Carolyn Goodman “It Became Very Evident for All of Us Who Live Here Fine Homes and Pay the Taxes, and Call This Home

M A Y O R c aro l y n goodman a different identity

people philanthropy community culture february 2012 fashion society

CONTENTS vol 2 | no 2 | february 2012 REAL ESTATE

las vegas Cover: Mayor Carolyn Goodman “It became very evident for all of us who live here fine homes and pay the taxes, and call this home. We cannot just be a tourism place. We need a different identity.” 38 Creative Class: Sculpting Supercars Danny Pro is driven to capture the design essence of high-end autos 13 LVB: PASTA LA VISTA Spaghetti has been very good to Scarpetta’s Scott Conant 16 good life: SEALING THE DEAL Business and palatable pleasure combine See Page 63 at Las Vegas’ power lunch hotspots 20 good Life: Out of the Box About the cover Summerlin’s Square Salon wants to pamper the local community 24 FINER THINGS: A Story in Every Piece At Unica Home, domestic décor is a lifestyle stated in full sentences 26 finer things: Behavior Patterns Solids take a back seat this season to stunning prints in every shape and size 30 instant style: Animal Magnetism Cozy up in this season’s must-have furs 37 Close up: Jesse Waits Wynn Resorts’ nightlife impresario on success and shaping the things to come 44 Power Couple: Jeffrey Cummings and Kate Zhong Memory meets marriage for Lou Ruvo Center’s brainy leaders When you are the mayor of Las 50 Vegas, your schedule does not always allow for several hours in Here and There: Pebble Beach a photography studio. Sometimes California’s emerald paradise has much to offer besides the studio must be brought to the a coastal haven for golfers 54 mayor, as Jerry Metellus did for the February cover. The assembly Wheels in Motion: Adventadora hall at downtown’s historic Fifth Driving Lamborghini’s new flagship car is a life-changing experience. Street School was converted 58 into Metellus’ satellite shooting the wall: paintings by KEVIN CHUPIK gallery, with the school grounds providing more image-friendly 73 possibilities for the education mayor. publisher Jimmy Foster

editor Matt Kelemen There is one award winning creative director Timothy Carvalho luxury real estate team Las Vegas turns to… editorial

contributing writers cover photographer

Danny Axelrod Jerry Metellus www.jerrymetellus.com Tiffannie Bond Jarret Keene contributing photographers Al Mancini Danielle DeBruno David McKee www.danielledebruno.com Christie Moeller Eric Ita www.ericitaphoto.com Susan Stapleton Sabin Orr www.orrdigital.com Duane Prokop www.prokopphoto.com Ryan Weber www.radiantphotography.com

art and media

art director social media director

Jina Hustler Lauralie Ezra graphic designer creative copywriter That Team is Eric Vozzola Dee Jackson contributing designer web developers

James Magno Raja Sinha Jason Miroy

sales and marketing

ad partner relations event coordinator

Aubrianna Atwell Jennifer Hixon

special thanks

Mayor Carolyn Goodman

© SSF Media, LLC Holding Company Florence Shapiro, Ivan Sher, Jimmy Foster 150 N. Las Vegas Blvd #2107 | Las Vegas, NV 89101 | 702.202.4120 (o) | 702.430.9041 (f) | [email protected] | www.DiamondCakeMagazine.com Performance Is Consistent and Impressive. $128 Million in Sales Volume 2011

To Schedule a Listing Presentation, Please Call the Office | 702.378.3879 | www.lasvegasfinehomes.com contributors B E LI E V E ... T h e r e ’ s a c h a n g e a r o u n d t h e c o r n e r

Danny Axelrod Christie Moeller Sabin ORR Duane Prokop

Former teacher and public servant An innate sense of fashion-forward Southern Illinois University grad Native Ohioan Duane Prokop's Danny Axelrod considers himself style and unwavering confidence Sabin Orr specialized in products, interest in photographing fellow “practically a Vegas native by are the key components to Christie table top, portraits, concepts and motocross racers led to a 20-year marriage” to his wife Shannon. Moeller’s accomplished career sports before moving from Chicago to professional career. Prokop, who shot Having lived in Las Vegas for more as a fashion stylist and writer. Vegas in 2006. Orr became enamored Square Salon for this issue of Diamond than a decade, Axelrod observed Her dedication to making the right with photographing food (“One Cake, expanded his repertoire before the arts, nightlife, and social scenes selections has garnered the Vegas- thing nice about food as the subject, getting the chance to hone his skills as he applied his creativity to the based stylist a stellar reputation it doesn’t speak, but it does have its under the tutelage of Stan Malinowski. marketing needs of a major nightlife among photographers, editors, own life,” he says.), but also made He developed an international clientele organization. Freelance and free to celebrities and public relations his mark shooting covers, portraits, before relocating to Las Vegas to focus on travel features such as his firms. Moeller’s extensive client list architecture and interiors for nearly become chief photographer for image, piece on Pebble Beach for this issue includes MTV, VH1, CBS, Billboard every major Vegas magazine as the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s of Diamond Cake, Axelrod is also Music Awards, Toyota, Mattel, well as Men’s Journal, GQ, Maxim fashion weekly. Prokop currently more able to fulfill the lifelong dream Andre Agassi, Penn & Teller, Nike, and Poker Pro. This month Orr serves as a staff photographer with of a home-based career that allows Travel + Leisure, People, FHM, shot Drs. Jeffrey Cummings and the R-J, and says his passion and for more time with his partner-in- Maxim and nearly every hotel-casino Kate Zhong on location at the Lou drive continue to grow with every crime, 5-year old daughter Molly. in Las Vegas. Check out her blog for Ruvo Center. new client. tips, tricks and trends. www.orrdigital.com www.prokopphoto.com From Infertility to Family www.icanstyleu.com/blog FI r s T P R IVAT E I V F C LI N I C I N T h e U . S . | E LIT E , I n d IVI d u a L LY TA ILo r e d c a r e T r a I n e d u n d e r n o B E L P R IZ E W I n n e r | F I r s T c h o I c e O F PATI e n T S F r o M 2 3 c o u n T R I e s

Jimmy foster

ebruary finds 2012 off and running out of the gate, with momentum building towards the fruition of the goals and aspirations of the entire Las Vegas Valley. It also finds us smack dab in the middle of an awards season, with The Golden Globes behind us in January and the Oscars approaching in March. With so many worthwhile endeavors to choose from, whether social, commercial or philanthropic, Diamond Cake wishes to highlight the Fvery best in our purview by ‘awarding’ a spotlight on every page of this month’s issue. First and foremost on our minds is the fantastic work done by The Salvation Army here in the valley. Their commitment to Las Vegas residents is a beacon of hope and truly “takes the cake” (and what a choice tag line should there eventually be Diamond Cake Awards, along the lines of “...and the Oscar goes to...”).

February is a time for romance and rekindling our various passions. There is no better place to celebrate Valentine's Day than Las Vegas; whether it be Paris, Venice, or good old downtown, our community has a setting for every fantasy to become reality. Diamond Cake’s advertising partners share a passion for what they do and invite you to fall in love with their services as well. Together, we can fuel a passion that drives our city to amazing heights and success in 2012.

Gentlemanly Sophistication, with Hints of Irreverence

office

h om e

Schedule a consultation with Managing Partner Tony Maddox to design your line. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas | 3708 Las Vegas Blvd South | Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 702.698.7630 (o) | 281.785.1302 (c) | [email protected] | www.stitchedlifestyle.com 10 february 2012 sculpting supercars By Dave Surratt Photography By Ryan Weber have a sit-down. review your coverage.

