Photo Courtesy of Caesars Entertainment

Chef Gordon Ramsay didn’t just arrive in Las Vegas; he invaded. In less than a year, the star chef opened three eateries on the Strip. His upscale Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas was followed by Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace—which serves traditional British fare—and Gordon Ramsay BurGR at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, an energetic burger and hot-dog joint.

“Las Vegas is a vibrant, amazing city—a worldwide travel destination,” the fiery Hell’s Kitchen chef says. “It used to be the capital of buffets, but now top chefs are opening up restaurants, and it’s become a culinary hot spot.”

Here, Ramsay reveals his perfect pint, what he eats at home (it’ll surprise you), and whom he’d invite to a dinner party.

Tell us about the burgers at BurGR. All the burgers are made with a unique blend of three high-choice beef cuts—short rib, brisket and chuck—and are Devonshire butter-basted to add richness. They’re prepared on an open-flame, wood-burning grill. The fire is fueled with alder wood, known for its distinct but lighter balanced smokiness, and applewood to provide fruity notes. [The burgers] are topped with a brioche bun made fresh daily.

Pub & Grill offers a wide range of beers. What’s your favorite? I enjoy Innis & Gunn. It’s a great beer from Edinburgh, Scotland.

Pairing craft beers with food is becoming more commonplace. What’s your recommendation? We’ve carefully selected menu items that pair well with the various types of beer we offer. I like Innis & Gunn with duck confit poutine or braised pork belly.

What’s your go-to comfort food at home? Believe it or not, I love peanut-butter sandwiches or beans on toast. Sometimes simple is best.

What three people would you invite to a dinner party? I would love to have Denzel Washington: He makes great films, very cool. Also, Bill Clinton, as any U.S. president must have lots of interesting stories to tell; he is extremely charismatic and I’m sure fascinating. And Tina Fey: I really loved her hosting the [Golden] Globes—she is one of the funniest ladies.

Photo Courtesy of Quinn Kingston

If it’s made of metal and makes a sound, it’s all game at a Recycled Percussion show. Trash cans and buckets will seem ho-hum when the guys bring out the washing machines, sinks, chainsaws, fans, vacuums, ladders, meat grinders and rusty metal barrels. Formed in 1994 at a high-school talent show in New Hampshire, the band followed their passion for “junk rock” all the way to the America’s Got Talent stage—where they finished in third place—and now to the Las Vegas Strip. The all-ages interactive show (audience members are handed a drumstick and instrument and encouraged to play along) is making noise at The Quad Resort & Casino.

Photo Courtesy of AEG Live

If you ask John Meglen, president and co-CEO of AEG Live, which moment stands out in the 10-year history of the Colosseum, he recalls opening night – March 25,2003 – when Céline Dion stepped on stage to christen the $95-million venue.

“We all knew Céline was one of the world’s most beloved performers, but none could have envisioned how the first show would forever raise the bar for Las Vegas entertainment and how it would set the stage for the biggest entertainers in the world to call the Colosseum home,” Meglen reflects.

The Colosseum was designed to be “a playground for entertainers to realize their artistic visions,” a place for them to “bring their imagination to life,” Meglen explains. Whether it’s an inclined stage for Dion’s “A New Day…” or 4D technology for Shania Twain’s show. “SHANIA: STILL THE ONE,” The Colosseum is known as a venue “Where artists’ dreams become reality,” he says. “Every show is a new challenge for each artist to build upon what has already been done, and to use the technologies in ways never done before. It really keeps us on our toes.”

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa

by Grace Bascos

If you thought Nobu’s reach was broad before, with outposts in Miami, London, Milan and Beijing, watch out—the empire just got bigger. Not only did the restaurant’s founder, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, recently open his own boutique-hotel within Caesars Palace, but he’s also given us the largest Nobu restaurant ever.

Often considered the father of modern Japanese cuisine, Nobu created his signature style of Asian fare during his tenure in South America, adding tropical ingredients to traditional Japanese cuisine. Dishes that may seem commonplace in contemporary Japanese restaurants around the world—yellowtail sashimi with slivers of jalapeño and sriracha chili sauce, for example, or black miso cod—were Nobu creations. While they’re often imitated, they’re never duplicated with the same freshness and finesse. “I am always cooking and creating from my heart,” Nobu says. “I want to create special moments and experiences.”

The new David Rockwell-designed Nobu Caesars Palace serves all the trademark Nobu dishes and more. This location is the first in the U.S. with teppanyaki tables, where chefs cook on three flat-top grills directly in front of diners. And at 12,775 square feet, the 327-seat dining area has plenty of room for them.

