at private heated cabanas, and by fire pits perfect for making s’mores. Merry Hour will have holiday-inspired desserts and treats, a live DJ playing, holiday carols and more.

                Guests will enter through an enchanting tunnel of colorful lights and ornaments. At the end, it opens to a whimsical wonderland of holiday themed moments and vignettes filled with a candy cane swing set, a giant Santa Claus front and center, a fireplace for a real life elf on the shelf, and a Moët champagne vending machine with proceeds benefitting Opportunity Village. The outdoor, poolside terrace features a wonderfully lit wall with a display of blow up Santa and his reindeer landing on the Crimson roof. 

                The Merry Crimson cocktails are specially created and have fun names such as the Ornamentini, Drink Up Grinches, and Drunken Cocoa Bomb.

 

AREA15 WILL OPEN OUTDOOR HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE WANDERLAND

 

                AREA15 will completely transform its outdoor event space, A-Lot into Wanderland, which will run from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3.
                At the heart of Wanderland will be Balanceville, a 30-foot intergalactic art sleigh illuminated in hundreds of holiday lights. Other features will include an illuminated tree-lined village filled with extraterrestrial surprises, a festive path of igloos with Insta-worthy holiday vignettes, pop-up retailers Kappa Toys, Wild Muse Boutique, and local First Friday artists, sweets by Emack & Bolio’s, and much more. The experience will end with a holiday photo-op inside Henry Chang’s Mad Max-esque kinetic art car, “Mister Fusion,” decked-out with AREA15’s alien friends.
                A pop-up village of private igloos will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis offering winter cocktails and al-fresco dining with a special holiday menu from The Beast by Todd English. Open fire pits will be scattered throughout the 32,000 square-foot space to keep guests warm.
                The ticketed experience includes access to the igloo stroll, a printed and digital photo from the art car sleigh, and a cup of hot chocolate from Emack + Bolio’s.
                To compliment the outdoor experience, The Portal, AREA15’s indoor 360-degree projection-mapped room will feature “Holiday 360: The Dream Before,” a 30-minute light-and-sound exhibition.
                In addition, from Dec. 3-14 donations of new, unwrapped toys will be collected in Wanderland as part of the 98.5 KLUC Chet Buchanan Toy Drive. Anyone contributing to the toy drive will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate from Emack & Bolio’s.

                Hours will be Monday-Thursday 4-10 p.m., Friday 4-midnight, Saturday 2-midnight, and Sunday 2-10 p.m. Reservations are required on AREA15’s website. There are different prices for adults and children and charges for Wanderland, “Holiday 360: The Dream Before,” and a combo package.

 

FASHION SHOW MALL HAS HOLIDAY SPIRIT

 

                Fashion Show mall will be celebrating the season with holiday-themed activities and complimentary entertainment throughout the shopping destination from Friday, Nov. 27-Thursday, Dec. 24.

                There will be two guided walkthrough experiences inside Fashion Show this holiday season, such as Santa’s Workshop, where shoppers will be escorted by Mrs. Claus and two elves through a candy cane pathway, and a Winter Wonderland consisting of snow-white trees, ice sculptures, and snow flurries, leading up to a giant snow globe spectacle encompassing a real-live ballerina. Families can utilize the recently debuted Spot Holder line-queuing app to take their own private tour through each experience on the lower level every Friday-Sunday, and Dec. 23-24 from 3 to 7 p.m.

                Fashion Show will deck the Great Hall with 20 festive golden bells which will sway overhead to holiday music for a two-minute musical spectacular every Thursday through Sunday, and Dec. 23-24 at 1, 3, and 5 p.m. daily.

                Every Friday through Sunday, and Dec. 23-24 from 1 to. 4 p.m., there will be live music from a violinist and guitar player, as well as charming performances from nutcracker dancers and sugar plum ballerinas on The Plaza. 

                Santa Claus will be at the mall taking photos Friday, Nov. 27 through Thursday, Dec. 24. Professional photos will be taken at a contactless, socially distanced set up located near Neiman Marcus. Holly Jolly Photos with Santa will take place Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday noon to 6 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Face coverings will be required based on current state regulations and reservations can be made in advance on the mall’s events page.

                There will be complimentary gift-wrapping services with the help of Fashion Show’s Gift Wrap Girls near Guest Services from noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18 through Wednesday, Dec. 23, and noon to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24. Reservations can be made in the Spot Holder app.