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For a complete review of your entire insurance portfolio contact Eamon M. Springall, C.O.O. | 702.338.4140 | [email protected]

Eamon’s wardrobe & style by: STITCHED at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas diamonddiamond cakecake 13 t’s easy to say that Las Vegas sculptor and high-end car enthusiast Danny Pro is in the business of making “miniatures,” but that misses the point entirely. Maybe the welcome page on his Misjif IMotors website (www.misjif.com) describes his product best: “The finest automobiles in the world represented in ROSS C. GOODMAN, Esq. a rare one-of-a-kind artistic style of fine automotive art.” Goodman Law Group, P.C. And art it is. Pro’s lovingly assembled works aren’t miniatures, or even scale replicas. They’re something like interpretive distillations, each high-quality piece gunning for the design essence of the high-powered machine that inspired it. “A literal translation with a little bit of artistic translation in there,” he says, describing the end result. The “literal” part is mostly in the materials and methods used: 22-gauge metal, authentically reproduced cloth and real exotic wood interiors, high-grade paints, and geometrically accurate curves done by hand (“old-style coach building on a modern day design,” he explains). an otherwordly aura, and voilà — suddenly, you can What that “artistic” component means is this: the really see the sleek medieval weaponry evoked by the 3 feet by 6 feet, 90-pound sculpture mounted on your wall Z-Line Designs Indy racer, or the beautifully menacing doesn’t simply mimic the Enzo Ferrari of its inspiration. techno-scarab overtones of the Lamborghini Reventón. Hell, it doesn’t even look like something quite drivable. Actually, it’s what you see in the automobile that drives But it is gorgeous, and in an somewhat trippy way, it tells Danny Pro these days. Since Misjif Motors’ founding in your roving eyes everything they need to know about 2008, the ex-bartender and self-taught sculptor’s signature what makes the Enzo so delicious, from the way the pieces have all sprung from his own favorite design bits taillights flow into the body (Pro’s design launch point (like those Ferrari taillights), and his commissioned work for this particular piece), to the warmth of its polished — priced between $10,000 and $20,000 — is no different. teak accents. Built-in LED illumination provides the “Car people usually fall in love with a car for a icing, giving each finished piece that much more of particular reason,” he says. “Sometimes the color, sometimes the motor, sometimes the smell. I sit down and talk to [clients] about exactly what it is about that car for them, and then go from there.” So far, it’s a personal touch that’s yielding rewards for Pro. Although potential Las Vegas buyers have been slow to catch on to what’s right under their noses, he’s lately been rounding up commissions internationally, including buyers he’s met at high-end car Meccas such as 2010’s Concours d’Elegance gathering in Pebble Beach, as well as 2011’s Amelia Island, Fla. version, where he was welcomed as an Automotive Fine Arts Society guest artist. The day of our interview, Pro had just shipped off the last of three separate pieces commissioned by a prominent Turkish businessman, and was looking toward another sale to the United Arab Emirates. The next step for this young, growing, business? “To get all this [equipment] out of my garage, and into a real studio space,” he laughs. Business Litigation | Criminal Defense | Personal Injury 520 South Fourth St | Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 | 702.383.5088 (o) | 702.385.5088 (f) | www.goodmanlawgroup.com Pasta la vista Spaghetti has been very good to Scarpetta’s Scott Conant

by Al Mancini

t’s hard to imagine a culinary empire built on something as simple as spaghetti, but Scott Conant credits his success to his simple pasta and tomato basil sauce dish, deliciously finished with butter. IThe signature offering at Scarpetta, the Italian hotspot on the third-level P3 Commons at The Cosmopolitan, became a near-instant iconic menu item when the restaurant opened. In fact, the celebrity chef – famous for the original Scarpetta in New York’s Meatpacking District and owner of D.O.C.G., the wine bar next door to Cosmo’s Scarpetta – often jokes that spaghetti alone will put his daughter through college.

Diamond Cake: You grew up watching your Italian family members cook spaghetti. Is that where you learned your recipe? Scott Conant: The one that I grew up with was a little bit different because my aunts and grandmother, they called everything “macaroni,” and it wasn’t an egg-based pasta. It was all flour, water, and maybe some salt and olive oil. And I use mostly eggs and flour.

DC: Then where did your recipe originate? SC: We used to do it at [New York City restaurant] San Domenico years ago, and I’ve adapted the recipe over the years. But that was the first time that I saw something that was that fresh and that bright. photo by Melanie Dunea illano hris V photo by C 16 february 2012 diamond cake 17 photo by Jeff Green

DC: So it isn’t traditional? DC: You shared a spaghetti recipe in your cookbook Bold SC: Actually, I’ve been back to Benevento, where my Italian. Is that the same one people will experience at family is from. And I was really shocked when I had Scarpetta? spaghetti, because it’s really the only place that I’ve had SC: No, I’ve changed that recipe. I’ve added infused olive a similar spaghetti in my life besides the ones that I cook, oil to that now. So I take extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and the ones by guys that used to work for me. crushed red pepper and fresh basil, and I make an infused oil out of that. I add that infusion directly to the sauce. DC: It’s unusual to see a chef of your stature offering So that’s where all that flavor comes from without actually something as simple as spaghetti. having the traces of those things inside there. SC: I don’t want one of those menus that’s only for specific people, not every person. Some people say to DC: Are you happy with the way Las Vegas has reacted to me, “What should I eat tonight?” And I always ask “Have Scarpetta? you ever been here before?” And if the answer is “No,” I SC: I couldn’t be happier. With the management team that say “This spaghetti.” Inevitably, every person says, “Why we have now, with Mario Dici leading the way, and with would I have spaghetti here? Why would I have spaghetti Dan Rossi, my executive chef, I’m really excited about when there’s so much to choose from? I can eat spaghetti what we have going on there, and with the potential of The anywhere.” Well you can’t necessarily have this spaghetti. Cosmopolitan resort in general. I think it adds such great energy. The quality of the clientele is increasing all the DC: A lot of people make great pasta. time. There are people who come in because they’ve seen SC: By no means do I think I make the best pasta. That’s me on The Food Network. There are people who come not the point. The point is, I like to think that I’ll take in because they’ve heard about the spaghetti. There are something as classic as the spaghetti with tomato and people who come in because they have a great relationship basil and then just elevate the idea of that a little bit by with Mario, [and sommeliers] Noe Alarcon and Paolo adhering to certain principles. And that’s the goal of the Barbieri. I mean, these guys are locals in the market, and restaurant in general. I think that we’ve been able to capture a lot of the locals because of their presence here, which is great.

18 february 2012 sealing the deal Business and palatable pleasure combine at Las Vegas’ power lunch hotspots

by Al Mancini

he power lunch is a tradition that’s probably as old as business itself. Deals are made. Images are projected. Partnerships cemented. Yet finding a good high-end restaurant that’s open Tfor lunch in Las Vegas can be a little challenging, so we’ve assembled a list of the best places for sealing a big deal over a midday meal whether you’re in the suburbs or on the Strip. Each of the places below is sure to impress with both food and ambience, and we’ve thrown in some tidbits about their most popular features to help you impress your guests.

Estiatorio Milos The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 702.687.7000 The Cosmopolitan’s Greek seafood restaurant, known simply as Milos to regulars, has quickly earned a reputation as one of the town’s best seafood restaurants. Fish are flown in directly from the Mediterranean five to six times a week, arriving within 24 hours of when the local chefs place their orders with their exclusive European procurement company. And while the preparations are simple, the ingredients are exquisite. The lunch deal here is probably the best in town: guests get three courses, with numerous choices for each, for just $20.12. The same meal during dinner hours would cost two to three times as much, but there’s no skimping on quantity or quality. reen photo by Jeff G 20 february 2012 diamond cake 21 Triple George Grill Spago 201 North 3rd Street, 702.384.2761 The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702.369.6300 When you have business to conduct downtown, the go-to Wolfgang Puck helped revolutionize the Las Vegas dining spot is this classic steakhouse. As defined on the menu, scene when he opened Spago more than 19 years ago, the term “George” means (among other things) “living and the deals that have been made in this restaurant have life to its fullest.” Guests are advised to know their shaped our town. Executive Chef Eric Klein oversees the Scotch and gin, and be able to tie a good Windsor knot. menu, which spans Asian, Mexican and Italian cuisine as The large lunch menu is diverse. It includes old-school well as steaks and chops. But the hottest items at lunchtime appetizers like shrimp and crab cocktails, ten salads are Puck’s signature pizzas – particular the smoked salmon and an entire page of seafood, steaks, chops and pastas. variety that made him a household name. And if you want to show your potential business partners Tourists have a tendency to pack the place, but the you know how to stretch a buck, check out the “Ten Under Puck organization always holds back a few tables for $10” section, which has everything from sandwiches locals. Whether you’re making a reservation in advance or to pot roast. walking in without one, mentioning your Nevada ID will probably get you some VIP treatment.

