Vegas Happenings 05-17-10

By Judy Thorburn
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Owner/Editor in Chief/writer - Las Vegas Round The Clock
Owner/Editor in Chief/writer - The Flick Chicks
Director of Communications - Nevada Film Alliance
www.theflickchicks.com

Human Nature celebrates 1st anniversary at Imperial Palace and Extends Contract for Two Years

“Smokey Robinson Presents Australia's Human Nature – The Ultimate Celebration of the Motown Sound” celebrated its first anniversary at Imperial Palace on Tuesday night, May 11.



Girls Night Debuts at Studio 54 inside the MGM Grand

Mix a bit of Desperate Housewives with Sex in the City and Mamma Mia and you've got the British hit and popular off Broadway production, Girl’s Night: The Musical, which made its Las Vegas debut at Studio 54 inside MGM Grand for a limited engagement, May 6-23.



Hugh Hefner Announces 2010 Playmate of the Year at The Palms

Playboy Founder Hugh M. Hefner introduced 25 year old model, Hope Dworaczyk as the magazine’s 2010 Playmate of the Year during an exclusive ceremony in Rain nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 15.



Angelica Bridges Hosts Laguna Beach Jeans Co. Swimwear Fashion Show

Angelica Bridges, former Baywatch beauty and star of Fantasy at the Luxor,  hosted the Laguna Beach Jeans Company swimwear fashion show at Eva Longoria Parker's Eve nightclub.


Additional recent and upcoming “happenings” in and around Las Vegas include:

The 2010 Miss USA Pageant contestants, adorned with sash and crown, paid a visit to the Flamingo Avenue location of Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant  Friday, May 7.  While enjoying their dinner, all of the contestants, including Miss Nevada, Julianna Erdesz,  joined Buca di Beppo Paisano Partner Ryan Smith as he taught the contestants the proper way to prepare their favorite dishes at the restaurant, and as with any Italian kitchen, taste tests were mandatory.

After the cooking demonstration, the pageant queens feasted on delicious, family-style Italian cuisine such as mozzarella caprese, toasted bruschetta and spicy chicken rigatoni.  For dessert, the ladies indulged in an array of appetizing sweets including Buca’s famous Colossal Brownie Sundae.

The iconic Miss USA Pageant took place at the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and aired live on NBC on May 16, 2010. 

Blush Boutique Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas has been named 2010 Ultra Lounge of the Year by the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association. The association consists of professional hotel concierges dedicated to providing the highest level of service possible to hotel guests as well as visitors to Las Vegas.

Starting May 14, the ultra lounge at CatHouse will occupy the entire 7,000-square-foot venue inside the Luxor.

The newest Sweet Tomatoes, located at 9460 West Flamingo in Las Vegas, is scheduled to open on Monday, May 17. To celebrate the grand opening, Sweet Tomatoes partnered with Nevada Cancer Institute to host a preview fundraiser event on May 13 - 15. Sweet Tomatoes  donated 100 percent of the proceeds to the Nevada Cancer Institute.

May 22 and May 23 beginning at 4 p.m each day,  The Village Lake Las Vegas and the Fern Adair Conservatory of the Arts invite guests to enjoy a production of “Annie Jr.” based off of the popular Broadway musical “Little Orphan Annie at The Village, 15 Costa di Lago, in Henderson. The stage will be located near the gazebo on the platform in front of Sonrisa Grill. This event is free and open to the public.

Blush Boutique Nightclub is moving its popular Wednesday evening promotion, “We Love House Music,” to Sunday evenings. The new night kicks off at 9 p.m. on May 30 with a special performance by legendary American electronic musical duo and Las Vegas homegrown talent, The Crystal Method. The line-up for the remaining Wednesday events features DJs Jason Lema and Frank Rempe on May 19. DJs Justin Baulé and Chris Garcia will spin on May 26. Free admission for local ladies and service industry professionals nightly. Visitors cover charge is $30.

To commemorate its one-year anniversary at Mandalay Bay, and show appreciation for the Las Vegas community, the Award Winning Broadway musical THE LION KING is offering an incredible deal for Las Vegans to partake in the celebration. “LION KING LOVES THE LOCALS” offers 2-for-1 tickets for locals, valid on all performances from May 17- June 20.  Tickets must be purchased by June 1, 2010.

Cannery Casino & Hotel presents “Teen Idols”  of the 60's and 70's, starring Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees and Mark Lindsay, former lead singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders on Saturday, May 22 at 8 p.m.  Tickets are available in four levels: table for four $119.95, gold $44.95, prime $34.95 and reserved $19.95.

