9/3 - 9/9

Just because was Labor Day Weekend doesn't mean that I'm going to spend the holiday laboring away in the office like I did last weekend. Pulling together the Weekly's annual nightlife issue damn near killed me. At one point I was slung between two office chairs at the GMG office, trying to catch a catnap at 2 a.m. on my second of three near all-nighters. Needless to say, the issue came out and a few of the Icons interviewed for the cover feature have reported that they've never before gotten quite so many phone calls and texts after getting some press. I'm flattered! And honored. I'm also exhausted. And that is why the *new* Circuit is coming to you from poolside at Cherry. Oh yeah, I am Red Rockin' it this holiday and Retreat is just the thing to work out the kinks I managed to get in my neck and back from 10 straight days in my office (that's an office/cubicle for those of you not fortunate enough to have one of these 3 x 5 palaces). I arrived just after 1 a.m. late Sunday night and made a beeline for the bathtub, a bottle of wine and some dark chocolate that could make you cry.

 

Wednesday 9/5 I hit LAX for Bob Sinclar's performance. it was hot. Well, truth be told, both the performance and the venue were equally hot. I didn't stay long but during my "quick" two-hour hit 'n run I did see a who's who of nightlife personalities. All talk was of the impending VMA weekend. Thursday night I stopped back into Blush where Tiesto was hanging out and enjoying the sounds of DJ Jack Lafleur on his new Project Thursday residency. Much to Jack's shock and delight Tiesto, asked to have a picture taken with him! Friday night, VMA madness was in full swing at Tao Beach where I caught a private performance by Linkin Park. The stage set up behind the pool was great though the sound could have admittedly been a bit louder. Chester was in fine form, doing all that great screaming he's so known for and I thoroughly enjoyed the high-energy atmosphere that was buzzing. This was, of course, because everyone still had some evergy at this point! After the show I proceeded over to Noir and didn't come out until after 6 a.m.! But you can read more about that in the next Weekly. Suffice it to say there was nothing noir about the sky when I crawled out of there.

 

Saturday afternoon I hit three of the major VMA gifting suites including the official VMA Talent Lounge at the Palms, the Style Villas at Venus Pool Lounge and the Star Lounge at the Hard Rock. The best by far, both for organization and the quility of celeb swag was the Style Villas. I won't recount my entire haul but let's just say it kicked Sundance's ass into the pool! What can I say, I'm a swag hag. Sunday afternoon I hit Tao Beach for a deliscious Poolside and departed just before the clouds came a rollin' in to bring on VMA night. Then, I hid!

 

This Week The Circuit likes: Rosh Hashanah (Happy New Year to my tribe!), Blush, Noir, post-VMA bliss, and Los Angeles, here I come!

 

8/27 - 9/2

Things definitely didn't slow down this week, even as the Nightlife Issue was being assembled and I was catching 4 hours of sleep a night, some spent in the floor in my cubicle and some in my car. Monday I took my second tour of LAX and Noir, this time with all the soft furnishings in place. Wow. Pure Management Group really outdid themselves this time (see People Are Saying for a virtual tour of Noir). Tuesday it was back Downtown for the second block party concluding United's five-day event there. Wednesday night it was Lights Out for Light Nightclub, a final friends and family soiree which brought together all the people Light has, um, pleasured in its six year reign. Thursday afternoon I took a look at the nearly completed Blush Nightclub, I'd say about 99% done. While I watched, a whole team of mostly female designers put the finishing touches on the sexy space. Later that night, after enjoying the Shiny Toy Guns concert with over 2000 other fans poolside at Voodoo Beach, I headed down to Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce where Mr. Kane himself officially unleashed his Ivan Kane's Royal Jelly, which has been in previews for the past four weeks. What a show! Nowhere in Vegas can you get quite this close to a sweaty guitar player's crotch. And the dancers were pretty hot stuff as well. Friday night was given completely over to LAX, which opened just as planned, featuring the very familiar face of Britney Spears. She came, we saw, she left. Mission accomplished. Next! Saturday I dined with girlfriends Jade and Stacy at Wynn's Corsa before heading over to Blush for their second night on the scene. There we did a thorough check on all their signature cocktails; trust us, you won't be disappointed.

 

With my last ounces of energy, I did something Sunday night I haven't done in years: I cooked dinner. That's right, this former chef actually rolled up her frilly sleeves and got down and dirty with kitchen utensils that haven't seen the light of day since she lived in Ithaca, NY. For me, it was therapeutic and for one diner, I hear "It was delightful."

 

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