Unique amenities and old-school Vegas hospitality keep the locals’ favorite casino going strong.
COVER ART Photo by Wade Vandervort/ Photo illustration ON THE COVER
14 WEEKLY Q&A Huntridge Tavern owner Larsh Kellogg helps a Downtown dive to thrive.
30 SPORTS Local champion Merab Dvalishvili goes for a record fourth title defense in a single year at UFC 323.
34 THE STRIP Reality TV star and restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump dishes on making her forthcoming Vegas hotel happen.
38 SCENE In Atomic Museum’s World of Fallout exhibit, the videogame universe gives context for historic reality.
40 MUSIC Where to find the best country music performances in the Valley during NFR.
42 FOOD & DRINK José Andrés made moves in Las Vegas this year with the migration of Bazaar Meat and opening of Zaytinya.
Bask in the Parade of Lights at Boulder Beach at Lake Mead, get in the spirit of the holiday with a bicycle toy drive at Bel-Aire Lounge and more this week.
A statue of Benny Binion at South Point
(Photo by Wade Vandervort)
SUPERGUIDE
THURSDAY DEC 4
NATIONAL FINALS RODEO Thru 12/13, times vary, Thomas & Mack Center, nfrexperience.com.
S U P E R G U I D E
TIM MCGRAW
8 p.m., & 12/6, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.
BRAD PAISLEY
8:30 p.m., & 12/5, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.
BARRY MANILOW Thru 12/6, 7 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.
THE RED CLAY STRAYS
With Brent Cobb, Taylor Hunnicutt, 8:30 p.m., & 12/5, Theater at Virgin, axs.com.
SPIKE AND THE GIMME GIMMES
With The Aggrolites, Greg Antista & The Lonely Streets, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.
WINTERFEST
5 p.m. (& 12/5, 6:30 p.m.), Water Street Plaza, cityofhenderson.com.
LA BARBECUE POP-UP Thru 12/14, times vary, Tavern at Fontainebleau, fontainebleaulasvegas.com.
RODNEY CARRINGTON Thru 12/6, 9 p.m., David Copperfield Theater, mgmgrand.com.
D’AYDRIAN HARDING
7 p.m., Houseof Blues, ticketmaster.com.
TRACY LAWRENCE
With Easton Corbin, Dalton Davis, 8:30 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.
METRO BOOMIN 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com
MIDNIGHT
TYRANNOSAURUS
With 24KPersion, Bvera, 10 p.m., Substance, seetickets.us
ZAC BROWN BAND
8 p.m., & 12/6, Sphere, ticketmaster.com.
MUSIC PARTY SPORTS FOOD COMEDY MISC ARTS
SATURDAY DEC 6
47TH ANNUAL PARADE OF LIGHTS
Even longtime locals may not be aware of the friendly, cozy, sometimes nostalgia-inducing escape that is Boulder City. The holiday season is one of the best times to visit or revisit the small town next door (without gambling) because of its plentiful special events, including the ongoing North Pole Express train ride at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, and the Ugly Sweater Wine Walk on December 13. But the most fun and festive happening might be the Parade of Lights Lake Mead Boat Parade, the perfect vibes and visuals to go along with some hot chocolate. You can vote for your favorite boat to win Best in Show, too. 5 p.m., free, Boulder Beach, boatinglakemead.com. –Brock Radke
UFC 323
3 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
COWBOY CHRISTMAS
& CLASSIC CAR SHOW
10 a.m., Floyd Lamb Park, lasvegasnevada.gov.
FAAABULOUS!
DRAG BRUNCH
1:30 p.m.,Composers Room, the composersroom.com.
CLAY WALKER
9 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, axs.com.
DYLAN GOSSETT
With Noeline Hofmann, 8:30 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.
MIKE CAMPBELL AND THE DIRTY KNOBS
8 p.m., Jubilee Theater, ticketmaster.com.
TRACY BYRD
10 p.m., Orleans Showroom, ticketmaster.com.
SILVERSTEIN
6 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.
SAMMY KERSHAW
10 p.m., Golden Nugget Showroom, ticketmaster.com.
CADEN GILLARD
10 p.m., Stoney’s North Forty, tixr.com.
CORB LUND
9:30 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com.
CLAY HOLLIS
10 p.m., Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, tixr.com.
TAMALES & MARIACHI FESTIVAL
10 a.m., Goodman Plaza at Las Vegas Civic Center, lasvegasnevada.gov.
BOURBON & BLUES
1 p.m., Legacy Club, circalasvegas.com.
RON WHITE
8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.
BRIAN REGAN 9 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com.
DON’T TELL COMEDY 8 p.m., On the Record, dont tellcomedy.com.
GORGON CITY 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com
THE CHAINSMOKERS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com
LOST FREQUENCIES 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com
SAM DIVINE
10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr.com
BLACKBEARD
10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, taogroup.com
S U P E R G U I D E
Courtesy
SUPERGUIDE
SUNDAY
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS VS. DENVER BRONCOS
1:05 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, ticketmaster.com.
GOSPEL BRUNCH
10 a.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.
JEFF DUNHAM
U P E R G U I D E
8 p.m., PH Live, ticketmaster.com.
MAT MATHEWS
7 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com.
JOHN ACHKAR
7 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com.
GARY ALLAN
8:30 p.m., & 12/7, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.
LIP SERVICE With Tim Tones, Bonics, Fred the Gem.in.eye, 8 p.m., Substance, seeticket.us
LAINEY WILSON
8 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, ticketmaster.com.
SUPERHEROES FOR SULLY BIKE DRIVE
We’ve got to hand it to you, Vegas. You make it so easy to help out around the community by pairing terrific organizations with breathtaking venues. Local charity group Superheroes 4 Sully, which collects clothing, toys and supplies for local children in need, is teaming up with Las Vegas SWAT for its 12th annual bike drive at the swank-tacular Bel-Aire Lounge at Durango. If you bring a new bicycle, you’re going to get a free drink and a photo and a really great time, and all the bikes will be filling all the trucks at this year’s Chet Buchanan Toy Drive. But you should totally go get some other stu and drop it o there, too. 5 p.m., free, Bel-Aire Lounge, belairloungelv.com. –Brock Radke
EXHIBIT: LIVING HERE Thru 12/20, times vary, Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, unlv.edu
PAM TILLIS & LORRIE MORGAN
10 p.m., Golden Nugget Showroom, ticketmaster.com.
THE SCHISMS With The October, Zerzuran, 9 p.m., Red Dwarf, reddwarflv.com.
DJ PAULY D 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, taogroup.com DO IT ALL
SUPERGUIDE
U
TUESDAY DEC 9 WEDNESDAY
OUTRIDING THE DEVIL FILM PREMIERE
World champion barrel racer and Texas Rodeo Hall of Famer Angela Ganter was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer and underwent multiple surgeries and radiation treatments, refusing to give in to the disease. Outriding the Devil tells the incredible story of Ganter’s return from “death’s door to the winner’s circle,” as she won six PRCA rodeos in 2018. The premiere of the docudrama during Rodeo Week in Las Vegas is also highlighted by the event’s hosts, Yellowstone star Moses Brings Plenty, and Grammy nominees Radney Foster and Pauline Reese. 8 p.m., $67+, Theater at Virgin, axs.com. –Brock Radke
WEST LAS VEGAS LIBRARY GRAND OPENING
10 a.m., West Las Vegas Library at 1861 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., librarydistrict.org.
NEAL MCCOY
10 p.m., Golden Nugget Showroom, ticketmaster.com.
PIANO PARTY
With Keith Thompson & Tony Arias, 6 p.m., Composers Room, thecomposersroom.com.
