Luxe Life Blog
Strip Scribbles: $100,000 up for grabs in Palms Halloween costume contest
Photo: TVT
Time flies! No sooner does the Labor Day holiday become history than our marketing savvy casino resorts press the button on promotional plans for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s! First up, the Oct. 31 flamboyant insanity of the night of the dead.
The Palms is the first to announce that it’s putting more than $100,000 in cash and prizes into the pot for its Night of the Killer Costumes contest, and all of its nightclub venues will be participating. Tempter or temptress? Ghostly goblin or wicked witch? Spellbinding beauty or ghastly ghoul? Whatever your mood or choice, Rain, Moon, Ghostbar and The Playboy Club will be the place to mix and mingle on Halloween.
At Rain, the judges will divvy up the money to the top three funniest, scariest and most shocking costumes in the best overall costume. Up on the 55th floor at Ghostbar, the battle will be between the top three creepiest ghouls for best ghoul costume. In Moon, the three most cosmic, sci-fi costumes will win the prizes, and at The Playboy Club, the Bunnies are looking for the best Playboy-inspired costume. Maybe I could just get out of bed and go as Hef?
Nobody does Vegas better than Vegas, and in the next six weeks, we’ll give you the rundown of all the ghastly, ghostly experiences in store for all you party animals.
*Our friends from South of the border have a mass invasion planned this weekend to celebrate their Mexican Independence holiday. The celebrations run right through to the big day on Wednesday night, so expect to see strolling mariachi bands and packed Mexican restaurants serving margaritas wherever you go. You’ll find the complete listing of Mexican and Latin American superstar concerts in our ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN below.
Nove Italiano executive sous chef Tony Schutz, Flavor Flav and Nove Italiano manager Carmine DePascuale.
Star surveillance
You normally think of racecar drivers as striking, handsome figures in sleek suits. You don’t think of them as the wild men of hip-hop. Well charge my batteries! Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav not only got behind the wheel at Pole Position Raceway opposite Palms Place, but he also challenged his entire family to race against him. Flav told one of the pit instructors: “I’ve been in here a few times. I’m like a coat in a closet -- hanging in there.”
Nove Italiano executive chef Geno Bernardo and soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the kitchen of the Palms restaurant.
*Congratulations to chef Geno Bernardo and his staff at the beautiful, authentic Nove Italiano atop the Palms Fantasy Tower for being named the No. 1 Italian restaurant here by Orbitz. It’s one of my favorite restaurants in town, and dozens of celebrities make it their hangout for decadent seafood pastas, spaghetti Nove, the thin-crust pizzas and my favorite baby heirloom tomatoes with Burrata cheese!
*We’ll take a moment here from our daily musings to remember those heroes who died in the attacks on U.S. soil at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the downed Pennsylvania airliner on Sept. 11, 2001. You will not be forgotten as the war on terror continues to be fought by our brave military.
The Titanic exhibit at the Luxor.
*It was nearly a quarter century ago this month that the unsinkable British ship the Titanic was discovered on the floor of the North Atlantic Ocean. Since that time, more than 5,500 objects have been recovered and 20 never-before-seen artifacts, including gaming chips, passenger personal papers and decorative sections from the vessel’s famed grand staircase, are on show here at the Luxor. In September 1985, an experimental, unmanned submersible known as the Argo and developed by the U.S. Navy was investigating debris on the ocean floor when it suddenly passed over one of the sunken ship’s massive boilers. After 73 years of laying undiscovered two miles below the surface, the wreck of the RMS Titanic had finally been found. Robert D. Ballard headed the U.S.-French expedition that discovered the sunken liner about 400 miles east of Newfoundland, about 13 miles from where it was last seen on the surface after colliding with an iceberg in 1912. The Luxor’s Titanic exhibit faithfully re-creates the maiden voyage. I’ve stood on the decks and felt the chill of the wintry April night when she went down. It’s a sensational feeling to step right into history.
The Titanic exhibit at the Luxor.
*Now before we sink under the weight of another incredible weekend of superstar attractions and entertainment highlights, we’ll dive deep for our own buried treasure that we affectionately refer to around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:
Friday, Sept. 11
*Superstar singing sensation Mariah Carey performs an up-close and intimate concert, choreographed and directed by Debbie Allen, at The Pearl in the Palms. Mariah is back onstage tomorrow, as well.
Mariah Carey rehearses at The Pearl Concert Theater in the Palms.
*Stars from across the pond have flown over for three nights of Britain’s Top Talent at The Orleans featuring the best magicians, musicians, comedians, singers and acrobats from my old country, including Ben Stone. Funds raised go, as we told you yesterday, to MagiCares now headquartered here. Click HERE for an amazing Siegfried & Roy story!
Ben Stone.
*One-time teen idol Frankie Avalon hit the charts even before The Beatles arrived on the pop charts more than 40 years ago. His string of million-sellers covers three generations of music, TV and movies. Those Beach Party movies alone go back 50 years! Dubbed “The King of Song” in 1959, he’ll sing “Beauty School Dropout,” “Venus” and other hits for the next three nights at the Suncoast.
*British pop singers Chad & Jeremy go back to the early 1960s, as well, but they split at the end of that decade and didn’t reunite until 2003. They’ll perform their first two hits, “Yesterday’s Gone” and “A Summer Song,” in two nights of shows at the Eastside Cannery. That psychedelic folk rock still entertains into the 21st century, and they thrilled fans at this year’s Sundance with their 2008 greatest hits album.
