I spent time on the Vegas strip and came to a realization: Gays have taken over. It was my first time in Sin City and my idea of Vegas was smokey casinos, Elvis impersonators, hookers on the strip, and an colossal billboard of a cowboy on the side of the road. These stereotypes were quickly squashed almost as soon as my plane landed on the runway and I saw the line of casino resorts spreading out on the horizon.
I checked into an ultrachic five-star Encore Tower Suite on the legendary strip and realized the real Las Vegas is posh, cosmopolitan, and abundant with every kind of life. I grabbed a glass of wine and a bite at the Wynn favorite, La Cave, and (like any good gay boy) promptly set out bar hopping.Las Vegas, it turned out to my surprise, is the ultimate place for a big gay party weekend.
Here are a few tips to getting the best out of Vegas that I gleaned from my long weekend there.
There is no shortage of beds in Vegas. I had an amazing time at the Encore Tower Suites but was also blown away by rooms at the Wynn. Roger Thomas created the interiors for both properties and gave me an exclusive tour of his designs. Pay special attention to the butterfly theme throughout the casino and the Daphne sculpture he created in the Lobby Bar and Cafe. On any given night you’ll pass lines of locals and visitors alike waiting in line to get into XS and Surrender. The casinos are buzzing (I won $400 in the slots), the clubs are packed, and there is plenty of eye candy dangling at the pools.
Just down the strip, the new Cosmopolitan features two 50-story towers filled with all kinds of fun (and naughty) guests with “just the right amount of wrong.” Meet the guys for drinks at the Chandelier Bar (see below) before raging into the night. If you’re looking for a clothing-optional accommodation, check in to the Blue Moon Resort. Be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen.
Start the night off right at the Chandelier Bar, where there’s no shortage of creative cocktails. Mariena Mercer, the GM and mixologist, is the wizard behind menu. Enjoy specialties such as the Fire Breathing Dragon, which is composed of raspberry, lemongrass, and Thai chili garnished with a dehydrated raspberry and then treated with liquid nitrogen. Once the raspberry hits the tongue, smoke releases from the berry.
The queer nightclub Krave is located inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. The crew at Krave bring in headliners like the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race. (Queerty ran a slideshow of a night out at Krave earlier this summer.)
If you want to get down and dirty off the strip, hit the “Fruit Loop” to dance and get tipsy at Gipsy, the city’s oldest gay dance club. Turn it up a notch at Piranha Nightclub, where you will join sweaty guys on the dance floor. Piranha is designed to look like an old school mansion and attracts some of the best DJs. When I arrived, DJ Drew G served up his Dirty POP. Doors open at 10pm, but be prepared to stay all night and stagger back to your hotel in the morning.
Looking for a mixed alternative? Gallery Nightclub at Planet Hollywood is a good start. XS and Surrender will make you feel like you’ve fallen through the looking glass (in all the right ways).
Daniel Boulud, Guy Savoy, Wolfgang Puck, Jean Georges, Julian Serrano, and Joel Robuchon are just a few of the high end chefs that have already left their culinary mark on Sin City. My four favorite restaurants in Las Vegas are: Jaleo by Jose Andres, La Cave, SAGE, and Border Grill. At the new Jaleo by Jose Andres, I had tapas and paella that made me feel like I was back in Spain. Michael Morton’s La Cave is an intimate spot for a quiet afternoon lunch on the strip. Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s Border Grill at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino will definitely spice up your day. Over at the Aria, Chef Shawn McClain delivers farm-to-table produce, artisanal meats, and sustainable seafood in a sexy and sophisticated environment at his SAGE restaurant. Give yourself enough time to enjoy the masterful signature tasting menu!
Pick a Cirque, any Cirque. They’re all great. I popped my Cirque du Soleil cherry with Zumanity while I was in town. The show is on the sensual side, making the provocative playful and the forbidden (which we’re pretty familiar with) tangible. Part burlesque and part cabaret, Zumanity is the kind of show that will make everyone blush, even if just a little. A few nights later I was able to sneak backstage at KA and watch the show from the orchestra pit. Word on the street is that the Estate of Michael Jackson and Cirque du Soleil have joined forces to create touring and permanent shows based on the music and songs of Michael Jackson. A rock concert arena-type show will open December 15, 2011, at Mandalay Bay.
Meanwhile, another great option is Absinthe at Caesar’s Palace. Absinthe takes you into a naughty circus tent to experience stunts, tricks, burlesque, and all kinds of adult entertainment and comedy. If you’re in the first two rows you better have a great sense of humor. If it’s drag you crave, head to Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas at Imperial Palace. Where else on the strip can you catch Joan Rivers, Cher, Dolly Parton, Rihanna, Britney, and Whitney all under one roof?
If you’re looking to pamper and groom (especially after partying all night at Piranha and Krave), The Spa at Encore is most opulent spa in town. The Bathhouse at the Mandalay Bay is much smaller but equally tranquil.
photos by Jeffrey James Keyes
Special thanks to our friends at R&R, LVCVA, and the Encore Tower Suites