                Fashion Show aims to keep the giving spirit alive this season by hosting a holiday coat drive from Friday, Nov. 20 through Friday, Dec. 11. Coats, hats, gloves, and blankets collected will be donated to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission and guests may drop off their donations at Guest Services.

 

 

THE UNDERGROUND AT THE MOB MUSEUM OFFERS WHISKEY FLIGHTS

 

                The Underground, the Prohibition history exhibition at The Mob Museum featuring a fully operational distillery and speakeasy, will do a deep dive into the flavor profile, history and nuances of whiskey by offering a presentation and tasting of one of its two new a-la-carte whiskey flights at “The Whiskey Club” launch event on Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 8 to 8:45 p.m. Tickets to The Whiskey Club are $49 and guests must be 21 or older.

                Attendees will explore the distinctive characteristics of Irish whiskey, scotch, bourbon, and Japanese whisky. The 45-minute tasting will spotlight The Underground’s new “Whiskeys of the World” flight, which will be paired with thoughtfully selected small bites. In an intimate setting, Museum representative and Beam Suntory’s award-winning master mixologist, Bobby “G” Gleason will conduct the experience. Beam Suntory is the third largest premium spirits company in the world, the leading spirits company in Japan, and the largest United States-based spirits’ company.

                The two distinct flights are also available now inside The Underground. Operating Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday. The

American Influence is a flight of four distinctive bourbons for $35. Whiskeys of the World is a flight of four international whiskeys for $45.

 

‘MJ LIVE’ AT STRAT TEMPORARILY CLOSES

 

                Just as shows have started up like “MJ Live” at The Strat, which just added performances, this week it is temporarily closing until further notice in adherence with the Nevada Governor’s directive of a statewide, mandatory three-week pause to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

 

‘HELL’S KITCHEN’ TAKES ON SIN CITY

 

                The hit culinary competition series “Hell’s Kitchen” will return for its 19th season and roll the dice in a new setting, with Chef Gordon Ramsay bringing the show to Las Vegas, which is home to the world’s first Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen restaurant at Caesars Palace. For the first time, 16 aspiring chefs from around the country will head to Sin City in the hopes of winning big. At stake is a life-changing grand prize, including a head chef position at the all-new Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen Lake Tahoe at Harveys Hotel and Casino, and the title of “Hell’s Kitchen” winner. 

 

MONDAYS DARK TURNS SEVEN

 

         Mondays Dark, the popular grassroots charitable movement will celebrate turning seven, with Lucky Number Seven on Monday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. This virtual event is free to stream at MondaysDark.com and there are a limited number of VIP tickets available at The Space to enjoy the show live. Guests can enjoy a night of entertainment and bid on luxurious live and silent auction items including art, show and concert tickets, dining packages, spa treatments, jewelry, and more. Beginning Nov.30, online access for the auction will be available at MondaysDark.com or by texting MDLV to 76278.

                While 2020 has been challenging to say the least, Mondays Dark has continued the mission of raising $10,000 every two weeks for a local charity. Mark Shunock, creator of Mondays Dark and founder of The Space, will soon announce the 21 local charity partners for 2021.

 

SOUTH POINT ARENA ENHANCES PARTNERSHIP WITH JOHN DEERE

 

                South Point Arena & Equestrian Center has expanded its current partnership with John Deere to include the John Deere Equine Discount Program. John Deere has been a partner of South Point for five years. The three-year extended partnership will focus on promoting the John Deere Equine Discount Program which includes steep discounts for current members of numerous equestrian associations throughout multiple disciplines and will give South Point’s guests discounts on leasing or purchasing John Deere equipment.

 

WAYNE NEWTON SIGHTING

 

                Wayne Newton and his wife Kathleen, along with some friends and family, recently dined at El Dorado Cantina on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive. It was Newton’s first experience there and he liked the tableside guacamole along with queso fundido, lobster tacos, chicken enchiladas, and more. Ever the Midnight Idol, the group arrived around 10 p.m. and left just before the stroke of midnight.

 

FASHION SHOW MALL HOSTS BLOOD DRIVE

 

                Fashion Show Las Vegas is teaming up with the American Red Cross to host additional blood drives. Guests able to donate blood are welcome to visit the property’s pop-up donor location on the second level near Macy’s Men’s on Nov. 30, and Dec. 15-16, 23-24, and 30 by appointment, which can be made online. The Red Cross is now testing all blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies.