*Update: The holiday run of Hans Klok: The World’s Fastest Magician will perform nightly at 7 p.m. (dark Dec. 13, 20, 22, 31) inside the Thunderland Showroom at Excalibur, with matinees on select Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. (matinees available Dec. 21, 22, 28, 29). Tickets start at $44.95 plus tax and service fees. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at any MGM Resorts International box office, online at mgmresorts.com/excalibur or ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 963-9634 or (702) 792-7777. Limited time offer of $39 all-inclusive tickets are available only at the Excalibur box office. Follow Klok on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @HansKlokVegas, and for more information please visit www.hansklok.vegas.
Hans Klok, billed as the world’s fastest magician, has returned after 12 long years to the Las Vegas Stage. The world-renowned magician from Holland launched a new show at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino last week.
With over 50 illusions in one show, Hans brings fun, exciting experiences, and unbelievable magic to his 75-minute show. Great for kids, teens and adults, his illusions are superb.
Originally performing in Planet Hollywood, he returned to Europe and performed for many Kings and Queens, and tons of celebrities who were always amazed. In 12 years, he doesn’t seem to have aged a day. His speed and agility are amazing.
Shows are at 7 p.m. Saturday thru Thursday and on select Saturday and Sundays at 3 p.m. He features his Divas of Magic dancers, has well-done high-resolution LED walls and breathtaking special effects. A must-see show.
I am truly thankful and blessed to be part of the Retriever Merchant Solutions family. We have a super group of representatives scattered all throughout the country who are doing an absolutely fantastic job.
It thrills me to watch other representatives, especially within our group, achieve great success. I love the stories and testimonies we hear about representatives overcoming obstacles and challenges and achieving their goals. I have a genuine passion to help people as much as I can—I love to see others succeed!
This past weekend, we were able to get together for our eighth annual Christmas awards weekend in Disney World. Every year I always say this, but I have to admit that I felt this was the best weekend and celebration we’ve ever had. I’m honored and tremendously grateful for each and every one of our team members; we are growing and representing all throughout this great nation. The opportunity we have is incredible and with hard work and dedication, representatives can achieve and obtain an amazing life.
When we say that we are a Retriever family, those are not just words. I was able to witness that all throughout this weekend. To see old friends get together and to see new friendships being developed is a true blessing.
Success is what we aim for and it is very gratifying to be able to achieve our goals and become top performers. Our Christmas party weekend is definitely one of my favorite weekends of the year. I love the fact that we have it in the happiest place on earth, Disney World. It’s a perfect place to have this event.
I’m especially proud of our group and all of their families that attended. The wonderful stories that I have heard from the restaurants, the hotel, and all of the vendors are all very positive.
The entire weekend is filled with joy, fellowship, and lots of smiles and laughter. The Christmas awards celebration party is an absolute blast; every year we have a theme. This year we had the sports theme and the outfits were incredible. What a great imagination some of our representatives have!
My favorite part of the evening is giving the awards away for our top performers. We give awards for rookie of the year, rising stars, a leadership award, and the top five sales representatives. To witness the faces of each representative winning their award, along with their family members, is truly a blessing. Their hard work, dedication, and commitment is celebrated at these events.
Celebrating success is very important not just on a corporate level, but I believe it is essential to our lives—so get out and celebrate even the small victories. As you are writing out your goals, make sure once you have achieved some successful levels on your journey that you reward yourself and celebrate…with a family member, a friend, or a small group of people.
Keep working hard, keep smiling, keep pushing. And here’s to you, we celebrate you on your success journey.
The Venetian is packed with 5-star restaurants, and most are Italian. Well, a new place has arrived on the casino floor—MAJORDOMO MEAT AND FISH. The first one opened this year in Los Angeles and the Vegas location is the second. They are in the old Carnivino Steak House, a massive establishment. The grand opening was packed, with tables of fresh shrimp, oysters, and seafood along with plenty of champagne-filled glasses. The restaurant went to extremes flying in eight people from Lot, Stock and Barrel to customize Majordomo hats with personalized names, what a nice touch! Some of the regular menu items include:
The ever elegant Charlie Palmer Steak House, in the Four Seasons Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, has an international series of dinners this winter. On Friday Dec. 13, I went to the one featuring Argentina. There were 22 people seated in the elegant private room shown in the picture. We started with empanada made with beef cheeks, a salsa agridulce and parsley accompanied by a light refreshing Caipirinha drink. Romaine lettuce, hearts of palm, baby beets, green apples, and Dijon vinaigrette was paired with a Torrontes, Piatelli, and Cafayate 2018 wine. Next up was Locro soup with beans, short ribs, and pickled corn. The waiter came around with a carafe of elegant broth and poured over the mixture.
