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L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

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VEGAS HELPS LAUNCHES WITH A $200,000 SEED DONATION Las Vegas-based tech entrepreneur Justin Woo wanted to do something to help when COVID-19 hit the Valley. But his vision went further than volunteering or a onetime monetary donation. He recalled seeing a variety of posts on NextDoor and Facebook with locals requesting help. “You know, such and such needs something, someone else lost their car—all these little stories,” Woo says. “We wanted to build something to help locals in Vegas.” Woo’s company, Apollo Interactive, put forth a $200,000 seed donation to get the ball rolling on his new charity, Vegas Helps. He hopes to raise more money over the year to keep the giving going. Vegas Helps assigns individual monetary donations to specific charitable acts. Woo plans to personally cover operating costs, so that 100% of donations are going toward helping people. People can submit requests at vegashelps.com, and donors can give on the same site. Requests are vetted before being granted. Woo says the target price of an act of kindness is about $500. Vegas Helps started helping people around Christmas by providing gifts, holiday ham dinners and help for a homeless Henderson family. “There’s some people that need hundreds of thousands of dollars— we’re probably not the best charity for that,” Woo says. “But what we’re trying to do is, say, somebody got their wheelchair stolen or they don’t have the money to fix their brakes. We would come in and help them with that—little things that brighten people’s day.” –C. Moon Reed

WEEK IN REVIEW WEEK AHEAD N EWS YO U S H O U L D K N OW A B O U T

Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 20. (Andrew Harnik/Associated Press)

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IN THIS ISSUE

10 14 27 32 36

5-Minute Expert: Become a hockey fan—fast! Cover story: What it's like opening a restaurant right now The Strip: Reflecting on Siegfried Fischbacher's legacy Food & Drink: Downtown's experimental Vegas Test Kitchen Sports: Can Gus Bradley fix the Raiders' defense?

STORIES FROM LAST WEEK UNLV DITCHES HEY REB! UNLV will no longer use the Hey Reb! mascot for its sports teams but will continue to use the Rebels nickname. University president Keith Whitfield said January 19 that he finds no issue with the nickname. “I was drawn to lead this great university because I identified with its spirit, determination and daring style,” Whitfield said. “Rebels are not afraid to fail and create a new path when one doesn’t exist."

MEGAMILLIONS JACKPOT REACHES $865 MILLION The Mega Millions top prize climbed to an estimated $865 million on January 19, the biggest jackpot in more than two years. Powerball, the other lottery game offered in most of the country, wasn't far behind at $730 million for a January 20 drawing. It was the first time both lottery jackpots topped $700 million.

LIVING THE AIRPORT LIFE Aditya Singh, of California, was arrested January 16 on charges that he hid in a secured area at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport for three months. He told police that the coronavirus pandemic left him afraid to fly. A judge ruled that Singh could be released if he paid $1,000, but said he was prohibited from setting foot in the airport.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF STEALING PELOSI'S LAPTOP

HE SAID IT

“The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of branch of the federal government.” –Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, January 19, on the floor of the Senate

L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

Federal authorities arrested on January 19 arrested Riley June Williams, whose former romantic partner says she took a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. FBI officials said a caller claiming to be an ex of Williams said friends of hers showed him a video of her taking a laptop computer or hard drive from Pelosi's office. The caller alleged that she intended to send the device to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to that country's foreign intelligence service.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) and goalie Marc-André Fleury get taken down in a collision with Anaheim Ducks winger Rickard Rakell during the first period of the teams' January 16 game at T-Mobile Arena. The Knights won, 2-1 in overtime. (Isaac Brekken/Associated Press)

SISOLAK'S BUDGET PROPOSES CUTS TO EDUCATION, INCREASE FOR HEALTH CARE Nevada’s $8.69 billion general fund budget for the next two years marks a 2% decrease from the previous biennium, as the state reels from the economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The Department of Health and Human Services will receive $15.2 billion in Gov. Steve Sisolak's proposal, an increase of $2.6 billion from the current biennium. That amount includes about $10.24 billion for Medicaid services, which is an increase of $1.58 billion from 2019. The budget would also restore a 6% Medicaid provider rate reduction approved during a 2020 special legislative session. A $130 million decrease is expected for K-12 education and the Nevada System of Higher Education, although the shortfall is expected to be covered by President Joe Biden’s stimulus package, which would send $350 billion to states. –John Sadler

PINBALL HALL OF FAME TURNS TO GOFUNDME TO STAY AFLOAT The quirky and beloved Pinball Hall of Fame is apparently in trouble. Its long-planned expansion has been derailed by the effects of COVID-19, according to operator Tim Arnold. So the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club is seeking to raise $200,000 on GoFundMe (bit.ly/2XRwi4N) to save it. At press time, 878 donors had donated $49,000. Pre-pandemic, the group says, it borrowed $1.7 million to move from the current 1610 E. Tropicana Ave. location to a new home on the Strip, which would house more than 700 pinball machines. According to the GoFundMe page, the building is 96% finished, but “because [of] an almost total collapse of the tourist traffic in Las Vegas, we are going to fall short of having the money to finish.” Without a cash infusion, it continues, the group must vacate by May 6, and the “whole project will end with no home for all the machines.” “We started this project on a shoestring and have been VERY frugal all along,” Arnold writes on the GoFundMe page. “We are very lucky that the COVID has not infected any of us, but it has WRECKED our finances. Please help with a donation.” –C. Moon Reed

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BEYOND SKIN DEEP

Local skin care company Made Stronger Essentials goes back to basics with pure ingredients

BY LESLIE VENTURA

lean beauty and organic skin care made quite the impression in 2020, but not all natural brands are made equal. Organic food, for example, tends to be healthier, but many of the health benefits are overstated as a marketing tool. Similarly, organic skin care and clean beauty trends can be beneficial, but it’s important to determine the difference between fancy advertising and things that actually, you know, work. Organic skin care, like organic food items, are free of chemicals and pesticides. And while lab-made ingredients are often found in prescription skin care products for good reason, many people still benefit from using organic skin care products. Take local resident Sharon Lewis, for example. Lewis is the founder of Made Stronger Essentials, an organic skin care line based out of Las Vegas. She turned to organic skin care to help her children overcome their eczema. “My daughter and my middle son have real bad eczema,” Lewis says. And while dermatologists and doctors would regularly prescribe medicated ointments and creams, Lewis says they rarely had luck with those, and that some chemicals were too harsh for her

children’s skin types. “That’s why I use butters,” specifically shea and cocoa butter, Lewis says, . “I did a lot of research on finding a good product to use on eczema that isn’t too harsh on the skin, that’s going to help and not cause irritation. These are more natural products, so I was like, let’s try that and see how it works with your skin.” The result is her natural, organic and chemical-free line of lotions, oils and body butters. The Double Butter is an allover lotion with shea and cocoa butter to enrich, moisturize and soften all skin types (steer clear of the face, however), even those with eczema. “Mine is a little bit stronger than usual,” Lewis says. “It’s double action. A lot of people use cocoa butter to help

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Sharon Lewis (center) with Angelique Armani, Ellyse Jae, Azelle Love and Angie T; (below) a selection of Made Stronger products (Tutu Fancy Photography/Courtesy)

with scarring, and a lot of people only use shea, but to use a mixture of both, you’re getting that dual action that’s going to relieve that irritation faster and longer.” For the face, Lewis recommends the Mango & Shea Face Butter. Formulated without cocoa butter, this face moisturizer is noncomedogenic and suitable for all skin types, while the mango provides vitamin C to brighten dull complexions. “I was always interested in making candles and stuff, but I just did it more as a hobby,” Lewis says of her shop,

which she opened in 2019. “I would give some to my friends, and they were like, ‘You should sell this.’ I was like, ‘No one’s going to buy it; it’s more of a hobby.’ But once I started, people were buying.” The name, Made Stronger Essentials, has an even more personal story behind it. “The abbreviation is MS for multiple sclerosis,” Lewis says, who was diagnosed with the central nervous system disease in 2018. “I was looking for something that was going to symbolize multiple sclerosis, and I was like, ‘What

words can I use?’” Made Stronger Essentials, she says, is “for anybody battling with any type of illness, to know that they are strong and they can get through it.” Lewis, who is paralyzed on her left side, was in the hospital for two weeks and underwent chemotherapy for treatment. “I was like, ‘This is it,’” she says. “I’m going to be bound to a wheelchair.” Since then, Lewis has found a way to live with her illness and persevere. “Made Stronger is about any and everyone who has battled through life’s trials

and tribulations,” the website reads. “Depression and anxiety, cancer, epilepsy, diabetes, mental illness, AIDS. You are made stronger than whatever is trying to bring you down. Continue to keep pushing through life—you’re not just strong, you’re stronger than ever.” That uplifting message is woven into each handmade product, from body butters and the bestselling sugar scrub, to the turmeric and honey face mask (which can help with inflammation) and hydrating body oil. Lewis is also adding an oil for scars, which contains rosehip, jojoba and geranium essential oils for the face and specific scars, including hyperpigmentation from acne. “All those oils combined help reduce scarring,” Lewis says. As for how to keep your skin healthy in these colder months? Lewis says to “hydrate and moisturize.” “A lot of people don’t moisturize when it’s cold, because they have full-length clothes on and long-sleeve sweaters,” she says. “But this is the best time to hydrate your skin, so by the time spring and summer gets here, your skin will be hydrated.” A little goes a long way when it comes to her body butters, Lewis says. For the summer months, Lewis recommends using a body oil instead of a butter, or alternating the two, because oils are lighter and less greasy on the skin. “An oil is also great to add to your winter routine, as that added moisture all year long is beneficial,” she says. Lewis’ line of skin care products is available at madestrongeressentials. com and at Easy Days Mini Mart on Maryland and Tropicana.

