Las Vegas Fills With LA Fire Smoke Photos

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Late Sunday evening Flipchip hiked the strip and came back with the following images of the smoke invading the Las Vegas Valley. A thick haze of visible particulates raining down on the Las Vegas Strip. The smoke did wax and wane during a couple of hours of hiking the boulevard depending on the shifting winds.

Hopefully the fires will be controlled and some rain will come with the forecast clouds. I did run across a group of Cal State kids deeply inhaling the smog while explaining a knowledgeable friend said the California wild fire smoke filling Vegas was rich in cannabis residue. We can only dream, are there any Cheetos left?

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Nora’s Wine Bar & Osteria a Vegas Staple

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1. 1031 S Rampart Blvd

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Nora’s has eschewed hard liquor to specialize in wine and beer. Currently one of the few places in Vegas that offers an Enomatic wine serving system with a customer-controlled wine card, Nora’s offers 74 wines by the glass, along with their 450 bottles of Italian, Southern Sicilian and Tuscany wines to pair with their Italian cuisine.

“Our focus is on Italian fare and Italian wines,” says Drew Edelmayer, assistant general manager. “With our machine, you can dispense 1 oz., 3 oz., or 6 oz. pours that let you taste wines you would never be able to taste before.” A $400 bottle of wine can be sampled for $16, says Edelmayer. “We also have a great focus on glassware,” says Edelmayer, “We use Riedel so that we can showcase the varietal in the glass it is supposed to be in so that the wine can be enjoyed in its truest form.”

Nora’s Wine Bar and Osteria

1031 S. Rampart Blvd. (map it)

702-940-6672

Photo courtesy of Alan Goya.

Follow me on Twitter @nvwriter.

Bellagio Gallery: Tantalizing Taste of Abstract Art

Exhibitions at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art are always minimal, but “Classic Contemporary: Lichtenstein, Warhol & Friends,” is minimalist in both content and theme.  A dozen or so works from the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego are scattered throughout the gallery with enough white space in between to make each appear to be a featured piece.  Culled from major Contemporary artists primarily from the 1960s and ’70s who became leaders in their generation, the exhibit showcases the artists’ deconstruction of art forms into their most basic: an exploration of space, color and texture and how we inevitably build meaning into the most abstract of forms.

The exhibit showcases important schools of American painting that developed after World War II, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism, and Minimalism. Dan Flavin, Untitled (To Marianne), 1970, bolts together four beams of unadorned fluorescent lights.  Two parallel tubes beam out while two face the wall.  Affixed to a corner, the light tricks the eye into creating matter from space and structure from its absence.

Andy Warhol’s Mao Tse Tung, 1972 splashes swathes of cartoonish color over the face of one of the last century’s most feared leaders in a way that bleeds the ubiquitous portrait of its ability to terrorize.

My favorite, however, is the multiple panel pieces by Roy Lichtenstein, Cathedral Series #1-6, 1969. Echoing Monet’s famous exploration of light in his series of the Façade of Rouen Cathedral, Lichtenstein explores the illusion of depth. His first lithograph looks as if the cathedral rests behind a scrim of punch paper. In the second lithograph, the cathedral moves forward so that the dark stars and dots coexist side by side with the church; by the third, now reduced to deep purples and flat blacks, the cathedral struggles to be seen within the wash of eye-straining dots and stars.

In its final month, the exhibition runs through September 2009.

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art

3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South (map it)

702-693-7871

Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., until 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays

(last admission one half hour before closing)

Tickets $15, $12 for NV residents and seniors, $10 for students, teachers and military; 12 and under free

LOCALS Special Wednesday from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. $8

Image courtesy of the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.

Follow me on Twitter @nvwriter.

Bart Simpson’s Mouthpiece Opens Home To All Players

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Make your plans now to attend and get your tickets early for the poker social event of the year. Nancy Cartwright, alter-ego and voice of Bart Simpson, is opening her Northridge home October 3rd to all those poker players out there seeking a great time while contributing to a great charity. The 4th annual Monte Carlo Night hosted by Nancy Cartwright for the Devonshire Police Activity League Supporters will feature a Denim & Diamonds theme this year. Dust off your jeans and shine the bling for an unforgettable evening that will leave you feeling good about yourself and with a little luck you'll be playing in next summer's 2010 WSOP.

Bring your "A" ("B" and "C" games can win, too) game for the no-limit hold'em poker tournament with a "little luck" you'll walk away with one of the 2010 WSOP Satellite seats going to the top five finishers.

Rub shoulders with the stars of the entertainment world and chat with poker stars from fresh from the professional poker circuit. Jamie Gold, 2006 WSOP Main Event Winner, will once again serve as the Poker Chairman where he will be joined by poker pros Jerry Yang (WSOP 2007 Main Event Winner), along with Susie Isaacs holder of 2 WSOP bracelets, multiple tournament winner Kenna James, and TV star Brad Garrett.

Poker players everywhere are invited to take in all the festivities for a donation of $250 and that includes your buy-in into the tournament. Those guests wanting to attend but don't play poker only need to donate $125 to enjoy dinner and dancing to the Cody Bryant Band. There will also be an auction, casino style games, live entertainment, a raffle, an open bar and more. Use this link for complete details to conveniently purchase your tickets online now or call 818.882.7336. As always, your donations are fully tax deductible.

