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P U B L I S H E RMichael Skenandore

E D I T O R I A LEDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nicole Ely

MANAGING EDITOR Genevie Durano

SENIOR EDITORS Paul Szydelko, Xania Woodman

SENIOR EDITOR, A&E Geoff Carter

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Camille Cannon

SENIOR WRITER Lissa Townsend Rodgers

STAFF WRITER Emmily Bristol

CALENDAR COORDINATOR Ian Caramanzana

S E N I O R C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I T O RMelinda Sheckells (style)

C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I T O R SMichael Green (politics), Al Mancini (dining),

David G. Schwartz (gaming/hospitality)

A R TCREATIVE DIRECTOR Ryan Olbrysh

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Cierra Pedro

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Anthony Mair, Krystal Ramirez

V E G A S S E V E N . C O MTECHNICAL DIRECTOR Herbert Akinyele

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Zoneil Maharaj

SENIOR WRITER, RUNREBS.COM Mike Grimala

WEB PRODUCER Jessie OBrien

ASSISTANT WEB PRODUCER Amber Sampson

P R O D U C T I O N / D I S T R I B U T I O NDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION Marc Barrington

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jimmy Bearse

DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Jasen Ono

S A L E SBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Christy Corda

DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Nicole Scherer

ACCOUNT MANAGER Brittany Quintana

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Robyn Weiss

Ryan T. Doherty | Justin WenigerPRESIDENT Michael Skenandore

VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND EVENTS Keith White

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Michael Uriarte

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sherwin Yumul

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Sim Salzman

CONTROLLER Jane Weigel

LAS VEGAS WEEKLY CITY MAGAZINE | FOUNDED FEBRUARY 2010

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THU 24 Its Christmas Eve. Wind up the kids a bit and take them to

Springs Preserve for Train Rides to

Santas Cottage, hourly from 11 a.m. to

3 p.m. After the ride, the big guy will be

reading stories and handing out candy

canes. SpringsPreserve.org.

FRI 25 Not much going on today, and thats as it should be. Open

presents, eat too much, sit around in your

jammies, go to church, go for a hike, enjoy

your family. Thats what Christmas is for.

SAT 26 One reason people say Happy holidays instead of Merry

Christmas is because there is more

than one holiday. Today is the first day

of Kwanzaa, for instance. Celebrate Af-

rican values, culture and community at

the West Las Vegas Librarys annual

Kwanzaa gathering, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., to-

day and Sunday. Youll find vendors,

music, motivational speakers and

friends at this party. LVCCLD.org.

SUN 27 More proof that holiday sea-son is basketball season: The

D3 Hoops Classic kicks off at noon in

the South Point Arena and runs through

Wednesday. Thats Division III mens and

womens college basketball, featuring

teams from all over the country, and its

some scrappy play. D3Hoops.com.

MON 28 Ice skating season is pretty short here in the desert, so

were reminding you that Downtown

Summerlins Rock Rink is still open, and

will be until Jan. 18. Fifteen bucks buys

you ice time and rents you skates, so no

excuses. DowntownSummerlin.com.

TUE 29 If youre looking for something to do with your dog, we suggest

Paws on the Patio, 6-9 p.m., at Brio Tus-

can Grille in Tivoli Village, where fellow

pooch lovers take part in assorted merry

making. Proceeds support Adopt a Rescue

Pet. Check the Paws on the Patio Christ-

mas Party Facebook page for details.

WED 30 The Runnin Rebels face the Fresno State Bulldogs, who

are on a bit of a hot streak themselves,

8 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack. The Reb-

els wont be playing on the home floor

again until Jan. 12, so get your fix while

you can. UNLVRebels.com. PHO

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News, deals, politics and

feasting on holiday promotions.THE LATEST

EVEN WITH ALL the great things about our unique city, its hard not to get bummed when it seems that we top all the bad listslast in education, top 10 in both domestic violence and teen pregnancy. But were not all bad. Here is just a sampling of ways that Las Vegas and the Silver State is leading the charge:

First in clean-energy jobs: Nevada ranked frst in the nation in creating new clean-energy jobs in 2014, adding 8,591 jobs, according to a report by Environmental En-trepreneurs. The trend looks to continue with projects at the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone in Clark County, creating about 2,000 more jobs in 2015.

First to go 100 percent renewable: In November, Mayor Carolyn Goodman announced that Las Vegas would be the frst major U.S. city completely powered by renewable energy. In a partnership deal with NV Energy, all public buildings, utilities and infrastructure will use renewable energy, either directly from a 100-megawatt solar project being built near Boulder City or by offset-ting conventional methods. The City has already saved $20 million in the past fve years by using conservation methods and energy-effcient programs, which will be expanded as part of the new initiative.

Second most diverse college: This fall U.S. News and World Report ranked UNLV the second most diverse uni-versity in the nation. Technically, the school is in a four-way tie with St. Johns University in New York, University of Houston and Andrews University in Michigan. Still, UNLVs large percentage of Hispanic and Asian students helped bump the college up from sixth place in 2014.

Eighth least run-down roads: While the amount of road construction in Las Vegas may prompt a bit of road rage every now and then, the beneft is that we have been ranked eighth in the nation for our well-kept roads, ac-cording to TRIP, a national transportation research group.

Fourth best U.S. travel destination: According to Trip Advisors Travelers Choice rankings, Las Vegas came in fourth, behind New York, Chicago and Charleston, South Carolina, which shouldnt come as a surprise given our Valleys famed dining, nightlife and natural wonders, such as Red Rock Canyon.

