1

. Arts & En t- eit- -,ainnaent

r

E(,

OF EVERYTHING

Fun City

Las Vegas still makes stars out of unknowns.

A

lthough the glamour
of yesteryears isn't
there anymore, people
still find Las Vegas full of fun
... with all the thrills that make
it an entertainment and dining
paradise.
Production shows have taken
over where one name used to
speak for its entertainment list-
ings, like Wayne, Dean, Frankie,
Elvis, Shecky, Liberace, Louie
and Keely, etc. ... From the 1974
debut of "Hallelujah Hollywood"
at the original MGM Grand to
today's still-running "Jubilee"
at Bally's, long-running "Follies
Bergere" at Tropicana, Cirque du
Soleil's "0" at Bellagio, etc.
When the Flamingo opened in
1946, it booked Jimmy Durante
and Xavier Cugat for the open-
ing, forcing others existing at the
time to bring in biggies.
In the '50s, unbelievable
amounts like $50,000 per week
were paid to Liberace by the
Riviera ... In the '80s, Dolly
Parton got $350,000 a week for
her Riviera show ... Tickets to
see Barbra Streisand recently at
the MGM Grand sold from $100
for nosebleed seats to $1000
each.
Las Vegas is known to make
stars out of unknowns ... Lance
Burton was a silent specialty act
in the Follies Bergere ... Today,
he is the resident magical star
at Monte Carlo ... Others, like
Don Rickles and many more,

truffle bun, and
made it big in Las Vegas
a glass of 1990
and went on to greater
Chateau Petrus, for
heights ... Even a vir-
$5,000 ... The best
tually unknown opera
burgers
in Las Vegas
singer named Luciano
run
from
$9.95 to
Pavarotti played the
$24
at
Mesa
Grill
Riviera in 1984 , and the
in
Caesars
Palace
Las Vegas Hilton took
and Burger Bar at
a chance on comedian
Danny
Raskin
Mandalay
Bay.
Eddie Murphy in 1986.
Senior
Columnist
No
more
Lindy's
It's not considered a
at
Flamingo
and
cheap vacation anymore
no
more
Stage
Deli
at
Caesars
... Show prices have soared, as
Palace ... There's a Canter's Deli
well as room costs ... But there
at Treasure Island and a Carnegie
are still plenty of free things to
see ... Like the live circus acts at Deli at Mirage ... Hollywood's
Pink's Hot Dog Stand has a
Circus Circus, dancing fountains
spot in the Zanzibar Cafe at the
to music and lights at Bellagio,
downtown Fremont Street's lights Aladdin, and Fred Glusman's
excellent Piero's Italian restaurant
and sounds show, the pirates
on Convention Center Drive still
and beauties outside Treasure
uses kosher chickens.
Island, Fall of Atlantis and ani-
To Orange County, Calif.,
mated statue discussion shows in
Caesars Palace, Mirage's erupting for Thanksgiving with son
Scott, Bonnie and grandchil-
volcano, Rio's live carnival mas-
dren Matthew and Hannah ...
querade village, etc.
Barrister Jeff Metzger carried on
And although food prices have
the annual turkey cutting tradi-
gone up, folks are still able to get
tion of his late dad, Lee Metzger
cheaper dining on the Strip, like
... and house guest Maria
the 10-12-ounce prime rib with
Cristina Teodori exclaimed that
soup or salad, french fries or
turkey seems to taste better here
baked potato, $13.95 in Barbary
than in Italy ... At another time,
Coast's Victorian Room across
she ordered dinner in Italian at
from Caesars ... or off the Strip,
at the Gold Coast, a Texas T-bone Cosmo's Italian Kitchen in Las
Flores and felt more at home
steak, for $4.95.
... Good to see Hannah and
Then again, Mandalay Bay's
Matthew continuing to think up
Fleur de Lys restaurant has a
ways to help others ... Hannah's
FleurBurger, a Kobe burger
first fashion show appearance
topped with foie gras and black
was for the National Charity
truffles, served on a brioche

FREE!

at reasonable prices.
League, and Matt, a sales rep at
WHEN HE GOT up to say
Apple Computer, to the rescue
a few words, former State Sen.
of a Thanksgiving guest with a
serious crash-threatening lap-top Jack Faxon had just that evening
learned that the girl married
problem ... Only sad thing was
recently to the son of his friend
being in and out of California so
of over 30 years, Cholada Chan,
fast, there was no time to visit
was Jewish.
dear friends out West.
So it was from the heart that
MAIL DEPT.... "About
Jack spoke extemporaneously in
your mention that Pei Wei may
verbalizing reverently about the
open at 14 Mile and Orchard
family ... and the melding of two
Lake Road. Sandi Grady in its
age-old cultures ... Jewish and
Development Services confirms
Chinese.
this as well as other locations.
Tom Chan converted to
`Right now we are scheduled
Judaism in Chicago, where he
to open in Farmington Hills
lives and works ... and where
(September 2007), Warren,
Rochester Hills, Novi (November his marriage to Joanna Kurtzon
of Chicago, daughter of Michael
2007)'" ... David Furstenberg.
(Laura Cherry, director of pub- and Lisa Kurtzon, had been per-
lic relations at P.F. Chang's, owner formed by a rabbi at the Bryn
Mawr Country Club.
of Pei Wei, however, says, "We do
This was a second reception,
not confirm locations until we
held in the back banquet room of
have a signed lease, and I do not
Cholada's Shangri-La restaurant
have signed leases.")
THE MOST IMPORTANT in Orchard Mall, West Bloomfield,
for her relatives and friends
qualification of those nominated
... Over 100 guests, includ-
was professional achievement ...
ing Joanna's parents, enjoyed a
And that Todd Stern certainly
has attained with his Small Plates wonderful 10-course gourmet
Chinese dinner, the karaoke sing-
on Broadway in Detroit, across
ing of attendees, and much con-
from Detroit Opera and not
viviality
in another togetherness
far from the sports and theater
celebration
of Tom and Joanna's
action ... Scott was recently
marriage.
chosen from over 200 nominees
CONGRATS ... To Andrea
as one of this year's 40 under 40
Eisenberg
on her birthday.
class of 2006 by Crain's Detroit
Business ... His Small Plates has
Danny's e-mail address is
made a big impression as a fine
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net.
Detroit restaurant destination
with good, moderate-sized dishes

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ft"

December 14 Q 2006

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