*It’s a double header at Mandalay Bay Beach with G. Love and Special Sauce and a screening of American Pie while you cool your feet in the wave pool and lounge on the sand. … Poolside at the Hard Rock Hotel is Collective Soul, the group formed in the early 1990s by songwriter Ed Roland. … Tower of Power kicks off three nights of shows at the South Point.
Party patrol
Mickey Avalon jets back in from L.A. to host and deejay at Prive in Planet Hollywood, and former teen idol Rex Smith is joined by Kool & the Gang’s Skip Martin, Chicago’s Danny Seraphine, Whitesnake’s Rudy Sarzo, L.A. Law’s Michele Greene and Expose’s Jeanette Jurado for the Big ’80s remix party to benefit Big Brothers & Big Sisters. The event is at Lavo in the Palazzo and features a most eligible bachelorette auction. My friend Carrie Henderson, who runs Best Models here, is up for bid with a dinner at Spago and tickets to see Bette Midler. Start the bidding!
*If you’re staying home, remember the exclusive and emotional interview on ABC’s 20/20 with Las Vegas resident LaToya Jackson by Barbara Walters about Michael Jackson’s final days before his June 25 death.
LaToya Jackson and Barbara Walters.
Saturday, Sept. 12
*Our favorite Motley Crue rocker Vince Neil comes in from the Crue Fest 2 tour to host and perform with his Vince Neil Band at the grand opening VIP party of his Vince Neil Ink tattoo parlor at The Rio. The wild-night after-party with bikes, babes, beer and barbecue continues at his Dr. Feelgood’s Rock Bar & Grill on West Sahara.
Guitarist Nikki Sixx and lead singer Vince Neil of Motley Crue perform at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel.
*Another local favorite, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, sings Motown hits and some surprises at Silverton Casino Lodge, while The Pointer Sisters make it a family affair with their similarly timeless pop and R&B hits at the Cannery. I’m not shy about telling you “I’m So Excited” for both shows!
*Comedy buddies Ray Romano and Brad Garrett will perform separately and then close out the show together at The Mirage for two nights.
*The Mexican Independence holiday is celebrated by Latin singing sensation Luis Miguel in concert for four nights at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace. The nine-time Grammy winner has been a superstar since the 1980s. … Mexican superstars Marco Antonio Solis and Pepe Aguilar perform recent hits and the songs that made them national heroes at Mandalay Bay Events Center. … And for music of all nations, it’s the fabulous Gypsy Kings at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm.
Party patrol
The Pussycat Dolls’ stunning lead singer Nicole Scherzinger gives a solo performance at LAX in the Luxor, and she’s also promised to attend PCD creator Robin Antin’s premiere party for British singer Matt Goss’ Matt Goss Live From Las Vegas at the Palms. … Rapper Bow Wow will host and perform his hip-hop hits at Pure. … The Down & Derby roller-skating disco party gets underway at Beauty Bar, and DJ OB One and DH SHR3D keep the skaters -- dressed in ’70s disco outfits -- in line.
Nicole Scherzinger.
*Tickets go on sale today for the Oct. 29 tour kickoff for Puscifer at The Pearl. Tool and A Perfect Circle rocker Maynard Keenan will have a rotating cast of guest players on the tour with him.
Cheap Trick will be performing Sgt. Pepper Live at the Las Vegas Hilton in September.
Sunday, Sept. 13
*Cheap Trick want you to want them when they perform the entire Sgt. Pepper album in concert with a symphony orchestra led by conductor Edwin Outwater. They’ll appear at the Hilton starting tonight through Sept. 23 to celebrate The Beatles album. Guest artists will include Joan Osborne, Ian Ball and Rob Laufer.
*Dynamite duo Zowie Bowie kick off the first night of their new Big Band Classics show in the Lance Burton Theater at the Monte Carlo. Marley and Chris will be singing the classics as if the Rat Pack were back in town with a 19-piece backup band of Lon Bronson’s finest! It’s a night for tuxedos and glittering gowns -- and tons of yesteryear bling!
Zowie Bowie at the 70th birthday celebration for Mayor Oscar Goodman at the Golden Nugget on July 31.
*Mexican Independence weekend celebrations continue with two-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona, Latin America’s Bob Dylan, in The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel. … Hot Tamales Live, created by host Kiki Melendez and Eva Longoria to showcase Latin comedy, plays The Pearl in the Palms with comedians Amuy Anderson, Carla Collins, Tiffany Haddish, Jill Michelle Melean, Nadine Rajabi and the Ambassador of Love, Mucho Mucho Valentino. … Polo Polo asks the question, “Minimo, no?” at their adult-themed comedy show at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. Just what is an Albur?
*As The Light Group gets ready to open its new Union, Haze and Deuce venues in MGM’s CityCenter, there’s a casting call today and tomorrow for 350 hosts, servers, bartenders, chefs and other staff at The Mirage.
*If you’re staying in, Janet Jackson will kick off the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with a song and dance tribute to her late brother, Michael. The show also will preview the King of Pop’s film This Is It being released next month!
Aubrey O'Day.
Monday’s teases
We’ll have all the weekend reports from the opening of CSI: The Experience, Vince Neil’s tattoo parlor at The Rio, the official Matt Goss premiere, Mariah Carey concerts at the Palms and the first night of Zowie Bowie’s Big Band Classics show at the Monte Carlo. Then next week in our exclusive interview with new Peepshow headliner Aubrey O’Day, you’ll understand why she says, “ Vegas has met its match!” It’s also Phantom Fans Week, and we’ll be on duty for the five days of special events that have attracted people from around the world to meet the producers, director Hal Prince, the stars and the cast – and, of course, The Phantom himself!
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.
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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.
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