Bellagio Hotel

The spectacular Bellagio Hotel, named after a small village in Italy’s lake district, is one of Las Vegas’ finest and most luxurious hotels. The hotel was built in 1998.

The Bellagio is known for its elegant decor and fixtures, its fine dining, and the large lake in front of the hotel with colorful, choreographed fountains. The musical show is one of the many free attractions in Las Vegas.

The Bellagio has nearly 4000 guest rooms, suites, and villas. All the rooms at this AAA five-diamond resort include a lavishly-stocked mini-bar, an iron and ironing board, a two-line telephone with a computer dataport and high-speed Internet access, plush robes, and a marble soaking tub as well as a shower.

Guests will never get bored at the Bellagio. Among the hotel’s many first-class facilities are a spectacular Mediterranean-themed, heated pool with private cabannas and hand-carved Italianate stone fountains.

There’s also the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden, with an amazing array of desert flora and fauna.  The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art features changing exhibits, such as the recent Ansel Adams retrospective.

The Bellagio Hotel casino includes an array of slot machines as well as table games, including blackjack, roulette, craps, Caribbean Stud, Let it Ride, Stud Poker, Pai Gow Tiles, Pai Gow Poker, Big Six, Three-Card Poker, and baccarat. Full article

The Las Vegas Art Museum will receive 50 works from famed Dorothy and Herbert Vogel collection from the national gift program “Fifty Works for Fifty States.”

The program, launched by the couple and with National Gallery of Art, titled gives 50 works from the contemporary collection to an institution in each state.

Libby Lumpkin, executive director of the Las Vegas Art Museum, says the museum received a tentative list of works Thursday. The list includes pieces by such artists as Richard Tuttle and Larry Zox.

“We are very honored to have the confidence of the National Gallery of Art,” Lumpkin says. “I have been an admirer of the Vogels and their collection for many, many years. They are the quintessential example of how you can be a collector without having an enormous amount of money. They got to know the artists and the gallerists. They followed their instincts. And they had great instincts.”

The couple started collecting art in the 1960s. Herb Vogel was a postal clerk. Dorothy Vogel was a librarian. Their collection of 4,000 works includes mostly minimal and conceptual art by such artists as Sol Lewitt, Sylvia Plimack Mangold and Christo and Jeanne-Claude

The National Gallery of Art is working with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services on the national gift program.

Lumpkin will attend a celebration for the program in November at the National Gallery of Art. The works are scheduled to arrive in December and the museum will hold an exhibit shortly after.  Article by: Kristen Peterson – Las Vegas Sun

Venice Italy, is an amazing city. When most people think of Venice, they think of gondola rides.

The city of Venice is actually a series of six islands at the edge of the Adriatic Sea. The “streets” of Venice are actually waterways for boat traffic.

Every year, the city’s water levels rise. The muggy summer air cooks the canals and scrapes the paint and enamel from the city’s finest pieces of art. Faithful to its origins, everything in Venice seems to be in peril.

The gondola is the primary mode of transportation throughout the canals, not to mention the enduring symbol of tourism in Venice.

Though speedboats have become increasingly more commonplace nowadays, they have not been able to drown out the traditional songs of the traditional gondoliers, with most of these ballads reciting tales of true love or the magnificent history of Venice Italy itself.

And a storied history it is. Like Genoa, Venice used its expansive waterways to develop into a powerful city, a hub for trade and commercial exploits, until it dominated a large portion of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and hundreds of vital trade routes.

Venice thrived for centuries, becoming a center of the arts that made all others pale in comparison. Bellini, Titian, Tintoretto and Longhi all called Venice home at some point. Many of their fine works live on in the numerous art galleries and museums dispersed throughout the city’s maze of canals.

Take a gondola ride down the famous Grand Canal and it will lead you to Ca’ Rezzonico and Ca’ d’Oro, the former famous for its ornate ballrooms and aristocratic balconies, the latter for providing shelter for the great works of Titian, Mantegna and Carpaccio.

The exact origination of the gondola is unclear, but some history is available. Back in the year 1094, a boat called a gondola was mentioned in a letter from a Venetian Rupublic official. In the 1490’s, Gondolas appear in Italian paintings by Carpaccio and Bellini. Interestingly, the method of rowing that is depicted, is the same used by gondoliers today.

