At this juncture, let us say this: thanks. We received an unprecedented gush of ballots, enough to wear out a temp agency's worth of compilers, which means that the winners in each category won with a lot of votes. So the selections are that much more trustworthy—they've been ratified again and again by Weekly readers, whom we've found to be exceptional in their taste and judgment. So we hope this package proves useful and entertaining, whether you're looking for the city's best Mexican food, a great people-watching spot or just want to ponder the wisdom of Oscar Goodman as Best Local Hero. Enjoy!
I don't remember what, exactly, was in the dish called Spaghetti Caruso, though I imagine spaghetti was involved. What I do remember is that my grandfather loved Spaghetti Caruso, and that he ordered it at the Bootlegger every time he visited us in Las Vegas, and that my parents always told him it was not very good for him. Things have changed: My grandfather started eating healthy, the Bootlegger stopped serving Spaghetti Caruso, Grandpa moved from L.A. to Oceanside and the Bootlegger moved from the intersection of Trop and Eastern to the far southern end of the Strip. More remarkable, though, is what hasn't changed: Grandpa, for instance, is 94 now, and as agreeably tough and opinionated and menschy as ever. The Bootlegger is quite a bit younger—the old location opened in 1972, the new one in 2000—but everyone knows 33 is 99 in restaurant years. Moreover, the place is still family-owned (the boss, former entertainer Lorraine Hunt, is now lieutenant governor of the state), and it still has those cushy red booths and the rough brown brick walls decorated with haunting portraits of Hunt's great-grandparents, Luigi "the Bootlegger" Zoia and his wife, Maria. And, yes, with the exception of Spaghetti Caruso, there's still that great Bootlegger food. Next visit, Grandpa just might have to break his diet. 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-736-4939; www.bootleggerlasvegas.com. Entertainment nightly.
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Ruth's Chris
Best Steak
No surprise, this. Three words: synonymous with steak. They do the meat right, have plentiful sides and serve it up in an elegant, clubby but not stuffy atmosphere. It is, ahem, a rare combination. 3900 Paradise Road; 4561 W. Flamingo Road (702) 248-7011
Joe's Stone Crab
Best Seafood
Joe's, also known by its longer name, Joe's Stone Crab, Prime Steaks and Seafood, is operated by Richard Melman of Lettuce Entertain You, the company responsible for such concepts as Corner Bakery, Maggiano's Little Italy, and in Vegas, Mon Ami Gabi and Eiffel Tower. This place is a classic American steakhouse with several twists, the major one being availability of the South Florida delicacy stone-crab claws, year-round. At the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Phase III. 792-9222.
Big Mama's Rib Shack and Soul Food
Best Soul Food
Credit the cooks who churn out the drool-inducing gumbo, the lip-smackingly good barbecue sandwichs and picture-perfect southern fried chicken for keeping Big Mama's ahead of an ever larger pack of restaurants competing for the appetites of soul-food aficionados. 2230 W. Bonanza Road, 597-1616.
Diego
Best Mexican Food
MGM Grand President Gamal Aziz thought it was time for a new millennium Mexican restaurant in his hotel, so poof, Ricardo's disappeared and Diego materialized. The restaurant, done in fuschia, magenta and green, has a muralist's aesthetic. The kitchen serves regional dishes from Mexico matched to a killer list of single village tequilas. Don't miss barbacoa de chivo, shredded barbecued goat; and for an adults-only treat, cool off with a margarita Popsicle. Inside the MGM Grand. 891-1111.
Fiamma
Best Italian Food
The psychedelic Yabu Pushelberg décor aside—the dining room here looks like the inside of an active volcano—it's hard to resist the original cooking of New York chef Michael White. A few of these dishes, such as ravioli stuffed with short ribs, and prosciutto and sausage Bolognese, redefine Italian cooking in this country. Add the terrific pastries by Elizabeth Katz and you've got a real winner. Inside MGM Grand, 891-1111.
Fatburger
Best Hamburger
Size matters in a burger; these are big. Condiment integrity is an issue; you can eat these without requiring a shower afterward. Taste is vital; these are simply delicious—juicy and meaty. You need a good fry; ignore the haters, Fatburger's potato planks are ideal accompaniments. You readers have spoken. Multiple locations.
Royal Star
Best Asian Food
This may be the city's most elegant Chinese restaurant, and the cuisine isn't far behind. Evenings, there is amazing crab, whole steamed fish with XO sauce and various delicacies such as shark's fin and abalone. At lunch, you come for an array of dim sum, savory and sweet pastries consumed with tea. Inside the Venetian, 414-1888.
