STRIP SCRIBBLES
*A full lineup of Hollywood celebrities will be on hand for the red-carpet gala celebrating the official opening weekend of the new 14,000 square foot Hawaiian Tropic Zone in Planet Hollywood Resort’s Miracle Mile shops.
In addition to an outdoor seating area, a Strip-side water-wall flows right at the entrance along with the largest video wall ever built for Vegas. Look for the Entourage cast with Jeremy Piven, Kevin Connolly and Kevin Dillon along with Audrina Patridge and Lauren Conrad, our OC favorites. Also keep your eyes open for Carmen Electra, Mario Lopez, Dancing with the Stars’ Stacey Keibler, Scotty Porter and Zach Gilford from Friday Night Lights, Steve Van Zandt from The Sopranos and October Road’s Geoff Stults.
Celebrity culinary artist David Burke, who has masterminded the unique menu, joins with fashion icon Nicole Miller who designed the exclusive bikinis ands floral sarongs for the Zone’s beauty pageant servers. Each night, in addition to in-house cabaret dancers, they take to the catwalk for diners to vote a winner.
*Hard to believe that after 111 years in New York, the famous RAO’s restaurant’s sibling here in Caesars Palace is only just celebrating its 1st anniversary tomorrow night. All the Pellegrini family, Frank, Frankie, Carla and Ronnie will be on hand, plus some star surprises, and every diner receives an autographed copy of the family’s cookbook. Mmmmm—can’t wait for Uncle Vincent’s Famous Lemon Chicken!
*Music superstar John Mayer likes his dinner served up with hit songs, but not his! At the N9NE steakhouse in the Palms, he entertained three girls and a group of pals, and throughout the meal it was music, music, music. They even danced and sang along to the Pussycat Dolls album tracks being played in the restaurant. Then John got the entire table to do “pop ‘n’ lock” and “the wave” to the play list. They all shared Executive Chef Barry Dakake’s signature rock shrimp appetizers and a dessert platter. For dinner, John ordered George’s Chicken (the one with truffle sauce on the side, just as George Maloof likes) and washed it down with his favorite drink, Scotch.
*Congratulations to Tito Ortiz! Tonight, now near two-year-galpal Jenna Jameson throws him a 33rd birthday bash at the new Cathouse in the Luxor. She’s even added in porn-princess Brianna Banks to help celebrate!
Tito, currently starring on Donald Trump’s NBC TV show, Celebrity Apprentice, will be welcomed by Adrienne Curry, Christopher Knight, Jason Giambi and Iron Chef, Kerry Simon who masterminds the grills at the restaurant-loungerie! We’ll have an exclusive Luxe Life album of photos early next week.
*High kicks might step into the Guinness Book of World Records on Saturday morning if the Red Hat Ladies have their way. Expect almost 2,000 red-hatted ladies to high-step along the Strip from Bill’s Gambling Saloon to Harrah’s where the Hats show premiered last night. The ladies, dressed in their sassy signature purple and red regalia, want to win for “Most People in a Chorus Line.” Harrah’s headliner Rita Rudner and the cast of the Hats show will join with Society’s founder, Sue Ellen Cooper for the final kicks at Harrah’s.
Now for the other weekend events that have a powerful kick of their own in what we refer to affectionately around here as the record-rated ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:
Friday, January 25:
*Comedy is king with former Saturday Night Live impressionist Dana Carvey, probably spoofing me, but definitely reprising his “Church Lady” sketch at The Orleans for three nights. He goes head to head against my favorite dead-pan humorist, David Brenner and his insightful interpretation of today’s wacky world, also for three nights up at the Suncoast.
*This time it’s definite that Tiffani Thiessen will celebrate her birthday at Pure nightclub in Caesars Palace. Sorry for my mixed up diary date last weekend! Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester, who stars as “Blair Waldorf” on the CW network’s new drama, hosts the Friday festivities at Tao in The Venetian. Leighton found fame as the Britney Spears-like singer, Justine Chapin on the Entourage series and then moved onto FOX’s 24 and Veronica Mars.
*Guitarist George Thorogood and The Destroyers play “the hard-stuff” for one-night only in the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.
*The two-day World Championship Bull Riding Rough Riders are at South Point today and tomorrow and Ralphie May entertains by night.
Saturday, January 26:
*Double CMA & ACM winner of “Male Vocalist of the Year,” Brad Paisley is all country at Mandalay Bay–with Rodney Atkins and Chuck Wicks as his opening acts. Brad will perform his current no.1 hit, “Online,” his 9th chart topper, but the show’s highlight will be the hi-res holographic technology making visual fire with 56 amplifiers turning into TV’s!
* Legendary ballet-stars Twyla Tharp and George Balanchine will be honored at Nevada Ballet Theater’s annual Red & Black Ball to be held at the Wynn resort casino. Last year, Paula Abdul received the prestigious honor. This year it’s a more serious take on the art form with the premiere of James Canfield’s Equinox being performed.
*Grammy Award winning singer Ashanti will host the monthly MySpace party at Pure nightclub in Caesars Palace, and safe to expect the pop sensation to show off some of her musical talents.
*Exotic sultry sex-goddess Kim Kardashian will host the party at the new Privé nightclub in Planet Hollywood Resort with DJ Eli.
*Entourage star Kevin Dillon hosts the finals of a three-day beauty contest at McFadden’s Irish Pub in the Rio to end its premiere weekend, and Johnny Drama has cash for the winner!
*Cameras will film Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine when they perform in The Joint at the Hard Rock. The comedy musical group’s show will be turned into a concert-movie.
*R&B singer Johnny Gill, who’s been singing since age five, shows his “Real Love” at Boulder Station, British pop musician Howard Jones is at Ovation in the Green Valley Ranch, Atomic Punks shake the Sante Fe Station casino, The Association is at the Cannery, KC & The Sunshine Band are at the Star of the Desert Arena down the I-15 at Buffalo Bills on the border and Social Distortion will rock the House of Blues once they take to the stage after Inward Eye on this “back by popular demand” added date.
Sunday, January 27:
*Once again, George Maloof and Michael Morton’s Playboy Club at the Palms lands a gorgeous beauty for its After Dark party, and blonde bombshell Michelle McLaughlin celebrates the Playboy Bunny win of “no.1 sexiest job in Vegas” on E! Entertainment TV’s countdown.