Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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nonstop nightlife! Afrojack, Calvin Harris (pictured), and Armin van Buuren. Modeled after a European opera house, the four-story room is surrounded by mezzanine-level private booths. Swept AwAy by Celine Celine Dion has performed nearly 1,000 times in the Colosseum (866-320-9763; thecolosseum .com), and she puts on one of the most spectacular shows on the Strip. In August she started a performance run that continues through June 2016. Yes, your heart will go on. light Up The Louis Vuitton store in The Shops at Crystals is filled with every Vuitton item you can imagine, but its best-kept secret is a permanent installation by light artist James Turrell called Akhob (702-730-3150; theshops atcrystals.com). Visitors stand in a light-filled room whose colors continuously change, creating a meditative sanctuary on the Strip. RomAnCe A DAte with lAte-night JewelS Some high-carat pieces will never make it to the front counter at Van Cleef & Arpels (702-560- 6556; vancleefarpels.com) in The Shops at Crystals, where spendy shoppers are invited to a luxurious back room to sip Champagne and see some of the house's rarest items. The store is open until midnight on weekends. meet the miDnight iDol Take in the Vegas sunset at Casa de Shenandoah (702-547-4811; casadeshenandoah.com), Wayne Newton's 52-acre ranch. It has barns for his Arabian horses, a mansion with secret passage- ways, an exotic-animal farm, Rolls-Royces formerly owned by Steve McQueen and Liberace, and Franklin Roosevelt's own desk. You can even take a tour with Newton himself (for a reservation, e-mail MrLV@ casadeshenandoah.com). Dine on the lAke Bellagio, the Lake Como–themed Italianate hotel, has been newly invigorated by chef Julian Serrano's modern restaurant Lago (702-693-7111; bellagio.com), where diners can enjoy tapas- style Mediterranean-inflected dishes, such as pristine crudo and an exceptional red-wine risotto. Design by Munge Leung celebrates early-20th-century Italian futurism, and the new outdoor patio offers dining next to the famous fountains. JoURney to pARiS Michael Mina's beautiful new Bardot Brasserie at the Aria Resort & Casino (877-230-2742; aria.com) elevates French fare— for instance, onion soup studded with braised oxtail and bubbling with aged Gruyère is covered in Perigord truffles. The gold letter- ing stenciled on the windows, the Laguiole cutlery, and the zinc bar make this one of the most trans- porting restaurants in Vegas. A bit of eveRything Once a restaurant/nightclub, Lavo (702-791-1800; lavolv.com) is taking on a new identity. Now a hybrid private gaming room and lounge with private bottle ser- vice, Lavo is still serving elevated Italian comfort food (wagyu meatballs!), but now it will bring dinner right to your gaming table. ClUb of the moment Omnia (702-785-6200; omnianightclub.com) takes the place of the old Pure in Caesars Palace, offering a massive showcase for celebrity DJs like life begins after sunset Daylight in Vegas is for spa recovery sessions and disco naps. Here it's all about what you can do when the sun goes down. There are few certainties in the world's favorite gaming playground. Some things, however, are guaranteed: There will always be a fabulous new restaurant to try or a hot new club to jockey your way into, and, should the need arise to buy fine jewelry or a handbag at midnight, someone will be happy to accommodate you. Best secret place in Vegas: The Thomas Keller restaurant Bouchon (venetian.com) is a hike to get to, but when you sit on the patio overlooking the garden, you're transported right to Yountville. Best over- the-top date: The world's greatest chefs come to Vegas December 17–20 for a weekend called Ultimo (venetian.com/ ultimo). The signature event is The Grand Banquet—dinner at a spectacular table that spans the entire Grand Colonnade. Civilized cocktail: My favorite bar outside Venetian and Palazzo is the Mandarin Bar (mandarinoriental.com/las vegas/fine-dining/mandarin- bar). It's chic, sophisticated, has an excellent bar program, a nice selection of wine by the glass, amazing service— and that view! What should no one miss in 48 hours in Vegas? There is no ultimate weekend in Vegas without gaming and nightlife. I suggest some gambling in the new Lavo Casino Club (lavolv.com/casino-club) at Venetian, then on to Marquee (marqueelasvegas.com) at the Cosmopolitan, and finish in the early morning at XS (xslasvegas.com) at Wynn. Up all night seBastien silVestri, VP of food and beVerage at Venetian and Palazzo, shares his Vegas faVorites. James Turrell's installation Akhob is the best-kept secret in the Louis Vuitton store at The Shops at Crystals. las vegas 48 hours in bostoncommon-magazine.com 95