Latest / Vegas Revealed / Lake of Dreams at The Wynn and Unique Vegas Cocktails | Ep. 38

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Lake of Dreams at The Wynn and Unique Vegas Cocktails | Ep. 38 · Vegas Revealed

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Vegas Revealed episode 38.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_04: Las Vegas is known for its entertainment and casinos, but we also have some great cocktails.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_04: We talk with the author of a new book that's full of unique drinks on and off the strip and how you can mix up these concoctions at home.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: Ooh, I like that idea.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: Plus, the when Las Vegas debuts its new Lake of Dreams show.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: After a short hiatus and a revamp, we check it out this week on Vegas Reveal.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_04: Welcome to Vegas Revealed episode 38.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_04: We are plugging our way through October with another resort opening on the Las Vegas strip.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_04: Thanks for joining us.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_04: I'm Sean McAllister.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm Dana Roselli.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we told you last week that Planet Hollywood would be reopening, and it did.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, there was a big old show out front as they reopened after a long hiatus, I should say.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it's been closed for several months more than obviously any of the other resorts on the strip.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: And we were saying last week, Sean, I think this is pretty much the final one.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, uh the it was the the last of the big resorts to uh remain closed.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_04: But as of October uh 8th, Planet Hollywood is back open.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_04: They, as you mentioned, Dana, had some some glitz out there.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_04: They had some some dancers to welcome the crowds back in, kind of dressed up in trench coats and had the cameras snapping pictures like paparazzi.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_04: So they were excited to have uh a guest back at Planet Hollywood.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_04: And so now Planet Hollywood is open.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_04: The Miracle Mile shops, which are attached to Planet Hollywood, uh uh remain open.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_04: They've been open for a little bit now.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_04: And now we're just waiting for theaters to reopen so that we can get our big time headliners playing their concerts once again over there inside the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: I know, I know.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: Could be a little while for that.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: And then our other um two resorts, like the Rio and the Palms, just off the strip, though, they are not reopened.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: Those are kind of the two other big ones.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: And Sean, I snapped a picture the other day in from my balcony, and somebody said, well, the Rio lights are on and the Palms lights are on.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like, when did that happen?
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, I think they've always been on, maybe not in full force, but anyway, maybe now that, you know, like we said, all the strip resorts are open, that it helps to turn the lights on for the other resorts that are off the strip, even though they're not open.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm hoping that you know, at least I really am hoping the palms reopens because they did so much work there.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_04: It it really they did, and it looks really nice inside, and they added some great restaurants.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_04: So it that would be a nice addition to have the palms back open again, too.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it would.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: And um, speaking of changes and and additions and and like kind of you know redoing things, you and I had a a work job the other day, and we went to the strat, and both of us hadn't been in there since it changed from the stratosphere and then was kind of rebranded with a new name, the strat, and seen all the upgrades and wow, it looks beautiful, doesn't it?
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_04: It's really nice inside.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_04: They've added a ton of new art, which you wouldn't, you know, necessarily think of as strat and associate it with art, but um, they've done a really nice job of reaching out to some local artists and filling the the walls with some uh unique pieces.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_04: And it's not just art that you hang on walls, there's big sculptures and really eye-catching pieces over there.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then you and I went to the the top of the world there to shoot some art up there, and I mean, you forget what an incredible view and an incredible restaurant that is, right?
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we were up there and we were walking around.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, it's really gorgeous.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like sometimes, you know, people that are sometimes first timers that come here, they they do think about going up there, but sometimes as people come back, or they're always like, where should I take someone?
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, top of the world, it's incredible.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, it is, and the lounge that's uh up there too is incredible.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_04: Is it the 108 lounge?