What most people don’t factor into their dream of a gondola ride in Venice are the crowds of people peering down at you from the city’s many bridges – which tends to ruin the whole intimate and romantic experience. But heck, this is romantic Venice. Go for it!

The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Maui is arguably one of the top vacation islands in the world, and the best stretch of beach is, in turn, the Wailea resort area on East Maui. Open-air design on Maui’s sunny south shore with an extensive spa and grounds that roll down to one of Hawaii’s best beaches.

The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea hotel boasts 380 spacious rooms and suites with marble baths. In addition, there are private lanais that offer views of lush gardens, the Pacific ocean, or Mt. Haleakala.

The Four Seasons is sedate and calm no matter the time of year. Without the crowds, this allows a lot of space for quiet pool side relaxation.

Four Seasons luxury and class is evident everywhere here, from the tailor-fitted lounge chair covers, to the Spa at Four Seasons – which Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast have both named as one of the top spas in the world.

Of the top Wailea luxury hotels on Maui, based on the seclusion factor, this one should be considered the best for honeymoons, anniversaries, and other romantic vacations.

Four Seasons Resort Maui
3900 Wailea Alanui
Wailea, Hawaii 96753
Direct Phone: 808.874.8000
Reservations: 800.334.6284

TAO Nightclub is easily one of the top five nightclubs in the United States, and is widely considered a favorite by Las Vegas locals and visitors from around the world.

Millions of dollars have been poured into the construction and décor of this milestone of Las Vegas entertainment. The money was well spent and it’s evident everywhere, throughout the hot nightclub.

Definitely one of the hot spots on all the Strip, when Tao Nightclub at The Venetian celebrated its grand opening, it was done in true over-the-top, Las Vegas fashion.

It included a wild three-day party with plenty of celebrities joining in the fun. Mariah Carey, Usher, Paris Hilton, and Wilmer Valderrama were among the party-loving guests who celebrated the opening of this stylish, Asian-themed, 10,000-square-foot nightclub and ultra-lounge.

Go-go dancers, private skyboxes, European bottle service, and a terrace overlooking the lights of the city attract Vegas VIPs, well-heeled visitors, and of course …. Hollywood’s young and beautiful set.

Walk in to TAO Nightclub and come face to face with live performance art: Two live Buddhist monks sit on an enormous Buddha hand, and scenes from Shanghai opium dens come to life.

Sleek, sexy, and ultra-hip, Tao is a high-energy, see-and-be-seen venue that has helped make The Venetian one of the hottest resorts in town.

So throw on your sexiest I-belong-here outfit and get ready to party.

TAO Nightclub
3377 Las Vegas Blvd S # 2025
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 388-8588

It’s sometimes hard to tell if that thing behind Wynn Las Vegas is a golf course or a CIA annex.

The staff treats Steve Wynn’s latest $500-green-fee course (he introduced that nice round number to Las Vegas golf with Shadow Creek, which he no longer owns) like it houses national security documents. Maybe the real dossier on weapons of mass destruction is buried under the fifth green.

Hey, it’s Vegas. Anything is possible.

The Wynn Las Vegas Golf and Country Club is the second collaboration of Tom Fazio, Steve Wynn and Mother Nature has resulted in 18 unforgettable holes. Right outside the resort’s back door.

That would explain the paranoia surrounding the Wynn Golf and Country Club. Pro shop attendant Heather Wicks made it seem like she was letting a few potential customers through the pearly gates when she allowed them to walk out onto the patio that overlooks the 18th green.  Full article

Wynn Las Vegas Golf and Country Club
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV, 89109
Phone(s): (888) 320-9966
Fax: (702) 770-1570

Despite the current economic troubles, the Super-Rich continue to traverse the globe on private jets, experiencing the best the world has to offer in terms of hotel and resort accommodations, shopping, and living the private jet lifestyle.

The Chairman Suite at the Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas is one of the priciest suites in the U.S., selling for $20,000/night.