The ARIA Resort & Casino Poker Room will officially reveal its exclusive one-table high-limit room to guests Saturday, May 22.  Named in honor of seven-time World Series of Poker Champion and popular professional Phil Ivey, ‘The Ivey Room’ will offer poker players the opportunity to play some of the world’s highest-limit games in Las Vegas’ newest and hottest resort. To commemorate the special occasion and grand opening of ‘The Ivey Room,’ ARIA will host a $1 million VIP Poker Tournament for its customers.  Participants in the invited-guest-only event will compete for the $250,000 first-place prize and an opportunity to earn $100,000 for knocking Ivey out of the event.  The overall tournament winner will play in a heads-up match against Ivey in ‘The Ivey Room’ with a shot at earning an additional $250,000.

Multi talented musician and theater performer Craig A. Meyer brings his one-of-a-kind tribute and impression of living legend Sir Elton John to the Suncoast Showroom stage for two performances in Almost Elton John, May 29 and 30.  Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available starting from $19.95, plus tax and convenience fees.

Winners of the CSN 10th Piano Concerto Competition will receive their awards following a performance with the Las Vegas Youth Camerata Orchestra, under the baton of Oscar Carrecia, on Sunday, May 23 at 2 p.m., in the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at the CSN Performing Arts Center (located at the Cheyenne Campus in North Las Vegas at 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave). The concert is FREE and open to the public.  

Cutting edge band Angels & Airwaves (AvA) will make a stop at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, May 28. Indie rock band SAY ANYTHING  is  the guest act. Tickets start at $27 (plus applicable service fees).

Nas and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley's groundbreaking "Distant Relatives Tour," will  stop at The Joint on Saturday, May 29.  Opening for Nas and Damian during their landmark tour is Nigerian-born singer-songwriter Nneka, who recently introduced her sound to America earlier this year through her US debut release, Concrete Jungle. Tickets start at $39.50 (plus applicable service fees).

9 Group and Palms Casino Resort host the 2nd Annual Love Festival,one of the largest and longest running electronic music festivals, on Memorial Day Weekend from Thursday, May 27 through Sunday, May 30. Line up includes Armin Van Buuren, Danny Tenaglia, Jason Derulo, Jes, Mark Farina, Markus Schulz, Paul Oakenfold, Pauly D, Rev Run, Z-Trip + more!

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas will unveil the wax figure of celebrity athlete and UFC sports legend Chuck Liddell on May 29 at 10:30 a.m. Lidell will be the first mixed martial arts athlete to be inducted into the wax museum at the Venetian. His likeness that is adorned with his trunks and UFC championship belt will be unveiled in front of thousands of fans gathered at the UFC Fan Expo( May 28–29 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center) and then be moved to Madame Tussauds inside a UFC Octagon.

Broadway song and dance man Rick Faugno,  the original Frankie Valli in “Jersey Boys,” will reprise his critically-acclaimed, one-man show “Songs My Idols Sang (And Danced!)” on Sunday, May 30, at 3 p.m. in the 400-seat South Point Casino Showroom. Tickets are now on sale with new VIP package and pre-show meet & greet.

Fremont Street Experience presents the “Summer of the ‘70s” festival and free concert series.  The 102-day promotion will kick off Memorial Day Weekend and run through Labor Day Weekend. Kicking off the summer music festival will be disco diva Gloria Gaynor for Memorial Day Weekend on May 29 followed on June 5 by glam rockers Sweet during the Vegas Cruise car show weekend.  The Little River Band will be featured on July 3, during the Fourth of July Weekend, Blue Oyster Cult will play August 14 and Jefferson Starship will rock Sept. 4 during Labor Day Weekend.  Jefferson Starship’s return performance from last summer is part of  the band’s 40th anniversary tour. Also, during the “Summer of the ’70s,” an Ultimate Elvis Weekend will feature the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest on July 23 and July 24. Fremont Street Experience will also host 10 weeks of tribute bands that will play Tuesdays through Saturdays nightly on the 3rd Street Stage. For complete information on the lineup of headline concerts and nightly entertainment throughout the summer, visit www.vegasexperience.com.

New Jersey based Rock & Pop Festival THE BAMBOOZLE Roadshow will make a stop at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Thursday, June 3. The ALL-DAY Event will feature 2 stages of talent, a main stage in The Joint with rotating artists ALL TIME LOW, BOYS LIKE GIRLS, THIRD EYE BLIND, FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS, Good Charlotte,  HELLOGOODBYE, & SHWAYZE. A second stage in Wasted Space will showcase the talents of up & comers A Cursive Memory, Cady Groves, Great Big Planes, Mercy Mercedes, The Downtown Fiction, The Ready Set & Vita Chambers. Tickets start at $39.50 (plus applicable service fees),

The legendary trio Crosby, Stills and Nash will perform in concert at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, June 4. Tickets  start at $45 (plus applicable service fees).

Funk ensemble WAR performs at The Club inside the Cannery Casino & Hotel on Saturday, June 5 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available now in four levels: table of four $79.95, gold $34.95, prime $24.95 or reserved $14.95.

