issue 18
community
culture
design
flavor
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2010 Cox Charities recently awarded $100,000 to 23 Southern Nevada non-profit organizations that support children, families and/or education. Cox Charities is funded primarily through Cox employee contributions and the generous support of Cox subcontractors. We are proud to support our community! After-School All-Stars – $5,000 to support the Follow the Leader program American Red Cross – $3,000 to support babysitter training for low-income teens Assistance League of Las Vegas – $5,000 to support its Pocket Books program Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada – $2,500 to support youth programming Blindconnect – $5,000 to support Youth Life Skills Training Child Focus – $5,000 to support the Sibling Preservation program Children’s Heart Foundation – $5,000 to support Camp Mend-A-Heart Easter Seals of Southern Nevada – $5,000 to the Wonders of the World Child Development Center Horses4Heros – $3,000 for the Horse Play program Jude 22 – $8,000 for the Senior Nutrition Outreach program Junior Achievement of So. Nevada – $2,500 for the Whole School Financial Literacy program Las Vegas Natural History Museum – $5,000 for its Open Door education program Miracle Flights for Kids – $5,000 for Emergency Miracle Flights for Kids Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation – $4,000 for Camp Mariposa Nevada Child Seekers – $5,000 for radKIDS abduction prevention education program Nevada Diabetes Association for Children/Adults – $5,000 for the Injection Connection program Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth – $8,000 for Safe Place Drop-In Center Nevada School of the Arts – $2,500 for Cox Honors Recital & Scholarship Program Olive Crest – $3,500 for its Family Preservation program Shade Tree – $5,000 for a Children’s Activity Center Spread the Word – $5,000 for the Kids-to-Kids Literacy program Three Square – $3,000 for the Youth Backpack Nutrition program Variety Early Learning Center – gently-used computers for Youth Computer Technology program
Supporting and enriching Southern Nevada with all our heart. For more information or to apply for a grant, visit cox.com/lasvegas/coxcharities
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COMMUNITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
COMMUNIT Y
Spotlights Branch Whitney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Jason Cooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 P r o j e c t D i n n e r Ta b l e S er ving Up Transfor mational Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Witness to History The “Raintree” Bristlecone Pine
BLVDS
w h a t ’s i n s i d e
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
ARTICLES & HIGHLIGHTS C U LT U R E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1
C U LT U R E
The Nevada Pops Per forming the Music We Know and Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Linda Alterwitz Finding the Ar t in Fear and Conflic t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
DESIGN
Urban Art Mak ing a Personal Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Create & Conserve at the Springs Preserve Classes O ffer Fun and Lear ning This Spr ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
F L AV O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
F L AV O R
Patio Please! Las Vegas Dines Alfresco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 L o l a ’s – A L o u i s i a n a K i t c h e n Creole-Cajun Cuisine Adds Spice to the Arts District. . . . . . . . 46
ON THE COVER: The Patio at Vintner Grill © Vintner Grill THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: Dinner on the farm © Project Dinner Table; The gardens
© Springs Preserve
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I just love the way alfresco rolls off my tongue. It makes the outdoors sound so elegant and inviting. I have always preferred to do just about everything outside--dine, exercise, visit, and entertain. My morning routine starts with a walk in my neighborhood where my neighbors never cease to amaze me. Rarely an issue of BLVDS goes by when I don’t find another unique story or individual right on my morning walk. Of course, I’m not alone in my love of the outdoors. One recent gorgeous day, one of my friends posted on Facebook that she was ready to move her office--outside. I’m in the process of moving my office, and I can hardly wait to move into my new space as it has French doors to open to enjoy a beautiful breeze or a light rain. In this issue we wanted to share our love of everything alfresco and some of our favorite ideas about enjoying just about anything in the great outdoors. So, as my Mom always says, “Go outside and get some Vitamin D.”
— Jan Craddock, Publisher
B L V D S
contributors
THE TEAM Jan Craddock President & Publisher Sherri Kaplan COO & Co-Publisher Pat Marvel Consulting Editor Kimberly Schaefer Managing Editor Randi Daniels Ar t Direction & Design Diane Bush Photo Editor C O N TA C T U S 1000 N. Green Valley Pkwy, Suite 440-178 Henderson, NV 89074 (p) 386.6065 (f ) 386.6012 blvdslv.com
THE TEAM
EDITORIAL BOARD Brian Paco Alvarez Durette Candito Audrie Dodge Nancy Higgins Gina Gavan Wendy Jordan Wendy Kveck Pam Lang Debra March Randi Chaplin-Matushevitz Jason Roth Kimberly Maxson-Rushton Karen Rubel Kristin Sande Rick Sellers Shaun Sewell
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Becky Bosshar t Joyce Gorsuch Sara Nunn Brock Radke Shaun Sewell Craig Schaefer Kimberly Schaefer PHOTOGRAPHY Brennan Lang Craig Schaefer Greg Warden Garrett Winslow
Copyright 2010, by BLVDS, Inc., all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from BLVDS, Inc. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, however, BLVDS, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. BLVDS, Inc. accepts editorial and photography submissions. Please send all submissions to: editor@blvdslv.com.
proJect Dinner taBLe KicKS oFF thiS year With a SiMpLe concept – GooD FooD, GooD conVerSation, GooD caUSe. With a GoaL oF “FeeDinG peopLe’S SoULS,” SociaL entrepreneUr Gina GaVan aiMS to BrinG US BacK to the Dinner taBLe to connect With one another anD BeneFit a WorthWhiLe charity at the SaMe tiMe. the Great BaSin BriStLecone pine iS neVaDa’S State tree, anD incLUDeS SoMe oF the oLDeSt LiVinG treeS in the WorLD. the north Loop hiKe in the SprinG MoUntain ranGe WiLL taKe yoU to “raintree,” a BriStLecone pine that iS BeLieVeD to haVe SUrViVeD For More than 3,000 yearS.
B L V D S
commun i t y
the LocaL SpotLiGht
artIcles spotlights Branch Whitney The Happy Wanderer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Jason cooper Fabricating a Creative Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Project dinner table Serving Up Transformational Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Witness to history The “Raintree” Bristlecone Pine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
facing page: Gilcrease orchard © Fierro Communications
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Branch Whitney
The Happy Wanderer
Growing up in the Midwest may not seem like the best preparation for a life spent hiking and mountaineering in the Southwest, but Branch Whitney’s love of the outdoors began in just that way. He grew up in Missouri where he spent his youth hunting and fishing before relocating to Las Vegas 26 years ago. “I always loved the mountains,” he says, and when he moved out west, “Vegas was still a pretty small town with lots of opportunities.” And that was the beginning of his love of climbing mountains and hiking. “There wasn’t a lot of information,” Whitney explains about his search for trail guides and other resources about hiking in and around Southern Nevada. “I went looking for a book and couldn’t find anything,” he recalls. Rather than allow that lack of information to deter him in his endeavors, Whitney decided to write his own. His first book, Hiking Las Vegas: 60 Hikes Within 60 Minutes of the Strip, was released in 1997 and is published locally by Las Vegas’ own Huntington Press. Hiking Las Vegas includes detailed information on hikes in Red Rock Canyon and at Mt. Charleston. Whitney followed this with
different hikers all over 65 years of age, one of whom is 75 and still doing what Whitney describes as “crazy” hikes. Surely, Branch Whitney’s lifelong love of the outdoors will allow him to do the same. What’s one thing you want to do before you die? I’ve written screenplays. I want to see them made into movies. With whom would you like to trade jobs?
