by Jackie Brett Send Me E-mail

The recently completed Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway is a 128-acre complex along the Kyle Canyon Wash that replaces the old visitor center for the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. It is now open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The project cost about $45 million, including $16 million to buy the property in 2004.

The main attraction is the 4,500-square-foot energy-efficient visitor center where visitors can view a circle of towering photos recreating the 360-degree view from the top of Cathedral Rock and see interactive displays dedicated to the seven distinct plant communities found at different elevations in the 316,000-acre recreation area.

Close to the visitor center is a twisted propeller mounted to a rock that marks the entrance to a new national memorial dedicated to the Silent Heroes of the Cold War. The Seven Stones Plaza is a tribute to the seven Southern Paiute Indian tribes known collectively as the Nuwuvi.

Other amenities include trails for every skill level, two large group picnic areas, a rentable meeting facility with its own patio and built-in gas grill, and two amphitheaters - one for about 40 people and the other 300.

FRANKIE MORENO PERFORMS HIS NEW SHOW AT GOLDEN NUGGET

Frankie Moreno will preview a new show at the Golden Nugget downtown for a limited engagement, July 4-5, 7, 9 and 11-12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $19 for all ages.

Moreno spent a little more than three years as a headliner at the Stratosphere and worked at the Golden Nugget in 2007 when he was making a name for himself. However, he was actually a child prodigy pianist who was introduced to American audiences when he was 10 years old making his debut on network television's “Star Search.” He has been named Headliner of the Year twice in Las Vegas.

Audiences will see his new show before Moreno embarks on an international tour sponsored by Gibson Guitars on Aug. 1. He will travel throughout Europe and Asia.

MARIAH CAREY DEBUTED ‘INFINITY’ FILMED AT CAESARS PALACE

Last week, Mariah Carey, the newest Caesars Palace headliner, debuted her music video for her new single, “Infinity” that is on her recently-released album, “Mariah Carey #1 To Infinity.” The video was filmed at Caesars Palace with locations that included the Augustus and the Nobu Villas, The Colosseum showroom and the property's front entrance valet. The video also features a cameo by model Tyson Beckford, who recently ended a guest hosting stint at Chippendales at the Rio.

Carey will return and continue her residency at Caesars Palace July 8-26, and then again in February 2016.

‘FOR THE RECORD: BAZ’ WILL OPEN AT LIGHT NIGHTCLUB

“For The Record: BAZ,” a 360-degree, completely immersive theatrical concert experience produced by Cirque du Soleil Theatrical specifically for LIGHT Nightclub at Mandalay Bay will open June 26. It is part rock concert, part nightclub and part musical theater blended together to bring audiences into the musical mind of filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. “BAZ” will run Wednesday through Monday at 8 p.m. Opening night is scheduled for June 26.

VINNIE FAVORITO OPENS HIS COMEDY SHOW AT TOMMY WIND THEATER

Adlib comedian Vinnie Favorito aka “The Italian Don Rickles” opened his show “Vinnie is My Favorito” at the Tommy Wind Theater at 3765 Las Vegas Blvd. S. last Thursday, June 4. He is performing at 10 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Ticket prices are $39.95 GA, $59.95 VIP and $79.95 Super VIP; call 702-776-8888.

With a national fan base, Favorito has performed on The Strip for 10 years. His wit and impromptu comebacks are lightning fast and no two shows are ever alike.

CARBONE WILL MAKE ITS WEST COAST DEBUT AT ARIA

New York's Carbone restaurant will bring its Italian-American dining experience to Las Vegas and open this fall at ARIA. Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick eatery pays homage to the Italian-American restaurants of the mid-20th century - an era of glamour, showmanship and tableside service. The food is inspired by that same time in history, but takes its culinary cues from the great talents and techniques of today.

PRESSED JUICERY TO MAKE DEBUT ON THE STRIP AT ARIA

California's leading cold-pressed juice company, Pressed Juicery, will open this summer at Aria. The company was established in 2010 and since then has opened more than 30 retail locations throughout California and Las Vegas. Plus, they offer nationwide shipping. Juices never contain additives and are cold-pressed using a custom hydraulic press to gently extract the maximum vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. Pressed Juicery will be located on ARIA's second level Promenade near Terrene and Starbucks.

TOWN SQUARE WILL ADD NEW SHOPPING AND DINING EXPERIENCES

The 93-acre open-air Town Square shopping center is expanding its tenant mix. Later this year, three new dining experiences will open there including Killer Shrimp, NĒCHE, and Adobe Gilas. In addition, Town Square recently welcomed new outlets including Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Foreign Exchange, Galleria Arte Fino, and Kona Ice.

