Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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GUIDE excite Not far from the Strip, a winter playground awaits at Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort. Fire and Ice HERE'S WHERE TO HEAT THINGS UP (OR COOL THEM DOWN) AROUND TOWN THIS WINTER. BY DAVID LANDSEL Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort It does snow in Vegas, believe it or not; you just have to drive a little way from the Strip to see it. Barely an hour from the city's neon canyons, you can strap on your gear and shred some powder at this popular resort with a base elevation of 8,510 feet—higher than many favorite Western ski resorts. 6725 Lee Canyon Road, 702-3852754; skilasvegas.com Minus5 Ice Lounge Despite its frigid temperature, this Mandalay Place bar is hot. Everything—the walls, the bar, the sculptures, the seats, even the glasses—is handcrafted from ice imported from Canada. But don't worry about bundling up: Guests are offered insulated jackets and gloves to keep warm. Mandalay Bay, 702-632-7714; minus5experience.com Mt. Charleston Lodge Driving up from the desert into a pine- and snow-filled winter wonderland is half the fun of a visit to Mt. Charleston Lodge, located high atop Kyle Canyon in a setting that could double for the High Sierras. Cap off your adventure with an ice-cold draft beer by the blazing circular fireplace at the center of the popular bar and restaurant. Watch your intake, though—the lodge is located more than 7,700 feet above sea level. 5375 Kyle Canyon Road, 702-8725408; mtcharlestonlodge.com Palms Place This luxury destination-withina-destination at the fashionable Palms resort invites settling in and staying awhile. Ask for one of the suites with a fireplace, for cozying up on the chilliest winter evenings. 4321 W. Flamingo Road, 702-942-7777; palms.com Peppermill Restaurant & Fireside Lounge Red Square This coffee shop and lounge is a classic Vegas throwback, all neon and pink (and neon pink), featuring sunken lounge areas around crackling fire pits. Order a traditional cocktail—a Singapore sling, perhaps—and taste nightlife as it used to be. 2985 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-7354177; peppermilllasvegas.com Nightlife venues fall in and out of fashion, but this Russian-themed vodka bar at Mandalay Bay has stayed cool, literally. At the heart of the experience is the bar's now world-famous vodka vault. Buy a bottle or a shot, slip into a (faux) fur coat, get in there and be cool—23 degrees Fahrenheit, to be precise. Mandalay Bay, 702-632-7407; redsquarelasvegas.com Press SoBe Ice Arena Chilly? Pull up a chair next to one of the glowing fire pits at this seductive lounge inside the Four Seasons Hotel, then order the Fireside S'mores. Pastry chef Jean-Luc Daul pairs his graham cracker cookies with vanilla marshmallow and milk chocolate squares for an elegant upgrade to your childhood memories. Four Seasons Hotel, 702-6325275; fourseasons.com/lasvegas Fiesta Rancho may look like just another gaudy casino resort, but it's also a year-round destination for ice-skating enthusiasts, boasting an NHL-regulation rink that hosts local league play as well as public skating and lessons. Get into a cool groove on Friday and Saturday nights with the rink's DJ Skate Nights. 2400 N. Rancho Dr., 702-6317000; fiestarancho.sclv.com V FROZEN ZONE Red Square's Louis Aceves keeps it cool in the bar's famous vodka vault. Is Lenin's head really in there? What's it doing? Yes, it is! We have it encased and use it as a platform to do your favorite vodka shots off of. Do you have to be a member to step inside the vault? Not at all. You just have to be able to bear the cold and buy shots or bottles to do in the vault. What's your favorite vodka and what's the perfect way to drink it? Beluga Gold Line Russian vodka, made with pure water from Siberian artesian wells. I prefer it iced, shaken, strained, and served straight up in a martini glass. 110 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 110_V_BOB_G_Excite_Winter14.indd 110 1/10/14 10:40 AM