Hiking Southern Nevada which also encompasses a number of great hikes
I like what I do—a lot. If I found $20 million tomorrow, I probably
in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. He has a new volume about
wouldn’t change a whole lot.
the best hikes throughout the greater Southwest that will be published this spring.
What’s the one thing people don’t know about you?
In addition to his writing, Whitney operates a web site, hikinglasvegas.com,
I just kept doing things to push myself to get past it. Now I climb
which is regularly updated with information about hikes near Las Vegas,
mountains.
When I grew up I was really scared of heights. I was scared of ladders.
but also ranges farther afield to Zion, Grand Canyon, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. “I keep it updated depending on the time of year. At
Where would you most like to travel?
this time of year, I really focus on Lake Mead, but some people also like
I would like to spend more time in Colorado. I’ve only been there once.
to have information for snow-shoeing up at Mt. Charleston,” he explains. He is also a hike leader for a local hiking group that is organized on meetup.com. “They have over 3,000 members and over 30 events each month. Some weekends they have 6-8 hikes that are taking place ranging
What makes you say “wow”? Creativity in anything. People doing things that I would never have thought of.
from easy hikes to the stuff I do, which is very advanced.” Which means Whitney generally hikes at least twice a week. Whitney is also expanding his love of the outdoors to a new a medium— filmmaking. This year’s Dam Short Film Festival, which runs from February 11-13, will include Whitney’s submission of a documentary about five
b l vd s l v. c o m
issue 18 a l f r e s c o B L V D S L a s V e g a s 1 1
CO M M U NITY t h e l o c a l s p o t l i g h t
Jason Cooper
Fabric atin g a Creative L if e Jason Cooper is the kind of person who wakes up every day and thinks, “What can I do today to make it better than yesterday? How can I grow myself and my business? How can I help my kids grow?” The graduate of Bonanza High School has certainly seen his hometown grow over the past decades. This growth has presented Cooper with opportunities to grow his business and his creativity. As Las Vegas has evolved, so have the design needs of its ever-evolving architectural landscape and the career of Cooper. Eleven years ago, Cooper was living in Pahrump and working as a welder when he was hired by the Acton Group, where he started doing what he calls “creative metal works.” He also started learning the fabrication side of the business. The Acton Group won several contracts in Florida doing what Cooper describes as “theming” at amusement parks and even working on
pictures. Cooper explains that Gist works with the license owner of the
a movie.
cult movie classic Creature from the Black Lagoon. Each time another one
Cooper’s next stop was as project lead on the gold framing around the
the buyer.
box seats at the Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular theatre, and for
of these terrifying and kitschy creatures is sold, Gist ships it directly to
the gold inlays in the ceiling while working with a company called Trevi
What’s one thing you want to do before you die?
Manufacturing where he spent eight years. In addition to such large-scale
Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
projects, Cooper and Trevi also created fountains and statuary.
Why do you get out of bed every morning?
Cooper is now the proprietor of Gist Décor. Gist Décor is “an able group
In hopes of doing something more, something better. Every day I want
of creative and technical teams with unmatched ability to sculpt, cast
to grow myself, grow my business, and help my kids.
and fabricate just about anything.” Gist works closely with engineers, architects, and designers to build custom creations that can truly define
With whom would you like to trade jobs?
interior spaces. Among Gist’s projects is Sushisamba at The Palazzo where
Hugh Hefner. He has a different kind of life altogether. Every other job I
sweeping fiberglass arches create the exotic ambience of the dining
know comes with its own set of problems. But walking around in a robe
room and the wall of bodies that adorns the nightclub XS at Encore. Gist
with a cigar every day, now that’s different.
also worked on projects for CityCenter including curvaceous fiberglass banquettes and a monumental sculpture for a restaurant in Vdara and
What’s the one thing people don’t know about you?
a giant wall that Cooper describes as looking as though “you punched
I have a huge passion for fish. I have three aquariums in my house.
an egg shell.” What’s next? In addition to custom projects like these, Gist also offers catalog items
Working on finding the key to success, so I can end up with more free
such as fountains and statuary, “most of which we sell to places all over the
time and money to travel.
country,” says Cooper. He’s also traveled to China three times and returned with shipping containers filled with stone carvings and statues. Gist also has branched out into other creative ventures. The company has recently been crafting life-sized “creatures” easily recognized from motion
12 B L V D S L a s V e g a s a l f r e s c o i s s u e 1 8
b l vd s l v. c o m
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The Band of the Irish Guards and Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland Saturday, February 28 • 4 p.m. $35 - $50 - $80 Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra The Firebird Suite Saturday, March 13 • 8 p.m. $40 - $55 - $85*
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Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra tickets only.
2009 – 2010 season pac.unlv.edu • (702) 895-ARTS (2787)
facing page: Farm-to-table dinner © Project Dinner Table
CO M M U NITY t h e l o c a l s p o t l i g h t K i m b e r ly S c h a e f e r
Projec t Dinner Table
Ser ving Up Tr ansformationa l Chan ge I f t h e l a s t d e c a d e h a s ta u g h t u s a n y t h i n g , i t ’ s t h at t h e r e a r e v e r y, v e r y f e w c e r ta i n t i e s i n t h e w o r l d. M o n e y c o m e s a n d m o n e y g o e s . B o o m s b e g e t b u s t s . B u bb l e s , w e l l , w e a l l k n o w w h at t h e y d o. In times such as these, it is hard to see the proverbial silver lining.
So what is Project Dinner Table? It’s a series of seven dinners set in unusual
Lately, even a first-rate Pollyanna can find it difficult to muster a positive
locations throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Each of these events will allow
outlook. But it is at times such as these that great innovations often take
approximately 125 diners to gather around a single long dinner table
place—politically, economically, and even socially.
where they will share food and hopefully forge connections to each other and to the greater community. “Bringing people to the dinner table, back
What could be more social, more comforting, more sustaining than gathering around a dinner table and connecting with others? With that
to the art of conversation. That’s how community is built,” says Gavan. It’s a chance to slow down and remember what is truly important in life.
seemingly simple idea, local social entrepreneur Gina Gavan has created Project Dinner Table—a project that values philanthropy, community-
While many of us might instinctively understand this need to connect
building, connecting, and enjoying good food with the goal, as she
and share, most of us don’t use that emotion as the basis for a socially-
describes it, of “feeding people’s souls.”
driven entrepreneurial endeavor. Even Gavan says she initially resisted her own impulse to start Project Dinner Table, but she says, “When you
Like so many others, Gavan was looking for a way to enrich her community while doing work that she finds fulfilling. She explains,
passionately believe in something, you have to be able to walk into the face of fear. You have to be willing to face failure.”
“I looked at what I want to do. I love building community and connecting people. So I thought, ‘how can you connect people on a greater scale
Gavan is not alone in embracing the concept of social entrepreneurism.
and what are the other things that I love?’” From the answers to these
The idea of blending a revenue-generating business with a philanthropic
questions sprang the idea for Project Dinner Table.
component has been gaining popularity over the past several years.
14 B L V D S L a s V e g a s a l f r e s c o i s s u e 1 8
b l vd s l v. c o m
CO M M U NITY t h e l o c a l s p o t l i g h t This Page: Gavan’s farm dinner inspiration © Project Dinner Table
In other words, social entrepreneurs are not merely in the business
culinary artistry of Chef Giovanni Mauro of Nora’s Wine Bar & Osteria.
of making money, they are also working to help others. As the Skoll
Both the location and the chef are perfectly suited to the idea of slowing
Foundation terms it, “the social entrepreneur aims for value in the form
down to find value in the things around us.
of transformational change that will benefit disadvantaged communities, and ultimately, society at large.”