Third in nightlife: Travel site SkyScanner ranked our world-class nightlife lower than Miami Beach and New Orleans (frst and second, respectively). While we lo-cals might bristle at being ranked anything but No. 1 in nightlife, third place is still pretty good, especially when you consider that seven of the top 10 best-performing nightclubs are in Las Vegas. When going by profts, the top six best-performing nightclubs are here, which are (in order) frst-ranked XS, Hakkasan, Marquee, Tao, Sur-render, Hyde Bellagio and Lavo.

Top 10 kinkiest city: How can a city so close to where prostitution is legal at brothels just over the hump in Pahrump not be considered one of the kinkiest cities in America? Indeed, the annual ranking is a real thing tracked every year by Kink University. In fact, according to the fetish site, Las Vegas is actually slipping, dropping from third in 2011 to 10th this year. Time to step up your game, Sin City. We cant let frst place Portland, Oregon, have all the fun.

Head of the ClassSeven (somewhat) surprising ways our city is on top in national rankings

By Emmily Bristol

Seven DaysA curated guide to this week in your cityBy B O B W H I T B Y

MGM Resorts International leads the way in clean and renewable energy with

its solar panels at Mandalay Bay.

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Questions? AskaNative@VegasSeven.com.

J A M E S P . R E Z A

Can Las Vegas fix its pedestrian death problem?Despite the relation to this weeks tragic incident on the Las Vegas Strip, this question reaches wider and deeper than the desperate acts of a distraught few.

Consider this: Between 2008-2011thats four years, if your math is bad140 auto-related pe-destrian deaths occurred in Clark County. Metro investigated 70 such deaths in 2013 alone. In 2014, the count jumped to 93. And despite public relations efforts (the Zero Fatalities program), 2015s number is closing on 120a 70 percent rise over 2013, and nearly matching the four-year total cited earlier.

Contributing factors are numerous, including wide suburban-style streets where cars legally travel 66 feet per second, but where sidewalks remain narrow and unforgiving; increased digital distractions; 24-hour shifts; 24-hour bars; easily distracted tourists, especially those hailing from places where cars and pedestrians comingle a little less confrontationally.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study spanning the years 2008-2011 found that far more local walkers die than tourists. Most are men, around 50 years old; 32 percent had blood alcohol content higher than .08 percentsignificant, given that the focus on drunk drivers outweighs any such attention on drunk walkers. The study concluded some obvious ways to im-prove statistics: reduce exposure of pedestrians to traffic, reduce traffic speed, improve pedes-trian visibility, improve awareness and behavior of drivers and pedestrians.

How that translates to a post-war suburban city is hard to imagine, especially when so many of us live on one side of town and work on the other while demanding to get from A to B quick-ly. On the heels of this weeks tragedy, some are calling for barriers to be erected along the Strip to keep cars off the sidewalk and pedestrians off the street. While it might be a good PR move, it sounds like an overreaction to what has thus far been a rare problem.

Still, given the way the Strip has developed over the years and the increase in foot traffic along it, it would seem better to move toward a more pedestrian-friendly environment alto-gether. Fewer lanes for traffic, more room for walkers, cyclists and pedicabs. In the future, traffic might be gone from the Strip entirely, the entire stretch a Disney-esque Party Street U.S.A. with a PeopleMover running through it.

As for the suburbs, were not about to redraw the roadmap for existing communities, so awareness and attitude need to improve among drivers and pedestrians. Reduce posted speeds in busy areas, and then enforce them. Add signaled crosswalks. Take fewer chances. In the end, who knows? Perhaps more urban-style developments will make their way to the suburbs, giving those who have no want for a car a way to safely live without.

Saving Reed-Whipple The battle over the fate of the Huntridge Theater has

preoccupied Downtown Las Vegas for a decade. However,

another historic performance space is fighting for

survival, as the Reed-Whipple Cultural Center finds itself

standing directly in the path of progressor a commute.

The Regional Transportation Commissions master plan

for Downtown includes a light-rail line that runs through

the south wing of Reed-Whipple, which may mean the

entire structure must go.

Those who support saving the building applaud its

unique architecture and cultural history. Assemblywoman

Heidi Swank, executive director of the Nevada Preservation

Foundation, says it is one of our few remaining buildings

in the international style. Its flat roofline, strong vertical

and horizontal lines, and lack of ornamentation make it an

excellent example of early modernism.

The building, 821 Las Vegas Blvd. North, was

constructed in 1963 as a recreation center for the LDS church

and sold to the City in 1970. From 1972 to 2011, it was home

to numerous arts nonprofits until budget cuts forced it to

close. Reed-Whipple was supposed to receive a $45 million

renovation/expansion that would contain a theater, rehearsal

spaces, bars and a restaurant. But that project has not come

to fruition, and the building has remained unoccupied.

The Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission met

last week to consider the Citys and the RTCs plans for the

site. I hope we can have a new occupant in Reed-Whipple

who will use it well, says Las Vegas City Manager Betsy

Fretwell, adding that a nonprofit would be ideal. There

were also suggestions of repurposing Reed-Whipple into

a transit center. We want everything on the table except

for tearing down any part of that building, commission

member Jack LeVine says.

