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DesignerCon 2018 Guide: Must Visit Booths
We are less than a week away from DCon and the excitement is mounting. With 700 vendors and more than 300 artists this year, looking at the map is overwhelming. But have no fear, your friendly neighborhood blogger is here! I’ve gathered some standouts and personal favorites to help you navigate this awesome sea. Standouts Starting with a biggie—Medicom (booth 405). This announcement filled me with many emotions, but the top one was surprise. Medicom doesn’t normally participate in US shows, so this is a momentous occasion that merits celebration. The legendary Japanese company and DCon organizers have anticipated the crowds the booth will draw, and designated a generous 40’X40’…
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DesignerCon 2018 Guide: Getting Ready
It’s November, which means my favorite time of year is approaching. Fall is here, the leaves are brown and a young woman’s mind turns to show exclusives! That’s right, it’s time for DesignerCon. Rich and I have been attending and/or vending at DCon since the beginning. We’ve seen the designer toy convention grow from five aisles of vendors to a sprawling event that can’t be contained by the Pasadena Convention Center. Last year we said good-bye to Pasadena. The lovely city streets, the quiet walk back to the hotel, the sushi restaurant with tiny floating boats in lieu of a conveyer belt. I’ll miss you all! This year is a…
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Game Day Eats: Where to Dine Before a Vegas Golden Knights Game
Vegas Golden Knights games at T-Mobile Arena are incredibly entertaining and fun to attend. With a little planning, the whole evening can be a rousing success from start to finish. Figuring out where to park and what time to arrive are both important. Pre-game dining, however, plays an even bigger role in setting up an epic outing. Bruxie While massive menus can be great, it’s always a good sign when a restaurant chooses to specialize and focus on a smaller selection. This is the case for Bruxie, a California export known for their fried chicken and waffle sandwiches. An intriguing take on a comfort food classic, Bruxie’s chicken and waffle…
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Las Vegas Book Festival 2018
It’s early Sunday morning and the rare Las Vegas rain is performing a duet with my roof shingles. The perfect moment to write about yesterday’s Las Vegas Book Festival. It takes place at the Historic Fifth Street School. Strolling in the morning sun I could just make out the curves and simplicity of Mission-Revival architecture through the vendor tents. Lofty literary discussions and colorful artwork meant for children are both at home in the courtyards and rooms of this 1936 gem. I attended a 9 AM panel titled Historical Fiction and the Search for the Usable Past. Moderated by John Hay, the panel included three writers with distinct contributions to…
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Banksy Is An Arsonist
In the art world and beyond, the name Banksy holds an indiscernible allure. The mystery artist who has flaunted unwritten rules of the artistic establishment and the actual laws of various countries is a polarizing figure. Some view Banksy as a criminal, others a genius. Although, at this point, his exploits and projects are likely the efforts of a collective rather than one single person. Perhaps Banksy, like the Dread Pirate Roberts has been many men (and women) over the years taking up the mantle of rebel, irreverent artist with a message. This past week, Banksy is making headlines once again. If you haven’t watched the shredded painting video yet,…
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4 Spots for Fall Family Fun in Las Vegas
Fall is the time of year when a young woman’s thoughts turn to pumpkin spice and all things various shades of orange. It’s also the time to get out of the house. Here in Las Vegas fall is the tiniest of fantastic windows when it’s bearable to be outside without sweating or shivering. Therefore, it is our duty to take full advantage of said weather with these four fall family fun spots. Of course, when I say ‘family’ I don’t necessarily mean parents and kids (I just really like alliteration), take your BFF, your squad, your Tinder hookup, just get out there and enjoy the season. Gilcrease Orchard Gilcrease Orchard…
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Reading: Excellent & Enlightening
There is an inordinate burden placed on own voices literature. Due to a lack of true representation in the market, these works are expected to portray an entire population accurately (which is of course, impossible). The demands own voices authors face are much higher and the pressure to present the perfect story greater. There There by Tommy Orange fulfills all those demands. That’s why it’s brilliant. Well, that’s one reason of many. Reading most quality novels is like observing a grand metropolis from a great height, you see it all unfold in a magnificent tapestry. Reading this work, however, is like observing that same metropolis from a great height with…
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Must-Visit Vegas: A Day at City National Arena
In Las Vegas, it can be hard to choose which club to dance at, restaurant to eat at, store to shop at, or show to watch. There’s only one place that combines all these elements into one experience, and that place is City National Arena. The Vegas Golden Knights practice facility is located away from The Strip in the Summerlin suburb. But don’t let the distance from the city’s center deter you from enjoying everything this arena has to offer. Practice Makes Perfect The first and best reason to visit City National Arena is to watch the superb Vegas Golden Knights in action. Tickets for games at T-Mobile Arena are a hot…
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New in Town: Tacotarian
I stumbled on Tacotarian’s Instagram feed in July thanks to Vegans, Baby. The images they were posting heralded a magnificent addition to the vegan and Mexican food scene in Vegas. I was excited but chose to temper that excitement and wait until all the kinks of new restaurant-dom were worked out, before planning my visit. Now that Tacotarian has been open for over a month, I finally made my maiden excursion to this new eatery. When it comes to traditional Mexican color palettes, black white and aqua, is not what you would expect. But at Tacotarian they’ve managed to swirl the hipster, modern aesthetic with more classic, authentic elements to…
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What to See, Eat, and Buy: Guide to Container Park
Nestled in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas is an intimate, unique shopping experience. Container Park, named for the shipping containers that make up some of the structure, is an outdoor mall unlike all others in town. There are no hidden undergarments belonging to a woman named Victoria, no two-lettered Swedish fast fashion, and no blazing subject where Goths can buy a Jack Skellington hoodie. Instead, shoppers can delve into a world of small, local businesses offering wares from fun to funky and everything in between. What to See: The centerpiece of Container Park is the three-story Tree House and Play Zone. This interactive playground was made to entertain both…
