Velveteen Rabbit Open For Business, As Awesome As Everyone Hoped...

I've already professed my excitement for The Velveteen Rabbit bar in Downtown Las Vegas, in a post in which I detailed the struggles of locally raised sisters Pam and Christina Dylag to get the place on its feet. I'm happy to report that, after many delays, the crushable sister duo have opened the doors to their dream business... and it's as awesome (and already successful) as everyone hoped it would be.

I've written about many, many watering holes in Downtown that will appeal to the artsy/ hipster crowd, but the Velveteen Rabbit has them all beat. This is the place you'll want to take that cute art school girl if you finally want to make out with her. You'll be hit by the whimsical design of the place the moment you enter, which includes details like plush mismatched furniture, purposely broken mirrors, funky and colorful murals, local art, cute little sculptures located all over the place, and a wall that was burned in a fire that took place in the space years ago and left up as a design element created by nature. Many of the seats are arranged in private nooks so that patrons can have more intimate conversations (or canoodle with cute art school girls) and the well chosen music is played at levels you won't have to shout over.

The whimsically named cocktails are adventurous and creative, and made with the freshest fruits and herbs as well as top-shelf liquors. The craft beer selection, listed on a chalk board, is excellent and constantly rotating. Like everything else in the place, even the beer taps have a fun element as the bar tenders pull down sculpted hands to pour your suds. I enjoyed a reasonably priced Ballast Point Sculpin that you can only get cheaper at the brewery in San Diego, but they also had a wide variety of options for people who don't like bitter IPAs as much as I do. The Dylag sisters can often be found behind the bar mixing the drinks themselves (and adding rabbit shapes into the foam), so take the opportunity to congratulate them on a job well done (and try your hand at getting their phone numbers, though good luck with that!).

I could say more about the place, but I've already written that long post about the vision, hopes, and dreams of getting the place opened, but like a fairy tale come to life (or the versions we're used to now because the original Hans Christen Anderson and Brothers Grimm fairy tales were actually quite dark and upsetting), The Velveteen Rabbit has found its happy ending.

Now all that's left to say is... just get in there and get drinkin'!

Escape from Douchebaggery, Part 22: The Lady Silvia

The Lady Silvia is the latest piece of evidence in the increasingly strong case being made for Tony Hsieh's vision of the future of Downtown Las Vegas. While Hsieh's mad-scientist plans to use his personal fortune to turn a desolate neighborhood North of the Las Vegas Strip into a thriving, artistic, creative, and cohesive community seemed like madness just a few years ago, the existence and success of businesses like The Lady Silvia, an artsy speakeasy with a sexily bookish vibe, prove that Hsieh's vision is slowly but surely becoming a reality. But I've sung the praises of the online shoe sales magnate enough on this blog... this post is about why The Lady Silvia in specific is such a vibrant and cool place to get your drink on in Sin City.

The Speakeasy style bar has a nondescript entrance that can make it hard to find, but it's worth the initial annoyance of figuring out exactly where the eff it is for the dramatic moment you'll experience once you enter the low lit beauty. The Lady Silvia's stunning interior design is based on Prague's Strahov Monastery Library and decorated with tall bookcases stacked high with leather-bound tomes. Paintings by local artists hang on the black walls, while original murals scrawled with graffiti hang from the ceiling. The black and white checkerboard flooring and the colorful leather and velvet furniture add to the unique atmosphere of the bar. While this might make The Lady Silvia sound a bit pretentious, the vibe of the bar is anything but as the place has a warm atmosphere that's much more inviting than some of the snootier hipster bars in L.A's Silverlake neighborhood.

On most nights, you can find a DJ spinning a smartly selected playlist at a comfortable volume that actually makes it possible to have a conversation with your friends while you drink. Cooler still, The Lady Silvia offers a Jazz Happy Hour from 6:00- 9:00 PM every Friday, with happy hour prices on all drinks and bottle service while local Sax wizard Tommy Thompson blows some killer live tunes.

