Sarah Feldberg

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Tony Hawk helps build escape for kids: Skateboard superstar takes over the Wynn Las Vegas pool for extreme fundraiser; Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009; On Saturday, Tony Hawk walked on water. Actually, he skated on water.
Stars flood Mandalay Bay for Latin Grammy Awards show: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009; Reggaeton, flamenco, rock and ranchero — artists from every genre and flavor of Latin music arrived in Las Vegas this week for the 10th annual Latin Grammy Awards.
Touch of class, dab of dirt: Filmmaker John Waters on his weekend one-man show, impressions of Vegas; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009; Filmmaker John Waters is known for his affection for filth and for showcasing the damp, ugly underbelly of human sexuality.
Gore meets creativity at Las Vegas horror film, art fest: Downtown Las Vegas Blacklist festival to showcase eight short films, art gallery; Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009; “This Christmas, the trees have had enough.” So reads the tag line for “Treevenge," the 16-minute Canadian short film about, yes, bloodthirsty Christmas trees. They’ve suffered in tinsel-covered humiliation for long enough, haven’t they?
Wholesome roots bore unusual fruit for Peaches: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009; It’s hard to imagine the 42-year-old woman known for prancing around on stage in her underwear and stomping on both sides of the gender line soothing a room full of young children. Listen to Peaches’ suggestively titled albums and it only becomes more of a head scratcher. This woman used to teach day care?
Cirque's Ruben Permel dances his way to health in TV's 'DYAO': Head of wardrobe at new Elvis-themed show loses 90 pounds to win $100,000; Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009; Most people return from reality show stardom to a flood of recognition from strangers, acquaintances and friends. When Las Vegas-based Cirque du Soleil Head of Wardrobe Ruben Permel returned from 10 weeks in L.A. filming Oxygen reality competition “Dance Your Ass Off,” people he’d worked alongside for years didn’t recognize him in the company cafeteria.
Mariah Carey’s voice, show make for extravagant affair: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009; Grammy-winner Mariah Carey returns to the Pearl at the Palms this weekend for her second stint. It’s been about a month since the 39-year-old diva and her five-octave range took over the stage, bringing along a crew of high-kicking dancers (they even wear roller skates for one particularly elaborate number), a number of glittering dresses and a set list that ranges all over Carey’s almost 20-year career.
Always wanted a tattoo? No more excuses: Artists descend on Las Vegas for The Biggest Tattoo Show On Earth; Friday, Oct. 2, 2009; You might deem this weekend the invasion of the body snatchers, only the international array of tattoo artists that will be descending on the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from Oct. 2-4 aren’t after your body. They only want your skin.
Vegas group not quite 'America’s Best Dance Crew': Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009; When Las Vegas-based crew AfroBoriké took to the stage for its final performance on the Season Four finale of "America’s Best Dance Crew" Sunday night, the sextet wasn’t just there to show off its brand of Latin-infused dance. It were representing.
Curtain opens on 'Fame' remake in Las Vegas: Film a reminder that talent, hard work leads to lasting fame, says director; Friday, Sept. 25, 2009; Years before celebrity culture would reach an all time high – before the Pussycat Dolls gyrated on parked cars singing about wanting groupies and before “celebrity” was considered a possible career path – there was a hit song about being famous.
Conductor puts ‘different groove’ on age-old music: ‘Vintage Vegas’ production won’t merely mimic the classics; Friday, Sept. 18, 2009; David Perrico’s office is the Strip, his workplace onstage, just outside the spotlight.
Neon Reverb is back, and it's bigger than ever: Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009; One year after the inaugural Neon Reverb Music Festival in downtown Las Vegas, James Woodbridge isn’t getting much sleep this week. The local music promoter, who co-founded the festival with fellow promoter Thirry Harlin, is preparing for the third installment of the bi-annual Neon Reverb, which kicks off tonight. And this time around the festival is bigger than ever.
