Origin India Turns 2, Celebrates in Style

Origin India may only be two years old, but its roots are ancient. The popular restaurant held a celebration for media and friends on Thursday, April 10, and the silk and spirits flowed in one long dance and music-filled event. Proceeds from all donations went to Safe Nest, a social service agency dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence.

Origin India Restaurant
Photo by Stephen Thorburn

The attractive interior space, resplendent in warm, golden walls and hanging tapestries, featured a buffet of delicacies including Nan, a puffy, circular flatbread cut into dangerous triangles of goodness, and succulent lentil patties that could be top with a tamarind or a cilantro/mint sauce that was habit forming. Other patties featured chickpeas and lamb, making for a plate of colorful fare to rival the elegant surroundings.

Passed appetizers included battered shrimp and roasted chicken which was almost supernaturally tender, as if the blessings of Krishna accompanied each morsel.

Photo by Stephen Thorburn

Men in formalwear and women in brightly colored silk saris (reds, blues, golds and pinks) greeted attendees, while white-jacketed servers took drink orders and cleared tables unobtrusively, with smiles and hospitality that apparently endure as a permanent fixture of the place, not just rolled out for this special occasion. Consistency is the key to this restaurant’s success.

A fashion display of Indian finery was nestled in one corner for inspection, provided by sponsor Taj Boutique (located at the corner of Sahara and Decatur). One look at those sublime examples of how to cover a human body will send you to Taj, aiming for a little eastern influence to invade your southwest mindset.

Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

DJ-controlled tamba music played (defined by a particular drum sound, one you don’t even know you recognize until you hear it) while belly dancing beauty Aradia and the Ra dancers undulated and whirled to the various, ever-changing tempos, sometimes enticing a patron or employee to join in the movement. The impressive performances continued at intervals throughout the evening, always eliciting appreciative exclamations and applause from the crowd.

As if there weren’t enough action in the intimate venue, a Bollywood film was projected on the ceiling in all of its colorful gyrations. Bollywood is the name given to the Hindi-language film industry in India. The melodramatic plots and musical numbers assure that the production is as eye-catching as the colorful costumes and jewelry that adorn the actors. There’s no room for boredom and no compunction to sit still when such movement in all around, even above your head.

Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

Origin India is known for its fine Indian dining, employing chefs from the subcontinent who are skilled in multi-regional favorites like tandoori, tikka and masala dishes. Vegetarians will be quite content with the multitude of vegetable, rice and salad offerings to choose from (or choose them all, you won’t be “sari. Sorry). The carnivores among us will gravitate toward the chicken, lamb and seafood fare, all aromatically coaxed into the signature flavors of India.

Origin India is a culinary force to be reckoned with, pretty impressive for a two-year-old; pretty to look at, too. Here’s hoping that the toddler eatery has a long, healthy life in its location on the very appropriately-named Paradise Road.


For further information:

Origin India Restaurant and Bar
4480 Paradise Road #1200
Las Vegas, NV
702-734-6342

 Luz by Houman Trunk Show at Neiman Marcus/Fashion Show Mall

Luz is the Spanish word for light and Houman’s new collection of jewelry proves that sparkling point. The April 10 Luz by Houman Trunk Show, inside the Neiman Marcus Mariposa Café on the second level of the Fashion Show Mall, housed all of the luminous pieces under one roof, with nearly blinding results.

Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

The angular interior of the emptied café served as an informal runway for models wearing pieces from the collection. Since they freely mingled with the invited guests, there was no one focal point for the jewelry in the room because they were all on the move. Once you spotted a piece, you instantly recognized the excitement of wearing fire and ice on your hands, arms and neck.

Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

Luz pieces are all curves and angles, with filigree-like cut-outs and strikingly squared-off dimensions. Each creation is customized for the customer and individually numbered. Only the finest metals will do and your craving for platinum, 18K white or yellow gold, and sterling silver can easily be satisfied.

Black and white diamonds, colored enamel, rubies and various gemstones adorn the precious metal. With names like Love, Cheat, Breakup, Alone, Anger, Secrets, Flirt, Lust, Obsession, One, and Enigma, the pieces evoke emotions through design.
Famous clients include musicians Slash, Sammy Hagar, REM, Grandmaster Flash, actors Michael J. Fox, Susan Sarandon and Cuba Gooding, Jr. The Luz Rolodex is making the scene at such esteemed events as The Grammy Awards and The Independent Film Festival.

Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

Such decadent, ultra-bling demands its match in refreshments and the Mariposa Café’s tuxedoed servers each had a specific function to accomplish this mission. One person held a tray of red wine. White wine was held aloft on another and champagne on a third. Giant chocolate-covered strawberries sailed smoothly through the crowd, as did caviar and salmon canapés.

After all, one can’t very well munch a Moon Pie in these circumstances, now can one? Of course you can, but in your own home, wearing your customized pieces and little else, watching the Biggest Loser on television. You surely won’t be one of them, with your black and white diamond pendants, your interlocking platinum bracelets and four-sided, carved rings, twinkling even in the dimmest light. These pieces bring their own wattage with them.

The low-level view of The Strip that the café affords was nonetheless impressive, with floor-to-ceiling-length windows running the entire side of the space. These let in plenty of natural light to catch on the multi-faceted angles that adorn virtually every piece. A guest was seen trying on a large 18K white gold and diamond bracelet. From across a crowded, standing-room-only room, the action of this application caught my eye, a testament to how striking these pieces are, like having your own personal bonfire or iceberg to capture stray illumination and magnify it for your amusement. Mainly for the ladies, this collection does offer cufflinks and unisex bracelets suitable for the man who is not afraid to sport the unique accent to his sartorial ensemble.

With prices that range from “Well, it’s a special occasion” to “I think we need to take out a second mortgage on the house,” there is a Luz creation to fit practically every budget. Maybe you can be The Biggest Luz-er after all.


For further information:
http://www.luzstyle.com