PUBLICUS IS OPEN AT MARYLAND AND FREMONT

The downtown area keeps growing and spreading past the original Fremont Street Entertainment District. PublicUs is a canteen-style restaurant and coffee bar that recently opened on the corner of Maryland Parkway and Fremont Street in what had long been a vacant industrial building requiring extensive interior and exterior renovations. The 3,100-square-foot space now has an open food prep area, gourmet coffee bar and wood picnic tables for communal seating. Large picture windows bring in lots of natural light and live trees grow through the seating areas. Menu options focus on “farm to table” ingredients. PublicUs is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

SUMMERLIN IS BREAKING GROUND ON FIRST VILLAGE IN 12 YEARS

The master-planned Summerlin community is breaking ground on a new village on June 10. The Cliffs, Summerlin's 20^th, is located within the southernmost tip of the 22,500-acre community at the foot of the Spring Mountains. It will eventually be home to 11 neighborhoods and more than 1,700 homes, including Regency, a luxury age-qualified community by Toll Brothers. The approximately 450-acre village currently encompasses Wet ‘n' Wild Water Park and Faiss Middle School.

AMORINO OPENS SECOND LAS VEGAS GELATO SHOP

Amorino the European gelato brand started by two childhood friends, Cristiano Sereni and Paolo Benassi in 2002, is opening a second Las Vegas location inside the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets in the downtown area. Amorino is on the north side of the mall near The Cheesecake Factory. The company's objective is to make the highest quality gelato as naturally as possible with no artificial colours or flavorings. Amorino has a strong European following with more than 100 stores and is building steam in the United States with about 10 locations.

WET‘N'WILD STARTS ‘DIVE-IN MOVIES’ AND ‘SATURDAY SESSIONS’ SERIES

Wet‘n'Wild Las Vegas is initiating Friday and Saturday evening activity series through the summer. The “Dive-In Movies” series will feature family-friendly films to be screened from the Red Rock Bay wave pool every Friday at 8 p.m. from June 5-Aug. 21. The second series, “Saturday Sessions” from 8-10 p.m. is aimed at tweens, teens and adults and will feature performances by young, local DJs like DJ treL, giveaways and a transformed wave pool area draped with neon glowing lights through June and July.

The park will also host holiday barbecues, scavenger hunts and a variety of concerts throughout the summer.

NORM CLARKE CONVERSES WITH FRIENDS OF FRANK SINATRA

The quarterly interview presentation “Conversations With Norm” hosted by Las Vegas Review Journal columnist Norm Clarke will feature three of Frank Sinatra's longtime friends on Sunday, June 21 at 2 p.m. at The Smith Center's Cabaret Jazz. Sharing personal stories with Clarke will be Bob Anderson star of “Frank. The Man. The Music.” at The Venetian, Vince Falcone - Sinatra and Anderson's musical director, and Pia Zadora, who was Sinatra's opening act.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

Barbara Eden, known for her iconic NBC TV series “I Dream of Jeannie” NBC Television series, that was launched in 1965 and ran 139 episodes over five seasons, will headline at the Suncoast Showroom on Saturday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start from $15.95.

Her famous TV show has been airing continuously on cable and in syndication in the United States and abroad for more than five decades. Her recently published memoir “Jeannie Out Of The Bottle,” debuted at No. 14 on the New York Times Best-Seller List.

Through June 30, BRIO Tuscan Grille at both Town Square and Tivoli Village is celebrating the summer “grilling game” with “The Art of Grilling - Mastered by Chefs at BRIO” promotion along with giveaways and recipe postings.

Sunday-Thursday after 4 p.m., BRIO is presenting “The Art of Grilling” three-course dinner special, including a choice of salad, grilled entrée with chef-inspired toppings and a Dolchino dessert for $26.95.

Additionally through June 30, BRIO is hosting a “For the Thrill of the Grille” contest on Facebook at Facebook.com/brioitalian. BRIO fans who post their favorite grilling recipe or dish will be entered for a chance to win a chef-inspired “Gather & Grille Dinner Party for Eight” at their favorite BRIO location.

BRIO is also hosting an Insta-Grille Giveaway contest on Instagram. To enter, guests can share their favorite photo of a dish they have prepared and grilled. The winner will receive a box of premium cut filets and strip steaks along with a new grill.

Drai's Beachclub Nightclub at The Cromwell during EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) week is enhancing the event with an entertainment lineup featuring a diverse range of hip-hop and EDM talent including names like Chris Brown, Sean Paul, 3LAU, Adventure Club, Dannic, Dyro, Feenixpawl, Milo & Otis, Quintino and more.

Vegas Indoor Skydiving is holding the short story “Why Dad is My Super Hero” contest for the chance to win one free flight at Vegas Indoor Skydiving for dad and author, a DVD and photo of the indoor skydiving experience. Submit stories to Vegas Indoor Skydiving's Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts using hashtag #SuperDad. Submissions must be received by midnight on Wednesday, June 17 and include a photo dad and author. Winner will be announced June 19.

