Thomas Paris of Savannah Comedy Revue joins Dan Glazer of Comics On Parole/Hollywood South with all the details of the 2020 Savannah Comedy Revue Stand Up Contest. This 11-year comedy career maker attracts talent from across America this year – just watch this to see some of the names ready to battle each other with unheard of levels of wit – $1000 and more is at stake!
Get tickets or find out more at www.savannahcomedyrevue.com
Evelyn Waugh is probably best known for his 1945 novel, Brideshead Revisited—which I have never read. In fact I have read only one of his books. But that one, Helena, is very good despite a number of peculiarities and shortcomings.
Published in 1950, it concerns the titular empress and saint, who lived during the 200s and 300s A.D. and was the mother of Constantine the Great. Legend has it that she was mysteriously guided to the exact location of “the true cross”—the wood upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Up to that point its whereabouts had been unknown.
Waugh stresses in the book’s preface that Helena is only a legend. It is not a true story in the strictest sense, nor could it be since only a minimum of historical data is available where the life of the actual Helena is concerned. Yet Waugh clearly put his heart and soul into this work and ultimately concluded that it was the best novel he had written.
His central theme is focused on the conflict between a Catholic view of reality and a gnostic view. The Catholic view states that God revealed the truth plainly to humankind, in a historically verifiable manner, for one and all to see. Gnosticism in its various forms prefers that the truth or all high knowledge be accessible to only a privileged few. Against the latter, Waugh pits his heroine.
Helena is an intelligent and entertaining work, and is peppered with the acerbic humor Waugh was famous for. But then there are the peculiarities mentioned above. These include certain anachronistic elements which the author deliberately incorporated into his narrative, along with some none-too-subtle jabs at anti-Christian historians like Edward Gibbon. Deserved or not, such rejoinders seem out of place in a fictional narrative; at least in the way Waugh does it here. Also, he sometimes adopts a certain tone that sounds like the voice of a semi-bored tour guide: “…a cockpit here, a rough sports stadium there, the greater or less propriety of the gaming houses and taverns; the shrines of the regimental deities…” etcetera.
As for his portrayal of the heroine’s son, Constantine, I’m not sure what to think. I know that this emperor was a ruthless man and should not be honored as a saint; but I never quite imagined the hideous, homicidal buffoon that is depicted by Waugh.
However, it is the central figure, Helena herself, who matters most in this novel; and she makes up for its shortcomings. She is portrayed as a decent and kind woman without being sentimental. She is morally and physically sturdy, intelligent but opposed to intellectual elitists; she is devout but not pious, and more sacramental than spiritual. In short, she comes off as a no-nonsense, down-to-earth Christian believer, and as such she may or may not appeal to readers. For me, Waugh’s Helena succeeds impressively, and remains in my thoughts long after the actual reading.
Reservations required for all restaurants please.
*Top image by David Mark from Pixabay
Legends in Concert will reopen at the Tropicana on Nov. 30, 2020.
Rich Little will be returning to the Tropicana on Nov. 27, 2020.
Caesars Entertainment is proud to once again offer live entertainment and lead the industry in bringing back a selection of world-class production shows and live music to the Las Vegas Strip.
Production Shows – Following all applicable guidelines set forth by health and government authorities and utilizing Caesars Entertainment’s enhanced health and safety protocols, guests can expect verbal health screenings, non-contact temperature checks, modified seating for social distancing, mandatory masks for guests and staff, limited capacity and more. See below for previously announced show schedules and information, with more shows expected to relaunch in the coming months.
“ABSINTHE” at Caesars Palace
“Piff the Magic Dragon: Too Soon?” at Flamingo Las Vegas
“X Country” at Harrah’s Las Vegas
“Tape Face” at Harrah’s Las Vegas
*Legends in Concert will be returning on Nov. 1 at the Tropicana.
*Rich Little will be back at the Tropicana also on Nov. 1 at the 2nd floor showroom.
◊Harrah’s Las Vegas
◊Bally’s Las Vegas
◊Paris Las Vegas
◊Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
Truly a fun-filled event which I go to every year. Safe and warm, bundled in your cars, bring along a thermos of hot chocolate or cider and enjoy. All proceeds go to charity!