Bob Morris, a member of Project Dinner Table’s Kitchen Cabinet, is an area specialist and horticulturalist with the Cooperative Extension.
To help her, Gavan recruited a committed group of volunteers. They
He runs programs that work to get local produce onto tables at local
are collectively known as “The Kitchen Cabinet.” This group of people
restaurants. This seemingly simple idea is a basic principle of what is
has been working together to launch Project Dinner Table by enlisting
known as the slow food movement—reducing the number of miles that
sponsors, chefs, and other partners in the community.
our food travels from farm to plate reduces our ecological impact. Morris sees Project Dinner Table with its family-style meals served in natural
Each Project Dinner Table event will feature a six course meal prepared by a local chef. Each meal will focus as much as possible on locally or regionally grown foods. In addition to this local focus, a portion of the
settings as a perfect way to “drive that message home.” Chef Mauro is also a proponent of slow food and has been very supportive of the efforts of the Slow Food Las Vegas organization.
ticket price will benefit a specified local charity for each event. Each dinner will result in a minimum donation of $3,500 for a total of nearly
The April dinner will also feature produce from Quail Hollow Farm which
$25,000 in donations in 2010. Of course, in keeping with her social
is located in the Moapa Valley. In addition to the fresh fruits, vegetables,
entrepreneurial spirit, Gavan sees this as only the beginning. The group
eggs, and honey from Quail Hollow along with wine and beer pairings,
is working to find a donor to match this figure.
April’s dinner will include coffee from Boulder City’s own Colorado River Coffee Roasters.
The first dinner will take place on April 24th at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Demonstration Orchard and will feature the
16 B L V D S L a s V e g a s a l f r e s c o i s s u e 1 8
b l vd s l v. c o m
THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: Founder Gina Gavan © Project Dinner Table; Local grower Gilcrease Orchard © Fierro Communications
Dinners will follow on a monthly basis through November, with a
So, gathering around a dinner table to share a meal and meaningful
brief hiatus during the heat of July. Future events will likely be held
conversation may not be a new idea. But viewing such a meal as an
at Gilcrease Orchard, Mt. Charleston, Red Rock, and other unexpected
opportunity to build community and benefit others? Well, that is truly
outdoor venues around the valley. The organization is also talking with
an innovation. Perhaps this is just the kind of idea that really can begin a
chefs from other highly-regarded dining institutions including those of
movement, a return to the appreciation of simpler things.
Wolfgang Puck and Mario Batali. More details will be released over the upcoming months along with local culinary stand-outs from Garfield’s, Marche Bacchus, and Todd’s Unique Dining.
Gavan certainly sees this as the beginning for Project Dinner Table. She says, “We’re starting small. We’re starting organically, but based on our social mission of ‘how do we give back?’ The big picture vision
As for the philanthropic component of Project Dinner Table, selections
is to inspire and nurture people and the planet, one conversation, one
are still being finalized for the charities that will benefit from the
community, and one dinner at a time.”
series this year. The application process will be opening soon, but the organization does have several charitable priorities. According to Gavan, the group will focus on arts and culture, education, environmental sustainability, homelessness and food security, and health and wellness. Interested philanthropic groups should visit Project Dinner Table’s web site for information about requirements and the application process.
If you have questions about Project Dinner Table, its mission, or about applying as a charitable beneficiary, please contact gina@projectdinnertable.com or call 275.2624. You can also visit their web site at projectdinnertable.com where you can sign up to receive email updates about tickets and upcoming dinners.
Tickets will also soon be available for the April 24th dinner. Guests should expect to pay around $150 each for the chance to partake in these unique dining experiences. Once available, tickets for each dinner can be purchased online.
b l vd s l v. c o m
issue 18 a l f r e s c o B L V D S L a s V e g a s 1 7
VOCAL COACHING BY JIMMY BOND LAS VEGAS PROFESSIONAL PERFORMER
LEARN: — To perform like the Stars — To sing without fear — Stage presence — How to control the audience — Confidence — To master your voice, body, mind & spirit — The power of listening & observing — To stop and avoid bad habits — The SECRETS of true success Ariana is now performing professionally! JIMMY BOND STUDIO • 9461 S. DECATUR • LAS VEGAS, NV JIMMY BOND MUSIC • 8883 W FLAMINGO, SUITE 102 • LAS VEGAS, NV 89147 (702) 526-1061 • WWW.JIMMYBONDMUSIC.COM
craig Schaefer
WitneSS to hiStory
the “r aintree” BriStLecone pine age truly is a relative thing. a typical house mouse survives a year
highway 158 and follow the road for five miles to the north Loop
or two, the average dog lives about a decade, and the splendid sea
trailhead. the hike is definitely not the most strenuous in the region,
turtle’s life can span well over two centuries. here in Southern nevada,
but it will test one’s endurance. the round trip is approximately
we are fortunate to have a life form whose longevity surpasses all of
six miles including a series of switchbacks. the elevation gain is
these by many, many fold.
approximately 1,700 feet, culminating at just less than 10,000 feet
Bristlecone pines are a sub-species of pine trees that can live for
above sea level, so be aware that altitude sickness may be a problem.
thousands of years, and they thrive here in the Spring Mountain
a sign no longer points to the raintree, but it is virtually impossible
range. the high altitude location tends to be both dry and windy
to miss. the tree lies at the intersection of two trails and is atop a
resulting in a very slow growth rate for these gnarled looking trees.
relatively narrow ridge. Both the tree and the view are majestic and
the best known example of such a ‘senior’ bristlecone is a tree locally
awe-inspiring.
known as the “raintree.” it is estimated to be over 3,000 years old, a millennium older than the dawn of christianity.
For more information about this and other hikes within the Spring Mountains, please visit the U.S. Forest Service at fs.fed.us.
to see this spectacular tree, take US-95 north from Las Vegas for about 30 minutes to highway 157 leading to Kyle canyon. turn north onto
b l vd s l v. c o m
issue 18 a l f r e s c o B L V D S L a s V e g a s 1 9
for 22 YearS, the ProfeSSioNal muSiCiaNS Who maKe uP the NeVaDa PoPS haVe BeeN eNtertaiNiNg aND DelightiNg the CommuNitY With familY-frieNDlY SYmPhoNiC CoNCertS raNgiNg from Jazz to film faVoriteS aND more. multimeDia artiSt liNDa alterWitz eXPloreS mortalitY, fear, CoNfliCt, aND DaNger iN her PhotograPhS. her NeW eXhiBit, With CollaBorator heather Protz, iS LONNIE, a PhotograPhiC DoCumeNtatioN of the home, art, aND miND of NeuroSurgeoN aND former lieuteNaNt goVerNor loNNie hammargreN.
B L V D S
culture
e N t e r ta i N m e N t & a C t i V i t i e S
artIcles the Nevada Pops Performing the Music We Know and Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 linda alterwitz Finding the Art in Fear and Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
FacING PaGE: Down Pour Š Linda Alterwitz
C u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s
S a r a N u nn
The Nevada Pops
Performing the Music We Kn ow and Lo ve I f t h e N e va d a P o p s s o u n d s fa m i l i a r , i t m ay n o t j u s t b e t h e m u s i c t h e y ’ r e p l ay in g . T h e e n s e m b l e , l e d b y l o n g t i m e L a s V e g a s r e s i d e n t a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l m u s i c i a n Ri c h a r d M c G e e , h a s a l o n g h i s t o r y in t h e Va l l e y. “About 22 years ago I started a band full of colleagues, professional
great music that’s not very frequently played here, a range of things from
musicians who were working at various hotels on the Strip at that time,”
certain types of jazz music, even Broadway and things like that, done in
McGee explains. “We called it the Nevada Symphonic Wind Ensemble.
an informal concert setting—you don’t really see it very often.”