In addition, all dads fly for free with the purchase of one single flight at retail price and by using the phrase “My dad is a super hero” when booking. Offer is valid for purchase through Monday, June 22 and may not be redeemed on Saturdays and some blackout dates.

Built in 1982 in the heart of the famed Las Vegas Strip, Vegas Indoor Skydiving operates the first indoor skydiving facility to open in the United States.

DjangoVegas! will be held downtown at the Historic Fifth Street School Auditorium at 401 S. Fourth Street on Saturday, June 20 at 6 p.m. Cocktail service starts at 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

This concert celebrates the music of Django Reinhardt and other past and present gypsy jazz musicians. Featured acts will include The New Hot Club of America, the International String Trio with special guests Olli Soikkeli and Leah Zeger, and Las Vegas' gypsy jazz group, the Hot Club of Las Vegas.

The youngest performing magician in Las Vegas, Tommy Wind performs his family magic show nightly at 7 p.m. at his own theater at 3765 Las Vegas Blvd. S. on the Strip that he runs with his family. Wind is also a musician and does martial arts.

Las Vegas Restaurant Week will return and span 12 days from June 15 to 26. More than 140 restaurants are expected to participate in the citywide culinary event. Restaurants create their own prix-fixe, menu offered at price points ranging from $20.15 to $50.15, with a fixed portion of the proceeds - $4, $5, or $6 - benefitting Three Square and the fight against hunger in Southern Nevada.

Shibuya at MGM Grand will host “Shibuya Street Tasting” on Thursday, June 18 from 9:30-11:30 p.m. Sponsored by Southern Wine & Spirits, the event will offer entertainment, plus food and sake offerings. Cost is $44.14.

In one afternoon, experience Italy's top wine producing regions: The Piedmont and Tuscany. Ferraro's Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar's next “Taste & Learn” wine event will take place Saturday, June 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. Italian wine specialist Mike Tadish will be the guest presenter while guests enjoy five wines accompanied by small bites prepared by Ferraro's Executive Chef Mimmo Ferraro.Event costs $50; call 702-364-5300.

RHUMBAR at The Mirage is offering a premium cigar and a selection of four scotches for $30 in the month of June to celebrate Father's Day.

Golden Rainbow has announced a star-studded talent lineup for this year's “Ribbon of Life” at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 28 at The New Tropicana. The 2015 showcase will feature stars from shows including “ShowStoppers,” “Jubilee,” “Jersey Boys,” “Million Dollar Quartet,” “MJ Live,” “Legends in Concert,” “Pin Up,” “Vegas! The Show,” and more.

The Las Vegas Outlaws and local aerospace and data services company ArrowData are making football history over the weekend when a drone camera enters the Thomas & Mack Center to capture live footage of the game with the Gladiators. This will mark the first time ever that a drone is flown overhead during a live professional football game.

Founded in 1975 by the Dini family, Italian-based fashion house Paul & Shark has opened its first Las Vegas boutique inside The Forum Shops at Caesars near the Festival Court. Based in Le Sentier, Switzerland, luxury Swiss watch and clock manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre founded by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833 has unveiled its newest boutique at The Forum Shops at Caesars near The Fountain of the Gods.

Insomniac, creators of Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) music festival, is adding new additions and attractions this year for the event being held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway June 19-21. New additions include: eight brand new stage designs; Carnival Square; Marquee SkyDeck cabana space; design your own cabana at the Marquee SkyDeck; art; new food trucks; The Terrace at kineticFIELD (formerly Dining Deck) upscale restaurant; Chill Spots; EDC fashion; and new VIP Viewing Deck at cosmicMEADOW.

The T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer & AIDS Research will hold the second Chad Brown Memorial Poker Tournament on Thursday, July 2 at 7 p.m. at Planet Hollywood with professional poker player and television personality Maria Ho hosting. Proceeds from the tournament will help raise funds for important research for the T.J. Martell Foundation's Sarcoma Research Projects.

Chad Brown achieved fame as a TV personality and top professional poker player earning more than $3.5 million during his career. In 2014, at age 52, Brown succumbed to cancer. Last summer, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) honored Brown with the first honorary WSOP Championship Bracelet. This year's tournament takes place one year to the date of his passing.

The city of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Arts Commission are offering a free workshop to help artists and administrators on creating public art projects beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 20 at Las Vegas City Hall. The workshop will feature Mary Lucking, an artist who has earned three national year-in-review awards from the Public Art Network for her projects. She has completed major commissions in seven states. To RSVP by June 16, call 702-229-4631.