1. Track #1: Jerry Seinfeld, “New Show” @The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
It’s easy to align with Jerry Seinfeld. The comedian extraordinaire and actor is infectiously “sick of everything” in a world teeming with numbing absurdities but absolutely delighted to be alive so he can make us all laugh about it.
In front of an adoring crowd at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace (where he’s performed since 2003), Seinfeld came out swinging. He possesses a nice guy demeanor, but you know he’s somewhat pissed off, too. He told the audience upfront that he had no problem with being filmed and then went on to satirize cell phone usage at shows (the phones quickly went away).
He poked fun at artificial intelligence (“it can’t write comedy”), energy drinks (he’s a coffee man, 100 percent), and NBC TV for creating the show “Friends.” He called it an imitation of “Seinfeld”—with “good-looking people.”
Seinfeld is confident enough to deflate himself. Why else would he blandly name his current show the “New Show” when you know he could easily come up with a witty moniker for it? He professes to be a happy family man but admits that “I don’t vacation well,” adding that “my wife gets upset when I don’t have a good time.” I’m guessing that, sometimes, it’s a buzzkill living with Jerry, but probably a lot of fun, too.
Seinfeld will return to Caesars with four more shows this year: two in August (9 and 10) and another pair in September (6 and 7).
2. Track #2: Gamblers General Store @Downtown Vegas
Admit it—you’re guilty of driving by interesting-looking places that you vow to one day explore but never actually do.
If you’re a Las Vegas local, that place might even be the Gamblers General Store on S Main St. I’ve cruised by the storefront multiple times without going inside, even though its exterior is gorgeously adorned with gambling-themed murals by local artist Fernando Reyes.
Finally, I dropped into this 40-year-old sprawling store that sells casino-quality items to the public.
You can buy everything under the gambling sun here: poker tables, vintage slot machines, automatic card shufflers, and poker chips and dice from local casinos.
There are also bingo supplies, dominos, gambling books, branded playing cards (Beatles, Stones, Grateful Dead), and Vegas souvenirs galore.
The collector in me was ecstatic to buy an array of mint-condition matchbooks from long-gone hotels and casinos like The Dunes and Aladdin. Customers also come here to order custom chips made in-house for commemorative moments like weddings and graduations.
Store manager Wendy Rock told me professional poker players like Phil Laak have stopped in as well as famous names including ZZ Top rocker Billy Gibbons, Drew Carey, Brad Garrett, Dan Rather, and actress Jennifer Tilly (also a pro poker player).
The shop opened back in 1984 and five years ago moved to its current location. You’ll find it across the street from its original building (which is still there, waiting to be sold).
3. Track #3: “Absinthe” 13th Anniversary @ Spiegeltent at Caesars Palace
The lovably deranged folks at Spiegelworld, famous for their button-pushing, loose-cannon humor, have brought us memorable shows like “Absinthe,” “Atomic Saloon,” and “Opium” (which closed last year).
With their new production waiting in the wings—“DiscoShow,” set to open in late July at the Linq Hotel + Experience—Spiegelworld celebrated the 13th anniversary of “Absinthe.”
The evening began with a Halloween-in-April costume party for 600 revelers in the Green Fairy Garden, right outside the Spiegeltent at Caesars Palace.
The bash then segued into a reliably over-the-top-under-the-big-top “Absinthe” performance that went even more off the rails than the last time I last saw it (February 2023).
“Absinthe” is billed as an “adults-only circus, comedy and burlesque” show, with jugglers, hand balancers, tap dancers, and ariel acrobats, like the astonishing “Hot Chicks On Sticks.”
The show is hosted by a foul-mouthed comedian known as “The Gazillionaire,” who plays off his assistant, “Wanda Widdles.” Their not-for-everyone humor is raw and sexually charged; they push comedy all the way to the edge and giddily skewer conservatism.
Even if the jokes didn’t always hit the mark at this ultra-loose celebratory performance, the duo’s sheer outrageousness was still thrilling.
“Absinthe” keeps packing them in every night of the year. There are two shows every Sunday through Thursday at 8pm and 10pm, and three shows on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm, 9pm and 11pm.
4. Track #4: Restaurant Medley
Here’s a medley of dishes that have recently rocked my world, starting with the Churrasco con Tallarin Verde—grilled ribeye steak served with pesto sauce and linguini—at Moia Peruvian Restaurant.
It’s a hidden gem on W Bonanza Rd that’s thriving after opening around a year ago. I was also wowed by their Conchas Parmesana: Peruvian scallops in a white wine/butter sauce that are disarmingly, but deliciously, topped with parmesan cheese.
Elsewhere, don’t miss the thinly sliced and absolutely perfect Pollo Parmigiana served with Spaghetti Marina at Aromi on Rampart Blvd near W Lake Mead Blvd.
At my recent visit, Aromi hit a home run with an intriguingly multiflavored “appetizer of the day”: Stuffed Zucchini Flower with Black Truffle, and Burrata on a bed of light marinara and arugula.
The chef/founder of this intimate, off-Strip eatery is German Castellanos, known for his 12-year run as Executive Chef at the old Valentino at The Venetian.
Looking to go down a fried rabbit hole? Run to Beijing Noodle No. 9—tucked away inside Caesars Palace—for their Salt and Pepper Chicken. It’s soft and crunchy, lightly battered with sweet onion and fresh chilis. Thumbs up, too, for their spiced-just-right Singapore Noodle, consisting of rice vermicelli with barbecue pork, shrimp, and curry.
Over at Fontainebleau’s buzzy-and-always-booked Los Angeles import Mother Wolf, I was captivated by their lovingly prepared Rigatoni All’Amatriciana, with guanciale, tomato sauce, and pecorino romano.
Less successful was the Pizza Classica, with Buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, and wild arugula, because the crust came out of the kitchen super-dry. When I pointed this out to our waiter, the restaurant graciously removed the pizza from the bill, instantly earning my business in the future.
5. Track #5: Patisserie Manon @Summerlin
With this tantalizing selling point—”We are known for serving authentic French pastries with American size portions”—Patisserie Manon has been getting folks in its doors since 2010 (no matter that it’s hidden in a shopping plaza on Charleston Blvd W near Boca Park).
It’s a dreamy place overflowing with baguettes, almond croissants, eclairs, macarons (16 flavors), tarts, Napoleons, and petit four cakes (the latter of which need to be ordered 72 hours in advance).
No wonder Manon is well regarded for its custom cakes: “We make our own genoise (cake sponge), whip our own whipped cream and buttercream, and fill our cakes with the freshest fruit.”
There are two roomy seating areas where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and early dinner (it closes most nights at 8pm).
I stopped in on a lazy Saturday afternoon and ordered their spot-on turkey, pesto, and cheese crêpe, served with a small side salad, and took home an excellent spinach and goat cheese quiche.
You can also build your own crêpes, with sweet or meat and cheese fillings, at Manon. For those who can’t make decisions, no problem—simply go with their Nutella and banana crepe, top it off with one of four different sauces (perhaps raspberry?), and go home happy.
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