5-MINUTE EXPERT

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HOCKEY FOR NEWBIES A quick primer for Vegas Golden Knights fans in waiting

HOW TO PLAY Hockey’s a fairly simple game: Use a stick to move the puck around the ice and into the goal. There are rules, of course, but following a hockey game is easy once you understand two basic concepts: what the lines on the ice mean, and what you can and cannot do with your stick.

The blue lines break up the ice—into two attacking zones and one neutral zone. Offensive players cannot enter the attacking zone before the puck does. If they do it’s offside, one of the most common reasons play gets stopped.

■ Penalty kill. When a team has fewer players on the ice due to a penalty.

BY JUSTIN EMERSON

o you’ve seen Vegas Golden Knights jerseys around town and heard people talking about the Stanley Cup. You want to get into hockey, but you really don’t know the sport … and at this point, you’re too embarrassed to ask for help. Hockey can be a little intimidating for newcomers. Let’s break it down and make a true hockey fan of you.

KEY TERMS & RULES

■ Penalty box. When players commit penalties, they sit in the box for either two, four or five minutes depending on the severity of the infraction. Their team plays with fewer players than their opponent during that time.

NHL HISTORY The sport itself goes back hundreds of years, but hockey as we know it today rounded into shape with the formation of the National Hockey League in 1917. (The Golden Knights’ inaugural season was part of the league’s centennial celebration.) The NHL had some growing pains, but it became the league with which we’re familiar in the 1940s with six teams: the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. You’ll often hear these teams referred to as the “Original Six.” The league added six more teams in 1967 and has expanded many times since. The Golden Knights became the league’s 31st team in 2017, and the Seattle Kraken, which begins play next year, will be the 32nd. Everyone plays for the Stanley Cup, the most revered trophy in hockey and arguably all of sports. It’s close to 150 years old and went through phases as the trophy of multiple leagues, but has been exclusively awarded to the NHL champion since 1926. Hockey’s postseason is the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the final two teams meet in the Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup the most times—24. The Tampa Bay Lightning won last season’s Cup.

Then-Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Arizona Coyotes during the team's first-ever home game on October 10, 2017. (John Locher/AP)

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5-MINUTE EXPERT

(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

Players can pass and shoot with their sticks, and can only shoot with their sticks. If one tries to hinder an opponent with the stick, that’s a penalty. Goals only count if they come off a player’s stick, or bounce inadvertently off a player into the goal. One cannot intentionally kick, push, punch, head-butt or otherwise use the body to put the puck into the net.

■ Icing. A player cannot shoot or pass the puck and have it cross the center-ice line and the goal line. That’s icing, for which play is stopped and the ensuing faceoff goes back into the offending team’s defensive zone.

Not yet. State-mandated COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings have shut the doors on T-Mobile Arena for VGK games. The hope is for fans to be allowed into games later this season, but nothing is certain. The Golden Knights have sold out every home game in their history and have a season-ticket waiting list that’s years long. Individual-game tickets aren’t that hard to come by, however … if you’re willing to pay. They appear often on secondary markets with a hefty price tag, sometimes clearing $200 apiece, but they are readily obtainable for most games.

How to tune in

(Steve Marcus/Photo Illustration)

■ High-sticking. Players cannot play the puck when it’s in the air above their shoulders, knock a puck into the goal when it’s above the height of the net’s crossbar or make contact with another player’s face or helmet with the stick. The latter is a penalty of varying length depending on the severity.

Can we go to games?

Most Golden Knights games air on AT&T SportsNet in the Las Vegas market. That’s channel 1313 on Cox Cable, 684 on DirecTV and 1760 on CenturyLink. Occasionally the team’s games air nationally on NBC Sports Network, and a February 20 outdoor game against the Avalanche at Lake Tahoe will air on NBC. As for radio, nearly every 2021 game will air on Fox Sports 1340-AM and 98.9-FM. Because of NHL blackout rules, the NHL Center Ice package or NHL.TV will not carry Golden Knights games in the Vegas market. You need a cable subscription.

■ Power play. When a team has more players on the ice due to a penalty by the opposition.

■ Tripping/Holding/ Elbowing. Fairly self-explanatory. All penalties.

HOCKEY IN VEGAS The Vegas Golden Knights are the Valley’s first major-league hockey team, but they were actually preceded here by two other professional teams. The Las Vegas Thunder of the International Hockey League (IHL) played at the Thomas & Mack Center from 1993 to 1999, and the Las Vegas Wranglers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) played at Orleans Arena from 2003 to 2014. Las Vegas was awarded an NHL franchise in 2016, and the Golden Knights played their first regular season home game at the newly built T-Mobile Arena on the Strip on October 10, 2017, against Arizona. The first year couldn’t have gone much better: Vegas won both the Pacific Division and Western Conference and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Washington Capitals. The Knights have won two Pacific Division titles in their three years and have reached the conference final twice. They have yet to return to the Stanley Cup Final, but they are considered one of the better teams in the league this season and are expected to compete for the Cup. Though the Thunder and Wranglers are gone, their influence remains. Shortly after the Thunder folded, the IHL was enveloped by the American Hockey League (AHL). Almost a year ago, the Golden Knights’ organization announced it had purchased an AHL team with the intent to move it to the Valley, and the Henderson Silver Knights were born. The Silver Knights will be the Golden Knights’ minor-league affiliate and begin play this February at Orleans Arena. The Silver Knights practice and are headquartered at Lifeguard Arena on Water Street in Henderson, and their permanent home, the Henderson Event Center, is currently under construction at the site of the old Henderson Pavilion.

(Right) Las Vegas Thunder mascot Boom Boom (Las Vegas News Bureau/Sun File); (left) the Wranglers' Adam Miller (Sun File)

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Bringing us closer

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(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

CREATIVITY AMID CHAOS

Relentless restaurateurs continue building the local dining scene during the pandemic

t sounds trite, like an obnoxiously optimistic internet meme, but there are opportunities to be seized in the age of COVID-19. It’s even true in an industry that has been clearly and comprehensively decimated by the pandemic. James Trees, the Vegas-born chef behind Downtown’s Esther’s Kitchen—one of the most popular local restaurants in recent years—has teamed with the LEV Restaurant Group to open Al Solito Posto, a neighborhood Italian spot that can seat more than 250 diners at the upscale outdoor retail development Tivoli Village. In the early springtime stages of the pandemic, Trees was figuring out how to maintain operations at his second local restaurant, Ada’s at Tivoli Village, when this unforeseen opportunity came knocking. The previous tenant, national fran-

Bartolotta at Wynn and Twist at Mandarin Oriental. It’s a huge neighborhood Italian restaurant with a fantastic menu and an all-star team of food pros running the show— and it opened at the height of the pandemic. “We were able to cherry-pick the best chefs and best operators from the Strip almost at will, because [big casino companies] have done such a bad job of holding on to talent,” Trees says. “How does that happen? We’re in a really interesting time and place where good operators and people have the ability to jump off the Strip, change the way they live their lives and be in a better position for their future.” With a great location and solid, experienced backing, Al Solito Posto marks an atypical example of a new restaurant opening in Las Vegas during this public health and economic crisis. But it’s happening. Many new restaurants or additional locations of existing businesses have sprung up around the Valley since the March 2020 shutdown, while development on the restaurant-rich Las Vegas Strip has mostly stalled without tourist diners to push things along. The Aria resort moved forward with the arrival of acclaimed dumpling house Din

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Tai Fung but also permanently closed Sage, a fine-dining favorite for a decade. Wynn Las Vegas debuted its first-ever Mexican restaurant, Elio at Encore, for a soft opening during the summer. But the resort recently closed Elio and is planning to announce a new dining offering in the same space when business improves. The Vegas dining landscape has always been driven by what happens in the casinos on the Strip, with the local scene evolving when talented and ambitious hospitality professionals stake their own claims in various neighborhoods away from the tourist corridor. During the pandemic, the energy is coming from that local scene. Standing at the center of that food excitement heading into 2021 is the Downtown Arts District, where Trees opened Esther’s Kitchen in 2018. Several highly anticipated restaurants, bars and breweries are debuting there, even while the already extreme challenges of opening a new spot have multiplied and become more complicated

BY BROCK RADKE

chise Brio Italian Grille, had run into some trouble during lease negotiations, Trees says, and the space’s owners “took the keys, brought them down and tossed them to us, like ‘You want this?’ I was like, ‘Maybe?’ “My partners from the LEV Group got involved, and they saw the opportunity,” he says. “The biggest problem we had at Ada’s was, we never had any seats [available]. So we’ve rectified that situation.” Al Solito Posto opened quietly on January 6 and launches officially on January 22. The menu of familiar Italian favorites cooked with care and affection is overseen by executive chef Emily Brubaker, formerly of Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand and Sage at Aria. The beverage director is David Bonatesta, from NoMad at Park MGM, and the front of the house is under the supervision of general manager Andy St. John from Bouchon at Venetian and Carbone at Aria, along with LEV development partner Carlo Cannuscio, a hospitality veteran who has worked around the world and in Las Vegas at the former Valentino at Venetian,

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(Left) Food at Al Solito Posto (Right) Chef James Trees