The Committee unanimously passed a resolution against

allowing Reed-Whipple to be destroyed, as well as one

to begin the process of filing for both national and local

historic landmark status for the building. Given that the RTC

is working on a 30-year plan, it appears the effort to save

the building has plenty of time. Lissa Townsend Rodgers

AT DUSK ON DECEMBER 17,

about 50 people gathered in the cold on the sidewalk in front of the Lloyd D. George U.S. Court-house on Las Vegas Boulevard. As the quarter-moon took light, Thomas Chicago Randle El welcomed the assembleda mix

of homeless people and those working at various agencies that help them.Randle El, the widower of Lin-

da Lera-Randle El, has continued her lifes work, Straight From the Streets. Through the nonproft organization, Linda, who died in 2014, fought for the rights of the homeless and worked pas-sionately to help them. Many felt the weight of her absence at this years 20th anniversary of the annual Homeless Vigil. Several community leaders

and faith leaders, including Las Vegas Christian Church Pastor John Gee and Congregation Tikvah Pnai Rabbi Yockeved Mintz, spoke at the event, which included a reading of all 150 names of the homeless who died in 2015. Chaplain Walter Poston

gave an impassioned reading of Psalm 23. Marjorie Lough shared an account of her sons heroine addiction and her hope for ad-dicts living on the streets.I dont know who my son is

now, she said. But a mothers love is strong.As the lights of the Strato-

sphere twinkled just down the road, Chicago read the names, with help from others. We started with 147 names, but we just found out about three more tonight, he said.Many in the audience, holding

lit candles, cried for the dearly departed.

To donate or get involved with home-less services, or if you need services, contact Help of Southern Nevada at 702-369-4357.

Silent Night

20th annual Homeless

Vigil memorializes 150

By Emmily Bristol

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North Carolina rapper J. Cole hits up Light, where hell deliver his unique blend of rap styles, as heard in last years 2014 Forest Hills Drive. Beyond his distinct fow, hes known to be one of the most gracious rappers in the game; hes made appearances in hospitals to visit fans and surprised them at home with listening parties of unreleased material. See if he debuts new material to ring in the New Year. And even if he doesnt, at least you can get high and go low when he performs Work Out. In Mandalay Bay, 10 p.m., TheLightVegas.com.

Nicki Minaj and Meek Millargu-ably the hottest couple in hip-hopvisit Drais to deliver the Dreams and Nightmares. As a couple, the two have had a rough year, including a beef with their ex-friend Drake, and social media hate. The two collabo-rated on the steamy Buy a Heart and the sentimental All Eyes on You so theyre bound to perform both, as well as their individual hits such as Super Bass and Jump Out the Face. #PowerCouple! In the Cromwell, DraisNightlife.com.

Coming hot off years of Billboard chart-topping singles, Bruno Mars hits the Chelsea to deliver a performance full of his No. 1 singles. Spin and dance to Locked Out of Heaven or shimmy to the triumphant horns during his verse of Mark Ronsons Uptown Funk. Last year, Mars rocked the same room with a sold-out performance, so you know hes bound to deliver a set full of funk and soul infuences of which millions have fallen in love. Dont believe him? Just watch. In the Cosmopolitan, CosmopolitanLasVegas.com.

Following his performance at the Chelsea, Bruno Mars will head to Marquee to join 679 hitmaker Fetty Wap, who has the honor of counting down to midnight. Remember the ages-old tradition of jumping as the clock strikes midnight? Thatll work swimmingly with the beats when the New Jersey rapper performs Again or My Way. Since Drake rocked the room on the same night last year, we hope Mars will join Fetty to perform his verse on the latter. Bring your Trap Queen and enjoy an open bar from 9-11 p.m. and passed hors doeuvres from 9 to midnight. In the Cosmopolitan, MarqueeLasVegas.com.

It might take a few shots for you to start seeing double, but at LAX you can while remaining completely sober because Nina Sky is taking charge of the party. You might remember the Puerto Rican sister duo from 2004s reggaeton-fueled Move Ya Body or Turnin Me On, featuring Pitbull. Since then, the two have altered their sound to cater more to the EDM crowd. Hear some of the new tunes, and predict where theyll go next. In Luxor, Facebook.com/LAXNightclub.

Brooklyn Bowl welcomes multi-genre producer Pretty Lights to give us helpings of electronica, nu jazz, hip-hop, soul and more. His music might sound a little different than some of the bigger-name DJs spinning across the street, but think of it this way: You get to season your musical palate and become exposed to new tunes. Its the best way to kick off the New Year. At the Linq, Brooklyn Bowl.com/Las-Vegas.

Take those Moves Like Jagger from your bedroom mirror to Mandalay Bay Events Center, where pop rock quintet Maroon 5 hits the stage. If the countless singles including Sunday Morning, Animals and This Love arent enough to sell you, perhaps this will: Frontman Adam Levine was seen playing bodyguard for fellow The Voice coaches Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, so perhaps hell bring the two with him. Its the bands fourth year

celebrating the holiday in Las Vegaswere hoping its a new tradition. After all, Levine did pay homage to Frank Sinatra in Sinatra 100: An All-Star Gram-my Concert. 8 p.m. MandalayBay.com.

Celebrate Nick Jonas big move from song to screen to bona fde stardom when he performs live at Foxtail. The 23-year-olds latest single, Area Code, is the perfect match for the venues club setting, with its trap drums, smooth vocals and

Clockwise from top left: J. Cole, Nina Sky, and

Nicki Minaj.