Mesa Grill
Best New Restaurant
TV uber-chef Bobby Flay (Boy Meets Grill) finally succumbed to a casino exec's pressure to open a branch of his successful New York restaurant here, and everybody wins. Flay's fusiony take on American Southwestern cuisine can't be topped: blue corn pancakes with barbecued duck, tiger shrimp with roasted garlic and corn tamales, and practically everything else. Inside Caesars Palace, 731-7110.
IHOP
Best Breakfast
Others are fancier. Not to mention schmancier. And more expensive. Not to mention elegant. But no restaurant chain is more synonymous with breakfast than the International House of Pancakes. The famous spheres are plentiful. The syrup, in a flavorful array, stays on the table. So does the coffee. And it's ever-tasty. A breakfast no-brainer without equal (but more than enough Equal). You don't have the time or inclination to go pancake-experimenting? Pull on in. They're everywhere. They're international for good reason. Fifteen locations throughout the Valley; many open 24 hours.
Jason's Deli
Best Deli
Say it with us: muffaletta. It's a sandwich, really, but so much more: two whole syllables more. This is a sandwich so big that you can order a quarter of one. But what exactly is it? It's a small mountain of turkey or ham with melted provolone and a special olive spread on top, served on a sesame seed-covered roll, and it's one of the specialties at Jason's Deli, a sprawling joint with ceiling fans and scores of little black tables turned at diamond angles to one another. It's not your corner deli—unless you've got a really big corner—but it's got a huge menu of sandwiches, soups and salads, at least one of which is bound to give you a bit of corner-deli nostalgia. And then there's the complimentary soft-serve ice cream. Bet your corner deli never had that. 1281 Warm Springs Road, Suite 7, 898-3495; 3910 S. Maryland Parkway, 893-9799; 1000 S. Rampart No. 2, 967-9008.
Cheesecake Factory
Best Dessert
Mmm ... cheesecake. Inside the Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 792-6888. 750 S. Rampart Blvd., 951-3800.
Mr. Lucky's
Best Late-Night Snack
Surrounded by trendy upscale eateries like Simon and Nobu, Mr. Lucky's is an oasis of simplicity in the Hard Rock. Open all night and serving your standard café fare, from burgers to breakfast, at all hours, Mr. Lucky's isn't fancy, but that's exactly the point. The servers are beautiful, the milkshakes are superb and you might just spot a celebrity chowing down on French fries. What more could you ask for? Inside the Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, 693-5000.
Starbucks
Best Cup of Coffee
For the caffeine addict, it's all about convenience and reliability. With more than 30 stores in Vegas, Starbucks rules supreme with Vegas coffee-lovers. In addition to its trusty variety of caffeine infusions (made by gifted barristas)—from nonfat latte to caramel macchiato—coffee drinkers can count on a comfortable place to sit, a yummy selection of muffins and scones, and even Starbucks paraphernalia for sale: Buy a CD or a mug to further emphasize your devotion to the coffee giant. Multiple locations.
Sammy's Woodfired Pizza
Best Pizza
Try the barbecue chicken pizza—a tangy, spicy delight. Or the more classic sauteed mushroom pizza, or the Mediterranean. Each is a sizable personal pizza that will leave you happy and full. The salads are unique and huge—try the grilled chicken salad, with walnuts and goat cheese. For dessert, a huge messy chocolate sundae never disappoints. 6500 West Sahara in Las Vegas, 227-6000; 4300 East Sunset Road in Henderson, 507-1281.
P.F. Chang's
Best Place for Lunch
Chang's Chinese bistro has a wide variety of dining options, from the classic Chang's spicy chicken—the sweet and tangy signature dish—to classics like Mongolian beef, and on to a heart-healthy menu of delicious choices such as grilled scallops or Buddha's Feast, a giant serving of fresh-steamed vegetables. Get there early—Chang's is a favorite among many. The District, 101 South Green Valley Parkway in Henderson, 361-3065; inside the Aladdin, 836-0955; 4165 Paradise Rd., 792-2207; and 1095 South Rampart Boulevard, 968-8885.
Café Ba Ba Reeba
Best Appetizers
No surprise our readers couldn't pick one appetizer at this new Spanish restaurant in the Fashion Show Mall—there are more than 50, and that's not counting the five types of paella ("It's an orgiastic feast for the senses, Jerry!") and the dozen desserts. Las Vegas' first true tapas restaurant, owned by Chef Gabino Sotelino and the folks behind Mon Ami Gabi, Ba Ba Reeba also offers terrific sangria to wash all the food down, a great happy hour with $3 tapas and half-priced drinks, live music and flamenco three nights a week and paella cooking classes. You couldn't do better in Barcelona. In the Fashion Show Mall, 258-1211.
