Paris Las Vegas will open the city's latest haute hangouts, Ah Sin and Risque, an Asian restaurant mated with an ultra lounge, on Monday, March 10. The new restaurant and nightspot feature discreet terraces and intimate balconies with stunning views of the Las Vegas Strip.

Ah Sin features Japanese sushi, Chinese noodle specialties, Thai satay, Korean barbecue and a host of Pacific Rim cuisines. Featured dishes are prepared by expert chefs at nearby action stations rimming the dining room. Patrons may order a la carte items or choose interactive dining at the Dim Sum, Satay Bar or Asian Grill. An expansive sushi bar provides additional seating.

Service starts with a ritual hand-washing ceremony. The pouring of pure water scented with jasmine oil washes away worries. Tea service, considered an art in many Eastern cultures, follows with a selection of exotic blends. Indulgent French desserts offer a sinful finale.

The restaurant takes its name from a legendary 19th Century character created by writer Bret Harte, a Chinese gambler who outsmarts a pair of California miners who had set out to cheat him. The decor suggests an abandoned French ministry transformed into a contemporary Asian restaurant.

Ah Sin is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. until midnight, and caters to parties on the premises. For individual reservations of 12 or fewer, call 702-967-7999. For parties larger than 12, phone 702/967-4728.

Risque is located above Ah Sin. It is a chic second-story nightspot, offering a new "nightculture" for Las Vegas - with plush couches, luxuriant beds and expansive ottomans surrounding an intimate dance floor. Also featured are a decadent dessert and specialty coffee bar, private balconies and an outdoor terrace.

Risque is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. for guests 21 or older. Patrons may enter via new center-Strip casino entrances or through the casino interior. There's a cover charge of $20 for gentlemen and $10 for ladies. For table reservations, phone 702-967-7999, and for large groups, call 702-967-4729.

The Rio has announced plans to transform its beverage service into a new form of casino entertainment called "BevErtainment." Slated for a late-May launch, the Rio will be the first to incorporate a new concept into the serving of beverages within all areas of the hotel-casino.

The Rio has signed a multi-year contract with Dick Foster Productions, the producers of the Rio's popular "Masquerade Show in the Sky." They will audition professional performers to execute choreographed singing and dancing music routines periodically throughout the casino. These numbers will be similar to that of a major Las Vegas production show. When the "BevErtainers" aren't entertaining, they will be trained to execute a high level of beverage service.

Singer, songwriter and author Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will bring their tour to the 17,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, April 26. Tickets are $65, $100, and $200 plus applicable service charges, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.

Buffett's far-flung legion of fans, affectionately called Parrotheads, are known to parade around at the events in colorful, tropically outrageous outfits inspired by his songs.

Buffett's new record, "Meet Me in Margaritaville," is set to be released April 15 on MCA Universal Records. The upcoming record will be a two-CD release featuring a collection of his greatest hits.

Buffett has recorded more than 30 records. His recording, "Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads," is one of the biggest selling box sets in MCA Records history and was certified quadruple platinum.

As an author, Buffett has written three best sellers: "Tales from Margaritaville," "Where is Joe Merchant?" and "A Pirate Looks at Fifty." He is one of only six authors in the history of the New York Times Bestseller List to have reached No. 1 on both their fiction and non-fiction lists. The other authors include Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, William Styron, Irving Wallace and Dr. Seuss.

The Nevada Gay Rodeo Association's (NGRA) BigHorn - 2003 Rodeo will be held in Las Vegas at Horseman's Park, April 4-6, for the sixth year in a row. The NGRA rodeo includes traditional events in rough stock, speed, and roping categories as well as crowd pleasing camp events such as steer decorating, goat dressing and wild drag racing.

The camp events have been designed to allow novice competitors to compete with seasoned rodeo participants. This year NGRA is adding some new events, Mutton Busting and Wild 'N Wooley Wodeo Drag Race, designed to involve spectators, especially children.

BigHorn Rodeo has become one of the largest rodeos on the gay circuit in terms of competitors, regularly exceeding 140 competitors. It is considered an amateur sport for men and women, but the rules are very similar to traditional rodeo.

An NGRA rodeo is much more than a simple spectators' sporting event. It is a "cultural festival" where the attendees enjoy entertainment, dancing, dining, and vendor sales, as well as educational and artistic experiences.

In addition to the activities at the rodeo grounds, NGRA utilizes a host hotel for the weekend and produces well attended public entertainment events in the evenings beginning with The BigHorn Rodeo Cow Patty Bar Crawl on Thursday, April 3 at 9 p.m. Participants will take buses and party at five popular local gay establishments until 1 or 2 a.m. Friday is a party in the Castaways Ballroom at 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday feature afternoon entertainment at Horseman's Park, followed by an 8 p.m. party at the Castaways on Saturday night. Each event is $10. The awards party at the Castaways on Sunday night is free. For information, call 1-888-643-NGRA (6472) or visit www.bighornrodeo.com. .

The NGRA was formed in 1992 as an affiliate of the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) that has 20 member associations nationwide and in Canada. Those associations produce at least 18 sanctioned rodeos each year, including International Finals. NGRA is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization interested in promoting the western lifestyle and producing gay rodeos for the purpose of satisfying community commitment to raise charitable funds.