The bartenders serve up a great selection of simple yet perfectly mixed cocktails, while stocking a great selection of interesting Beers and Wines. The Lady Silvia, as is standard with any classy Las Vegas lounge, does offer bottle service in which you can reserve seats as the staff brings you overpriced bottles of liquor. But like everything else in Dowtown, their version of bottle service is more relaxed and less show-offy than what you'll experience (of if you're as broke as I am, watch rich people experience) in clubs like Tryst or Marquee on The Strip, where the VIP status of the haves is flaunted in the face of the 99%.

Located inside the Soho Lofts, a building filled with condos occupied by artsy types and Zappos employees (which boasts fantastic views of The Strip from a very cool rooftop pool deck), the bar has become a popular watering hole in the increasingly busy neighborhood.The Lady Silvia is short walking distance of other newish Downtown hipster bars like Artifice, Bar + Bistro, The Griffin, and The Downtown Cocktail Room, making it a key stop for an epic Downtown bar crawl, and the place always has something interesting up its sleeves during the First Frdiays Art Walk event. The unique approach that the owners of The Lady Silvia took in crafting their bar makes it stand out as a place worth visiting while simultaneously fitting in perfectly with the artsy, progressive, and youthful vibe that the neighborhood has cultivated. It's just the latest example of a business that is helping Downtown come together as a cohesive and exciting community built by and for locals. Plus The Lady Silvia's old-world library vibe makes it the perfect spot to tell ghost stories while you enjoy a classic cocktail and some excellent music.

Escape from Douchebaggery, Part 20: Artifice Bar

Oh, how far we've come. 20 recommendations for non-douchey, bro-free activities in Las Vegas. And some of you probably started reading this blog thinking it was a gimmick, that Las Vegas had nothing to offer those who identify as hipsters (or those who deny that they're hipsters even though they totally are). Yet I've only gotten started.

As you've no doubt noticed (and I haven't failed to point out in an insecure hedge where I criticize myself before you can), most of the places I've recommended have been located off The Strip and in Downtown. A few years ago, the thought of recommending great places in Downtown (unless you were looking to score a hooker or some meth) was nearly unimaginable. Just a few years ago, Las Vegas was less than friendly to the artsty, alt., and indie types. But the city, which has a history of changing directions every few years, is shaking off it's old skin and regenerating into something new, Doctor Who, style.

And Downtown in particular continues to evolve into its own unique brand of awesome. While the neighborhood did decently attracting people to The Fremont Street Experience as a kind of low-rent alternative to The Strip, the current movers and shakers in the area are thinking of the neighborhood as its own entity. Downtown is becoming a unique neighborhood that is equally friendly to locals as it is to tourists, as new and unique businesses are opening in the area all the time. The Artifice Bar, located in the middle of the area's growing art's district, is a perfect example of the neighborhood's exciting and creative expansion.

The Artifice opened just over a year ago, but the place became hub for the hipsteratti almost immediately. It's easy to see why local hipsters adopted the artsy place as their own, because the bar gives off a unique vibe even when viewed from the outside, with an old-school neon sign announcing that you've arrived and cheeky comic-strip style art inviting you inside.

Located next to Bar + Bistro in a brick building that was started as an electrical warehouse and was once used as a laundry facility for the Lady Luck Hotel, the interior is massive, with two wood-floored lounge-style rooms and a performance space. The lounge rooms feature long leather couches that are perfect for cuddling up for some dimly lit private time with that special someone. Paintings and photographs from local artists hang on the black stenciled and exposed cinder block walls. Because all the works on display are for sale, interesting new artwork constantly rotates in to replace pieces that have been sold, so there's always something new to see.


The performance space is decently sized, with a large stage where some of the best local bands and comedians in town perform in a room with chalkboard walls where artists can draw ephemeral works, lending a cool interactive vibe to the space. The venue is always one of the best places to check out great music during the monthly First Fridays Art Walk.

