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Cliff Wolosin at Cliff ’s Barber Corral (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
ON THE COVER
18 TEST OF TIME Twelve establishments that have endured Vegas’ ups, downs and implosions. COVER ART Photo by Wade Vandervort
08 SUPERGUIDE CORRECTION:
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WEEKLY Q&A Don’t Tell Comedy’s Nick Arellano expands a homegrown pop-up show across the Valley.
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SPORTS UNLV men’s basketball could be better than expected in Mountain West Play.
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NEWS The Historic Westside welcomes a sleek new library for the next generation.
FILM See the city like a true cinephile in the Neon Museum’s Viva Las Vegas Movies Tour.
SCENE Filipino Town’s new DJ Museum takes visitors through pivotal moments in disc jockey history.
FOOD & DRINK The tried and true Hush Puppy brings Southern staples to a new location at Neonopolis.
Holiday entertainment abounds at Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, Glowfest, Opportunity Village and more this week.
Las Vegas Weekly’s December 11 feature about holiday cocktails erroneously reported the location of Flanker Kitchen & Sports Bar. It is located at Mandalay Bay. Want More? Visit lasvegasweekly.com.
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SUPERGUIDE THURSDAY DEC 18 DRAKE BELL In case you haven’t noticed, Nickelodeon actor and musician Drake Bell has been making the rounds on the Strip. Earlier this summer, the Drake and Josh star popped into Caspian’s Caviar Karaoke for a nostalgic evening of tunes. And his run of performances at Easy’s Cocktail Lounge have become something of a tradition now. At the doughnut shop speakeasy, Bell has never sounded better in a place you’d never quite expect. Onstage with his vintage Gretsch guitar and smartly tailored suit, the heartthrob looks the part of a lounge resident. For the holidays, expect him to break out the Christmas classics and sprinkle in a few originals, like the iconic Drake and Josh theme song “I Found a Way.” Reservations are strongly recommended. 8 p.m., free, Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easysvegas.com. –Amber Sampson
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NEVADA BALLET THEATRE: THE NUTCRACKER Thru 12/28, dates and times vary, Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com.
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LUCY DARLING Thru 12/21 & 12/24, 7 p.m. (& 12/1912/20, 12/24, 9:30 p.m.), Underground Theater, mgmgrand.com.
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CHIODOS With Holywatr, Big Ass Truck, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.
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EARL TURNER 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com.
FRANKIE MORENO 7 p.m. (& 12/20-12/21, times vary), Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com. RAIN: A BEATLES CHRISTMAS TRIBUTE 7 p.m., Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com. VEDO 8 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com. JAKE JACOBSON 10 p.m., Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, tixr.com. CITY OF EVIL With BYOB, 9:45 p.m., Copa Room at Tuscany, tuscanylv.com.
DV8 BIG BAND 10 p.m., Fat Cat Lounge, fatcatlv.com.
CRAIG CADY 7:45 & 9:15 p.m., & 12/20, Vic’s, vicslasvegas.com.
DOUBLECAMP 7 p.m., B Side at House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.
DANNY AVILA 10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr.com.
IVY LAB 10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr.com.
SAM FELDT 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com.
BEATBREAKER 10:30 p.m., Tao Nightclub, taogroup.com. LEONA LEWIS Thru 12/21 & 12/24, 8 p.m., Voltaire, voltairelv.com.
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SATURDAY DEC 20 GLOWFEST This 200,000-square-foot holiday night market and light festival makes its debut this weekend near the Sahara Las Vegas Monorail Station, a family-friendly option packed with food, crafts, activities, illuminated sculptures and seasonal entertainment. Open from 4 to 10 or 11 p.m. on weekends and holidays, Glowfest hosts five themed realms (Reality, Nature, Ocean, Celestial and Exotic Land) connected by an interactive story for visitors to explore. More than 15 food and beverage vendors include favorites like China Mama, Crab Corner, Oming’s Kitchen and Signora Pizza, and a Vendor Village curated by Market in the Alley expands the offerings each night with local makers and small businesses. Thru 2/22, dates & times vary, $36+, 2600 Paradise Road, glowfest.com. –Brock Radke WINTER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL 9 a.m., Pumpkin Park, cityofhenderson.com. A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS 3 & 7 p.m. (& 12/21, 1 p.m.), Orleans Showroom, ticketmaster.com. UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. FRESNO STATE 4 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com. UNLV WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. NEW MEXICO 1 p.m., Cox Pavilion, unlvtickets.com. LAS VEGAS DESERT DOGS VS. OTTAWA BLACK BEARS 7 p.m., Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com. VEGAS CITY OPERA: VIVA LAS POPERA Noon, Carolyn G. Goodman Plaza at Las Vegas Civic Center, lasvegasnevada.gov.
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ADAM CAROLLA Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com.
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A PETER WHITE CHRISTMAS With Mindi Abair and Vincent Ingala, 8 p.m., Chrome Showroom, ticketmaster.com.
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SUPERHIRO 8 p.m., the Usual Place, theusualplace.vegas.
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TIM CLARK 9 p.m., B Side at House of Blues, lasvegas. houseofblues.com.
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Courtesy F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY.C O M .
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EXHIBIT: PLANTING MYSELF HERE BY JURISSA PRATT Thru 1/8, times vary, Pearson Community Center, clarkcountynv.gov.
LAS VEGAS SINFONIETTA: A NIGHT IN VIENNA 3 p.m., Clark County Library Theater, lasvegassinfonietta.com.
EXHIBIT: NEVADA, P.S. I LOVE YOU POSTCARD PROJECT Thru 2/25, times vary, Nevada Humanities Program Gallery, nevadahumanities.org.
GOSPEL BRUNCH 10 a.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com. PUNK ROCK BRUNCH 10 a.m., Composers Room, the composersroom.com.
COOKIE HULL With Traci Skene, Brian McKim, Jeff Leach, thru 12/28, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster.com.
ELLA PRESLYN Noon, Fergusons Downtown, fergusons downtown.com.
CARLOS RODRIGUEZ Thru 12/28, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegascomedy.com.
CANDLELIGHT: BEST OF BRIDGERTON ON STRINGS 6 p.m., Industrial Event Space, theindustrialvegas.com.
DAVE T AND THE SOUL JUICE BAND 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv.com.
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MIKE ATTACK 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, taogroup.com.