Julian Serrano Vintner Grill Aria Resort & Casino, 877.230.2742 10100 West Charleston Blvd, 702.214.5590 Serrano’s other Las Vegas restaurant, Picasso in This Michael Corrigan restaurant has been a hotspot for Bellagio, is one of the town’s best fine-dining locales. Summerlin movers and shakers since the day it opened. This Spanish tapas restaurant (“Julian” is pronounced Chef Matt Silverman puts out elegant but approachable HOO-lee-ahn) is probably Aria’s most popular restaurant food, while Peter Varela runs the front of the house like during dinner hours, but it’s much easier to score a table a seasoned pro. While the bar may fill up with singles during lunch. Don’t be put off by the casual vibe in the on the prowl at night, during the day the atmosphere front – the back is a lot more suited for a business meeting. is all business. If you really want to impress, call ahead Shared paellas are probably the most popular item on the and see if you can reserve Table 32. Regulars consider it menu, but you’ll also find everything from simple stuffed the restaurant’s “power table,” and will undoubtedly take peppers or fried potatoes to tiny extravagant treats of notice of who’s seated there. And don’t miss Silverman’s molecular gastronomy. If you really want to indulge, try impressive cheese plates, including a dozen or so varieties a pata negra appetizer. Known as the world’s most he makes in house. luxurious ham, it comes from black-footed Spanish pigs that are raised on an exclusive diet of acorns.

photo by CityCenter Land LLC photo by Sabin Orr

22 february 2012 diamond cake 23 by Susan Stapleton

photography by Duane Prokop Strategy. Choreography. Organization. out of the box Summerlin’s Square Salon wants to pamper the local community

t’s a Wednesday afternoon, and every one Take Liubov Rachmanina and Dennis Cooper. of the 30 chairs at Square Salon bustles Both competed in the Redken/American Salon with activity. A lineup of clients have their Runway Reinvention Contest, recreating a hair washed, conditioned, colored and 1960s-inspired French pleat Guido styled Itreated at the wash basins, with others waiting on for the fall 2011 Bottega Veneta show into a modern furniture at the front for their turn in the salon-friendly look. The duo nabbed first and chair. The contemporary salon near Boca Park in second respectively. the heart of Summerlin has been a mainstay in Several times a year you can find retail therapy Las Vegas for 16 years, just moving to this larger events, where jewelry, fashions and handbags are space with an open ceiling and an edgy feel in on display from the community. Square teams up Whispering Giants is a strategically innovative marketing firm that October 2010. At the back, three rooms handle with several charities throughout the year such as specializes in brand communication and business development. Methods include design, development and execution of events; facials and other spa treatments while a bank of Smiles for Survivors, a nonprofit that offers dental lifestyle and partnership marketing; new media; corporate six manicure stations and two pedicure chairs care to breast cancer survivors, and CASA, Court responsibility and community outreach. bubble with activity. Appointed Special Advocates for Children, which “We want to pamper our local community,” says helps foster children. Barb Garcia-Grove, who has owned the salon with “We’re selective in who we partner up with,” her husband for seven years. “We feel our local Garcia-Grove said. “We want them to have the community deserves the very best and we want to same core values as we do.” bring them the very best.” It all starts with the stylists and aestheticians Square Salon on staff, who work with Kerastase, L'Oreal and 1225 S. Fort Apache Road 702.255.7050 Shu Uemura products. “We have a pretty good www.squaresalon.com crew here,” says James Choy, a senior stylist at the salon. “A majority have been here for 10 to 15 years, some since Day One.” 702.202.4120 || www.whisperinggiants.com ||

24 february 2012 by Tiffannie Bond photography by Ryan Weber

A Story In Every Piece At Unica Home, domestic décor is a lifestyle stated in full sentences

he philosophy that a person’s home According to Fogel, those who don’t know any is an extension of their personality better brand Unica Home with the “modern and isn’t new, but it’s one that Hugh and contemporary” badge. In reality, the store and its Bonnie Fogel, owners of Unica Home, online cousins Unicacool.com and Unicaworld. Tfully embrace. Just as fashion is an extension com, are extensions of the Fogels’ personalities. of one’s personality so should home décor. Unica [“unique”] Home gives people “an Many of the best fashion statements are full alternative to purchase things that matter,” Hugh sentences – ensembles that speak to the root of Fogel says. “We’re a lifestyle brand. Not just a person’s personality and often are a mix of a store.” designers, story, comfort and taste. The websites are part shopping experiences, “The reality is, it is an aspect of who you are,” part cultural online outlets, with a blog that speaks Hugh Fogel says. “It’s your basics, your poise, about the life – including food, music and culture your hobbies. It’s another extension.” – that happens around the objects purchased. The Fogels aim to bridge the gap between people and the designs they choose for their living environments. Color schemes, textures and fabrics are no longer the key to being the coolest house on the block. At Unica Home, trends are more figurative than literal. Microtrends such as cocktail culture are always evolving, according to Fogel, but for the most part customers are no longer making frivolous purchases. He says they are taking their time to buy items that reflect their personal sense of style and are related to creating little, happy experiences instead of decking a home from roof to base in one rigid color scheme or décor. The Fogels agree that products used in the home – from kitchen items and vases to furniture and office supplies – should increase the quality of life, not cloud it. Items in the home should relate to its residents and their functions, not the rest of the building’s contents. Hobbies, history and taste factor more into a home’s design than

diamond cake 27 whatever color scheme is hip at the moment. Décor should be personal experience mixed with functionality. “To us, it just has to make sense,” says Bonnie Fogel. “With a lot of products, they just change colors seasonally. The products for us, when we your garage attracts dust, look at vendors, they have to be functional products our showroom attracts buyers. and interesting. There’s an intellectual appeal.” From opening in 2002 until the recession, the Fogels chose vendors based on the breadth of their collections. Today, selecting a few items to showcase, instead of the entire collection, has allowed them to choose items and vendors with more scrutiny. More than 400 vendors are now represented. From simple to abstract, there’s a story in every piece. The sleek silhouettes of Laura De Santillana’s vases are appeasing enough on their own without flowers. Going more conceptual, Established and Sons’ artistic reinterpretation of design also doubles as a dresser. Anna Rabinowicz’s Lia bottle stoppers take a normally mundane piece of kitchenware up a notch with handcrafted glass and pineapple-clustered amethyst and crystal from Brazil, making it a piece of artistic expression and illustrating the Fogels’ idea of subtle, happy experiences. “The body of her work is taking natural stones and making treasured items out of them,” Bonnie Fogel said. “It explores the beauty of nature. To go back to these treasured things is like going back to where we should be, where we’re the happiest.”

Unica Home 702.616.9280 3901 West Russell Road Las Vegas, NV 89118

To learn more about the High Performance Consignment Program, contact Ryan Hamilton or Ken Tangen. 3325 Las Vegas Blvd South Suite 200 Dal Toro | Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 Located on the Strip inside the Palazzo Hotel 702.818.1031 | www.celebritycarslv.com 28 february 2012 by Christie Moeller

Behavioral PAtterns Solids take a back seat this season to stunning PRINTS in every shape and size. Take a look at Diamond Cake’s Rorschach array of the hautest trends in patterns. seeing spots

Connect the [polka] dots with fun flirty flair.

Paul Smith women’s blazer, $1735 available at Paul Smith Las Vegas, Crystals at City Center

TOPMAN burgundy and black polka dot shirt, $56 available at TOPMAN.com and TOPMAN, Fashion Show Mall

TOPSHOP Knitted Large Spot Jumper, $80 available at TOPSHOP, Fashion Show Mall and us.topshop.com

Marc Jacobs Black Ivory Techno Twill Shirt, $495 High Waisted Dot Jacquard Skirt, $995 Long Sleeve Peplem Sweater, $1,200 Kate Spade Polka dot Gemma heel, $325 Tri Color Snowboot, $1,145 available at Kate Spade, Fashion Show Mall Cabochon Beret, $685 available at Marc Jacobs, Forum Shops at Caesars diamond cake 31 leopard tartan

Take a walk on the wild side in chic sophisticated leopard prints. From big and bold to small and subtle this season it’s easy to be mad about plaid.