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's it's great.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: Is it level 108 or I don't know, we're probably slaughtering it, but uh there's a 108 in there somewhere because I think top of the world's 109.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, but that's a great place to go if you're uh you know just looking for a happy hour um or just a place to hang out for uh for a little bit.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_04: That's I mean, obviously it's a great view because it's a thousand feet up in the air.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_04: But uh they have some great cocktails and food up there too.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_01: They do, and it is really nice.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_01: And actually, tonight, where you mentioned shows, um, my friend John Johnny Katz from uh a columnist for the review journal, he's been on our show before, asked me to come along.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: There's um they're gonna be kicking off the the uh the the LA Comedy Club there.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_01: So they're opening up the big theater, I think, and it's gonna be all socially distance, but they're bringing back comedy.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: So it's kind of one of the big first um shows inside, I think, a casino to open.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so I'll talk about that next week, but that should be good.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: And then we're gonna hit top of the world too, because why not?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: Saw it yesterday and thought, hey, let's go eat dinner up there.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: So it should be pretty good.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that and you know, well done, you know, to the strat and all the team over there for uh, you know, really turning the strat into a a really nice modern casino.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, the mod I mean the the how modern it is is really what I was what I was taken with.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_01: Definitely is.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and speaking of more changes, you and I, what a dinner we had at SW Steakhouse at the Wynn this week, and we got to see the new Lake of Dreams show.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's been around for a long time, but they just had like a little bit of a hiatus, and they've been redoing it, and they debuted it uh just last week, and how fabulous was that.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_04: Oh my gosh.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_04: The so the Lake of Dreams is kind of one of the hidden gems of Las Vegas.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, if you go to Parasol Down, it's one of the bars over there at the Wynn.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_04: Um, they have these kind of umbrella light fixtures that go up and down, and there's a bar down there.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_04: Just outside on the patio, there's a lake, and a lot of people don't realize that that does turn into an entertainment venue.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's like every 20 minutes there are shows, and each show features a different song, and what a variety of songs they had.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: You and I were commenting.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it was incredible.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, there was a song by uh Sonny and Cher, uh, of course, I've got you, babe, and then uh Lady Gaga, and also what, Frankie Valley?
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, was there Frank Sinatra in there too?
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: New York, New York.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and there was some Lady Gaga, and there was uh, you know, ground control to Major Tom.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, yeah, that's right.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_04: A really, it's really cool what they've done with that song.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_04: And uh, it's been a$14 million renovation that they've uh put into the show.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_04: And I did notice that the frog, if there are animals involved, not live animals, but there is a giant frog that's involved in the show.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_04: And uh, I turned to Dana at one point, I was like, I think the frog got new lips.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I wasn't sure.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: I wasn't sure.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: We know he got a hat, he had a costume change though, at one point, right?
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: He did.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_04: That's one one fancy frog.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was good.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's been a while because it opened in 2005, which I didn't even realize.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: And let me tell you, so many people that come to town say, Where should I go?
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I always recommend that, but so many people have not been there before, didn't know it existed.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: So it's really cool place.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: You can sit at one of the restaurants that face it and sit on the patio, or they have Paris All Down where you can go just grab a cocktail and watch the show.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: It's a good place for uh, I think I had a first date there years ago at some point, but it's a good first date place too.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_04: It is, that is, it's a great first date place.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, but the win got the original creative team back together to do this revamp of the Lake of Dreams show.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_04: Among those collaborators is Kenny Ortega.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_04: He is a just a creative genius, he's a big-time Hollywood director, choreographer, you name it.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_04: He does it.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_04: And uh he just talked about his role in revamping and reimagining the Lake of Dreams.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Last night I went out and and safely distanced myself in our outdoor beautiful theater and watched an audience sort of enjoy the new show.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, we're we're hoping that the Lake of Dreams is a beacon of light that says, come on, let's all come back and bring entertainment back to Las Vegas again soon.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so happy to be here.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: I think we're all hoping for that, you know, bringing back entertainment, our entertainers and singers and bands and everyone is suffering so much right now.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: And this was such a great indicator.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: Didn't you feel alive when you left Sean?