Past Monte Carlo Nights hosted by by Nancy Cartwright have helped build a 5500 foot youth center opening in October. 100% of the profits from this year's 4th Annual Monte Carlo Night will go exclusively to funding materials and programs for the Councilman LAPD Devonshire PALS Youth Center

Flipchip photos below show a few of the celebrities and poker pros expected to attend the gala bash.

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

70: One is Good, One is Bad: Las Vegas Hiking, Las Vegas Real Estate Agents

[Let’s set the mood. . .it’s a Saturday night. . .the studio lights have been dimmed. . .the red wine is ready and willing. . .what better time to record a Living in Las Vegas Podcast?]

Professionalism?  Las Vegas Real Estate “Professionals” calling.  We’re a little lost, here.  Can you send somebody over?

Okay, this wasn’t meant to be the main topic. . .and it’s not. . .but, for the love of all things reasonable, get it together Las Vegas real estate folks!  You’re making those of us who live here look bad!

On a positive note, after ranting about the nasty issues of real estate, this edition of the Living in Las Vegas Podcast talks about three places to hike, two of which I deemed “hiked” even though my definition of hiked and Melissa’s were not completely in line.  Show notes:

• PHOTOS! (of the studio, post-show)
• Weather (heat advisory) / LiLV Pool (3 degrees from perfection)
• LiLV Stuff
  • Listener Line: 206.312.0105
  • Sign up of Email Alerts (form found on right side of our website)
• Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Business Education Series 
• Thoughts on Las Vegas Podcasts
  • Podcast a Palooza
  • This Aint Iowa Convention (TAICON)
• Mojito Recipe?
• Summerlin Hospital RANT
• Summerlin vs. Aliante
• Real Estate Idiots
• Listener Email: Real Estate Idiots +2, Holiday Festivities
• Listener Audio: Where’s my strings, Mike?!?!
• Hiking in Las Vegas
  • Red Rock
  • Valley of Fire
  • Mt. Charleston

DJ AM found dead

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Popular Las Vegas disc jockey DJ AM was found dead today.

DJ AM, whose real name is Adam Goldstein, was in residence at PURE (at Caesars Palace) every Friday night and LAX (at Luxor) every Sunday night. He was co-owner of LAX.

Goldstein and Travis Barker (drummer of Blink 182) were recently in the news when their plane crashed last year in South Carolina, killing four people. Both were severely injured.

Goldstein has had a history of drug and alcohol addiction, and in October was set to star in his MTV reality show "Gone Too Far" that chronicled interventions for drug abusers.

About 5:20 p.m. ET, Goldstein was found dead in his New York apartment in SoHo with drugs nearby. It is unclear whether drugs were a factor; a medical examiner will determine the cause of death.'

Bob Dylan in Vegas

The Joint got the big kahuna.  Bob Dylan plays Vegas on October 18.  Tickets go on sale August 29 at noon.  Early tickets are available (see below).

The information about his concert is minimal and I haven’t been privileged to have seen him in concert, but despite his equally legendary incoherence, Bob Dylan remains one of the most legendary and influential musicians of the last century (the Beatles wore out their copy of his second album, Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan).  But I don’t have to tell you that, because there is most likely no one in the U.S. over fourteen years old who doesn’t know and have an opinion on the murmuring songwriter.  His concerts are, apparently, evolving, so no hard information is available at this time.  You buy your ticket and you take your chances. Pretty up to date information on his concerts so far this year, is available here.  The site lets you submit a concert playlist list and review after the show, to help those further down the Dylan concert line.

In mid-August he was singing with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp.  You can catch bits from a spring 2009 concert from Milan on youtube to further enlighten you as to what to expect. He comes to Vegas for one night, only, and I’ve no idea who he will bring with him.  But if humanly possible, I’ll be there myself to find out. 

You can read about the transformation of Robert Zimmerman to Bob Dylan here. 

Image courtesy of The Joint.

Bob Dylan and His Band

The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Box Office

4455 Paradise Road
Box Office: 702.693.5583

Tickets begin at $59.00 (plus service fees)

Tickets are also available at all Ticketmaster locations or 800-745-3000

Early tickets are available.  You need to have the secret code: raphael.

Follow me on Twitter @nvwriter.

Strip Walk – August 2009: City Center, TI, Palazzo and More…

Mike's back with a trip down The Strip including a lunch at First Food @ Palazzo.

Some updates and photos of City Center, Bellagio, Monte Carlo and more.

The complete photo gallery is here:
http://photo.ratevegas.com/Other/Strip-Walk-August-2009/9360178_vqvrQ

Michael Jackson musical tribute at The Pearl

A star-studded Michael Jackson musical tribute takes place tomorrow afternoon, the day of his 51st birthday.

Coming out to sing and pay tribute to Jackson are stars from Las Vegas shows including Clint Holmes, Human Nature, Jersey Boys, Peepshow, Phantom, Sirens of TI, and more.

The show takes place at 3 p.m. at the Pearl (at The Palms).

Tickets are $25 and benefit music education in Nevada Public Schools. They can be purchased at the Pearl box office or via ticketmaster.com.

Moonwalker charity screening tomorrow

Michael Jackson's movie Moonwalker will be shown tomorrow at 8 p.m. at Brenden Theatres (at The Palms). Aug. 29 would've marked Jackson's 51st birthday.

After the show, stick around for stories and a q&a with some of the people from the film -- producer Frank Dileo, choreographer Vincent Paterson, and actor Kelley Parker.

Tickets are $20, with all proceeds going to the Clark County Public Education Foundation.

To purchase, visit the Brenden Theatre box office or purchase online at Fandango.