Royally Flushed

A bonsai tree constructed from chocolate holds a beautiful cake creation from Jean Philippe Patisserie at Aria Las Vegas.

You know from past posts how much we love desserts and sweets and pastries (oh my!) so we were pretty excited to visit famed pastry chef Jean-Philippe Maury’s newest location.  His fabulous new shop is inside ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter.   Located in a prime casino-side spot, this new cafe/patisserie features all the yummy desserts we love from the Bellagio pastry shop as well as lots of gourmet sandwich, salad and beverage choices.  A huge gelato case tempts with a number of flavors both traditional and offbeat.  There is plenty of seating available and the cafeteria-style line moves quickly.

In addition to the cafe, the spot features a retail shop selling Jean-Philippe’s exquisite line of custom chocolates, chocolate sauces, handmade marshmallows plus many other goodies perfect to take home as gifts — or as a sweet reminder of your trip!

Not to miss: A number of Chef Maury’s amazing cake creations plus a dazzling array of chocolate flowers in a glass-enclosed display case are highlights of the cafe’s fun decor.

Stay at ARIA for less when you use this link and promo code! ARIA “7 Day Sale” Rates from $103.20/nt. *Receive 20% off our Room and Suite rates, on select dates (*See site for additional details and restrictions). Jul 6 – Sep 30, 2010. Promo Code: ARLO720 (Exp 7/12/10)

Luscious daisies made from dark, milk and white chocolate at Jean-Philippe.

Picture-perfect pastries at Jean-Philippe at ARIA Las Vegas.

CityCenter's towering Vdara Hotel shines brightly in the Vegas sun.

Like a Broadway debut from the city it’s trying to emulate, CityCenter on the Las Vegas Strip is opening…softly. Beginning last week with the December 1st grand opening party at the 1,495-suite Vdara Hotel, project CityCenter continues to open piece by glittering piece with the Crystals retail and dining complex and the new Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas now open as well. All three properties are, however, a prelude to the main act: the 61-floor MGM MIRAGE Aria Resort & Casino featuring over 4,000 rooms, a new Cirque du Soleil show – Viva Elvis – plus eateries from such well-known chefs as Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Julian Serrano. Aria will open December 16th.

CityCenter is not just another high-end gaming property opening in Las Vegas. This 67-acre parcel of prime Strip real estate — site of the biggest privately financed construction project in United States history — is now home to a “city within a city,” an urban landscape of shining skyscrapers, public art displays, an elevated train, residential condos and even a “pocket park.”

We visited last week and got a first glimpse of the Vdara Hotel and the Crystals shopping area. Both are striking examples of the city-chic contemporary architecture guiding the entire project. All sharp angles and shimmering surfaces, the thin December sunlight bounced from one building to the next creating an urban canyon of sorts.  And, honestly, having lived in D.C. as well as having spent considerable time in NYC, we have to say that we really did feel like we were in a major metropolitan neighborhood.

We entered CityCenter via the new pedestrian walkway running from the Bellagio into the Vdara Hotel. It is a striking contrast to go from the lush Italianate surroundings of the Bellagio and into the stark yet stunning halls of the ultra-modern Vdara. (Be sure to check out the bar at Silk Road restaurant before continuing on into the hotel’s reception area.)

Bar Vdara is a cozy spot for a cocktail (albeit an expensive cocktail )and affords a great view of the interior courtyard of CityCenter which features a Nancy Rubins sculpture in a starburst design composed of castoff canoes. (Read more about the artist and see a similar sculpture here.)

The Crystals retail and dining area can be accessed from the Strip via a new pedestrian bridge and walkway (across from Planet Hollywood) or by tram (the “elevated train” mentioned earlier) from the neighboring Bellagio. (The tram continues on to the Monte Carlo conveniently linking all three MGM MIRAGE properties: Bellagio, CityCenter and the Monte Carlo.)

At Crystals, we found a lot of construction still underway with only about 40% of the retail area occupied by stores. This is high-end (think nosebleed-level) shopping. From the three-story flagship Louis Vuitton boutique ( a Strip-side LED light show will take place every night from dusk to dawn) to Roberto Cavalli, Mikimoto pearls, Hermes and Prada, this is destination shopping at its finest. BESO, a fine-dining spot from actress Eva Longoria Parker with celeb chef Todd English in charge of the kitchen, is open on the first floor. The spot also features, Eve, a swank nightclub.  Additional restaurants from English, Wolfgang Puck and other top toques will be opening in the future.

Here are some pics from our recent trip PLUS the latest promotion codes and links for getting the best room rates at both Aria and Vdara.  Also, check out the CityCenter website for more information on the project.

The multi-level Crystals shopping and dining area at CityCenter Las Vegas.