Radio host-turned-comic overcomes stage fright: Friday, Sept. 11, 2009; When then New York-based radio host Kiki Melendez wanted to get into comedy, she didn’t just start cracking jokes or trying her hand at open mic nights. She went back to school. The budding comedienne took a course at NYC comedy club Comedy Strip, but there was one little problem: Melendez was terrified of getting on stage.
Las Vegas dancers step up to 'America's Best Dance Crew' finals: AfroBorike dancer talks about making it to MTV dance show top four; Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009; If you’ve tuned into the fourth season of “America’s Best Dance Crew” on MTV, you’ve probably noticed a crew of dancers whose pointed toes and salsa stylings look more “Dancing with the Stars” than straight off the street. The dancers of AfroBorike hail from Puerto Rico and Cuba by way of Las Vegas, and despite bringing a distinctly Latin flavor to a show dominated by hip-hop, they’ve made it through the opening weeks of competition and into the top four.
Gary Sinise brings Lt. Dan Band to Las Vegas: 'CSI: New York' actor entertains the troops with character from 'Forrest Gump'; Friday, Sept. 4, 2009; It’s been 15 years since actor Gary Sinise barked at Tom Hanks as Lt. Dan Taylor in “Forrest Gump,” but plenty of people still call the 54-year-old actor by his character’s name. Sinise doesn’t mind, though. In fact, in a certain way, he even takes it as a compliment.
'Deadliest Catch' captain fishing for a crew: Discovery Channel TV series captain to seek applicants Saturday in Las Vegas; Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009; Call it the deadliest job fair. If you’ve ever watched king crab fishing documentary TV series “The Deadliest Catch” and thought that you could handle the frigid temperatures, round-the-clock work and salty co-workers of life on the Bering Sea, now is your chance to apply.
'Hillywood Show' gaining an audience: Their film parodies are on the Internet now, but they have bigger dreams; Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009; Six hundred. That’s about how many e-mails local sisters Hillary and Hannah Hindi get every day in response to the parodies of popular films that make up their Internet sensation, “The Hillywood Show.”
'Ask a Mistress' designed for show and tell: Adult-theme performance provides answers for the sexually inquisitive; Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009; If Dr. Drew Pinsky were an Irish woman with a slight accent and an expertise rooted in bondage culture and cathartic play, he’d be Rowynn Eire, the woman behind the educational show “Ask A Mistress” playing Aug. 19 at the Onyx Theatre.
Atmosphere's Daley plays musical storyteller: However, rapper's stories aren't autobiographical; Monday, Aug. 17, 2009; Rapper Sean “Slug” Daley – half of indie-rap group Atmosphere – says “Painting,” about a man’s battle alcoholism is one of his favorite tracks off 2008 album “When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S**t Gold.” That doesn’t mean the tale of alcohol abuse and desperation is about him, however.
It’s no superstition: DJs playing only Stevie Wonder in salute: Friday, Aug. 14, 2009; This is not your ordinary pool party. The schedule starts with a question-and-answer session with New York-based DJs Spinna and Bobbito. Then, it’s six hours of nonstop music, all of it from Stevie Wonder.
Cable TV food shows coming to Las Vegas: 'Man v. Food,' 'Top Chef' and 'Chefs vs. City' to be in city next week; Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009; Somebody must have rung the dinner bell at a meeting of TV producers, because three -- count ’em, three! -- foodie cable shows are stopping by Las Vegas in the span of a week.
Bakers count their success in cupcakes: Retro Bakery translates taste of sundaes, pies, Kool-Aid and even bacon into cupcakes; Friday, Aug. 7, 2009; It’s been about a year and a half since Retro Bakery first opened its doors on Feb. 10, 2008, in northwest Las Vegas, but the time can be measured in cupcakes – around 200-300 sold on weekdays, with sometimes more than 500 flying out the door on weekends. That's 135,000 in 72 weeks.
They’ve got the moves: Hip-hop dancers shine in world competition; Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009; Hey, Vegas clubgoers, there are a few 8-year-olds I’d like you to meet. At the Orleans Arena last weekend, this group of tiny Japanese girls in purple camouflage pants and teased ponytails started dancing in perfect locking unison to a song more than a decade older than they are.
