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Must-Visit Vegas: Velveteen Rabbit Bar
If you want a gin and tonic or some other basic cocktail, Velveteen Rabbit is not for you. They’ll serve you anything you like, but that’s not what this place is about. The Velveteen Rabbit is not a bar, it’s a temple of magic elixirs, brewed seasonally with creativity and panache. Witch’s Jewelry Box Stepping into Velveteen Rabbit is like falling into a witch’s jewelry box. Dim lighting, patterned wallpaper, tufted ornate couches all in saturated tones of garnet, onyx, malachite and amber. The atmosphere inside this temple is lived-in vintage. Behind the chocolate-colored bar...read the rest at Best of Vegas This post was written for Best of Vegas. Photo…
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Why I’m Holding Out for Traditional Publishing
We live in the golden age of accessibility. The democratization of media has reduced barriers to entry in a variety of industries. With the advent of self-publishing, disseminating literary work has never been easier. The twin splintered ends of traditional and self-publishing offer opposing experiences. Each one speaks to different strengths and personalities. It runs contrary to my impatient nature, but I’m holding out for traditional publishing. This is why. Finances An argument I often hear in favor of self-publishing is the larger percentage of sales an author can earn. Yes, it’s true that traditional publishers take a big cut of your sales per book, but self-publishing carries many hidden…
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Artist Feature: Krista Diamond
“The world is a violent place” Krista Diamond offers as an explanation for the often gruesome ends characters in her short stories suffer. We’re sitting in Lofti Café, enjoying iced beverages on another sweltering Vegas afternoon. She talks about “the feeling of dread that follows you around…as a woman, the world is a violent place.” When she repeats the last sentence her voice is steady and calm but a little softer than it was the first time. As if the addition of the word ‘woman’ demands compensation in tone. However, Diamond’s writing is not limited to reflecting the punishing anger women endure. She writes a combination of nonfiction as well,…
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Critiquing 101: How To Be A Great Critique Partner
I’m a proponent of attending critique groups. You can tell a group is beneficial when their comments help you build a better story, create more realistic characters, and refine (or find) your voice as a writer. They will push you in ways that can be painful but ultimately are aimed at polishing your work not breaking you down. So what can you do to be an asset to the group like they are to you? Read on. Be Honest This is the first tip for a reason. It is by far the most important. Your partners won’t benefit if you dance around the truth. Assume people are giving you their…
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Reading: Devastating & Delightful
To read Chelsea Hodson’s essay collection, Tonight I’m Somone Else is to take up residence inside the author’s head. She doesn’t so much invite you in, instead, she pushes. And as you go careening forward you can’t help but enjoy the fall. If you’re a woman, you need to read this book. If you’re a writer, you need to read this book. If you’re currently breathing, you need to read this book. You need. To read. This book. Hodson posits we are not the mere sum of our experiences; we are not where we’ve been or what we’ve seen. Our selves are best summarized through our thoughts. The ones that…
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New in Town: the Goodwich
When the Goodwich opened downtown—away from Fremont—food options were slim. The idea of having an upscale sandwich shop in that part of town wasn’t exciting, it was downright revolutionary. During slow days at the store, Rich would journey to that temple of bread and spreads, returning with mouthwatering spoils. Since we closed down our store over a year ago, I’m sad to report we have not ventured back to the Goodwich. So you can understand the whiplash-level of elation we experienced when we drove past the new location in the SouthWest, so conveniently close to Summerlin. We arrived at 7:30 on Friday, beating the dinner rush. A friendly server greeted…
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Artist Feature: Mike Biggs
During my stint as an Arts District shop owner, I realized an important thing—not all artists are born equal. Some are happy to perpetuate the stereotype of the tortured creative who can’t commit or abide by a deadline. Some, however, have an incredible work ethic and endeavor to improve their craft in any way they can. Mike Biggs is the latter. Born and raised here, in Vegas, he feels the city has a certain edge that seeped into his art via the “fun, creepy, dark themes” he enjoys “impressing on people’s eyeballs.” I’m always inspired by artists who have a unique style or point of view and pursue various mediums…
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New in Town: The Stove
Inside this fully grown woman, is a little girl who still loves fancy tea parties complete with finger sandwiches and delicate sweets. There are a handful of places in Las Vegas where I can treat my inner child to the tea party of her dreams. This post is about the newest one of those places—The Stove. The Henderson restaurant opened a month ago and already is a happening hotspot (does anyone still say happening or hotspot? I guess there’s a seventy-year-old woman inside me right next to the little girl) for brunch. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations for parties under six people, so expect to wait a while to be…
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Reading: Redundant & Repetitive
Full disclosure: I didn’t exactly pick this book. I’ve recently joined a book club (for the first time ever) and this was next on their list. I’ll also admit to initially not recognizing Shirley Jackson’s name. She is, of course, the mind behind one of the most famous short stories of all time—“The Lottery”, a tale that is a masterpiece of gothic horror and social commentary. After realizing who the author was, my expectations definitely changed. This might be unfair to Jackson, but such is our reality, if one produces exceptional work all consequent pieces are measured against it. And for me, “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” did…