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SANTA BABY DIVAS NIGHT Local ladies have been slaying (not sleighing) at Easy’s Divas Night events for a while now, and now the intimate speakeasy at Aria’s Proper Eats Food Hall is turning it up for the holidays. Starring Las Vegas faves Deziree and Jan Jan, this night “for the queens of pop” will bring some extra spirit to the energetic anthems of Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, the Spice Girls and more. And the featured libation is the Paparazzi Please, a twist on the French 75 with Monkey 47 gin and Perrier-Jouët Champagne. Prepare to get jolly. 9 p.m., free, Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easysvegas.com. –Brock Radke
CHRISTIAN PHIFER BAND 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv.com.
ETHEL M HOLIDAY CACTUS GARDEN Thru 1/3, dates & times vary, Ethel M Chocolates, ethelm.com.
ERIC FORBES 10 p.m., Ghostbar, palms.com.
LVA JAZZ QUARTET 3 & 6:30 p.m., Vic’s, vicslasvegas.com.
THE MAGICAL FOREST Thru 12/31, dates & times vary, Opportunity Village, opportunityvillage.org.
PIANO PARTY With Keith Thompson and Tony Arias, 6 p.m., Composers Room, thecomposers room.com. KID CHARLEMAGNE 9 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge Igloo, thesanddollarlv.com.
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ENCHANT Thru 12/28, dates & times vary, Las Vegas Ballpark, enchantchristmas.com.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. SAN JOSE SHARKS 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
MIKEY FRANCIS 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com.
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LVP PARTY With Andy, 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, taogroup.com.
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Don’t Tell Comedy Vegas producer Nick Arellano expands the pop-up show from a Henderson living room to Strip speakeasies and beyond BY SHANNON MILLER
Nick Arellano never thought he’d share a stage with Joan Rivers, mostly because she’s an untouchable legend he grew up watching on TV. There’s also the fact that she died in 2014. But at a recent Don’t Tell Comedy show at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, comedian and Fashion Police co-executive producer Tony Tripoli made the impossible happen. “I was raised in a traditional religious household, a bit more conservative. E! News was my comedy. Joan was a comedy pioneer. I was watching her on TV in my home at 14. The little closeted gay boy was trying to imitate Joan Rivers,” says Arellano, lead producer for Don’t Tell Comedy Vegas. “Fast-forward to November 15. [Tony] comes to the green room, reaches into his backpack and brings out the urn of Joan Rivers. ... So, Joan had a spot on the Fontainebleau stage.” It was one of those full-circle moments that make you feel like you’re at the right place at the right time. And on a larger scale, that reflects the state of Don’t Tell Comedy. The Vegas chapter of the national franchise launched in 2019 in an Inspirada living room, and over the past seven years it’s grown into a local comedy staple. If you’re not in on the joke, Don’t Tell Comedy is a secret comedy show that pops up at unconventional venues. The location and comedian lineup are always revealed on the day of the show. Don’t Tell Comedy has put on more than 100 shows locally at nightclubs, gyms, hair salons, coffee shops, museums and now, on the Strip.
This year, they popped up at On the Record speakeasy at Park MGM as well as Nowhere Lounge at Fontainebleau. Next thing you know, they’ll be launching a full-scale comedy invasion and taking over the entire city. The Weekly recently sat down with Arellano to talk about building the Don’t Tell Comedy empire in Vegas and where he’ll be popping up next. You had a show at Park MGM in July, the Punk Rock Museum in October and Fontainebleau in November. Don’t Tell Comedy has come a long way since that first show in an Inspirada living room. It’s literally going places. At the beginning, the way the brand worked was secret locations, secret comedians and typically BYOB. There was a bring-your-own-beer factor that really drove ticket sales. Yes, we are doing shows on the Strip now. But that is also not our bread and butter. It can’t be because there’s that local element that people just love so much. A Henderson local loves to see that there’s a show happening in Henderson or Summerlin. It has taken seven years for you to build up Don’t Tell Comedy Vegas. Have you had anyone helping you? I launched a [volunteer] show helper program a couple of years ago and built it for the Las Vegas scene. This was a call to action ... to be behind the scenes at these comedy shows they’ve really been enjoying. For the past couple of years, I’ve developed a team of six. My associate producer Jordan Martinez, who has been such an incredible asset to this team for the
"Yes, we are doing shows on the Strip now. But that is also not our bread and butter. It can’t be because there’s that local element that people just love so much."
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past couple of years, is becoming regional producer of the Henderson area. Whether it be breweries or backyard shows, [we’ll be] bringing back those really fun, unique, quirky shows that we did at the beginning. Henderson is such a vault of comedy fans. I’m so excited to really make it shine there next year. You’re not just lead producer for Don’t Tell Comedy Vegas. You also work in communications and public affairs for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. How do you balance those disparate roles? It is the Hannah Montana life that I try to balance. In my normal 9 to 5, I’m Miley. I’m on a Zoom, wearing a suit. I’m working for the legislative session. And by night, I’m putting on my blonde wig, and I have to be Hannah [for Don’t Tell Comedy]. A lot of what I did in political work was field organizing and volunteering. I was training organizers, and it’s something that is a bit full circle with Don’t Tell Comedy, because I’m [acting] like a field organizer would. They make this event. They organize for the event. They bring in volunteers. Had I not been actively participating in the political side, I wouldn’t have been able to blend that into the work that I do with Don’t Tell. It’s a comedy show, but it’s also a business. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions for Don’t Tell Comedy or for yourself? I recently did accept an executive producer role at the Doberman Downtown. We’re going to be navigating a new lecture on a tap-esque series called the Doberman Dialogues, which will be launching soon. ... I’m going to be extending my roots a bit differently within the community. I’m excited to do something really interesting and cool at the Doberman soon.
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Photo by Wade Vandervort
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In a city of impermanence, these Vegas institutions hold fast
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There’s an entire Wikipedia category devoted to Las Vegas’ poor historic preservation record. “Demolished hotels in Clark County, Nevada” features the names of more than two dozen properties, many of which still figure large in Las Vegas legend: The Sands, Riviera, Desert Inn, Stardust, Tropicana. All gone, every one; you won’t even find plaques where they stood. Our city doesn’t really do history: we level it, continually attempt to reshape Vegas bigger and brighter. Any local entity—be it a restaurant, bar, casino resort or other business—that stands firm against Vegas’ continual efforts to remake and remodel itself deserves recognition for staying off that list. There are dozens of them, much more than you’ll find in that desolated Wikipedia category: Caesars Palace, Battista’s Hole in the Wall, the Golden Steer, the Double Down Saloon, Jerry’s Nugget and many others. They’re not just longtime Valley businesses, but city institutions. Places that have stood the test of time and woven themselves into the fabric of Vegas’ character. The Weekly doesn’t have room in its pages to give all of Vegas’ institutions the recognition they deserve. But we picked out 12 of them that have meant a lot to us and offer them here as an antidote to “Vegas just tears things down.” Over the years these places have changed owners, changed their insides and outsides, even changed their location. But they hold true, and we can’t help but hold true to them.