Claim Jumper
Best Place to Blow Your Diet
When you've had it up to here with lettuce and cottage cheese; when you've lost the will for Talmudic adherence to the Atkins or South Beach diets—that is, when you finally realize that thin thighs won't get you into heaven—and you want to go off the rails in a spectacular way, the Claim Jumper is it. The food is big, it's tasty and you won't feel a twinge of guilt. 601 N. Green Valley Pkwy, 933-0880; 1100 S. Fort Apache. 243-8751.
Teatro
Best Cocktails
We've always scorned calling bartenders "mixologists," but at Teatro, the term is apt. Call for a Corona or a cosmo, they'll serve, but 'tis a sin. These lads can throw together Midori, Malibu rum and cream—which sounds like a recipe for a trip to the loo but here, like a wedding or high Mass, becomes such a sacred thing that smoking while drinking feels unholy. Name any liquor and Tom, who is a mere babe but a prodigy of his art, will build a drink around it that will make you wonder why you tip a glass anywhere else. Inside the MGM Grand, 891-7777.
Crown & Anchor
Best Beer Selection
If any of these names make your mouth water and your night look favorable, Crown & Anchor is your place: Chimay, Duvel, Guinness, Samuel Smith's (Nut Brown, Taddy Porter, and Oatmeal Stout), Newcastle, Blackthorn Cider Old Speckeled Hen, Bass, John Courage, Stella Artois, Fosters, Kronenberg 1766, Ayinger's Celebrator Dopplebock, and on and on and on. Crown & Anchor draws in a classic pub mix of regular locals and college students and assorted droppers-in, serves fish and chips, has a great patio and, of course, a pool table. 1350 E. Tropicana Ave., 739-8676.
Gordon Biersch
Best Microbrewery
Dan Gordon and Dean Biersch came up with a few good recipes: A dash of barley, a bit of hops, a good crowd and a good time. Behind the large steel grain silo is a tasty selection of microbrews: Among those Biersch offers are Blonde Bock, Marzen, Pilsner, Dunkles and Golden, in addition to seasonal brews like Hefeweizen and Maibock. Come early stay late, Biersch is always overflowing. 3987 Paradise Road, 312-5247.
Kona Grill
Best Happy Hour
It's where the elite meet and greet—and try to pick each other up. Kona Grill's happy hour is where you'll find the finest of the fine among Las Vegas singles eager to see and be seen. Revel in the amenities: gorgeous open bar and patio, super-tasty sushi, exceptional wine selection—and Kevin and Joel, two of the friendliest bartenders in town. It's all under the watchful eye of General Manager Dennis Pacifico, often seen in the thick of it, making sure everyone's happy. One other plus: By hanging out at Kona Grill, at least you know a potential partner's got great taste. 750 S. Rampart Blvd. 547-5532
Bikinis
Sexiest Bartenders
On your knees. Head back. Open wide. Maybe this is better left for our therapist, but we're suckers for being ordered around by scantily clad hardbodies, especially when there are tequila shots in the offing. And no one does it better than the staff at Bikinis, the four-room party headquarters at the Rio. Themed nights with costume-suited go-go dancers, friendly and efficient staff, and an exhibition show and Jacuzzi only add to the fun. Now, prepare to be spanked.
In the Rio, 992-7970.
Kerry Simon
Best Chef
With his long mane, sleek figure and serious charisma, it's no wonder that Kerry Simon, the chef responsible for the Hard Rock's Simon Kitchen and Bar, is such a popular choice. His take on American comfort foods like meat loaf; and the inner-child desserts, from mock Sno-balls to cotton candy, have been drawing crowds since day one. Tell your daughter to be careful.
Howard Stern
Best Radio Personality
No question about it, FCC be damned: The man is still Breast in Show. And as long as hot babes and porn stars remain willing to strip and take a spanking at his New York City studio, he's likely to continue as the Ruler of Raunch. Of course, we have a special bond with Howard, who's not only heard over X-Treme Radio (KXTE 107.5- FM), but also frequents the Hard Rock, placing bets and squeezing breasts. Yes, he's about to jump to satellite radio, but Howard Stern's imprint on broadcasting is both profane and profound.