Family style was the main course: a steak asado with a bone in New York steak, skirt steak, morcillas, and chorizo with sides of garlic, onions, and stuffed peppers filled with Quinoa. Grilled Portobello mushrooms and potatoes were paired with Malbec, Zorzal, Eggo, Tinta di Tiza Tupungato and Mendoza 2016. Rounding out the dessert was a flan mixto with dulce de leche ice cream.
I met lovely Evita McDaniels, the senior marketing manager who flew in from California, and host for the night Steven Geddes, an extremely knowledgeable Sommelier. He explained the food and the wine, and certainly showed us all a good time.
Charlie Palmers is in five US cities and is a first-rate steak house. The location in the Four Seasons is very large and the lounge area is always full. Valet parking is taken care of with dinner. Please, if you are in Las Vegas on Jan. 17, check out their night of dinner from Australia. Japan will be featured on February 21.
In Vegas? By chance going to the West side? ADA’S is certainly worth a trip for a lovely brunch or lunch. This great French restaurant is in the midst of Tivoli Village, a conglomerate of shops, boutiques, and great dining places.
Lovely Sonia Stelea, General Manager greeted us on Sunday. We started with large mugs, minus handles I should say, of strong coffee and a mimosa. The menu was very appealing, hard to pick what we wanted to try, so we did the next best thing, and sampled numerous items. A loaf of bread with both solid and melted butter came out piping hot—terrific! Avocado toast has certainly become a staple of many restaurants in the last couple of years, and theirs is the best. Two large slices, completely slathered with avocado, tasty bits of radish and a perfectly cooked egg was enough for one whole meal, but two of us quickly ordered the next course. Duck Confit Benedict, a marvel in the merging of tastes. Another cup of hot coffee, and we decided to order and split one of their pasta dishes.
We ordered the Chitarra—carbonara, black pepper, eggs, guanciale and peas. Another one to try is Bucatini—cacio e pepe, aged pecorino, telicherry peppercorn; and Gemelli, with pesto, pistachio, peas and greens, topped with pecorino romano. There are plenty of side dishes to go along.
Breakfast has eggs and sauce, a great looking French omelette, Polenta with sunny side eggs, truffled mushrooms, and pecorino, and a Croque Madame with ham, fontina, tomato cream and a sunny side up egg.
There is a nice little outdoor porch for lovely weather days. Great wait staff and a full wall of numerous wines. Don’t walk out without sampling the ice cream, gelato bar. Mon thru Friday 11am-10pm, 10am-10pm on the weekends. Vegan and vegetarian options, reservations not needed and a true happy hour. 410 S. Rampart, Suite 120, adaslv.com
Shania Twain brought the house down in Zappos! Theater inside Planet Hollywood. This mega superstar performed outstandingly, just like all the times I have seen her before.
Twain opened with “Let’s Go!” the official name of her new residency. Ascending a red carpeted staircase, with the American flag across the screen, this talented singer gave it her all that night. With numerous backup dancers and a whole new look to her show, she had people standing and rocking throughout the night.
There is a Twain Saloon in the background in one, but Shania exerts, “I prefer champagne”. Twain is also producing her show. She changed costumes six times, from a short pair of hot pants to a golden evening gown. Dancers in one number were covered with LED suits. Songs include “Forever and for Always”, “That Don’t Impress me Much”, and “Any Man of Mine”, along with a new show from her upcoming album Life’s About to Get Good. At one point a favorite dog replaces the horse she once rode across the stage. I remember that show well.
Fans at one point are invited to come up close onto the stage, and I’m sure they all left feeling very special. She belted out “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” in a 100% black glowing gown. She laughs, banters, sings, and totally entertains.
Shows are Dec. 14 and 15, back again in March, May and June. Tickets starts at $54. Don’t miss her!
Ever thought about what it takes to be a real estate agent? This question has been on our minds here at NSAEN, so of course we reached out to our contributor, Nicole Kasten, who has been providing our readers with expert advice and incredible tips throughout the last year.
This interview gives you a glance in the life of real estate agent Nicole Kasten in Miami.
01) Why did you decide to become a real estate agent?
Well, I actually think it was more like “What is there for me to do in MIAMI, with all my acquired skills and experiences, to become financially independent and still be the 100% involved mother I wanted to be to my daughters, hahaha.” I have a degree in product design, moved about 20 times within 7 different countries, had learned 4 more languages in addition to my Swiss-German mother tongue, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
The latter let me quickly see the potential in Miami’s very exciting Real Estate market, so I challenged myself to it, gave it a try and have loved it ever since.
