6/30/21
Walking around the newly opened Resorts World last night, it was terrific to feel the unique spirit of Los Angeles, all under one roof. There’s Fred Segal, Wally’s, Craig’s Vegan Ice Cream, the soon-to-open Mulberry Street Pizzeria and L.A. chef Ray Garcia’s Viva, where his creative Mexican cuisine delivered on all counts including those transcendent chorizo and potato taquitos.
Had a blast last night at the long-running “The Rat Pack Is Back” at the Copa Room inside Tuscany Suites & Casino, conjuring an era of alcohol-spiked performances by virtuosos armed with truckloads of ribald humor. “I love Vegas like Sinatra loves Jack Daniel’s,” as Dean Martin notes on the album “The Rat Pack: Live At The Sands.”
People need people, right? Thanks to everyone who came out last Wednesday in Las Vegas for the 3:00 PM happy hour meet-up. It was a fantastic turnout with new + old friends including L.A. folks (some who live here, some who don’t) + Schneider Rondan Organization clients. Good vibrations were in abundance along with drinks + soul-satisfyin’ pizza at the super accommodating Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria in Summerlin. Definitely planning on making this a regular thing.
Back row, from left:
Tour/road manager Adriane Biondo, singer Brendan Shane (The Nocturnal Affair), writer Lonn Friend, guitarist Bruce Kulick (Grand Funk Railroad), singer Megan Ruger (The Voice), keyboardist Michael T. Ross (Raiding the Rock Vault), bassist Scott Snyder (Great White).
Front row:
Manager Paul Geary and me
With concerts coming back, today I reached into my pile of tour books of artists whose PR we’ve been lucky to handle. Along with the artists, road crew, managers, agents, accountants and other band handlers, we received these books at the start of every tour which list tour dates, hotels/amenities, etc. There’s a world of memories I tap into, and some drama too, when I look at these crown jewels from the #mitchmuseum.
For Schneider Rondan Organization, the fun continues as we still work with Ozzy Osbourne and Joe Perry.
Remember the days when press kit folders with striking covers were used to excite the media about projects? From my collection of past PR clients…
It was a lazy + super sweet Vegas Sunday. Started in Chinatown at Take It Easy Roasters which has a traditional Colombian bakery. The “dalgona matcha”—honey milk topped with a whipped matcha meringue garnished with fresh cracked sea salt + chocolate shavings—was transcendent. Same goes for the vegan + gluten-free banana bread loaf with seared pecans, plus the bunuelo with cheese. Next up: the Arts District, where we stopped into the antique store Main Street Peddlers before heading back to Chinatown to wander around the sprawling food paradise, Shanghai Plaza, to check out future possibilities. Headed next to Pamplona Cocktails & Tapas Las Vegas, an off-Strip eatery on Sahara that surpassed all expectations + was priced right. Roasted beets salad with mushroom, goat cheese. Roasted potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and oil. Shrimp in chili garlic oil with white wine. Homemade beef meatballs in Spanish tomato sauce with green beans. Couldn’t say no to dessert. The fried brioche bread with Spanish custard, caramelized sugar + cinnamon powder was sweetness to the square root of infinity.
4/5/21
Rana + I had a perfect Vegas Sunday, starting off at the eclectic Gäbi Coffee & Bakery in Chinatown where the “honeydew latte” tasted as surreal + delicious as it sounded. Headed next to the fun + smart Charleston Antique Mall on Decatur Blvd…then moved on to dinner at the top-shelf + well-priced Lemongrass at ARIA (pad Thai, black pepper shrimp, sesame chicken). Friendly waiters in chic uniforms + dazzling lighting fixtures in an epic dining room (plus a gorgeous bar area) add to the experience. Walking around the eye candy-rich Aria lobby is always a treat, and we then got in extra steps next door at the massive, high-end The Shops at Crystals. Didn’t have to pay for parking once…thank you, Vegas!
3/25/21
Celebrated nearly one year of living in Las Vegas last night by going out on the town and supporting businesses…with my wife Rana supplying the abundant polka dots. Started with an early dinner at the fairly new Main St. Provisions in the The Las Vegas Arts District before heading to the Delirious Comedy Club at the nearby Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino where it was a real treat to be in the audience for the first time in over a year. The restaurant’s throwback cool ambience, and its imaginative take on modern American comfort food was soulful and tasty. We had the shrimp + rice grits, the charcoal oven burger with apple smoked walnut cheddar + demi sauce, and the braised greens in an “oat milk white wine broth, crispy shallot and pumpkin oil” (say what?). Over at the club, there was a bigger crowd than I thought there would be—around 75 people, with socially distanced seating…folks laughing while masked…hardly easy I imagine for the three excellent comics (separated by 12 or so feet from the front row) who couldn’t see the facial expressions of those they were entertaining.
