-
New in Town: D E Thai Kitchen
The Main Street area between Charleston Blvd and Imperial Ave has seen many changes. A revitalization (read: gentrification) is fully underway and has visibly transformed that part of Downtown. I have many thoughts and feelings about this, but that’s all for a different post. This post is all about one of the positive additions. D E Thai Kitchen has taken up residence in the former home of Rock’N’oodles (RIP). Intimate/Spacious The restaurant remains intimate, as it was before, with four tables and the ability to seat a maximum of 14 people. But the counter area has shifted giving the place a more open feel. On the walls, a cool grey…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Artist Feature: Joel Spencer and Nova May
In a nondescript warehouse behind the Strip on Harmon Avenue, magic happens. Not the abracadabra kind, but another more exciting sort. Ordinary everyday items are transformed into art. Real, tangible, immersive art. This warehouse is Joel Spencer and Nova May’s home away from home. It’s in this space that the partners in art (and life) create their impressive installations. Conjured from found, discarded, or unwanted materials, the couple conceives and builds fantastical experiences. We’re talking in the office of their commercial endeavor, ArtDepartment.Vegas, where clients can hire the pair to deliver anything from set design to public art, temporary or permanent. They’ve been involved nearly seven years, and have been…
-
Beyond the Experience: Your Fremont Street Day Checklist
The Fremont Street Experience draws millions of visitors a year, with its LED canopy and classic Las Vegas casinos. But beyond this attraction’s Las Vegas Boulevard border lies a whole other area worthy of exploration. It’s around 11 a.m., the sun is shining, and crowds haven’t flooded the streets yet. Another beautiful Las Vegas day awaits you. Park on Fremont Across the boulevard from The Fremont Street Experience, on the corner, is Park on Fremont, a bar/restaurant. The charming brick-and-wood exterior calls to you, but which seating area will you choose? The front patio offers people-watching opportunities, the back patio is a secluded hideaway with eclectic touches, and the interior…
-
5 Reasons to Visit The Neon Museum
Before The Neon Museum came along, the Neon Boneyard was just what the name implies– heaps of old neon signs baking in the scorching desert sun. But through the dedication of passionate and resourceful people, it has transformed into a fun, uniquely “Vegas” excursion that adds to the city’s eclectic selection of museums and exhibits. For visitors and locals alike, here are 5 reasons to visit The Neon Museum now. View Vegas History Sin City is not a place known for its appreciation of history. The Strip is littered with new construction planted in the resting place of the many establishments that came before it. This lack of sentimental attachment, luckily...read…
-
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…