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: Like, oh, we got to see something visual and and really experience Vegas again.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_04: Even though there weren't any live performers that were a part of it, it was still a performance.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_04: And it did it kind of made me excited to, you know, have entertainment back.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_04: So that is a great sign, hopefully, that that we'll be back on track and that our entertainers will be back to work very soon.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I hope so.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, okay, the other day my Wi-Fi was out for hours and hours and hours.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: I was bored on Twitter, so I said, you know, throw me some questions or whatever.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: I was going nuts because the Wi-Fi and the cable was out.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I couldn't watch Netflix or regular TV, okay?
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my God.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_04: You may as well have just like gone to the hand pump out back and gotten yourself a bucket of water.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Seriously.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Seriously, I was so bored, but thank goodness for 5G on our phone.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: So I said, you know, hey, who wants to chat?
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: I'm bored.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, number one of the number one questions I got on Twitter, Sean, was if you and I are gonna be at the opening of Circa that is opening in downtown Las Vegas, the first new build since what, 1980?
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_01: It's almost done.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna open on October 28th.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: So it's coming up.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and they were just putting the finishing touches on um one of the final circa signs that's down on uh like Fremont Street level.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_04: That's the final little piece of the C was going up on the sign.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_04: So I all all indications are that they are on track.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_04: Well, they have to be on track because they're having a grand opening party, and guests are coming on October 28th.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_04: So they they're in they're in the home stretch here to get all those little finishes done.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so it's the it's the casino and the restaurants that are opening in October, and then I think what is it, hotels don't open, or hotel rooms, I should say, for full stays don't, I think, kick in until December.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: So keep that in mind.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_01: But it's an over 21 property, too.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and uh there's gonna be some art inside of Circa also.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, one of the key installations that's inside is Vegas Vicky.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_04: So if you remember old vintage Fremont Street, there's Vegas Vic.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_04: He's the cowboy who, you know, kind of he's up there smoking a cigarette, waving howdy.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_04: And then across the street was Vegas Vicky, and she's in the cowgirl gide up and she's kicking her leg up in the air.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_04: So Vegas Vicky was taken down, refurbished, and now is going to be reinstalled inside circa.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_04: So that's a nice piece of vintage Vegas that I'm excited to see once we get inside there.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be cool.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's what you know, Fremont Street is all about, you know, the neon.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like even in some ways, more than the strip, don't you?
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: With the signal, yeah.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, oh, and I did look it up.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: You can start staying at circa December 28th.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: So it's the end of December that the room reservations kick in.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, good.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so so folks were asking us, uh, Sean, if we were going on the 28th.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, actually, we're gonna be at, we got some golden tickets in the mail, and apparently we were invited to the big shindig.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, they were literally golden tickets.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: They were.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: Derek Stevens always does it right.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, listen, it's a black tie event, and Sean, I know you and I have talked about maybe juicing next week to lose a few pounds because we have to get into our black tie affair, and it's been a rough few months.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_04: I tried to uh squeeze into my my tuxedo the other day, and that this quarantine 15 is a real thing, and that needs to come off before the 27th so that I can uh look presentable walking in there.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I know.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: I went to the doctor today and I got on the scale, right?