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Image by Kevin Phillips from Pixabay
Yes, this week we are talking about imagination. I have found that most people would not associate imagination with success, and I’ve heard many naysayers shoot people’s goals down when they hear someone share their vision along with their big dreams. They would often make a statement like “That person is a daydreamer, or what an imagination they have.”
This way of thinking is completely wrong, imagination is one of the most important keys to becoming successful. Every dream and goal begins in the mind. In order to have success, you have to imagine yourself becoming successful. This turns your dream into reality, but imagination is way more than just daydreaming.
Imagination is the ability to visualize future situations and events that you would like to have happen in the near future.
Without a doubt, imagination is the key to success. Every vision and goal begins in your mind. What does success look like for you? The first step is to build an image of what you would like to do or achieve. Think about it and build a roadmap for success.
Successful people visualize their goal before achieving it. When you think about professional athletes for example, the successful ones will tell you they had a point in their life where they actually visualized and imagined themselves achieving great levels.
When successful athletes are interviewed after winning a Super Bowl or a world championship, you often hear them talk about how they imagined themselves achieving success in their minds many years before achieving their goal.
Imagination shapes the way we see our reality and it affects our actions and our behavior. This is why it’s important to imagine positive things happening in our lives. We need to imagine what we really want instead of what we don’t want. Everything we achieve in life begins with our imagination.
If you have found that perhaps you’ve lost your imagination, let me encourage you this week to get it back. Write out your goals and create a success map on what it’s going to take to achieve them. Take a moment and close your eyes for a minute or two and visualize all the wonderful blessings and benefits and imagine what it’s going to feel like achieving your dreams. Do this consistently. Imagine yourself winning an award for being a top performer. Imagine yourself having that home you’ve always wanted or going on that trip you’ve always dreamed about. Make that scene as real as you can. Visualize the wonderful benefits and feel the joy.
Your imagination can definitely change your life when you use it in the right way, but it’s not just daydreaming and waiting for things to happen. There has to be a strong desire, focus, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to become successful.
Make that change this week and use your imagination to visualize the success you really want in life. Feel and experience the joy in your mind for the blessings you will receive for achieving your goals. Take that imagination, apply yourself 100%, and watch your dreams turn into reality.
Imagine success and go for it!
RICH NORTON
Regional Sales Manager RMS
CARSON KITCHEN
(In the old John E. Carson Hotel on the corner of Carson Ave & 6th Street)
124 S. 6th St., Suite 100; Las Vegas, NV 89101
702.473.9523
| Saturday | 12–10 pm |
| Sunday | 11–9 pm – Serving brunch 11–4 pm |
| Monday | 12–9 pm |
| Tuesday | 12–9 pm |
| Wednesday | 12–9 pm |
| Thursday | 12–9 pm |
| Friday | 12–10 pm |
A “NEIGHBORHOOD” URBAN DINNG GEM
Las Vegas continues to attract high-profile chefs and world-class restaurants, but not all of them are in the fancy mega-resorts that line the iconic Las Vegas Strip; some are located in Downtown Las Vegas (DTLV), the original townsite and gambling district before The Strip.
The award-winning Carson Kitchen is a gastronomic explosion of intense flavors – rich, robust, and heavenly. Located in the historic John E. Carson Hotel, this now-famous eatery burst onto the Downtown Las Vegas scene in 2014 and has become a favorite of locals and tourists alike. Carson Kitchen was the creation of the late famed Chef Kerry Simon and world-renowned restaurateur and Chef Cory Harwell – and keeping it in the family – Kerry Simon’s brother Scott Simon is Carson Kitchen’s Executive Chef. Kerry mentored Chef Scott, and the brothers worked side by side for many years.
Three years later, due to its immense popularity, Harwell had no choice but to expand the venue to meet his guests’ demands for more space. In addition to the main dining room, there is a contemporary bar with an open kitchen concept and a beautiful rooftop patio and bar that overlooks the surrounding area of Downtown, complete with a lava rock fire pit and live music.
