entertainment - Las Vegas Tribune

ENTERTAINMENT
Page 18 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
Jack Jones celebrates his
tribute to Frank Sinatra
By Sandy Zimmerman
Las Vegas Tribune
Photos by Sandy Zimmerman
I was invited to double
Grammy-winner Jack Jones’ “Seriously Frank” Album Launch VIP/
Media Party to preview his new
CD.
It was time to remember early
Las Vegas, Frank Sinatra and the
Rat Pack and the stars of that era.
Jack Jones’ stellar career included
singing, appearing in films and on
television, hosting an internationally syndicated TV variety show
and guest performances at Carnegie
Hall, the Kennedy Center, the
White House and other royal appearances.
Jack Jones knew Frank Sinatra
while they were both busy involved
in their own careers. We listened to
13 songs and especially to Jack’s
comments about his personal reminiscences as Frank’s friend.
This is a celebration of 100 years
of Frank Sinatra. The “Seriously
Frank” album is filled with classic
favorites “Teach Me Tonight,” “For
Once in My Life,” “The Best is Yet
To Come,” “That’s Life,” “It Was a
Very Good Year,” “When the World
Was Young,” “The Lady is a
Tramp,” “All or Nothing at All,”
“Please be Kind,” “The Singer,”
“Drinking Again,” “I Guess I’ll
Hang My Tears Out to Dry” and
“Only the Lonely.”
“Seriously Frank” is backed by
a 22-piece orchestra, conducted and
arranged by Patrick Williams. His
2015 Tribute to Frank Sinatra tour
will continue to the U.K. in 2016. I
will be looking forward to seeing
him appear in Las Vegas.
At 77, Jack doesn’t expect to
sing these songs the way Frank
Sinatra did as a young man yet
these are Sinatra’s saloon songs so
he would act the part.
Jack Jones recorded over 50 albums (17 charted Billboard’s Top
20) among his classic songs are
“Love Boat” and “Love with a
Proper Stranger” (Theme song).
Jack began a show biz career in
his father’s act at the Thunderbird
Hotel, in Las Vegas when he was
19 years old. He decided to devote
his time to being an entertainer.
Later Jack prepared a demo for
songwriter Don Raye which was
picked up by Capitol Records landing him singles and an album.
Frank Sinatra nominated
Grammy award-winning Jack
Jones as “one of the major singers
of our time.” With sold-out world
tours and fifty recorded albums,
Jack Jones’ talent has sparkled
throughout the years, recognized by
the public and many of his fellow
stars including Mel Torme and
composers Sammy Cahn and
Michel Legrand.
Jack Jones (Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls) with Frank Gorshin.
Multi-Grammy Award winner Jack Jones Tribute to Frank Sinatra.
Jack Jones latest CD —
Tribute to Frank Sinatra,
“Seriously Frank.”
The informal, intimate setting
for the preview party included a
small stage in the Bootlegger
Bistro’s Casa Di Copa banquet
room. Celebrities filled the room
with time to mix and enjoy the buffet. For more information visit the
website http://jackjones.lolipop.jp/
Award-winning
Sandy
Zimmerman is a syndicated columnist featuring Show/Films and Dining reviews, travel, health, spas,
luxury living, medicine, music, retreats, island hideaways, jungle
adventures and more. Sandy is talk
show host of the Las Vegas Today
Show programs and Discover the
Ultimate Vacation travel specials.
If you wish information or have
questions about any of Sandy’s articles, please call (702) 735-5974.
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 19
Made L.V. welcomes Celebrity Chef Rick
Moonen to the Guest Chef Dinner Series
This Week
in Las Vegas
By Mike Kermani
By Mike Kermani
Las Vegas Tribune
Chef Rick Moonen of rm seafood and Rx Boiler Room in Las
Vegas takes his sustainable and creative approach to cooking to Made
L.V. on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 6:30
p.m. for a special dinner for the
Tivoli Village tavern’s popular
Guest Chef Series. As a perfect
holiday season event, guests will
enjoy a variety of delicacies prepared by Moonen, Executive Chef
Kim Canteenwalla and Executive
Chef Ben Halley of Made L.V.
Tickets are $39 per person, not including tax or gratuity. Cocktails
and wine are available for an additional charge. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at
www.made-lv.com.