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, listen, I know I gained 10 pounds.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: And then they're like, no, don't worry, like you only gained six compared to last year.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_01: Kind of felt like it was like you were fat last year too.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, thanks, thanks for that reminder.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: Now I don't feel as bad.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: You know, and then my doctor's like, oh, it's probably a muscle, you know, muscle.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: You're working out.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, oh yeah.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: He's like, oh yeah, the muscle, you know, suiting most of it.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, all right, step softening them blow.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_01: I've gained, I've gained six pounds and then some.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: Let's just be honest.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_04: So yeah, we are on a mission to get that off before the the big grand opening at Circa on the 27th.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, that'll be a great episode.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sure we'll be able to um tell you everything about it, and then we'll we'll eventually talk to Derek Stevens again and revisit with him.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: He's already been on the show, but we want to talk to him after it opens and and see how it's going.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: And if it's everything that he imagined, I have a feeling that it will be.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and you know, Las Vegas has become known as a culinary destination, and with that comes some really incredible cocktails, too.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_04: And coming up next, our guest has literally written the book on Las Vegas cocktails, and uh you will talk to her next and how you can bring a taste of Vegas right to your living room.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for listening to Vegas Revealed.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: We want to remind you of all the ways you can stay in touch with us, and one of our big ones is Vegas-revealed.com because on that website is all our information, all the ways that you can listen to the podcasts, and also links to all of our social media.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_04: And we put up some some great Las Vegas-related stories that and the happenings going on around town, so be sure to check that out.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_04: Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as we're out and about.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_04: That's where you'll see what we're up to, and of course, our YouTube page.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we've got it all, folks.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_01: Go to vegas-revealed.com and see what we're all about.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome back.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_01: You know, Las Vegas is known for its cocktails.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: And lucky for you, someone wrote a book about it.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: So we're super excited about our guest today because we are talking everything cocktails that you can either make at home or if you're visiting Vegas, some really cool spots that you can visit, Sean.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that's right, Dana.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_04: And you know, over the past, what, 20 years, Las Vegas has become known as a fine dining destination.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_04: And along with the fine dining has really come some pretty impressive cocktail programs.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, Sivon Gavish is the Las Vegas blogger behind the Olive Brunette, and she is also now an author of the new book, Las Vegas Cocktails, and Sivon is joining us.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_04: Sivon, how are you?
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I'm good.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you guys for having me.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_02: Of course.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, what's it like to write about cocktails?
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: That's a fun job.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh, it was so much fun.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_02: One day I was drinking 15 cocktails.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: Not drinking the whole thing, obviously, sipping on them, but it it was a fun job.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and how did complain?
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: How did this come about?
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: You said someone approached you, right?
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: Because they saw your blog.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I have a Las Vegas blog called The Olive Brunette, and uh I got an email one day asking if I'd be interested in writing a Las Vegas cocktail book.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_02: And I thought it was spammy in the beginning.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_02: I wasn't I wasn't quite sure because it seemed too good to be true.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_02: But um, after a little digging, I was like, okay, yeah, they really want me to write about cocktails.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_02: So it just kind of it just kind of happened.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_02: I manifested it.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: It was awesome.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_04: And so I definitely want to uh dive into what you have inside uh your new book, Las Vegas Cocktails.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_04: But getting back to the blog and how um the the publisher found you, uh in conversations with them, did they uh explain to you what it was about your blog that that really caught their attention and and made them say, Hey, you know what?
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_04: Sivon would be great to write a book about cocktails.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, my main focus with um the Olive Brunette is food and beverage.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_02: And I have a lot of blog posts about where to eat in Vegas, where to drink in Vegas, where to wine and dine your friends if they come and visit.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that was very attractive to them.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um I've made a lot of connections in the city, and so I think that you know, they really wanted someone who was able to get their foot in the door and uh talk to a lot of these bartenders and mixologists.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_02: So I guess I guess that was attractive to them.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_01: Well, let's let's talk about some of these unique cocktails because we've got some really cool places, and I know that our listeners just love to know kind of like insider things from from us and from some of the guests that we have on and know where to go instead of just some of the regular spots that they hear about in the big travel magazine or whatever.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_01: So tell us about some of the spots and some of the unique ones.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I talked to a lot of locals who are not familiar with uh one of the restaurants called Sparrow and Wolf.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_02: Happens to be one of my favorite places, and they put some incredible cocktails in the book.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and that one is not on the strip, so if anyone who's visiting the strip and wants to kind of venture off, this is a a great place to go.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and any locals who want to try something new, this is a fantastic one.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_02: But they put an interesting cocktail in the book.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_02: It's called Don't Cry Wolf, and it has some chive dust in the cocktail, which I thought was very unique.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know if you guys have ever heard of a cocktail with chive dust.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_01: I've never even heard of chive dust.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_01: I know what chive is and I know what dust is, so I guess you put it together.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: It it it really makes for a beautiful cocktail from with a vibrant green.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um, the cocktail itself is very yellow, um, and it tastes delicious, but it has some lime juice, lemon, Sichuan foam, and uh Chai, Thai chili mezcal and some tequila.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: So that one's a great one to try.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then if you're on the strip, Vetricuchina, have you guys heard of that one?
