Yesterday was one of those days where there was much to do, and not much time in which to do it.

First was the preview luncheon at VG Strip at Neiman Marcus Las Vegas – which, in a clever move, will be open for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for hungry shoppers, this holiday season.  I’d been cordially asked to attend by Joele Corrigan to check-out their new scene, and it was an invitation I wasn’t about to decline.  What can I say?  I guess I’m a sucker for a gorgeous woman holding an Alexander McQueen “brass knuckle” clutch, who’s proffering me a gourmet lunch and a presentation of the season’s hottest fashions.

I’m delighted to report that the trio of dishes I enjoyed is proof positive that Proprietor Michael Corrigan and Corporate Executive Chef Matthew Silverman are continuing to forge the swath of deliciousness they’ve cut across the West Side of town.  The options I selected for lunch include a starter salad of Sweet Butter Lettuce with Warm Brie, Wild Herbs and Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette; an entrée salad of Baby Spinach and Golden Beets with Grilled Lemon-Marjoram Chicken, Hazelnuts, and Blue Pican; and a Lemon Zest Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust Topped with Fresh Blueberries and Crème Chantilly.  Oh yeah…  The Spicy Pita Chips were also delish.  While we enjoyed our lunch, the ladies and I were regaled with the latest looks and goodies from Tom Ford, Lanvin, Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino, Judith Leiber, Nancy Gonzalez, Gucci, Chanel, and The Good Dog Food Company.

[Read more about VG Strip and The Good Dog Food Company, in the weeks to come…]

Then, after an all-too-short nap, at home, Jacob and I headed out to The Meadows School, where a number of our friends’ children were starring in the Middle School Theatre’s presentation of Peter Pan.  Sometimes you go to these things out of a sense of obligation, but I’m happy to say that the production was very well-staged, and I didn’t wince once from an off-key note.  Pulling double-duty, Storey Pascal sang and danced beautifully as ‘Mrs. Darling’ and  drolly goofed on roller skates as the mermaid ‘Oceanna’ - while Christian Otter as the pirate ‘Cecco’ was both comical and nimble.  And in the title role, Josie Molasky soared – both euphemistically and literally.  All said, the cast, musicians, and crew are to be commended, and the chorus of “Bravas” and “Bravos” was entirely well-deserved.

[A minor note I’m picking with the grown-ups responsible for the show – and specifically the program: While I’m sure that somewhere there lived a lovely woman named Julie Styne, she had nothing to do with Peter Pan.  The man who scored the additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green was Jule Styne, who also composed the music for such gems of stage and screen as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Gypsy, and Funny Girl.]

Anyhoo – from The Meadows, we hopped on the Freeway and (after getting in the wrong lane and exiting in the wrong direction – not once, but twice) found our way Downtown; where the VIP Party celebrating the opening of Mob Bar was already in full-swing.  There, on Third Street, at the new Mafia-themed drinking hole, some of Las Vegas’ loveliest ladies (including Lacy Schorr, Lieuchi Fine, Judy Stone, Ellen Schaner, Vanessa Yerushalmi, Judi Perez and Courtney Schorr) were in full-effect, under the watchful gaze of the greatest (fictional) gangster moll of them all – ‘Gilda’ (as portrayed by Rita Hayworth).

According to the film’s tagline, “There NEVER was a woman like Gilda!”  But as anyone at Mob Bar tonight can attest, the bevy of local beauty on display certainly gave her a run for her filthy lucre.

Out and About in Las Vegas
Click HERE for info about VG Strip
Click HERE for info about Mob Bar

Get into it!