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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Pizza at Good Pie

thanks to COVID-19. Main St. Provisions, from chef Justin Kingsley Hall (Comme Ça, the Kitchen at Atomic, Sparrow + Wolf) and Kim Owens (Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse), was set to open in March on Main Street, but virus-related construction and licensing delays slowed the process. It finally arrived in December, seating only 37 diners at a time in a space built for 113, while following 25% capacity restrictions. “No one has a pandemic in their business plan, that’s for sure,” says Owens, who helped open 15 restaurants across the country while working in corporate dining for 22 years before opening a place of hers in Las Vegas. “We focus on the guests that are here that we are able to serve, one at a time, and make sure they have a great experience so they want to come back again and again.” One of the most prominent challenges for Main St. Provisions has been turning tables, a seemingly impossible balancing act between taking ultimate care of customers and moving them along so the restaurant can maximize its limited capacity every night. Without a concert or a show to attend after dinner, Owens says, diners are lingering longer, which would normally be great for business but is limiting revenues at the moment. “We’re so happy people are having such a good time and they’re so comfortable in the room that they want to stay and have an extra glass of wine or visit just a little bit longer, but there has to be a balance,” she says. “We have to take care of more guests, so in turn, we can take care of our employ-

ees.” Of the restaurant’s 22 employees, most were not working in 2020, Owens says, “and they’re just trying to get caught up on life and bills and move forward. But our guests are very understanding as we try to find that balance.” Next door, Vincent Rotolo opened a bigger, better version of his Good Pie pizza bar—moving his headquarters from his first store in Downtown’s Pawn Plaza— one week before his friends at Main St. Provisions made their big debut. Good Pie initially

opened for takeout and delivery only, including selling pizza slices from a strategically placed service window, in order to keep customers and staff as safe as possible. But Rotolo is gearing up for dine-in service soon, so he can serve the full menu of Brooklyn-style Italian dishes he’s always planned for the space. “The way this restaurant has come together feels really special, but it’s also frustrating when you can’t really let people in,” he says. “But I’m lucky. I wanted to build a slice window open to the street,

and in Las Vegas, there are few locations where that’s possible. The people on Main Street and the community in the Arts District made it possible. Selling slices … was the bulk of our business for the first three weeks.” Delaying dine-in was only one major step Rotolo took to keep his team and business safe. The Good Pie staff has been receiving twice-weekly rapid COVID-19 tests free of charge from a mobile unit, a significant expense Rotolo and his business partners nonetheless decided was necessary.

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“We’re going through all the financial struggles of every new business, but this is about investing back into my employees,” Rotolo says. “I want all these team members and their families to feel taken care of, so they can better take care of our customers. Going to get tested and waiting in line can be really stressful. There’s so much anxiety and constant worrying about contact tracing and who you’ve been around. We wanted to take some of that burden off our team and let them know we support them no matter what.”

‘We have to take care of more guests, so in turn, we can take care of our employees.’ –Main St. Provisions owner Kim Owens

About a block away on California Avenue, just off Main and across from Esther’s, Yu-Or-Mi Sushi Bar opened on November 19. It’s a nice complement to Garagiste wine bar and Tacotarian restaurant on the same block, and that’s what it was always meant to be. Managing partner Melissa Robinson says the sense of community in the area and the chance to bring something that was missing—“a cute little sushi place”—was magnetic. But the pandemic also delayed this new business arrival, and when Yu-Or-Mi finally opened

its doors, it had to do so minus a major piece of its experience. “Right when we were wrapping up construction was the time there was no seating allowed at bars. If you look at our spot, half of the seating is bar seating, so we thought, oh boy, we’re in trouble,” she says. “We need that so the chef can interact with guests, talk to them and provide that nice, quality service you expect when you go to a sushi restaurant.” The restaurant has continued to adapt its seating plans to meet capacity restrictions and distancing

(Photographs by Wade Vandervort/Staff)

(Above) Good PIe’s interior; (left) Owner Vincent Rotolo gets tested.

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requirements, and Robinson says diners have been understanding and flexible in dealing with the circumstances. Currently only four people can be seated at the same table, so parties of six of more must be split up among tables six feet apart. It’s difficult, to be sure, but there’s something positive about operating under strict new guidelines while opening a new restaurant. “Maybe it’s a good thing to be coming into this slower, to ease into it, and to spend more time with the guests to get to know them,” Robinson says. “We already have regulars we adore, and we’ve come to know their families a bit. I think that’s the best part of this whole thing.” Downtown is just one area where new restaurants are fighting their way toward success. At Town Square, North Dakota-born brand Sickies Garage has been slinging burgers and chicken wings to diners indoors and out on the patio since September. At the big Boca Park center near Summerlin, dual venue Chinglish Cantonese Wine Bar and Kosher Chinglish have attracted broad audiences with high-quality Chinese food since opening in the fall. At nearby Red Rock Resort, legendary Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri launched the outstanding Osteria Fiorella in September while his first Vegas restaurant, Vetri Cucina, sits empty at the still-shuttered Palms resort. And at Johnny C’s Diner in the unassuming Enterprise area, veteran Vegas chef Johnny Church is dishing up refined breakfast and lunch creations like bacon pancakes, chicken fried steak, “Fat Elvis” French toast and avocado-tomatillo omelets. Church signed a lease for the space two weeks before the coronavirus forced closures, and he soldiered on to open on April 15. “I opened with just to-go, which was a terrible business model but good because I got to teach the

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Food at Johnny C’s Diner

staff all the stuff and make sure our techniques are done right,” Church says. “Things started going well, and then the 25% [capacity restriction] hit and we went backward. Now it’s coming back again.” Church has seen the normal ups and downs of the local restaurant biz from various kitchen positions on and off the Strip, but that regular roller-coaster ride is nothing compared to the era of COVID-19. When takeout was the only option, small independent eateries like his were forced to revamp menu items—and research alternate packaging and delivery systems— so food would travel better. “I’ve been doing a Friday fish and chips [special] and driven many times back and forth to my house to make sure you can toss it in the oven and it’ll still be crispy and C

“For me, it was just time for me to do my own thing I’ve wanted to do for years, but I guess maybe it’s the wrong time to be in the right place,” Church says. “[But] we just got in and pushed it along, and I have a good crew that really cares. I’m thankful for that and thankful to be able to still do my craft.” For Trees, who chose to come back home and open restaurants in Las Vegas due to the exciting evolution of off-Strip dining, dealing with pandemic restrictions has been an unwelcome but educational experience. “It has taught me patience in a way I’ve never had it before, and because of that, [Al Solito Posto] has been the smoothest restaurant opening I’ve ever been involved with,” he says. “There were expectations that 80% of restaurants would fail, and the reason 80% of restaurants haven’t failed yet is because we’ll fight. We’re fighters. We will under no circumstances give up,” Trees continues. “People don’t go broke in the restaurant business; they go into massive financial debt to save the dream. “What we’re willing to do as an industry to survive is epic. To see people thrive and open and work through all of the challenges and hang on, that’s amazing.”

delicious,” Church says. “There are a lot of little things like that you have to do now to make sure the food integrity is there.” Takeout and delivery actually wasn’t even part of Church’s original plan. His “finer diner” concept was tailored to his location and originally included dinner service, but he hasn’t been able to expand into evenings yet. He recently pivoted into catering and meal planning for regulars, and that endeavor has grown quickly. Industry lifers like Church and Trees are symbolic of the way restaurateurs can open new spots and keep them going even during this unpredictable business environment—and it’s further evidence of the importance of local restaurants and bars in our neighborhoods and communities. Y

S (Photographs by Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

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FANTASTIC FOOD

HappyTummy702 Instagrammer Suzy Hendrix explains how her home cooking took off BY LESLIE VENTURA

When did you create @HappyTummy702 and why? Around 2011. I was one of those girls that took pictures of food and was showing it on my Facebook, and I slowly realized, just because they’re my friends and coworkers, they’re not automatically interested in seeing food pictures (laughs). Some people love it, some people don’t, so that’s where Happy Tummy was created. I had my own personal Instagram where I posted vacation pictures … [and] I decided it was going to be my own little collage. The food gave me memories.

(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

uzy Hendrix is a mom, a businesswoman and the owner of the popular Instagram account @HappyTummy702. While she already had thousands of followers before the pandemic, her channel’s new focus on at-home cooking and baking has drawn an entirely new audience of followers since—a whopping 124,000 of them. From mille-feuille-style pork tonkatsu, tteokguk (Korean rice cake soup) or sticky cinnamon rolls, there’s something on Hendrix’s page for every palate. The Weekly caught up with Hendrix to talk about her growing Instagram presence and her delicious content.

How did you grow your audience? In the beginning, I kept myself anonymous. Slowly, [a friend and I] started to meet up with people who had food pages, too, and that’s how we met the whole food community. It was purely like, what kind of dining experience can we go and capture and share with people? My audience was literally nobody I knew.