The ever-changing menu is genius, a collection of seasonal comfort foods elevated with crazy and creative food pairings, and innovative flavor combinations. Because the plates are sharable, it provides diners an opportunity to taste so many foods on the menu, which adds to the overall dining experience. Some of the absolute must-haves are the Crispy Chicken Skins with smoked honey; Bacon Jam; Tempura Green Beans; “Devil’s” Eggs, Killer Shrimp, baked Mac & Cheese; Wild Mushroom Flatbread, Secret Sunday Chicken; the Glazed Donut Bread Pudding – three rum caramel vanilla and crème anglaise – and the Bourbon Fudge Brownie with brown butter bacon ice cream!
Carson Kitchen also features a full bar of luscious libations featuring specialty cocktails, wines from boutique wineries, and a selection of American craft beers.
https://www.carsonkitchen.com/las/carson_kitchen_las_vegas_menu.html
This popular hip and trendy restaurant has a warm, welcoming vibe and a knowledgeable, friendly staff whose only goal is to make sure you have a stellar dining experience.
Carson Kitchen is perfect for group reservations, buyouts, and social celebrations.
INTERVIEW WITH CORY HARWELL; CHEF, RESTAURATEUR, AND OWNER OF CARSON KITCHEN. Cory brings his expertise, adventurous spirit, and culinary skills to his Carson Kitchen Restaurants in Las Vegas, Alpharetta, and Salt Lake City. This larger-than-life, kind-hearted, generous, and “hilariously-funny” man was a joy to interview!
NSAEN: Tell us about your background and how you got started in the restaurant business.
I grew up in a small town in Georgia and started washing dishes at a little mom & pop joint as a teenager. The restaurant business is really all I’ve ever known.
NSAEN: Who are your mentors, and how have they helped you in the food and beverage industry?
Scott Young, in New York City, was my first mentor. He worked harder than anyone I knew. I still call him whenever I open a new restaurant and say, “thank you.”
NSAEN: In 2014, you and the late Chef Kerry Simon opened the first Carson Kitchen in Downtown Las Vegas. Why did you choose Downtown?
Kerry was friends with Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of Zappos, and they wanted me to look at this space downtown. I was leery at first, but they both saw what it could be. I started to agree with them, but the concept had to be the right thing. We couldn’t just build any old restaurant downtown; it had to be something hip and new, something different.
NSAEN: How did you and Chef Kerry Simon meet?
He was a customer of mine at my first restaurant, Caña. He fell in love with a shrimp dish that I made, and we were friends from that day on.
NSAEN: How did you come up with the concept and the name for Carson Kitchen?
Kerry and I wanted to build a place that would allow guests to experience what it would be like going to a dinner party at his house. Sitting at the kitchen counter and chatting while listening to great music and watching the cooking going on. Food and drink are the single greatest way we have to connect with another human being, and a dinner party at someone’s home is the most personal form of that connection.
NSAEN: Tell us about the awards and accolades that Carson Kitchen has received?
We were fortunate to have won Best New Restaurant in 2014, Best Appetizer 2014, Best Neighborhood Restaurant 2014, Best Burger 2014, and many more in the years since.
NSAEN: How would you describe your cuisine, and please tell us about some of your signature creations?
Comfortable, recognizable, familiar, and approachable Urban American cuisine. Kerry and I took two approaches to our menu when created. First, we wanted to re-introduce you to dishes or items you may already know by modernizing and re-inventing those dishes. Second, we wanted to introduce you to typically fine-dining ingredients by using them in familiar, comfortable vehicles. For example, we almost trick you into eating caviar by putting it on deviled eggs or eating foie gras by blending it into a sauce and pouring it over our meatballs. We realized that what people ate was affected by their perception of that ingredient, and the price of that ingredient, even more so than the actual flavor. So, we tried to trick your mind into eating something different by putting it into something familiar.
NSAEN: Where does your inspiration/ideas come from when you are creating your menu items?
Everywhere, really. I get inspired by music, art, architecture, you name it, and it probably has inspired a dish or a drink.
NSAEN: Do any of your guests ask for your recipes?
All the time and we are happy to give them, except for the macaroni & cheese. You can’t have that. ☺
NSAEN: Do you offer Vegetarian and Vegan dishes?
Numerous and we are creating more. It is such a huge segment of our dining public now.
NSAEN: Any thoughts on writing a Carson Kitchen Cookbook?
I think I would enjoy writing an actual book and simply using some dishes and recipes as a way to help tell some of the stories.