STEVE MCGREW
With Dougie Almeida, thru 12/14, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegascomedy.com.
The Huntridge Tavern remains a smoky, divey Downtown institution thanks to Larsh Kellogg
Photos by Christopher DeVargas
BY GEOFF CARTER
The Huntridge Tavern appeared in season 3 of Anthony Bourdain’s food and travel show Parts Unknown. The late, eminently quotable author and chef loved the windowless, 24/7 Downtown dive bar and package liquor joint, calling the HT “the side of Vegas I like … [the place] where those who have to live it, see it, the things that men do day after day, night after night, in a town where people are encouraged to do their worst … can drink the stain away.”
That was 11 years ago. In that time, the Huntridge Tavern has changed little. The rst time I visited the now 63-year-old HT was in 1994, when I rst moved into the Huntridge neighborhood; it hasn’t changed much since then, either. Huntridge Center, now owned by local Vegas developer J Dapper, has evolved all around the HT: new restaurants including Yukon Pizza and Winnie & Ethel’s diner, a new roller disco rink from Branden Powers soon to open next door, even a Roberto’s drive-thru. But my beloved, earthy neighborhood bar is trapped in martini time, preserved in amber ale. And Larsh Kellogg keeps it that way.
The owner of the Huntridge Tavern for two decades, Kellogg is a mysterious gure. Until this interview, in fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever sat down with him in his own bar. We grabbed one of the booths along the wood-paneled east wall and struck up a conversation about what keeps a dive alive.
back [for repairing coin machines]. He goes, “I want to cut your space down. I’m gonna move your bathrooms.” And we were like, “Great.”
This place does well. It’s got an old school dive feel to it, and it’s never been a thought of mine to come in and gut the place and make it new and fancy.
In the rapidly gentrifying times we live in, is it a challenge to keep this place divey?
It’s not really hard at all, with the Huntridge being here for so long and having the reputation that it does. I don’t have a kitchen, which helps; kitchens are not fun. I have a low overhead and minimal sta .
the time. I don’t think I’ve ever walked in where nobody’s been in here.
Do you know the regulars?
I used to. I don’t know a lot of them now. At rst, I liked to spend a lot of time around the bar. But then what I started nding out was, when the owner walks in, everybody wants to do a shot with them. I don’t drink at the places that I own. It’s just bad business.
Finally: Will this eventually be one of the last smoking bars in Las Vegas? I feel like it could be.
I think it’s the only bar in Vegas I’d feel comfortable walking into and yelling “A round for everybody,” without first needing to check my balance.
The HT is practically a Vegas UN. I’ve seen all walks of life in here: crisp young professionals, old crusty gamblers, local politicians, OnlyFans models, a dude who dresses like a pirate and another who dresses as a clown. And everybody gets along.
Yeah, we do our best to keep the ri ra out [chuckles].
But not the celebrities. Have there been other luminaries here, aside from Bourdain?
I’m sure. I bought the bar in 2004, and before I owned it, there were a lot of celebrities in and out of here. When I was growing up at Eighth and Oakey, there were quite a few prominent Las Vegans that lived in the neighborhood.
And still do. Is that why it was important to you to keep this place as original as possible? Did you need to make that case when J Dapper bought this shopping plaza in 2016?
It was my dad [Paul] who negotiated with J Dapper when he o cially took over. Very nice guy. Dapper came in and said, “I want to get rid of the Huntridge Drugstore. And your space is too big.” We used to go all the way to the back of the building; there was a big workshop area in the
Yeah. I think alcohol and gambling and cigarettes go together. I know a lot of bars that have gone smokeless, but I don’t have any plans here to do that, especially since I don’t have a kitchen.
Thanks for talking, Larsh. This place means a lot to a lot of people. And they may not realize that somebody’s hand is on the wheel.
Recently, it’s been a little bit of a struggle. People aren’t spending as much money; they’re not gamize that somebody’s hand is on the wheel.
I’m trying to keep it going straight as I can. down… I know a lot of guys in the bar business. We
[Laughs.] Right? Obviously, we have to increase prices once in a while, but I try to do it little by little. I think we do a good job of keeping prices down… I know a lot of guys in the bar business. We talk about the Strip laying o so many people. … Recently, it’s been a little bit of a struggle. People aren’t spending as much money; they’re not gambling as much. When times are tough, people are still going to drink, but they’re going to cut back on their gambling. That’s been a challenge, as COVID was a challenge, but we do okay. We hold our own.
When do you get your biggest crowds?
To be honest with you, there’s people in here all
MUSIC, COCKTAILS, BUBBLES & FRIENDS
Select Open Bar | Table Packages Wednesday, December 31
FREE Parking for GUESTS LET’S GO!
Now 20 years old, South Point is thriving behind a classic, consistent approach to Vegas hospitality
BY BROCK RADKE
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo rolls into town this week for its 40th year, scheduled for December 4-13 at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. The event has sold out 379 consecutive performances in Las Vegas and long ago became a local tradition, turning the Valley into “cowboy central” just before Christmas and bringing hundreds of thousands of tourists to celebrate.
About 8 miles away from the Mack, too far south on Las Vegas Boulevard to be considered part of the Strip, a very special hotel and casino will also be packed during NFR, and is also celebrating a signi cant anniversary. But the South Point is cowboy central all year long.
The 2,163-room resort rst opened on December 22, 2005, originally named South Coast as the latest addition to the Coast Casinos company founded by Michael Gaughan. Boyd Gaming acquired Coast properties in the summer of 2004, but Gaughan bought back the South Coast, including its unique equestrian arena, in 2006 and changed the name.
Because of its location and tailored amenities, South Point has always been a locals’ joint, o ering everything residents are looking for with strong value. But the success of its arena, along with other specialized venues and entertainment programming, has built the property into a one-of-a-kind tourist destination.
“It’s the fth property [Gaughan] built and it’s a brilliant hybrid,” says general manager Ryan Growney.
that lineup: A 137,000-square-foot casino with those highly competitive odds. Eleven restaurants, ranging from the legendary Michael’s Gourmet Room and the cowboy-friendly Silverado Steak House to sushi and Hawaiian food at Zenshin and Midwest favorite Steak ’n Shake. Movie theaters and bowling lanes that attract local teenagers and families for weekend fun, but also the USBC Tournament Bowling Plaza, which brings the biggest championship tournaments in the country to Las Vegas. A classic Vegas showroom and a lounge with more live entertainment. The South Point Arena and Equestrian Center, with 4,600 seats, and Priefert Pavillion, actually two 240-seat pavilions. The 40,000-square-foot spa Costa del Sur, plenty of meeting and convention space, a 24-hour sportsbook, the bustling bingo hall … what are we leaving out?
the competition has,” Gaughan recently told the Las Vegas Sun
“We have the local property feel and value and amenities—the bingo, the bowling alleys, great restaurants with reasonable prices, a fantastic sportsbook, the best gaming odds in town. The [tourists] show up to take advantage of all those things. As long as you’re making it the property that locals love, the destination people get here and they think they’re stealing from us, because it’s such a good deal compared to the other options out there.”
It’s not just the lineup that makes South Point special, but let’s look at
Oh yeah, the $1.50 Vienna Beef hot dogs. And the free parking. Can’t forget that.
“We’re doing the same thing we were doing 20 years ago. We haven’t changed;
It’s not quite that simple. Local and Downtown casino resorts have mostly fared better than their Strip counterparts during this year’s tourism dip, but few properties are seeing a continuation of the post-pandemic boom. Growney says the South Point has not experienced business challenges this year, and sustainability is all about that special combination of locals and tourists.