TOPSHOP Leopard Print Asymmetric Faux Ponyskin Clutch, $70 available at TOPSHOP, Fashion Show Mall and us.topshop.com

Cotton Treats Ethan bow tie, $26 Thomas Pink Downing Tartan available at cottontreats.com skinny tie, $105 available at Thomas Pink, Forum Shops at Caesars

David and Young Wannabe Vivienne Westwood Vivienne Westwood Thomas Pink Eastnor Harris Romantic Skull Scarf, $27 jacket, £580 ($898) tartan bag, £380 ($585) Tweed Flat Cap, $100 available at available at available at and Blackwatch Check Scarf, $105 davidandyoungaccessories.com viviennewestwood.com viviennewestwood.com available at Thomas Pink, Forum Shops at Caesars

Tory Burch Patricia Bag Snob + DKNY Black Cheeta Clutch, $325 Milk and Honey Into The Wild High Heel Bootie in leopard, $425 available at select DKNY Locations or dkny.com leopard heel, $340 available at Tory Burch, available at milkandhoneyshoes.com Burberry Prorsum Check Brushed Paul Smith Plaid Field Jacket, $760 Forum Shops at Caesars Wool Leather Bound Pea Coat, $3195 available at Paul Smith Las Vegas, available at Burberry, Crystals at City Center Forum Shops at Caesars

32 february 2012 diamond cake 33

SOCIAL. RESPONSIBILITY.

The Meadows School Girls Rock Vegas Poker Gives www.themeadowsschool.org www.girlsrockvegas.org www.pokergives.org Nathan Adelson Hospice Helping Hands of Vegas Valley Positively Kids www.nah.org www.hhovv.org www.positivelykids.org Nevada Cancer Institute Heaven Can Wait Sanctuary Progressive Leadership Alliance www.nevadacancerinstitute.org www.hcws.org of Nevada MAGNETISM From handbags to hats to boots and clothing - whether colorful www.planevada.org Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation Horses4Heros www.nvccf.org www.horses4heroes.org The Public Education Foundation or neutral, faux or real - cozy up in this season’s must-have fur. www.ccpef.org Salvation Army Junior League Las Vegas www.salvationarmyusa.org www.jllv.org Purple WINGS LANVIN Brown fur jacket Christian Louboutin Splash Fur peep-toe pump, $1,595 www.purplewings.org price available upon request available at Christian Louboutin Boutique, Palazzo Keep Memory Alive available at LANVIN, 10,000 Kids www.keepmemoryalive.org Ronald McDonald House Charities Crystals at CityCenter Burberry large black men’s mink tote, $7995 www.10000kids.com Las Vegas Philharmonic Las Vegas available at Burberry, Forum Shops at Ceasars www.rmhlv.com ALS of Nevada www.lasvegasphilharmonic.com Tory Burch Sebastian high heel boot, $550 www.alsofnevada.org Las Vegas Rescue Mission The Rape Crisis Center available at Tory Burch, Forum shops at Caesars www.therapecrisiscenter.org American Red Cross www.vegasrescue.org FENDI Mink Fur Pequin bag, $6300 www.redcrosslasvegas.org Las Vegas Speedway Charities The Shade Tree available at FENDI, Crystals at CityCenter www.theshadetree.org The Animal Foundation www.lasvegas.speedwaycharities.org DKNY Red Lacquer Shearling Coat, $2,800 www.animalfoundation.com Life Long Dreams Share Our Strength available at DKNY, Forum Shops at Caesars www.strength.org Anti-Defamation League www.lifelongdreams.org Dior mink with crocodile handle Lady Dior Bag, $12,000 Silver Lining Foundation www.adl.org available at Dior Boutiques nationwide Miracle Flights www.silverlining4u.org Arthritis Foundation www.miracleflights.org The Smith Center www.arthritis.org Nevada Ballet www.thesmithcenter.com www.nevadaballet.com Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas Special Olympics of Nevada www.bgclv.org Nevada Donor Network www.sonv.org www.nvdonor.org Caring for Kids Foundation Spread the Word Nevada www.thecaringplacenv.org Nevada Partnership for www.spreadthewordnevada.org Children’s Heart Foundation Homeless Youth Step by Step Foundation www.chfn.org www.nevadahomelessyouth.org www.stepbystepfoundation.com CHR Inc Nevada PEP Springs Preserve www.chrinc.net www.nvpep.org www.springspreserve.org Clinics in Schools Nevada Public Radio St. Judes Ranch www.clinicsinschools.org www.knpr.org www.stjudesranch.org Communities in Schools Nevada Rock Art Institution Three Square www.cisnevada.org www.nvrockart.org www.threesquare.org Contemporary Arts Collective This special collector’s edition Iacocca Mustang is available for purchase through Nevada SPCA Tip of Las Vegas www.lasvegascac.org Celebrity Cars Las Vegas. Proceeds from purchase go directly to Keep Memory Alive. www.nevadaspca.org www.tipoflasvegas.org Down Syndrome Organization New Vista Ranch United Way of Southern Nevada of Southern Nevada www.newvistaranch.org www.uwsn.org www.dsosn.org Operation Homefront Nevada White Horse Youth Ranch Easter Seals www.operationhomefront.net/nevada www.whyranch.com sn.easterseals.com Opportunity Village Women’s Development Center Give Me A Break www.opportunityvillage.org www.wdclv.org www.givemeabreakinc.com

it doesn’t matter which one, just get involved. sponsored by

36 february 2012 diamond cake 37 Midway through her first year in office, Mayor Carolyn Goodman drives Las Vegas into its future. CAN-DO

SPIRITby David McKee cover and portrait by Jerry Metellus

t’s 7:30 a.m., a time when Las Vegas’ nightcrawlers are blearily stumbling into bed and its worker bees are awakening. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman is already in Ifull sail, entering Doña Maria’s Tamales in an eye- opening red-and-white ensemble, her voice carrying across the room in hearty, life-of-the-party fashion. The occasion is December’s “Coffee with the Mayor,” a roving event that rewards early rising constituents with mayoral face time. Working the room, Mayor Goodman, six months into her first term, is never at a loss for words. Introduced to a hiring coach, she retorts, “You mean you can get me a real job?” To another attendee, she jokes, “Anybody who can be married to Oscar for 49 years is a miracle.”

38 february 2012 “Oscar,” of course, needs no last name. For the record, If there’s one quality Carolyn Goodman has in spades, he is Oscar Goodman, famed trial lawyer and Las Vegas it’s can-do spirit. As the founder and longtime president mayor from 1999 to 2011. When Carolyn Goodman of The Meadows School, a local college-prep academy, belatedly threw her scarf into the race to succeed him, she’s no stranger to budgeting, administration and the slow, a crowded field of candidates instantly shrank to incremental process of effecting change. That arguably also-ran status. makes her better suited to the economic reinvention of The Goodmans’ cult status – the new mayor already has Las Vegas than Oscar Goodman was. His wife certainly inspired at least one female impersonator – is on display thinks so: “All the issues I’ve dealt with in the 26 years at Doña Maria’s. At one end of the room, local painter from founding the school from a blank piece of paper were Alex Krasny is showing three hagiographic portraits predictive of some of the issues you deal with on a regular of the couple. This guarantees him an extra amount of basis at City Hall. mayoral attention. Visitors to Mayor Goodman’s office “My husband, he’s an explosion visionary and once could easily mistake her for an art dealer due to the way he’s pulled those pieces together to create the idea, he she’s redecorated it. “The artwork that’s up on display is a passes those immediately on and says, ‘Do it!’ He does rotating gallery of our local artists,” she says. This ready- not get the enjoyment of being in there,” the new mayor to-sell array showcases one of her points of pride in the continues. “I love the follow-up. My husband – and I don’t city, its Arts District. mean this in a bad way – didn’t really care about pulling people together and sitting through the lesson … I had that for 26 years.”