John Fredericks
Best TV Personality
We love those Triple Fs—the "Fredericks Fun Facts" that KVBC Channel 3's personable weathercaster tosses out during his climatological updates. It's part of the charm that separates Fredericks from the rest during his spots on News 3 at Sunrise and News 3 at Noon. Then there are the little extras—like taking the newscast into a commercial break by reciting the lines of a Christmas carol as co-anchor Sue Manteris looks on. And the man's good-guy cred is in tip-top shape, thanks to his work with the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Here's another Fun Fact for you, John—you're our readers' favorite TV personality.
Monti Rock III
Las Vegan Most in Need of a Reality Show
He's had brushes with reality TV, but no cathode-ray drama could possibly encompass the reality that is Monti, the world's greatest entreprenwhore, happy has-been and any other bon mot that you can think of. Umpteen appearances on Johnny Carson's show, a role in Saturday Night Fever, a million-selling single, his own magazine column and those fabulous stuffed cats. Robin Leach might show up at more events, but everyone knows it's not a true party unless Monti's there.
I blew this bet. Big-time. I was convinced that the NBC drama (Mondays, 9 p.m.) set inside the fictional Montecito Hotel was red meat for the series scrap heap. How could it be otherwise? It was up against ABC's Monday Night Football. And the CBS double bill of Everybody Loves Raymond / Two and a Half Men. And a Fox newbie called Skin that featured a porn filmmaker among its main characters. A porn filmmaker. C'mon! But otherwise, it was. Led by their godfather, James Caan—who'd believe that famous hardass would succeed in a medium where conventional wisdom favors cute and cuddly?—the Las Vegas cast is excessively sexy. (OK, with Caan, let's settle for adorably gruff.) But Vanessa Marcil? Nikki Cox? Molly Sims? Marsha Thomason? Hubba-hubba, Bubba. I'm also informed, by those who know about such things, that Josh Duhamel has sex appeal, too. Nor were the hormonal winds blowing just toward the younger set. You cast Cheryl Ladd as Caan's ex-wife, and Generation Charlie's Angels is sure to show up. Even Phil Maloof has wandered through, playing himself. Not an Emmy-winning stretch, perhaps, but he's certainly got the character down. Pile on Caan cohorts like Sly Stallone and Alec Baldwin dropping by to add some guest-star luster, and it's easy to understand—given my 20/20 hindsight—how Las Vegas thumped the odds. But the sexiest thing about the cast of Las Vegas comes down to this: Nothing sex-ceeds like sex-cess.
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Oscar Goodman Local Hero
Best Person to Have on Your Side in a Fight
He might not be tapped by the Clark County School District as a substitute teacher any time soon, but Las Vegas could have no better leader and cheerleader than Da Mayor, as evidenced by Hizzoner's triumph in the Local Hero category for three years in a row. And, with his ... family ... connections, our readers can't think of anyone they'd rather have in their corner. Maybe it's his oft-proclaimed happiness rubbing off on folks, or his refreshingly unmuzzled commentary on everything from Downtown redevelopment to political foes that wins hearts. Or maybe it's something in the gin.
Amazing Johnathan
Best Villain
Maybe it's the eyebrows or his less-than-pretty mug on the billboard or, perhaps, the overcovered feud with the soon-to-be-former owners of the Golden Nugget. But the hilariously ill-tempered magician is collecting his second consecutive Reader's Choice award for Best Villain. In a city with more than its fair share of corrupt politicians, vicious murderers and bad poets, this is quite a victory for the man who bills himself as "the Freddy Kruger of Comedy."
Andre Agassi
Best Local Athlete
First, he was a prodigy, then the long-haired symbol of a petulant new generation, then the balding and shorn Old Guard of American tennis. What he always was, and remains into his athletic dotage, is one hell of a player.
He's also one of the most generous and loyal Las Vegans the city has ever known. Tennis will miss Andre when he retires. Here in Las Vegas, though, we get to keep him.
Michael Fuller
Best Club DJ
Michael "The Funkler" Fuller started going to clubs at the ripe old age of 12 and has been DJ-ing since he was 18. A minor oversight on the part of nightclub management, but look where it's led. Fuller stole the show in 1996 when he was a DJ at Utopia, as well as having a hand in all of the club's productions. Since then, Fuller has proven himself over and over again with the success of his promotions company, Moving Sun Studios, and numerous residencies worldwide, including Las Vegas' Foundation Room and most recently Ice, where he is also director of marketing. Promoter, producer, international DJ, entrepreneur and lauded hero of the local music scene, Michael Fuller continues to reinvent himself with new ventures and venues.