I did get inspired by three Realtors: the one who helped us find a home when we first moved to Miami in 2009—She was happy, loving and dedicated and made us feel so welcome in Miami; and “Beba” (Mercedes) who at 80 years old has still been having fun helping people buy and sell homes as well as keeping up with all the new trends and technologies. She uses her iPhone and iPad applications better than many half her age—hahaha, and then a top, top, top producer whose charisma, good humor, and great attitude really impressed me.
02) How difficult is it to break into the business?
Like with every business—motivation, determination, and how much business you can create for yourself. The better connected, committed, and dedicated to your business you are the easier it will be for you to get started. But keep in mind that it might take six months to a year before you make your first sale. Some Brokerages provide more guidance and support than others, but you are the one in the driver’s seat steering your own success.
03) What was your first role as a real estate agent?
I never felt like I had a first role, I simply got my Real Estate Agent license, hung it with Brokerage (which happened to be also my Tennis Partner) and was ready to rent, list or sell homes.
I got lucky with a Broker that provided me with many rental leads which I took very seriously and as an opportunity to get to know the city and its buildings. I must have shown hundreds of apartments, hahaha, and ended up closing 90% of the transactions. This boosted my confidence tremendously and it has been good for me ever since.
04) With such a competitive business what skills have taken you to becoming a top-selling agent?
Definitely languages and my cultural experiences are the top of the list with Miami being a melting pot of many nationalities; making clients feel secure, comfortable, and welcome; discipline, diligence, organisation and perseverance are a must-have and I had, but the skill I learned and feel I still need to perfect, is the skill of listening to my client’s needs.
05) With a busy schedule, how do you prioritize your personal life?
What personal life? hahaha. It definitely is not a 9am-5pm job, more like a 24/7. Being a Realtor means you can never really get away from work so I include it into my personal life and I love it. Clients become friends and “family” and friends become clients. My natural desire to create long-term relationships has made my business flourish. With today’s technology I can always be reachable even if I take time to play piano and tennis, travel, and dedicate time to my emotional and spiritual growth.
My daughters are always my priority, they are all grown up now and live their own lives, but they know that I am always there for them. Inclusion is the secret.
06) Ever felt uncomfortable with a client while showcasing a property/listing?
No, never, but I am prudent. If I have any doubts about showing in areas which I am not familiar with, I definitely let someone know of my whereabouts.
08) How do you keep up with trends and technology that, of course, makes our selling life easier?
Working with a great Broker who provides us with training on new trends and strategies, and our Board of Realtors with numerous education classes help me to keep up-to-date and current.
09) Do you believe investing in real estate is safer than other investments?
Definitely, but you have to be vigilant, that is why you want to work with a knowledgeable Realtor who can guide you.
10) What makes a property luxury and what is the most expensive property you ever sold?
Any home beyond basic in a desired area becomes Luxury because it is more difficult to obtain. Miami has become a very desirable city for many wealthy people. Many of them want to move to Miami or purchase homes for investment precisely because of its year-round wonderful and warm climate, stable economy, and the fact that it is a fast-growing city with many opportunities.
Homes and apartment buildings have become more and more lavish, with beautiful pools and amenities with views and access to the Bay and Ocean.
Homes over $900,000 to $1 million are considered to be luxury properties and from there it can go up to 30 to 40 million. A bit above 2 million was my highest sale so far but I was close to closing a transaction for 25 million, which would have been very nice, hahaha.
If you enjoyed reading this interview and would like to inquire about properties in Miami feel free to reach out to her: nkasten@colfaxrealty.com
FRUITCRAFT, formerly California Fruit Wines started when twin brothers decided they were going to open a winery. Putting their heads together they started in Vista, California. Their idea was to only use fresh seasonal fruit and not grapes. The fermented fruits change quarterly, from pineapples, lemons, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries to Pomegranate and very seasonal wines such as pumpkin. They experienced massive growth and their tasting room was overflowing with customers, so they packed up their warehouse and moved to the heart of Hillcrest in San Diego. There they opened FRUITCRAFT, where people have way more room to enjoy this great place.
Alan Haghighi now runs the place full time. The distillery is in the back, there are two rooms for drinking and dining, and a great dog-friendly patio out front. This is really a terrific place to come—fun and friendly and a great place to book for a wedding or school reunion holding up to 320 people. FRUITCRAFT also serves freshly brewed Kombucha, sold by the glass or the container.
Delicious cocktail flights distilled from the fermented fruits is a great way to sample a few. The crowd-pleasing menu consists of tasty food, no matter what you try, including flat breads and fresh salads. You can also pick from their bar other wines, and of course, anything you like you can buy a bottle or case to take home.
I was there in November and bought a case of Pomegranate and Pomegranate Cherry. There are also plenty of craft beers to pick from. Alan lets all of his employees put in their thoughts about service and experiences.