“We did 38 equestrian events over 46 weeks this last year. That’s 46 weeks of animals and cowboys and cowgirls on property, and there’s just a level of excitement that brings,” he says. “Most of those shows are free and open to the public, and that draws a lot of locals to the arena. There are so many arenas in town now, vying for the same business of sports and concerts, but no one competes with us. We don’t have to worry about ghting for that business.”
Steve Stallworth, quarterback for the UNLV football team from 1982 to 1986 and a member of the South-
Owner Michael Gaughan at South Point, November 2025. (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
Photo by Wade Vandervort
ern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, helped operate the Thomas & Mack Center and Sam Boyd Stadium for the university before he went to work for Gaughan 25 years ago at the Orleans Casino.
“Mr. Gaughan called me and said he wanted to build an arena at the Orleans. I said, ‘Sir, we need another arena in Las Vegas like we need a hole in the head,’” Stallworth says with a laugh. “He said, ‘No, I’m going to do it different.’ His vision was free parking, $3 beers and $2 hot dogs. He wanted to own community events.”
The success of the Orleans Arena partially inspired a new vision for what would become the South Point Arena, but Gaughan and his business were already deeply embedded in the distinct rodeo and western culture of Las Vegas. After founding Coast Casinos with the opening of Barbary Coast on the Strip in 1979, Gaughan was one of the influential figures who helped bring the National Finals Rodeo to Las Vegas for the first
time in 1985. He’s a member of the NFR Committee and the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.
“At the Orleans, we had arena football, the Wranglers [hockey], and somewhere in there he said he wanted to build an equestrian center at his new hotel, and I didn’t even know what that meant,” Stallworth says. “I called every event promoter and told them we wanted to do this, and almost everybody said it was a bad idea—it’s too far from the central part of America, it’s too hot, there are too many distractions in Vegas and the horse shows are not going to go there.
“I reported this to Mr. Gaughan and he said, ‘I’m gonna do it anyway so you better figure it out.’” Stallworth, general manager of the South Point Arena, and his team figured it out, and the venue has become the premier equestrian facility in the country. In addition to the indoor competition arenas, there’s an outdoor covered facility usually used by competi-
tors for warmups. There are 1,200 climate-controlled horse stalls on property, a vet clinic and one of the biggest horse trailer parking lots you’ll ever see. (Some of the additional acreage on the South Point property is also used to film TV shows like American Ninja Warrior and Beast Games.)
“From a business standpoint, we’re trying to book hotel rooms with these events. These equestrian events are more participatory in nature, so they have a lot of competitors who bring horses and book stalls and rooms,” Stallworth says. “And then we’re also able to offer those events to locals who want to come and enjoy them.”
Rodeo events have always had a major impact on the business of Vegas, but at South Point, there’s a cultural connection happening, too. Locals who love to eat at the buffet or catch a movie may not all be horse people, but there’s clearly parallels between these groups, a family-friendly vibe, a wholesome nature.
“It’s just a good, homey, warm feeling,” Stallworth says. “We have local customers from the Midwest or the South who grew up with horses or in rural areas and some come get their fix here at our place. It’s amazing how many locals over the years have discovered our equestrian center, and it’s been cool watching that take place.”
Locals and tourists also share an affinity for South Point entertainment, which lends even more of that old-school Vegas feel through traditional headlining acts that have moved off the Strip in recent years. Country acts will dominate the showroom in the coming weeks, of course, but you can typically catch The Righteous Brothers, Human Nature, The Bronx Wanderers, acclaimed Elvis performer Donny Edwards and more.
“I’ve been here 14 years and I love every bit of it. It’s a very interesting property,” entertainment director Michael Libonati says. “Mr.
Championship Bull Riding at South Point Arena in 2009 (Sun File)
LEFT
BELOW
Gaughan has been doing things the same way for decades—it’s all about the guest, that’s what matters, and we all get it.”
As far as entertainment goes, the demographic is a bit older, but that’s been changing since the pandemic. Libonati is incorporating some new tribute acts in the new year and some different trending music genres, and then there’s the nearly 15-yearold late-night comedy show The Dirty at 12:30 in the Grandview Lounge. Launching it was a bit of a “shock to the system,” Libonati explains, since it’s an intentionally explicit and raunchy brand of laughs, but its longevity proves its worth. “Any comedian that comes into town wants to be on that stage,” he says.
There’s another crucial connection that makes the South Point work so well. Like any successful locals’ joint, it has a lot of regulars, and they are taken care of by a lot of longtime employees. And Las Vegas hospitality workers don’t stay in the same place for 20 years unless they feel appreciated there.
“We do Employee of the Year awards every year and we recognize a lot of people for longevity, and we have to do
two nights next year because we have so many people who have been here since day one,” says Stallworth. “We are very proud of what has happened here. If you look back when we opened, it was 600 rooms and one arena. It’s been amazing, watching the growth, and I don’t know what [Gaughan] has up his sleeve next, but it will be interesting to see what happens in the next 20 years, and I hope I can hang in there for a lot of them.”
Gaughan and his team will tell you they’re just going to keep doing what they’ve been doing for two decades, taking care of customers. Maybe it is just that simple, even against the constant fluctuations of the business of Las Vegas.
“We’re going to make sure the property doesn’t look 20 years old, make sure it still feels fresh and new, adding modern touches to the experience without taking away from that old-school feel,” Growney says. “But the way Mr. Gaughan does business, the way he treats employees and customers, that hasn’t changed one iota, and it allows us to do a lot of things to make this property special.”
Garden Buffet
(Photo by Wade Vandervort)
Rodeo memorabilia at South Point (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
ABOVE Entertainer Jerry Lewis talks to the audience while broadcasting live from the South Point during the 43rd annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon in 2008. (Sun File)
TOURING SOUTH
A look at some of the South Point ’s hidden-gem amenities that make the casino memorable
Tournament Bowling Plaza
South Point’s $35 million tournament bowling plaza far exceeds the expectations of a nationally recognized facility—because it is. With high vaulted ceilings to give it that “stadium feel,” 60 pristine lanes and LED scoreboards, the facility wears its investment on its sleeve.
“Reno has a tournament bowling facility standalone, not attached to a hotel and casino, but this is the only other tournament bowling facility in the United States,” Growney says.
The plaza opened in 2014, after the property signed a 12-year deal with the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) to host major tournaments like the USBC Open Championships and USBC Women’s Championships. More than 55,000 bowlers rolled in for last year’s Open Championship, and the contract has now been extended to 2039.
BY AMBER SAMPSON
Ryan Growney, general manager of the South Point, is full of stories. He could tell you how owner Michael Gaughan bought that bronze statue of Benny Binion for a dollar, or about that Budweiser Clydesdale that placed a bet beside him.
And Growney himself is a bit of a character. The GM hails from Las Vegas, though his Southern drawl and cowboy aesthetic might suggest otherwise. “My horse is in valet,” he jokes. Growney, who came from rodeos to casinos, knows the South Point inside and out. As we tour the property, he spouts off facts with the precision of a cattle rancher counting heads: 2,163 hotel rooms, more than 175,000 square feet of event space, a 400-seat showroom, a dedicated race book, 11 restaurants—including the Coronado Cafe with its $6.95 steak and eggs special.
“For so many people that are looking for the Vegas experience, but have decided that they just can’t go to the Strip and do that stuff anymore, this is your spot,” Growney says. South Point backs that up with some of the most impressive amenities of any locals’ casino in Las Vegas. Here’s what stood out on our walkthrough.
Bingo Hall
Bingo is one of the oldest forms of friendly competition. But at South Point, it’s a way to hit the mega jackpot. As Growney shows off the 600seat bingo room, he casually mentions that South Point has hosted multiple million-dollar games of bingo. He says it began with a $150,000 game; the $250,000 game that followed needed half of the South Point’s exhibit hall. The casino runs seven bingo sessions daily with a cashball jackpot, and in true Vegas fashion, complimentary drinks are served.
