The Movable Buffet

Feud: Venetian owner vs. Tao owners

RichardAbowitz — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:13:11 -0700

These are strange times indeed. The Venetian's Sheldon Adelson is in court fighting the operators of his own resort's wildly successful Tao. Tao nightclub has become a celebrity haunt, creating long lines and regular buzz. But that just scratches the...

Scores dancers urged to 'recession-proof' bodies

RichardAbowitz — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:31:10 -0700

On the subject of bad economic times, true to the word of the publicist, I attended a lecture over the weekend for a Las Vegas Weekly column by Dr. Frank Stile at Scores, in which more than 250 dancers were...

Tropicana: omen or sore thumb?

RichardAbowitz — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:41:20 -0700

The economic slowdown is the No. 1 topic in Las Vegas now in conversation and in media. The Tropicana filed for bankruptcy. While the drop in tourists may be blamed, I have reported on the Buffet about the problem-plagued property...

San Diego drug suspect too young for Vegas vacation

RichardAbowitz — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:17:42 -0700

Times staff writer Tony Perry has a story today in the paper about a drug raid at San Diego State. One sentence leaped out at me: "One suspect, Kenneth Ciaccio, 19, a member of the Theta Chi fraternity, sent out...

Cher: So it begins

RichardAbowitz — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:01:01 -0700

I am not seeing the show until next week. But Cher's show opens tonight at Caesars. All reports are the presales have been phenomenal and this will quickly become the hardest-to-get ticket in Vegas. Cher's sales boom is happening amid...

Carrie Underwood's love song to Vegas tourism

RichardAbowitz — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:42:41 -0700

It is hard to believe that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority did not pay to make Carrie Underwood's latest video, "Last Name." It's shot all over Vegas from MGM to downtown's Fremont Street. The song and video tell...

'Jersey Boys' opens at Venetian's Palazzo

RichardAbowitz — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:36:33 -0700

Over the weekend I saw the opening of "Jersey Boys" at the Venetian's new Palazzo. It is a good show. The cast is talented, and here's a special shout-out to Rick Faugno, who portrays Frankie Valli and easily captures the...

'Essence of rock': Mick Rock's Vegas debut

RichardAbowitz — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:57:21 -0700

I never expected to attend an opening in Vegas of the work of photographer Mick Rock. I am a huge fan. Rock is famous for his classic shots of David Bowie, Lou Reed, Debbie Harry and too many others to...

Is Celine Dion returning?

RichardAbowitz — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:41:44 -0700

Yesterday, Robin Leach broke on his blog a story that negotiations have begun to bring Celine Dion back to Caesars to headline again starting at the end of 2009 or early 2010. I reached AEG Live (which books the venue...

Strippers urged to 'recession proof' bodies

RichardAbowitz — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:53:44 -0700

Yesterday I got a call from a public relations firm that represents a plastic surgeon. He is going to strip club dressing rooms and giving Vegas dancers a combination sales pitch and motivational lecture on how to "recession proof" their...