NEW YEARS EVE PARTY GUIDE

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Z Turning the PageWynn Resorts executive and former nightlife kingpin Sean Christie on opening Intrigue,

closing the book on the fading DJ craze and the push for millennials By Mark Gray

Your city after dark, photos from the week's hottest parties and a guide to hangover relief

NIGHTLIFE SEAN CHRISTIE HAS BEEN in the nightlife rat race since he graduated high school in Boston. In 2000, he moved to Las Vegas to assist in the opening and management of House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. From 2001 to 2006, he was a managing partner of the Light Group. In 2007, he opened Blush in Wynn, fol-lowed by Surrender, Encore Beach Club and Andreas in Encore. In that time, Christie has seen the industrys ups and downs. Now, after a few years of EDM having what he calls a stranglehold on the Las Vegas nightlife scene, the current Wynn Resorts vice president of operations says his adjacent properties are go-ing in another direction. On April 28, Intrigue will

open its doors, replacing Wynns long-standing Tryst, but the club will move away from high-priced DJs as its main form of entertainment, although XS, Surrender and Encore Beach Club will still cater to the EDM market. Christie is also attempting to carve a niche for millen-nials with the newly opened Encore Players Club, an ener-getic lounge with gaming in the middle of the casino foor.With Christie and his team

on board, Wynn Resorts is going all in on whats next.

What can we expect from

Intrigue?

We arent taking an approach that everybody [else] is doing right now in terms of the way we market the club. One of the notable things about the club is that we have a private club within the club. The private club is going to be invitation-only, and it will be social media-free zone. People are not going to be allowed to Instagram, tweet, take photosanything like that. We want to truly keep it a private club.

What is the future of nightlife

in Las Vegas?

There was a period that the DJs, as a group, had a stranglehold on nightlife here. But everything is a cycle. One genre or one form

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of entertainment is not going to forever be the promi-nent format in town. When you look back through the decades at the popular types of music, a lot of times, clubs are defned by the music you play in them. People, after a while, are looking for some-thing different.

What does your new role as vice

president of operations at Wynn

Resorts entail?

I work on special projects in the hotel. I try to come up with things to drive revenue, to cut costs or to be experien-tial. One of the things that I was tasked with when I came on board was we wanted to fo-cus more attention on Encore, in terms of the areas that are just slower in the hotel.

Encore Players Club just opened,

and its focused on millennials.

What excites you about it?

We have 26 65-inch TVs, two shuffeboards, an amazing pool table and a DJ. We have these interactive tables that have four screens on them that can be TV screens. They can be games. They can be your Facebook. They can be whatever you want them to

be, but they are very user-friendly. We needed a better place for people to come hang out, gamble and have more of an interactive expe-rience in terms of gambling. It doesnt feel like a club in any way, shape or form. It feels more like a cool lounge that has gaming.

What skills did you learn from

nightlife have carried over to your

non-nightlife role at Wynn?

I come from an entrepreneur-ial, small-business back-ground. At the end of the day, if you dont make money, you dont eat. I never, up until this past year, was ever paid a sal-ary when I had my own com-pany. My deals were always based on, if the place makes a dollar, I make a portion of the dollar. I have always had to hustle. What I bring is a unique way of looking at things: First and foremostagain, in terms of Wynnit has to meet our standards. Is it going to be proftable? Can it make a buck?

Wynn has been featured in a lot

of movies. Is this something well

see more of?

Yes. We actually just shot a

flm on the casino foor in Encore with Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler called The House. The idea behind shooting movies here is that we felt like we could, through flm as a medium, expose all of these rich environments that on the big screenor even small screentranslates so well, be-cause of the way that they are designed and the colors and all the things that make us us.

How has nightlife changed in

Las Vegas over the past decade?

The nightclubs in Las Vegas have lost their identity com-pletely. [The DJ defning] how busy the club is, thats where the nightclub industry is now getting lost. We fork over all this money to whatever DJ it might bewe do not want to be a prisoner to that any-more. DJs are still important for XS and Encore Beach Club and Surrender. Theres certainly a market for it, but we want to start going down a different path and explor-ing different things, because our customers demand new things. The new thing is actu-ally now the old thing, which is a fun nightclub focused on the customer, not the DJ. PH

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NIGHTLIFE

Inside Encore Players Club: billiards, interactive

tables and shuffleboard.

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THU 24Hate to break it to ya, folks, but Santa is real. And hes delivering gifts to all the good boys and girls, tonight, so you might just be able to catch a glimpse of him if you stay out a teeny bit later. Pass the time at Ghostbar, where you can keep an eye out for the man, his sled and his eight noble reindeer from 55 floors above. DJ Benny Blacks got the tunes to keep you entertained on Christmas Eve. Perhaps Old Saint Nick himself will make an appearance at this holly jolly party. We bet hell jump on the dance floor and do his best Drake impression when Black drops Hotline Bling! (In the Palms, 1 p.m., Palms.com.)