Nobu is also providing the in-room dining menu for Nobu Hotel, offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night items for hotel guests. Highlights include High Roller bento boxes featuring lobster wasabi and wagyu steak, and breakfast treats such as blueberry-and-yuzu soba pancakes with yuzu whipped cream, pecan miso butter and maple syrup.

With two restaurants and a brand-new hotel in Las Vegas, Nobu has nothing but praise for Sin City. “Las Vegas is a market unlike any other in the world. World-class dining and entertainment fuse together in this unique and exciting city.”

Photographed by Jerry Metellus

Photograph By Sabin Orr

Marcus Voglrieder shares Nobu’s beverage buzz.

By Grace Bascos

Nobu’s newly minted boutique hotel and restaurant at Caesars Palace comes with an array of cocktails that have been created with the Las Vegas experience in mind. Marcus Voglrieder, beverage director for Nobu Restaurants, USA, is in charge of what gets sipped by Nobu clientele all across the country. In order to keep ideas fresh, he holds company-wide competitions fostering creativity to dream up new and unique cocktails.

“For this competition, we are given a specific ingredient—for example, champagne or Japanese whiskey. Accordingly, each bartender creates a cocktail with that ingredient, and the winning drink goes on every Nobu beverage menu in the United States,” Voglrieder explains. But ultimately, he says, “There are three elements that the winning cocktail is based on: taste, creativity and presentation.”

Regionally, each mixologist considers local influences, as well as the clientele. The new Nobu Caesars Palace is no exception, featuring two only-in-Vegas drinks. The Peruvian Caipirinha harkens back to Chef Nobu’s roots in the South American country, utilizing pisco instead of the Brazilian cachaça, and muddled with brown sugar, shiso (an Asian herb belonging to the mint family) and lime, topped with refreshing ginger beer. His Cracked Basil features Nobu’s own Korean vodka, “soju,” as a base, mixed with fresh strawberries, Thai basil, tart yuzu fruit juice and Grand Marnier with egg-white foam on top.

Peruvian Caipirinha
South American Spirit
Nobu Caesars Palace

A Peruvian-Asian twist on a Brazilian classic. Sweet, fragrant and fresh.

Mix:

3 lime wedges

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 oz. Macchu Pisco

2 oz. Cock ‘n Bull ginger beer

Pinch of shiso

Muddle lime wedges, brown sugar and shiso. Add pisco and ice; shake. Pour into a curved highball glass. Top off with ginger beer and garnish with a pinch of shiso.

Gordon Ramsay BurGR is located at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino

Gordon Ramsay, the famed British chef and recipient of 15 Michelin stars, is tackling the most American of foods—hamburgers, hot dogs and fries. But he’s not just flipping patties and firing franks—he’s grilling gourmet-style.

At Gordon Ramsay BurGR, the beef patties are a blend of short rib, brisket and chuck, while the “Devil Dawgs” are bathed in a “hellfire sauce” for 15 minutes before being grilled. Both are fired up over apple and alder wood sealing in the dawgs flavor and giving the patties “a slight fruit and smoky flavor,” says executive chef Eric Mickle. Ramsay’s signature Hell’s Kitchen Burger brings the burn with its asadero cheese, fire-roasted jalapeños, oven-roasted tomatoes and smooth avocado to balance some of the heat. “This is our taste of the Southwest, incorporating a cheese that is traditionally used in making quesadillas,” Mickle says. “Combined with the jalapeños, it’s an exciting twist.”

Unique choices on the frank side of the menu include a Fire Roasted Chili Dawg and a Pork Belly Dawg; the latter zesty wiener features roasted pork belly, pickled edamame, carrots, cucumber and sriracha mayo. Even the sides at BurGR receive a an epicurean touch with hand-cut truffle parmesan fries and sweet-potato fries dusted with vanilla powdered sugar and paired with honey-jalapeño mayo.

“Great ingredients will elevate any dish,” explains Mickle. “We take special care to match our ingredients to create that ‘wow’ factor, keeping in mind that less is sometimes more.”

Photograph by Danny Inglewood

Your wedding day covered. Jewelry and accessories to make everyone sparkle and shine.

Saying “I Do” has never been easier

Our passionate proposal for what to wear, what to give, what to eat and where to after-party. Let the celebration begin.

No 5: Top Hat

Pair a traditional top hat with a modern-cut tux for the ultimate in groom cool. Jaxon Mid Crown Top Hat in black ($68); Jaxon/villagehatshop.com.

No 4: Tuxedo Shirt

He wears it for the ceremony; she wakes up in it the day after. Marcella Evening Shirt ($195); Thomas Pink/The Forum Shops at Caesars.

