Columnist Muriel Stevens: For many, New Year’s means work

Monday, Jan. 3, 2000 | 9:59 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column regularly appears Fridays and her shopping column regularly appears Wednesdays in the Accent section. Reach her at muriel@ vegas.com or 259-4080.

What did you do New Year's Eve? Buck the crowds on the Strip and downtown? Party at home or at a friend's house? Go to bed early and say the heck to it all? The choice was yours. Not so for many Las Vegans. The unsung heroes of any holiday are those who keep our town going no matter what, but especially so when it heralds the advent of a new millennium.

For some, New Year's Eve was just business as usual. Entertainers, members of the hospitality industry, taxi drivers, hospital employees and yes, even newspaper scribes, like the entertainers, know "the show must go on."

Vera Goulet produces spouse Robert's shows. She is backstage at all shows, including New Year's Eve. The energetic Vera is an important part of Robert's shows and his life. "We're always together," Vera said. "Our life together is a true partnership." How many married couples can say that?

Aureole at Mandalay Bay Chef Megan Romano and Executive Chef Joe Romano are another couple who work closely together. They celebrated New Year's Eve cooking together in their splendiferous kitchen.

Other couples managed to share or almost share the special evening.

Laura, a hostess at Olives at Bellagio, married John Nordin, a sous chef at the Eiffel Tower restaurant, just four weeks ago. "We started dating more than three years ago but have never been together on New Year's Eve," Laura said. Olives' dining room faces the Eiffel Tower, but a lake and many floors separated the newlyweds.

Olives General Manager Liesl Guttridge counted down the new year with her fiance, Victor LaPlaca, at the restaurant. He's the executive chef.

Antonello Paganuzzi, general manager for Le Cirque and Circo restaurants at Bellagio, had his fiancee, Sally LeRoy, in view when she shared a table with Lauren Maccioni, the wife of restaurant director Mario Maccioni, who with his family owns the eateries. The Maccionis have been married seven years and have always managed to be together. Sally, says Antonello, is an old-fashioned girl who is willing to wait hours just to share that important kiss at midnight.

Renoir Executive Chef Alex Stratta worked with his wife, Laura Horton Stratta (now retired), at the Phoenician in Phoenix before making the move to the Mirage. They were together New Year's Eve when she assisted him in the kitchen.

Craig Kuntz has been a Desert Cab driver for two years. This was the first time Mary, his wife of five years, would be alone and "she was very sad." When Craig and I spoke just a day before the main event, Mary was trying to get a friend to come over. "Was Mary sad about being alone, I asked? "No," Craig said, she's worried about my safety." Thankfully, the evening was without incident.

During a 10-year relationship, five as husband and wife, Aaron Ritchie, assistant beverage manager at the Main Street Station, and his wife, MaryAnn, a reservations supervisor at the Monte Carlo, have been together just one New Year's Eve. Aaron usually calls MaryAnn at 11:30 p.m. just before making his rounds of the hotel's bars. "Sure I'd rather be home with my family (baby Monica is just 7 months old). We knew what it meant being part of the hospitality industry. You don't work 9 to 5, don't get weekends or holidays, but we both knew what we were getting into. We share a passion for our work."