FRI 25Are you in the party mood after all the eggnog, family drama, gift giv-ing and wrapping-paper gluttony? Head to Marquee and get festive with Andrew Rayel. The Moldo-van producer and DJ keeps the holiday vibe going with a trance set thatll be just as enchanting as that taupe cashmere sweater Mom got you, or tacky gingham socks that are two sizes too small from Aunt Rochelle. Just kidding; itll be better. Rayel is a huge Star Wars fan, so ask if he wants to trade TIE fighter figurines or chop it up about The Force Awakens. After listening to his recent remix of Dash Berlins Till the Sky Falls Down, we think the Force is strong with this one. The tree isnt

the only thing getting lit this year (In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)

SAT 26The season of giving is techni-cally over, but Steve Aoki doesnt care. Hes heading to Omnia to give us another one of his wild, high-energy sets. Beyond drop-ping some of his biggest singles, such as Delirious (Boneless) and A Light That Never Comes, were hoping the Dim Mak Records founder graces us with helpings of cake. Yes, were still hungry, even if weve been stuff-ing our faces over the past month. (In Caesars Palace, 10:30 p.m., OmniaNightclub.com.) RVLTN turns 2 tonight, and youre in-vited to the party! The Las Vegas-based EDM events company will blow out the candles bywait for itthrowing another one of its tantalizing, over-the-top events. Tonights billing includes multitalented dubstep/electro house/trance/progressive house/everything else producer Seven Lions, Canadian celebrity stormchasers Botnek, trap ter-rorizer Ookay and more. The partys at The Joint this time, so theres sure to be room to move and groove. (In Hard Rock Hotel, 8 p.m., HardRockHotel.com/TheJoint.)

SUN 27Did you catch the Chainsmokers live performance of Roses on

The Late Late Show With James Corden? The New York City-based duo redeemed themselves from their embarrassing 2014 perfor-mance of #Selfie on American Idol. This time, instead of simply pressing play and obnoxiously walking around and taking actual selfies, the duo triggered drums, hit keys and even sang along with singer Rozes on national televi-sion. Its a story of redemption thats worth a celebration, so give

`em dabs when they man the decks at Hakkasan. Fergie DJ holds it down at Heart of Omina. (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.)

MON 28Were knee-deep in that awkward couple of days between the safe, family-centric holiday season and the pure, unadulterated madness of New Years Eve. Whos to say you cant get the party started early? Local turntable vet Dave Fogg rocks the post holiday, pre-New Years Eve celebration with an open-format set at XS. He lists music, movies, toys, guns and knives on his Instagram bio, so ask him what he got for Christ-mas. Check out our interview with Fogg at VegasSeven.com/DaveFogg. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)

TUE 29Tuesdays are for lovers, so take that special gal/guy to Founda-

tion Room, where you can eat and drink on the cheap, thanks to the Nibbles & Sips happy hour. Enjoy $10 small plates, $5 New Amsterdam Vodka cocktails and $5 house wine. And you can impress your bae with one of the grandest views of the city from 63 floors up. (In Mandalay Bay, 5-8 p.m., HouseOfBlues.com/FR.)

WED 30Break the rules: The New Years Eve pregame begins on New Years Eve Eve at Light with another edition of Baauers Studio B. The Philly-born producer finally dropped a new single, GoGo! with a gumbo of dirty synths, flutes and oodles of percussion. Its interesting to see how his style of trap has evolved. Were not even sure if you can call it that at this point. Either way, see if he drops new music during this pre-New Years bash, and try to chart where hell go next musically. (In Mandalay Bay, 10:30 p.m., TheLightVegas.com.)

NIGHTLIFE

Andrew Rayel.

Seven NightsYour week in parties

By I A N C A R A M A N Z A N A

Baauer.

Seven Lions.

T I C K E T S & V I P R E S E R V A T I O N S | O M N I A N I G H T C L U B . C O M | 7 0 2 . 7 8 5 . 6 2 0 0 |

S A T U R D A Y D E C E M B E R 2 6

S T E V E A O K I

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

PARTIES

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LAVO BRUNCHThe Palazzo

[ UPCOMING ]

Dec. 26 Lavo Casino Club

Dec. 31 DJ Khaled spins

Jan. 1 Lavo Casino Club

SEVEN MORE NIGHTS THU 31 Its New Years Eve! Avoid the madness on the Strip

and hit Fremont Street Experience for a tribute-band extravaganza

that includes Rio (Duran Duran), No Duh (No Doubt) and Dont Look Back (Boston). Dad would be proud. (At Fremont Street Ex-

perience, 5 p.m., VegasExperience.

com.) Looking for DJs? Omnia has three: Calvin Harris and BURNS hit the main club, while Jesse

Marco tackles Heart of Omnia. (In Caesars Palace, 10:30 p.m., Omnia-

Nightclub.com.) See our full New

Years Eve guide on Page 23.

FRI 1 Brooklyn Bowl welcomes multi-genre producer Pretty Lights to give us helpings of electronica, nu jazz, hip-hop, soul and more (At the Linq, 8 p.m., Vegas.BrooklynBowl.com), while Morgan Page turns a new page at Light. (In Mandalay Bay, 10:30 p.m., TheLightVegas.com.)

SAT 2 The dome goes up at Marquee Dayclub for a rare visit by Swedish production duo

Galantis. (At the Cosmopolitan, 11 a.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)

Later, hit up Hakkasan for a set by British trance heavyweight Mark Eteson. (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.)

SUN 3 Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye, a.k.a. That Pretty Motherfucka,

a.k.a. A$AP Rocky brings his all-encompassing rap to the stage

at Drais. (In the Cromwell, 10:30 p.m., DraisNightlife.com.)

MON 4 Heaven Trap duo Slander brings its holiness and Gud Vibrations to XS. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)

TUE 5 When it comes to the Downtown Tuesday turn-up,

Vanguard Lounge DJs Sucio and Exile have got you covered at Studio V. (516 Fremont St., 10 p.m., VanguardLV.com.)