We did a few concerts a year for many years, but I put it on the back burner starting in 1998 when the Las Vegas Philharmonic got up and running because I am involved with that. But about two years ago I started missing the wind ensemble, so I decided to reincorporate it under a different name, one that’s a little catchier. People never remember the name Nevada Symphonic Wind Ensemble. In fact half the people in the band couldn’t remember it, so we thought we needed to come up with something simpler. That’s how Nevada Pops got started.” The Nevada Pops plays popular music, but not the kind generally seen in hotel concert venues. “In my view we’re filling a void in the cultural community,” McGee says. “We have all the commercial music opportunities for people to go to, and then we have the Philharmonic, which is going to have the highest possible artistic standards of playing the masterworks. But there’s this huge middle ground of music that is
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“We’re really trying to get people to come to concerts who don’t normally come to concerts,” McGee says. “The way to do that, in our view, is to have programming that’s fun and engaging, and maybe something a little out of the ordinary, while also keeping prices as reasonable as we can. It’s to bring popular, family-oriented programming to a wider audience at a lower cost. What we’re really trying to do,” he adds, “is build audiences that will one day want to go to the Philharmonic.” To that end, the Nevada Pops gets people in the seats with fun programming like last fall’s Halloween-themed Tricks and Treats, and March’s upcoming program Guy Movies. As McGee describes it, “Guy Movies is going to be movie music heavily leaning toward actionadventure movies. My daughter-in-law came up with the title. It’s a fun catchy title, but I’ve had so many women come to me and say, ‘Well I like
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C u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: Conductor Dick McGee; Nevada Pops in rehearsal ©Nevada Pops
those movies, too!’ So it’s not just guy movies, it’s going to be science
Fred Haller, a woodwind player and 45-year veteran of the Las Vegas
fiction movies like Star Trek, Star Wars, some of the music from Hunt for
music scene, agrees. Having worked with Bob Hope and at NBC with The
Red October, things like that.”
Steve Allen Show, Haller says of McGee: “He’s probably the best conductor in town—don’t tell him I said that,” he adds, chuckling. “I enjoy playing
On their upcoming May concert, McGee offers, “The Memorial Day
with Nevada Pops, and I hope it keeps going. It’s a lot of fun.”
Extravaganza is something we’ve done every year for about fourteen years now. It’s a concert of the Desert Choral, a very fine chorus that’s
“We were looking for artistic outlets, to be able to play great music for
been in town for over 25 years, and they’ve asked us to partner with them
a regular concert audience, rather than in a showroom,” McGee says.
on this concert. So we do patriotic music, things that are appropriate for
“It hasn’t been a hard sales job to get people to come in and play. They
Memorial Day. In some cases we’re backing up the choir, so it’s band and
want to play.” And given the 22 year success of Nevada Pops, it’s clear
choir together, sometimes it’s just us playing some instrumental things,
that their community wants to keep hearing them.
John Philip Sousa marches, things like that that are fun to listen to.”
Upcoming Nevada Pops performances include Guy Movies with tickets
But who are the Nevada Pops? McGee says with pride, “The musicians
selling for $18 or $14 for students, seniors, and military. Guy Movies will
in Nevada Pops are the best professional musicians in town. I’m not
take place on March 12 at UNLV’s Artemis W. Ham Concert Hall. Nevada
just saying that, it’s the truth. They’re usually the busiest, playing in
Pops’ Memorial Day Extravaganza is scheduled for Friday, May 28, also at
many shows in various hotels around town, including The Lion King and
Ham Concert Hall. Admission to this patriotic concert is free.
Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular. We’ve been fortunate for the last 22 years to be able to bring a lot of these great musicians together. They want to play this kind of music. They don’t get a chance to do that.”
To purchase tickets, make a contribution to this non-profit arts organization, or simply find out more about Nevada Pops, visit nevadapops.org. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone by calling the UNLV PAC Box Office at 895.2787.
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MIKEL PATRIK
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Make a Difference
Friends of Rainbow Company
Up Next
Nothing says love more than a cold nose and wagging tail.
Unsung Characters
You and your dog can become pet therapy volunteers at Nathan Adelson Hospice.
of Nevada’s Past
February 11, 12, and 13 at 7pm February 7, 13, and 14 at 2pm
For more information contact Lisa Browder 938-3961 or lbrowder@nah.org
The Orphan Train April 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 at 7pm April 4, 10, 11 at 2pm Reed Whipple Cultrual Center, Studio Theatre (702) 229-6553 www.rainbowcompany.org Rainbow Company is a program of the City of Las Vegas Arts & Community Events Division, Department of Leisure Services
Opera Las Vegas Presents DONIZETTI’S
“The Elixir of Love”” A classic love potion tale with a comic twist.
2:30 pm Saturday, March 27 TICKETS: (702) 459-6353 $40 Adults, $25 Students/Military
Opera Las Vegas Stars! Alisa Thomason Athena Mertes Valentin Vasiliu Christopher Reames OLV Orchestra & Chorus Marek Rachelski, Conductor
Join us for the pre-concert talk with Dr. Steven Loss one hour before performance! Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love” will be performed in Italian with English supertitles at the Clark County Library Theater on Flamingo.
Special thanks to the Toby Benedict Charitable Fund & Nevada Community Foundation for their support.
THIS PAGE: Long Bones Las Vegas Desert © Linda Alterwitz
B e c k y B ossh a r t
Linda Alterwitz
Findi ng the Ar t in Fear and Confli c t M u lt i m e d i a a r t i s t Lin d a A lt e r w i t z f r e q u e n t ly a l l u d e s t o m o r ta l i t y in h e r w o r k . B u t in h e r n e w e s t s e r i e s o f p h o t o g r a p h s , i t ’ s u n m i s ta k a b l e . We’re taken into an underground crypt containing a sarcophagus. In
“I found an art companion,” says Alterwitz, 49. “His style of art is totally
another picture, a fake skull grins from a cluttered shelf top. Then there
different from mine, but I’m documenting him and his stuff. And I’m
is the backyard museum, most of it a cemetery of the fabulous Las Vegas
thinking . . . we’re doing the same thing.”
past—with the colors faded and paint flaked from the relentless sun.
Hammargren combines science (bones, a large cardboard cut out of
All these images are a part of Lonnie, a photographic exploration
Einstein, science-fiction books by Jules Verne) to make his home into art.
of Castillo del Sol, the home/circus/castle of Lonnie Hammargren,
In her past mixed-media series, Alterwitz has mixed medical imagery and
neurosurgeon and the former Nevada lieutenant governor. The eccentric
contemporary photography to portray science and art.
man’s life is stored away in his southeast Las Vegas estate, known for attracting gawkers because of its backyard rollercoaster and replica space craft. His collection, and its arrangement in the ever-changing home, inspired Alterwitz.