The Made L.V. Guest Chef Dinner featuring Chef Rick Moonen includes:
WELCOME COCKTAIL- Chef
Rick’s Holiday Cheer;
PASSED HORS D’OEUVRESChicken Pot Pie Nuggets, Kona
Kampachi Tacos, Mama’s Meatballs.
FIRST COURSE- Selection of
RM Sushi
MAIN COURSE- Curry Cured
True North Salmon, cauliflower
mousse, lemon olive oil emulsion.
DESSERT, Warm Sticky Toffee
Pudding
Chef and cookbook author, Rick
Moonen, has been the country’s
leading advocate for the sustainable
seafood movement for the past 25
years, bringing national awareness
to this subject near and dear to his
heart. His flagship restaurant, Rick
Moonen’s rm seafood at The
Shoppes at Mandalay Place in Las
Vegas, showcases his commitment
to sustainability without foregoing
culinary creativity and innovation,
and has been critically acclaimed
by local and national press alike.
In 2010, Rick made a memorable
appearance on Bravo’s “Top Chef
Masters,” nearly taking home the
title and raising thousands of dollars and national awareness for
Three Square Food Bank in Las
Vegas. In May 2011, Monterey Bay
Aquarium honored Rick as their
“Chef of the Year” for his tireless
efforts towards sustainability. In
2013, USA Today named him one
of Earth’s “Power Players” as one
of five leaders helping the health
of our planet and was named “Humanitarian of the Year” by the
American Culinary Federation.
Later that year, Rick transformed
rm upstairs into a steampunk-inspired restaurant and lounge named
Rx Boiler Room, with dÈcor reminiscent of industrialism during the
19th century Victorian era. Combining the alchemy of food and
drink, Rick showcases his spin on
classic comfort food, offering
guests a variety of playful creations
in small and large plate portions,
ideal for a shared dining experience. Rx Boiler Room was named
Best New Restaurant of 2013 by
Desert Companion magazine. In
2014, Rick was appointment as one
of the top twenty leading
culinarians in the Monterey Bay
Aquarium’s Blue Ribbon Task
Force and was honored as one of
the prestigious “Vegas Dozen” by
Saks Fifth Avenue, Greenspun
Media Group, VEGAS Magazine
and Keep Memory Alive. He’s been
featured on CNN, “TODAY,”
“Good Morning America,” “CBS
Early Show,” “Dan Rather Reports” and many more.
www.rickmoonen.com.
Valet is available near the Made
L.V. entrance and self-parking is
conveniently located on the East
side of Tivoli Village.
*****
SAM HON
DELANO LAS VEGAS
CELEBRATION OF LOCAL
ARTISTS WITH NEW PHOTO
EXHIBIT “SPEKTIVE”
Delano Las Vegas continues its
celebration of local artists with the
introduction of “SPEKTIVE,” a
new photo exhibit by Sam Hon.
Hon is a Las Vegas-based artist
with a background in commercial
photography for celebrities, professional athletes, advertising campaigns and more. His work is inspired by the idea that art has a different outlook depending on where
one stands to view it.
Located in the Delano lobby, the
collection’s five pieces appear to be
digitally composed art, but upon
closer inspection guests will discover that the works are comprised
of the female figure; 500 to be exact. Utilizing photographs with 12–
15 women at a time, Hon spent
more than 700 hours contorting and
layering 500 bodies into each remarkable piece of art.
Final touches to Hon’s awe-inspiring pieces include highlighting
a specific portion of each image
with a calligraphy pen to add an unexpected element. The intricate details of each photo create the illusion of multiple dimensions.
“‘SPEKTIVE’ fits right into our
resort experience because it embraces the unexpected and subtle
elements of art and design,” said
Matthew Chilton, general manager
of Delano. “We are excited to feature this chic, yet intriguing style
of work by an incredible local artist.”
This exhibit is on view now
through December.
For additional information on
Delano Las Vegas, please visit the
Delano digital newsroom or follow
Delano Las Vegas on Facebook and
Twitter.