Carolyn Goodman describes herself as “a very hands- photo by Darrin Bush/Las Vegas News Bureau on, under-the-radar type of person.” It’s an approach well It became very suited to Las Vegas’ governing system, in which the mayor evident‘‘ for all of us is but one vote among seven on the City Council. She can Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands began to leapfrog into Technologies’ Blue Oasis Pure Shrimp Farm, which has advocate but must build consensus. Oscar Goodman’s the Far East, “It became very evident for all of us who live signed several Strip restaurants as customers and hopes to who live here and fractious style – exemplified by his notorious suggestion here and pay the taxes, and call this home. We cannot just put its product in grocery stores in late 2012. pay the taxes, and that graffiti taggers should have their thumbs lopped be a tourism place. We need a different identity.” “Beyond that, there isn’t a great city in the world that off – tended to divide rather than unite. Goodman sees downtown’s Lou Ruvo Institute as the doesn’t have great culture,” she continues. To wit, she’d

call this home. By comparison, Carolyn Goodman considers her nucleus for a research-and-treatment hub, citing the Mayo like to achieve a critical mass of museums and other

We cannot just be Meadows School experience “absolutely comparable” Clinic (in Rochester, Minn.), La Jolla’s Scripps Institute cultural attractions. In addition to the Lied Discovery ‘‘ with the demands of her office because her nature is to and Houston’s M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as medical- Children’s Museum, there is the soon-to-open Smith a tourism place. be, she says, “collaborative.” While taking pride in – and tourism magnets she would like to emulate here. She Center for the Performing Arts, the National Museum of We need a different extending – the signature achievements from her husband’s views the relocation of Zappos to Downtown not as an Organized Crime and Law Enforcement (better known as tenure, like Symphony Park and Fremont East, Carolyn accomplishment in itself but a foundation stone. “We could “the Mob Museum”) and the in-progress Neon Museum. identity. Goodman has her own agenda. Dubbed “Vegas II,” it’s really be an incredible focal point for technology: building After the city was forced to close its Reed Whipple actually a tripartite strategy whose goals are to diversify it, programming it – much like the Silicon Valley, but of Cultural Center, the Las Vegas Shakespeare Company the local economy, widen the tourist appeal of Downtown course we have no corporate tax and no income tax.” offered to relocate its productions there, across Las Vegas and increase its livability. She ticks off a variety of other possibilities, from the Boulevard from the Neon Museum. As Mayor Goodman sees it, the handwriting was on the potential (luring Chinese businessmen through the EB-5 If anything, Mayor Goodman’s problem may be wall for casino-centric Glitter Gulch once tribal gambling investor-visa program) to the actual. “People may not having more museums than places to put them. The started to evolve beyond “just slot machines” and into know that out in North Las Vegas is a little shrimp farm Atomic Testing Museum, which is preparing to open its Vegas-style resorts. Then, as major casino companies like that irrigates itself,” she says, referring to Ganix Bio- Area 51 collection to the public, wanted to move from

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University of Nevada, Las Vegas to Reed Whipple but the Shakespeareans beat them to it. “They are just cramped for space,” Goodman says of the Atomic Testing Museum. “Plus it’s very difficult to get to unless you have a tour going there.” Even in downtown, it’s a question of location, location, location. “We’re in constant dialogue, trying to find the right space for them … but the right space for them is in the core area, too, so they can get the spin-off of people who will go down to visit one type of museum or another. We’re very excited about them and they are ready to come anytime.” An unforeseen benefit of the Great Recession is that high-end condominiums built downtown have either become affordable to the professional class or converted to apartments. While it’s “in” to live downtown, the heart of the city still lacks certain amenities. “There’s all the things that those of us count on,” she says, “Cleaners, perhaps professional medical care – your dentist, your professional eye people.” Not to mention a decent supermarket. “That’s been something we have needed for so long I can’t tell you,” Goodman moans. Urban dwellers who walk or bike to work “are in a crunch. On the Internet, you can have Albertson’s deliver to you, so it’s not like they’re on an island. But we desperately do need to find the square footage for a really good market.” She thinks the problem will essentially solve itself through what she sees as an influx of energy and enthusiasm from her new, middle-class constituents and the Downtown hoteliers who are forming that new identity for Las Vegas. Whatever the result is will be part of Goodman’s legacy, which history will determine. One thing is assured as the new mayor flexes her muscles now that she’s settled into office: She will be remembered as the first mayor of the Las Vegas that couldn’t be just a tourism place anymore.

Learn more at photo courtesy of the City of Las Vegas www.RockYourPractice.com

A worldwide platform for health and wellness providers. 5565 S. Decatur Suite 101 | Las Vegas, Nevada 89118 | 702.706.6949 (p) 42 february 2012 CLOSE UP: JESSIE WAITS

INTO THE LIFE

by Jarret Keene photography by Jerry Metellus

ightlife mogul Jesse Waits “I came to Vegas on a mission – to be never sits down in XS, the successful at something, anything. I wanted $90-million club he co-owns my life to have purpose. Honestly I’d be just and manages inside Encore as happy being a snowboard instructor.” NLas Vegas. At least not for the three hours He left Hawaii for Vegas in 1996. Early I end up shadowing him on a Friday night, on he visited Mt. Charleston, falling in when the club is packed with 7,000 people. love with the snowboarding scene. As co- Waits is constantly in motion, checking his workers prepared to work the summer on the BlackBerry, responding to messages regarding Strip, they insisted that, given his looks and every aspect of his electronic music-enhanced reservedly friendly demeanor, he’d make an operation – security concerns, VIP requests, ideal bartender and earn a serious paycheck. etc. He deals with each issue promptly, He took their advice, eventually working calmly, in person. every position in the industry – bartender, Updates occasionally arrive from promoter, GM – at several clubs in Vegas. BlackBerry-strapped staff just a few yards “I went through the ranks and it basically away. In the fray of the 40,000-square-foot evolved into this,” he says, waving his arm dance venue that Nightclub & Bar magazine to indicate the packed, surreally pleasurable ranked No. 1 in the world in its 2011 Top dance floor. “It’s been a fun journey.” 100 list, it’s often hard to tell who’s standing Press him and he’ll admit he always had next to you. Still, Waits sees all. I catch him a strategy. “OK, I daydreamed as a kid,” he standing behind an employee who’s scanning says. “I didn’t read self-help books or The Art the club in search of his boss. Waits politely of War. I literally wrote my own rulebook for opts to wait for the guy to turn around rather the future.” than tap him. Indeed, Waits had a lot of time to surf Waits intimately knows every corner of XS. and think about the shape of things to come. A tailor-suited, golden-boy baron overlooking At one point, he was living in L.A., taking his nightlife estate, he’s ever-vigilant in college classes and bussing tables. His paying attention to every aspect of the venue parents, who he describes as big music fans, as undulating partiers dance to house music instilled the value of being content with work. into the early morning hours. “Work is such a big part of one’s life,” he “It wasn’t meant to be this way; this wasn’t says. “My folks urged me to be satisfied at the my plan,” he told me earlier that same evening end of every day. Whatever job I’ve had, I’ve as we stepped outside the club for a moment lived it. Even digging fence-post holes. I’d dig to chat in comparative quiet as the admission the best I could. I love to make people happy, queue began to snake down Encore Esplanade. to see others happy.”

44 february 2012 diamond cake 45 In 2001, Waits went to work for his first he seeks out nature, “quiet places,” where he real mentor at the after-hours nightclub Drai’s. can detox. Music is always nearby. “I never Waits and twin brother Cy accompanied learned to play an instrument,” he says. Victor Drai in 2005 when Steve Wynn invited “But my father was always strumming Drai to help reimagine an existing nightclub a guitar, and whenever the radio was on in at Wynn Las Vegas. Tryst was so successful the car he’d quiz me about everything from that Wynn put the trio at the helm of XS The Doors to Grateful Dead. At 7 years old, when Encore opened in 2008. Drai left the I knew every song – Beatles, Badfinger, Three partnership in 2010, but Waits stayed on. Dog Night. I’ve always loved music because of Waits says nightclubs are a passion, not my parents.” a job. Still, when he takes a (brief) vacation, His enthusiasm carries over into the music at XS, known for its stellar DJ lineup. This past New Year’s Eve featured an incredible lineup of electronic artists, and Waits’ 10-person talent-booking team has never been busier. They’ve taken risks in securing 30 international, acclaimed DJs for 2012. “If a DJ is hot and brings concert-level energy” Waits says, “we’ll book that person.” The same could be said of his hiring methods; the XS staff is super-friendly to customers, completely detail-oriented and, most evidently, loyal to Waits. “I try to lead by encouragement, not fear. I create a family around me so that our team wants to make us proud. Everyone wants to shine, so why not help them?” Does Waits’ ongoing success indicate nightclubs, done right, are recession-proof? “Clubs and bars will always be successful. Having a good time and socializing with $100 a night – or less if you’re on a budget – at the day’s end is what this is all about. You want to enjoy a drink and meet that girl or guy who’s going to change your life.” Does he intend on making any changes in his life? “No,” he laughs. “I’m young, just a kid at heart. Besides, I have a few more industry- related goals on the horizon that I need to Take the next step... take care of first.” With that, he walks back into the darkness and undulating masses, back into the passion. Back into the life.