Atomic Liquors This Downtown bar has enjoyed something of a charmed life since Stella and Joe Sobchik willed it into being more than 70 years ago. It’s been in movies and on TV: Casino, The Hangover, Drunk History. Anthony Bourdain and Barbra Streisand have sat on its barstools; brave guests once sat on its rooftop to watch atomic bomb tests miles away. And through it all, it’s remained what it is: a good, durable community bar, with a great staff and one of the city’s best pieces of vintage signage. –Geoff Carter
The Plaza likes to show off. And it’s good at it. Upon opening in 1971, it had Vegas’ biggest gaming floor and the only Amtrak station in the U.S. located within a casino. It’s tattooed with giant murals by Shepard Fairey, D*Face and FAILE. And it continually pushes boundaries, takes giant swings: It brought us Michael Vakneen’s Pop Up Pizza and Miss Behave’s Mavericks, boasts Downtown’s only equestrian arena, and will soon welcome Hogs & Heifers. Who knows what this Vegas stalwart will show off next? –GC
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Photo by Wade Vandervort
Plaza Hotel & Casino
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1972
Peppermill
Photo by Wade Vandervort
A 64-ounce cocktail called the Scorpion— two shots apiece of rum, vodka and cherry brandy—served in a bowl glass. A huge plate of vanillaand cinnamon-rich French toast piled high with fruit and whipped cream. A low-lit, highly stylized lounge that looks like a cross between a wedding reception and Star Trek: The Next Generation, dominated by a fire pit and attended by servers who sit down to take your order. It’s hard to find an aspect of this stalwart Strip diner and lounge that isn’t iconically Vegas. –GC
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1963-1964 Commercial Center/ Las Vegas Cue Club Before Town Square, the District and Downtown Summerlin—a long, long time before them—there was Commercial Center, a massive outdoor shopping district opened in August 1963. Over the years it’s accommodated everything from celebrated Thai restaurant Lotus of Siam to the Composers Room performance space. But if you’ve been there, it’s probably been to shoot pool at the Las Vegas Cue Club, where Valley residents have happily gotten behind the 8-ball since 1964. –GC
Photo by Steve Marcus
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1968 Circus Circus
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Photo by Wade Vandervort
For Gen X brats like me, Circus Circus’ midway was a rite of passage. While our parents played on the tables and machines, we won stuffed toys in water-shooting games; played Galaga in the arcade; watched the rotating carousel bar and free trapeze acts with equal fascination. Kids of the generations after us grew up in the Adventuredome with rollercoaster rides and scare nights. Jay Sarno and Stanley Mallin didn’t just make Vegas a circus, they got all of us to run away and join it. –GC
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At Little Church of the West, couples have tied the knot for more than 80 years. Built in 1942, the historic wedding chapel (designed to resemble a mining town church with rustic interiors of California redwood) is the oldest building on the Strip. It’s where Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret exchanged vows in Viva Las Vegas; where Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie famously eloped, and where Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford said, “I do.” –Amber Sampson
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1995 Cliff’s Barber Corral
Photo by Wade Vandervort
Cliff Wolosin is a proper cowboy. Dresses the part—widebrimmed hat, big belt buckle, black vest. His shop is a riot of Western and Vegas memorabilia dotted with celebrity endorsements, including Freddie Mercury of Queen. And when you sit in his chair, Wolosin offers a wholly unique Vegas experience—a history lesson, a bottomless well of great stories ... and a truly great haircut, like the kind your dad and granddad used to get, administered with the biggest damn scissors you’ve ever seen. Not just a grooming; it’s a real wild west adventure. –GC
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Luv-It Frozen Custard
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If we had a dollar for every time we rolled up to this unassuming Downtown hut and ordered Luv-It’s thick, outrageously creamy frozen custard—served unencumbered or in sundaes like the Western (fudge, caramel and pecans), Scotch Jimmie (caramel, banana and chocolate sprinkles) or Luv-it Special (strawberries and pecans)—we’d perhaps have enough to buy this family-owned, sweet city institution outright. But we wouldn’t, because why mess with perfection? –GC
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Ethel M Cactus Garden
Nevada’s largest botanical cactus garden has been part of the chocolate factory tour from the beginning, but for the past 32 years, it’s risen another level with its holiday display. It’s a desert tradition we’ve gladly upheld, with hundreds of cacti, succulents and shrubs twinkling with Christmas lights and merry decor. Taking a self-guided stroll through the three-acre garden with a cup of hot cocoa and family feels cozy and somehow, classic. –AS
Photo by Christopher DeVargas
Photo by Christopher DeVargas
1981
1960 Italian American Club
Institutions like the Italian American Club on East Sahara mostly don’t exist anymore. It’s a social club, created in a time when places were built exclusively for that purpose without commercial enterprise, and a hub for the Las Vegas Italian American community. It’s also a one-of-a-kind supper club with old-school Vegas entertainment, a style of fun that’s also nearly extinct in the fast-moving entertainment capital of the world. If you’re looking for a living, breathing connection to the Rat Pack era of this city, you’ve found it. –Brock Radke
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1981 Gipsy A sanctuary to the LGBTQ community for more than 40 years, Gipsy’s legacy as one of the last original gay bars in the Fruit Loop can’t be overstated. The nightclub has anchored the historic district since 1981, and in that time it’s established a profound sense of belonging, especially for the next generation. Everyone from Janet Jackson to Liberace has enjoyed a night out at Gipsy—it’s too iconic not to. –AS
1990 Doña Maria Tamales
There’s an excellent reason why Doña Maria calls out their tamales on their Las Vegas Boulevard sign. Actually, there are five indelibly great, undeniably delicious reasons: Pork in a mild red sauce, chicken in a spicy green sauce, Monterey Jack cheese with green chilies, beef in a mild red sauce and a sweet variant with pineapple and raisins. Seven dollars each or $33 for a half-dozen, all wrapped in corn husks and served hot and fresh. This cozy restaurant also has a full Mexican menu, but if we’re being honest, we rarely get past the tamales. –GC
Gipsy courtesy/Trinijay Media
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30 years, millions of lights and one big party at the In Vegas time, 30 years is long enough to feel like forever. It’s a monumental chunk of time wherein generations of locals and visitors may have no understanding of what came before. That’s how long we’ve had the Fremont Street Experience—the historic casino-lined five-block pedestrian promenade Downtown, covered mostly by the 1,375-foot LED-screen canopy flashing Viva Vision shows every night—instead of “Glitter Gulch,” what we called Fremont Street when you could drive your car there. When the canopy came to life, there was no Stratosphere tower in Las Vegas, no Bellagio fountains, no faux Eiffel Tower. The population was less than one million. But Las Vegas was already transforming quickly into something more than a gambling mecca, thanks to the arrival of Strip resorts like the Mirage, Excalibur, Luxor and Treasure Island. So Downtown had to take a big step, too, closing Fremont Street to vehicular traffic in September 1994 and breaking ground for FSE that month. It took around 15 months to build the canopy and install its 2.1 million lights, ready in time for a grand opening on December 14, 1995.