The quirky touches continue even in the bathrooms, where vintage televisions hang above the urinals. Local artists contributed to the design of the entire place, which explains the unique and forward thinking details embedded throughout.

The bartenders serve an amazing selection of cocktails on a black marble bar top (as Artifice is yet another place I easily could have covered in my review of Las Vegas cocktail culture). The talented mixologists serve artfully named Cocktails like The Warhol, Alice in Wonderland, Nicky Free, Taming of the Shrew (made with Absinthe, Gin, Lime, Soda, Lime, and Sour), and The Charleston (a delicious Old-Fashioned-like concoction made with Maker's, Bitters, Sugar, and a sprtiz of Seltzer and garnished with Cherries and Orange Slices). Artifice also carries an excellently curated boutique Wine list and a small yet decent selection of beer (including a few good Crafts).


The most impressive trick that Artifice pulls off is balancing all of the artsy elements, such as their quirky design, artwork on display, and outside the box Cocktail selection, while simultaneously remaining totally unpretentious and fun. Sure the place attracts a hipster crowd, but everyone I encountered was chilled out instead of "too cool for school." This is a hipster bar for people who hate hipsters (or at least claim to hate hipsters).

Cocktail Culture Comes to Las Vegas

Cocktail culture has become a wildly popular trend in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other cool cities, possibly as a symptom of Mad Men hysteria. These days, you can't throw a rock in one of those towns without hitting a vest-clad mixologist working in a faux speakeasy who can chat with you about the best Bourbon to use in an Old Fashioned and has invented a cleverly named original drink made with seasonal muddled fruits that takes the running time of a typical network sitcom to prepare.

And I'm conflicted about the whole thing.


On one hand, any trend that emphasizes quality is a good thing. I've had some incredibly inventive drinks that tasted like liquid heaven, and I love that you can get Old Fashioneds at almost any bar these days. I like to drink my Old Fashioneds pensively and pretend I'm Don Draper listening to The Beatles for the first time (the real original studio recordings, exorbitant licensing fees be damned!).

While I dig on the retro speakeasy style and delicious drinks, there is something a bit d-baggy about the whole thing. The bartenders at all of these places wear vests... seriously, can't we get a little more creative with the costuming? But more problematically is that cocktail culture in its mutant inception becomes just another thing for yuppie assholes to be pretentious about as they try to impress people with facts about imported Vodkas, the best bitters, and seasonal fruit infusions. Plus a lot of these idiots show up dressed in striped vests just like the bartenders behind the bar, which is just so immensely stupid I don't know where to start.

However conflicted I am about it, the trend continues to grow, and has certainly found its way to Las Vegas. Below is a list of some of the best spots to get haute-cocktails in Sin City.

The Downtown Cocktail Room: Yes, another Downtown bar. And you better believe I'll eventually write a whole post on this awesome place near Fremont Street. I love Downtown Las Vegas, it's just who I am... if you have a problem with that, you can stop reading. Anyway, now that the unnecessarily defensive part is out of the way, The Downtown Cocktail Room is an intimate, low lit place with a cool vibe and resident DJs who spin chilled out tunes as one of the most respected bartenders in town mixes a collection of unbelievable signature drinks. Their Old Fashioned is top-notch, but don't be scared by their menu of original, seasonal concoctions such as The Orthodox Caveman (made with Zucca, Cachaca, Scotch, Apertif, and Bitters), the irreverently named Don't Fig With Me (a concoction of Apple Jack, Fig, Orange, and Molasses), or The Downtown Cider (Spiced Rum, Ginger, Lime, and Clove). This is the kind of place where you can point to a few of your favorite bottles from behind the bar and watch as the alcohol-magician mixes something off the top of his head based on your choices. So yeah, don't just order a Jack and Coke at this awesome spot that provides an escape from the usual Strip scene.