Opening December 16, the new Aria Resort & Casino is the crown jewel of CityCenter Las Vegas.

Veer Towers form a background for the new Crystals shopping area at CityCenter Las Vegas.

Bar Vdara at CityCenter is highly-recommended for people-watching.

There's a sculptural feel to the burnished metal portico marking the entrance into the Vdara Hotel.

The CityCenter tram runs past the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas and Veer Towers.

Vdara “Winter Special” Rates from $139/nt (2nt Min). *Stay Two Nights at Vdara Hotel & Spa at a Special Introductory Rate from $139 and Receive a $50 Resort Credit (*See site for additional detail and restrictions). Dec 1, 2009 – Mar 31, 2010. Promo Code: VRLVCVA (Exp 4/1/10)

ARIA “Winter Special” Rates from $159/nt (2nt Min). *Enjoy this incredible offer at ARIA, MGM MIRAGE’s newest resort-casino at CityCenter – Stay Two Nights at a Special Rate from $159 per night and Receive a $75 Resort Credit (*See site for additional details and restrictions). Dec 17, 2009 – Apr 1, 2010. Promo Code: AR159G75 (Exp 4/1/10)

Vegas is wooing out-of-town shoppers with free tickets to shows like Blue Man Group at The Venetian.

Here’s how to roll three of my favorite things — Las Vegas, shopping and free — all into one sentence:  Do your holiday shopping in Las Vegas this year and get free show tickets.  No kidding.  Non-Nevada residents who shop from 11/29 through 12/13/2009 and spend $500 or more at participating retail shopping areas such as the brand-new Crystals at CityCenter, the Forum Shops at Caesars, the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian and even the stores at the Las Vegas Premium Outlet mall can qualify for two complimentary tickets to shows like Phantom at the Venetian, Peepshow at PH, Donny & Marie Osmond and more.  Find all the details at VisitLasVegas.com.

Speaking of CityCenter, the sure-to-be-spectacular new Aria and Vdara resorts are both taking reservations and you can get special rates when you use the promo codes plus these links:

Aria: ARIA “Winter Special” Rates from $159/nt (2nt Min). *Enjoy this incredible offer at ARIA, MGM MIRAGE’s newest resort-casino at CityCenter – Stay Two Nights at a Special Rate from $159 per night and Receive a $75 Resort Credit (*See site for additional details and restrictions). Dec 17, 2009 – Apr 1, 2010. Promo Code: AR159G75 (Exp 4/1/10).

Vdara: Vdara “Winter Special” Rates from $139/nt (2nt Min). *Stay Two Nights at Vdara Hotel & Spa at a Special Introductory Rate from $139 and Receive a $50 Resort Credit (*See site for additional detail and restrictions). Dec 1, 2009 – Mar 31, 2010. Promo Code: VRLVCVA (Exp 4/1/10).

Also, take advantage of more great rates this winter by booking a room at MGM Grand with this cool offer –

MGM Grand Las Vegas “Holiday Spree” — Rates from $75 per night. *Promo includes: $35 Dining credit, $25 Spa services credit, and 15% off retail purchases. (*See site for additional details and restrictions). Nov 4, 2009 – Mar 31, 2010. Promo Code: MKT320 (Exp 1/31/10).

The Crystals in Las Vegas will open its doors to shoppers on December 3. (Photo/content property of www.RoyallyFlushed.com)

So much has happened since our January report on the happenings at MGM Mirage’s CityCenter Las Vegas that what we’ve decided to do is post our newest CityCenter photos and then give some highlights of the project along with a list of websites/articles you can go to for more info.

Aria Resort & Casino

Scheduled to open December 16, Aria is taking room reservations now at their new website. Click around the ARIA Home Page and you’ll find photos of the rooms, a section on some of the chefs and restaurants planned plus info on the new “Elvis” show at Aria which, to quote the website, comes from the “creative geniuses at Cirque du Soleil® (who) have created a new show exclusively for ARIA. The production pays tribute to Elvis’ music and life, fusing dance and acrobatics, live music and iconic tracks, nostalgia and modernity, high technology and raw emotion. In short, the show will be in Elvis’ image: powerful, sexy, whimsical and truly unique.”

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Las Vegas

This 47-story non-gaming hotel features 227 residences plus 392 Adam D. Tihany-designed rooms and suites with contemporary decor and “subtle oriental touches.”  The 23rd-floor Sky Lobby is just one of the luxurious design elements guests will encounter when staying at the new hotel.  Check out the Mandarin Oriental Hotel website for artist’s renderings of the rooms, the soaring lobby and an exclusive online brochure.  Opening date is currently scheduled for December 4th and the hotel will begin taking reservations on August 17th. (more…)

Steve and Elaine Wynn head for divorce court again.