NSAEN: What is the price point of your menu?
Most of our dishes are between $10 – $20. The average cost per person, with drinks, is $30.
NSAEN: Do you offer specialty cocktails?
We absolutely do, and it is what we are known for. Our specialty cocktails are dynamite.
NSAEN: Do you take reservations?
Yes, through our website and on Resy.
NSAEN: Do you offer off-site catering?
Yes, for the right price. ☺
NSAEN: What do you think patrons are looking for when they go out to eat?
An experience. It isn’t just about the food; it’s everything.
NSAEN: What type of vibe and décor best describes Carson Kitchen?
High energy; modern industrial minimalist.
NSAEN: Do you offer outside seating?
We have an outside courtyard and a rooftop patio with a bar.
NSAEN: What creations do you offer for your Sunday brunch?
Brunch is offered Sunday from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm in all locations and currently features Carson Kitchen plays on all your favorite brunch items like chicken & waffles, French toast, and eggs Benedict.
NSAEN: How many Carson Kitchens are they, where are they located, and why did you choose those locations?
Carson Kitchen – Las Vegas
Carson Kitchen – Alpharetta
Carson Kitchen – Salt Lake City
NSAEN: How many more Carson Kitchen’s do you plan to open, and where?
3 – 6 more, we are looking at a number of future cities right now.
NSAEN: Describe your management style?
People before products before profit.
NSAEN: What words of wisdom can you offer to someone looking to become a chef/restauranteur?
Get a life! Seriously, get a life outside of your restaurant. It will make you a better person in it.
NSAEN: Do you have a vision for any other type of restaurant?
We are launching a mid-market steakhouse in late 2021 in Las Vegas.
NSAEN: How has the pandemic affected your business, and what was it like opening up a new restaurant during this time?
It’s been brutal and could still get a lot worse for many of us. These are very tenuous times.
NSAEN: What about the business keeps you up at night?
Guest satisfaction.
NSAEN: What is your favorite part about running a restaurant?
Guest interaction and the appreciation guests have when we get it right.
NSAEN: Can you please share some personal information about yourself with our readers?
I’m married to my beautiful wife, Lauren, and I have a gorgeous daughter, Kayla. I’m an avid golfer and love to be outdoors. Lauren and I love traveling and meeting new friends.
NSAEN: Thank you for your time, Chef, it was a pleasure!!
*Food images credit: Chris Wessling
*Chef Cory Harwell photo credit: Eugene Dela Cruz, OneSevenAgency
Although competition can often be a healthy part of life, academic pressures have given way to some parents going to extreme and even illegal measures to get their children access to college. As evidenced by recent news, parents, coaches, and even testing proctors have tried to tip the scales for certain children at the expense of others.
With increased testing by districts including state and other exams, we have created a culture where more students than ever suffer from test anxiety. Increased pressure to perform well academically has caused a whirlwind of parents trying to get the “upper hand” in education. Unfortunately, working harder and studying effectively is no longer seen by some parents as the road to success. Advocating for your children is one thing; cheating for them is another.
What message are we sending the future leaders of America when we use money, bribes, and more to get them into the country’s top colleges? In the past few years, I have seen many students leave the college from which they were initially accepted. In many cases, their parents helped them in counterproductive ways and these teens were unable to handle the workload and time management skills necessary to succeed “on their own”.
Constantly managing your child’s time is not a help; it is a hindrance. TEACHING your child how to manage tasks effectively is hard work, but it is the only way to help them succeed. The adage, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” has never been truer than it is today.
With myriad websites, books, and internet resources available to parents and children, there is no reason why learning new strategies and working hard can’t help family’s work together to achieve success.
Schools offer many resources as well including guidance counselors, extra help classes and more. Additionally, legitimate tutoring agencies exist to help support students and parents who need assistance in navigating the increased pressures of schools.
When this investigation is over, I hope people care less about the CEO’s, celebrities, and others who have tried to cheat the system. Our focus needs to be on repairing the mindset of all stakeholders involved. Hard work, determination, and perseverance will give our children access to the colleges that are the best fit for them—–THEM. Not their parents, friends or relatives.
*Marc Hoberman is the owner of Grade Success Education Tutoring Service and an Academic Life Coach and Best-Selling Author.