Open for only a few months, this roughly 8,000 square foot four bedroom suite has proven to be one of Las Vegas‘ best new hot addresses.

Fun loving options include a media room with disco lighting and a karaoke machine.

A full compliment of services from the hotel’s Canyon Ranch Spa can be ordered up

Roman Colosseum

The Roman Colosseum is the most famous Classical structure of Rome and one that virtually every visitor comes to admire. The structure is easily recognizable with its distinct design and architecture. When the elliptical stadium was first built, over 2,000 years ago, it was the first permanent amphitheatre of its time. It was marveled at for its grand size and structure and remains a template for the stadia that we see today.

A huge ellipse with tiered seating, the Colosseum was able to seat 50,000 viewers with standing room for an additional 10,000. There were 80 exits that allowed for efficient entry and exit of the large masses of people attending events. Gladiator events were most common, but the stadium was also used for other games or to watch criminals being attacked by wild animals.

No battle was neglected; at times the arena was filled with water to present naval battles. Entertainment at the Colosseum lasted for an impressive 450 years until the Roman Empire started weakening. The emperor Honorius ended the gladiatorial duels in 404 CE and animal shows ended by the sixth century. There are several theories to explain why the activities had ceased, but most likely it was due to lack of funding as games were expensive to produce.

The Colosseum was abandoned by the tenth century and soon became a home to houses and shops that were built within. Pieces of tufa, or stone, from the stadium were hacked off and used to build these new structures.

During the Renaissance, when Rome became more vibrant again, more stone was removed and used to build the new palazzis and numerous buildings around Rome. This constant breaking down of the walls and removal of stone is the reason that only half of the outer ring remains today. It wasn’t until restoration began in the eighteenth century that halted the destruction of the building and the focus moved to preserving the site’s remains.

Los Angeles chef about town Jet Tila has been tapped to open a to-be-named pan-Asian restaurant at casino mogul Steve Wynn’s new Wynn – adjacent Encore resort in Las Vegas.

Tila, whose family owns L.A.’s Bangkok Market, has been teaching cooking classes — at the New School of Cooking in Culver City and Sur La Table, among other venues — and consulting for Bon Appetit Management Co. Tila also has contributed to the Los Angeles Times and has appeared regularly on KCRW’s “Good Food.”

“America’s already very accustomed to Chinese and Japanese food, so it’s time to bring in bolder flavors,” Tila says. “Indian flavors, Singaporean flavors, and of course, Thai –- I think Thai has been misrepresented. I’m trying to bring it back to what it’s supposed to be.”

The nearly 100-seat restaurant also will serve sushi and dim sum. Asian restaurants at Wynn include Okada (Japanese), Michelin-starred Wing Lei (Chinese) and Asian bistro Red 8.

Encore is expected to open early next year. Other restaurants include Botero Steak and Switch, and as reported by Eater LA, Patina chef Theo Schoenegger also will be opening a restaurant.

Source: Betty Hallock

The innovative team behind the uber-successful Tao Las Vegas is proud to announce LAVO, a new dining and nightlife concept set to open this August at The Palazzo Resort hotel Casino in Las Vegas.

Latin for “to bathe or cleanse,” LAVO is an AvroKo designed space that derives inspiration from the bathhouses of ancient Mediterranean culture with a menu that highlights the best of the region’s cuisine.

The journey from lounge to restaurant to nightclub begins with an entry into the lounge surrounded by worn tile walls and water stained plaster. Twenty foot ceilings of old wood and low chandeliers crown an area featuring a curved bar, leather seating and Moroccan tables.

The restaurant is highlighted by a spectacular glass and wood screened bridge and is bordered by a grand carved stone wall.

Turkish water basins flank the bridge that leads to the second floor nightclub and the bridge itself becomes a gathering perch from which guests can observe the action below.

The nightclub features vaulted glazed tile arches opening to a domed ceiling above the dance floor. Revelers can enjoy a sexy, elevated VIP area with posh banquettes, embossed leather walls and mirrored mosaic tile niches.