*****
THE FRENCH FROMAGERIE
GUILLOTEAU’S CHEESES
ADD A SPECIAL TOUCH TO
YOUR HOLIDAY DINING
Whether you’re hosting the
whole family for dinner at your
place, or simply bringing a dish to
a low-key gathering with friends,
you’ll want to consider including
two of Fromagerie Guilloteau’s
most festive cheeses in your
Thanksgiving spread: Fromager
d’Affinois with Truffle and Saint
Géric. These creamy, ultra-rich and
delicious cheeses will add elegance
to any cheese plate, and will also
take any appetizer or main dish
from good to magnifique!
Made with real Black Truffles
from the Perigord region of France,
Fromager d’Affinois with Truffles
displays notes of fresh butter and
earthy mushroom that are unmasked after cutting into the light
and bloomy rind. This cheese is
delicious served on a cheese platter with a rustic baguette or alongside fresh fruits and nuts. It’s also
perfect paired with a crisp bottle of
festive Champagne, Cava, or Sparkling Wine. Stir some into your
mashed potatoes to create a truly
decadent dish!
Saint Géric is a wonderful alternative to the pungent blue cheeses
we all know so well. It’s the perfect marriage of a triple crème and
blue cheese — rich and creamy
with a subtle blue flavor that lingers on the palate and slowly melts
in your mouth. Made in Pelussin in
the Rhone Alpes region, this sublime square-shaped cheese is filled
with buttery goodness and streaked
with ethereal veins of blue.
A UNIQUE TWIST ON THE
STANDARD DINNER ROLL
For a unique twist on the standard dinner roll, delight your guests
with Blue Cheese Gougères, light
and airy puffs of pure deliciousness
(you can use Fromager d’Affinois
ROASTED PEARS WITH SPICES AND SAINT GERIC
Directions:
Blue or Saint Géric in this dish). For
Peel pears, cut in half, and rethose who wish to forgo the usual
pumpkin pie dessert, serve Roasted move center. Melt 1 oz. butter in a
Pears with Spices and Saint Géric frying pan, add pears face down and
alongside a bottle of Viogner or brown. Once browned, add honey
Grenache, and you’ll be sure to and curry seasoning, and continue
to cook until caramelized, approx.
impress.
2 min.
(RECIPE BELOW)
Place the pears into gratin dish
Fromager d’ Affinois with
Truffles and Saint Géric can be with the caramel. Mix the rest of
found at Whole Foods, as well as the butter with the flour in a bowl
in specialty grocers and cheese to obtain a slightly crumbly paste
shops throughout the United States and spread over the pears. Bake the
pears in a preheated oven at 350ºF
Roasted Pears with Spices
for 10 minutes. Remove the pears
and Saint Géric
from the oven and top with finely
Serves: 4; Prep time: 30 min
sliced Saint Géric. Place back in the
Ingredients:
3 oz. Saint Géric (can substitute oven and cook until cheese melts,
Fromager d’Affinois Blue if Saint approx 4 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Mike Kermani is an entertainGeric is not available)
ment writer for the Las Vegas Tri4 ripe pears
bune newspaper. He writes a weekly
1 tbs. curry seasoning
column in this newspaper. To con4 tbs. butter
tact Mike Kermani, email
1 tbs. honey
mkermani@ lasvegas tribune.com
1 tbs. flour
Veterans Day
F.I.O.R.E. Style
Page 20 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
By the Las Vegas Tribune Roving Reporter
Photos by Nelson Sardelli and Lorraine Thompson Sardelli
What started as a suggestion from Lorraine Thompson
(now Lorraine Thompson Sardelli), in no time developed a
strength of its own.
Anyone who has been following the12 years of antics and
irreverent programs of the Non Club Club F.I.O.R.E. (aka
Fun Italians Organizing Ridiculous Events) would never have
imagined the sincerity and seriousness the non-club club
would reach when putting together their first Salute to American Veterans.
The enormous amount of preparation for this month’s
event was noticeable from the start. Upon entry, clearly visible, was an empty table. This table was set to honor our
POWs and those MIA. Perhaps the most poignant moment
of the afternoon was the POW-MIA Empty Table Ritual presented by the multi-decorated Don Sacco and Richard Little,
with the assistance of the Las Vegas Color Guard. No words
can really describe how moving this tribute was, but the effect was evident on the faces of those fortunate enough to be
in attendance. This was the most detailed and appreciated
memorial to Veterans that afternoon, especially those who
remember and lived during that period.
