Luxe Life Blog

Strip Scribbles: Tim and Faith prepare for Strip arrival as Garth departs

Posted October 24, 2012 • 4:01 p.m.

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw announce their extended engagement at the Venetian on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/DonoghuePhotography.com

Country’s king and queen Tim McGraw and Faith Hill will preview their Venetian headline residency at Nov. 1’s 46th Annual CMA Awards from Nashville on ABC. Faith will perform her new single “American Heart,” and Tim will perform tracks from his upcoming album.

On the star-studded telecast to be hosted for the fifth time by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, Tim and Faith also join Lady Antebellum and Blake Shelton for a tribute to Willie Nelson. They then head here for rehearsals for their show “Soul2Soul” starting Dec. 7.

Meantime, Garth Brooks, who ends his Wynn residency Nov. 17, was in tears as he fulfilled one long-outstanding dream as he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame by his hero George Strait, Bob Seger and James Taylor, all of whom Garth credits in his one-man show at the Wynn.

Garth, who is here this weekend, said he looked at the honor as “a continuation of making country music as proud of you as you always have and you represent it the best you can.” He said that he moved to Nashville only to get George to record “Much Too Young to Feel This Damn Old,” which George sang at the ceremony. James said he was invited by Garth’s wife, Trisha Yearwood. She joked, “I’m not calling him Hall of Famer at home when I want his attention.”

Garth summed up, “This is the greatest day in my music career, but the greatest days of my life are my three daughters.”

DESERT RACERS: Las Vegas will be well represented in the desert battle for champion of the 45th Annual Baja 1000 starting Nov. 14 . The rugged 1,121-mile course from Ensenada down the peninsula to La Paz will have eight checkpoints and is the final event of the 2012 five-race series. More than 300 entries for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs are expected, with drivers from as far away as Australia and Hungary.

The spotlight will be on our Las Vegas contenders: Rob MacCachren, who is atop the point standings after four of five races; brothers Ed and Tim Herbst with the most race wins in the 18-year-plus history of SCORE’s premier racing division; younger brother Troy Herbst; MGM CityCenter chief Bobby Baldwin’s son B.J. Baldwin, now 3rd overall; Bryce Menzies; Kory Scheeler with NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan; and six-time SCORE Trophy Truck race winner Brian Collins.

LINGERIE EXPOSURE: It’s been such a great debut Lingerie Football League season with ever-expanding fans north of the border that Canada will see two teams added next year and national TV broadcasts. The only upset was that our Las Vegas Sin quarterback starlet Nikki Johnson’s Regina Rage lost to the Saskatoon Sirens in the last game before the inaugural Canadian Lingerie Bowl. Saskatoon now plays the B.C. Angels in the Nov. 18 finals.

Said Nikki: “The battle for credibility is ongoing, but our Vegas-headquartered LFL is building a great product, and it’s far more than just wearing revealing uniforms. We proved that in our first game, and fans believe in us. … We’re the pioneers, and we showed what’s to come with this step in the right direction.”

LFL Chairman Mitch Mortaza says he wants to develop the Canadian franchise into a mainstream sports property and double next year’s Canadian schedule to eight games for each team. After the Canadian Bowl, he turns his attention to the start of the U.S. season.

HOUSE SALE TV: Reality TV show cameras will roll on high-end luxury real-estate mogul Mauricio Umansky, who is married to Kyle Richards of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. His company the Agency hosts a party Friday at the mansion once owned by Las Vegas real-estate developer Jack Sommers, owner of the Aladdin long before it became Planet Hollywood. The home and the event are being shot for HGTV’s “Selling L.A.”

‘ZARKANA’ TREASURE HUNT: To celebrate the Nov. 9 premiere of “Zarkana,” Cirque du Soleil is running a treasure hunt. Fans have to find 50 “Eyes of Zarkana” hidden at Aria, Tivoli Village, the District at Green Valley Ranch and Town Square. Five others are coveted “Golden Eyeballs” for the red carpet and VIP after-party. The treasure hunt starts today and ends Nov. 2.

VINCE NEIL’S VODKA: Motley Crue frontman and Las Vegas resident Vince Neil has confirmed plans we tipped that he’ll to launch a vodka, Tatuado (named after his many tattoos and his Mexican cantina at LVH) in time for the holiday season.

GAMING AT BAGATELLE: The new Bagatelle Beach & Supper Club opening Oct. 31 at the Tropicana won’t have slot machines or roulette wheels, but it will offer casino games to diners and pool people by Cantor Gaming to play on iTablets, cell phones and computers while partying at the resort.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Congratulations to gaming legend Jackie Gaughan, who serves cake and champagne to celebrate his 92nd birthday at his El Cortez downtown.

Round 1 of the 2012 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals is at the Thomas & Mack Arena, with the official after-party at Centrifuge in MGM Grand.

Apologies for being 24 hours too early with the One Island tour stop at Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip featuring reggae-roots bands Bambu Station from the Virgin Islands and Polynesia’s Inna Vision -- it’s tonight!

Monte Carlo headliners Jabbawockeez kick off the 41st Annual Boys Nite Out for the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas.

Border Grill chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of “Top Chef Masters” celebrate National Food Day at their Mandalay Bay restaurant.

Alfred Dunhill’s models and designs are at Lily Lounge in the Bellagio.

TOMORROW’S TEASE

Our interview with Food Network star Adam Richman as he runs down a preview of next week’s World Food Championships, plus, my look at “Rock of Ages” on Broadway before it lands at the Venetian in December.

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 at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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