Strip Scribbles: Epicurean Affair is tonight at Azure Luxury Pool

Erik Kabik/Retna/ErikKabik.com

Epicurean Affair at the Palazzo on Sept. 9, 2010.

By Robin Leach (contact)

Thursday, May 26, 2011 | 2:15 p.m.

2010 Epicurean Affair at Palazzo

Launch slideshow »

Steve Spatafore

Holly Madison and Patrick Gagnon at Bally's.

Dustin Diamond Hosts National Nerd Day

Launch slideshow »

Aaron Garcia/9 Group

Jermaine Dupri and DJ Diplo.

It’s one of the most amazing culinary events of the year and a must attend for foodies. Celebrity chefs and some of our world-renowned restaurants are all geared up for tonight’s Las Vegas Epicurean Affair at Azure Luxury Pool at the Palazzo.

Some of the participating restaurants for the tantalizing evening of culinary splendor include Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico, Table 10 and Stadium, Mario Batali’s Carnevino, Nobu Matsuhisa’s Nobu, Pierro Selvaggio and Luciano Pellegrino’s Valentino, Max Brenner’s chocolate emporium, plus hit Venetian restaurants Tao and Sushi Samba.

Proceeds go to the Nevada Restaurant Association’s education and scholarship programs.

Incidentally, I jumped the gun with yesterday’s preview of Border Grill Chef Mary Sue Milliken from Mandalay Bay on Top Chef Masters. Bravo didn’t air Episode 8 last night as planned and instead aired a repeat. I am assured that Mary Sue will be back next week facing the microwave Quickfire Challenge and the edible food science fair Elimination.

*Peepshow star Holly Madison joined with Montreal beer enthusiast Patrick Gagnon yesterday to officially announce that Las Vegas will host the world’s only yearlong beer festival starting in October. The international showcase of 500 beers from 100 brew masters will be located behind Bally’s.

Patrick, who anticipates more than 1 million visitors during the first year of the festival, said: “Vegas is the ideal city with its energy, amenities and adventurous tourists for a yearlong festival. The only city that could compete with Vegas would be Munich, where their Oktoberfest lasts 16 days and attracts 2 million visitors a year.” He promises local and global bands and celebrity bartenders, plus an above ground pool to keep patrons cool and an above ground spa to keep them warm.

Reporter’s Notebook

Comedienne Chelsea Handler, who is at Caesars Palace this weekend, always gives backstage visitors a gift card and playing cards from the STK restaurant group. The Cosmopolitan outlet with a hip Manhattan vibe has attracted celebrity guests Keri Hilson, John Mayer, Mark Salling, Jeremy Piven, Paris Hilton, 50 Cent and more. Now we know where Chelsea will be dining on this visit. Eva Longoria’s Eve nightclub at Crystals has come up with a unique promotion to celebrate Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale tour, which rolls into Las Vegas on June 25. Every Friday night until her arrival, anybody can enter to win two tickets by texting “EVE” to #70101, and if your name is selected and you’re in attendance at 1 a.m., the tickets are yours.

Star Surveillance

Dustin Diamond (Screech on Saved By the Bell, hosted National Nerd Day at Lavo at the Palazzo last night. He and wife Amanda enjoyed dinner before he judged the contest upstairs in the boutique nightclub, awarding Gary Metz the $1,000 prize for dressing as Steve Urkel and performing The Carlton for the crowd. Illusionist David Copperfield was at Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan yesterday with a female friend enjoying lunch in a VIP cabana. Congratulations to Vegas! The Show on its 500th performance at Saxe Theater at Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile. UFC fighter Matt Hamill’s inspiring ability to overcome the challenges of being deaf has prompted a movie on his life. Tonight, in advance of his UFC 130 battle Saturday at MGM Grand, he hosts a screening of Hamill, which has won awards at film festivals in Miami, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Newport Beach.

Tonight’s tips

Hip-hop star and ace producer Jermaine Dupri gets Memorial Day Weekend started early with a guest DJ set at Tryst in the Wynn. February 2010 Playmate Heather Ray Young hosts a bikini bull-riding contest at PBR Rock Bar & Grill at Miracle Mile. Chelsea Lately regular Dov Davidoff is the headliner for three nights at Playboy Comedy Lounge in the Palms, and Michael “Wheels” Parise is the standup comic at Crown Theater’s Extreme Comedy Show in the Rio.

Tomorrow’s teases

Pool parties and international DJs dominate the landscape for four days of fun, frolic and festivities this Memorial Day Weekend, and we have the full daylife and nightlife rundown, plus a special photo salute to the Red, White and Blue by photographer Tom Donoghue.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.