West Valet

People waiting to get into Cosmopolitan

As a NY ex-pat, living in Las Vegas, there’s something inherently inviting about The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.  Like a cross between Radio City Music Hall and the Rainbow Room – but on steroids and Las Vegified – it beckons.

Even the vendors from Las Vegas and Los Angeles are imbued with a New Yorkiness that just seems to work.  In its cozy setting on Cosmo’s 2nd Floor, Melissa Richardson Akkaway’s Beckley Boutique (a branch of her WeHo shop, of the same name) seems far more Meatpacking District than Melrose Avenue.

Holiday Display at Beckley

Likewise, with its leather upholstery, personalized Scotch lockers (and a Peeping-Tom’s view, across the way, into the fitting-room at Molly Brown’s Swimwear), bespoke haberdashery Stitch seems to have been designed with a certain TriBeCa feel.  And it works, swimmingly.

Ceiling

That said - hats-off to Terri Monsour on another well-executed retail collection!  Nobody in the biz does a better job  of basically “merchandising” vendors into one cohesive retail story.  Werk!

The restaurants deserve their own accolades, and I’ll be talking about them as I try each.  (Up next: Holsteins!)

Elevator Bay

Of particular note, this evening, were a few things.  First off, the marked non-bitchiness of the staff was a highlight (let’s hope this keeps-up).  Then, there's the art collection, that's just fab, fab, fab (shouts-out to my girls Yvonne Force Villareal, Doreen Remen, and Casey Fremont, at Art Production Fund…  Carry on, Ladies!).  It’s bright, it’s fun, and it’s contemporary, without ever being pretentious.

Bond

Also worth mentioning is the way, even with a three-story atrium, the venue never feels cold or off-putting.  Designing on a grand scale, while maintaining a sense of intimacy, is a neat trick.

The Chandelier

Meanwhile, tonight’s scene included a veritable Who’s Who of the Las Vegas glitterati.  Amusingly enough, it was three New Yorkers whom I ran into, who really brightened my day.  My old friend, Deutsche Bank-er Drew Goldman, who flew-in for the event; and my buddies Darren Beckett and Herschel Gaer (who, ironically, play drums and guitar/bass, respectively, for Las Vegas local, Brandon Flowers).

Besides, what's not to love about a property where the central gathering place is a three-story venue, draped in miles of crystal ropes, called The Chandelier; and where the various Valet stands have hot dog carts?  It's just so yummy on so many levels!! 

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Click HERE for more info

Get into it!