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Love & Remembrance Memory meets marriage for Ruvo Center Drs. jeffrey Cummings and Kate Zhong

December-evening cocktail mixer inside “We’re not your typical science-fixated couple,” laughs the beautiful Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Zhong. “In addition to being good researchers, we have Center for Brain Health in downtown a vast interest in and knowledge of fashion, literature, art. Las Vegas brings together doctors from We’ve traveled Egypt, India, South America, Europe, and Athe Southern Nevada medical community. The Frank China, of course.” Gehry-designed structure (along with World Market Zhong is originally from China, where she began Center and the soon-to-be-unveiled Smith Center for attending medical school there at 16. She became the Performing Arts) infuses Las Vegas’ urban core with a doctor at 22, although she was performing surgeries and scientific, intellectual and cultural activity. Of course, delivering babies at 20. “From a very young age I always it’s people, not buildings, who grow a community, and two loved medicine,” says. Zhong. “There are many doctors in individuals present tonight, Dr. Jeffrey Cummings and my family – dentists, physicians.” Dr. Kate Zhong, are currently waging a massive fight She earned a scholarship to complete her psychiatric against brain disease. residency at University of Toronto, Canada, where she They also happen to be a striking couple. also polished off a Masters degree in pharmacology. Arguably the world’s leading scientific brain-health Afterward, Zhong worked in the pharmaceutical industry, researchers, Drs. Cummings and Zhong know how leading clinical research and advanced-treatment trials for to dress the part. Cummings could be mistaken for a Alzheimer’s and schizophrenic disorders. She currently distinguished, fashion-savvy British intelligence agent, serves as the Cleveland Clinic’s Senior Director while his gorgeous wife wouldn’t seem out of place cast as of Clinical Research and Development, overseeing a chic scientist from a James Bond film. The strapless the largest clinical trial platform for Alzheimer’s research lavender dress Zhong wears indicates she doesn’t often in the country with four sites – Vegas, two in Cleveland, give in to the temptation of a fast-food drive-thru. and one in Florida.

50 february 2012 diamond cake 51 After that breakthrough, Cummings’ career shifted from studying the disease to studying and measuring the effect of drugs on Alzheimer’s. Given this accomplishment and Cummings’ keen fashion sense, it’s no wonder this “Rock Star of Science” has been featured in slick magazines like bringing to life GQ, Vogue, and Vanity Fair. remarkable and iconic pieces of furniture “I was in charge of a Parkinson’s research project, and one at a time. Jeff was assigned to be my scientific advisor,” says Zhong of how she met Cummings. “My project boss told me: ‘It’ll be difficult to get Cummings on board; his schedule is so busy.’ Well, Jeff made plenty of time for me.” “So as her advisor,” says Cummings, “I advised her to marry me.” Their combined knowledge led to one unexpected factor benefit – they would be aware of how to keep each other fit and in good brain health more than just about any other married couple in medicine. “We do as much as we can,” says Cummings. “We try to maintain a healthy diet and almost never have red meat at home.” “The more patients come into a trial, the faster you’re Zhong smiles. “He’s better at exercise than I am,” she able to decide if the drug is working,” she explains. admits. “We both supplement our diet with antioxidants.” “The power of the Cleveland Clinic is to rely on multiple Brain health is a lifetime commitment, the doctors sites so we can consolidate the rate at which we discover insist, and the most critical one you can make. It’s never new diagnoses and treatments.” too late to exercise your brain and body, and to improve “As the clinic’s director, I decide the right things to your diet. Making positive changes can help you at every do,” adds her husband. “As the leader of the clinical trials, point in your life. Kate makes sure we do things right.” It’s important to note that any brain activity counts, Dr. Jeffrey Cummings grew up in Wyoming, even sudoko. “It’s just one form of brain exercise, but punching cattle like any other kid growing up in Big Sky if you combine it with additional activities, a good diet Country. He was also deeply interested in philosophy and daily exercise, you can help reduce your chances,” and paleontology. “Dinosaur fossils were all around says Cummings. me as a kid,” he explains. “I’d just pick up all of these “I consider myself very fortunate,” says Zhong. “I love bones off the ground and examine them in the field. what I’m doing here in Las Vegas, and the driving force “God Bless America” by Hayley Hunter These experiences are what got me interested in biology, behind the center happens to be my husband. He’s the and in the philosophy of biology.” icing on the cake. People consider him the leader, the After studying medicine at Boston University, visionary pushing the center forward. But I have a personal Cummings researched neuropathology and neuro- knowledge of and respect for him. I’m the president of his psychiatry on a fellowship in London. He authored the fan club, because I understand him professionally and as a Neuropsychiatric Inventory, a scale that lets doctors know human being.” if a drug is improving an Alzheimer’s patient’s behavior. “I see Kate as a fantastic partner, and she brings a The NPI became very popular and is now used in almost dimension of power to the center we wouldn’t have otherwise,” all clinical trials of the disease. says Cummings. “I value her leadership tremendously.”

Emerald paradise Pebble Beach has much to offer besides a coastal haven for golfers

here are few destinations in the country as offering stately elegance and stunning views. The Inn synonymous with great American golf as at Spanish Bay likes its luxury slightly more laid-back Pebble Beach. Mere mention of the exclusive than The Lodge, but with all the bells and whistles (plus California coastal community evokes images a bagpiper) that one would expect. For those who Tof tee-offs against backdrops of surf crashing against enjoy the ‘boutique’ resort experience, Casa Palmero’s cliffs lined with cypress and pine trees, immaculate 24 rooms offer a Mediterranean feel and personal fairways and greens and some of the most elegant guest touch, including concierge who sees to guests’ every accommodations and homes imaginable. Although golf need – which is often an incomparable spa experience. seems like Pebble Beach’s reason for existence, Monterey A fourth option the discerning traveler is the County’s emerald paradise also offers much to the luxury vacation home rental. Whether it is the desire for traveler who has never driven from a tee in their life. domesticity or just a wish to escape the typical lodging Temperatures are heavenly as well, staying within offerings, the gorgeous homes of Pebble Beach 50 to 70 degrees throughout the year. Spring and fall are often available to rent and are resort adjacent. offer the optimal amount of sunny days, as the fog likes Deal with reputable vacation home leasing companies with to creep in during the summer months, but food and brick-and-mortar offices in lieu of charming Craigslist ads, wine lovers will prefer visiting mid-spring during the and make sure a representative meets you on arrival to Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival (April 12-15). show you inside personally. The festival is gearing up to celebrate its fifth year in Dining never disappoints. Chef Roy Yamaguchi offers 2012 with a virtual “who’s who” of celebrity chefs and his celebrated Hawaiian fusion menu at The Inn at winemakers on hand – think Michelin star dining or high- Spanish Bay. Carmel-by-the-Sea is literally overflowing end Napa Valley – to host tastings and cooking expos. with quaint and elegant spots catering to every cuisine Summers draw automobile enthusiasts to one of the imaginable, but the locals go to Christopher’s on area’s signature events, the Pebble Beach Concours Lincoln for friendly, relaxed fine dining that is perfect D’Elegance. Part of the larger Pebble Beach Automobile for a romantic dinner for two. If one is up for a little Week, the August 19 event brings “tire to turf” at Pebble adventure, head inland to Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Beach’s majestic 18th fairway. The 2012 Concours Lodge. The self-proclaimed “premier boutique destination promises special features from Fiat and Mercer, as well as resort on the Monterey Peninsula” is home to Marinus, the “Cars of the Maharajas.” where Chef Cal Stamenov’s California Natural cuisine When seeking accommodations, the community offers emphasizes local, organic foods and can be paired three choices. The Lodge at Pebble Beach is the oldest, with 1,800 wines.