Of all the drinks, the refreshing Strawberry Mojito cocktail with fresh muddled strawberries was absolutely the best, perfect for the summer. I don’t see it on the menu now, but hopefully it will return. This was, I believe, my sixth trip there. Closed on Monday and Tuesday, open 4-9 each evening, I totally suggest this place any time you are in town.
Stories about the supernatural fascinate and attract, I suppose, because they deal with those realms of human experience that are mysterious. Ordinary people enjoy such stories because ordinary people are mystics to one degree or another; and as such they realize that a large part of reality is not merely unexplained—it is unexplainable. With reference to this, my present focus is on exorcism literature; and three examples come to mind.
“The Exorcist” by William Peter Blatty is a work of fiction (based on a true case) that was published in 1971. It concerns a girl named Regan MacNeil who becomes possessed by a demon. She is finally freed from this evil through the heroic efforts of two priests. Most people are at least vaguely familiar with this story. It became a bestseller that was made into a successful and chillingly effective film. In fact, the movie is much better than the book. Blatty’s novel, while heartfelt and earnest, is rather mediocre in terms of style.
The second example is “The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel” by Felicitas D. Goodman. This too was made into a film (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) that turned out to be superior to its written source. Goodman’s book, a work of non-fiction, is interesting and worthwhile up to a point. But a shift occurs during the last fifty pages that seemed jarring to me. Suddenly the author adopts a strictly neurological interpretation of her subject’s ordeal. The problem is not that Goodman offers non-spiritual explanations for what happened to Anneliese; that is to be expected. The problem is that she does so in a one-sided manner. Add to that, she becomes increasingly condescending toward religion.
The third and best example is “The Rite” by Matt Baglio. His non-fiction book looks at possession and exorcism generally; but it also details the training of an American Catholic priest who is sent to Rome to learn about “the rite” from an expert. Each day people visit this veteran exorcist, hoping to be delivered from various demonic torments. The trainee suspects right off that most of these people have problems unrelated to the powers of hell; but before long he witnesses things that cannot be explained quite so easily.
Baglio explores this perplexing and unsettling topic thoroughly, and is neither too credulous nor too skeptical. Natural explanations are presented with clarity and intelligence; so too their counterpoints. For example, Tourette syndrome might explain some of the behaviors of people who are allegedly possessed; but it doesn’t explain how such people can levitate several feet off the ground.
Readers must decide for themselves what all of this means. For myself, I have always leaned toward Charles Baudelaire’s aphorism: “One of the devil’s best ruses is to persuade you that he does not exist!”
ELLIS ISLAND CASINO HOTEL AND BREWERY, a real staple on the Las Vegas scene for over 50 years, is opening a brand new beer garden, restaurant, and entertainment area. Located at 4178 Koval, at the corner of Flamingo, this new brewpub will have a full service restaurant, with many dishes using some of the craft beers that they brew. The Front Yard will seasonally change out fresh beers.
A selection of dishes served at the Front Yard at Ellis Island.Sausage Flight at the Front Yard at Ellis Island.
“We’re so excited to welcome everybody into The Front Yard,” said Christina Ellis, Director of Marketing, Ellis Island. “The space is so beautiful! We couldn’t be happier with the menu, and on top of that, it’s just a great spot to grab a beer.”
This venue has a second floor atrium with great views—expansive windows, with wood fixtures, low lighting and retractable ceiling shades have an outdoor feel. Plenty of greenery and unique ceiling fixtures give this a fresh, springy look.
The Front Yard will offer bar top gaming, along with HD TVs including an 18ft. big screen. DJs and local bands will headline on a rotating basis. The Front Yard will be open seven days a week from 3pm-midnight. The seating capacity is 300, available to rent out.
There are plenty of rooms at Ellis Island, along with a restaurant and bar in the casino, and plenty of parking. Ellis Island will also be adding upgraded rooms and hotel interior soon. Right behind Bally’s they are only one block from the strip. Stay here and avoid the crazy parking on the strip.
I had the privilege of sitting down with the gifted musician, songwriter, and performer Ronnie McNeir to talk about his extraordinary journey in music....
The Venetian is packed with 5-star restaurants, and most are Italian. Well, a new place has arrived on the casino floor—
The ever elegant Charlie Palmer Steak House, in the Four Seasons Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, has an international series of dinners this winter. On Friday Dec. 13, I went to the one featuring Argentina. There were 22 people seated in the elegant private room shown in the picture. We started with empanada made with beef cheeks, a salsa agridulce and parsley accompanied by a light refreshing Caipirinha drink. Romaine lettuce, hearts of palm, baby beets, green apples, and Dijon vinaigrette was paired with a Torrontes, Piatelli, and Cafayate 2018 wine. Next up was Locro soup with beans, short ribs, and pickled corn. The waiter came around with a carafe of elegant broth and poured over the mixture.
