Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/149416
DISCOVERIES Director of horticulture Gary Cramer selects three moments that inspire him beyond Wynn and Encore's garden spaces. G ary Cramer still remembers the advertisement that brought him to work for Steve Wynn in 1998. "It was prior to the opening of Bellagio," Cramer recalls. "There was an ad in the newspaper that read, 'Life is what you make it; we make dreams. Come on in, we're hiring. Steve Wynn.' I've never seen anything like that, before or since." Fifteen years later, Cramer is still realizing dreams, both his own and for guests, at Wynn: As director of horticulture, Cramer oversees the 95-person team that designs and maintains the considerable garden spaces, plantings, trees, and cut-flower arrangements throughout Wynn and Encore. One space in particular, of course, stands out among all others. "Every day I walk through the atriums near Wynn's main registration, and I see the looks on guests' faces," he says. "There's just something about the expression on someone's face that tells you it's the first time they've walked through the doors of Wynn. I see that look of awe with that first glimpse of the atriums, and I know I've done my job." With that in mind, we knew Cramer was the ideal choice to select a trio of his own quixotic experiences throughout Wynn and Encore. 1. BREAKFAST AT SOCIETY CAFÉ "One of the most inviting restaurants you'll find throughout Wynn and Encore is Society Café, located along the perimeter of the Encore casino. It's both warm and a little bit eclectic, and it makes such a striking impression from a design point of view, with its mix of soft green combined with the black and white stripes of the drapery treatments; we grow calandivas in a very specific shade of pink to match those colors and place them at the entrance. Encore opened about nine months after I joined Wynn in March 2008, so I saw from the start that the menu at Society Café was about taking traditional, mouthwatering dishes and putting a unique spin on them. I instantly fell in love with the Ultimate Steak & Egg Sliders: Executive chef Bryan Forgione combines filet mignon and scrambled eggs with creamed spinach on a bacon-cheddar muffin, and I've just never tasted anything like it. There's a reason they call it the Ultimate." "Fall is my favorite season in Las Vegas, and it's the perfect time to be outside on the patio at the Country Club; the temperatures are perfect, it's cool in the morning, and the winds and storms of summer are over. I don't think you'll find a more beautiful or more calming environment anywhere on the Strip: All you hear are the sounds of the birds singing and the waterfall at the 18th hole. It really just decompresses you and relaxes you instantly. When Mr. Wynn designed the course with Tom Fazio, they wanted to create the feeling of North Carolina in the middle of Las Vegas, and they certainly succeeded. There are roughly 5,000 trees out there, and the beautiful rolling hills truly make you feel transported. The Country Club is the ideal place to experience all of that. [executive chef] Carlos Guia does a great job with both breakfast and lunch, and I'm definitely a fan of the latter. You'll see me in there in September and October; I'll be the one enjoying the corn chowder." 48 3. PENSKE WYNN FERRARI/MASERATI "When I was a kid, I collected every Matchbox car they made, so it's no surprise that I was immediately drawn to Wynn's Ferrari dealership. If you love cars, it's easy to spend an hour in there, and I'm really selective when it comes to cars. In 2009 Ferrari debuted the 458 Italia, and Penske Wynn was one of the first dealerships in the US to receive one. It's really among the most beautiful cars I've ever seen, and so aerodynamic—it looks like it's moving when it's standing still. I didn't have $700,000 handy, so I did the next best thing: I bought the model version in the Ferrari store, and I display it proudly. If money was no object and I could select any car I wanted, that would be it. There is no second choice." PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX KARVOUNIS (CRAMER); BARBARA KRAFT (FERRARI, SOCIETY CAFÉ, COUNTRY CLUB) 2. LUNCH AT THE COUNTRY CLUB WYNN 048_W_FOB_Discoveries_Fall13.indd 48 8/9/13 1:56 PM