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um that is incredible.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_02: That one has some of the most amazing views of the city.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_02: I I just I was in awe when I was when I was up there.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but they have one called No Lettu, and it's a beautiful pink drink, I like to call it.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_02: And it has Aperol, grapefruit juice, um, and no let silver gin.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_02: And it's kind of like an Aperol spritz but with a cocktail twist.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_02: So if you're an Aperol fan, this one's real.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_04: Mark Vettry, uh the chef, who we've uh we've had on a past episode here on Vegas revealed.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_04: He's he's known for his uh Italian cuisine, and uh, you know, the Aperol spritz just goes right along with that.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_04: And you know, the Palms is obviously um near the strip, just you know, a block away, and there are a lot of cocktail programs associated with the restaurants on the strip, but our downtown area has really been booming with uh some standalone uh bars that have developed their own programs.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, 100%.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, the downtown cocktail room is one of my favorite places to go downtown.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of people aren't familiar with that one, but it's like a it's a speakeasy vibe.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_02: So you have to really go and look for the door, and it's a fun experience, you know, from the minute you find it to, you know, being inside and then walking out.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um and yeah, the downtown area is definitely booming.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_02: There are so many places um from downtown in the book, so definitely check those.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_04: And the downtown cocktail room, that's right at uh Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, right?
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes, it's right there.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_04: And it's just a door inside the door on a brick wall.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_02: I can never explain where to find where where people can find out.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_02: I'm just like, look for a look for the door, look for the door.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: Just like have fun walking around.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_02: That one's an interesting one.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: And I wanted to note, just for folks listening, the Palms is not reopened yet.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: So if you come into town, don't run over to the Palms just yet.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: But Mark Fettery does have a new restaurant that he opened over at Red Rock, so um, you know, good cocktails over there too.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: And then let's talk about folks that maybe they can't get here right now.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: You know, they're dying to come to Vegas, they want to travel here.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, but your book um has, you know, the recipes for these cocktails, right?
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: People can make these at home.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_02: They're the exact recipe that they create in the restaurants um or bars and lounges.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_02: So they can feel like they're drinking in Las Vegas with all these recipes at home.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_02: And it gives you a very detailed guide as to how to make everything.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, you could sip like you're drinking in Vegas.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: Well, which is more popular than ever, right?
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_01: Because people are, you know, just home with their families or home with their significant other, and they're like, Okay, what are we gonna do tonight?
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: Let's make drinks.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_02: Totally.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_02: And the fun thing about this is they could branch out and try things that they wouldn't normally want to try, or if they did go visit one of the restaurants, then um you know, one of them might stand out and they're they're thinking about trying it, but they're not so sure.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_02: And so now at home they could really, really try it, not offend anyone if they don't like it and just kind of move on to the next cocktail.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_04: And I don't know if if there are other people like me or not, but when I go on vacation and especially to To a unique destination.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_04: I'll try and bring back recipes that I've tasted from that destination.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_04: So when I'm home, I can re-experience that all over again.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_04: Because flavors really do evoke memories.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_04: So that's a great way for people to relive their Vegas experience.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, totally.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_02: Totally.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_02: And that's one of the things that I write about in the book is that, you know, all these um, these flavors bring back all the memories, like you said, and so they can just, you know, have them again and again and again as many times as they want.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_04: Hey, I'm I'm good with again and again and again when cocktails are evolved.