WED 6 Wind down on Wednes-day by hitting up happy hour

at PKWY Tavern, and enjoy $3 domestic drafts, well drinks and

wine. (9820 W. Flamingo Rd., 3-7

p.m., PKWYTavern.com.)

Ian Caramanzana

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

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GBDCThe Palms

[ UPCOMING ]

Jan. 2 Party Animal jungle-themed edition

Jan. 9 DJs Mark Stylz and Exodus spin

Jan. 16 Once Upon A Day fairy tale-themed edition

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

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[ UPCOMING ]

Dec. 31 New Years Eve with Nick Jonas

Jan. 1 Borgore spins

Jan. 2 Carlos Condit after-fight party

NIGHTLIFE

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Clockwise from top left: salmon skin with roe, crawfish,

squid ink and chicken feet.

Restaurant reviews, news and master sommelier facetime

Ill be damned if Alex Stratta hasnt got it

going on once again, doing a cuisine Id never have expected from him.

SALT N PEPPER | PAGE 64

DINING

CHICKEN FEET

Although not a common protein source in American dishes, chicken feet are a popular ingredient in other countries, including Indonesia, Russia, Jamaica and Vietnam. Good-humored Filipinos call this popular street food adidas, named after the athletic shoe brand. But its in China where chicken feet have the most traction. Deep-fried, steamed, pickled, marinated, simmered in saucethey are found in snacks, soups and main dishes. Consisting mostly of skin and tendon and gelatinous in nature, the appeal of chicken feet lies in their vast contrast to the texture of actual chicken.Try it: KJ Dim Sum & Seafood (in the Rio, 702-777-7777, Caesars.com).

SQUID INK

In evolutionary terms, cephalopods such as squid and octopuses use ink as a defense mechanism. By releasing large amounts of ink into the water, they create a dark cloud that confuses their predators and allows them to escape. In culinary terms, it is a delicious addition to pasta or risotto, or as a base for stews. The taste is defnitely that of the oceanthick, briny and undeniably umami. Popular in Italian, Spanish and Southeast Asian cuisines, it brings new depth to tender squid. You wont even mind the fact that youll need to brush your teeth after.Try it: Rossejat negra con cigala (toasted pasta, squid ink, sepia sofrito, Norwegian lobster and aioli) at Jaleo (in the Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7950, Jaleo.com).

Taste Test

From the basic to the exotic, we hone in on ingredients thatll tickle

your taste buds By Genevie Durano

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Get the latest news on local restaurant openings and closings, interviews with top chefs, cocktail recipes, menu

previews and more in our weekly Sips and Bites newsletter. Subscribe at VegasSeven.com/SipsAndBites.

DINING

[ JUST A SIP ]

GOING IN BLIND Those sommeliersthey collect some key visuals, stick their nose in a glass of wine, give it a swirl and take a few sips. Then,

without so much as a glance at the label, they tell you what it is, where from and

when. Believe it or not, there is an art to tasting a wine blind. Why not just look at

the label for all this information, you ask? The simple act of learning about the

elements that truly make wines differentsuch as oak, earth and fruitcan really

help narrow down what someone likes, says Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas wine

director and master sommelier Will Costello. Costello hosts Sips With a Master

Sommelier, a blind tasting class from 4-5 p.m. on Saturdays in the private dining room at Twist by Pierre Gagnaire. For $50,

guests receive instruction on how to blind taste, and learn about oak aging, Old World versus New World, and thin- and thick-

skinned varietals. From a purely entertainment point, everyone who attends can enjoy the equivalent of half a bottle of wine

while asking any questions they have about wine in general. In the end, wine is about company and good taste! Mandarin

Oriental also offers Mixologist in the Making with property mixologist Michael LaPenna from 3-4 p.m. on Saturdays (also $50).

Call 702-590-8888 to reserve up to eight seats per class. Large groups and private classes are available. Marisa Finetti

[ A SMALL BITE ]

EAT YOUR WAY TO GOOD LUCK IN THE NEW YEAR Its difficult to say if small, coin-like lentils

actually attract wealth, or whether black-eyed

peas truly invite good fortune. But, its equally

difficult to say that any of these are not true.

Around the world, people eat foods that are

thought to symbolize luck in the New Year.

So why not cover all the bases with these

celebratory eats?

GRAPES | Do as they do in Spain by consuming

12 grapes at the strike of midnightor, more

specifically, in the first 12 seconds of the New

Year. But dont be a false starter by eating one

before the minute hand hits twelve. Thats said

to bring bad luck. Get your fill of this good luck

berry with sopa de ajo con cangrejo (chilled

almond and garlic soup with crab-

meat and grapes; $14) at Jaleo by

Jos Andrs in the Cosmopolitan.

SOBA NOODLES | One of Japans most

beloved foods, soba (also known as buckwheat

noodles), is customarily eaten at midnight. The

noodles symbolize longevity, so the longer the

better. Go ahead and slurp some

zaru soba (chilled soba noodles

dipped in sauce) at I-Naba (3210

S. Decatur Blvd., $8.)

LENTILS | In addition to being delicious, the

lentils resemblance to a tiny coin symbolizes

wealth and financial rewards. In Italy, its

customary to eat sausages with lentils after

midnight. B&B Ristorante in the Venetian offers

cotechino sausage with lentils,

Blue Lizard Farm turnips and

horseradish ($16).

BAGELS | In the morning on New Years Day,

toast yourself with a bagel, which symbolizes

prosperity because its round, and because the

year has finally come full circle.

