At Lavo, New Year’s Eve is less celeb more celebration

By Allison Duck

Friday, Jan. 1, 2010 | 7:35 a.m.

What celebrity host? The crowd at Lavo at the Palazzo hardly seemed to take notice of Nicole Richie or her boyfriend, Joel Madden, the celebrity host and DJ, respectively, for the club's New Year's Eve blowout.

The holiday seemed to bring out the best in people at the Palazzo hot spot, as patrons held doors for waiters passing around appetizers and strangers helped each other carry drinks back to groups of friends. The usual nightclub pushiness melted away as the crowd around the bar could be overheard complimenting the bartender for his speedy service, even when asked for 14 Jack and Cokes and three shots of Patron.

Everything was friendly... at least until you entered the line for the ladies' room. An open bar usually means frequent trips to the restroom, and the lengthy line did little to put smiles on ladies' faces.

"The rule of Lavo is that you cannot stand still. You're not allowed. There is no way, not even in the bathroom stall," joked Andrea Peterson of Tulsa, Okla. "There is one rule of Lavo: You must keep moving."

It might sound preposterous, but the security guards and staff kept the perpetual-motion standard in effect inside the packed club to prevent traffic jams and potential fire hazards. Out on the patio, however, the atmosphere was more relaxed. Overlooking the Strip, Lavo's patio was filled with out of town guests from countries such as Sweden, Ireland, Australia and Germany.

Frances Moloney from Dublin, Ireland, came to town with a large group of friends. "We came last summer and thought it was the best place ever and we got really good flights, so we wanted to come back for New Year's Eve."

Her friend, Christine Kirwan, noted, "When I went last summer it was like Disneyland for adults, just the best place ever. It is brilliant. This club is classy without being slutty."

Many of the out-of-town revelers came to Las Vegas for more than just New Year's Eve parties. Clubs and casinos smartly packed the weekend with new club openings, special guest hosts and performers, concerts, and, of course, UFC 108 to entice partygoers to extend their stays.

Shanea Gethers from Indianapolis, Ind. came to town to meet various family members to celebrate New Year's Eve and catch the Black Eyed Peas concert the night before at Mandalay Bay Events Center. "New Year's is all about celebrating and ushering in a brand new year. Only Vegas can bring it in the right way," she said.