What’s your job when you aren’t Instagramming and cooking? First and foremost, my son and I do virtual schooling every day, so we’re in front of the computer in the mornings. We jam-pack the mornings so I can have my afternoon free. My income comes from helping local small businesses … create [social media] content. I work mainly

with Dru from [local app] @Unlokt. When did you discover your love of food? It started when I was a kid. My mom instilled in me that you have to be open-minded. I still remember to this day, I brought home a friend from school, and [my mom] was hosting and bringing out snacks, and my friend

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THE WEEKLY Q&A Hendrix’s mini apple pie tacos (Courtesy)

was kind of picky, as kids are. When she left, I remember my mom looked at me and said, “Suzy, if you’re not open-minded about food, you’re not open-minded about life,” and I still to this day think of that. I would rather eat something and realize I don’t like it than not experience it. What’s your favorite cuisine? Probably Korean food, because I grew up with it and my mom cooked it. It’s my go-to when I need to be comforted by something delicious. I grew up in Hawaii, and I love food like musubi and plate lunches—things I grew up eating in Hawaii. And your favorite Vegas restaurant? It’s so hard for me to decide, because I love so [many]. I’m the person that never orders the same thing twice. When I go to a place, I always order something else. How has the pandemic changed the way you interact online? In March, when we got all locked down, I did what all the foodies did: We were just trying to showcase people offering takeout. [My next phase] kinda started with the Dalgona coffee trend. First, I wanted to make it for me to try. Then I was like, why don’t I try to video it? I never went in with, I have to switch gears and see if making something at home is going to be my new content. I had no plan. So I made

it, and it did so well. If there’s one thing I want to reiterate to people, it’s that I had zero cooking skills. My mom would try to teach me, and I had absolutely no interest. You’re not going to learn something until you want to learn. Your videos are done so well. What does your process look like? Lighting is 80 percent of it. On my patio, I have a sliding door, and the lighting is really good there so I bought these photographing boards that look like fake marble. I film on the floor by my patio door, because the lighting is almost perfect throughout the day. Then I bought a portable stove—I use butane—and I can put it anywhere. People are like, “You have the best kitchen,” and I’m like, “Thanks, it’s not my kitchen.” Wait, you’re cooking on the floor for every video? I’m literally on a square on the floor, and I bring all my cooking stuff with me. I edit all my stuff that has to be baked, so you’ll never see me putting something into the oven, because it’s an old oven. It doesn’t even have a good clear window (laughs).

How did you learn to edit? Practice. With video, you have to capture people’s attention in the first five seconds. It is a process. What is my opener? What’s going to capture [the viewer] to keep watching? I’ve been using YouTube non-copyrighted music, and I try to do my transitions with the music. A really popular [app] I use is called InShot, and there’s a new one called Splice that’s good. The biggest challenge is trying to show everything you want to show. You’re telling a story. How long does each video take? It takes me all day. But somebody else may be able to do it faster. That’s from the moment I gather my ingredients, then determine my strategy and how to film it. Then, I film it all on my phone; there’s no DSLR. It’s very DIY. My friends are like, “Suzy, you have so much patience,” but I just take my time.

Do you have any advice for foodies or Instagrammers? Don’t worry so much about the vanity matrix, don’t worry about your stats. Everybody cares about how many likes you have, and if somebody says they don’t, they are lying. But you can’t let that overwhelm the fact that you want to do this. Share what you want. Not everybody is going to like everything, but when you go back and you’re still happy with it, share it. That’s what I’ve been doing. What’s your goal for Happy Tummy in 2021? I want to continue what I’m doing, and so much of it depends on the world: What’s going to happen? That’s such an unknown this year. Is the vaccine going to come out and things truly go back to normal, or do they not? And what will that mean for these restaurants and where a majority of my income comes from? You want these local businesses to thrive.

Hendrix’s spicy garlic butter pasta (Courtesy)

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HOME INSIST ON INSURANCE Ledoux says it’s imperative that a cleaning service have a business license and insurance, specifically liability and workers’ compensation coverage. “It’s very expensive for businesses to get, so some companies choose to forgo it,” says Ledoux, a former workers’ comp defense attorney. “If the person gets injured on the job … the homeowner is then considered the employer and charged with medical costs, disability payments, all of that.” Ledoux says she once worked on a case in which a cleaner fell while washing windows, and the homeowner was considered financially liable. She says that even if a worker is considered an independent contractor, the courts might still side with the worker over the homeowner. Also, check to see if a company is bonded. A bond covers the cost to the client in case a piece of property is broken or goes missing.

CLEANING HOUSE Superb Maids’ CEO shares her expertise about hiring house cleaners BY C. MOON REED

So you want a clean house, but you don’t want to clean it? Fortunately, there’s a thriving industry—made up of solo cleaners and full-service companies—to solve that problem. But how do you choose who to hire? Read on.

WHY HIRE? The most obvious reasons to hire a cleaning service are physical limitations, such as disability, age and chemical sensitivity. But time is also an important factor to consider. Elena Ledoux, CEO of Las Vegas-based Superb Maids, says a house cleaner could “buy you those couple hours a week” to spend doing what you love. “Even with me loving cleaning, I still tend to not have enough time to do it,” she says. Some people do have time to clean but feel like they don’t do it well. Ledoux says the feeling of losing a battle against the mess can be stressful. And professionals can clean your house better and faster. “If you feel like you’re losing this battle, and it’s annoying and aggravating to you, then it’s time to consider hiring help.” One thing seems certain: Once people hire a housecleaning service, Ledoux says, they never go back. “It’s a one-way street.”

SAVING MONEY Since the main expense when hiring a house cleaner is labor cost, there’s only one way to really save money: generate less dirt and clutter. “We have some clients who live in a palace but only use one bedroom and one bathroom,” Ledoux says. “So it’s not expensive for them to keep it maintained, because they don’t have a lot of things to clean.”

PRICING Individual vs. company A single person is cheaper, but a company can often offer additional flexibility and client protections. The difference is about a $38 per hour compared to $50 per hour on average, Ledoux, says.

Flat rate vs. hourly rate A one-time full-house cleaning for a medium home typically costs $180 to $250, according to Superb Maids. Some companies charge by the hour, others negotiate a flat rate in advance.

Pricing depends on the home Superb Maids says the amount of time it takes you to clean doesn’t affect the price for pros to clean. The age and condition of your home, however, along with the amount of clutter and the number of children and pets who reside there, will affect it. Basically, the harder it is to clean, the more it’s going to cost.

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PRO ORGANIZATION Melanie Walker, owner of NEAT Method Las Vegas, says clients call her when they feel “cluttered, a little out of control or unhappy with their environment. She says her team physically does the work of decluttering and setting up systems so clients can “live neatly.” Walker advises potential clients to find an organizer with whom they feel a personal connection, since the relationship can be very intimate. “After all, we are folding their underwear,” she says.

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NEVADA NEEDS Not all states are the same when it comes to cleaning. For example, Nevada’s extremely hard water offers a tough cleaning challenge, Ledoux says. “We’ve seen homeowners who’ve never seen their shower glass clean,” she says. “They think it’s just not transparent, so when we clean it, they get really surprised.” Ledoux adds that in Nevada, people often buy more house than they can clean themselves. “They come from California or some other expensive place and get so excited about the prices,” she says. “They say, ‘I’m gonna buy myself a giant home … and then they realize that somebody’s gotta clean all this stuff.”

HOW OFTEN? The frequency of cleaning boils down to what Ledoux calls “life activity.” A retired couple in a small condo with no pets or kids might only need housecleaning every other week, whereas a young family with multiple children and/or pets might need more frequent visits.

KEEPING CLEAN IN BETWEEN Even if you can’t afford a cleaner, this tip will help you feel clean. “Just open your windows,” Ledoux says. “Your home will instantly feel cleaner … just let it air out.” She also advises fighting clutter by designing your lifestyle so that it doesn’t accumulate. That could mean placing a recycling bin by the desk where you normally dump your mail, or a basket where children can drop their backpacks. (Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

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BINGE THIS WEEK

PRETEND IT’S A CITY If you can’t travel to the five boroughs right now, this Fran Lebowitz/Martin Scorcese Netflix limited series could be the next best thing, even if it is one Spike Lee short of being a full-on New York City turducken. Netflix.

Paul Bettany (left) and Elizabeth Olsen in WandaVision (Disney+/Courtesy)

TV SHOW GAME

SONG OF BLOOM Our smartphones are, by design, meant to distract us. But sometimes, you come across a game so completely engrossing, this little device you hold in the palm of your hand can feel like pure magic. Song of Bloom, designed by German indie developer Philipp Stollenmayer and winner of last year’s Apple Design Award, is a narrative puzzle so beautifully designed and executed that you’ll feel bereft when you reach the end. Apple App Store. –Genevie Durano

SKYE DEE MILES AT THE VEGAS ROOM The soulful and sultry and sometimes blush-inducing voice of Skye Dee Miles can’t be enjoyed at her normal spot, the Cosmopolitan’s temporarily shuttered Rose.Rabbit. Lie. But you can do Sunday brunch at the Vegas Room at Commercial Center January 24 and 31 at 1 p.m. and catch her tribute to Black female musical heroes like Nina Simone, Etta James and Dinah Washington. It’ll only take a song or two to understand why Miles is a true Vegas treasure. –Brock Radke

WANDAVISION The Marvel Cinematic Universe reawakens with this nine-episode Disney+ series featuring bigscreen Avengers Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). It’s not what anyone expected—a hybrid of cinematic Marvel action storytelling and classic sitcom nostalgia—and some may be put off by the deliberate pacing of its early episodes. (Think Bewitched with flashes of David Lynch.) But it scratches a long-neglected itch for Marvel fans, and tweaks a genre that badly needed reinvention. Teyonah Parris, Kathryn Hahn, Kat Dennings and Randall Park co-star. New episodes premiere Fridays on Disney+. –Geoff Carter

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MANK AND SOUL SCORES Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have been scoring movies and television shows for several years now, but their two latest—the lushly orchestral Mank and the ethereal, ambient electronic Soul—are next-level work.