• 22:40
  unknown: I know.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_01: Me too.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: Well, since you've been to all these really cool places on and off the strip, you know, Sean and I do a segment called uh our secret tips.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: So what are your some of maybe some of your secret tips or maybe hidden gems or some of your favorites around town that people may not know about?
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, well, a tip I learned when I was um, you know, researching all these cocktails is I would normally go out with my girlfriends and I would just stick with the same cocktail because I knew I liked it.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and all these mixologists, they're creating art in a glass, and they're really saying if you know you're a little worried about trying a cocktail, just go for how you think it will look or how you think it will smell, and that might create a new favorite for you.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_02: So I I just recommend branching out and trying something that you wouldn't normally try because you you you'll be surprised.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_02: I was definitely surprised trying all these.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_02: Some of these mixologists were creating drinks for me to try, and I was like, oh, I don't know.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_02: And then I tried it and I was like, okay, way, I really, really like that.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: So I would definitely just branch out from your normal.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_04: Now, Sivan, are any of the cocktails that are featured in your book like kind of secret menu items, things that aren't traditionally listed on the cocktail list at some of these parking locations?
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_02: Definitely.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_02: One in particular that's standing out to me is Parkway Tavern.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_02: They're um local and they have a s'mores cocktail in their book, and I don't it's not seasonal.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_02: Well, it is seasonal, but um they they sometimes don't have it on the menu, so you'll have to just ask for it and they can create it for you.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_04: So that's a good tip right there.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_04: Just buddy up with your bartender and find out what their specific specialty is because it may not be wasted.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, one hundred percent.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: And I always oh sorry.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_01: No, I was gonna say I always feel like you know, um, bartenders or mixologists, they're all help helpful when because I like I was just Sean and I were chatting before you you uh logged on with us, and I was saying I don't really love sweet drinks, and I but I always say, like, well, I want to try a cocktail, but I don't want it to be sweet, or I want it to be a little spicy, and then they are like, okay, this one, or or I can create you something.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_02: Definitely.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_02: That was another tip I learned from um David Cooper, actually the mixologist over at Vetcher Cucina.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_02: He said, even if you're not like quite sure with what you want, if like you said, you don't want something sweet, just have a conversation with them and just tell them what you do like, and they will create you something that will be perfect for you and your dinner or your brunch or lunch, breakfast if you want to drink uh then.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_01: Around here, everyone works different ships, right?
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no judgment.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_01: Do you think what Las Vegas is competitive when it comes to, you know, a cocktail city when we think of like, you know, what cities are vibrant and have the best cocktails?
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we're up there, aren't we?
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_02: We're definitely up there, yeah.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_02: And we have a lot of mixologists from all over the world that come come down here and uh learn from the best.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_02: So we're definitely up there.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it is quite competitive to work in some of these hotels, as I've learned.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and they definitely need to work their way up.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_02: So it's it's fascinating knowing that a drink that you will be um drinking is created from some of the best people in the world.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_04: Well, I think that uh Las Vegas cocktails is uh an absolutely brilliant idea for a book.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_04: And Sivon, I'm glad that you are the person who is behind it.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, Las Vegas Cocktails is available at Barnes and Noble, Costco, Target, Amazon, and Walmart.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_04: So pretty much anywhere you go, you'll be able to pick up Las Vegas cocktails.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_04: And if you live here, it's a great way to sip your way around your hometown.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_04: Or if you're from out of town, it's a good way to plan your next trip.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: Listen, Stevon, thanks so much for joining us.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: A great chat.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, thank you guys so much.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_02: This was fun.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: Cheers and drink up.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_02: Cheers.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_04: And you can also follow Stevon on the Olive Brunette blog.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_04: That is the olivebrunette.com.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, we've got a pretty good tip this week that we we've never really talked about, Sean, but that we've actually experienced um in downtown Las Vegas.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: And now a new experience has been added to the aria.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_01: And we're talking about the finger-licking foodie tours.