It could have happened differently. Another proposal to stimulate Downtown tourism suggested the construction of a life-size USS Enterprise from Star Trek, a spaceship as long as the Empire State Building is tall. But the head of Paramount Studios wouldn’t give the greenlight. A preliminary idea for the canopy involved a sky parade where people and floats would move above pedestrians down Fremont every night. That plan was scrapped when Mary Kozlowski, who founded the first woman-owned architecture firm in Nevada, came up with the light show concept that would become famous blasting across the biggest single video screen in the world. (Viva Vision got a $32 million tech upgrade in 2019 adding four times the resolution and making the shows seven times brighter with more energy-efficient LED modules.) In 1996, the Fremont Street Experience was named one of the best themed attractions in the country by the Themed Entertainment Association, winning an Outstanding Achievement award for unique, stand-alone projects. Other winners in the competition that year were the Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and the WaterWorld stunt show at Universal Studios. The canopy turned Downtown Las Vegas itself into an attraction.
“Fremont Street Experience has always been about creating unforgettable moments. For 30 years, we’ve been proud to serve as the heartbeat of Downtown Las Vegas, blending innovation, entertainment and community spirit,” Dana Reynolds, vice president of marketing, said in a statement. “This anniversary is a celebration of the people, performances, and energy that have made Fremont Street Experience such a landmark destination.” It celebrated 30 years with a proper party on December 14, part of a month-long initiative to mark the anniversary culminating in the annual Countdown Under the Canopy New Year’s Eve celebration. (Tickets are $60 at vegasexperience.com.) Perhaps because it feels like it’s always been there, the Fremont Street Experience doesn’t always get acknowledged as one of the most significant attractions in Las Vegas, but it’s undeniably one of the most pivotal projects in our history. The development we enjoy today in the Arts District and Symphony Park might never have happened without the canopy. It’s a powerful visual contribution to the destination’s identity, and it’s the single greatest revitalization project in a long line of efforts to boost Downtown. –Brock Radke
Courtesy/QUE Images
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IN THE NEWS
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RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED … AIRPLANE?
As Las Vegas gears up for the holidays, Area15’s Boeing 747 got a Christmas makeover with lights, antlers and a glowing red nose. The decommissioned aircraft, originally displayed at Burning Man festival in Northern Nevada, is destined to become a nightlife and event venue at the local entertainment district. (Courtesy)
TECH
New deal places driverless taxis at T-Mobile Arena
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Zoox and T-Mobile Arena are launching a partnership in 2026 to bring autonomous ride-hailing services to arena visitors. The Amazon-owned startup announced the multiyear agreement last week, making Zoox an official venue partner of T-Mobile Arena. The partnership represents firsts for both parties: Zoox’s inaugural collaboration with a major sports and entertainment arena, and T-Mobile Arena’s first autonomous ride-hailing sponsorship. Riders will be able to request an autonomous vehicle to take them to and from the venue from other Zoox locations within the resort corridor. A dedicated Zoox pickup and drop-
Bae, senior vice president of global partnerships for AEG in Las Vegas, said in a statement. T-Mobile Arena is co-owned and operated by a joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International. The robotaxis operate from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m. within Zoox’s service area, which stretches across the Strip and includes portions of Spring Mountain, Russell, Sunset and Paradise roads, according to the app. Jesse Levinson, Zoox co-founder and chief technology officer, said last week that the company would begin charging passengers for rides in Las Vegas in early 2026 if Zoox receives the necessary federal and state approvals. –Grace Da Rocha
BY THE NUMBERS
Clay Guardipee/Courtesy
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off lane will be designated at the arena’s West VIP entrance, signage will be placed throughout the arena for navigation, and the company will be included in all Know Before You Go emails about venue transportation. More than a million visitors a year walk through T-Mobile Arena’s doors for more than 100 events, including concerts, sports and more including Vegas Golden Knights games. “By integrating Zoox’s innovative autonomous vehicle technology into our venue operations, we’re not only enhancing accessibility for the millions of fans who visit us each year but also reinforcing our commitment to bringing cutting-edge experiences to our guests,” Sally
That’s this year’s attendance for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo over 10 performances at the Thomas & Mack Center, up more than 3% from 2024 and the highest total since 2014. Attendance at Cowboy Christmas at the Las Vegas Convention Center also increased this year with 347,571 attendees.
(In the photo: 2025 PRCA Bareback World Champion Rocker Steiner)
GAMING
CAESARS SPORTSBOOK COMING TO RAMPART CASINO Caesars Entertainment has entered a partnership with Rampart Casino at The Resort at Summerlin to open a Caesars Sportsbook on the casino floor, according to a news release. Pending Nevada Gaming Commission approval, the new sportsbook will deliver “an elevated sports wagering experience to the Summerlin community with market-leading technology,” the release said. It will also include a new video wall and 360-degree LED display at the sportsbook bar. Inside the sportsbook and throughout the casino, 20 Caesars Sportsbook betting kiosks will be available, the release said. –Staff
ROOFTOP FIREWORKS DISPLAY NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31ST
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BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
The Historic Westside welcomes a sleek new library branch for the next generation
NEIGHBORHOOD UPGRADE
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Photos by Wade Vandervort
Few libraries celebrate an opening day quite like the new West Las Vegas Library branch did on December 9. Local DJ Tee Wheeze welcomed guests into the lobby to hip-hop throwbacks like Mike Jones’ “Back Then” and DMX’s “Party Up” while a few employees broke it down on an impromptu dance floor. More than 1,000 visitors filed in and grabbed bowls of gumbo before perusing the vast array of sunny reading nooks and technology labs scattered throughout the building’s two stories. For residents of a resilient Historic Westside neighborhood that served as the home of Las Vegas’ Black community during times of segregation, the joy and optimism was palpable. After 18 months of construction, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (LVCCLD) was finally unveiling an ambitious 41,000-square-foot, $40 million project that’s poised to become an educational anchor in their community for years to come. It more than doubles the size of its previous
Lake Mead Boulevard home, where it stood for 36 years. And it absolutely dwarfs the branch’s first iteration, which originally opened in a tiny storefront inside a D Street strip mall in 1973. Earlier that morning, Westside civil rights icon Ruby Duncan cut the ribbon, marking the realization of a dream more than five decades in the making. She once led a group of “welfare mamas” and other activists in a 1971 protest march that shut down the Strip and pushed the state to reverse a decision to cut 75% of their benefits. Two years later, they reunited to lobby Clark County, successfully, to establish that initial D Street branch for the city’s underserved Westside. Back then, Duncan’s vision helped bring incremental hope to a community that had been losing residents and watching its businesses close following Vegas’ desegregation in the 1960s. There are still only a few parks, grocery stores and medical facilities in the neighborhood today, but the new library marks a major step forward in its ongoing revitalization. Now 93, Duncan reflected on the fact that many of those mothers didn’t live long enough
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with a particular emphasis on African American contributions to art and culture. Longtime Westside resident Janice Williams was once in their shoes, back when she moved here from Louisiana with her family in 1972. “This library has always been a pillar in this community. As a kid, I couldn’t wait to go read at the first one on D Street, and to see kids excited to come here today means a lot, because it shows it still has the same impact after all this time,” Williams said.