The Garden Buffet
While most casinos ditched the beloved buffet, South Point doubled down. The old-school amenity features six live cooking stations, a salad bar, prime rib and Champagne brunch, plus special seafood nights. Dining ranges from $20 to $60— one of the best buffet deals in town.
“That’s what we’re known for,” Growney says. “The prices are too low, the portions are too large, the quality is too good.”
One regular even travels twice weekly from Aliante for the buffet, Growney says. The property also gives back to the community. This Veterans Day, the property offered veterans and active-duty military a complimentary buffet for two, serving more than 5,000 meals that day.
Photos by Wade Vandervort
IN THE NEWS
Legal battle over Las Vegas police partnership with ICE heads to court
The ACLU Nevada and dozens of its local allies rallied outside Downtown’s Regional Justice Center November 26 ahead of a hearing challenging the legality of an agreement Las Vegas police entered into with federal immigration enforcement officials.
The 287(g) agreement, which Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill signed in May, enables Metro Police to execute immigration warrants on people held at the Clark County Detention Center.
Officers can then hold them for an additional 48 hours past their release date for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to take them under the agency’s custody.
ICE recently reported a 30% jump in the number of people the agency is detaining in Nevada over eight weeks, bringing the total to 600.
Executive Director Athar Haseebullah emphasized ACLU Nevada was representing Sergio Morais-Hechavarria, whom the organization argued in its October filing was being held at the Clark County Detention Center because of the 287(g) agreement.
That was in spite of a Nevada District Court judge ruling that Morais-Hechavarria should be moved to an inpatient treatment facility “to carry out the terms of his sentence in his criminal case,” the ACLU wrote.
In September, Morais-Hechavarria pled guilty to attempting to steal a vehicle, according to court documents.
Metro’s lawyers noted that there was a conflict between an ICE warrant for Morais-Hechavarria and the court ruling, but that “he remained in criminal custody” due to the “in-
patient-transport condition.”
Soon after the ACLU filed its case, Morais-Hechavarria was handed off to ICE. However, no officers “served or executed any ICE administrative warrant under 287(g),” according to Metro’s lawyers.
For that reason, as well as arguments that federal law enables the agency to enter into a 287(g) agreement and that the ACLU’s petition fails to meet certain thresholds, what the civil liberties group is asking of the court should be denied, Metro argued.
The ACLU is looking for the court to declare that the police department does not have the authority under state law to detain people over immigration detainers or warrants. The recently signed 287(g) agreement would also be terminated if the ACLU gets its way. –Kyle Chouinard
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to MGM Grand for the 61st ACM Awards next May, a place that holds a lot of history and special memories for the academy. It truly feels like a homecoming for us.”
–Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. The annual awards show will return to the Las Vegas Strip in 2026 after three years in Texas.
NEW PARKING LOT FOR RED ROCK CANYON VISITORS OPENS
Community leaders gathered on November 25 to unveil the Red Rock Canyon Marker North Parking Lot, on the north side of State Route 159 approximately 1.7 miles west of the intersection of West Charleston Boulevard and Sky Vista Drive.
Initially conceived by area residents and nonprofit Save Red Rock to provide a safer experience for bicyclists, the effort to create the new parking lot near the monument marker became a collaboration between local, state and federal entities. In tandem with phase 1 of the Red Rock Legacy Trail Project, Clark County is installing a traffic signal at West Charleston and Sky Vista. The Red Rock Legacy Trail will be constructed in five phases and will ultimately result in nearly 19 miles of safe, accessible pathway for bicyclists and pedestrians to experience Red Rock and connect the entire conservation area, from the edge of Summerlin in the north to Blue Diamond Road in the south. –Staff
HOT SHOT
Nevada ACLU
Executive Director
Athar Haseebullah, center, speaks at the Regional Justice Center on November 26 at a press conference before a hearing for the ACLU’s lawsuit against Metro Police’s 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
What if a gingerbread house could prevent a real home from going into foreclosure?
That’s the idea behind a fundraiser by Freed’s Bakery and homebuilder Taylor Morrison. The Build Joy program donates $1,000 for every $55 gingerbread house kit Freed’s sells to HomeFree USA, a Maryland-based, HUD-approved national nonpro t that assists homeowners to prevent foreclosures.
close to home. According to an
While those donations will funnel out to needy families across the country, the foreclosure issue hits close to home. According to an October 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report from the ATTOM Data Solutions analytics company, Nevada ranked fth in the country with a ling for one in every 2,747 housing units.
helped compile a June report on Las foreclosure
Nic Irwin, research director at UNLV’s Lied Center for Real Estate, helped compile a June report on Las Vegas metro area notices of default (NODs)—a precursor to a foreclosure ling—which found they were up 28% through the rst half of 2025.
going up, while tourism numbers
“It really is a wild time in the housing market. We’re seeing so many warning signs about foreclosures, evictions and unemployment rates going up, while tourism numbers are down and fewer big construction projects are getting started at the same level,” Irwin says. “There’s nothing within the larger economic picture that suggests this is going to turn around anytime soon.”
Those factors—combined with a surging metro population, a housing market that’s in “a bit of a freeze” and a rising cost of living that far outpaces the “blue-collar” wages that Irwin says still dominate our economy—have created a “real mismatch.”
After an in ux of new residents moved here during and after the pandemic, overall demand has noticeably softened in 2025, which has shifted the market in favor of buyers, he says. This has made it more di cult for local homeowners to sell their homes quickly to escape the threat of foreclosure.
“Typically, if you’re facing foreclosure, you’ll try to list your
house, even if it’s for a little bit of a discount. But because there’s so little demand in town, those people don’t have as many options as they did a couple of years ago,” Irwin says.
These discrepancies aren’t evenly disbursed. Of the 74 ZIP codes in Southern Nevada, ten alone represented more than a third of all local NOD lings in the rst half of the year, according to Irwin’s research. Filings tend to coalesce around “lower-income, higher minority areas” like East Las Vegas and portions of North Las Vegas, he says.
For those who are facing foreclosure, renting as an alternative isn’t as practical as it once was, either. A September Lied Center report found that Nevada’s share of excessively cost-burdened renters—those who pay more than 35% of their income for housing—was second to California at just over 47%.
Partnerships like the one between Taylor Morrison and Freed’s Bakery look to help chip away at a national foreclosure landscape that was up 32% year-
over-year in October, according to ATTOM. But the urgency in Nevada is particularly high due to its reliance on tourism.
“We’re always susceptible here to any sort of economic downturn because 40% of us are economically tied to tourism. With fewer folks coming here, that means fewer people need to be employed, which isn’t a good place to be,” Irwin says.
Nonpro ts and charitable campaigns can help plug that leak, to some degree. But Irwin says there’s a clear need for more reliable, long-term foreclosure prevention e orts. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had long been a key resource there, but the Trump Administration has spent much of the year downsizing the department dramatically.
“States can provide some resources, but those probably aren’t at the level they should be, because we always understa those components,” Irwin says.
On November 30, the Nevada A ordable Housing Assistance Corporation put a pause on
accepting new applications for its Nevada Homeowner Assistance Fund due to waning funds after already providing almost $23 million to help 1,400 low-income Nevadans with mortgage payments through the third quarter of 2025.
Of the limited resources that remain, the state’s Nevada Foreclosure Mediation Program mediates negotiations between homeowners and their lenders to help them stay in their homes, while the local nonpro t Community Services Of Nevada o ers free foreclosure prevention counseling services. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also o ers some foreclosure avoidance support at the federal level.
