Vegas Happenings 03-07-11

By Judy Thorburn
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Owner/Editor in Chief/writer - Las Vegas Round The Clock
Owner/Editor in Chief/writer - The Flick Chicks
Director of Communications - Nevada Film Alliance
www.theflickchicks.com

Mrs. Nevada-America 2011 Crowned at the Suncoast Showroom

Fifteen of Nevada’s most accomplished and lovely married women vied for the 2011 Mrs. Nevada-America crown on Sunday evening, February 27 inside the Suncoast Showroom.

Three major charities benefitted from this exciting event including Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Leukemia Lymphoma Society and Project Teddy, founded by the current Mrs. Nevada-America, Susie Monahan, which provides Build-A-Bear Workshops to cancer stricken children in the hospitals of Nevada.

Contestants competed in the categories of evening gown, swimsuit and a four-minute interview with the prestigious panel of judges. All of the contestants, from homemakers to business owners, represent what is brightest and best with the married womanhood of Nevada.

Amanda Kouretas walked away with the title of Mrs. Nevada-America 2011. She won a prize package valued at over $ 20,000.00 and the official crown of the Mrs. America Pageant, presented to her by the reigning Mrs. Nevada-America 2010, Susie Monahan.

Kouretas will compete in the Mrs. America Pageant, the only nationally televised pageant for married women in America, held this year at the historic Greenbrier America's Resort, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The winner of that pageant will go on to compete in the Mrs. World pageant later this year.

Additional recent and upcoming “happenings” in and around Las Vegas include:

On Wednesday, March 2, Clark County commissioners unanimously approved a permit for developer Howard Bulloch to build a 10-acre amusement park and retail center on property he owns near Mandalay Bay. Bulloch hopes to break ground next year on the project's first phase, estimated at $100 million, and finish it by 2013. Plans are to build a 500-foot Ferris wheel, which would be the third-largest in the world and would outstretch the 443-foot-tall London Eye to become the biggest in the Western Hemisphere, Bulloch said.

According to Fortune Magazine’s annual list that was released on Thursday, March 3, Wynn Resorts Ltd. remained the most admired company in Las Vegas in the hotel-casino industry and was ranked high in terms of innovation, quality of products and services as well as global competitiveness and quality of management. Wynn Resorts is ranked at number 4 in the category of hotels, casinos and resorts. The list is based on surveys of industry participants and analysts.

NV Energy employees showed their support for the community by donating $1.3 million to United Way of Southern Nevada and United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra to help further the non-profits’ community-based agenda. The money raised during United Way of Southern Nevada’s campaign season provides the organization with the means to find lasting solutions to social problems in the areas of early education, financial stability and access to healthcare and support for today’s safety net funding of immediate needs.

Market Café Vdara has opened at Vdara Hotel & Spa offering guests a convenient “grab-and-go” food and beverage outlet. Market Café Vdara is a mix of a casual eatery where guests can sit and enjoy freshly made breakfast and lunch selections and a marketplace where they can purchase groceries to take back to their suites or residences. Adjacent to Bar Vdara, Market Café Vdara is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In celebration of college basketball, sports fans are invited to take part in the month-long event, March Hoops, now through Wednesday, March 30 at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas. March Hoops at Fremont Street Experience features free entertainment every night with two sexy stage shows -- Hardwood Hotties and Dream Team Divas by Face Productions -- and the High Hoops Zone interactive area where guests can test their skills at 20-, 25- and 30-foot basketball hoops. Debuting March 15 will be the world’s largest NCAA bracket on the 1,500-foot long Viva Vision screen, which will be updated daily throughout the NCAA tournament.

WET REPUBLIC at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino will open its doors Friday, March 11. The team of MGM Grand and Angel Management Group will deliver non-stop parties at the adults-only summertime playground featuring a line-up of sexy celebrities, international parties and world-renowned DJs. To celebrate the start of season four at WET REPUBLIC on Saturday, March 26 Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett, star of “Kendra” on E! and former “Girl Next Door,” will get the party started as she hosts a day of fun in the sun.

To celebrate the second anniversary of Terry Fator: Ventriloquism in Concert at The Mirage in Las Vegas, unparalleled ventriloquist Terry Fator introduced his new, fabulously happy cast member Monday night, February 28 on the TBS popular late-night talk show, Lopez Tonight. Berry Fabulous, a former lawyer turned entertainer, will make his stage show debut at the Terry Fator Theatre Friday, Mar. 18.

Grammy and seventeen-time Latin Grammy winning rocker Juanes will be appearing in concert at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, March 18. The stop is part of his upcoming tour in support of the release of his critically hailed fifth album, P.A.R.C.E. Tickets start at $45 (plus applicable service fees).

Carlos Fuente Jr., fourth generation of the Arturo Fuente cigar family, and one of the most recognized faces in the world of cigars, will be on hand to meet and greet guests at Casa Fuente inside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace on Saturday, March 19 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Fuentes will also sign autographs while spending the afternoon enjoying the basketball festivities.

Throughout the day Casa Fuente will also be offering patrons a selection of specials to savor including $30 for a Fuente Fuente OpusX Perfecxion #5 paired with any specialty cocktail, $25 Bushmills Whiskey Flights featuring 10-yr, 16-yr and 21-yr single malts and $5 Heinekens

Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's hospitality company have announced that the two organizations will completely transform the interior of the  Vegas resort's 180-room Centurion Tower to create a Nobu hotel, restaurant and lounge...the first Nobu hotel in the world. Designer David Rockwell has been hired and estimated completion is in 12 to15 months.