No 3: Lingerie

The bare essentials will have her feeling sexy and him dreaming sweetly. Jersey hot short ($14); American Apparel/Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

No 2: Ring

Brilliant token of love or flashy sparkler meant for showing off? A little bit of both. Ring with princess-cut diamond in 18-karat white gold (price upon request); Sophia Fiori/Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

No 1: Bubbly

Raise a glass and toast to forever with some festive fizz. Moët & Chandon-is there anything else?

Photos Courtesy of New Line Cinema: Steve Carell as Burt Wonderstone and Steve Buscemi as Anton Marvelton By Ben Glass, ©2013 A Warner Bros. Pictures film.

By Shep Morgan

The bright lights of Las Vegas shine on many of the world’s great illusionists. Next up in the spotlight is the famous and fictional magician, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. Behind the film’s flamboyant costumes and fabulous wigs is Steve Carell, who as Burt Wonderstone, spent time filming the comedy in Las Vegas.

The former star of The Office hasn’t been this silly since The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Carell is non-stop funny in the wild comedy, and he gets plenty of help from Steve Buscemi, who dons a blonde hairpiece to play his faithful partner Anton Marvelton. Jim Carrey pumps up the humor as Steve Gray, a talented street magician who threatens to unseat Wonderstone as the king of illusion.

While there’s movie magic in most tricks Carell performs in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, he wasn’t pretending when he and Buscemi were suspended in a large Plexiglas box high above the Las Vegas Strip where, in the film, they were supposed to remain for several days without food or water. Olivia Wilde, who holds her own in the laugh-fest as Wonderstone’s perky assistant, remembers, “They did it on our first day of shooting and it was pretty amazing to see them up there. Not surprisingly, Burt has a complete meltdown after about twenty minutes.”

Photo Courtesy of Jeremy Daniel/Million Dollar Quartet

by Marsala Rypka

It’s all in the hips. Through an extraordinary twist of fate, four musical geniuses—Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley—found themselves at the Sun Records studio in Memphis on December 4, 1956, for the first and only time together. It resulted in one of the greatest impromptu rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions in history.

The event, which has been immortalized for stage, is the inspiration for the Tony® Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet, now playing at Harrah’s Las Vegas.

“Every fact in the show is historically correct,” says producer Gigi Pritzker, whose film projects include The Wedding Planner, Rabbit Hole and Drive. “You won’t hear an Elvis song from 1960 or a post-1956 Cash song until the encore of the show.” The score does include “Blue Suede Shoes,” “That’s All Right,” “I Walk the Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues.”

When it came to casting the actors/musicians, Pritzker says she wasn’t seeking look-a-likes. “It’s not about height, weight or age; it’s about whether they can evoke that iconic musicianship. The person who plays Carl Perkins has to be a great guitar player. The person who plays Jerry Lee Lewis has to be an amazing piano player. There are a couple of iconic moments where Cash has to sing some very low notes, and the actress who plays Elvis’ girlfriend Diana has to hit a high E when she sings harmony.”

Pritzker says the high-energy show is “a blend of rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, R&B and country,” adding, “The idea of being a fly on the wall during this moment in music history with these great musical icons is a natural fit for Las Vegas.”

Photograph By Robert John Kley

What’s in a name? Sammy Hagar explains. “I was driving down a dirt road one Sunday morning in Cabo San Lucas and saw a guy staggering back and forth, bumping into a barbed-wire fence and going back onto the road. Obviously, he was up all night partying and I said, ‘Look! The guy is doing the Cabo Wabo.’ The words just came out of my mouth. I laughed. It stuck with me.”

Clearly, Hagar is still laughing. Not only did he parlay the man’s two-step into the Van Halen song “Cabo Wabo” but he has since opened a string of Cabo Wabo Cantina restaurants (in Cabo San Lucas, Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe) and created a premium tequila brand called—surprise— Cabo Wabo Tequila.

“I wanted to build a tequila bar and have all the best handmade tequila for my friends,” says the singer and entrepreneur. “Life’s good.”

Get the VIP Treatment

Whether you’ve come into town for a bachelorette party, escaped for a guys’ getaway or arrived for a family reunion, Las Vegas is yours for the taking. Now if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the options (and many often do), just leave it to the experts—the Total Experiences team—to customize your trip.

“We’re a one-stop shop,” explains Patty Kripitz, director of VIP operations for Total Experiences. “We do all the legwork so our guests don’t have to.” That means securing anything from golf lessons to pole-dance instruction—if that’s what you’re into— or arranging cooking classes with the top chefs at Caesars. Kripitz and her team even have access to suites that guests cannot directly book themselves. So go ahead: Think big and let Total Experiences take care of the rest.