For those who want to support Freed’s Bakery’s fundraiser, owner Max Jacobson-Fried says the gingerbread house kits are currently “pre-order only” and available via the website (freedsbakery.com). Orders can be picked up at any of ve Valley locations, delivered locally or shipped nationwide.
Mercedes Trujillo, lead cake decorator at Freed’s Bakery, assembles and decorates a gingerbread house kit. (Photos by Christopher DeVargas)
Merab Dvalishvili celebrates after defeating Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena on October 4. (Photo by Steve Marcus)
Local champion Merab Dvalishvili goes for a record fourth title defense in a single year at UFC 323
BY CASE KEEFER
UFC president Dana White hasn’t always approved of the choices made by his promotion’s current bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili.
A contentious relationship between the pair began years ago when the now 34-year-old Dvalishvili was adamant he would never ght best friend/training partner Aljamain Sterling despite the latter then holding the championship in his weight class. Even after that hurdle was cleared with Sterling losing the belt and moving up in weight, White took exception to some of Dvalishvili’s social media antics over the years.
So, when Dvalishvili immediately began campaigning for another title defense before the end of the year after defeating Cory Sandhagen in October at T-Mobile Arena, some expected White to be dismissive of the idea. Instead, White shocked many with his receptiveness.
“I love guys that want to ght all the time, especially if they’re world champions,” White said.
White lived up to his word and granted “The Machine” his wish. Dvalishvili, a Las Vegas resident who trains out of Syndicate MMA, will face Brazilian rival Petr Yan in the main event of UFC 323 on December 6 at T-Mobile.
Dvalishvili (21-4 MMA, 14-2 UFC) will look to become the rst ghter in UFC history to defend his title four times in a calendar year. Only seven ghters have done it three times as champions typically prefer to space out their bouts and compete a maximum of twice per year.
“I want to be busy,” Dvalishvili said. “I don’t want to make the next contenders wait. (Yan is on)
a three- ght win streak. He’s a former champion and I believe he deserves the ght.”
UFC 323 sets up as a historic event for more than Dvalishvili’s proli c aim.
It’s also the nal scheduled pay-per-view before the UFC ends its broadcast-rights deal with ESPN and moves to Paramount+ at the beginning of 2026.
White hasn’t ruled out someday returning to the pay-per-view model in a potential one-o capacity, but it will no longer be the norm. Paramount+ plans to stream all premium events as part of subscriber’s packages after signing a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with the UFC.
Dvalishvili, who carries a 14- ght win streak into UFC 323, is aiming to establish himself a staple of this next era.
“I feel like this is just the beginning for me,” he said. “It was hard to get here but I’ll keep training and keep getting better.”
Dvalishvili already bulldozed Yan once, as he beat him by unanimous decision in a ve-round, non-title main event in March 2023 at the Theater at Virgin Hotels.
He felt extra motivation in the bout given Yan’s enmity with Sterling, who controversially defeated the Brazilian twice— rst to win the title via disquali cation for an illegal strike in 2021, then defending it via split-decision in a 2022 rematch.
Yan came in as a big favorite against Dvalishvili the rst time, but now the expectations are ipped. Dvalishvili is as high as a -500 (i.e. risking $500 to win $100) favorite to defeat Yan at UFC 323.
That’s representative of the perception of Dvalishvili as a whole. For most of his UFC career, he was seen as a tough ghter with a unique cardio-pushing
UFC 323 December 6, main card 7 p.m., $131+. T-Mobile Arena, axs.com. Pay-per-view TV, preliminary card 5 p.m., $80, plus.espn.com.
style but not anywhere close to unbeatable.
Now, he’s unanimously seen as one of the three best pound-forpound mixed martial artists in the world—along with fellow UFC champions Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria—if not an all-time great. White, of all people, said Dvalishvili was “absolutely” the greatest bantamweight ever in the UFC.
“I love the mentality,” White said. “If you look at what he’s done and how he’s gone out and proven himself as a ghter and as a world champion, it’s impressive.”
Dvalishvili said he was grateful for White crowning him with that honor, but didn’t necessarily agree. Original UFC bantamweight Dominick Cruz and Sterling still cast a long shadow. Sterling is the only other ghter in the division who successfully defended his title three times.
Dvalishvili will be looking to surpass Sterling, who will be in his corner, with his fourth championship win against Yan—and he has the chance to do it all in a single year.
“I found Merab on (reality television show) Lookin’ for a Fight and literally (his coach/former UFC champion) Matt Serra told me that night, ‘This guy is going to be one of your greatest champions ever,’” White recalled. “It took me a while to see it.”
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TV star and restaurant mogul Lisa Vanderpump gets real about supporting LGBTQ, her soft spot for Vegas and taking over the Cromwell
BY AMBER SAMPSON
When it comes to her sta , Lisa Vanderpump has one rule: “Give me anything but don’t give me boring.”
Over 15 years, the reality TV star and restaurateur has taken her own advice. She became a fan favorite on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Then she produced a decade’s worth of drama with her spin-o Vanderpump Rules. Vanderpump has leveraged her celebrity and business acumen into an empire of restaurants, television shows, wine brands and dog rescues.
Where some might criticize reality TV and its stars for being ctitious and scripted, Vanderpump is anything but. Last month, Nevada’s Silver State Equality awarded Vanderpump with the Equality Visibility Award for her allyship and LGBTQ advocacy. And with three Strip restaurants, another in Lake Tahoe, and plans to transform the Cromwell into Vanderpump Hotel next year, she’s deeply invested in Las Vegas. Vanderpump bought a $5 million home in Vegas in 2024, though she still splits her time between her Beverly Hills estate where she manages something of a small zoo. “I’ve got two little horses, miniature horses. I’ve got four swans, I’ve got seven dogs,” Vanderpump tells the Weekly “I found a house in Beverly Hills, if you can believe it, that’s zoned for livestock. I have all these animals here, so I can’t imagine them running around the golf course where I live in Vegas.”
We checked in with Vanderpump about her upcoming hotel takeover, her LGBTQ advocacy and more.
Lisa Vanderpump at Pinky’s (Courtesy/Nikki Ryan)
You’re quite busy. But one thing I admire about you is how you’ve still been able to create such an authentic presence in Las Vegas.
I love Vegas. I remember going there when I was very young. I remember thinking, I’ve never seen anything like it. Growing up in London, we’re spoiled with the incredible architecture and the history. But when you come to somewhere like Vegas, it’s like this is the playground of the world. I feel safe there as well. It’s a place where you can go out, whether you’re going to Pinky’s, or whether you’re going to Delilah, or whether you’re going to see a show. There’s so much to do, and there’s so much fun to be had.
When I think of your restaurants and what you’ve covered on your shows, you’ve always created a safe space, especially for LGBTQ people. What’s the driving factor behind that?
In London, I used to have … the Shadow Lounge, which was the most iconic gay club. I was taught to be judgmental but not about your religion or your sexuality or the color of your skin or where you’re from, but to judge people on their heart. As a straight ally, I want to encourage the straight community to educate their children to be judgmental about the right things, not about any of those [other] things, because you’ll miss out on a lot of great people.
My parents were like that. They were very inclusive. My father was a creative director. He came from this kind of feeling of ... it was the ’60s in London. Bisexual, straight, Black, white, this, that—it didn’t matter. And I don’t understand where this anger comes from. It’s so wrong. The gay community has
moved forward with marriage equality. And as we try to move forward with racism and everything, let’s not ever go backwards.