Celebrity sightings:

Tuesday night, March 1, Laura Prepon was spotted at LAVO Nightclub in Las Vegas. The actress and her group were celebrating the wedding of friends who were married earlier in the day.

Nascar driver Tony Stewart was seen dining at TAO with friends.

Wednesday night, March 2, Kyle Busch was spotted dining at LAVO with his wife Samantha, returning to his hometown of Vegas for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Thursday afternoon, March 3, Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions was spotted having lunch at Dos Caminos inside The Palazzo.

Thursday night NASCAR drivers Elliott Sadler and Kevin Harvick along with their wives joined TAPOUT’s Skyskrape for dinner at TAO Asian Bistro. After dinner the group headed up to the nightclub for Worship Thursday where NASCAR SVP Jill Gregory and the Jabbawockeez joined them.

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin was also spotted in the club.

Friday, March 4…

Brittany Snow from the NBC TV series “Harry’s Law” celebrated her 25th birthday at PURE Nightclub inside of Caesars Palace with her closest friends including actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens. Before heading to PURE, the young star along with six of her closest started the night off with dinner at Social House inside Crystals at CityCenter.

Following dinner, the actress arrived at PURE Nightclub just after midnight. Snow and her entourage were then escorted inside to their VIP table located on the club’s iconic main stage. Later in the evening, she was presented with an adorable pink and blue birthday cake while her friends and the packed club cheered her on.

Also spotted partying at PURE, was rap group Three 6 Mafia.

Brittany Snow
Photo credit: Erik Kabik/Retna www.retna.com.


Brittany Snow with birthday cake
Photo credit: Erik Kabik/Retna www.retna.com.

Mario Lopez hosted the night at LAVO in Las Vegas. Girlfriend Courtney Mazza and friends, including Robert Earl, joined the EXTRA TV host.

Mario Lopez and Courtney Mazza
Photo credit: Al Powers


Robert Earl and Mario Lopez
Photo credit: Al Powers

Spotted at Marquee Nightclub inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas was Cee-Lo Green, who made a late night appearance at the club. The singer was joined by a group of friends and took over a VIP table in the main room, catching the end of Dirty South's set before calling it a night.

The Bachelor Pad hotties, Jesse Kovacs and David Good, were seen enjoying a late lunch at Cabo Wabo Cantina inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Two gal pals on the cantina’s Strip-side patio joined the ABC TV stars. The friends relaxed and goofed around before heading back to their hotel to get ready for the opening of Sugar Factory American Brasserie and a sneak peak at Las Vegas' newest nightclub Chateau Nightclub & Gardens.

David Good (right) and Jesse Kovacs (left) with Sugar Factory Couture Pops on the Cabo Wabo Cantina Patio

Friday night’s extravagant grand opening celebration of Sugar Factory American Brasserie at Paris Las Vegas was packed with Hollywood’s hottest stars as Kim Kardashian and sister Kylie Jenner, Holly Madison, ‘Spice Girl’ Mel B, Nick Cannon and Whitney Port were all seen dining at the stylish eatery.

Saturday night, March 5…

Hip-hop artist Drake and NFL star Reggie Bush enjoyed the finest of what Sugar Factory American Brasserie has to offer.
A few tables away, actor Wilmer Valderrama dined with friends.

Drake
Photo courtesy of Sugar Factory

Actresses Vanessa Hudgens and Brittany Snow were spotted enjoying a late-night snack. The girls were seen singing and dancing, and were joined by Valderrama and Frankie Delgado.

Whitney Port celebrated her birthday at TAO Las Vegas. The reality star and designer turned 26 on Friday. Joined by her sister, friends from high school and her boyfriend Ben Nemtin from the TV show The Buried Life, Port dined at the Asian bistro and was surprised with a huge pink cake topped with a “W” before heading upstairs to the nightclub to take in the sounds of DJ Vice.

New Orleans Saints player Reggie Bush also dined at TAO with friends, before heading over to sister club Marquee.

Macy Gray was spotted in the dining room with family.

Up in the nightclub Jayson Blair and Amber Lancaster from the MTV hit show The Hard Times of RJ Berger were spotted at a VIP table.

Whitney Port and Ben Nemtin
Photo Credit: Al Powers


Jason Blair and Amber Lancaster
Photo Credit: Al Powers

At Marquee Nightclub inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Paris Hilton, Wilmer Valderrama, Brett Ratner, Reggie Bush and Shaun Phillips were all spotted checking out the sounds of Erick Morillo in the main room, while rapper Snoop Dogg made a late night stop in the Boom Box room. He first said hello to DJ Eric D-Lux before joining a table with NFL player DeAngelo Hall.

Wilmer Valderrama
Photo courtesy of Sugar Factory

Actor, Michael Pena was spotted at LAVO with a group of ten friends.

On Sunday, March 6 blonde bombshell Holly Madison stopped in for brunch at Sugar Factory American Brasserie with “Peepshow” co-star Josh Strickland.

Holly Madison, Josh Strickland and Laura Croft
Photo courtesy of Sugar Factory

NASCAR driver Brian Vickers was spotted at LAVO’s Vice Sundays until the early hours of the morning.

Also in the club was Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints, who took over a table on the dance floor.

Amber Lancaster, Paul Iacono and Jayson Blair from The Hard Times of RJ Berger were joined by Scream Four’s Aimee Teegarden at a table on the stage. The group dined at TAO Asian Bistro before heading over to LAVO.

Redfoo from LMFAO partied at a table on the dance floor with 20 members of the Party Rock crew. He surprised the club with an impromptu performance of his hits, including Shots, I’m In Las Vegas and the Party Rock Anthem.