'Mystere' is one of five Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas. (Photo: Scott M Doctor)
It's another "top-secret" exclusive, as Luxe Life reveals that the famed Cirque du Soleil entertainment group is taking its Vegas successes to the Chinese gaming colony of Macau, all thanks to billionaire Venetian majordomo Sheldon Adelson. It's the first venture for Cirque in the Far East, despite previous touring companies in Europe. But, The Venetian plans on having the first permanent Cirque spectacular at its properties on the island not far from Hong Kong. I haven't been able to yet discover any of the specifics of what the show would be and when it will open, but I can tell you that Base Entertainment, which owns the Phantom of the Opera and Gordie Brown shows, currently at the Venetian, played ultimate matchmaker between Sheldon and Guy Laliberte, Cirque's founder and that Base will produce the Macau production. It's the first time that Cirque has broken away from its Vegas partnership with the mighty MGM corporation (it currently has 'Mystere' at TI, 'LOVE' at Mirage, 'O' at Bellagio, 'KA' at MGM Grand, 'Zumanity' at NYNY, all MGM properties, and is planning a magic show with Criss Angel at Luxor, and an Elvis spectacle at City Center, also MGM properties). Steve Wynn is currently the only other Vegas player in the rapidly developing Macau market and MGM has not yet announced plans for an entry into the Chinese communist nation.
At present, Sheldon's Las Vegas Sands, which in September further expanded its new casino, is reporting that casino revenue there jumped 40% to $335 million from $240 million in the corresponding third-quarter period from a year ago. (That's 3 times faster than the overall Macau market and represents a 21%share of all Macau gaming.) Next summer, Sheldon will open his $2.4 billion Venetian complex there on the adjoining Cotai Strip, and the very few discreet insiders who know about the deal are guessing that oneof the Base theaters there will be home for the new Cirque show!!
TAO EXPANDS. AND A NEW MEGA CLUB
Meantime, it is fairly official that Mark Packer and Richard Wolf, the co-owners of the hot, hip TAO complex in The Venetian, will expand into the adjoining new Palazzo hotel when it opens next fall. They're planning a brand new mega nightclub, even larger than the big three currently here in Vegas: PURE, TAO and TRYST! That's in addition to the TAO expansions already underway at The Venetian. First comes next April's topless, pool-beach complete with in-water gaming and a staircase to and from the TAO club for revelers to cool off between dance sessions, and a new ultra-lounge in the main casino that will have a "Moroccan influence" akin to Rick's in that famous 'Casablanca' movie starring Humphrey Bogart! That is so cool!!
HIGHROLLER SHOCKERS
Since today's Luxe Life features food and wine, I have to tell you about the millionaire racecar driver (no names please) who is a regular at PURE nightclub in Caesars Palace. On his most recent visit this week, he took over three dance floor tables for his 20 pals and ordered champagne. Not just any champagne mind you. Every magnum in the place right down to the last bottle, so long as it was Cristal Rose, Dom Perignon Rose and Perrier Jouet Rose. The tab was $20,000 and he didn't even blink. PURE actually ran out of rose champagne supplies!!! Magician David Blaine and rocker Dave Navarro watched in amazement, but the two $1 million high-rollers at another adjoining table wanted to top even that, but there was no champagne left. That tab would pale by comparison if he'd gone to Wynn and ordered 20 of the Menage A Trois signature cocktail, which cost $3,000 a glass. His tab there would have been $60,000!! It's not just the concoction of Cristal Rose, Hennessey cognac, and Grand Marnier, it's the 23-karat edible gold flakes and liquid gold syrup that go on top!! Meantime, my gossip-guru friend Norm Clark of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes that both basketball great Michael Jordan and 'Girls Gone Wild' producer Joe Francis gambled, and lost big-time, playing blackjack. In fact, Michael alone droppedmore than $1 million with Joe losing nearly the same figure!!!