OUR PICKS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

MUSIC

BOOK

VIAGRA BOYS’ WELFARE JAZZ

OUTLAWED BY ANNA NORTH

On their new album, the Swedish postpunks double down on their degenerate image—by way of Sebastian Murphy’s snide, bottom-feeding lyrics—while juxtaposing organic American art forms like jazz, folk and country with ’80s-steeped electronics. They might not be onto anything particularly new, but Welfare Jazz’s satirical scuzz feels especially welcome in this era of societal dysfunction. –Leslie Ventura

Sure, your typical Western adventure doesn’t include a pandemic that’s wiped out the majority of the U.S. population. Too close to home, you might say. But this lethal flu merely serves as the prelude to an exciting alternate history of the Wild West, which The Washington Post describes as “a thrilling tale eerily familiar but utterly transformed.” January’s pick for Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club is a daring feminist tale by Vox gender journalist Anna North. –C. Moon Reed

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Siegfried (left) and Roy (Sun File)

UNCOMMON

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THE STRIP

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Manager Bernie Yuman and Mirage successor Shin Lim on the impact of Siegfried & Roy BY BROCK RADKE

hin Lim met Siegfried and Roy for the first time as a teenager. Lim took first place in his category at the annual World Magic Seminar convention and competition, and the legendary duo presented him with the award—a prize unto itself. It never crossed Lim’s mind, never even in his dreams, that 10 years later he’d be headlining at the Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip, in the same theater where Siegfried and Roy starred for 14 years. Even when Lim launched his show in 2019, the full magnitude of his predecessors’ magical legacy didn’t set in until they showed up to watch him perform. “Until I heard they were coming to the theater to watch the show, I still somehow could not imagine I was performing in that room. And then I saw them in the front row, and it was like a dream,” he says. “We got to talk a lot backstage, for a while actually. I remember Roy just loved my dog, because he kind of looks like a white lion. And I remember talking to Siegfried and how he was saying a lot of my stuff fooled him, and he didn’t know how it worked. “But I don’t remember a lot more, because I was just so starstruck. I just kept smiling. It was a very surreal moment I’ll never forget. And it was funny,

LEGACY

because it wasn’t actually backstage; it was in a kitchen space. It wasn’t a fancy area; it was real and authentic. I really treasure that.” Every Vegas entertainer will tell you they treasure time spent around Siegfried Fischbacher, who died on January 13 at age 81 after fighting pancreatic cancer, and Roy Horn, who died on May 8, 2020, due to complications from the coronavirus at age 75. They weren’t just magicians, not just entertainers who set a new standard of spectacle throughout their 50-year collaboration. They traveled the world as ambassadors for Las Vegas, explains their longtime manager Bernie Yuman. Siegfried and Roy were dedicated to their art, and their commitment and creativity allowed them to live their dreams. But they were also deeply committed to making a difference in their adopted hometown, contributing to the local community and laying the groundwork for its entertainment growth. “It’s never the example of power; it’s always the power of the example,” Yuman says. “Siegfried and Roy worked because they were dedicated to the art of magic and live entertainment and to each other. And it didn’t matter if they were on a humanitarian mission or a book tour or going to visit the Pope, they were always banging the drum for Las Vegas.” Yuman began working with the illusionists in the late 1970s after seeing a performance at the former MGM Grand (now Bally’s) and believing the originality of their act was the right fit for an opportunity at the Stardust. They joined the Lido de Paris production, and before long, the show began promoting the duo on its Stardust Marquee. Siegfried and Roy first met in 1957,

on a cruise ship on which Siegfried was working as a steward and entertainer and Roy was a bellboy. Ten years later, they made their Vegas debut in Les Folies Bergère at the Tropicana. After stints in other shows, they became headliners in Beyond Belief at the New Frontier in 1981 and achieved iconic status in 1990 as the biggest act at the first modern megaresort on the Strip, the Mirage. The vision for that show was built around a new level of theatricality that previously only existed on London’s West End and on Broadway, Yuman says. Award-winning set designer John Napier, who worked on stage blockbusters like Cats, Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, was one of many Broadway-based creatives to help differentiate Siegfried & Roy at the Mirage from anything Vegas audiences had seen before. “They really changed the way people saw entertainment,” Lim says. “When you think of anyone who does big magic, big skills, flashy stuff—they invented that. Their show made Vegas the spotlight, but … they also supported the art of magic and really cared about magic. I feel like some magicians lose that as they get more famous.” Like all Las Vegas headliners, Lim is waiting for the day he can return to the stage. And if it was up to him, his Mirage Theatre room would be renamed after Siegfried and Roy. “That theater deserves to have their names on it. It’s their legacy.” And, Yuman says, the opportunities Siegfried and Roy created for other Las Vegas entertainers will remain an important part of that legacy. “That they were able to help create new opportunities for young, aggressive, ambitious, talented magicians and entertainers to excel, for me, is one of the things I hang my hat on,” he says.

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NOISE

Perrico, third from left, and his Pop Strings Orchestra (Courtesy)

POP GOES THE WORLD

David Perrico’s orchestra makes its livestream debut on January 22

he sensation of sitting in a lounge and listening to live music. The singer’s charismatic banter, and the energy that builds as the band plays off the crowd. Throughout the pandemic, Las Vegans have seriously missed live music, but David Perrico has a one-night remedy. The Las Vegas-based composer will bring his Pop Strings Orchestra into living rooms around the world for on Friday, January 22. Perrico’s two-hour show, available as a $24 livestream, will features favorites from his orchestra’s Strip residency—a longtime favorite at Cleopatra’s Barge inside Caesars Palace—plus new songs the group has been working on throughout the shutdown. “It’ll be based on our high-energy show at Cleopatra’s Barge, but I’ve added some new music,” Perrico says. Expect to hear hits from current pop stars like Dua Lipa, sung by regulars Lily Arce (Perrico’s wife) and Fletch Walcott, plus additional vocalists Serena Henry and Noybel Gorgoy. “They’ve always been in the rotation,” Perrico says, “but I decided to have four singers on this to beef it up a little bit.” Perrico says the pandemic has given him time to consolidate the show and work on new music—“just catching up on a lot of loose ends, mostly with producing.” A new show, String Queen, is now in the works and

BY LESLIE VENTURA will feature an all-female string orchestra performing going to be this way for a while, so why not try it?’” the music of Queen. Perrico’s orchestra has gone from performing nearly “A handful of entertainers have contacted me about nonstop—weekly at Cleopatra’s Barge, six shows a year tweaking their shows, so I’ve written arrangements at the Smith Center, plus late-night gigs at the Westgate for them, which has kept me with some compensation and hired corporate events—to not performing at all coming in,” Perrico says. during the pandemic. One of those is a lighthearted public service an“Seventy percent of our work was at trade shows and nouncement and commercial encouraging corporate events,” Perrico says. “Until this vithe public to wear face masks, produced in rus gets under control, until we get the trade DAVID PERRICO collaboration with the UNLV Health Departshows and hotels at 90-percent capacity, POP STRINGS ment and Light Forge Studios. The bit, comVegas is still going to limp along. But I’m opORCHESTRA posed by Perrico, features Pop Strings pianist timistic. Through crisis comes opportunity. I LIVESTREAM Otto Ehling and vocals by Arce. look at it as time to go inward and reevaluate, January 22, $24, 6 p.m., As for the Pop Strings streaming special, hone your skills and develop new skills, and stellartickets.com. just be ready when it’s time.” Perrico says the idea came from Mondays Dark host and owner of the Space Mark Perrico says everyone in his orchestra will Shunock. be COVID-tested and cleared, and the show “We did a show for a family in Delaware—they will be performed without a live audience. The energy, contacted me through our website about doing a virtual he says, will simply come from the band, working symChristmas party concert, and we did it at the Space,” biotically with one another. Perrico explains. “After we did that, Mark approached “With all that’s going on right now in this political me and said, ‘Would you be interested in doing a payclimate, the pandemic, the loss of work and businessper-view livestream?’ I said I’d been steering clear of es—if someone could take a break for two hours, it’s just anything like that, but [the Christmas special] went one way to stop and let go and watch a live performance so well, and the orchestra agreed. So we thought, ‘It’s from Las Vegas.”

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HOPE ASCENDANT As The Wall Saints, pop artists SNIPT and ToneCastle debut a stunning new SoHo Lofts installation BY C. MOON REED

rom some angles, it’s just an odd pile of cardboard boxes. But from the right vantage point, an intricate image appears. First, there’s a giant skull—head kicked back in eternal agony. A few lines of spray paint drip from its teeth, resembling spittle, as it cries out a silent scream. This is perhaps how we all feel, coming out of the deadly, disastrous plague year also known as 2020. But upon second look, the viewer notices a beautiful, blue-haired woman emerging from the top of the skull. She’s a street art angel, with a sleeve of tattoos covering her arms and wings. A golden halo floats above her head as she looks upward toward heaven, or at least a better future. She is the hope of 2021: hope of a vaccine, of a new president, of a new start. The 3D art installation, titled “Ascension,” is located inside SoHo Lofts, at Las Vegas Boulevard and Hoover Avenue, but it’s viewable from the street. Curated by Laura Henkel, “Ascension” marks a collaboration between two native Las Vegas artists: pop art muralist Derek Douglas (aka SNIPT) and multimedia artist Anthony Castillo (aka ToneCastle).

ASCENSION Through December. SoHo Lofts, corner window overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard and Hoover Avenue. Viewable 24/7, free.

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ART

HOW THEY BUILT IT

“Ascension” isn’t just a piece of art. It’s a complex structure that creates a sort of optical illusion. Castillo calls The Wall Saints’ first attempt at the 3D sculptural process “pretty difficult.” Douglas says there was a ton of “trial and error.” The two began with the basic concept, making a digital mock-up. They collected old boxes. To continue the theme of rebirth, they wanted to reuse and repurpose their materials. “Just about everything on there, other than the paint, is recycled,” Castillo says. They experimented with different styles, realizing that a simpler look worked best on the multiple surfaces. So they painted all the boxes flat white and stacked them around a wooden support structure, creating an ad hoc canvas. Since the stacked boxes would create odd shadows, they had to carefully place lighting. From there they finalized the design on a computer and began painting. Their plan is for the piece to continue evolving over the year. “We still have ideas,” Castillo says.

