January '08 Entertainment—The Vegas Eye Column

Miss Jet Las Vegas

Former Miss USA Tara Conner to be Crowned Miss JET Las Vegas 2008 at JET Nightclub on Friday, January 25

Tara Conner is crowned Miss JET Las Vegas 2008 at JET Nightclub as former Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees (Miss JET Las Vegas 2007) leads the "coronation"

Light on BRAND

The Light Group, will unveil its latest restaurant concept with the opening of BRAND Steakhouse, set to open in April at Monte Carlo. One part steakhouse and one part lounge, BRAND will fuse modern fine dining with the classic steakhouse to create the ultimate dining experience. Centrally located in the heart of Monte Carlo’s casino floor, BRAND’s unique design and concept will set the standard for the contemporary American steakhouse, will unveil its latest restaurant concept with the opening of , set to open in April at . , BRAND will fuse modern fine dining with the classic steakhouse to create the ultimate dining experience. Centrally located in the heart of Monte Carlo’s casino floor.

"We are thrilled to offer Brand’s contemporary steakhouse experience to guests of Monte Carlo," said Anton Nikodemus, president and COO of Monte Carlo. "Within our city’s thriving dining scene, Monte Carlo now has several dining destinations worth visiting time and again."

BRAND’s open design will lend itself to people-watching where diners and voyeurs alike will go to see and be scene. Designed by Graft Lab, the award-winning design firm behind FIX Restaurant & Bar at Bellagio and STACK Restaurant & Bar at The Mirage, BRAND will feature a 5,000-square-foot dining room and adjacent lounge that will be the center of excitement and energy. The dining room’s stunning interior will feature a dramatically lit ceiling canopy that creates a pixilated abstract cow-print pattern. A rich palette of earthy colors and unique textures combined with soft lighting and subtle sound system will add to BRAND’s casually cool ambience. BRAND’s fluid design, featuring low-level walls and retractable glass partitions from both the casino and inside the restaurant, will create seamless transitions into either environment.

Highlighting the menu will be the Ultimate Steak: a mammoth 8.6-pound beef porterhouse for six served with choice of two house-made sauces and two sides – the perfect party platter for any group of steak fanatics.

BRAND will feature an extensive list of wines, bourbons and specialty cocktails to complement each item on the menu. A select variety of more than 200 red wines chosen from areas spanning the California wine country, to the Bordeaux region of France all the way to the Super Tuscans of Italy will highlight the wine list. An elite array of bourbons has been selected to complete the perfect steak meal and will be sure to please any discerning palette. BRAND also will feature a specialty menu of classic cocktails with a twist, including the Apple Caipirinha (cachaca, cane sugar and fresh lime, garnished with an apple wedge) and the wine-based Blanc Martini (vodka and Sauvignon Blanc).

The BRAND Lounge will add an exciting nightlife element to Monte Carlo. The chic lounge will feature plush low-level couch-style seating perfectly placed throughout to create an intimate vibe. With five elevated plasma television screens and a booth for a live DJ, BRAND Lounge will be the perfect place for sports viewing or a relaxed evening of music and cocktails. The lounge’s unique proximity to the restaurant and full food menu will allow for a combined dining/nightlife experience for guests choosing to partake in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Brand Steakhouse and Lounge will be open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to midnight. The lounge will be open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. For more information, please visit www.lightgroup.com.

Love Jones for Locals

From Feb. 1-14, locals who present a valid ID will receive 20% off all merchandise at Love Jones in The Hard Rock Hotel, including sexy gift ideas such as the "You Owe Me T.L.C." coupon book, fashionable belts, tantalizing fragrances and alluring apparel from designer names such as Honeydew, I.D. Sarrieri, Leg Avenue, Cosabella, Hanky Panky, Tarina Tarantino, Kenneth Jay Lane, Betsey Johnson, and Larok. In addition, guests who spend a $100 or more will receive a free feather tickler, a fun gift for those who dare to be more adventurous. Love Jones will also personally gift-wrap purchases at no price, making Love Jones a convenient one-stop shopping experience for customers this Valentine’s Day.

Pink Taco Knock-Off?

T&T (Tacos & Tequila), another highly stylized restaurant with a planned fun, high-energy vibe and flavorful menu is set to open summer/2008 inside Luxor Hotel and Casino. Hopefully they will remove the Hummer in the Lobby before they add another restaurant concept in the pyramid.

T & T will embody traditional and modern elements of Mexican style of course in true Vegas style, intermixed with a rock-n-roll flair, T&T shall combine the talents of Master Chef and world-renowned restaurateur Robert Sandoval with world-class designer, Adam Tihany, for what we hope is finally an out of the box concept for Tihany, who has been on auto pilot in Vegas for years. Sandoval has been working with a bunch of different groups trying to nail Vegas down for a while.

Entering as a formidable player on the hospitality scene, Creator and Owner, Michael Frey announced T&T will be the first project under the formation of his new company, Drive This Entertainment!.

“This is not your grandma’s cantina -- think pink taco meets coyote ugly interpreted by Quentin Tarantino,” said Frey. “ I am excited to bring our version of a sexy, energy-infused Mexican restaurant to life. Offering more than just a great place to grab an amazing taco or great tequila, it will be a dining experience that will overload the senses.”

Translating the vibrancy and flavor of the design to the menu, Frey enlisted the help of Master Chef and savvy restaurant owner Richard Sandoval who will serve as the consulting chef. The menu includes Sandoval’s unique presentation of both modern and traditional Mexican cuisine and a drink program filled with an extensive tequila selection, specialty cocktails and infused tequilas. In addition to being a terrific lunch and dinner spot, T&T’s El Salon will be a popular place for nightlife goers to grab a tasty bite in a seductive and comfortable setting. This should help in confusing more people on where to hang out under the light. LAX and Company Bistro were first to sign on and take the risk of re-branding The Luxor. Now it appears that they will need to regroup their efforts for the fierce competition that MGM has cast upon them.

Setting a thematic tone, one of the main focal points is the massive brushed aluminum cover, designed to pay tribute to the sombrero. Adorning the structure are two 20-feet laser cutouts of dancing skeletons. For a fun twist, the cover is lined with lights that shoot down to the ground reflecting the skeleton images on the concrete floor. Continuing to bring the Mexican spirit to life, the designers used a bright color palette of yellows, reds, greens, oranges and blues for chair coverings and decorative lighting throughout the restaurant. Another aesthetic focal point is the bar backdrop. Capturing the excitement and voracity of a bullfight, the bar is transformed into a bull fighting arena. Seated on stadium-style shelves, the liquor bottles are arranged to resemble spectators overlooking a fierce bullfight, which is painted below onto a large mural. Adding to the energy, rock-n-roll music will be incorporated to keep the fun going and the tequila following

Completing the experience, T&T is equipped with a freestanding frozen daiquiri bar that offers drinks to guests on the go and a fashionable clothing and small mementos boutique. Not far from another frozen daiquiri bar just a few steps away.

Construction for T&T will start in February and is projected to be completed by the end of July. Located above hotel registration at Luxor, T&T will be open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will offer late night dining from the taco bar until 3 a.m.