Death may not be a heavy burden for a septuagenarian like Hammargren. He once joked with the artist, pointing her to a sarcophagus in his home which he says will be used for his burial, pickled in vodka. While humor such as this is one way to express conflicting feelings about mortality, art is yet another. After more than two years shooting the
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C u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: Black Kites © Linda Alterwitz
myriad of memorabilia and collectibles with collaborator Heather Protz,
very hard to raise my children. Just to keep going was hard. But when
a College of Southern Nevada photography professor, the series will
you pass it, what it left with me is that this is life, and it’s not perfect.
be on display at the Sahara West Library from July 15 through the end
It’s filled with stuff—anything can happen.”
September.
Some of the medical images Alterwitz uses in her art are of her own
“He (Hammargren) puts layers upon layers (in his home),” says Protz.
brain. In her work you’ll also see other medical images such as an MRI
“We come and put a different order on his order . . . the stuff packed into
layered on top of an idyllic landscape photograph in her piece Down
this location is just incredible. Every time we go back, it’s different.”
Pour, or an X-ray of a giant canine hip bone protruding from a calm, saturated ocean image Beach Bone.
Lonnie isn’t really a comfortable series to view. It’s full of strange juxtapositions. But that’s what Alterwitz likes to capture in her art.
Alterwitz’s tumor was benign. Her story is happy: she’s married, raised
She wants viewers to feel the conflict. Things aren’t always quite what
her three children, and works as a buyer at Walker Furniture, the family
they seem. Just as every day is open to new opportunity, it is also
business her parents, Oscar and Deanne Alterwitz, purchased in 1972.
fraught with the possibility of danger.
Her art has been shown nationally in places as wide-ranging as Washington, D.C., and Venice Beach, selling upwards of $800 per piece.
Her exploration beneath the surface of the body started more than 10 years ago, when Alterwitz was stricken by a tumor in her pituitary
And while Alterwitz won’t say that she lives with the fear that the pain could return, she does live with the possibility of it.
gland. “It leaves you with a fear: if it comes back,” she says as she recalls the ordeal. “I had these terrible headaches for two years. I mean to the
Alterwitz, who earned her M.F.A. from the University of Denver, delved
point I almost couldn’t work. It was terrible, and it stops your life. It was
into photography about four years ago when she started taking
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THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: New Moon; Flying Through Electric Air © Linda Alterwitz
photography classes at the College of Southern Nevada, where she
dropped in various locations. She uses all of these cameras to create the
met Protz. She perfected her technique of layering film and digital
conflict in her work.
photographs, sometimes painting over the photographs, intentionally moving the ink to create an abstraction. Her idea of photographic images layered with paint occurred to the artist after seeing window light play across one of her own abstract expressionist paintings. Working in Photoshop, she diligently adds as many as 20 layers of images to the original picture, often X-rays or cellular images. Alterwitz wants people to ask the questions: Why am I looking at somebody’s body? What is wrong with that person? Because that’s the conflict: beneath-the-body pictures are usually only taken when something is wrong. Alterwitz sees intriguing shapes and designs even in derelict downtown Las Vegas buildings, or shadows and light against a landscape near her vacation home in Santa Monica, California. That’s why she always carries a small Canon digital camera. But her favorites are toy cameras, like her low-tech red plastic Holga, held together by black tape after being
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“I think it’s a fear factor kind of thing,” she says. “It’s like you can be in this beautiful saturated landscape and all of a sudden you’ve got this X-ray coming out and it’s like ‘whoa,’ things may not be as perfect as you think. And isn’t that life? You may think life’s perfect, then things hit you.” For more information about Linda Alterwitz’s work and philosophy, or to view images from her upcoming exhibition Lonnie, please visit her website at lindaalterwitz.com. Lonnie July 15 through September 30 Sahara West Library 9600 W. Sahara Ave. Las Vegas 89117 507.3630 Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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VISIT BLVDSLV.cOM FOr MOrE DETaILS ON aLL EVENTS C u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s
Get Jazzed for aLS of Nevada
FEBruary
Teetering on the Brink…
Now - march 12, 2010 Clark County government Center rotunda gallery 455-7340, accessclarkcounty.com
Tomorrow People
Now- march 25, 2010 Contemporary Arts Center 382-3886, lasvegascac.org
Little Builders
Now - may 09, 2010 Lied Discovery Children’s Museum ldcm.org
unsung characters of Nevada’s Past
Now - february 14, 2010 2 or 7 p.m. The Rainbow Company Youth Theatre reed Whipple Cultural Center rainbowcompany.org
Shirley chen chinese culture and Folk Dancing february 19, 2010 12 p.m. CIty of Las Vegas lloyd D. george united States Courthouse artslasvegas.org
Madame c.J. Walker, Inventor and Entreprenuer a chautauqua
Master Series III: romeo & Juliet
february 12, 2010 8 p.m. Henderson Symphony Orchestra henderson Convention Center hendersonsymphony.org
Vegas PBS Wine & Beer Tasting
february 13, 2010 3-7 p.m. Vegas PBS las Vegas hilton 799-1010 ext 5352, vegaspbs.org
Nevada Jazz Orchestra
february 13, 2010 2 p.m. Clark County Winchester Cultural Center accessclarkcounty.com
february 19, 2010 noon City of Las Vegas lloyd D. george united States Courthouse artslasvegas.org
Brazilian rhythm
february 20, 2010 2 p.m. Clark County Winchester Cultural Center accessclarkcounty.com
Woody Woods Orchestra
february 20, 2010 8 p.m. City of Las Vegas historic fifth Street School auditorium artslasvegas.org
reduced Part I
uSaF Band of the Golden West
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february 19 - march 07, 2010 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org
february 19 - 28, 2010 CSN BackStage theatre 651-liVe, csn.edu/pac
Now - aPrIl 30, 2010 Gaia Flowers Gifts and Art gaiaflowers.com
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The Shadow Box
When you comin’ Back, red ryder?