Civil rights activist Ruby Duncan, center, attends the grand opening of the West Las Vegas Library on December 9.
to see the lasting impact of their legacy in this new branch. But she took solace in knowing they’d be proud to see what became of their efforts. “This is what we’d wished for back in the ’70s, but I’m so happy now,” she told the Weekly. “We were just regular mothers who wanted our babies to have a library. And they was not all Black, they was welfare mamas from every culture. We all made it happen.” Standing near a new exterior LED video wall spanning roughly 50 feet wide and 20 feet tall, LVCCLD Executive Director Kelvin Watson called the new facility a “vibrant” example of what a “21st century library” should be. “Libraries are community equalizers. We provide services to everyone, regardless of who you are or your income level,” he said. “And to have it here in the Historic Westside is just a momentous thing.” Accentuated by natural light funneling through massive windows, the building’s sleek interior is home to much more than just the standard bookshelves, computer labs and event spaces found at most libraries. A dedicated art gallery lives on the ground floor, while its hallways lead to several multimedia workshop rooms equipped with resources like 3D printers, music and podcast
equipment, sewing machines and even software that allows patrons to preserve their old VHS and cassette tapes. Those features come as part of an expanded set of services that include a new business incubator program, adult learning courses and K-12 tutoring. Recent Chicago transplant Michelle Lee came to scout out some of these offerings for her son, who is now enrolled in a local STEM school. “He’s working on building video games and stuff, and I feel like this is a great opportunity for him to learn how to do podcasts, too,” Lee said. “It seems like they put a lot of hard work into this place, and I think it’s going to pay off.” As nearby visitors sat down and solved jigsaw puzzles in a few adjacent booths, Westside resident Pam Arcuri spared no time selecting a new stack of books to check out. “The old branch was where I got my first library card in Las Vegas, and I picked up a new one today,” she said. “I obviously like books, but I see now that libraries have become so much more than that. There’s a lot more media, because that’s the wave of the future.” Not far from her, kids frolicked around displays outlining prominent local and national history,
Podcast room
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“Libraries are community equalizers. We provide services to everyone, regardless of who you are or your income level. And to have it here in the Historic Westside is just a momentous thing.” –Kelvin Watson, executive director, LVCCLD
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UNLV forward Tyrin Jones (6) goes to the basket against Maryland during the Players Era tournament at MGM Grand on November 24. (Photo by Steve Marcus)
Why UNLV men’s basketball could be better than expected in Mountain West play
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN
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BY CASE KEEFER The once-proud UNLV men’s basketball program has only finished in the top half of the Mountain West standings once in the past five years, and three times in the last decade. No one is calling for the 2025-2026 conference campaign, the premiere run under new coach Josh Pastner, to reverse the descent as it begins on December 20 with a home game versus Fresno State. The Mountain West preseason poll slotted UNLV as dead average at sixth, but that was before a trouble-filled month-and-a-half of non-conference play that left it with a 4-6 record. The Rebels lost three times as a double-digit favorite in Las Vegas to teams from lesser leagues, including a 63-60 setback to lowly Tennessee State of the Ohio Valley Conference on December 15 at Lee’s Family Forum. “I keep saying, we’ve just got to get to conference play,” Pastner said after one of the losses. “I really believe this: When we get to Mountain West play and we’re healthy, I think we’re going to be a really good basketball team.” If nothing else, Pastner—the veteran former head at Memphis and Georgia Tech—has infused the program with a new brand of energy and positivity. But his bullishness on his first Scarlet and Gray team—despite the early returns—might be more than blind optimism. No one else may be expecting it anymore, but
UNLV has a chance to sneak up on its conference rivals and become a factor by the time the Mountain West tournament rolls around in March. The disastrous non-conference results mean the Rebels will have to win the bracket to snap their program record 12-year drought without reaching the NCAA Tournament. That’s unlikely but not impossible with some better luck. Coaches notoriously say they won’t use injuries as an excuse and then allude to them anyway, but this is one of the rare cases where Pastner has a legitimate gripe. Midway through non-conference play, the Rebels were down to seven out of 13 scholarship players. Only five players have played in all 10 games— junior guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, senior guard Al Green, senior forward Walter Brown, senior forward Kimani Hamilton and freshman forward Tyrin Jones. Gibbs-Lawhorn and Hamilton are the only projected full-time starters in that group while Jones has not been at 100% but battled through injuries to stay on the court. “Never,” Pastner responded when asked if he’s faced similar challenges at past coaching stops. “This is the first time I’ve ever had to deal with this amount of injuries.” To make matters worse, Pastner ascribes to the tried belief that a team’s point guard and center are the hardest positions to replace. That’s what he’s had to attempt without junior point guard
Myles Che, who was brought in from UC Santa Barbara to lead the offense, and sophomore big man Emmanuel Stephen, an Arizona transfer. The absences of fellow frontcourt players Ladji Dembele (a junior), Naas Cunningham (a freshman) and Jacob Bannarbie (a sophomore and the lone holdover from last year’s team) exacerbated Stephen’s absence. At one point during the Players Era Festival at MGM Grand Garden Arena—where UNLV got blown out against Alabama and fell apart in winnable games against Maryland and Rutgers—Pastner said internal metrics rated UNLV as “the smallest team in the country.” The medical aim was for the team to clear up their injuries in time for the Mountain West, and it’s happened, to an extent. Stephen debuted by starting in the last two non-conference games while Cunningham and Bannarbie supplied interior depth off the bench. Dembele and Che remain sidelined by lingering foot injuries but they could return in the next couple weeks. “We’re the injury capital of the world right now but it’s go time after Christmas break,” Pastner said. UNLV caught a break with its conference schedule, beginning with home games against Fresno State (6-5) and then Air Force (3-8) on January 3. They were the two teams picked to finish last in the Mountain West. The top of the conference doesn’t look as formidable as expected either. San Diego State came into the year as an odds-on favorite, but it’s lost three games including a stunning upset at home against Troy. Fellow contender Boise State lost to Division II Hawaii Pacific while defending regular season co-champion Colorado State got shocked by the University of Denver. As deep as UNLV has sunk at its lowest so far, the heights have been just as impressive as it beat both Memphis and Stanford on the road. Those performances gave Pastner confidence that his hopes for the team are still possible this season. He hasn’t gotten the Rebels off to the start he wanted, but there were extenuating circumstances that help leave him genuinely undeterred from the ultimate goal. “When you take something over—and this is my third program I’ve taken over—in year one, you’re trying to establish culture,” Pastner said. “You’re trying to rebuild it back up. Things don’t happen overnight. There’s no snap of the fingers and saying, ‘This is instant.’ It takes time. I have complete belief in our vision and our clarity on the path of how we want to get there.”