SEXY DANCERS. NEW SHOWS
The sexy Cover Girls. (Photo: Golden Nugget)
With the debut of Cover Girls as the new late night entertainment offering at the Golden Nugget,which unveils its new look next Monday, downtown goes into a sensory overload that's sizzling, sexy and sinful. The latest adult-revue is a sexy variety show...
straight from London that incorporates traditional production show numbers with the latest in 3-D technology. Audiences will actually be able to control, from an interactive seat computer, just what they'd like the sexy dancers to wear or not wear and what routines to dance, just as if you were laying out a magazine cover with the model yourself. Call her Cyber-Babe! Unlike other topless titillations, Cover Girls raises the bar with its cast of internationally-acclaimed male and female dancers plus two of England's top, rising stars. Noel Sullivan, of the British hit television series 'Popstars' and Zoë Birkett, from 'Pop Idol,' the precursor to the smash U.S. series 'American Idol,' serve as hosts, as well as perform solo numbers. They are endorsed by Simon Cowell himself!
'Simply Ballroom' will soon open at the Golden Nugget. (Photo: Golden Nugget)
Simultaneously at the Golden Nugget comes an earlier dance show: 'Simply Ballroom,' direct from its successful world tour through South Africa, Dubai and Europe, starring a collection of top-ten ranked competitive ballroom dancers. The 10 world champion competitive ballroom dancers mix myriad styles of the tango, salsa and the waltz. Each couple will be highlighted in the 70-minute long production. As an added bonus, audience members will earn the chance to learn basics of dance, making it another interactive experience. Put it all down to the success of such shows as 'Dancing with the Stars' and 'So You Think You Can Dance.'
After a six-month-long renovation, The Showroom at the Golden Nugget (formerly the Theatre Ballroom) remains one of the most intimate entertainment venues in Vegas. The expanded room offers 600 plush, theater-style seats and the newest in digital audio and visual technology. In September 2005, Landry's Restaurants, Inc. purchased the nearly 60-year-old hotel-casino. Currently, the Golden Nugget is completing the first phase of its multi-million dollar renovation complete with The Tank, which will allow guests to swim among sharks and other marine life, which will be unveiled on Monday.
MOVIE TIP
Starting today thru Sat, Nov. 12, our CineVegas Film Festival presents one exclusive weekend of screenings of the critically acclaimed film, 'Shortbus,' at the Brenden Theatres in the Palms. The sexually graphic and highly controversial movie only opened in limited release in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco in October, but has never shown in Las Vegas. Shortbus,' one of the true sensations of this year's Cannes Film Festival, presents sex and sexuality as never before seen in mainstream entertainment, and promises to be one of the most talked-about films for months and years to come. "We think it's important to bring independent films like 'Shortbus' to Las Vegas, and give film-goers the opportunity to see movies that otherwise can't be seen here," said Trevor Groth, director of programming for the CineVegas Film Festival.
I'M ON THE GRILL
A new foodies website has launched in Vegas and I became one of the first folks to be grilled by Menuvegas.com. I was asked 7 specific questions about the City and its nightlife & dining scene. Check out their coverage of our dining scene at www.menuvegas.com. Meantime, I thought you might be interested in my responses. Here are the first three. Check back tomorrow for the other four.
MenuVegas: How long have you been a full-time resident of Vegas?
Robin Leach: I have lived in Vegas full-time for seven years now. I love the city. I love its excitement, its pulse and the fact that away from the sins of the Strip it is a vibrant growing and extraordinarily generous community in its care for those less fortunate. It was never my intention to live full-time here but to cut down on commuting from NYC on Food Network TV business and with the executives of The Venetian before it was planned out. I bought a small townhouse to cut down on the exhausting travel schedule, but then I fell in love with Vegas so I bought Gavin Maloof's home and made the switch from Manhattan.
MV: You'll probably always be linked to the celebrity lifestyle. What are today's celebrity hot spots in Vegas? Is there a particular restaurant that really attracts the stars right now?
RL: A battle rages between the Tao and Pure nightclubs as each week they seesaw in the No. 1 spot for claiming the top Vegas celebrity hot spot. Best celebrity spotting hotel is The Palms with its N9NE steakhouse restaurant and the new Nove, which attracts young Hollywood stars and sports VIPs alike. Tao's restaurant in The Venetian attracts numerous celebrities, as does Pure's Social House restaurant directly across the street at the Treasure Island and Pure's Pussycat Dolls lounge at Caesars. They are the best for night-time stars, and check out Spago in the Forum Shops of Caesars for daytime celebrity spotting.
MV: You've sampled the best cuisine around the globe. Did you ever think that Vegas would become a great dining city?