Wayne Newton
Best Entertainer
Remaining timeless in a frenetically disposable culture is one amazing trick. Which makes Wayne Newton perhaps the greatest magician, of sorts, on the Strip. He is the Teflon Performer, deftly deflecting those (including, occasionally, this newspaper) who like to ridicule him as the symbol of Vegas cheese. But he's perhaps the toughest dude this town's ever seen, still cradling his forever faithful Wayniacs in TLC at the Stardust, long after lesser lights have burned out. Give it up for the Duke of Danke Schoen. He's earned it.
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
The Pervz Best Local Rock Band
While everybody outside of Vegas fawns over the Killers, this three-piece old-school punk-rawk band has taken this category two years in a row. Dirty (dig that name) but dapper in their suits and ties, the Pervz bang out fast and loose tunes that might remind you of CBGB's in 1978, or of CBGB's in 2005, for that matter. Retro is now, people, and the Pervz know how to work it. www.thepervz.com.
Tangerine
Best Hotel Bar
The orange-and-white color scheme, the low bar with suede stools: retro-chic. But the real reason to be here is the terrace, with the best cocktailin' view of the Strip in town. If Hunter S. Thompson was still looking for an outrage, he'd be here to watch the campy Sirens of T.I. show with Wild Turkey in hand, a head full of acid and trying to pull his Samoan attorney off of the Plexiglas. Inside the TI, 212-8140.
Double Down Saloon
Best Non-Hotel Bar
People we've brought to the Double Down: hippie chicks, jaded homosexuals, rigorously cool hipsters, rowdy Brits, snotty club kids and our mom. And every one of them has fallen in love with the place. A dim, punk-rock bunker with lurid murals, noisy bands, bizarre videos, graffiti'd toilets, stoic bouncers, friendly bartenders and bacon martinis; all walks of life stroll through its doors and usually stay until sunup. Because it's more than just the best in Vegas—it may be the best bar in the world. 4640 Paradise Road, 791-5775.
The Vegas location of the House of Blues opened while I was away for my freshman year of college, so I didn't see a concert there until the following summer. Even so, the opening of the venue was a momentous occasion, comparable to the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel a few years before. This city has arrived, it said. There is a real rock venue here. It's strange to think this authenticity came from a company that is, after all, a chain, but every music fan I knew was excited about the HOB opening. By the time I returned from my first year in college, it was still exciting to return to discover that my hometown had sprouted a genuine rock 'n' roll club. Or at least what passes for genuine in Vegas—the faux-folk art and homey décor fit right in with the earnest fakery of the Strip. I saw three shows at the House of Blues that summer, and have seen many more since. HOB has shown a genuine dedication to all-ages shows, smaller bands, younger audiences and even local music along with their big-ticket concerts. Inside Mandalay Bay, 632-7600.
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Riviera Comedy Club
Best Comedy Club
Too often a night at a comedy club means staring silently at some open-mike-night hack while tossing back a few watered-down cocktails. Not at the Riviera. Year after year, locals, tourists and comedians call the hotel's comedy room one of the city's best. There's no endless lineup of sports-jacketed stand-ups cracking wise in front of a brick wall and a potted plant. Instead, the Riviera Comedy Club mixes things up with the occasional ventriloquist, hypnotist or shock comedian. There are two shows every night in the 350-seat room that has the feel of a New York club. Inside the Riviera, 794-9433.
Krave
Best Gay/Lesbian Club
Gay goes out on the Strip, finally! A beautiful space with slick clientele, tucked on the side of the Aladdin at Harmon. Just some of the highlights: Thursdays, Krave Kabaret offers an open mike for Strip performers; Fridays, Bitch Bar for girls who prefer girls; Sundays, an all-male revue for men. For those who want to get out of the low-profile bars buried in anonymity, Krave is the place to see and be seen. In the Desert Passage, 836-0830.
Bellagio Gallery of Fine Arts
Best Art Gallery or Museum
It's taken a beating in the national press for having the chutzpah to bring fine art to the Strip, but kudos go to Bellagio for sticking to the plan. Right now, Claude Monet's works can be viewed before or after a turn with the dice or a meal at a nationally renowned restaurant, all under one giant Bellagio roof. The museum provides audio commentary on the art, and plentiful souvenirs on the way out. Inside Bellagio, 693-7111.
