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.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/303789
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNA DOSCH (MOJITO); BRYAN HAINER (PICNIC) A BREATH OF FRESH AIR Springtime is the right time to cocktail alfresco. BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON When you're blessed with 300 sunny days a year, you need as many options for outdoor imbibing as you can get. Thankfully, this spring offers a wide array of opportunities to grab a refreshing drink while enjoying weather that most of the country is still dreaming about. Enjoy ultrafresh seafood, carefully prepared Greek cuisine, and spectacular city views from the glass- enclosed terrace at Estiatorio Milos in Cosmopolitan (cosmopolitanlasvegas.com). With a glass of Plomari ouzo in hand, or perhaps a Clean Sweep (Mastiha [mastic] liqueur, St. George absinthe, cucumber, mint, and rose water), you can nicely simulate the experience of relaxing aboard some generous Greek scion's yacht. Or head to the Four Seasons Hotel (fourseasons.com/ lasvegas) for an Italianate afternoon at Verandah, whose terrace seating looks out over the pools. The open-air patio at Press, the newest addition at Four Seasons, is the place to enjoy a rhubarb mojito, with Bacardi rum, rhubarb dry soda, rhubarb bitters, rock candy syrup, rhubarb grenadine, and fresh mint. There's no need to sacrifice fresh air for nightlife. The club atmosphere at Encore's XS Nightclub (wynnlas vegas.com) extends outdoors, with a large backlit pool and views of the dance floor. Take a break from the action by reserving a cabana, or live large with the $5,000 Five Star cocktail, an over-the-top celebration of the club's fifth anniversary (available only this year), featuring Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23-year- old bourbon, Martini Gran Lusso 150th-anniversary vermouth, Bénédictine D.O.M. Black Monk liqueur, bitters, and flamed orange oils, constructed tableside (or poolside) and delivered on a special gold tray. V " A lfresco" takes on a whole new meaning at The Linq (thelinq.com). At The High Roller—billed as the highest observation wheel in the world, with unprecedented views of the city and the desert beyond— revelers can belly up to the bar for a drink before they embark (yes, you can take your drink with you). For views of the wheel, book the private room and deck at Brooklyn Bowl (vegas.brooklynbowl.com), with food from Blue Ribbon (blueribbonrestaurants.com), or grab your corner of the massive two-level patio or the beer garden at Yard House (yardhouse.com) and wash down a burger with a brew from the glass-enclosed keg room and 160 (!) taps. Monte Carlo's dining scene should be reinvigorated by the Vegas debut of Yusho (montecarlo.com), chef Matthias Merges's wildly popular riff on Japanese street food and yakitori—fresh from Chicago. The patio opens onto the brand-new Boulevard pedestrian plaza, and you can keep cool by sitting next to its living wall and drinking a Soul of the Sensei (DH Krahn gin, Eldorado three-year rum, lime, tangerine, and kampo bitters). Downtown, dining and drinking are getting seriously cool. Picnic, the much-anticipated 35,000 -square-foot rooftop bar at the hip new Downtown Grand (downtowngrand.com), gives the area an exciting social option. Designed to be a somewhat calmer retreat with a retro vibe, it has communal picnic tables, a faux lawn, live blackjack, music, and more. You'll even find a fire pit for cooler nights and a pool for warmer ones. Join Us on the Patio NEW OPENAIR DINING AND DRINKING EXPERIENCES WITH A VIEW ABOUND IN VEGAS THIS SPRING. BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON Chill out at Picnic, on the roof of Downtown Grand. Four Seasons offers cocktails for all of them, such as this spring-friendly rhubarb mojito at Press. 88 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM TASTE OF THE TOWN 088_V_ST_TasteoftheTown_MAYJUNE_14.indd 88 4/21/14 1:43 PM