THE RESTAURANT & CUISINE
Chef Ludo Lefebvre and his team of experienced chefs will treat guests to a culinary journey with selections of signature dishes from countries such as Spain, France and Italy. The menu is designed to encourage sampling and sharing among friends.
With classic French training, Lefebvre comes to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, where he held the distinction of being that city’s only chef to earn the prestigious Mobil Travel Guide Five Star award at two different restaurants; L’Orangerie and Bastide.
The 300 seat restaurant includes a 180 seat main dining room, a 20 seat private dining room and 100 seats on the outdoor patio overlooking the famed Las Vegas Strip. The restaurant will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with late night dining until 2 am.

THE NIGHTCLUB
The 4500 square foot nightclub features 40 bottle service tables, state-of-the-art audio visual systems and the sounds of resident DJs Vice, Reach, Galleano and Berrie. The nightclub will be open six nights a week from 10 pm to 5 am.

THE TEAM
Marc Packer, Rich Wolf, Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg are all names synonymous with successful restaurant and nightlife destinations. Together, with Managing Partner Lou Abin, they opened Tao Las Vegas at the Venetian Resort hotelCasino in 2005, that quickly became one of the most sought after culinary and nightlife attractions in the city. A favorite of celebrities, locals and those in the know, Tao Asian Bistro, Nightclub and Beach has been the highest grossing venue in the country for the past two years. Individually and collectively, these operators have been the force behind such creations as Tao New York, Marquee Nightclub, The Stanton Social, Rue 57, Avra Estiatorio and Angelo & Maxie’s Steakhouse.

AVROKO
LAVO is designed by AvroKo, a full service, integrated design and concept firm that develops architectural environments, lifestyle brands and products. The company has developed design concepts for such global hotelgroups as Starwood and for restaurants including The Stanton Social and Public in New York and Social House and Company in Las Vegas.

THE PALAZZO LAS VEGAS
With over 3,000 expansive suites, luxury shopping and world-class dining and entertainment, the $1.9 billion, 50-story Palazzo Las Vegas literally takes luxury to new heights. Highlighted by a flagship, 85,000-square-foot Barneys New York, The Shoppes at The Palazzo features more than 60 luxury boutiques. Additionally, The Palazzo offers a variety of cuisines from a collection of award-winning chefs. Other one-of-kind offerings include, Tony Award winning Broadway musical, JERSEY BOYS, the world’s largest Canyon Ranch SpaClub, Jay-Z’s signature 40/40 Club and the Strip’s first Lamborghini dealership.  Source: LAVO/ PRNewswire

The Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino is located off the Las Vegas Strip, and was the first all-suite casino in the Las Vegas area. It made its debut in 1990 as a locals’ casino, owned and operated by Marnell Corrao Associates.

The Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino’s claim to fame is built on two things: spacious suites and scantily clad waitresses.

Every room in the hotel is a suite, open and uncluttered, decorated in warm neutrals. Perhaps the size of the rooms is intended to compensate for the frenetic crowds on the lower levels, where every day is a billed as a carnival.

The exterior certainly reflects the Mardi Gras madness happening inside; the Rio’s buildings themselves are bright red and purple, with gigantic masks hanging from the ceiling.

True to the essence of a Brazilian Carnaval or a Louisiana Mardi Gras, visual overload is the order of the day. On the main floor, the stunning Masquerade Village (recently revamped by Dick Foster Productions) is a roving party of acrobats, mimes and sexy dancers.

Dance along on the side, or for a small fee, you can get in costume and hop on one of the floats. The costumes are garish – think Carmen Miranda meets Cirque du Soleil – and that’s part of the fun. Throw on as many layers of beads as you can and move to the sinuous bahia beats.

Samba your way through the lounge and play some slots along the way, but leave time to visit the tropical paradise outside, complete with a sandy beach alongside the lagoon. You don’t have to be tall and tan and young and lovely to visit the Rio’s Ipanema Beach (although it certainly helps).

Waterfalls, Jacuzzis, and poolside beverage and food service will help you relax and gear up for another night of reckless abandon inside. Although Las Vegas is famous for catering to guests with a Y chromosome, the Rio Hotel and Casino bucks the trend. Their Ultimate Girls Night Out package includes access to the Flirt Lounge, designed by women for women.

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino
3700 W Flamingo Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89103