“Ascension” at SoHo Lofts (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Each successful in their own right, together they are The Wall Saints. Fans can find their murals throughout the Arts District at Casa Don Juan, shareDowntown apartments and Siegel Suites, and also at Area15. The two met when they were pitted against each other at a First Friday art battle about a year and a half ago. Castillo says they “clicked” and began collaborating. “The mediums that I’m not good at, he’s good at,” Castillo says. “So between the two of us, we pretty much can do anything.” Castillo specializes in spray painting, airbrushing, graffiti and tattoo-style art. Douglas does collaging, wheatpaste installations and mashups focusing on pop-culture icons. “We just kind of interweave each other’s styles,” Douglas says. “We both tend to go toward the pop art realm of things—known figures, bright colors, a lot of layers. … It’s very complementary, the two styles here.” Teamwork helps both artists balance full schedules. Douglas also co-owns the Arts District’s Golden Fog Coffee with his wife, Juliet. And Castillo has a new infant daughter. “We were both getting pretty busy with murals. So we just kind of combined our forces to be as efficient as possible,” Douglas says. As with many things these days, The Wall Saints’ current focus was born out of pandemic necessity. The original plan was for studio art. The duo debuted an Arts Factory studio gallery at the March 2020 First Friday event. “A few days later, we went into lockdown,” Douglas says. “Once that happened, we pretty much had to jump into the mural project … and we’ve been going strong ever since.” Keep your eyes peeled for their next Arts District mural, which should appear next month. The details can’t yet be made public, but it’s their biggest yet, at 63,000 square feet.

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FOR THE LOVE OF Vegas Test Kitchen lets chefs do what they do best

BY GENEVIE DURANO

as Vegas’ culinary industry has taken a beating from the coronavirus pandemic, but you can’t quell the creativity coming from the kitchens. From pop-up concepts to cook-along series to ghost kitchens—not to mention the expansion of takeout offerings—chefs and restaurateurs have responded to the limitations of these times with aplomb. Hospitality entrepreneur Jolene Mannina is front and center in the local restaurant industry, having pioneered some of the city’s most innovative food happenings. She’s also the founder of food-and-beverage ticketing platform Secretburger.com, which brings together chefs and food lovers for curated events. Mannina’s latest venture is Vegas Test Kitchen, a commissary kitchen of sorts that took over the former Chow space Downtown. It essentially serves as an incubator, where chefs can test out food concepts and see how the public responds before committing to brickand-mortar spaces. “I’m part of a lot of conversations of things going on, and we could see, obviously, a lot of chefs are out of work,” Mannina says. “When you have all that time on

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FOOD

LV W F O O D & D R I N K

FOOD & DRINK VEGAS TEST KITCHEN 1020 E. Fremont St #120, vegastestkitchen.com. Wednesday-Sunday, times vary.

Bites from Bodega Bagel (left), Slurp Society (center) and Banichka Downtown LV (right) (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

your hands, you start to think to yourself, ‘Do I want to have my own restaurant? Do I want to go back to the job?’ You have time to take one step in that direction to figuring out if you want your own business. So if we’re gonna have a commissary kitchen, why not utilize the space to sell from there also, give them the opportunity to build a following. And if they decide to have a restaurant after, they’ve got a base to start with.” Once the location was secured, it wasn’t hard to find chefs to take up the residency spots, Mannina says, though it was important to have diversity in cuisines with that many chefs under one roof. “We didn’t want anything competitive,” she says, “but we also want to make sure that they wouldn’t need the same equipment at the same time. So there’s a flow and an organization within that space.” Vegas Test Kitchen’s lineup currently stands at seven: Sonia El-Nawal’s New York-style Bodega Bagel, Lanny Chin’s Slurp Society, Nina Manchev’s Banichka Downtown LV, Andrea Mclean’s Pop N Pies, Sung Park’s Sliced sushi, Yukon Pizza’s sourdough woodfired pies and Crystina Nguyen’s Vietnamese-inspired This Mama’s House. One could dine at Vegas Test Kitchen from morning to evening and always find something new. There’s seating inside the space and in the alleyway, and with pandemic protocols top of mind, a cashless, contactless system has been put in place. Scan a QR code on your phone, order and pay through the app, and you’ll be notified when your food’s ready. “There’s no cash register or anything like that at the Kitchen,” Mannina says. “What that does is allow the chefs to focus on the food and not worry about anything else. And it also helps us, because we’re doing this on a budget, and it helped us eliminate a lot of front-of-house staff. We want to eliminate all the extra bodies in the space.” As for how long each chef will stay, Mannina says everyone is just playing it by ear to see where things go. At this point, anything is possible, including re-creating the concept at vacant restaurants in other parts of town. Weekend pop-up events are also in the works to showcase even more chefs. Longer term, might this kind of communal space become a new model for a post-pandemic restaurant, where chefs can focus on cooking and less on the business side? “There’s only a couple of things in the formula to make it work,” Mannina says. “And it’s definitely doable.”

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LV W F O O D & D R I N K

1.21.21

FOOD & DRINK

PRIME TIME

Strip veteran Angel Lopez opens a steakhouse on his own terms BY BROCK RADKE

rimal Steakhouse opened quietly in October at the Boulevard Mall, a fine-dining experience in an unlikely location. But the man ed to take this opportunity to do somein the kitchen has the chops to turn thing for myself, create my own stuff, this unique chophouse into something and I really enjoy playing around with special. this food. There’s nothing better than Executive chef Angel Lopez came to seeing people eat and enjoy my food.” Las Vegas at the age of 18 from GuateBringing his personal style and mala and began working in casino favorite flavors to a high-qualrestaurants, eventually spendity but still value-driven ing time on the line at some of PRIMAL restaurant—he points to the the Strip’s most prominent STEAKHOUSE 32-ounce tomahawk steak spots: Gordon Ramsay’s 3542 S. Maryland Parkway, ($125) that would cost twice Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Pal702-620-5103. as much on the Strip—has ace, Carbone and Javier’s at Daily, 5-11 p.m. yielded unique results. The Aria, and the former Katsuya 28-ounce Delmonico ($69), a at SLS (now Sahara). After helpthick French-cut ribeye with fresh ing Enrique Olvera open Elio at herb butter, might be the top seller, but Wynn, Lopez decided to take the leap off the smoked New York steak ($49) is the Strip and create a new steakhouse right there. with some Central American flair. “When you talk about smoked meat, “My entire career, I’ve been working you think well-done. But we infuse the for somebody else,” he says. “So I want-

flavors of applewood smoke and get the temperature the way you like it,” Lopez says. His favorite dishes on the menu are the Pork Belly Scabeche ($35), braised and caramelized with Guatemalan pickled vegetables, and the Primal Stew ($9), a warm-up with tender chunks of beef and vegetables served spicy or mild. For a chef who’s familiar with turning over 1,500 covers a day at a massive eatery like Hell’s Kitchen, focusing on flavor and a memorable experience has been a nice change of pace. “People are surprised when they get here, because they’re not expecting that kind of place, that kind of quality,” Lopez says. “The difference between me and a [casino] restaurant is, you can get the same quality and the same flavors without the expensive prices.”

(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

1.21.21

LV W F O O D & D R I N K

Potbelly’s A Wreck (left) and Italian sandwiches (Courtesy)

Potbelly Sandwich Shop, a beloved toasted sandwich purveyor from the Windy City, is making big moves in Nevada, opening the first of 10 locations. Sure, it’s a hop, skip and throw away from a Subway, but the more the merrier when it comes to meat on bread (or PB&J, if that’s to your liking). Don’t skip the handdipped milkshakes, which are reason enough to eat dessert first. There’s also a robust salad selection if virtue is calling you. 3578 St. Rose Parkway, 702-463-8303.

CASUAL CORNER

A Greek salad with chicken at the Great Greek (Courtesy)

Three takeout options at one Henderson plaza BY GENEVIE DURANO

he stretch of St. Rose Parkway south of Maryland Parkway is suddenly buzzing with activity. St. Rose Square, which houses Costco, is quickly populating with fastfood and fast-casual choices, including Popeyes, Cafe Rio, Starbucks and a much-anticipated new In-N-Out Burger. But right across the street, the Shoppes on the Parkway are also quickly becoming a quick-serve hub, offering another slew of strong takeout options. We stopped by recently and added a few new favorites to our rotation.

The Mediterranean Diet annually tops the list of the best ways we should be eating. The second location of the Great Greek Mediterranean Grill will help support those New Year’s resolutions with heart-healthy selections including salads, lean proteins and hummus. Pro tip: The Great Greek Rice Bowl—with your choice of protein, rice pilaf, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, olives and crumbled feta—makes for a primo pre-Costco power meal. 3552 St. Rose Parkway, 702-476-5818. Coffee is the specialty at Founders Coffee, but the toasts also keep us coming back, especially the Deluxe Lox Toast, a generous slice of multigrain bread with smoked lox cream cheese, chopped boiled egg, capers, chives and smoked lox. And the specialty lattes are habit-forming in the best way possible, especially the lavender white mocha and the salted caramel. 3512 St. Rose Parkway, 702-780-5554.