The Bagel Cafe (301 N. Buffalo Dr.)

has 24 varieties from which to

choose, including plain, jalapeo

and chocolate chip for $12 for a

bakers dozen (here, 14).

PORK | Like grapes and bagels, anything round

can be a symbol of prosperity, and the very

nature of the pigs rotund physique makes it

one of the luckiest foods to eat on New Years

Day. Pigs also symbolize progress, because of

its rooting behavior. Cut in the Venetian offers

a double-thick Kurobuta

chop with Bartlett pear and

quince mostarda ($38)

and Carnevino in the

Palazzo serves a 20-ounce

bone-in chop ($46).

BLACK-EYED PEAS | Perhaps the most

widespread culinary New Years Day good-luck

tradition in the U.S. is Hoppin Johnanother

lucky legumea dish of black-eyed peas served

with rice and pork. Enjoy seared sea scallops

with smoked bacon and black-eyed pea suc-

cotash with sweet corn

cream ($44) at Emerils New

Orleans Fish House in MGM

Grand. Marisa Finetti

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

Theres something so beautiful about heirloom tomatoes, with their surprising, irregular shapes and variegated color. This is a tomato with personality and a taste to match. Heirlooms are classi-fed into four categories: family, commercial, mystery and created heirlooms, their seeds passed down from generation to generation. But the important thing to know about these beauties is their favor, which many feel far surpasses that of mod-ern tomatoes. Theres something to be said about history after all.Try it: Heirloom tomato and bur-rata at Honey Salt (1031 S. Rampart Blvd., 702-445-6100, HoneySalt.com).

CRAWFISH

A crawfsh by any other namecrawdad, freshwater lobster, mudbug, crayfshis just as tasty. Its seafood not from the sea, but from freshwater bayous. While they look like the lobsters more petite cousin, crawfsh have a taste and texture all their own. Noth-ing is more Cajun than these little crustaceans, and a crawfsh boil? Well, thats pretty much the heart

and soul of a Louisiana afternoon (where the recommended portion is fve to seven pounds per person).Try it: Hot N Juicy Crawfsh (mul-tiple locations, HotNJuicyCrawfsh.com).

STEAK & EGGS

This pairing is the bedrock of any breakfast/brunch/late-night menu worth that one last cocktail too many. Its protein in its purest form. The usual suspects on the sidepotatoes, toast, what have youare mere window dressing. Youve come for a nice marbled slab of meat and the delicate ooze of yolk that will power you through whatever the day entails.Try it fancy: Steak et Oeufsa 6-ounce London sirloin steak with two eggs any style, toast and pom-mes fritesat Bouchon (in the Vene-tian, 702-414-6200, Venetian.com).Try it hearty: 10-ounce top sirloin with breakfast potatoes and toast at Ellis Island Casino & Brewery (4178 Koval Lane, 702-733-8901, EllisIslandCasino.com).

LIMES

Remember talk of the lime shortage last year that struck fear into the

hearts of margarita afcionados everywhere? Think about how ubiquitous this citrus is in our daily livesguacamole, ceviche and gin and tonics wouldnt exist without it. Limes are an essential ingredient in Indian, Mexican and Vietnamese cuisines, among others. And really, could you imagine a bowl of pho without that fnal squeeze of citrus bliss? Unthinkable.Try it: The Big Bone Soup at Dis-trict One (3400 S. Jones Blvd., Suite 8, 702-413-6868, DistrictOneLV.com).

SALMON ROE

Its hard not to be enamored with these crown jewels of Japanese cuisine. Salmon roe, known as ikura, are the fully ripe egg masses youll fnd in sushi or paired with blinis. A bite into the delicate orbs opens your mouth to the taste of the oceancomplex, briny and sweet. Although salmon roe is not as pricey as caviar (harvested from sturgeon), it is no less beloved by ardent fans.Try it: Poached egg with sea urchin and salmon roe at Raku (5030 Spring Mountain Rd., Suite 2, 702-367-3511, Raku-Grill.com).

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A&E

NEW ON NETFLIX STREAMING2 Fast 2 Furious (debuts

Jan. 1)

House of Wax (Jan. 1)

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

(Jan. 1)

Training Day (Jan. 4)

It's Always Sunny in

Philadelphia: Season 10

(Jan. 5)

Hyde Park on Hudson

(Jan. 16)

Chelsea Does ... (Jan. 23)

NESTLED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN Drakes Know Yourself and Adeles Hello, Carly Rae Jepsens Run Away With Me was listed by many critics as one of the best tracks of 2015. That Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen? Yep. The one playing the Venetian Theatre on December 30, 31 and January 2? Mmhmm. And it wasnt just Cosmopolitan, that

called Jepsens EMOTION the Best Pop Album of 2015 and gave us 5 Gorgeous Ways To Wear Bows In Your Hair. See also Time, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and The New York Times for more raves. Maybe youre surprised because you

slept on EMOTION after hearing the slump of a lead single, I Really Really Like You. Sample lyric: I really really really really really really like you. But the albums got more meat on its bones, and Run Away With Me is a Grade A cut.Cause you make me feel like/ I could be driv-

ing you all night/ And Ill fnd your lips in the street lights/ I wanna be there with you.The 30-year-old Jepsen has graduated

from throwing wishes into wells to waving her #feels-fag high. Her sweet, breathy vocals produce the kind of confdence-building hook you sing along with to shoo butterfies out of your stomach. And the bouncy, synth-driven melody makes it easy to danceor ask someone to danceto. Not ready to dig deep into the catalog?