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and this is such a great idea.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_04: And I hadn't really heard of it before we went out and experienced this for ourselves.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_04: But there are a series of different uh finger-licking foodie tours uh around Las Vegas.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_04: The one we did, as you mentioned, was in downtown.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_04: But it takes you to uh a predetermined number of restaurants.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_04: You get uh, I wouldn't even call it an appetizer.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_04: It's a pretty good portion of food at each restaurant, and uh you go on this walking tour and get to experience so many great restaurants and see some really cool things along the way, too.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that one that we did um downtown was, you know, like 79 bucks.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_01: You get three restaurants and you get VIP seating, which is means when you walk in, there's already something reserved for you.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_01: So once you book your tour, you don't have to go around and make reservations, you know, because that's so hard right now, too, because places fill up at the 50% capacity that they had.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so now you just walk in, your seats waiting for you, and you get to sample a bunch of each restaurant's different, like their signature dishes.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: Like they give you like a sample of each.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: And and the one that we did was downtown, and you get to walk in between, and it was really great.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: And this one was self-guided, and you know, that way you didn't have the extra person, you know, because we're trying to do more social distancing.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so it was really great for a date night or something like that.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_01: We actually have it on our YouTube, our Vegas Revealed YouTube.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_01: Sean and I go through and experience the whole thing and put together a story for uh Don over at uh Finger Lickin' Foodie Tours, which we've gotten a lot of feedback that people say, hey, thanks for doing this.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_01: It really shows what it's like.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and there were a lot of people who had uh seen the the tour for the first time when we created that video, but now there's a new addition to the Finger Lickin' Foodie Tour, and it's over at the Aria Resort.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_04: And this, you know, is another socially distanced culinary experience.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_04: But um, you it's a two-hour self-guided tour.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_04: You go to three amazing restaurants with um the option to add a beverage package onto the deal.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_04: It really is an incredible option if you're staying down on the strip, or even if you live here and you want to get down to the strip and just check things out.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's it is great.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_01: And Aria has some great restaurants, and you get three courses at each of the three restaurants, and the ones that are on the list are you know, catch and carbon and uh Bardot Brasserie, and I don't know if I'm is it Jean Georges's steakhouse?
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_01: I've been there a million times, but I always hope hope I'm saying it right.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_04: Jean George.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_01: Jean Georges, yeah, amazing place.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_01: I used to live next door at Veer in the Towers, and I know the restaurants at Aria are top notch.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_01: So$150, and you get to tour and and go around on your own and hit all those places.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_01: It's just kind of like a fun vibe, too.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_04: And they've uh included a special add-on for this aria finger-looking foodie tour as well.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_04: After the tour is over for an extra uh hundred dollars per person, you get a motor coach that takes you over to the Maverick Helicopters hangar, and you get a 15-minute flight above Las Vegas, you know, as a way to kind of cap off your evening.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_04: So that's a really cool addition that they have.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's great.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_01: You know, finding things for people to to do right now is is key, and this is a great, great thing.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, look it up.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_01: And they also have one in Chinatown off the strip as well, and then um the finger-looking foodie tour, excuse me, the lip smacking foodie tour is another thing.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_01: Then that hits a couple different hotels along the strip, and that's been around for a while.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_01: But these new self-guided ones are really cool, something different.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I know Don that runs it over there, he's always thinking of new ideas and trying to find ways for people to go enjoy food.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_04: He is.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_04: So you can check that out at fingerlickingfoody tours.com.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_01: All right, that's our tip of the week.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_01: That is our rundown for the week.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_01: Uh gosh, when we talk to you next time, folks, it'll be mid-October already.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, God.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_04: And hopefully we'll have uh more news on the entertainment front and more shows opening up, too.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_04: We're hearing some whispers right now, so uh we we should have some something concrete to talk about for you next week.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, everyone, enjoy your uh fall pumpkin spice.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see you next week on Vegas Reveal.