The Vesper Bar: Located near The Cosmopolitan's check in desk, this sexy lounge, named after James Bond's first girlfriend (played by the inhumanly sexy Eva Green in 2006's awesome 007 reboot Casino Royale) features a menu of signature drinks that changes seasonally and includes classic drinks that have gone out of fashion over the years. The expert mixologists (I know it's a terrible term and the first place I heard it was at TGI Friday's, but it's what they seem to prefer to be called so whatever) will make you whatever you want or create a new drink on the fly based on what you like. It's one of those places where you'll order something and they'll recommend a drink that you might like better... and I'd advise you to listen to them, because these people know what they're talking about. The Vesper's ostentatious Chandelier covered  ceiling fits in perfectly at The Cosmopolitan, one of the most self consciously cool resorts in Las Vegas, but with perfectly mixed drinks like the delicious Aviation (a classic from 1916 originally created to celebrate the Wright Brothers made with Gin, Maraschino Liquer, Creme de Violette, and Lemon Juice), it's worth putting up with a little bit of trying too hard.

Herbs and Rye: If you're really into old school cocktail culture, this off-Strip freestanding bar and restaurant on Sahara Avenue is a great bet. Decked out in velvet wallpaper, black leather booths, and chandeliers, the bartenders mix one of the best Old Fashioneds I've ever had in my life as well as the Broken Spur (a resurrected classic made with White Port, Dry Gin, Vermouth, Anisette, Brisard, and a fresh Egg yolk). The food isn't bad either, as my friends and I split a few small plates, and the roaring 20's style vibe is complimented by live Jazz band performances on Monday nights.

Fusion Mixology Bar: Located in the middle of the casino floor in The Palazzo, this Latin themed bar serves fresh fruit infused cocktails from Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Trinidad with an emphasis on liquors like Tequila, Rum, Cachaca, and Pisco. Drinks like the Flora Fresca (made with Lemon-Ginger Simple Syrup, Vanilla Vodka, Jasmine Liqueur, Hibiscus Liqueur, Lavender Spice Bitters, and Fresh Ginger) or The Gondolier Blanco (made with White Chocolate Liqueur, White Creme de Menthe, White Creme de Cocoa, White Chocolate Syrup, and Cream) are complimented by high energy Salsa, Samba, and Rumba music. It's also refreshing to visit a place that emphasizes mixology where the bartenders are not wearing striped vests and the vibe is isn't that same old fake-Speakeasy thing which was cool a few years ago when it first started coming back but has quickly become an uncreative cliche.

Nora's Italian Cuisine: The family-run, old school eatery, which has been open since 1991, serves classic Italian cuisine in a warm and inviting off-Strip space. While it's not a place that anyone would describe as hip (or even on the same planet as hip), Nora's has been on the vanguard of high quality cocktails for years before it became trendy. Signature cocktails made with fresh seasonal ingredients (with the name of the bartender who invented the concoction listed next to the drink on the menu, a nice personal touch) include The Meadow's Mist (made with Bombay Sapphire, MB Peach, fresh Strawberries, Honey, Rosemary, and Lemon), The Cable Car (with Absolut Mandarin Vodka, Cruzan Mango, Mango Coulis, Alize Red, and Sour), and The Pilgrim's Passion (made with Hendrick's Gin, Elderflower Liquour, Passion Fruit Couilis, Mint, and Sour). The homestyle Pastas and Pizzas aren't bad either.

Bar Moderno: Located inside the futuristic Aria at CityCenter, Bar Moderno employs great mix masters who create spectacular handcrafted Cocktails made with fresh seasonal ingredients (I have used that term too many times in this post, and for that I apologize, but it's also one of the buzzy terms that almost all fancy Cocktail spots emphasize, and while it sounds silly it really does make a difference in the quality of the libations). Drinks like like The Sticky 'n Sweet (made with Rum, Peanut Butter, Honey, Coconut Milk, Ice, and fresh toasted Coconut Garnish) are served in a funky yet fancy bar decked out in bright purple with gold tree trunk sculptures, as live bands and DJs perform, some of whom suprisingly don't suck.