Hip-hop hoedown hits Las Vegas: Dancers flip, spin and jump in from all corners of the globe to compete; Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009; The World Hip Hop Dance Championships, a yearly summit for street dancers from across the globe -- Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, Spain and Singapore -- was held Sunday at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
World Hip Hop Dance Championships return to Las Vegas this weekend: Contest, which pits crews from across the globe, kicks off this weekend at Lake Las Vegas; Thursday, July 30, 2009; Part conference, part performance, part sneaker-wearing onstage rodeo, the annual World Hip Hop Dance Championships are back in Las Vegas this weekend for a second year of street dance competition. Created by Howard and Karen Schwartz, executive producers of hit MTV dance competition “America’s Best Dance Crew,” the World Hip Hop Dance Championships pit crews from across the globe against each other in a two-part dance battle marathon.
Ali Spuck bringing musical theater to Las Vegas: Friday, July 24, 2009; Actress and singer Ali Spuck has played characters as diverse as Snow White, Lorena Bobbitt and Betty Rizzo from Grease. However, it’s playing herself in the Liberace Museum’s new weekly cabaret, “Ali Spuck: HERE I AM,” that has proved the real challenge. “It is harder. It’s a lot more vulnerable. But you connect with the audience in such a completely different way that it’s more gratifying.”
Comedian Gabriel Iglesias bringing 'fluffy' back to Vegas: Thursday, July 23, 2009; Over the course of history certain truths have been accepted and embraced as fact, before being relinquished when scientific evidence or technology proves them untrue and obsolete. The world, for a while, was flat. Bloodletting cured infection. Shoulder pads were stylish, and until this year there were five levels of fatness: big, healthy, husky, fluffy and damn!
Q and A - Blink 182's Mark Hoppus: Bassist says Blink ready to rebound after hiatus; Tuesday, July 21, 2009; If getting a band back together is much like rekindling a failed relationship, Blink 182 had “the talk” outside of their L.A. studio four years after going on an extended hiatus.
Vegas resident recalls scene at Jackson memorial: Thursday, July 9, 2009; “It was eerily quiet,” said Zach Moss of the scene at the Staples Center during Michael Jackson’s memorial service on Tuesday. “You clapped, you cheered maybe, but nobody spoke.”
Carmen Electra falls back on her roots in ‘Crazy Horse’: Former Playboy model will guest star for a week at MGM Grand; Tuesday, July 7, 2009; Carmen Electra is sore. You wouldn’t know it from the radiant 37-year-old’s ready smile or the way she sits perched on a plush red chair in a draped, kimono-like dress and tall, studded black heels, but the actress, dancer and Playboy model is hurting. Physically.
Tropicana hosting salsa music and dance festival: Thursday, July 2, 2009; While the Strip prepares to celebrate Independence Day this weekend, the Tropicana will be moving to a decidedly Latin beat. From July 2-4, the hotel and casino is playing host to the Sixth Annual Las Vegas Salsa Congress, a music and dance festival that brings together salsa fans, professionals and wannabes for two days of workshops, three nights of shows and a weekend-long dance party.
Pussycat Dolls founder branches out from modest start: Tuesday, June 30, 2009; You wouldn’t know it by the bedazzled costumes, the car painted with “I (heart) PCD!” in the Palms parking lot or the fans gathered at the Pearl on June 27, but the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls started out very modestly – with a single dancer in Christina Applegate’s basement.
Bidders fight for Michael Jackson memorabilia at Las Vegas auction: Prices of Jackson-related items skyrocket after King of Pop's unexpected death; Saturday, June 27, 2009; Behind a long table crowded with laptops, phones, papers and auction catalogs, a painting is leaning up against the wall. Its image is pleasant but unremarkable — except for the signature. Written in careful print it reads “Mike Jackson.” The painting is one of 21 Michael Jackson-related items that were auctioned off Friday at Planet Hollywood at a Julien’s Auctions-run sale of celebrity memorabilia from performers such as Bob Hope, Cher, the King and the King of Pop.