UFC and Red Rock Harley-Davidson will join the High Rollers Motorcycle Club on Sunday, June 6, for the eighth annual High Rollers Poker Run. The event will support The Caring Place, a local nonprofit that provides no-cost, adjunctive therapies to those touched by cancer. The Poker Run will kick off at 10 a.m. at Red Rock Harley-Davidson, located at 2260 S. Rainbow Blvd., and conclude with a party at The Orleans Hotel and Casino pool. All proceeds from the event will benefit The Caring Place. Registration is available online at www.HRMCLV.com. Cost is $25/rider and $15/passenger.

Las Vegas piano man and entertainer Wes Winters returns to the Suncoast Showroom to debut his new show, Wes Winters All Keyed Up!, June 12 and 13. Winters will draw from a huge musical repertoire and once again bring the one-of-a-kind showmanship and musical prowess for which he’s become known, through dynamic piano pieces and signature vocal arrangements.Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available starting from $19.95, plus tax and convenience fees.

Wes Winters performs at Envy Steakhouse
Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

MGM Grand Garden Arena will host an evening with Sting, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra on Friday, June 18.  Sting will perform his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement while the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will be conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio.   The concert spectacular is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Tickets priced at $201, $86 and $51, not including applicable service charges.

Recording artist and entertainer Lena Prima, youngest daughter of music legend Louis Prima, will perform popular songs recorded by her father along with original hits in the Suncoast Showroom June 19 and 20.Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available starting from $19.95, plus tax and convenience fees

Celebrity sightings:

Sunday, May 9 Miss USA 2010 hopefuls, as well as current Miss USA Kristen Dalton, all adorned in evening dresses and sashes, attended Barry Manilow's show at Paris Las Vegas.

Monday, May 10. Pussycat Doll lead singer,  Nicole Scherzinger visited the new restaurant Munch at Caesars Palace adjacent to PURE Nightclub and took pictures with almost every guest in the restaurant.

Nicole Scherzinger (center)

Three couples who bid $4200.00 at the Candelighters Organization event to have dinner with Chaz at Martorano's at The Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino enjoyed the result of their winning bid with Chaz. the meal was cooked by the restaurant owner himself, Chef Steve Martorano.   Billy Baldwin also joined the group.

Chazz Palminteri, Steve Martorano, and Billy Baldwin

Tuesday night, May 12,  Floyd Mayweather Jr. was spotted dining at LAVO with a large group of family and friends in celebration of his brother’s birthday.  After dinner they continued the party in the nightclub where DJ FIVE was spinning. 

Also hanging out in the club was Cubs pitcher Jeffrey Samardzija with a group of MLB players. 

Friday night, May 14 Portland Trailblazer Greg Oden was spotted at TAO Nightclub with a large group of friends.

Arianny Celeste, who graces this month’s cover of Maxim Magazine was seen at LAVO with friends.

Saturday, May 15, Arianny Celeste played host at TAO Beach in celebration of her cover photo and inside spread for the May issue of Maxim Magazine.  The day was highlighted by the appearance of Captain Morgan, who was celebrating his 375th birthday.  The Captain, along with his Morganettes made his way around TAO Beach, posing for pictures with crowd.

Captain Morgan and his Morganettes
Photo credit: Al Powers


Arianny Celeste and Captain Morgan
Photo credit: Al Powers


Arianny Celeste
Photo credit: Al Powers

Taking in the scene at TAO Beach were MTV’s breakout stars “The Dudesons”.

"The Dudesons"
Photo credit: Al Powers

Former Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart hosted the official pre-party for the Miss USA pageant Blush Boutique Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas.

Crystal Stewart
Photo credit: Bryan Steffy

Also at Blush on Saturday was Entourage star Kevin Connolly having a late night cocktail at 3 a.m. on the patio; former New York Jets football player Wayne Chrebet with a group of six, and Twitter CEO Evan Williams with a low-key group.


In celebration of its one-year anniversary at Mandalay Bay, The cast of Disney’s THE LION KING was presented with a cake by Mandalay Bay Chef Vincent Pilon as they posed for photos backstage.

(L to R) Scar (Thom Sesma), Nala (Kissy Simmons), Mufasa (Derrick Williams), Rafiki (Buyi Zama)
Photo credit: Getty Images

Sunday, May 17, Seven time Pro Bowl selection and 2002 Super Bowl champ Warren Sapp soaked in the rays at TAO Beach. 

Spotted at LAVO Nightclub Sunday night: Shanna Moakler, George Maloof, members of the Miss USA Organization and bands All American Rejects and Boys Like Girls.

Access Hollywood correspondent Maria Menounos recently visited the live show cast of Legends in Concert at Harrah's Las Vegas. A fan of Dolly Parton, she took her turn in kitten heels and belted out Parton's hit "9 to 5" which was captured by the Access Hollywood cameras for a week long special of "Maria's Madcap Adventures" airing this week. Maria Menounos as Dolly Parton, aired  on  Access Hollywood, Tuesday, May 18. Access Hollywood airs on ch. 3 (KVBC) in the Las Vegas area at 12:30pm.

Maria Menounos
Photo credit: Erik Kabik