Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Weekend Rewind: Michelle Wie at Hyde, Ray Romano at the Comedy Cellar, Ricky Martin for Billboard and more

Michelle Wie

Michelle Wie and friends at Hyde Bellagio.

So I had a pretty big weekend, checking out the new show Opium at the Cosmopolitan (a full review is coming later this week) and going big with a bachelor party bar crawl on Fremont Street. But if anyone owned Vegas last week, it had to be pro golfer Michelle Wie (currently No. 6 on the LPGA money list and ranked No. 13 in the world by Rolex) who blew up social media while partying at Bellagio and hitting the links at Shadow Creek. Wie and her squad also checked in at Hyde Bellagio during supermodel and “Real Housewives of Miami” cast member Joanna Krupa’s birthday party.

One of your favorite actresses took in one of your favorite Vegas shows. The great Viola Davis (“Fences,” “The Help,” “How to Get Away with Murder”) and her daughter Genesis saw Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at Bellagio over the weekend, joining cast members backstage after the show for the ‘gram. Apparently Davis is a longtime Cirque devotee.

Click to enlarge photo

Viola Davis at "O"

R&B diva Ashanti stopped at Drai’s Saturday night to enjoy a performance by resident artist 2 Chainz. Also spotted on the rooftop nightclub: a different kind of resident, Floyd Mayweather, and Houston Rockets superstar James Harden.

The Comedy Cellar at the Rio promised big names would be popping up on its stage just as they do at the New York City original, and it only took one weekend to prove the claim as Aces of Comedy resident Ray Romano dropped in after his Mirage show. Romano is one of the many standup stars who paid his dues in the NYC club, which has exported its style and setup to the off-Strip resort.

Additional performers have been announced for the 2018 Billboard Latin Music Awards to be held later this month at the Mandalay Bay Event Center and Strip headliner Ricky Martin tops the list. His fantastic production “All In” returns to Park Theater returns May 23 but he’ll join social media star and rapper-of-the-moment Cardi B and Colombian reggaeton singers J Balvin and Karol G at the Latin Billboards concert and ceremony April 26, which will be broadcast live on Telemundo. Previously announced artists include Calibre 50, Chayanne, Maluma, Maná, Nicky Jam and Ozuma. Meanwhile, tickets for the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, go on sale Thursday, April 12 at axs.com. Last year’s Billboards were held at T-Mobile Arena and featured another Strip resident, Celine Dion.

ICYMI: Entrepreneur Alex Meruelo closed on his acquisition of SLS Las Vegas last week, officially pointing the struggling Strip resort that was once the iconic Sahara in a new direction. Former Stratosphere general manager Paul Hobson was named SLS’ new senior vice president and general manager. Expect gradual but significant change at this North Strip property and up the block at the Strat, now under the control of Golden Entertainment.

In restaurant news, the Cosmopolitan announced its next restaurant addition, a refined Chinese experience called Red Plate, coming to the resort’s third floor this summer. Chef Yip Cheung was creating specialty dining options for high rollers at Cosmo’s Talon Club and will head up this new Cantonese kitchen, set for the space formerly occupied by the Italian pizza and wine bar D.O.C.G.

And if you need another reason to visit downtown’s Flock & Fowl restaurant—other than the fact that chef Sheridan Su was nominated for a James Beard Award this year—here’s another one. Bartender Adam Rains was crowned the winner of the regional semifinals of the Star of the Bar mixology competition at Libertine Social, thanks to his creative cocktail dubbed the Notorious P.I.G., made with Whistlepig 10-year rye, maple syrup, lychee honey, aquafaba and lemon. Rains is off to Chicago May 20 to compete again at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.