I’ve also taken it upon myself to always shine a light on LGBT youth. This year in Vanderpump Rules, I had some in-depth conversations with a young gay man that’s worked with me for many years. And then we obviously always show Pride. I shine a light on the gay community. Now, does everybody like it? No. Do I care? No.
Feels like you’re really going big with the Vanderpump Hotel next year. How did that idea come together?
I’ve had a lot of success with Caesar’s Entertainment and I love them madly. They give me such respect when they give me so much autonomy in our design choices. When I met them and started getting business, I didn’t know how they would be. I mean, you read all these books about Old Vegas and think you get chucked off a roof if you disagree [Laughs]. Well, no, you don’t, apparently! I think the brand’s really good, and they’re always looking to do something more interesting. And I love that about them. So for me, I’ve done Wolf [By Vanderpump], which was in the Top 25 restaurants in the U.S. on Yelp reviews. That was really important to me, because that’s the people speak-
ing, and it was nominated for best design, and so was Pinky’s. Then I had Vanderpump à Paris, which came ... because I lived in France for quite a few years. Then I had the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden. And then they were like, “Well, how about a hotel?” I thought maybe they wanted me to design something, but they knew that I’ve got an ego [laughs]. So they knew exactly where to hit you.
They were like “How do you fancy a Vanderpump Hotel on the Strip?” Yes! They were like, “Would you like to think about it?” No! [Laughs].
We’re not going to price ourselves out of the market. We’re not going to be that. It’s going to be fun and sexy. It’s the same with my wines. They score over 90 points where it matters. And they’re still only in that medium price range. I won’t just go, “I’m gonna charge thousands of dollars for a room tonight.” It’s going to be a sexy, boutique hotel, and it’s going to be done in pieces. We’re gonna start with one bar, I’m not allowed to say which bar, and then we’re gonna do the lobby. We’re gonna just Vanderpump it.
How do you decide what your greatest career milestone is when you have so many great projects?
When the hotel opens, that might be my greatest achievement because I don’t think many people get to do that. Designing and opening my own restaurant in Vegas, that’s also an achievement. But my greatest achievement is not killing [husband] Ken Todd after 40 years of marriage [laughs]. But also saving 3,000 dogs as well and many thousands internationally.
Read more of this interview at lasvegasweekly.com.
Vanderpump Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace (Courtesy/Patrick Gray for Erik Kabik Photo Group)
Vanderpump à Paris (Courtesy/Ernesto Garrido)
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The Atomic Museum’s World of Fallout exhibit pairs the grim satire of the video game with Cold War paranoia
PATROLLING THE MOJAVE
Photographs by Christopher DeVargas
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
December 17 season 2 premiere
Detailed replicas of the ctional Pip-Boy and T-51b Power Armor helmet greet me as I peruse the compact but densely arranged corridor just past the edge of the National Atomic Testing Museum’s gift shop. Since mid-November, the space has taken on a new life as part of a pioneering collaboration with Bethesda Softworks, publishers of the in uential post-apocalyptic role-playing video game series, Fallout Set to run through 2026 and aptly timed to coincide with the December 17 season 2 premiere of Amazon Prime Video’s popular Fallout television series, the World of Fallout exhibit is a faithful ode to multiple pockets of nerddom—from casual wanderers to speed runners and history junkies alike. It’s also not afraid to touch on the twisted consumerism that birthed both the fact and ction it celebrates.
ction
Inside the exhibit, gamers with high perception skills will nd dozens of Easter eggs that include a Nuclear Test Site snow globe—a nod to an iconic ingame collectible from Fallout: New Vegas. Meanwhile, history bu s may prefer rare antiques like a Japanese-made “Atomic Gun” tin toy from the 1950s—an illustration of just how commercialized nuclear fears once were in our own world. Fans of the show will also spot plenty of screen-worn gear and props, like Vault 33 suits.
Elsewhere, real-world copies of a grim 1979 Cold War board game called Ultimatum and the 1965 tongue-in-cheek satirical card game, Nuclear War, share space with Fallout’s ctional equivalent, Blast Radius. It’s just one of many subtle examples of the franchise’s satisfyingly con icted tone scattered throughout the exhibit.
“Here at the museum, we always look at di erent ways to approach the history and science that we discuss. And this was a really great way to make the history and pop culture from the era more accessible to folks—a way to meet them halfway,” says Joseph Kent, chief community o cer and curator.
“Here, it’s really as if the Eisenhower era never ended.”
According to Bethesda’s Jessica Finster, the game’s heavy Vegas ties and Nevada’s status as a former hub for nuclear testing provided the perfect backdrop for a partnership that she says could eventually be extended beyond next year. With the museum seeing more than 3,600 guests in the exhibit’s rst week, Kent is all ears on that possibility.
Fallout franchise, launched in 1997 as a dark satire of America’s Cold War-era nuclear paranoia, examines an alternative timeline where mutually assured destruction was truly inevitable. In this retro-futuristic hellscape, survivors ee sterile underground vaults to plunder war-torn buildings and ght radiated abominations—reckoning with morality and mortality, and blasting oldies jams on their radios along the way.
folks—a way to meet them halfKent, 1997 of America’s Cold War-era nuclear paranoia, examines an alternative timeline where mutually radios along the way.
“It’s a fantastic way to understand how the media franchises that we love are all inspired by our own human experiences. Our goal was to show how history that some people may view as boring has gone on to inspire many legendary works of ction,” Kent says. “If you’re already a fan of this world, this is a perfect exhibit for you. You’ll walk away learning something, but at the same time, I think you’ll also appreciate the franchise even more.”
Where to catch all the country music you can handle during NFR in Las Vegas
SADDLE UP
BY BROCK RADKE
BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau plays host to two nights of the scorching-hot tour from Colter Wall, who just released fth studio album Memories and Empties, plus support from Kade Ho man on December 12-13. ticket master.com
Brooklyn Bowl at the Linq Promenade will once again o er Hooey Party concerts presented by the hat and apparel brand, this year featuring Treaty Oak Revival with Red Shahan on December 5 and Turnpike Troubadours with The Droptines on December 12. ticketmaster.com
The Downtown Las Vegas Events Center transforms into the Downtown Saloon December 4-13, with free NFR watch parties and live music on various days from Cow Tippers, Outlaws & Angels and Scotty Alexander. dlvec.com
Encore Theater at Wynn boasts a superstar lineup of Brad Paisley December 4-5 and Gary Allan December 6-7. ticketmaster.com
Gilley’s Saloon always has live music nightly and line dancing, and the Treasure Island spot will amp it up with watch parties, the Toughest Cowboy and Cowgirl contests and three or four acts every night. gilleyslasvegas.com
The Golden Nugget Showroom brings nightly headliners Downtown through December 13, highlighted by Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan, Neal McCoy and the Bellamy Brothers. goldennugget.com
Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms brings Clay Walker on December 6 and local country radio station 95.5 The Bull’s Santa Jam acoustic concert with Brett Young and Dasha, Vincent Mason, Preston Cooper and Greylan James on December. 7. axs.com
Sister venues Stoney’s Rockin’ Country and Stoney’s North Forty are planning special performances from the likes of Clay Hollis, Blue Line, Caden Gillard and more. stoneysrockincountry.com, stoneysnorthforty.com
The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan hosts tour stops from genre-pushing artists Ty Myers on December 5, Stephen Wilson Jr. on Dececember 11 and Cody Jinks on December 12-13. ticketmaster.com
The Theater at Virgin is stacked with The Red Clay Strays on December 4-5, Dylan Gossett on Dec. 6 and Gavin Adcock on December 11. axs.com
Venetian Theatre brings the legendary Wynonna Judd to the Strip on December 5-6. ticketmaster.com
Westgate has free live performances in both the Cabaret Theater and the International Bar most nights through December 13. westgateresorts.com
Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World is once again bringing varied artists—not just DJs—into the mix, including Kaitlin Butts on December 4, Locash on December 5, Braxton Keith on December 6, Josh Weathers December 8-10, Paul Cauthen on December 11, Chancey Williams on December 12 and Casey Donahew on December 13. zoukgrouplv.com
Stephen Wilson Jr. (Courtesy/Brayln Kelly)
ALL JOSÉ, ALL THE TIME
With the bright, fresh Zaytinya and a bigger Bazaar Meat, superchef José Andrés continues to thrill
BY JIM BEGLEY
José Andrés is a prolific restaurateur with more than a half-dozen venues in the Las Vegas Valley alone. Perpetual change seems to be constant for the globe-trotting chef as in recent months, he’s seen both a shift and expansion in his local venues.
