August 29, 2008
The Russian community in Las Vegas might fly under the radar but its world-class performers soar high above the stages of the Strip. Others from the former USSR contribute to Valley life in such areas as medicine, technology, real estate and gaming, and while there’s no distinct ethnic enclave, Russian foods are available at two markets and an acclaimed restaurant. Having wandered through two adventurous years in Russia back in the '90s, I was happy to find a bit of my former home away from home here in the Valley. Continue reading »
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Las Vegas may be a desert town, but we do have our share of fun and challenging water sports just a few miles east of the city. Here, where the Colorado River funnels between Nevada and Arizona, city kayakers make their escape. Join me on a relaxing overnight trip from Hoover Dam to Willow Beach. 
Everybody loved Liberace. He was the Glitter Man … Mr. Showmanship … the performer with the million-megawatt smile. And if we sometimes thought his virtuoso piano playing was a little hokey, a little over-the-top, well, it was all part of the rhinestone-studded package. But it turns out Liberace had a serious side, and the charitable foundation he established before his death now supports young pianists in both the classical and the spectacular traditions. 
Actors and musicians often need more therapy than they get, but just how crazy do you have to be to perform outdoors during a Las Vegas summer? The outdoor summer theater program at Spring Mountain Ranch, currently playing to enthusiastic midseason crowds, proves that the performers and audience aren't crazy at all – they just know a little secret. 
The new Erotic Heritage Museum opened on Industrial Boulevard earlier this month, the brainchild of Ted McIlvenna, a Methodist minister, and Harry Mohney, owner of the Déjà Vu Showgirls strip club next door. Walking a fine line between pornography, sex ed, fine art and good fun, the museum celebrates sex and the First Amendment with equal enthusiasm. Wipe that leer off your face, and come check it out. 
I’ve never been a big fan of musical theater or the Four Seasons. So when my sister nagged me into seeing "Jersey Boys" at the Palazzo Hotel and Casino, I went grudgingly. Turns out she was right. The show’s a winner. Who knew the story of Frankie Valli and the gang was so darned entertaining? 