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P H O T O S B Y C H R I S T O P H E R D E VA R G A S
The Neon Museum unveils its Viva Las Vegas Movies Tour, a guide to the cinematic universes that have touched this town
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BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ
I’ve long maintained that one should always take the museum tour. For many of us, to truly absorb the culture-rich offerings of an exhibit, a bit of thoughtful handholding is the key to unlocking its depths. The Neon Museum, famous for its dazzling expanse of larger-than-life historic neon tours, understands this. It has revealed its newest guided experience, the Viva Las Vegas Movies Tour, created by the institution’s own in-house cineaste. And anyone with even a passing interest in the mythmaking machine that is cinema will walk away hooked. The 45-minute tour is anchored by the research of Johann Rucker, the museum’s senior manager of research and scholarships. For Rucker, a UNLV film program graduate, the project carried personal weight. A former docent himself, Rucker quickly became the museum’s defacto movie correspondent. “I’d constantly get asked movie questions … I was just getting sent people constantly,” he says. “That pet fascination and that curiosity that our visitors might have had at that time really turned into a pretty big part of
our programming here, which I’m really proud of.” Finding and mapping the film narratives embedded throughout the Neon Boneyard was no small feat. And while he expected an avalanche of titles, Rucker and his team were able to scale the list down to 50 films. His original tour draft ballooned to 22 pages before training supervisor Matt Martello distilled it into an elegant guide for the docents. “He gets it down into bullet points, core narratives, key facts … so that they can also then personalize it on their own and find their own connections with it,” Rucker says. “That’s something that I think is true for every one of our tours at the museum, no two visits are the same. Depending on what guide you get, you get a different perspective, different sense of humor, presentation style.” You’ll learn about films foundational to Las Vegas’s cinematic reputation like Martin Scorsese’s Casino, alongside lesser-known gems like Cool World and the cult-classic erotica drama Showgirls. But as Rucker puts it, “It’s not just the independent films or the stuff you’ve never heard … but it’s also not just the blockbusters, and it’s also
not just the classics.” For true film buffs, the tour dives head-first into the deep cuts. “You’ve got really in-theweeds sort of stuff that I’m very proud of putting in there,” Rucker says. “Anything from Boulder Dam, 1936, directed by Frank McDonald. You’ve got Saboteur, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the Joe Louis Story [by] Robert Gordon and a whole bunch of nerdy stuff that you might not immediately think, ‘Oh, that’s Las Vegas.’” You’ll leave with small revelations tied to motion pictures your friends have never even heard of. You’ll snap photos of signage from Steiner’s Cleaners, whose claim to fame was handling the costumes for Casino and Fear and Loathing. You’ll even learn about the very first film screened at
El Portal Theatre on Fremont Street in 1928. The tour is a fount of information, poured out by all-knowing docents who leave ample time for questions and curiosity. “Growing up here as a cinephile, you think of other cities as having these rich cinematic lineages. Las Vegas fully deserves to be on that list. The stories that filmmakers like your Scorseses and your Francis Ford Coppolas, your Sofia Coppolas ... find within the city are singular,” says Rucker. “Las Vegas is a place of freedom. It’s a place of liberation, but it’s also a place of bright designs and isolation. Every filmmaker that makes a movie here has a very particular way to use the city. And I think that is one of the strengths that comes across through the film tour.”
