“Misery Loves Company” – Just Another Saturday in Vegas with Evan Glusman

Ross Miller and Evan Glusman

It seems like everybody in Las Vegas plans all of their get-togethers, parties, wherefore and what-have-you for Saturdays.  It’s not that I have a problem with Saturdays – it’s just that weekends are two days long, so I feel that it’s a shame to let Sunday sulk in the shade while Saturdays are filled to the bursting point.  Also, it gets a bit exhausting when you have to attend three, four, sometimes five things in one afternoon.  Ah, the obligations of a busy social calendar…

Alida and Evan Glusman

So it was this past Saturday, when my friend Evan and I found ourselves with a trio of gatherings being hosted by good friends that we felt obliged to attend – not out of debt or guilt or anything like that –  but simply because these were our buddies, and they’d come-out to represent at our parties, so it was only apropos that we return the favor.  Unfortunately, these affairs were being held in the far flung outposts of town (one, technically, in another town) – and there was a whole lotta schlepping going on. 

Kurt Wiesner and Evan Glusman

Truth be told, I could easily have slept through the whole day, but Evan decided that misery loves company, and harangued me into joining him (and convinced me to take a photo of him at every event we hit over the course of our day).  By 2pm we had rendezvoused in the parking lot of Piero’s Italian Cuisine, and were headed way out on Rancho Drive, to the hinterlands of North Las Vegas, to Big Dog’s Draft House Barn & Casino, where our friend, Kurt Wiesner (aka “Weeze”), was hosting an outdoor event he’d called “Love, Peace and Hoppy-ness – a Beer and Music Festival” – a fundraiser, where the day’s proceeds were being donated to the Patrick Kelley Youth Foundation and the Old Vegas Basketball Youth Foundation.  What’s more, Weeze had put together an impressive line-up of microbrews and a kick-ass barbeque (my favorite was the Grilled Andouille BBQ Sausage).

Evan Glusman and Frederic Apcar

Now this might seem a little peculiar, but when I was growing-up, we were taught that whenever possible one should avoid having one’s car break-down on any street that was named after a letter, a number, or a dead political figure.  So, one can imagine that, as Evan drove us up D Street, and we stopped for a light on the corner of Crack and Eight-Ball, I asked (rather tersely) if he had the slightest idea where he was going.  Well, I guess he did, because eventually we found the Draft House.  And while weaving my way amongst the crowd made me want to hoist a Bic lighter and yell “Free Bird!” at the top of my lungs, it was a good cause and the beers and barbeque were fantastic.

Next on our magical mystery tour (the greatest mystery of which was perhaps “Do our friends realize just how supportive we are?”) was stopping by the Clark County Amphitheater in Downtown Las Vegas, where our pal, Frederic Apcar was presenting his annual Reggae in the Desert festival.  As you might’ve ascertained by the name of the venue, one can’t just stop at the Clark County Amphitheater, and run in; it’s a whole megillah that involves driving around, finding a parking spot, getting your badges and credentials, etc.  Meanwhile, it’s been nearly an hour and we haven’t even made it into the event!   

Hacky Sack-ers at Reggae in the Desert

Now, I ask you – what could be more fun than watching a bunch of twenty-something white kids who have thrown-off the vestiges of proper grooming, playing hackey-sack in front of a dozen booths selling hemp products, ponchos, bootlegged Bob Marley cds, and cones of shave-ice?  Nothing that I can think of, unless you add in that rare commodity that is the slightly overcast afternoon, in Las Vegas, heavy with humidity – ripe with the pungent intermingled scents of jerk chicken, ganja and B.O.  But hey, that’s what friends are for, right?  Shabba!!

Evan Glusman and Tsutomu "Tiger" Molde

As the day passed into evening, we high-tailed it back to Casa Glusman, and played with Evan’s kids, Stella and Beau.  Then, grabbing Alida (aka Mrs. Glusman) we went to Musashi Japanese Steakhouse.  How have I missed this gastronomic gem for the past few years as it has been operating right under my nose?  Come back later this week to read a dedicated Musashi post – but until then, I’m just going to say that it is easily the best Teppanyaki Room in Las Vegas, and chef/owner Tsutome “Tiger” Molde is all that and a bag of chips!

Evan Glusman and Dan Tuntland

While our bellies were full, our day wasn’t nearly finished.  From Musashi, we headed back into the murky depths of the Las Vegas Country Club Estates, where we joined the festivities at Dan Tuntland’s Annual Flag Day Party (that happens to coincide with his birthday).  Some of my favorite local peeps were in attendance, not to mention a table shaking under a huge buffet, and a very full bar.  I could bore you with a list of names, but what would that accomplish?  Tah!