photo courtesy of Monterey County Convention and Visitor's Bureau

54 february 2012 diamond cake 55 ACCOMMODATIONS The Lodge at Pebble Beach The Inn at Spanish Bay Casa Palmero 800.654.9300 www.pebblebeach.com

Vacation Rentals by Owner www.vrbo.com

DINING Roy’s at The Inn at Spanish Bay 800.654.9300 www.roysrestaurant.com

Christopher’s on Lincoln Lincoln Street and 5th Avenue 831.626-8000 christophersrestaurantcarmel.com

Marinus at Bernardus Inn 415 West Carmel Valley Road 831.658.3400 www.bernardus.com

EVENTS Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com

Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance

photo by Ryan Weber www.pebblebeachconcours.net The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM And then there is golf. Exquisite as it is exclusive, and Big Sur, home to The Henry Miller Memorial Library www.attpbgolf.com almost impossible to access without being a guest at one (a shrine dedicated to the way of life of the free-thinking GOLF of the resorts, conventional wisdom maintains that Pebble author of Tropic of Cancer), while enchantment for all Pebble Beach Golf Club (at The Lodge at Pebble Beach) Beach Golf Club rules the roost, followed by Spyglass Hill ages can be found at the thoroughly enjoyable Monterey Spyglass Hill Golf Course The Links at Spanish Bay and the Links at Spanish Bay. One over-looked gem is the Bay Aquarium. Peter Hay Golf Course Peter Hay Golf Course, which arguably possesses the most Despite it’s location, Pebble Beach is easily accessible 800.654.930 beautiful views of any par three course in the country. via private jet to Monterey Peninsula Airport, with www.pebblebeach.com/golf The annual Pebble Beach Pro-Am Golf Tournament the average travel time just under an hour. OneSky TRANSPORTATION (February 6-12 this year) offers spectators an opportunity Jets of Las Vegas gets the job done painlessly for One Sky Jets to see some of golf’s greatest pros, along with a multitude the price. Commercial carriers can get you there 866.678.0728 www.onesky.com of celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment, as well, extending travel time for up to a few hours play at the Pebble Beach Links, Spyglass and Monterey due to stops along the way. But the nine-hour drive Peninsula Country Club Shore Course. Last year’s from Las Vegas provides ample opportunity to see co-champion Bill Murray is set to tee off at this months Central California wine country, with a well-deserved event against pairs that will include Don Cheadle, Andy stop in Paso Robles worth a taste to say the least. Garcia, Tony Romo, Kurt Russell and Kelly Slater, Whether its satisfying the need for a relaxing oceanside among others. getaway, shifting one’s internal gears for an upscale Golf is the name of the game, literally, in these parts, opportunity to commune with the beauty of nature, but there are plenty of other worthwhile leisure activities. a pilgrimage to see some of the most exquisite and rare One can explore the terrain on horseback by visiting the automobiles in the world, taking in magnificent Monterey Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. To shop or not to shop Bay on a 17-mile drive or hitting the sweet spot from is always the question in nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea, with some of the most scenic golf links in North America, fine art galleries providing cultural distraction. Cultural Pebble Beach has more than a few slices of heaven for the enrichment in a more adult vein is a short drive away in affluent traveler. photos courtesy of Monterey County Convention and Visitor's Bureau

56 february 2012 diamond cake 57 by Matt Kelemen

photography by Ryan Weber

acceleration and appreciation Driving a Lamborghini Aventador is a life-changing experience

e’re not moving yet. I can see the “N” to find out after we switch seats. It’s a life-changing Since we’re cruising the streets around Henderson’s Auto showroom in August. His test drives provide most of the highlighted on the indicator between experience. There is no other grand touring car with Show Drive we won’t be feeling the full g-force effects. rare Las Vegas sightings of Lamborghini’s successor to myself and Tom Brazill, sales manager similar acceleration capability – Lamborghini’s new “If you go full-throttle between first and second, it will the Murcielago, which wowed audiences at last August’s for Lamborghini Las Vegas, who sits flagship model goes from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 2.9 seconds rip the steering wheel out of your hands,” says Brazill. “It Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach and was a highlight Win the driver’s seat of the Bianco Canopus (matte white) – that provides as smooth of a driving experience as feels like you got rear-ended by a semi. It’s that violent. of the Barrett-Jackson show at Mandalay Bay later Aventador we’re about to take out on the road. “It also says the Aventador. It’s pretty awesome.” that month. ‘A’ from this end, which you can’t see from there,” says But we’re not starting out in the smoothest mode. “The The Aventador allows manual control via steering-wheel The supercar built at Centro Stile Lamborghini in Brazill. “It means we’re in the automatic mode. We can go ‘Sport’ mode gives you a little more slippage on your paddles but downshifts automatically, taking some of the Sant’Agata Bolognese is far more than a re-imagined in manual mode if you push this button here … actually, traction and it reduces the shift time so it shifts a little apprehension out of mishandling a $420,000 machine. version of the Murcielago. It’s a direct descendant of we’re in standard mode. It’s the smoothest shifting for just quicker,” says Brazill as he puts the car in gear. “Sport Brazill, who clearly loves his job, prefers automatic Sport, a legacy that technically extends back through the Diablo, cruising along.” mode is brilliant; matter of fact that’s what we’re going to and “feathers” the accelerator. We’re insulated by the purr Countach and Miura, but inspirationally has its origins in Cruising along in an Aventador for the first time start out with right now. It’s a very aggressive program.” of the powerful engine, which sounds like it’s muffled Ferruccio Lamborghini’s desire to drive an automobile as is unlike taking any other high-end automobile for Sport is less intense than the Corsa track mode, but by pillows. Brazill has had plenty of time to get familiar powerful and attractive as a Ferrari but more amenable to a ride, or any other supercar for that matter, as I’m about Brazill says it still provides a relatively violent shift. with the Aventador since the first model arrived at the driving on Italy’s postwar road system with less engine

58 february 2012 diamond cake 59 roar deafening the driver. According to legend, after This is a grand touring car, however, and the feel Ferrari spurned the tractor-factory owner and former of g-force is still the Aventador’s reason for being. aviation mechanic’s idea, he decided to create his own After Brazill and I switch, I get a little manual-shifting grand-touring car. experience, still in Strada (“Street”) mode. I get a “Nice The company was eventually sold, but the car, man!” from the driver of a passing pickup truck within uncompromising standards of design excellence to seconds, and after a few more seconds I become one with which Ferruccio Lamborghini held his engineers were the car. Brazill gives me clearance to punch it when we maintained through most of the company’s history. find an appropriate stretch. It’s an indescribable feeling, Now owned by Audi, Lamborghini looked to its now reminiscent of other adrenaline-generating firsts in life: three-year-old, $1.6 million special edition Reventón rollercoaster ride, sexual arousal, high-altitude free-fall. for styling cues when it decided to retire the Mucielago. You definitely don’t expect to feel that kind of rush The Aventador – named, in the Lamborghini tradition, without the accompaniment of a deafening roar or shaken after a fighting bull – weighs 200 pounds lighter than its spine. It’s a smooth, illuminating ride with almost ambient predecessor, with a corresponding increase in velocity. engine noise, and an illuminating one. You don’t seek a The 6.5-liter V12 produces 691 hp for a reported top speed Lamborghini Aventador for status or as a symbol of living in excess of 217 m.p.h. a luxury lifestyle. You covet it because it’s as refined of The monocoque is made entirely of sound-dampening a work of design as any that have been tested on a track carbon fiber, and a Formula 1 style pushrod design was in the U.S. or Italy. Ownership is not indulgence; its used for the front and rear suspension – both firsts for participating in the strive for engineering perfection. Lamborghini. Critics have applauded the smoother sound of the engine in comparison to the Murcielgo, feeling of Lamborghini Las Vegas a lower center of gravity and the more ergonomic cabin 7738 Eastgate Road, Henderson 702.982.4600 and driver’s seat. All the design-forward, state-of-the-art www.lamborghinilasvegas.com bells and whistles are present, and the graceful glissando of the doors opening and closing provides one of the small pleasures of the vehicle.