ancient art of the Mojave
february 17, 2010 7:30 p.m. CSN Performing Arts Center Nicholas J. horn theatre 651-liVe, csn.edu/pac
february 18, 2010 5:30-8:30 p.m. ALS of Nevada World market Center 777-0500, alsofnevada.org
february 23 - aPrIl 09, 2010 Clark County Winchester gallery accessclarkcounty.com
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annual united Way Women’s Leadership Luncheon
challenger School Open House
Project Playhouse 2010
african Drum and Dance Workshop
february 25, 2010 11:30 a.m. United Way Paris las Vegas 892-2317
february 25 - march 27, 2010 HomeAid town Square 877-1077
The Little Dog Laughed
february 26 - march 07, 2010 Nevada Conservatory Theatre Judy Bayley theatre 895-artS, unlvtickets.com
Masterworks III: Brahms Double concerto with Las Vegas’ Own
february 27, 2010 8 p.m. Las Vegas Philharmonic artemus W. ham hall lasvegasphilharmonic.com
Walk for Fun, Walk with the Heart of a child
february 27, 2010 8:30 a.m. Children’s Heart Foundation fashion Show mall 967-3522, chfn.org
Tony De augustine Quartet february 27, 2010 2 p.m. Clark County Winchester Cultural Center accessclarkcounty.com
Lou ruvo Brain institute’s “Power of Love” Gala
february 27, 2010 263-9797, keepmemoryalive.org
The atomic Testing Museum Marks its 5th anniversary february 27, 2010 1 p.m. atomic testing museum 794-5151 atomictestingmuseum.org
february 27, 2010 9 a.m. - noon Challenger Schools Summerlin and Siverado campuses challengerschool.com
february 27, 2010 noon-2:30 City of Las Vegas West las Vegas arts Center 229-4800, artslasvegas.org
The Band of the Irish Guards with the Pipes, Drums and Dancers of the royal regiment of Scotland february 28, 2010 4 p.m. UNLV Performing Arts Center artemus W. ham Concert hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu
rock the Tea/child Focus Fundraiser & community Event february 28, 2010 12 p.m. Child Focus rockthetea.com
MarcH
Night at the Dogs
march 02 - 10, 2010 British National Theatre of America Backstage theatre bntofa.org
First Friday Las Vegas
march 05, 2010 6-10 p.m. Arts District firstfriday-lasvegas.org
4th annual Sons of Erin St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival march 11 - 14, 2010 CIty of Henderson hendersonlive.com
The Musical of Musicals
march 12 - 21, 2010 Nevada Conservatory Theatre Black Box theatre 895-artS, unlvtickets.com
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VISIT BLVDSLV.cOM FOr MOrE DETaILS ON aLL EVENTS The Moscow State radio Symphony Orchestra alexei kornienko, Music Director
march 13, 2010 8 P.m. UNLV Performing Arts Center artemus W. ham Concert hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu
Growing up With the Berenstain Bears
march 13 - sePtember 07, 2010 lied Dicovery Children’s museum ldcm.org
I could read the Sky
march 17, 2010 7 p.m. Black Mountain Institute Doc rando recital hall blackmountaininstitute.org
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
3rd annual Viva la Vita Bella Italian Festival
Blurring Borders
march 27, 2010 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. sahara west library lvccld.org
aPrIl 06, 2010 7 p.m. Black Mountain Institute uNlV Student union theatre blackmountaininstitute.org
Brave New World
Lucy Walsh
aPrIl 09, 2010 7 p.m. City of Henderson henderson events Plaza hendersonlive.com
youth Philharmonic in concert
Henderson Symphony Orchestra
an afternoon with Tony curtis
a Midsummer Night’s Dream
march 28, 2010 2 p.m. Henderson Symphony Orchestra 267-2171, hendersonlive.com aPrIL
regrets Only
Vienna Boys choir
Extremeties
aPrIl 02 - 18, 2010 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org
The Orphan Train
Jon Schmidt
march 19, 2010 noon City of Las Vegas lloyd D. george united States Courthouse artslasvegas.org
aPrIl 02 - 11, 2010 2 or 7 p.m. The Rainbow Company Youth Theatre reed Whipple Cultural Center, Studio theatre rainbowcompany.org
reduced Part II
First Friday Las Vegas
Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love” march 27, 2010 Opera Las Vegas flamingo library theatre 459-6353
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aPrIl 03, 2010 8 p.m. Las Vegas Philharmonic artemus W. ham Concert hall 895-artS lasvegasphilharmonic.com
aPrIl 23, 2010 8 p.m. UNLV Classical Guitar Series Doc rando recital hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu
The ruling class
Bill & kate Isles
march 25, 2010 8 p.m. UNLV Classical Guitar Series Doc rando recital hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu
ricardo cobo and christopher McGuire
aPrIl 15, 2010 7 p.m. Black Mountain institute uNlV Barrick museum auditorium blackmountaininstitute.org
march 18, 2010 8 p.m. UNLV Performing Arts Center artemus W. ham Concert hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu
Masterworks IV: chopin’s 200th Birthday celebration
aPrIl 23, 2010 - may 02, 2010 Nevada Conservatory Theatre Judy Bayley theatre 895-artS, unlvtickets.com
Maile chapman & Vu Tran
aPrIl 16 - 25, 2010 CSN Backstage theatre 651-liVe csn.edu/pac
aPrIl 02, 2010 6-10 p.m. arts District firstfriday-lasvegas.org
aPrIl 21, 2010 Las Vegas Youth Orchestra Nicholas J. horn theatre lvyo.org
aPrIl 13, 2010 2 p.m. clark county library lvccld.org
aPrIl 02 - 11, 2010 Las Vegas Little Theatre Black Box theatre lvlt.org
adam del Monte
aPrIl 17, 2010 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. City of Boulder City Bicentennial Park bcnv.org
march 27 - 28, 2010 8 p.m. sat, 2 p.m. sun Nevada Ballet Theatre artemus W. ham Concert hall 895-artS, nevadaballet.com
march 18, 2010 7 p.m. Clark County library lvccld.org
march 22 - may 07, 2010 Clark County government Center rotunda accessclarkcounty.com
Boulder city 25th annual Fine arts Festival
chuck Mead
aPrIl 23, 2010 7 p.m. City of Henderson ArtBeat henderson events Plaza hendersonlive.org
Titans of the Graphic Novel: an Evening with Harvey Pekar and alison Bechdel
aPrIl 16, 2010 City of Henderson ArtBeat henderson events Plaza hendersonlive.com
Duo Mystique, Flute and Harp aPrIl 16, 2010 noon City of Las Vegas lloyd D. george united States Courthouse artslasvegas.org
Henderson Heritage Parade and Festival aPrIl 17, 2010 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. City of Henderson henderson events Plaza hendersonlive.com
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aPrIl 24, 2010 7 p.m. clark county library lvccld.org
young artist’s Showcase city of Las Vegas Dept. of Leisure Services & LVyO
aPrIl 24, 2010 2 p.m. Las Vegas Youth Orchestra and City of Las Vegas reed Whipple Cultural Center, lvyo.org
aFaN hosts the 20th annual aIDS Walk aPrIl 25, 2010 8:30 a.m. AFAN World market Center afanlv.org
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oUTDoor DisPLaY sPaCes ProViDe VenUes For LoCaL arTisTs To groW, eXPress, anD ConneCT WiTH THose WHo see THeir oPen-air arT. Learn WHaT’s HaPPening in Las Vegas on a WaLL near YoU. THis sPring, THe Las Vegas sPrings PreserVe eDUCaTes anD inForMs WiTH CLasses DesigneD To HeLP YoU geT CreaTiVe anD ConserVe resoUrCes aT THe saMe TiMe.
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arCHiTeCTUre & sTYLe
articLes Urban art Making a Personal Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 create & conserve at the springs preserve Classes Offer Fun and Learning This Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
FAcING PAGE: Urban art © Brennan Lang
Design architecture & style THIS PAGE: The Mission Building © Brennan Lang
J oyc e G o r s u c h
Urban Art
Making a Personal Connection L o c at e d at C h a r l e s t o n a n d M a i n , t h e A r t s Fa c t o r y p r o v i d e s s ta b i l i t y a n d s pa c e . F o r m o r e t h a n 2 0 y e a r s , l o c a l a r t i s t s h av e d i s p l ay e d a r t a n d c o ll a b o r at e d t h e r e . R e c e n t ly, s e v e r a l o f t h e m h av e c r e at e d a d d i t i o n a l d i s p l ay s pa c e s b y t r a n s f o r m i n g s t r e e t c o r n e r s i n t o o p e n - a i r g a ll e r i e s . The intersection of Industrial and Desert Inn is one such place. Exterior
“Urban art is designed to be seen,” says Arts Factory owner Wes Myles. “It
walls of the Erotic Heritage Museum display murals—bright colors and
tends to be outdoors, and the density of exposure is high. Its artists may
star-shaped stickers. The stickers cover representations of nipples, and
be classically trained or self-taught. Most are unpaid.”
remind of the compromises that take place when county codes intersect with the human compulsion to alter our surroundings.