RL: I've said publicly for a long time now that Vegas is the top dining destination in the world and exceeds New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London. We simply have more superstar chefs here than any other city on earth: Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Alain Ducasse, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, Michael Mina, Emeril Lagasse, Bradley Ogden, Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer, Bobby Flay, Todd English, Kerry Simon, Nobu Matsuhisa, Pierro Selvaggio, Alex Stratta, Julian Serrano, Jeans-Georges Vochterin and Hubert Keller, just to name a few. Back in 1998 when I first began assisting The Venetian with its plan to have theworld's best chefs and their restaurants as part of the resort's master plan, I never guessed that everybody else would copy that formula. Now it's growing bigger and better everywhere else on the Strip -- but at The Venetian we still have Mario Batali and David Burke to join this winter!
DINING BREAKING NEWS
Congratulations to 3 Vegas winners of the highly prestigious Mobil Travel Guide 2007 Five Star winners announced this morning in NY. MGM Grand's superstar chef Joel Robuchon was named a Five Star restaurant winner, which comes on the heels of the AAA Five Diamond announcement in the past. My chef-friend Alex Stratta also picked up 5-Stars for his restaurant, Alex at the Wynn. Additionally, The Tower Suites at Wynn received 5-Mobil Stars.
STRIP SCRIBBLES
Larry Edwards and Sir Elton John (Photo: TotalVegasTV.com)
Just asking, but is it true that both Paris Hilton and Carmen Electra have their reps talking to Vegas and Miami nightclubs about hosting New Years Eve parties to whoever ponies up a cool $100K fee each!!! ... Former NFL running back, Ki-Jana Carter and red headed comedian, Carrot Top, dined separately at Social House. Carter and 12 friends watched a VIP screening of the Sirens of TI show, right outside of the restaurant, while Carrot Top was in such deep business negotiations with TV producers for a new comedy series they were they last one's to leave the restaurant. ... Toni Braxton took her family of 6 to see 'LOVE' on the same night as Motley Crue guitarist, Mick Mars and Aerosmith drummer Joe Kramer took in the show. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry rounded up 8 of his family on their Vegas weekend to join them. Actress Victoria Tennant saw the Beatles musical for the 2nd time with her husband, Kirk Stambler. ... Our favorite Tina Turner impersonator, Larry Edwards will be seen with Caesars headliner Sir Elton John on Bravo 's Red Piano concert today. Larry does a great dance and camp-it-up routine for the pianist.
SEXY DATE TO KILL FOR
If you can stay up from midnight until 3AM, you're invited to join the sizzling ladies of the La Femme topless revue up at Randy Gerber and Cindy Crawford's Cherry nightclub at the Red Rock tonight. The topless cabaret girls from MGM will be there for a meet and greet, taking photos and doing interviews. Plus, you might even be able to snag a dance with them!!! And now for something completely different as Monty Python would say... ChefLive.com and the Wine of the Month Club presents Lethal Libations, an interactive murder mystery night featuring a three course wine tasting accompanied by cheese, fruit, and bread at the Chef Live headquarters inside the Holsum Lofts downtown.
TONIGHT'S TIP
Funny and sexy Suzanne Somer plays the Orleans. (Photos: Courtesy of Suzanne Somers)
My longtime dear friend Suzanne Somers returns to Vegas for the first time in 15 years and opens at the Orleans with her song and dance comedy act, which will run through Sunday night and we'll go backstage for an exclusive chat. ... Another pal, David Copperfield makes magic at MGM all the way thru Thanksgiving, until Nov 29. ... Remember when New Orleans entertainer Gennifer Flowers revealed her 12-year affair with Bill Clinton during the '92 Presidential battle? Well, she's the star of the Bottoms Up cabaret at Fitzgeralds downtown starting tonight. ... And finally, 'tis the season because the Gift of Lights, a massive mind-blowing drive-thru Holiday Spectacular with 8-million lights set up as 200 displays opens at Sunset Park and runs until January 2!
TOMORROW'S TEASE
British rockers the Rolling Stones and The Who do battle for bragging rights as weekend winners in an ultimate rock-music invasion showdown as Lisa Marie Presley sneaks into town. Plus, it's time to get up-close and personal with the sexy girls of the new Hooters calendar. You just knew Luxe Life would have the first look!
