Mash-Up

The fourth annual Club World Awards are just around the corner, due to be presented at this year's Winter Music Conference in Miami, March 24-28. We'll be reporting on all of the craziness this year as Martin Stein travels south to put his journalistic instincts and liver to the test. Until then, here are the local nominees:

Best Club: Ice

Best Lounge: Tabú

Best New Club: Tao

Best Video System: Ra

Best Interior Design: Tao

Best Party: A/V, Ra

Best Resident DJ: DJ P, Studio 54

Best Resident VJ: Roonie G., Ra

The Fuller Story

Mike Fuller, local DJ, founder of the Foundation Room's popular Godspeed and owner of MovingSun Studios, recently announced that he will be the new director of marketing for the N9NE Group, which will include the Palms' upcoming Moon bar and the Playboy nightclub scheduled to open early this year in the Fantasy Tower. Fuller most recently opened for Paul Oakenfold at Empire Ballroom's Utopia Welcome Home party. No doubt this well-connected nightlife person with deep roots in the community will be bringing a top-shelf team with him.

Champagne and Caviar

Everybody's favorite reporter on the lifestyles of the rich and famous, the indefatigable Robin Leach, unveils his latest effort in the pages of Las Vegas Magazine (or LVM), our brand spankin' new sister publication. Titled "AOL Vegas Luxe-Life with Robin Leach," it's the print highlights to his online, celebrity studded blog.

No, You Heard That Right

Speaking of Robin, when he called our Xania Woodman the queen of Vegas nightclubs, we knew it was only a matter of time before her fame spread worldwide. We just didn't think it was going to happen so fast. Apparently, there's some singer-actress named Beyonce whose character in The Pink Panther is named, yep, Xania. We're now waiting on word for some Eastern European break-away republic to start using her name.

Spinning New Business

Nightlife photo mogul Tracy Lee, owner of NapkinNights.com, is flexing her creative muscles and expanding her empire to include shooting professional DJ photos. "I like strong, edgy photos with tons of color. It seems that a lot of DJs do, too," she says. The Sacramento native started the site four years ago in her hometown, and it's now grown to include Arizona, San Francisco and San Diego. Lee also will be contributing to our DJ Trading Cards, a series now nearly as famous as Leach's old show.

Start Your Golden Parachute Jokes Now

Voodoo Lounge Manager Ryan Kessler celebrates his last day at the sky-high hot spot February 23 with friends. Says Kessler in his announcement to the nightlife community: "I have been with the Voodoo Lounge for two and a half years, and I am sad to leave. I must do what is best for me at this time, and this decision was not an easy one to make."

And We're Not Just Quoting Him Because of the Love He Showed the Weekly

"It was an honor. I've done a lot of exhibits, but this was the one closest to my heart."

Ingredients

1.5 ounces Tanqueray No. 10 Gin

3 ounces crushed strawberries

Powdered sugar

Sometimes life's greatest pleasures are the simple ones, such as lace-clad models pouring you a drink while you toy with an interactive light system and listen to a world-class DJ. And what better cocktail to enjoy in Tabú than the eponymous Tabú? Gin, strawberries and sugar blended together in elegant harmony.