A stripper visiting the Spearmint Rhino from another club less than a mile away takes in the scene, turns to me and says, "I wish I was working here right now." That's because even in the doldrum hours of a recent Monday night, she sees the Rhino is packed with A-list hot girls, and enough customers to keep things lively. But the truth is that nowadays that is to be expected from any of the top-tier strip clubs in Las Vegas. Though it has gotten far less attention than the contemporaneous boom in high-end casino restaurants, the topless club market in Las Vegas has entered its own Renaissance. First off, let it be said flat-out: Vegas has the hottest strippers to be found anywhere. In other cities, girls work as dancers, but the best of those strippers inevitably come—from all around the country—aspiring to try their skills in the big leagues of Las Vegas and to work at a club like the Spearmint Rhino. Of course, in recent years, the Las Vegas clubs have grown in size and luxury. Sapphire arrived and Jaguars (came, and went and then came again) and Treasures (which opened and then closed and now may reopen). So the Rhino, too, has—like the boobs of oh so many of its independent contractors—been enlarged with a new addition. Also, from the stages to the sound system to the décor, bars and boutique, the Rhino has worked hard to maintain its looks among the younger competition. But one thing that has not changed is that the Spearmint Rhino has long held a special place with locals: from years ago, when the Rhino hosted those now legendarily wild after-hours parties for the dance-club scene to more recent events like Howard Stern's nationally syndicated and locally top-rated morning show picking the Rhino to hang during his posse's last Vegas trip. Of course, from back then through all the years in between to now, locals still get in free, and that probably helps, too. 3344 S. Highland Dr., 796-3600.
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KLUC 98.5-FM
Best Radio Station
The new KLUC has in a short time found the magic balance between playing the new 50 Cent single and the last 50 Cent single that you want to hear. But that isn't all there is going on here, after all: they play lots of Ludacris, too. There is also the popular Morning Zoo and the recent Saturday addition of Madhouse Radio.
Pure
Best Dance Club
Is it the novelty of being the newest kid on the Strip that's behind Pure winning this category in our Readers' Choice Awards and in the recent Nighties Awards? Or could it be the best club patio in Vegas, the elegant interior décor, the raised VIP area with beds, or the ultra-cool Red Room? Maybe it's the crazy, packed Pure Tuesdays, when locals get in free? Whatever the reason, Casesars' entry into the Vegas club scene is an unqualified smashing success. Next time you bump into co-owners Celine Dion, Shaquille O'Neal, Andre Agassi or Steffi Graf, be sure to say thanks! In Casesars Palace, 212-8806.
On a recent First Friday, it seemed that the rain was going to keep people away. Dark clouds filled the Valley, it was spattering in Green Valley and already pouring on Sunrise Mountain. Six-thirty in the evening and studio residents in the Arts Factory outnumbered the potentially art-buying public by at least two to one. Even the models handing out flyers for the Friends of First Friday group looked like they needed friends. A half-hour later, it was shoulder to shoulder, just like it has been nearly every month for at least the past year. When the grass-roots celebration of fine art began in October 2002, the night of open studios and obligatory free wine and cheese had more than a few naysayers. Culture? In Vegas? Downtown? Put down the crack pipe, sonny, it's time for an intervention. And the first few First Fridays seemed to fulfill the dire prophecies, with sparce attendance consisting of those holding Hot Topic Frequent Shopper cards and the occasional confused street person, and lacking that critical mass of serious art lovers needed for both healthy sales and growth. Nearly two and a half years later, the more common comments are about the lack of valet parking and when is the next free bus coming by to take visitors around the increasingly larger circuit. The Arts Factory warehouse, with the Contemporary Arts Collective as an anchor, holds everything from classic canvasses to sand mandelas to conceptual work. An ever-growing number of funky retailers are joining in, offering late hours, discounts and live music. Dust and Godt-Cleary offer formal, big-name gallery experiences. New galleries are springing up on Commerce and Casino Center. Recent rites of passage, include professional security (more a result of theft than any physical risks) and corporate sponsorship and its success has encouraged the germination of other cultural events, such as Michael Wardle and Chris Hammond's Rock 'n' Roll wine-tastings and Henderson's Third Thursdays. Culture? In Vegas? Downtown? Yes.
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Thriller
Best Store for Club Wear
Housing a surprising array of fashions for the club, the pool and ... ahem ... the bedroom, Thriller's fashions go beyond traditional club wear with ruffles, sheer fabrics and some well-placed rhinestones. On the racks, you'll find only one or two of each item, ensuring you'll never run into your twin when out on the town. Whether you're in the market for a sexy, unconservative little number, a latex maid's uniform or a teeny bikini, Thriller has you covered. Well, partially covered. Sorry, gentlemen, ladies wear only—and no shiny club shirts! 855 E. Twain Ave. 732-2780. www.thrillerclothinglasvegas.com
Barnes & Noble
Best Bookstore
Thousands of books. Hundreds of magazines. Convenient locations. On-site coffee shops. It's not a mystery why this won. Multiple locations.