Several EHM muralists have decorated other sites, too. Inside 330 S. Valley View Blvd., across from the Springs Preserve, a telecommunications
Many terms get used to describe what’s on these exterior surfaces.
company shares space with the Hispanic Museum of Nevada. Four murals
Whatever term you choose—let’s pick “urban art” for now—it refers to
reside on dry wall panels. Local artists Alex P. Huerta, KD Matheson, and
a varied range of work. During this economic downturn, urban art can
Vezun painted three of them.
allow artists who are hungry for display space to sharpen their skills and make an otherwise drab building more welcoming.
In addition to murals, last year Huerta started working with found objects—pieces of wood and crushed cans—and opened a gallery, Peace N Art Studio, at the Arts Factory. Huerta has painted since 1996,
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THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: Erotic Heritage Museum; 18b art © Brennan Lang
the year he also received a kidney transplant. Since 1999 he has received
Display space is precious, often tenuous, and now Vezun is working to
dialysis, a three-hour process, three times per week. Making art, he says,
save that art. The Hispanic Museum may or may not remain in its
helps him overcome adversity. “Others have the same story; my art just
current location.
expresses it differently,” says Huerta.
Like muralists Matheson, Huerta, and Vezun, local artist Amy Sol uses
Fellow muralist KD Matheson, born and raised in Las Vegas, knew at
acrylic paint and fantastical themes. Like Huerta, Sol paints on wood. She
age four that he wanted to make art when he grew up. Travels in Hawaii
doesn’t consider her recent works to be urban art and yet, like Matheson,
have introduced color into his work. Travels in the mind have produced
she has been accepted and inspired by urban artists. For instance,
fantastical paintings of robot totem figures and sculptures of faces that
the August 2008 issue of Juxtapoz magazine—an online and print
look pre-Columbian.
publication for enthusiasts of animation, cartoons, and hot rod culture— features an interview with Sol.
Matheson does not make graffiti, yet he is accepted by people who do. “Graffiti artists have brought me and my work into their shows,” says
Sol says she dislikes the egotistical practice of tagging—spray-painting
Matheson. “I know them through friends.”
to mark territory. Nonetheless she draws inspiration from urban artists in general. Favorites include Brazilian artists Os Gêmeos, identical twin
One such friend is muralist Vezun. Last year, with Myles’ permission, Matheson and Vezun painted a mural on the Mission Building behind the Arts Factory, in an area enclosed by a padlocked fence. While they
brothers who paint vibrant, cartoonish characters. Sol also likes French graffiti artist Fafi whose sexy, humorous work, like Sol’s, features feminine figures.
were at work, the curator of the Hispanic Museum invited them to paint more murals.
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Design architecture & style THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: Mural at Eroitic Heritage Museum; Artist’s tools © Brennan Lang
For the past four years, Sol has been busy exhibiting her work. A solo
Classrooms offer additional creative outlets. Troy James Agena, a
show at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica in November displayed her
Los Angeles-based urban artist, uses the moniker Tiki Jay One and
delicate images of a girl, super sized animals, and undersized trees.
teaches part-time at the Art Institute-Las Vegas. He says he has spent
Now she is preparing for a September solo exhibit at Joshua Liner Gallery
over 10 years making art on the streets of New York and Los Angeles,
in New York.
and does not condone illegal art in Las Vegas. He brings two innovations to urban art, 3D Easter Island heads, and “urban landscaping,” a practice
Here in Las Vegas, Sol would love to see projects like the Depression-
that integrates 3D figures, postering, and stenciling.
era Works Progress Administration ( WPA) efforts, using local urban art. “It’s nice to see something besides strip malls and gas stations,” says
With enough support, local artists might direct their considerable
Sol. “When you have art around, it makes you feel more connected
energies toward public art that improves morale and discourages crime,
to other people.”
exchanging some fire in the belly for a little more display space.
Sol also would like to see free programs, advocated by local artist
For more information about Peace N Art Studio, visit the Arts Factory
Iceberg Slick, that encourage each child to discover a superpower and
web site at theartsfactory.com
develop it constructively. Slick, who has organized exhibits of canvas works by local graffiti artists, calls tagging the “bad cousin” of urban art. Family involvement can help prevent tagging and other crimes. Slick encourages artistic family members to make legal art by doing a creative activity every Sunday, and prominently displaying family members’ art in the house.
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For more information on the artists listed here, please visit their web sites: kdmatheson.net vezun.com amysol.com
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SIGNS BANNERS VEHICLE WRAPS Architectural details, gifts, and conversation starters you just can’t live without! Las Vegas Arts District • 1007 S. Main St. • 702-368-2601 • durettecanditodesign.com
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Design architecture & style K I M B E r Ly S c H A E F E r
CreaTe & ConserVe aT THe sPrings PreserVe
CLasses oFFer FUn anD Learning THis sPring Looking for an outdoor project to brighten up your own little corner of
a rebate from snWa for replacing all that thirsty grass. Both of these
the world? Do you want to get creative and conserve resources at the
great classes are free.
same time? are you hoping to grow your own fresh, healthy veggies to save a little money while saving Mother earth? Do you want to spend time doing family-friendly and economical activities?
“Container gardening” is an easy way to utilize a small outdoor space to its maximum potential. “Munchy greenscape” and “gardening with the Family” are both classes designed to have you and yours enjoying
if so, you won’t want to miss out on the wide range of fun and
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informative classes offered at the springs Preserve this spring.
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The gardening and water conservation experts at the springs have
5 to 17. springs Preserve members receive a $2 discount off those prices.
prepared a line-up of courses to help you and your family learn all you need to know from how to install drip irrigation and water-smart landscaping to the basics of growing your own tomatoes. southern nevada Water authority conservation staff will conduct a course on how to design, select, assemble components, and install your own drip irrigation system. “Upgrading to Watersmart Landscaping” will guide you through the process of designing your own desert-friendly yard along with information on how to receive
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For dates, times, and more information about these and other classes at springs Preserve, please visit their web site at springspreserve.org. space is limited in all of these classes, so call 822.7700 today to register. springs Preserve 333 s. Valley View Blvd. Las Vegas 89107
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Articles patio please! Las Vegas Dines Alfresco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 lola’s – A louisiana kitchen Creole-Cajun Cuisine Adds Spice to the Arts District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
facing page: outdoor dining © Marche Bacchus
facing page: Patio perfection at Vintner Grill © Vintner Grill
f l av o r d i n i n g & re t a i l
Brock Radke
Patio Please!
La s Vegas Dines Alfresco A h , t h e u p s c a l e p i c n i c . A s o u r d e s e r t w i n t e r fa d e s , i t ’s t i m e o n c e ag a i n to m a k e p l a n s t h at ta k e a d va n tag e o f t h at p r i n c i pa l V e g a s a m e n i t y, o u r p e r f e c t c l i m at e . A n d w h at co m p l e m e n t s a n d e n h a n c e s b e au t i f u l w e at h e r b e t t e r t h a n a s u n n y co c k ta i l a n d s o m e t h i n g d e l i c i o u s ? May b e d i n n e r u n d e r t h e s ta r s ? R i g h t. S o w h e r e to ? There simply aren’t enough outdoor dining options in Las Vegas. We can’t
The neighboring new Garfield’s, from chef/partner Jean-David Groff-Daudet,
count the Strip. While it’s nice to munch a baguette at Mon Ami Gabi with a
pairs an East Coast-nautical theme with appetizing American fusion eats. The
prime view of the Bellagio’s fountains, tourist craziness doesn’t exactly create
outdoor spaces include tables lining a stone walkway along the lake and an
a relaxing milieu. And a note to the Forum Shops, Grand Canal Shoppes, and
enclosed-yet-open sun room with plenty of space and a cozy-looking bar.
the like: a patio isn’t a patio when it’s beneath an artificial sky. Thanks anyway.