A January flight at Founders (Kobee Acosta/Courtesy)

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LV W S P O R T S

1.21.21

THE GUS BUS

Why new coordinator Gus Bradley could lead the long-struggling Raiders defense to success BY CASE KEEFER

us Bradley was so animated on the Zoom news conference to announce his hiring as the Raiders’ new defensive coordinator, multiple times he either dropped the device on which he was speaking or accidentally muted himself. The veteran coach spoke with an excitement that some might have found incongruous with the chance to lead a unit that’s been the worst in the NFL over the past decade. The Raiders are where defensive coordinators’ careers have come to decline, yet the 54-year-old Bradley showed no hesitation in accepting the job—even with his name linked to other openings around the league. “I know this is a hungry group of guys and they want to get better,” Bradley said. “This is being passed down from Coach [Jon] Gruden and the guys I met with, but you can tell when you see them play and when [defensive line] Coach [Rod] Marinelli talks about all the players, the passion he has for them. I know this is a great group to start with.” For the second straight season, a sieve-like defense sunk the Raiders’ postseason chances despite the team’s playoff-ready offense. Las Vegas ranked

28th in the league on defense by Football Outsiders’ DVOA ratings and 26th in giving up 6 yards per play to opponents. The Raiders haven’t ranked in the top half of the league in defensive DVOA since 2010, when they slipped in at No. 14. Those annual underperformances make it easy to feel skeptical about Bradley’s confidence in turning the Raiders’ defense around in short order, but here’s the thing: He could do it. There’s no reason why Las Vegas can’t be significantly better on defense as soon as next year. Data has conclusively proven that dramatic improvements from one season to the next are far more likely on defense than on offense, which is more consistent on a year-to-year basis. In other words, it’s an anomaly that the Raiders’ defense has played as poorly as it has for as long as it has. Bring in the right guy to maximize talent and

implement an appropriate scheme, and a dramatic upswing is a real possibility. And Bradley just might be the right guy. As defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks from 2009 to 2012, he built what were arguably some of the best defenses in recent NFL history. Seattle peaked and won the Super Bowl the year after Bradley left to take the head coaching job with Jacksonville, and the Jaguars were mostly decent defensively during his four-year stint despite their poor offense. Bradley spent the past three seasons with the Chargers, who were inundated with defensive injuries the past two years but still managed to hover around average under Bradley’s watch. “This is an exciting defense to play, and I would say that the players will be very excited to be a part of it, because they know they’re going to have the ability to

Gus Bradley, Raiders (AP/Photo Illustration)

play fast,” Bradley said. “I think our job as coaches is really to evaluate the players and put them in position where they can make plays.” Bradley is known as an acolyte of the Cover 3 scheme—dropping three defensive backs into deep coverage—marking a change from the Cover 2 that Gruden’s teams have usually played. But Bradley said he’s not married to any particular setup and promised multiple looks. Bradley’s next month will be spent devouring game film to get him familiar with his new players and decide what approaches fit best. He might even find more playmakers than he expects. Las Vegas’ defense isn’t as talent-deficient as its numbers might suggest. Nick Kwiatkoski was one of the best linebackers in the league when healthy in 2020. Fellow free agent linebacker signing Cory Littleton struggled greatly but has

been a Pro Bowl player in the past and spoke candidly about his offseason drive to put this year’s disappointment behind him. Second-year cornerback Trayvon Mullen would look like a Pro Bowler in one game, then drop below starting caliber the next. The 23-year-old’s potential remains remarkably high if he can discover some consistency. Las Vegas appears to have struck out on a few high-priced defensive line free agents in Maliek Collins and Carl Nassib, but second-year defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby have both shown hints of greatness. The Raiders need more out of all the aforementioned players, but imagine if Bradley helps put them all in position to succeed. Throw in a couple of successful free agent and NFL Draft hits over the next few months, and all of a sudden, the Raiders’ defense could be formidable. “The stat that’s so consistent is the ability to affect the quarterback,” Bradley said. “If you can affect the quarterback, you have a good chance to help make it to the level we’re all shooting for, and you know what goes on from there. That’s why I think up front is so important.” Up front is where the Raiders’ problems have originated. They managed sacks on just 3.49% of plays last season to rank 30th in the league, the fifth time in the past nine years they’ve been in the NFL’s bottom three in sack rate. Such damning numbers come in large quantities with the Raiders’ defense, to the point that they’re hard to believe. Sheer luck, or positive regression, should be enough to ensure that a single unit isn’t this bad for such a sustained period of time. Bradley believes he can break the curse. One of the remedies will be his energy. “When I was part of the Chargers, [we’d drive] up to [Allegiant] Stadium, see where the stadium is located, and there’[d be] fans outside in the parking lot, even though they couldn’t go in the building,” Bradley said. “It’s just something I think we’re all very excited about. The people here have been outstanding, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

LV W S P O R T S

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(Zak Krill/NHL via Getty Images)

1.21.21

■ PLAYER OF THE WEEKLY: MARK STONE Mark Stone came out of the gates hot in his first two games since being named Golden Knights captain and led the team to a 2-0 start to the season with a pair of wins over the Anaheim Ducks. On opening night, Stone had the game-winning goal and an assist on an ensuing insurance goal, then two nights later, he assisted on both Vegas goals, including Max Pacioretty’s overtime winner.

Report

THIS WEEK’S VOTE 1. Mark Stone 2. Max Pacioretty 3. Marc-André Fleury 4. Jonathan Marchessault 5. Zach Whitecloud As voted by Las Vegas Weekly’s panel, based on all games played January 11 to January 17.

UPCOMING GAMES Jan. 22: at Arizona Coyotes, 6 p.m. Jan. 24: at Arizona Coyotes, 1 p.m. Jan. 26: vs. St. Louis Blues, 6 p.m. Games air on AT&T SportsNet and 98.9-FM/1340-AM unless otherwise noted. STANLEY CUP ODDS: 6-TO-1 at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook

VEGAS INC BUSINESS

1.21.21

Mobile devices have carried sports betting through the pandemic

BY BRYAN HORWATH

ith people cooped up at home because of the pandemic, mobile sports betting has skyrocketed in popularity, Las Vegas sportsbook operators say. Wagering on a game is a great form of recreation when other options, including attending a sporting event in person, are off-limits during the pandemic. And by wagering from your mobile device, you don’t have to leave your home quarantine. “Mobile is where it’s at,” said Jay Kornegay of the Westgate SuperBook. More than 80% of bets at the SuperBook are being placed via a mobile device, compared with about 65% before the pandemic, he said. Statewide, about 56% of all sports wagers in November were made through a mobile device. “There are lots of sign-ups for our app happening all the time,” said Chris Bennett, a book manager with Circa Sports, which debuted late last year in Downtown Las Vegas and quickly become one of the city’s most notable books. In Nevada, bettors must sign up for a sports wagering app in person, but after that, they can place a bet from anywhere in the state. Some operators even allow you to make a deposit through the app. Mark McMillan, chief financial officer for William Hill’s U.S. operations, said the company has put “huge investments” into its mobile betting technology, but it’s paying off. “There’s a huge appetite for sports betting in this country. I don’t see that slowing down.” William Hill operates nearly 150 sportsbooks in Nevada, including at the Venetian and Cosmopolitan. Caesars Entertainment is in the process of acquiring the company, with the deal awaiting final regulatory approval. Remote betting is taking off other places, too, with Michigan and Virginia going live this month. Iowa also

began taking sports bets online this month. Still, operators haven’t given up on the brick-andmortar sportsbooks that have been a Las Vegas mainstay since the mid-1970s. After all, there’s no better experience than watching a game in person at the book, with properties such as Circa, Westgate and others investing millions to enhance the viewing experience. “The experience of betting in person, including the social experience, is just too great,” McMillan said. “I fully expect demand for Las Vegas to be off the charts once people feel safe. I think it’s going to be mad here.” Kornegay also said that “we still have some pretty big players that are coming to town, and that’s keeping the retail numbers respectable.”

In October, nearly $660 million was wagered on sports in Nevada, a record handle. And in November, sportsbooks won $56 million on football bets alone, another record and a 149% increase from November 2019. “Business has continued to be fantastic,” Kornegay said. “Looking at just the handle and ticket counts during the 2020 football season, we’ve had some of the top months in the past eight or 10 years.” The ability to make a wager from a hand-held device at a moment’s notice has come in handy for some during the pandemic, as lineups are constantly changing to present an opportunity to get a favorable betting number. Earlier this month, hours before kickoff in college football’s national championship game, news broke that three players expected to start for Ohio State would miss the game because of COVID protocols. Ohio State was already missing 10 contributors. Alabama quickly went from being a 7-point betting favorite to being favored by 9 points. They easily covered the spread in a blowout win. Also, Dez Bryant of the Baltimore Ravens was pulled off the field during warmups of an NFL game earlier this season after testing positive, and Justin Turner of baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers was taken out of the decisive game of MLB’s World Series when a positive test was revealed. “A lot of times, it’s been a bettor who finds out first that a certain player isn’t going to play, not us,” said Circa’s Bennett. “If it’s a really important player and the line assumes that player is playing, we’re getting the worst of it. That’s happened a number of times since the start of the pandemic.”