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VIVA LAS VEGAS MOVIES TOUR Daily, 6:30 p.m., $35+. Neon Museum, neonmuseum.org
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CURTAINS CLOSE ON SECOND SAND DOLLAR Photo by Steve Marcus
We’re still singing the blues for live music venue Sand Dollar Downtown at the Plaza, which closed on December 14. Iconic biker bar Hogs & Heifers will soon take over the space for a temporary pop-up in January. Sand Dollar Downtown opened in 2022 as a spinoff to the beloved Spring Mountain location. The venue brought blues, rock, R&B and punk bands to the stage each week—often without a cover. Its huge dancefloor also made it ideal for Punk Rock Bowling club shows and afterparties. It’s a sizable loss, as many local musicians used it as a launchpad for album releases. Thankfully, there’s still plenty of music to catch at the original Sand Dollar Lounge, still rocking after almost 50 years. –Amber Sampson
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Swan Dive, one of the Arts District’s most anticipated openings, is already preparing to move. Harvey Graham, owner of the Downtown club Oddfellows and Swan Dive locations in Vegas, Austin and Portland, confirmed via email that he’s uprooting the club from the two-story Colorado building and moving it further down Main Street. It will be reborn as a live music venue—still named Swan Dive—alongside Ugly Duckling Karaoke Lounge, a new concept from John Brophy, founder of Portland’s cult-favorite karaoke party Baby Ketten. Vegas’ Swan Dive opened in 2024 with a wraparound patio, built-in stage and plenty of space. Within weeks, locals flocked to the venue for shows, DJ nights and even wrestling events, turning the 450-capacity room
into a reliable place for live music. But internally, things have shifted. Tim Kam, minority owner of Oddfellows, says Graham wanted out of the space, giving Kam the opportunity to buy his shares and introduce his own concept called Bizarre Bar. After Swan Dive’s final show on December 20, Kam plans to fully remodel of the space, including building a wall to separate the bar and stage, opening the door for 18-and-older shows, pending city approval. When Bizarre Bar opens, Kam will rely on the bar program first, while keeping familiar dance parties like goth-themed nights. Weekdays will feature more live music while weekends will be dancefloor-driven. Bizarre Bar is tentatively slated to open in February 2026. –Gabriela Rodriguez
A L B U M S P OT L I G H T
Photo by Wade Vandervort
SWAN DIVE SETS RELOCATION PLANS
SOFT ECHO, SOFT ECHO
Soft Echo is quickly becoming one of Vegas’ fastest-rising new projects. The “grunge-gaze” four-piece—led by local music vet Zach Ryan, guitarist Taylor Milne (the Killers, Big Talk) drummer A.J. Palluck (The Rhyolite Sound) and bassist Robert John Kley (Magna-Fi)—opened for the Killers last year, and they’ve carried that momentum into a new LP that beams with tight musicianship. It opens with a heady rush of “Cerulean Blue.” Ryan’s completely lovestruck in this standout track. It’s hazy and dreamlike, the riffs washing over you in languid, cool sweeps. And it sets the tone for the rest of the album. Each track coasts off of Ryan’s hummable hooks, namely “Everything Is Wrong” and “Motel Cigarette.” And that mellow distortion of guitars, burning their notes into our memories, ties it all together. Songs about craving validation, jonesing for a relationship, trying to forget another—it’s all relatable and all present on this debut. softechomusic.com –AS
Photos by Wade Vandervort
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No longer exclusive to the club scene, techno or hip-hop, today’s DJs play a fundamental role in nearly every genre of music. And while the craft is more accessible than ever in the digital age, younger DJs can still benefit from understanding its underground roots. That’s where Sam Maxion—also known as DJ Slammin’ Sam— stepped in to preserve a legacy that has captivated him ever since he began mixing and scratching in the Bay Area in the late ’80s. In October, the Filipino American musician and Valley resident launched the DJ Museum in Las Vegas’ Filipino Town to shine a spotlight on the profession’s eclectic history. “You could go to Walmart right now, grab a little controller, sync it to your phone and DJ your uncle’s party at six years old,” he says. “But it’s still important for people to do a little reset, take a step back, and find out how everything got to where it’s at.” The exhibit walks visitors through pivotal moments that birthed the modern DJ as we know it—from the pioneering era of the 1950s, to the golden age in the ’80s and the raveheavy ’90s. Maxion’s tour passion-
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this. Let me show my kid what I used to do,’” Maxion says of his vast memorabilia collection. “To me, that’s very heartwarming.” Elsewhere, guests can “scratch ately traces each major technologithe itch” by engaging with interaccal advancement while highlighting tive features like a music room with key innovators like Francis Grasso, working turntables and keyboards, Cameron Paul, DJ Qbert, Grandand an adjacent arcade area stocked master Flash and DJ Jazzy Jeff. with DJ Hero and Beatmania At the museum, rows of glass machines and DJ Zoltar—a custom cases are filled with iconic turntaspinoff of the popular animatronic bles and mixers sourced from the fortune-telling booth. personal collections of some of Tucked behind the exhibit is those influential artists, Vinyl Hall, a rentable alongside other rarities 1,500-square-foot event like a 1983 Randix HGDJ MUSEUM space that’s also home to an 3507 S. Mary40P boombox and record land Parkway #6, all-ages Level Up DJ Workplayer hybrid. 702-509-6229, shop, and an 800-squareAs he curated the space, djmuseumlv.com. foot cavern known as the Maxion—now a resident Wednesday-SunChamber Lounge that hosts day, 6-10 p.m. DJ at Aliante Casino— rotating, open-mic style sets. also constructed a mock Maxion looks to continue bedroom setup designed to building on this foundation in an reflect the feel of growing up as a DJ “ongoing curation” process. And in the analog ’80s. while he admits that it took several “This is meant to be a time capsule years of planning and several “false of the period where I just fell in love starts” before he found this space, with the idea of being able to play he also believes it couldn’t have records and have people enjoy those come together “in any other city on moments,” Maxion says. “It’s kind of the planet.” disjointed, with records and cassettes “With the Punk Rock Museum everywhere, but that’s just how it was.” and others that are already here, I That display lies next to a vibrant think it was a no-brainer to open in archival wall featuring hundreds Las Vegas,” he says. “People come of hand-designed event posters, to escape and see Bruno Mars or DJ Times magazines and racks of watch the Raiders play, but I want vintage DJ-themed apparel. them to add the DJ Museum to “A lot of people who come in will their list, too.” say, ‘I can’t believe you still have
Las Vegas’ strong roster of niche exhibits grows with new DJ Museum BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
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Cajun Double Cheese Burger (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
Southern institution Hush Puppy expands to Downtown at Neonopolis
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Fremont Street Experience and Neonopolis. And the new Hush Puppy is adding some new twists—the original restaurant has separate One of the Valley’s oldest restaurants has menus for dine-in or drive-thru, and the found new life. Downtown restaurant combines the offerings Hush Puppy, a rare Southern eatery in Las into one. So you can get a two-piece catfish Vegas, has been serving up all-you-can-eat box ($20) with hush puppies, fries and tartar fried catfish, scratch-made gumbo, fried sauce, or go for heartier dishes like jambalaya green tomatoes and more at its original West ($22) and crab legs. Charleston Boulevard location since 1975, New to the menu is a Cajun burger ($22), operated by the same family from Arkansas highly seasoned and topped with fried green until a few years ago when it was purchased by tomatoes on a potato bun. Magdy Amer. “We took a picture of the old location, blew “The original owner passed away and they it up and wrapped it around the weren’t going to be able to keep it glass of the new location so when going, so I bought it and we kept HUSH PUPPY you come in and sit down, you can the same menus, the same food, Neonopolis, 450 see the history,” Amer says. “We’re and did some improvements to the Fremont St. #135, 702-385-4288, doing some new things but the building,” Amer says. “My original thehushpuppylv. recipes are the same.” education, I’m an archaeologist. com. MonThose classic flavors are still I don’t like old things to be torn day-Thursday, 11 bringing in longtime regulars at a.m.