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four bedrooms, six baths Ivan Sher Ivan Sher seven bedrooms, ten baths four thousand, seven hundred ninety-two square feet 702.400.2400 702.400.2400 twelve thousand, two hundred forty-two square feet ideally located within the masterfully planned One Queensridge Place one of a kind Tudor style masterpiece in highly desirable Queensridge

Visit www.LasVegasFineHomes.com Call the office at 702.315.0223 List Price $8,750,000

605st.CRoix FLORENCE Shapiro Henderson, NV 89012 702.378.3879 six bedrooms, seven baths Ivan Sher fourteen thousand, seven hundred thirty-seven square feet 702.400.2400 incredibly unique home features amazing finishes, natural light, atrium and fabulous views

Visit www.LasVegasFineHomes.com Call the office at 702.315.0223 List Price $2,897,500 List Price $985,000

32GulfStream FLORENCE Shapiro FLORENCE Shapiro 4964MountainCreek LAS VEGAS, NV 89141 702.378.3879 702.378.3879 LAS VEGAS, NV 89148

five bedrooms, six baths Ivan Sher Ivan Sher four bedrooms, six baths nine thousand, one hundred eighty-seven square feet 702.400.2400 702.400.2400 four thousand, seven hundred ninety-two square feet fantastic estate with a touch of tasteful elegance in coveted guard gated Spanish Trails Estates beautiful light & airy home in Spanish Hills features crown molding, outdoor fireplace and window casings throughout

List Price $1,575,000 List Price $1,450,000

61Meadowhawk FLORENCE Shapiro FLORENCE Shapiro 83 Meadowhawk LAS VEGAS, NV 89135 702.378.3879 702.378.3879 LAS VEGAS, NV 89135 four bedrooms, five baths Ivan Sher Ivan Sher four bedrooms, five baths five thousand, three hundred twenty square feet 702.400.2400 702.400.2400 five thousand, four hundred thirty-seven square feet immaculate custom home in The Ridges gorgeous home in The Ridges features large gourmet kitchen, library, features gourmet kitchen, wine room, office and home theatre bamboo floors and upgraded finishes

Visit www.LasVegasFineHomes.com Call the office at 702.315.0223 your vacation home awaits

Magnificent Penthouse Opportunity Right On The Bay

List Price $7,999,000

1044SOuth6th Cristine lefkowitz LAS VEGAS, NV 89104 702.595.8505

eight bedrooms, thirteen baths fifteen thousand, five hundred ninety-one square feet amazing opportunity: the Hartland Mansion began in the 1940’s as two separate residences in the historic 6th street district, thirty-one thousand square feet under one roof

4002 Everts St #3 San Diego, ca 92109

List Price $1,749,995 three bedrooms, two baths, two thousand eighty-seven square feet additional five hundred square foot deck overlooking serene Sail Bay Incredible opportunity right on Sail Bay with unobstructed panoramic views. This spacious three bedroom/two bath luxurious penthouse has a light, bright, and open floor plan. The huge master bedroom and bath has a large walk-in closet and endless views of Sail Bay. The completely remodeled kitchen has stainless steel decor and Jenn Air appliances and wonderful granite counters. Beautiful hardwood floors with highly upgraded carpets and travertine throughout this magnificent penthouse unit. List Price $7,999,000

2747 Paradise#3702 Cristine lefkowitz LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 702.595.8505 four bedrooms, six baths six thousand, four hundred twenty-one square feet For all the best opportunities in Southern California, please contact: unique modern two level custom penthouse in Turnberry Place, amazing views of the city, Las Vegas strip, downtown & mountains, fully furnished Peter Middleton | Founder, CEO | Middleton & Associates Real Estate | 858-922-3377 [email protected] | CA DRE 01224842

Visit www.LasVegasFineHomes.com Call the office at 702.315.0223 our view of the valley

florence shapiro ivan sher THE wall paintings by Kevin Chupik

ast year ended up being a spectacularly successful 12 months for our clients and the luxury market in general. We haven’t seen numbers like these since 2005-2006, and we would like to take a moment to show our appreciation to our clients and the community as we set our expectations high for 2012! L To break it down a little for you, the number of single family residences priced at a million or more decreased 44 percent, from 384 in 2010 to 296 in 2011. With some of the best prices in a decade, the lack in supply all across town created more evin Chupik was born “The paintings that comprise this Les Têtes Rouges 24 x 67 inches traction to buy. More importantly, the majority of these homes, 67 percent to be in Fort Worth, Texas in body of work are a twofold configuration exact, were sold by what we characterize as “traditional” sales. Traditional sales Oil on panel, 2011 1967, and graduated from of elements from the avian and human are a great bellwether to view the ongoing health of the market heading into the new year. Texas Christian University world,” says Chupik of the “Plumage” Additionally, the highest priced home sold for $15 million in 2011, up 114 percent in 1992 with a B.F.A in Painting and series. “Each diptych strives to establish from 2010’s highest-priced sale at seven million! By region, 31 homes sold in the K Drawing. After receiving his M.F.A. from parallels between two seemingly Northwest, with communities like Queensridge, Mountain Trails, and Canyon the University of Colorado at Boulder disparate entities. Female form, figure Fairways leading the way. In the Southwest, 62 homes sold in communities including The Ridges, Southern Highlands, and Red Rock Country Club. Henderson enjoyed in 1995, Chupik moved to Las Vegas, and face join with plumed bird bodies in sales of 47 homes, with Anthem, Seven Hills, Lake Las Vegas, and MacDonald where he has been living and working narrative discourse. Each panel operates Highlands seeing great numbers. since 1997. He began teaching painting, as a system of colorful dots and dashes We see this trend continuing in the new year and would love to have our drawing and design at the College of that seek to create a union between the expert sales staff work with you to make your goals a reality! Visit our website at www.lasvegasfinehomes.com . Southern Nevada in 2003. formal elements of design and those A lifetime of interest in imagery, emerging from content and symbolism. We look forward to assisting you in 2012! history, language, and travel has fed It is my hope that these pairings hint at a his body of work during the last two dialogue that exists between the observed Florence and Ivan decades. Chupik’s art has been acquired and the imagined, between myth and for private collections throughout the U.S. reality, between bird and body.” and Canada. He is represented by Brett Wesley Gallery in Las Vegas, and in Los Angeles by Skidmore Contemporary.

diamond cake 73 Visit www.LasVegasFineHomes.com Call the office at 702.315.0223 Nectar The Flirt 45 x 32 inches 28 x 34 inches Oil on panel, 2011 Oil on panel, 2011

74 february 2012 diamond cake 75 Plumage 32 x 65 inches Oil on panel, 2011

for more information on Kevin Chupik Siren Song www.chupikpaintings.com 40 x 36 inches Oil on panel, 2010

empty walls crave great art.

76 february 2012 diamond cake 77 Single?

Successful, Selective, Attractive, Simply too busy? CLASSICS OF 2050

MAKING LOVE HAPPEN. AWARDED “TOP MATCHMAKER IN THE WORLD 2010”

Call for a Confidential Consultation | 702.242.8222 | www.kelleher-international.com LIVINGPENTHOUSE.COM

black tie reminder

events

february

Keep Memory Alive | Power of Love Gala | 2.18.12 MGM Grand Garden Arena | www.keepmemoryalive.org

march

St. Rose Dominican Hospitals | St. Rose’s 55th Annual Mardi Gras Ball | 3. 27.12 The Mirage Resort | www.mardigrasball.org

Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame | 9th Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony | 3.22.12 UNLV | finearts.unlv.edu/hall/home.html

Families for Effective Autism Treatment | Autism Angels Gala | 3.31.12 Keep Memory Alive Event Center | www.featsonv.org

Junior League of Las Vegas | 2012 Paint the Town Red Gala | 3.31.12 Four Seasons | www.jllv.org

april

Governor of Nevada | Governor’s Black Tie Gala | 4.12.12 - 4.14.12 Southern Highlands Golf Club | www.southernhighlands.com

may

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation | Hope Gala | 5.11.12 Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino | www.jdrflv.org

Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation | Annual Ladybug Ball | 5.19.12 Aria Resort & Casino | www.nvblindchildren.org