While this isn’t a Las Vegas news site so to speak, I do keep up on — or try to keep up on — what’s happening in Las Vegas and when it’s something I think readers would be interested in, I do like to mention it here.

What has struck me as interesting lately is all the news about “splits” — both corporate and personal — happening these days in Las Vegas.  Here’s a quick rundown on what’s caught my eye lately:

Split #1 — Steve and Elaine Wynn filed for divorce.  While no one on the outside can ever know what’s going on within a marriage, this news made me sad.  I would think that having a string of successful properties, stock prices that haven’t tanked like the rest of the industry, and what would appear to be a “wynning” working relationship would allow them as a couple to sit back, relax and enjoy their family and what they have built together.  And it’s not like this is their first trip to the courthouse — they divorced once before and got remarried.  But, again, that’s just my opinion.  Read more about the Wynn divorce here.

Split #2 — “Cannery Casino Resorts and Crown Terminate Merger Agreement; Crown to Make Investment Into CCR” is the headline on a press release I received this week.  (more…)

A view of the new CityCenter project in Las Vegas. (Click on each photo to enlarge.)

Check out these latest photos from two new construction projects happening on the Strip in Las Vegas.  With soaring glass towers in shades of cool blue and chartreuse, wickedly-angled walls and sharp points define some structures while sinuous curves soften and enrich others.  These are the elements that define the new CityCenter project and its neighbor to the north, the Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino.

CityCenter, from MGM Mirage and partner Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World, (more…)

All day today, I have been thinking about a quote from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”  That’s how I feel about all the news flying out of Las Vegas lately.  I guess I just needed a little time to absorb it all, cut the wheat from the chaff, and then make a few observations in a post.

Here’s a run-down on the current highlights (and lowlights) of life in Las Vegas for some of the major casino industry players:

From MGM Mirage:  “CityCenter Holdings, LLC, a joint venture between MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM) and Infinity World Development Corp, today announced certain scope changes related to The Harmon Hotel & Spa which include postponing the opening of the hotel to late 2010 and cancelling The Harmon residential condominium component.”  The press release cited “contractor construction errors” as partially to blame for the reconfiguring of the project.  All other components of CityCenter remain on schedule for a December 2009 grand opening.

Speaking of CityCenter, it began taking applications Monday to fill the approximately 12,000 jobs available at the new property.  Myriad positions from food and beverage service to hotel and casino operations, retail help and more will need to be staffed before the December grand opening.  Check the CityCenterCareers website for more information.

In mid-December, while we were all busy buying gifts at the local mall (or maybe Walmart this year,) Phil Ruffin, former owner of the New Frontier, was busy getting his own bargain – Treasure Island from owner MGM Mirage for a reported $775 million.  Ruffin, a Wichita, Kansas businessman, sold the New Frontier in May 2007 for more than $1.24 billion. That casino was closed shortly thereafter and demolished in November 2007.  The deal on TI is expected to go through in early-summer.

Are there more property sales ahead for MGM Mirage?  The answer “possibly” is leaning more and more toward “probably.”  See what you think after reading  this article at Bloomberg.com based on an interview with new MGM Mirage CEO James Murren.  The reporter says that Mr. Murren “plans to “dramatically” reduce debt and will consider further casino sales as he overhauls the company’s balance sheet.”

One question we can easily answer is “Will there be more massive changes in Las Vegas this year?”  And that answer is a resounding “most definitely.”

A view of the construction at CityCenter on the Las Vegas Strip.

Curious what the rooms will look like when Aria, The Strip’s newest mega resort under construction at the 67-acre MGM Mirage CityCenter complex, opens late next year?  Then check out this excellent four-page article on Vegas Tripping for an extremely detailed look at the design model for the resort’s King Deluxe room.  With a color palette featuring bronze and royal purple, the room’s two most striking features for me are the floor-to-ceiling windows and the clean simple lines of the furniture.

In addition to the sophisticated decor, rooms will also feature über-technology including a 42-inch LCD flatscreen TV that acts as the operations hub for the room.  A user-friendly (at least they hope) joystick-type remote will keep controls for lights, draperies, a/c, and more at the fingertips of room occupants. 

The Aria, an MGM Mirage property, will have more than 4,000 rooms in a 61-story tower along with an adjoining casino.  The sprawling CityCenter development, a joint venture of MGM Mirage and Dubai World, will also include three luxury non-gaming hotels including Las Vegas’ first Mandarin Oriental, The Harmon Hotel Spa & Residences and Vdara Condo Hotel; Veer Towers, the development’s only strictly residential buildings; approximately 2,600 condominium residences; and The Crystals, a 500,000-square-foot dining, retail and entertainment district.