This isn't a town full of cool, out-of-the-way indie record stores. Aside from the venerable Big B's, the ones that do open tend to close quickly. So Tower Records, corporate chain though it may be, is an oasis of cool in the desert of mall stores and big-box electronics outlets with puny CD selections. The Maryland Parkway location across from the Boulevard Mall (now closed) is revered by longtime residents who remember being desperate for culture in past years. The only Tower left in town now is on West Sahara, and it's the first record store I ever went to when I moved to town, and for my high-school years it was nearly the only one. Coupled with a Good Guys electronics store in the ridiculously named WOW! Superstore, Tower is large but inviting, full of hot new releases but also pretty well-stocked with lesser-known bands and older albums. There's a good selection of imports, a decent-size annex devoted to jazz, world music and classical, and one of the better and more eclectic newsstands in town in the book section. Tower feels comfortable to me. Perhaps it's because my family has a tradition, dating back to before we moved to Vegas, of going to Tower on Christmas Day to spend our holiday money. Tower is one of the few retail stores open on Christmas, and what started as a lark has become an annual rite, a bonding experience in which my siblings and I compare our purchases, and join in unified mockery of my mom's taste in music. Tower is a good record store, sure, but for me it's all about family time. 4580 W. Sahara Ave., 364-2500.
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Diversity
Best Tattoo/Body-Piercing
Finding the right place to get tattooed or pierced is more important than you might think. The last thing you want is a grimy dude who hasn't washed his hands sticking a needle into you. Diversity is full of professionals who know what they're doing and can probably draw that really bitchin' Celtic knot you want tattooed on your back pretty well, too. 2310 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 382-8820. 300 S. Decatur Blvd., 821-1584. 4700 S. Maryland Parkway, 736-0916. 4401 N. Rancho Dr., 454-1300.
FAO Schwarz
Best Store to Remind You You're Still Not Grown Up
Recently modeled and freshly coiffed, there's nothing like the giant toy store behind the giant Trojan horse in Caesars Forum Shops. Need a life-size stuffed horse? This is your place. How about a break from shopping at an old-time soda fountain? Take a seat here. For the toy lover who wants something you can't find everywhere else, or just for the grown-up kid who wants to take a trek back to childhood, FAO is a Vegas staple. In Caesars, 796-6500.
Las Vegas Athletic Club
Best Health Club
Of course, there are still all of the other locations throughout the Valley. But you have to check out Las Vegas Athletic Club's recently opened location in Green Valley with all of the latest aerobic toys and hip muscle building machinery to understand why Las Vegas Athletic Club has managed to find a loyal cadre among those who prize fitness. And if you don't want to get hit on while working out, there is even a section of the gym designed especially for women only. In Las Vegas, that qualifies as amazingly thoughtful. Multiple locations.
Globe Salon
Best Day Spa
Globe is different from other salons. It has an official philosophy and a mission posted on its website to prove it: "To satisfy every guest's desire to look fabulous, feel great, and be treated with concern and respect." Obviously, from braiding, to facials, from body-waxing to makeup, our readers feel these days it is mission accomplished at Globe Salon. 1121 S. Decatur Blvd., 938-4247.
Tweeter
Best Computer/Electronics Store
There's no doubt Fry's is the electronics megastore to beat. But for that higher-end, boutique-y vibe, there's nothing like Tweeter, a Massachusetts-based retailer that recently opened its first Las Vegas store. Tweeter is like walking into an interior-design showroom—it's as much architecture as electronics. Showrooms done up to resemble a modernistic living room, bedroom and kitchen display the latest speakers, flat-panel displays, computers and players. Don't miss the dedicated home-theater room with chairs that vibrate in time to the action on the screen. 8950 West Charleston Blvd., 940-0900.
DSW Shoe Warehouse
Best Shoe Store
You have to admire the utter simplicity of DSW. You walk into—surprise!—a giant blank room filled with shoes. That's it. No bling. No high-style. Just wide aisles, a wide selection and heavy discounts. 671 Mark Street, Henderson, 547-0620.