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Academy Award nominee Ann-Margret returns to Las Vegas and brings her new production show to the MGM Grand's 740-seat Hollywood Theatre, March 27 - April 2. Tickets are $49.50 inclusive, call 1-800- 929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

Ann-Margret recently completed an 18-month tour starring in the multi-million dollar theatrical production "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and recording the new cast album. She received an Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nomination as Best Actress in a movie for TV, starring the legendary Pamela Harriman in the Lifetime film, "Life of the Party." Margret also starred in the CBS mini-series "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town" and in the ten-hour NBC mini-series, "The Tenth Kingdom" as well as the Oliver Stone movie "Any Given Sunday" with Al Pacino and Cameron Diaz. Her Showtime movie "Happy Face Murders" was the highest rated original movie for fifteen months.

For the twelfth consecutive year, the Imperial Palace will present Shangri-la pool deck luaus, twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday, with a tropical setting, a seafood buffet and a Polynesian revue from April 22 through October 23.

Hawaiian Hot Luau! "Imperial-style," will begin at 6:30 p.m., weather permitting. For reservations, call 888-777-7664 or 702-794-3261.

The admission price of $29.95 per person for adults and $16 for children 4-12, includes tax, the dinner buffet, unlimited mai tai and pina colada drinks for adults and non-alcoholic fruit punch, and the revue presented by Rozita Lee's "Drums Of The Islands" with the fire knife dance. Other pageantry includes the call of the conch shells, ceremonial lighting of the torches and island lei greeting. Hula lessons and sing-a-long's encourage guest participation.

In addition, characters from the "Legends In Concert" make appearances at the luau for photo opportunities with guests and autograph signing.

Master illusionist, Rick Thomas, the most recent recipient of the Magician of the Year Award from the Academy of Magical Arts, is taking his show to Japan for a second consecutive year from March 17-April 1. His afternoon production show at the Tropicana will be seen by thousands of Japanese tourists at the Nagasaki Holland Village where he'll perform a total of 26 one-hour shows.

Eight members of Thomas' cast and two of his white tigers, Sampson and Starr, will make the journey. Before making the Tropicana the steady home for his show, Thomas toured the world, performing in over 30 countries, including Australia, China, Korea, Hong Kong, and Guam, where he spent five years on stage.

Thomas will return to the Tropicana on April 2 performing 2 and 4 p.m. shows daily except Fridays. Tickets are $16.95 for table seating and $21.95 for a booth, call 702-739-2411.

Had a fabulous opportunity to try Pietro's intimate 40-seat restaurant at the Tropicana recently. It was opened in June 1997 by Pietro Musetto, who was a longtime maitre' d in the Sultan's Table at the old Dunes Hotel. After the Dunes closed, he joined the Tropicana's food and beverage team, working first as the maitre' d in the Rhapsody Restaurant, the former gourmet room, then at the El Gaucho Restaurant, which is now the Savanna, where he had a separate section in the back to prepare his famous tableside delights.

When DiMartino's, the leased Italian Restaurant decided to depart the hotel, Pietro wanted a place of his own with quaint charm, continental cuisine and personalized tableside service.

Already a winner, Pietro's restaurant is a winner of two consecutive DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) awards and was named one of America's Top One Hundred Restaurants by the International Restaurant and Hospitality Rating Bureau. The restaurant is open Thursday through Monday, from 5 to 11 p.m., call 702-739-2341.

Country singing star Alan Jackson will perform at The Star of the Desert Arena located at Buffalo Bill's in Primm, Nev. on Saturday, April 26, with opening act Joe Nichols. Tickets are $45 and $65, call 1-800-FUN-STOP. Primm is a 40-minute drive from Las Vegas on I-15.

Back by popular demand, versatile comedian John Mulrooney has returned to the 350-seat Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's for a special limited engagement with midnight performances on Fridays and Saturdays through March 28. Tickets are $19.95 plus tax.

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mulrooney showcases his ability to improvise by playing off audiences and incorporating them into his act. This master of stand-up and spontaneous comedy has a list of television appearances including "The Tonight Show," "Hollywood Squares," and "Candid Camera."

Legendary Las Vegas lounge icon Cook E. Jarr is once again performing every Friday and Saturday night from midnight to 2 a.m. on the Carnaval Court stage at Harrah's. Admission is $2 for ladies and $5 for men.

The ticket price for "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show" at Harrah's has been minimally raised to $16.95 plus tax. Performances are Tuesday - Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. in the second floor Comedy Cabaret.

The second annual Celebrity Car Auction will take place at the Palms, April 4-6. The first night, April 4, will be Exotic Nights featuring a 5 p.m. cocktail party and auction of exotic cars. On Saturday, April 5, it will be Muscle Car Dreams featuring hot rods, etc. and Celebrity Cars on April 6; both starting at 10 am.

The auction is put on by Celebrity Cars of Las Vegas. Every successful bidder and seller will win a special prize on a wheel of fun. For information, call 1-800-627-6303.

The historic Mount Charleston Lodge at the top of the forested mountain on Highway 157 will celebrate the tradition of St. Patrick's Day, March 15, 16 and 17, with a corned beef and cabbage menu presented by Chef Yves Menes from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for $14.95. Also included in the meal is beer soup, vegetables, red potatoes, and crepes simmered in Irish whisky sauce and canned green apples for desert.

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