In September, the epic Bazaar Meat relocated from the Sahara down the Strip to the Palazzo after a decade-long run. If you never had the chance to visit the original spot, the hunting-lodge-gone-awry space tucked away in the back of the property was a sought-after experience not only in Vegas, but across the country—but finding it was a Herculean task.
With its relocation, visibility is certainly not a concern. At Palazzo, Bazaar has been afforded a premier location directly off the hotel lobby with a dedicated grand staircase leading to its front door. Instead of rustic, the space is modern with a muted crimson lounge with wait-‘tilyou-see-it ceiling light displays transitioning into the bright, airy main dining room inspired by the original Bazaar in Los Angeles. And unlike the Sahara spot, this incarnation has an actual view of the Strip. Happily, the menu and staff ZAYTINYA
Zaytinya’s Chicken Muhammara
have stayed mostly intact. The experience still leans on tableside preparations and whimsical offerings with only slight tweaks, because why fix what’s not broken? Classics such as the sharp A5 Wagyu “Philly cheesesteak” air bread ($17) , playful bison Buffalo-style carpaccio ($26), and buttered potato puree ($18)—aka potatoes à la Robuchon—remain must-haves, with fire-roasted king crab ($145) topped with an unctuous brown butter dashi brûlée a worthy new addition.
As with any move, some aspects are still working themselves out. The space feels more frenetic, while wine pairings—a hallmark of the original—are somewhat more conservative as the staff finds ways to service a much larger room. But having been an ardent Bazaar diner since its inception, I’m confident this esteemed venue has another outstanding decade ahead of it.
Down the Strip in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Andrés has opened the fifth location of his Mediterranean concept, Zaytinya. I have many fond memo-
ries of the original in Washington, D.C., and I still reminisce of a ridiculously over-the-top, Anthony Bourdain-inspired tasting menu from 2013.
Rather than being situated in the middle of the city, our Zaytinya is housed in a former Forum Shops warehouse space. Complementing the menu, the space is awash with earth tones and accented by the blues of the sea, nowhere more prominently than the striking back bar, where you can sidle up for an impressive happy hour menu all day during dinner hours. And it’s serving up classic Mediterranean fare with the usual Andrés twist.
Begin by diving into spreads, where I highly suggest the hommus kawarma ($18), hummus topped with savory sauteed lamb and pine nuts for texture, and the slightly smoky baba ghannouge ($13). Dill-accented tzatziki ($13), on the other hand, is simply passable. All are served with endless waves of piping-hot, fluffy pita you won’t want to skip. In fact, be sure to save some for one of the menu’s
edgier offerings: avgotaraho ($18). The funky, oceanic treat— sea salt-cured mullet roe better known as bottarga—is delivered in slices for which the pita provides well-deserved balance.
Other standout mezze to start with include subtle seared halloumi ($17) decorated with dates, peaches, and pomegranate seeds, and shish taouk ($17), za’taar-infused chicken skewers accompanied by a modestly pungent garlic toum.
Entrée-wise, your go-to should be the celebration rice ($38-$55). Served typically at Persian festivities, the dish delivers fluffy basmati rice strewn with almonds, pistachios and dried cherries. But best of all is the adornment of crispy tadig, the Persian version of socarrat, the super delicious, crispy, caramelized rice at the bottom of a paella pan.
As always, Andrés has a concept for you, no matter your preference or mood. His Vegas legacy stays strong with the updated Bazaar Meat and fresh experience at Zaytinya.
Nevada Realtors announced its 2026 executive team, which includes Sarah Scattini, Sierra Nevada Realtors, as president; Grant Meyer, Incline Village Realtors, as president-elect; Azim Jessa, Las Vegas Realtors, as vice president; Brandon Roberts, Las Vegas Realtors, as immediate past president; and Marissa Lostra, Elko County Realtors, as treasurer.
The Meruelo Group announced the appointment of Ronn Nicolli as chief marketing and experience officer, where he will oversee brand strategy, marketing and guest experience initiatives across the company’s portfolio of properties and products.
The Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence announced a $35,000 donation from Nevada Gold Mines to support the Victim’s Advocate Academy of Nevada. Since 2017,
the academy has been instrumental in ensuring that professionals serving victims of violent crime have access to training and support. With this funding, the coalition will be able to expand the academy’s reach into rural communities, ensuring that advocates in these often under-resourced areas receive the tools they need to serve survivors effectively.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix donated $25,000 to First Nevada, which is dedicated to advancing STEM and robotics education across the state as part of its commitment to inspire the next generation of innovators. During the First Lego League Challenge Qualifying Tournament, Lori Nelson-Kraft from Las Vegas Grand Prix presented the donation at Cannon Junior High School, where 500 students and mentors from First Nevada gathered to celebrate the partnership. In addition to the donation, the Las Vegas
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Grand Prix honored 22 youths as Grid Kids during the Formula One race.
Las Vegas Realtors hired Lynda Fernandez as its new CEO. Fernandez, who is scheduled to start work January 5, brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience to the post, most recently working as CEO of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors in White Plains, New York, the second largest real estate association in New York.
Amber Avila was named vice president of branch operations and member experience at Clark County Credit Union. Avila began her career with the credit union in 2011 as a teller and has grown within the organization through several frontline and leadership roles. In her new position, Avila will oversee branch operations and lead initiatives to enhance the member experience across all of the credit union’s locations.
JOB LISTING
Operations Coordinator (Las Vegas, NV): Review processes to ensure that all aspects of business are operating as efficiently as possible; ensure that all relevant legislation is adhered to such as health & safety regulations & practice guidelines; collect & analyze data to identify business opportunities. Requirements: 2 years of experience in establishing & maintaining standards for staff performance & customer service; ensure compliance with health & safety rules; as well as creating & applying marketing strategy. Apply to: HR, American Specialty Pharmacy, Inc. d/b/a ASP Cares, 501 S. Rancho Drive, G46, Las Vegas, NV-89106.
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LENDER HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES BEYOND JUST BANK ACCOUNTS
BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF
Michelle Zamora discovered the power of artisanal teas, sound therapy, lymphatic drainage and other wellness modalities during her own journey to disconnect from stressors.
Now, she’s bringing those tools to Las Vegas through Essential Element, a wellness boutique that opened this year on Charleston Boulevard near Downtown.
The boutique aims to o er customers an opportunity to regroup and recenter. In addition to the tea bar, sound therapy and lymphatic drainage, Essential Element will soon feature a oat room.
“Wanting to open a business is a leap of faith,” Zamora said. “A lot of people in their hearts have a dream, an idea, and I carried that dream in my mind and heart, and I just kept building it in my head as I continued getting familiar with wellness modalities.”
Funding was her biggest challenge, she said. Then she connected with Prestamos CDFI, a Community Development Financial Institution and division of nonpro t Chicanos Por La Causa. In addition to lending, Prestamos has o ered Zamora support in bookkeeping and on her website.