It was raining last week when the cab pulled onto the dirt between lanes on South Las Vegas Boulevard and let out two young lovebirds. They ran up to it, turned, stood, and hugged. The cabdriver—one damn good cabdriver—got out of the taxi, in the rain, and snapped their picture. One wonders where that photo will end up: e-mailed to friends around the world; glued in a photo album their kids will look at in 10 years; perhaps cut to bits in an angry breakup. Who knows? The couples change, the smiling, drunken tourists come and go, but Betty Willis' Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign stays the same. And thank goodness for that. Everything else is changing, growing—development is even starting to envelope the sign itself. But we love that sign, the aesthetics—the eight-pointed orange-red star on top, the cursive "fabulous," the yellow border of neon bulbs, the backside that reads "Drive carefully, come back soon"—and its international ubiquity contrasted with its simple, dirt-lot reality. Thanks, Betty.
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Red Rock Canyon
Best Non-Strip Place to Take Visitors
Still the way to get away from it all. Hike, bike, walk, stand and admire the gorgeous natural gifts dropped here in the middle of the desert. Red Rock National Conservation Area is well-worth preserving, a gem in this hyper-developing Southern Nevada region. The flora changes depending on where you are—from desert dry to Juniper wet. Hike one of more than a dozen trails, picnic at trailheads, or visit the educational visitor center. West on Charleston till you see the breathtaking canyons.
Forum Shops at Caesars
Best People-Watching Spot
Themed shopping malls with blue sky roofs are de riguer in Sin City—but the sumptuous new expansion of the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace takes people-watching to a soaring new level. It may be the best free entertainment in town.
Firefly
Best Place for a First Date
With 62 kinds of tapas on the menu this is a great place to sample not only food but the company of someone new. There is outdoor dining, and inside are comfortable sofas and a fish tank. The dance and hipster techno music that fills the restaurant avoids the doldrums of more mellow traditional music, but manages to never be so aggressive or loud that it interferes with intimate conversation. The lights, too, are low enough to be flattering, but bright enough to illuminate your companion. Put it all together and you will discover that Firefly mixes a Spanish flavor with the ambience of an ultralounge in all sorts of ways conducive to creating the perfect getting-to-know-you vibe. 3900 Paradise Road, 369-3971
Shark Reef
Best Place to Take the Kids
If being surrounded by a couple million gallons of saltwater and 2,000 sea creatures doesn't make you forget you're in the middle of a desert, then feeling your skin react to the humidity of the rainforest exhibit will surely do the trick. This accredited aquarium is so kid-friendly that even the little southern rays practically climb out of the touch-tank to be petted. Inside Mandalay Bay, 632-4555.
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Best Place to Pick Up the Weekly
Ah, heaven: a free half hour, a Coffee Bean Iced Pure Chocolate, and a copy of the Las Vegas Weekly. Is it the wittiness of the Weekly that makes the drink so savory? Or is it the drink that makes the Weekly readable? Wait. Don't answer that. Multiple locations.
Hookah Lounge
Place to Go on a Saturday Night When You Kinda Want to Go Out but Kinda Don't
The new Las Vegas megaclubs are impressive, but it's a little tough to have a conversation with J.Lo's latest train wreck blaring from a 100-million-watt sound system. Maybe that's why the Hookah Lounge is so popular. It's small and nowhere near a casino, the lighting is low and the seating is plush. When you order a drink, the bartender actually makes it—no bottle-juggling or blowing fire from his mouth. Plus customers can smoke flavored tobacco from water pipes. And the music is still good, it's just turned down to a level that allows you to hear yourself think. 4153 S. Maryland Pkwy., 732-3203; 8380 W. Sahara Ave., 731-6030.
Peppermill
Best Place to Take a Secret Lover
First of all, if you've even got a secret lover, we're impressed. Secondly, what better place for some clandestine canoodling than this swanky old-school Vegas joint, with its plush booths, rich food and retro vibe? There are plenty of nooks and crannys, and once you're out of sight you can impress your date with how clued in to the Vegas scene you are. 2985 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 735-4177.
24 Hours
Best Thing About Las Vegas, Period.
Maybe we've just become spoiled by the bars with no last call and greasy spoons with great cheeseburgers in the wee hours, but we don't think this town is nearly all-night enough. How about seeing your lawyer at midnight, or UNLV classes at 2 a.m., or bookstore browsing until the sun comes up? We can always dream.
Compiled by Richard Abowitz, Josh Bell, Steve Bornfeld, Scott Dickensheets, Greg Blake Miller, Lissa T. Rodgers, Martin Stein, Stacy J. Willis, T. R. Witcher, Xania Woodman
Photography Benjamen Purvis
Makeup and hairstyling Jessi Pagel
Model Candice Curtis
Modeling agency Impact Models