Jepsen recently released her version of Whams Last Christmas, kissing the sad yuletide song with a dose of sax and a twinkle of hope that Taylor Swift couldnt quite capture on her 2007 cover. We wont tell anyone if you listen. And

if you ever want to Jepsen and chill, call us, maybe?

[ MUSIC ]

Its OK to Listen to Carly Rae JepsenAnd, in fact, you should By Camille Cannon

CARLY RAE JEPSEN

The Venetian Theatre at the Venetian,

Dec. 30 and Jan. 2 at 8 p.m., Dec. 31 at

10 p.m., 702-414-9000, Venetian.com.

[ ALBUM REVIEW ]

Erykah Badu, But You Caint Use My Phone (Universal Motown Records)

Forget what color is this dress, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Llamas on the

loose: 2015 is the year of Hotline Bling. Drakes monster hit has spurred dozens of

eclectic remixes (Florence + the Machine, Sufjan Stevens, Sam Smith/Disclosure and

several others have given the tune unique spins) and hundreds of memes. (The Wii Tennis

meme is our favorite, by far.) So it shouldnt be alarming that R&Bs queen of quirki-

ness, Erykah Badu, has released an entire mixtape that not only revolves around Drakes

reminiscent tune, but pushes the envelope by examining just how those handheld comput-

ers impact modern relationships. Over the course of 11 tracks, she gives us strong covers

(she gives Ushers U Dont Have to Call some jazzy flair and teams-up with Andr 3000

for a silky smooth cover of the Isley Brothers Hello Its Me) and original compositions

that are stronger still. In Phone Down, Badu craves for the attention of her lover over

eerie, atmospheric trap, while Whats Yo Phone Number features a trade-off of sympathetic verses from Badu and rapper ItsRoutine (whosur-

prise!sounds exactly like Drake). The latter track abruptly transitions into a DJ Screw tribute, which perfectly exposes the mixtapes Achilles

heel: many songs seem fragmented; unfinished. DialAfreaq is a jumbled mess of vocal samples and beeps layered above an Afrika Bambaataa-

esque beat, and songs such as Caint Use My Phone and Ill Call You Back play like extended, glorified interludes. Still, Badu presents a refresh-

ing take on just what a mixtape could be at a time when the line between mixtapes and albums is blurred. Ian Caramanzana

M A R K E T P L A C E

M A R K E T P L A C E

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You were quoted in the Asbury Park [N.J.] Press that when you were younger, you thought Vegas was synonymous with fat Elvis. True?I told my wife I said that, and she turned white, and said You didnt re-ally say that, did you? I hope people know I meant that as a tongue-in-cheek comment, really in jest. But I also meant that Elvis is much more than how he was pictured at the end of his life.My wife and I enjoy

Vegas. We [come here] to have fun. Im not a big gambler. Im more of a slot machine person. Well come there every few months and feel like we treated ourselves. Its changed a lot through the years.

Some of your fans are likely surprised, though, that you will do a residency here when you had some negative impressions of the city earlier in your life.I just meant that Elvis was not at a high point in his career when he played Vegas, but Im defnitely at a high point in mine. Im really loving life, and Im looking forward to being there and introducing my songs in a new way.

How will the residency be different from your regular concerts?We are taking some ele-ments of the tourboth the current one and things I have been doing since 1969, starting with Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)and pre-paring them for a special show. Vegas is known for glitz and glamour and, even better, known for pure rock n roll. So we are taking a lot of extra trappings and fguring out how to do bothre-main true to 1969 and add extra sparkle. One thing, thoughI notice Cher has a lot of costume changes. I will probably wear the same costume, but have many guitar changes!

The residency will celebrate your music of 1969, when you wrote and recorded three separate CCR albums with songs such as Fortunate Son and Down on the Corner. Who will perform with you?I will have my band. Weve

been together [as a whole band] for a year and a half. But Ive played with a lot of them for a long time. [Drummer] Kenny Aronoff and I have been playing together for 20 years.

Any special guests?A lot of musicians are in and out of Vegas, so if I had a mystery guest, it would be wonderful. But I havent called my friends and lined them up. If it happens, itll be very or-ganic. Thats much more rock n roll.

You were very honest about your faults in your recent autobiography, Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music. ($30, LIttle, Brown and Company) How cathartic was the experience?A couple of things in my childhood left me fxated on honesty. I want that from others, and that means I have to be honest, too. Now, if someone asks me if their clothes look nice, I might fudge a bit. But I have to be honest about things that really matter. If Im not brutally honest about myself, noth-ing else I say matters. In the book I talk about my mistakes [such as the unre-lenting perfectionism that alienated many friends] and my favorite stuff and how I came through it all and landed on my feet. Life became wonderful for me.

What projects are you planning after the residency?I have been concentrating on guitar for several years and feel like I am just really getting into a good place. Im not saying this to be overly humble or fsh for compliments. There are some guys that really, really play and are full of incredible guitar chops. I always thought Id grow up and be like that, but its been a cold water-in-the-face moment. I didnt do that, but I hope to do a lot of that on my next record.

John FogertyThe singer on his Vegas residency, adding sparkle to 1969

and why hes fixated on being honest By Nancy Dunham

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FORTUNATE SON

IN CONCERT

Jan. 8-23,

Venetian Theatre,

$59.50,

702-414-9000,

Venetian.com.

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