“It’s been really amazing,” she said. “There are all these components that can bottleneck a small business, and detract from the true purpose, which is the hands-on, right? I want to be hands on with the clients. And so, when you get this level of support from an agency like Prestamos, it does relieve a lot of those stressors.”
Zamora is one of countless entrepreneurs who have been helped by Prestamos CDFI, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Many small businesses run into the issue of being “not bankable,” or have trouble getting access to capital, whether that be because of
personal credit issues or a lack of collateral, said Noe Gonzalez, business development o cer for Prestamos CDFI in Nevada.
That’s when Prestamos CDFI enters the picture.
“One of the main things Prestamos CDFI does is to make bankable the non-bankable small business,” Gonzalez said. “Another positive thing that Prestamos does is that we provide technical assistance. At the end of the day, any small business owner or entrepreneur with a lot of money but not knowledge, goes into a sort of hardship.”
Any small business that gets a loan from Prestamos CDFI is going to have free technical assistance in various areas, Gonzalez said. Dedicated business advisers provide services in nance and accounting, marketing and more.
Prestamos tries to be a catalyst for wealth creation, job creation and retention in its communities, and to serve those communities in which economic development is needed, Gonzalez said.
“The vision for the next 25 years is to expand even more,” he said. “And I want to emphasize that we take very seriously our mission of empowering the underserved communities (in) which we operate.”
Prestamos CDFI tries to foster, care for and cultivate the small-business owner, and make sure they have the nancial and technical re-
sources to keep growing, Gonzalez said, because every time a small business folds, jobs are lost, landlords lose revenue and entrepreneurs need to start all over.
For example, many businesses survived the COVID-19 pandemic by pivoting from traditional to digital marketing, with the help of Prestamos’ technical assistance.
Prestamos CDFI made Zamora feel like she had a team behind her as she built her business, and is there anytime she needs to brainstorm, she said.
Her advice to people who have a dream is to connect with organizations like Prestamos and get educated, so they can avoid some of the mistakes or pitfalls of opening a business.
“Small businesses, in general, across America, they’re the backbone,” Zamora said. “It’s the mom-and-pop shops that contribute and make community.”
Small-business owners may have a dream of the service they want to provide, Zamora said, but there’s so many aspects of running a business beyond that. And without the proper resources, training or support, those entrepreneurs risk failure.
“Small businesses, I’m including myself, can survive and have a higher rate of success because of those organizations,” she said.
Michelle Zamora, owner of Essential Element, in the salt therapy room. (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Here are two of your birthrights as an Aries: to be the spark that ignites the fire and the trailblazer who doesn’t wait for permission. I invite you to embody both roles to the max in the coming weeks. But keep these caveats in mind: Your flame should provide light and warmth, not rouse scorching agitation. Be bold and innovative, but always with rigorous integrity. In my vision of your future, you’re the wise guide who inspires and includes. You fight for interdependence, not dominance.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Here’s a key theme: microdoses of courage. You don’t need to summon splashy acts of epic heroism. Subtle rebellions against numbness and ignorance may be all that’s required. Be brave in ways that feel manageable, Taurus. The trembling truth-teller is your best role model. As an experiment, say yes to two things that make you nervous but don’t terrify you.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your inner ear contains three canals filled with fluid that act like gyroscopes, telling you which way is up. Your ability to maintain balance depends on their loyal service. Moral of the story: You stabilize yourself through constant adjustment. Let’s make this a metaphor for your current assignment. Your ability to remain poised will require ongoing adaptations. It won’t work to remain still; you must keep calibrating.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Let’s extol the value of productive confusion: the disorienting state when your old maps no longer match the territory. This isn’t a failure of understanding, but the ripe precondition for a breakthrough. Consider the caterpillar: It doesn’t instantly transition into a butterfly. First it dissolves into chaotic goo and simmers there. Conclusion: Stay in the not-knowing a little longer.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Co ee from Java, orchids from Iceland and grapes from Vesuvius share a commonality: They flourish in fertile soil created by volcanic eruptions. The molten lava that leveled everything later became a repository of rich nutrients. I expect a milder version of this theme for you, Leo. Events that at first cause disruption will eventually become vitalizing. Challenges will lead to nourishment.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Japanese gardeners spend years training bonsai trees to grow into elegant shapes. The process requires extraordinary patience and an intimate relationship with an ever-changing life form. I invite you to approach your current projects with this mindset. You may feel pressure to “optimize,” but the flourishing of your work depends on subtle attunement, not brute progress. Pay tender attention to what wants to emerge slowly. Time is your collaborator, not your enemy.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The Swedish concept of lagom means “not too much, not too little, but just right.” It suggests the best option lies in the middle rather than in the extremes. This is where power and virtue thrive, despite the common delusion that more is always better. In the coming weeks, Libra, I invite you to be a connoisseur of lagom. To do it right, you may have to strenuously resist peer pressure and groupthink.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In Bangkok markets, elderly women sell caged birds for the specific purpose of releasing them. Buyers immediately open the cage door in a symbolic gesture of compassion. Imagine yourself performing this sacrament, Scorpio. Now is a fertile time to liberate an outdated belief, a conversation you keep replaying, or a version of yourself that’s no longer relevant. Take your cue from the signs in the market: Letting go is a form of prayer.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The world’s oldest known musical composition, the Hurrian Hymn No. 6, was discovered on clay tablets dating back to 1400 B.C. When finally performed, it revealed harmonies that still resonate today. Your projects in the coming months could share this timeless quality, Sagittarius. You will have an enhanced power to bridge your past and your future. A possibility you’ve been nurturing for months may finally ripen into beautiful completion.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m taking a risk by urging you cautious Capricorns to flirt with the Finnish tradition of drinking at home alone in your underwear. My point is to give yourself permission to celebrate your life with a bout of utterly uninhibited relaxation. I authorize you to be loose, free and even slightly irresponsible. Let your private pleasures reign supreme.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the Quechua language, ayllu refers to a kinship system of people, animals, ancestors and nature. To be aligned with one’s ayllu is to live in reciprocity with the web of life. Aquarius, I believe you’re being asked to focus on your ayllu. Who comprises your circle of belonging? Whom do you create for—not as audience, but as kin? As you nourish your connections, pay special attention to those who respect your idiosyncrasies. Your uniqueness is one of your greatest gifts.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In Yoruba cosmology, the divine spirit Oshun presides over rivers, love and beauty. Her sweetness is a sublime power, evidenced by how her waters once restored life to a barren earth. You Pisceans are now channeling strong currents of Oshun energy. Your tenderness is magnetic, and your imaginative flourishes are as valuable as gold. But don’t let your nurturing be exploited. Choose wisely where you share your bounty; the right people will honor your flow, not judge it or try to change it. Your duty is to be uninhibitedly yourself and let your lyrical truths ripple freely.
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LAS VEGAS WORLD KITE FESTIVAL | DESERT BREEZE EVENTS CENTER | NOVEMBER 28, 2025 When you say “go fly a kite” and your eyebrows are pointed down, it sends a different message than if you say it without any eyebrows at all. Try both whilst flying a kite at the Las Vegas World Kite Festival. The theme this year was “Love In the Sky,” which makes me wonder who hurt the red one. I bet there is a story there. Looks like there was some beef, maybe some betrayal, but clearly some revenge. It was probably on behalf of the yellow eyebrowless one. Look at it, so unbothered. Typical. Phil Collins wrote a whole song about this years ago. How did he know? That drum solo has some serious eyebrows. Come to think of it, most drum solos have some serious eyebrows, and I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life too, Phil. –Corlene Byrd