All the Single Ladies

Start your primp-and-party package with makeup and mimosas at COLOR—A Salon by Michael Boychuck (his cients include Gwen Stefani and Fergie). Then it’s off to Sugar Factory American Brasserie at Paris Las Vegas for a light brunch followed by some dessert: a chocolate-tasting tour at Serendipity 3 and Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro, both at Caesars Palace. Burn those calories with a trip to The Forum Shops at Caesars to pick up last-minute accessories for your night on the town. The evening continues with VIP limo transportation to Chippendales at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, where you’ll meet the guys after the show. Then, the night is yours.

Bachelor Pad: Live The Hangover

Wake up in the two-story Emperor’s Suite at Caesars Palace, and hopefully, unlike Zach Galifianakis and the boys who famously shared this space, you’ll remember the night. “We do a lot of Hangover parties,” says Kripitz. First, it’s off to Rio Secco Golf Club for lessons from Butch Harmon (he’s coached Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson). Next, a straight-razor shave from Sal the Barber in the Men’s Zone at Qua Baths & Spa before heading back to your suite, where a personal bartender and torcedor—a master cigar roller—await your arrival. Kill time playing billiards or video games before hitting PURE Nightclub, where you’ve scored bottle service. After partying ’til dawn, retreat to your suite. Who knows? You might just find a life-size tiger in your room.

Photograph By Mikey McNulty

Personalize your style with Sophia Fiori’s versatile Victoria Collection.
Interview by Christie Moeller

Jewelry artisan Bernard Bachoura doesn’t just design jewelry; he crafts a legacy. “Sophia Fiori diamond jewelry has classic, eternal style. It’s designed to last the lifetime of the wearer, as well as future generations,” Bachoura explains. “These days, women are looking for value in their jewelry—pieces that can be worn and enjoyed forever, not just for one or two years. They want diamond jewelry that they can wear dressed down running the kids to soccer practice or dressed up for a glamorous night out.”

Bachoura says the company’s Victoria Collection embodies this concept. “The wearer is part of the creative process,” he explains. “What makes the collection so distinctive are the interchangeable colored bands,” allowing women their choice among 14 different colored bands to coordinate with any outfit. “For jeans and a T-shirt, you can wear the Victoria Ring with the blue-diamond band. For a night out, add the white diamond center band.”

Photographs by Robert John Kley

Photograph by Greg Gorman

By Shep Morgan

Elton John is a little surprised that he feels at home in Las Vegas. “It’s more exciting than it’s ever been,” he says. “I really do love this town, and I never thought I’d say that. The audiences are amazing. It’s unbelievable whom you may come across at a show any given night—from celebrities to fans, from different parts of the world.”

The legendary entertainer first thrilled Sin City with “The Red Piano” and now he’s surpassed himself with “The Million Dollar Piano,” returning this spring to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The show features an enormous high-tech version of his signature instrument; it’s covered with LED video screens that change colors as he plays. “It’s something different,” he says. “I’ve never done a show with so much production.”

Besides the state-of-the-art piano—which Elton calls “Blossom” after jazz singer Blossom Dearie (it’s the sixth piano in his collection named after female vocalists, from Aretha Franklin to Nina Simone)—there’s a giant wall-to-wall video screen that explodes with images from his personal life and career. But even surrounded by spectacular effects, he still commands the spotlight while delivering an eclectic blend of his greatest hits mixed with musical surprises.

“I’ve always loved playing live. I cherish it more than anything else because you never know what the performance is going to be,” Elton says, adding that he’s his biggest critic. “Sometimes you go onstage feeling great and you’re not as great as you think you are. Some nights, you’re feeling tired and you give a really great performance. I truly do think that the older I get, the better I’m singing live. I just won’t be jumping on the piano anymore,” he jokes.

Elton’s post-show nights have taken a new direction of late—a path he is proud of. “It used to be that when I’d come offstage I didn’t know what to do with myself and, sometimes, that got me into trouble. Now, I have a balance in my life.”

Always A Performer

“What I love about doing the show at The Colosseum,” Elton says, “is that I don’t have to fly anywhere. I stay in one place for three weeks instead of getting on a plane every night. Now, instead of doing two-hundred flights a year, I may get down to a hundred.”

Even if he’s touring less, he isn’t slowing down. “I’m a workaholic,” he says. “I have a lot of energy. I work hard and I love it—whether it’s being onstage, recording an album or writing songs.”

He adds, “I really do enjoy my life. I live a healthy lifestyle now, and maybe I will try to relax a little more. But I don’t ever think about retirement.”