Burgers, pizza, salads, pasta, and seafood sum up the menu, but the most
Town Square is lovely and diverse, but all the sights from all the hip bars and
interesting house specialty is the “French pizza,” a thin, crispy sphere topped
restaurants are of . . . Town Square. People-watching is great, but we’re looking
with bacon, onions, and crème fraiche.
for an experience.
The outdoor spaces at Marche Bacchus and Garfield’s share the same beautiful
The west side has something of a monopoly on that experience. Anybody
view but are vastly different in ambiance. There are more similarities between
can throw a few tables outside, but many of the eateries in this area have
popular Summerlin sister restaurants Vintner Grill and Agave. Owner Michael
committed to taking the design of roofless restaurant spaces to a higher level,
Corrigan is big on utilizing outdoor space and keeping design elements as
while others have made it a priority to take advantage of their surroundings.
important as interiors. The approach has paid off, as the patio areas are in high
Case in point: the powerful one-two punch of Marche Bacchus and Garfield’s,
demand at both West Charleston Boulevard destinations.
two charming establishments with seating along the man-made lake in Desert Shores.
“It’s not uncommon at both restaurants, once it’s late April or into May, to come in during the week and have a half-empty dining room but a 45-minute
Marche Bacchus is the longtime locals’ fave in this category, a reliable spot
wait on the patio,” Vintner Grill general manager Peter Varela says. “The way we
for a Croque Monsieur and a glass of wine while you watch the ducks making
design our outdoor spaces, the idea is to take you away from Vegas a bit.”
lazy circles in the lake. But owners Jeff and Rhonda Wyatt have been working hard to lift the restaurant to another level since taking over in 2007, including improvements to the already stellar terrace. It’s larger now, big enough to accommodate about 140 people, with three distinct areas all enclosed by weather-proof, retractable awnings, two fireplaces, and a cute little bar-top overlooking it all.
At Vintner Grill, the classy metropolitan feel of the dining room is counterbalanced by the Moroccan-inspired patio, which features two large, tent-enclosed cabanas, glass lanterns hanging in the trees, and a fire pit. Varela says the space hosted a wedding party in December, a group of 125, and they loved it. “As cold as it can get, they insisted on using the patio space.” The Mediterranean-influenced menu includes small plate offerings well-suited
“We’ve kept all the things that regulars love, the $10 corkage fee in the wine
for a light meal outside, but the Vintner crew wanted more. “So many people
shop, the Saturday wine tastings, live music on the terrace four nights a
wanted to take advantage of this space with a glass of wine and just a light
week,” Rhonda Wyatt says. “People were always talking about sitting on the
appetizer, so we came up with 60 different cheese offerings to select from.”
patio by the lake, but now we’re hoping they’re talking about the food, too.”
Full dining is available as well, and many special events take place on Vintner
Chef Jean Paul Labadie’s menu is classic French bistro with his own modern
Grill’s patio. On May 2, a Kentucky Derby-themed wine and cheese tasting will
twists, including chilled beef tenderloin salad over baby arugula, duck confit
benefit the Nevada Ballet.
fettucine, and pan-roasted Idaho trout.
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f l av o r d i n i n g & re t a i l THIS PAGE FROM LEFT: The patio at Agave © Agave; lobster pot pie at Marche Bacchus © Marche Bacchus
A few blocks west, Agave’s Mexican hacienda-style patio, enclosed in the
Marche Bacchus
restaurant’s signature pink décor, remains the neighborhood hot spot for
2620 Regatta Dr., 106, Las Vegas 89128
margaritas and spicy salsas. The popular daily happy hour features $1 ice-cold
804.8008, marchebacchus.com
Coronitas, even more enjoyable beneath the custom-made umbrellas that take some of the heat out of Vegas’ early summer. The patio is something of a relaxing hideaway, a cozy spot to enjoy some sharp-flavored light dishes like shrimp ceviche, a smoked chicken quesadilla, or the chile-braised short ribs taquitos. Agave is a tremendous tequila-tasting spot, too, and you can sample a few varieties of this spirit-lifting spirit in a flight format. Across the street in the Red Rock Resort, the quiet Terra Rossa Italian restaurant
Garfield’s 2620 Regatta Dr., 117, Las Vegas 89128 925.8333, garfieldsrestaurantlv.com Vintner Grill 10100 W. Charleston Blvd., 150, Las Vegas 89135 214.5590, vglasvegas.com
offers a serene outdoor dining experience. Though there are many eating and
Agave
drinking options inside Station Casinos’ crown jewel, few have an alfresco
10820 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas 89135
component where you can actually enjoy a full meal. Full will be the appropriate
214.3500, agavelasvegas.com
term after you select from a classic Italian menu featuring homemade pasta,
Terra Rossa inside Red Rock Casino-Resort-Spa
delicious thin-crust pizzas, and fresh seafood like sautéed Mediterranean sea
11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas 89135
bass. The small patio area may be adjacent to the resort’s parking lot, but a
797.7576, redrocklasvegas.com
peaceful rock-and-water feature blots out any noise and creates a relaxing vibe. Red Rock’s outstanding steakhouse, T-Bones, also has a patio space, though it trades dinner service for a poolside view and a private bar. We can only hope the neighboring space previously occupied by Cherry Nightclub will be transformed into a new restaurant concept to add to the variety.
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THE ART OF
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lola’S – a louiSiana KitcHen
creole-c a Jun cuiSine aDDS SPice to tHe ar tS DiStric t lola’s, the tasty new restaurant in the downtown arts District’s Holsum
of roast beef debris (with a rich gravy), blackened chicken, fried
lofts, is one of many las vegas eateries with a charming if unorthodox
oysters, shrimp, or catfish.
patio situation. it’s a nice little space for lunch, not too noisy considering the nearby charleston underpass traffic and the bustling interstate 15. it’s not so odd, especially for a city full of “outdoor” seating inside monstrous malls and lovely verandas with parking lot views.
the space housed an italian café before lola and crew took over in late 2009, and some subtle decorative touches have transformed it into something new and distinctive. colorful images of the Big easy dot the walls, a snug corner offers bar-top seating and a view of the
But that’s just the first impression of lola’s, and the more time you
grill where fresh oysters are char-broiled, and the service is friendly.
spend in this welcoming, classy restaurant—and the deeper you get
they’ll probably recommend you try some of those oysters, topped
into the menu of new orleans favorites—the better it gets. longtime
with a lemon-garlic-butter marinade, or maybe some crisp, spicy
local caterer lola Pokorny chose a challenging time to open her first
crawpuppies. take their advice—there are no wrong choices at lola’s.
restaurant, but a perfect cuisine: she’s a louisiana native and las vegas is lacking in these beloved creole-cajun flavors. House specialties include bronzed catfish over creamy grits with a hint of gouda cheese, and a hearty gumbo full of chicken, sausage, okra, shrimp, and crab. Po’ boy sandwiches, one of the original new orleans delicacies, come on leidenheimer’s french bread and can be topped with your choice
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lola’s – a louisiana Kitchen 241 W. charleston Bld., Ste. 101 las vegas 89102 227.5652 lolaslasvegas.com
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