Escape from Douchery, Part 14: The Barrymore

The Royal Resort is the definition of "unassuming." "Resort" is certainly a strong word to describe the Off-Strip, non-gaming hotel that looks from the outside like dozens of other nondescript, budget-friendly places designed solely as a place to lay your drunken head on the cheap after a night of boozin' and gamblin' on The Strip.

But The Royal houses an unexpected secret, and not the dark and twisted kind of secret that you might stumble upon in horror at many Las Vegas venues. The Royal's secret is the opposite of all that, in fact: an awesomely hip and unique little restaurant and lounge called The Barrymore.

The sexy restaurant and lounge is run by the people behind Public House at The Venetian and the upscale and delicious burger joint Holstein's at The Cosmopolitan. These guys clearly know what they're doing, and in a lot of ways, The Barrymore is their most ambitious project to date.

The retro-cool space is covered in beautifully old fashioned wall paper that reminded me of The Haunted Mansion (in a good way! I love The Haunted Mansion), evocative original artwork, comfy plush booths, hand crafted mirrors on the walls, and Gold Film Reels lining the ceiling (which was of course my favorite touch, as a movie-crazy type of person).

Dinner was excellent, as the restaurant serves upscale American fare for totally reasonable prices. I sampled the Lobster Mac and Cheese appetizer and Crispy Pork Belly (yes, I am aware that Pork Belly is becoming a ubiquitous dish at any self respecting restaurant these days, but it's an awesome trend I heartily endorse) entree, both of which were delicious, and the restaurant's fancy shmancy version of S'Mores were worth the indulgence. Since The Barrymore's cellar features 50 great wines for under $50, my table split a bottle of Italian Cabernet that was the perfect compliment to our meals and made us all feel very classy.

Once we finished eating, we decided to have just one more drink at The Barrymore's extremely cool lounge area, and that's when I fell in love with the place.

Cocktail culture is spreading quickly through Las Vegas, and The Barrymore is more evidence to that fact as vest-wearing mixologists pour elaborately mixed cocktails like their signature eponymous drink (made with Gentleman Jack, Blood Orange Liquer, Vermouth, Orange Bitters, Orange Zest, and Orange Marmalade... yes, Orange Marmalade in a cocktail... sounds weird but it works) or their excellently crafted Old Fashioned. They also carry a small but nicely curated selection of Beers, including some of my all-time favorites like Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA and Delirium Tremens.

One drink became more than one more drink which became several drinks. Long story short, we ended up getting pretty tipsy and hanging out at The Barrymore for a few more hours than we had planned. The atmosphere was totally chilled out, and we were digging on the cool sounds of the classic jazz soundtrack that provided a welcome escape from ubiquitous top 40 hits and aggressive Dubstep drones playing in most bars on The Strip.

The place also has a nice patio area with a firepit where you can grab a couch and enjoy views of The Strip's more iconic resorts towering above The Royal. The crowd was eclectic, probably due to the venue's remoteness and obscurity.

The Royal seems to be going through something of a transitional phase, as they're attempting to up their hip factor and "build buzz." As the great Sin City guide VegasChatter pointed out, The Royal currently has two websites: a straightforward one that markets the place as a smart and budget friendly choice for tourists who don't mind staying off Strip and a cooler than though version that re-brands the resort as a "boutique" hotel re-Christened as The Royal House which is clearly designed to attract the hipsterati (at least until an Ace opens in town), with other cool flourishes like a gallery displaying the work of local artists, a central bar and lounge that plays old films during the day and hosts musicians and DJs at night called The Den, and a relaxing pool area with brightly colored cabanas. All these features are smart, but the vibe of the place is still inescapably "budget hotel" at best, and "large motel perfect for spending time with a lady of the night" at worst. If The Royal Resort (or Royal House, or whatever its called) is making a play to burn down their image as a boring yet affordable hotel to become reborn as a flaming Phoenix of Off-Strip boutique cool, The Barrymore is a promising step in the right direction.