(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

VEGAS INC BUSINESS

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VegasInc Notes Dr. Michael Daubs was named director-elect of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He also serves as professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery at the UNLV School of Medicine and medical director of Daubs OptumCare Orthopaedics & Spine. Jewish Nevada announced that president and CEO Stefanie Tuzman has been accepted to participate in the prestigious Executive Leadership Program hosted by the Mandel Institute for Nonprofit Leadership. This 16-month program consists of seminars and learning opportunities for leaders of Jewish nonprofit organizations across the country. Jhone Ebert, state superintendent of public instruction, was named a 2020 recipient of the International Society for Technology in Education Impact Award. The award recognizes educators and organizations who improve

learning for all students and have a major impact as an example to the field of education. Ebert’s career in public education spans more than three decades. Prior to her appointment as superintendent, Ebert served as senior deputy commissioner of education for the state of New York. Jennifer Shydler, CFP, a wealth management adviser at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, was named to Working Mother/ SHOOK Research’s 2020 “Top Wealth Advisor Moms” list and Shydler to the Forbes “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors” list. In addition, Nadine Faulis, CRPC, CPFA, a senior financial adviser and managing director, was named to the Forbes’ “America’s Top Women Wealth Faulis Advisors” list, Forbes

“Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list for the third year and to Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” list for the ninth consecutive year. Gina Bongiovi, managing partner of Bongiovi Law Firm, was sworn in as the 2021 chair of the Vegas Chamber board of trustees. Imagine Communications received a pinnacle award and was Bongiovi named best of show in campaigns for its work with the Clark County Medical Society Bulletin in the Public Relations Society of America Las Vegas Chapter 2020 Pinnacle Awards. Imagine also received an award of excellence for its part in the Focus on Funds magazine along with its partners International Training Institute, National Energy Management Institute Committee and Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust. Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing promoted its chief financial officer Kim Miramontes to chief operations officer. Miramontes’ experience will be an asset to Goettl’s predominately female executive team, Miramontes a rarity in the HVAC and plumbing industry.

Henderson Hospital was awarded an ‘A’ in the fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for the fifth consecutive time. The national distinction recognizes the hospital’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safe health care. Henderson Hospital also was named a Top Teaching Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group. The award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. America First Credit Union welcomed Brett Christensen to its leadership team as chief lending officer. Christensen assumed this role previously held by Randy Halley, who retired after more than 43 years at America First. Pulling from more than 28 years of credit union experience, Christensen will now oversee indirect lending, mortgages, consumer lending, business lending, home equity and sales. Loving Hearts Adoption Services promoted Alexandra Hoops to director of adoption services. Formerly serving as a social worker for the agency, Hoops works to develop and impleHoops ment adoption plans for all members of the adoption triad, including birth families and parents, adoptive parents and adoptees.

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LV W P U Z Z L E & H O R O S C O P E S

PREMIER CROSSWORD

1.21.21

“SPECIAL LITERARY GENRE” BY FRANK LONGO

HOROSCOPES

WEEK OF JANUARY 21 BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): On May 4, 2019, Leah woke up feeling she had miraculously become completely enlightened. But by the next morning, the exalted serenity had faded. The experience shook her up so delightfully that she vowed to forevermore seek to re-create the condition she had enjoyed, turning a surprise, spontaneous blessing into a permanent breakthrough. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): One morning, French army general Hubert Lyautey (1854–1934) instructed his gardener to spend the next day planting a row of saplings. The gardener advised Lyautey that this species required 100 years to fully mature. “In that case,” Lyautey said, “plant them now.” Expedite your long-term plans. The time is ripe to take action to fulfill your big dreams. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Asked what home was for him, poet E. E. Cummings responded that it was “the stars on the tip of your tongue, the flowers sprouting from your mouth, the roots entwined in the gaps between your fingers, the ocean echoing inside your ribcage.” What makes you feel glad to be alive and helps give you the strength to be yourself? Identify and honor the influences that inspire you to create your inner sense of home. CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Be sweet to me, world,” pleads poet Stephen Dunn in one of his poems. You should address the world in a similar way, but add even more entreaties. For example, you could say, “Be revelatory and educational with me, world,” or “Help me deepen my sense that life is meaningful, world,” or “Feed my soul with experiences that will make me smarter and wilder and kinder, world.” LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Throughout his many rough travels in the deserts of the Middle East, Lawrence of Arabia (1888–1935) didn’t give up his love of reading. He studied numerous tomes, including the works of ancient Greek writers Aeschylus and Aristophanes. In the coming weeks, you, too, will be skilled at coordinating seemingly uncoordinatable projects and tasks—and you’ll thrive by doing so. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sculptor Stefan Saal says one of his central questions as an artist is to know when a piece is done. “When making a thing, I need to decide when is it thoroughly made, when is it, dare we say, ‘perfected.’ ” You’ve been doing good work and will continue to, but it’s crucial that you don’t get overly fussy and fastidious as you refine and perhaps even finish your project.

2021 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE ACROSS 1 Placed on a roster 7 Devoid of junk email 15 Zimbalist of Wait Until Dark 20 See 53-Across 21 Place for many piercings 22 Demi of the screen 23 Start of a riddle 25 Hair twist 26 Ripped 27 Work site welfare org. 28 Natural aptitude 30 Not divided 31 First-aid pro 33 Kilt wearers’ groups 38 Fish with a sucking disk 40 Riddle, part 2 45 Discuss anew 46 Radio word after “Roger” 47 Go furtively 48 Oil! author Sinclair 51 “Hee” or “yee” follower 53 With 20-Across, midsize car from Korea 55 Riddle, part 3 66 Apple CEO Cook 67 Rower’s need 68 Ducklike diving birds 69 Risk-taker’s challenge 70 Endanger 73 Jimmy of the Daily Planet 74 Rushes wildly 75 Soprano Maria 76 Three, to Gigi 77 — room (play place) 78 China’s Chou En- —

79 Riddle, part 4 84 — number on 85 Florida Panthers’ gp. 86 Really vex 87 Open courts 92 Cleaning tool 96 Choir stands 99 End of the riddle 105 Old cruise missile with a tribal name 106 Work of praise 107 It may get stubbed 108 Cleaving tool 109 More cunning 111 Battle 114 Curve parts 115 Officer over a sarge 116 Riddle’s answer 123 Whines, as a fretful child 124 “Aim High” military branch 125 Not too hard to accomplish 126 Be too frugal 127 Tidy quality 128 Carve in relief DOWN 1 Not covering the ankles, as shoes 2 Device with Siri 3 More than mono 4 Fork prong 5 Former Brit. record giant 6 The Cowboys, on scoreboards 7 — -chef 8 Promote 9 Clip on, e.g. 10 Sea, in Paris 11 Pt. of TGIF 12 Old car inits. 13 Water, in Paris 14 Once, in old times 15 Symbolic logos

16 17 18 19 24 29 31

Work site overseer Virginia city Asmara’s country Rx request Plenty of, casually Biceps’ place Kate Nelligan title role 32 “I’m not impressed” 34 A criminal breaks it 35 “Do — say!” 36 Carolina Panthers’ gp. 37 Twisted individuals, informally 39 Big boat in Genesis 41 Seniors’ big night out 42 Arena staffer 43 Burn partly 44 T-bone source 48 Increase in business activity, e.g. 49 Original 50 Synagogue 52 Roll about in mud 54 Offer as evidence 56 Talked about, as a rumor 57 Missy 58 Soldier’s denial 59 Totally tires out 60 Jake Tapper’s channel 61 Former Egypt-Syr. alliance 62 Old PC screen type 63 “Fess up!” 64 Golfer Mark who won the 1998 Masters 65 Withstand 71 State tree of North Dakota 72 LL Cool J’s music 73 Bobby the Bruin 74 Sewing edge 76 Start to cry

77 Shroud of Turin, e.g. 80 Movie prefix with Cop 81 “No — traffic” 82 Country singer Haggard 83 Brewery kiln 87 Bristlelike grain appendage 88 Unfreeze 89 Filled pasta envelopes 90 Rome resident, to a Paris resident 91 Most pallid 93 Ending for Motor 94 Work of praise 95 One-named “Fear of Flying” singer 97 Part-human, parthorse deity 98 “Evil Woman” rock gp. 100 Weeding tool 101 Ablaze 102 Big brand of gummy bears 103 Stands out 104 Jumbled states 110 Horse with a speckled coat 112 Huge birds of myth 113 Gets old 114 Pursuer of Moby Dick 115 Hi-fi discs 117 Game score like 1-1 or 2-2 118 La-la lead-in 119 Frequently, in poetry 120 — Jovi (rock group) 121 Fruit beverage 122 Toy dog breed, for short

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): To honor and encourage a full invocation of gleeful fun, consider thoughts from Tumblr blogger Sparkledog. “I am so tired of being told that I am too old for the things I like. No cartoons. No toys. No fantasy animals. No bright colors. Are adults supposed to live monotonous, bleak lives? ... Please stop making me feel bad for loving the things that make me happy.” SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Nature cannot be ordered about, except by obeying her,” wrote philosopher Francis Bacon (1561–1626). That paradoxical observation could prove to be highly useful for you. Surrendering will lead to power. Expressing vulnerability will generate strength. The more you’re willing to acknowledge that you have a lot to learn, the smarter you’ll be. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In The Lover’s Dictionary, David Levithan advises lovers to tell each other their very best stories. “Not the day’s petty injustices,” he writes. “Not the glimmer of a seven-eighths-forgotten moment from your past. Not something that somebody said to somebody, who then told it to you.” You should consistently exchange your deepest, richest tales. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): On October 18, 1867, the United States government completed its purchase of Alaska from Russia, for two cents per acre, which in today’s money would be about 37 cents. Regard this transaction as a metaphor for what’s possible for you in 2021: the addition of a valuable resource at a reasonable price. And don’t let naysayers like them dissuade you from your smart action. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “My business is circumference,” wrote poet Emily Dickinson. Critic Rochelle Cecil says that circumference referred to a sense of boundlessness radiating out from a center. Make good use of Dickinson’s circumference in the coming weeks. It’s time to expand your mind, heart and soul. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Should you quote the wisdom of people who have engaged in unethical behavior? Should you draw inspiration from teachers who at times treated others badly? Ted Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, cheated on his wife while she was sick, ultimately leading to her suicide. Should you banish him from your memory or forgive and appreciate him? There’s no fixed set of rules about how to decide questions like these. The coming weeks will be a good time to redefine your relationship with complicated people.

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