-midnight; down. In Vegas, we tear down lots of Friday-Saturday, the original Hush Puppy, he says, stuff. So at least I saved one.” 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; where customers who first came in Not only did he keep the Hush Sunday, 11 a.m as children are now bringing their Puppy going, he’s expanded it. A -1 a.m. own kids—or sometimes grandkids. second location at Fremont Street’s Amer is hoping locals will head Neonopolis complex opened just Downtown for a new Hush Puppy experience. before Thanksgiving, a collaboration with “We’re doing local discounts and we Neonopolis owner Rohit Joshi, who says he always want to cater to locals, even though was excited to add a unique cuisine to the of course most of the clientele on Fremont dining mix there. “It’s something we didn’t is tourists,” he says. “We’ve already had have,” he says. “It’s been a year of hard work some great workers at the neighboring to get all the approvals and construction [businesses] come in to try it, and some done, and it’s finally here.” of them knew Hush Puppy already. So we Both businessmen think this soulful fare hope some more locals will come.” will appeal to Vegas visitors roaming the
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(Courtesy/Corner Bar Management)
The Laundry Room’s Prohibition-inspired cocktails and speakeasy atmosphere are hard to keep secret The term “speakeasy” is used too loosely these days, says Anthony Partridge, lead mixologist at the Laundry Room. “A hidden door doesn’t mean that your dancefloor qualifies as a speakeasy, nor does the old-fashioned menu. We keep to the idea of keeping low, quiet and speakeasy tones throughout the entire thing, because it [was] an illegal activity. It’s not supposed to be a raging party where everybody’s taking pictures and bumping elbows,” Partridge says. When it opened inside Commonwealth in 2012, the Laundry Room was one of Vegas’ first speakeasies, and it intends to honor the origins of the hidden bar. During December, it’s offering limited-edition cocktails ($19) inspired by the darker corners of the Prohibition era. Brandy, Lapsang vermouth and cacao blend in a smoke-tinged sip in the Looking Glass. In Juniper Justice, gin, orange and rosemary-infused pomegranate recall when the term “Mother’s ruin,” a nickname for gin, was invented. And Woodrow’s Revenge mixes Amontillado, cassis, ginger liqueur, vanilla and lime in a sly tribute to the amendment that lifted Prohibition, despite Wilson’s veto. All can be enjoyed by reservation only in the Laundry Room’s discreet, candlelit, 22-seat hideaway. What better way to celebrate the spirit of the speakeasy? –Shannon Miller THE LAUNDRY ROOM 525 Fremont St., laundryroomlv.com. Sunday-Thursday, 6-10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 5-9 p.m.
Magdy Amer, owner of Hush Puppy (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
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HOROSCOPES WEEK OF DECEMBER 18 BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Some 900 years ago, Sufi philosopher Al-Ghazali said, “To understand the stars, one must polish the mirror of the soul.” My interpretation: To fathom reality, you must treasure clarity and integrity. It is unlikely you can grasp life if your inner depths are a mess. Your capacity to comprehend the Great Mystery increases as you strengthen your character. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A whip’s crack is a small sonic boom. Taurus, life has provided you with a metaphorical whip. You have access to a simple asset that can create breakthrough force when wielded with precision. I’m not referring to aggression. Your superpower is understanding how to use small treasures to generate disproportionate impacts. What’s your whip? GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Japanese potters practice yohen tenmoku to create rare, iridescent tea bowls. It is a demanding process where most attempts are “lessons in humility.” Flourish by adopting this experimental mindset. Treat creative experiments as offerings to the unknown, whether or not they yield stellar results. Be bold in trying new techniques. Some apparent “failures” may bring useful novelty. CANCER (June 21-July 22): A cumulus cloud weighs over a million pounds yet floats effortlessly. Let’s make that your power symbol for 2026. It signifies harboring immense emotional cargo suspended with grace. You will carry complex truths and layered desires, but you will manage them with aplomb. Don’t overdramatize the heaviness; marvel at the buoyancy. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Every 11 years, the sun reverses its magnetic polarity. Let’s use this phenomenon as your omen. Imagine a magnetic reversal transpiring in your psyche. As your inner poles flip, new ideas and feelings will rumble into your imagination. Rather than resist these cosmic acrobatics, welcome and collaborate with them. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sculptor Louise Bourgeois worked with the spider image as a tribute to her mother—deliberate, clever and useful. I invite you to embody this vision. You have the wherewithal to weave hardy networks to support you for years. Be creative as you craft your network of care. Every strand, even fragile ones, will enhance your resilience. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Musical dissonance is often culturally determined. Indonesian gamelan or Arabic maqam scales might seem off-kilter to Westerners. Let’s use this as a starting point for 2026. Life may disrupt your assumptions about balance. Consider that what seems like discord is attractive from another perspective. Open your mind to other ways of evaluating what’s meaningful.
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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Arizona bark scorpions are hard to see at night unless illuminated by ultraviolet light, which makes them fluoresce. Let’s use this as a metaphor. You may reveal your best brilliance under uncommon conditions. Circumstances that seem challenging will highlight your true power. Trust that the right people will recognize your unique beauty SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Legend says Mozart heard entire symphonies before writing them. While he worked hard, he wrote his last three symphonies in rapid succession with few corrections. I predict you will have a Mozart-like aptitude in the coming months: the ability to perceive whole patterns before the pieces align. Trust your big visions.
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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Greek mythology, the sea god Proteus changed shape to evade capture. But if a hero held on, the god bestowed the gift of prophecy. I suspect you will have an exceptional power to snag Proteus-like things, Capricorn. As a result, you could claim help and revelations that seem almost magical
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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy, houses Michelangelo’s non-finito (unfinished) sculptures, depicting figures struggling to emerge from stone. I foresee you undergoing a passage that resembles these figures. The good news is that unlike Michelangelo’s eternally trapped characters, you will eventually
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): To prepare you for 2026, I’ve gathered three quotes that address your most pressing need and urgent mandate. 1. “We cannot live in a world interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a hope. Part of the terror is to take back our listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light.” –author Elaine Bellezza. 2. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson. 3. “The ability to tell your own story, in words or images, is already a victory, already a revolt.” –Rebecca Solnit.
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THE CANDY CANE HOUSE | 366 S. MILAN ST. IN HENDERSON | DECEMBER 12, 2025 If you like cupcakes, glitter and dolls that stare right through you, you’ve come to the right place. Henderson residents Joey Cardona and Victor Cardenas have decked their halls, yule’d their pool and shelved the elves. The Candy Cane House annual tradition is back and open to the public with thousands of lights and more than 60 themed Christmas trees to benefit HopeLink of Southern Nevada. Marie Kondo be damned, this maximalist holiday treat brings joy to the community while helping HopeLink serve the homeless. Donate some hygiene items, food or cash, partake in hot cocoa and bask in the glow of this festive wonderland. December 19-21 is the last chance to see it. –Staff