After ‘Top Chef’ run, Chef Gene home in Summerlin: Wednesday, June 24, 2009; If you know anything about chef Gene Villiatora, know this: He’s a cook’s cook – creative, resourceful and perfectly comfortable doing whatever it takes to feed people, whether that’s frying up an order of calamari or McGyver-ing a hibachi grill out of next to nothing.
"Mickey" songstress keeps close Vegas ties: Thursday, June 18, 2009; Twenty-seven years after Toni Basil’s chant-song “Mickey” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, the homegrown Las Vegan still has the red, white and blue cheerleader’s uniform she wore in the iconic music video. “The Hard Rock Cafe asked for my cheerleader sweater, but I’m not ready to give it up yet,” says Basil, and she’s not just holding onto it because she likes the cut of the skirt.
CineVegas celebrates with awards ceremony: Sunday, June 14, 2009; After five days of popcorn, celebrities and independent films, the 11th annual CineVegas Film Festival celebrated the best of the best Sunday in an awards ceremony at Rain Nightclub at the Palms.
From letters to sketches, 'Found' is a great find: Sunday, June 14, 2009; “Sometimes, you just find the eighth page of a letter and you wonder what happened to the other seven pages,” says Davy Rothbart drawing a battered sheet of paper from a stack of documents.
Filmmaker indicates real tale even darker than 'Darkness': Details of how surfer friend fell into crime was a look into evil, says filmmaker; Saturday, June 13, 2009; It’s virtually impossible not to think of Joseph Conrad’s "Heart of Darkness" while watching "Sea of Darkness," a CineVegas documentary that chronicles the lives and demise of members of the 1970s’ elite surfer community.
Q & A: Hubert Keller of 'Top Chef Masters': Las Vegas chef talks about new TV show that premiers tonight; Wednesday, June 10, 2009; Acclaimed chef Hubert Keller is no stranger to big knives, pricey meat or television.
"Man v. Food" does battle in Las Vegas: Tuesday, May 5, 2009; During the course of the first season of the Travel Channel’s grub-shoveling show "Man v. Food," Adam Richman has eaten his way through 18 cities and more calories than anyone cares to count.
Chef Paul Bartolotta wins James Beard Award: Wynn Las Vegas chef named best in Southwest; Monday, May 4, 2009; Though thousands of miles away from the James Beard Foundation Award ceremony held this evening, May 4, at the Lincoln Center in New York City, Vegas wasn’t far from the thoughts of the foodies and chefs gathered for what is often referred to as the Oscars of the restaurant industry.
'Saint John of Las Vegas' kicks off CineVegas Film Festival: Festival features six days of world premieres, short films and documentaries; Tuesday, March 24, 2009; Back for its 11th year, the annual CineVegas Film Festival announced its opening night selection today along with eight other films that will have their world premieres at the festival held June 10 – 15 at the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres.
At a Legends parade, who drives the golf cart? Elvis, of course: Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009; Elvis drove the golf cart, and Madonna sat shotgun. In the back seat, two showgirls smiled widely, decked out in black feathers and lots of sparkles. Behind them, Dolly Parton teetered under the weight of her breasts. Britney strode in spandex and pre-nervous breakdown blonde locks. Garth Brooks strummed his guitar. The odd Vegas family that makes up Legends in Concert poured out of the Imperial Palace and onto the Strip sidewalk, waving like dignitaries as they headed north to their new home at Harrah’s.
Hard Rock to open second Las Vegas location: Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009; Don’t blame the heat when you start seeing double this July; blame the Hard Rock Café. The grandfather of themed eateries will be opening a second Las Vegas location this summer to be parked right in the center of the action on the Strip. More hamburgers. More autographed instruments. More Godzilla-sized guitars. “The foot traffic on the Strip has become its own entity. In the old days Vegas was kind of spread out, but now it’s really concentrated on the Strip,” says Hard Rock Café Las Vegas Senior Sales and Marketing Manager Peter Lin. “It’s cooler and sexier to be on the Strip.”