The entire event had a special feel and included invited
honorees, special guest speakers, the National Anthem, Taps
and a wonderful selection of many patriotic songs being
played and sung throughout the event.
The full house of the regular members and guests suddenly became a room full of enthusiastic and dedicated Patriots, and in front of them, the most heartfelt and genuine
F.I.O.R.E. luncheon ever, took place.
Red, white and blue were the predominant colors. Shirts,
blouses, ties with the American flag motif were everywhere
and miniature flags adorned every table.
The invocation was given by Pastor Barry Mainardi, a
retired U.S. Army Captain, recipient of the Purple Heart,
Bonze Star and Silver Star among many other medals and
commendations.
Comedian Marty Allen, 92, a WWII decorated war hero,
was among the honorees. Gaetano Benza, 91, a survivor of
the Normandy Invasion, Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944 and
a recipient of the French Legion d’Honneur was an honoree
as well as the guest speaker. His award is the highest honor
France bestows on citizens and foreign nationals. He shared
an extraordinary memento, a glass container filled with the
sands of Omaha Beach.
Also present was Sergeant Alex Lopez of the 79th Battalion who, among many other duties, served as a guard of war
criminal Hermann Goehring, the Commander-in-Chief of the
Luftwaffe, during the Nuremberg trial Judgments. Additionally many highly decorated Veterans were present including
Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipients. The feelings of dedication, pride, and patriotism overwhelmed the
banquet hall.
It was a very powerful and memorable F.I.O.R.E. event.
The F.I.O.R.E.’s next scheduled meeting will be the Christmas Luncheon on the second Thursday of December, featuring Jazzmin. As usual, it will take place at the Italian American Club located at 2333 East Sahara Ave. Doors open at
11:30 a.m. RSVPs are required.
Learn more about this group by visiting
www.nonclubclubfiore.com and be sure to visit the “about
us” page.
Private Gaetano Benza, Honoree and speaker of the day,
holds a jar containing grains of sand from Omaha Beach.
Comedian Marty Allen was also honored on that day.
Pasquale Pappone, U.S. army
Sgt. Alex Lopez, among his other duties he guarded
Goehring during the Nuremberg Trials.
Omaha Beach, D Day, June 6, 1944
The POW-MIA EMPTY TABLE.
Highly decorated Commander Dr. Richard Little stands guard
during the Empty Table Ceremony.
The Las Vegas Color Guard members.
Also Highly decorated Navy/U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Don Sacco
conducted the Empty Table Ceremony.
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 21
Veterans Day F.I.O.R.E. Style
Navy Pharmacist Mate First Class D.O. “Rett” Rettinger, left,
with Mr. amd Mrs. Gaetano Benza.
The National Anthem was sung by singers, members of the F.I.O.R.E. and the entire house joined in.
Nelson Sardelli, Spc 3, U.S. Army stands proudly with the members of the Color Guard.
Karon Kate Blackwell gave a great rendition of
“I’m proud to be an American.”
Paul Van Adam plays a very soulful TAPS.
Actor Adrian Zmed, his charming mother in law Sherri Baker, his lovely
wife Lyssa Lynne and her grandfather Retired Navy D.O. “Rett” Rettinger.
Heart felt words of love and gratitude to all Veterans
by Lyssa Lynne and Adrian Zmed.
Mark Giovi sang a very inspiring
“America the Beautiful.”
Nelson Sardelli, Pasquale Pappone and Lorraine Thompson, who had the original idea for the event.
Omaha Beach, D Day, June 6, 1944
Spike Measer and friend/hero Pasquale Pappone.
He came all the way from New Jersey, Former U.S.
Marine Marty Bergen, and War Hero Marty Allen.
Mr. amd Mrs. Gaetano Benza.
Page 22 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
Flamingo extends Olivia Newton-John’s
“Summer Nights” through 2016
By Jerry Fink
Las Vegas Tribune
Due to the success of her wildly
popular “Summer Nights” residency, Flamingo Las Vegas announced that it will extend beloved
entertainer Olivia Newton-John’s
show through Dec. 2016.
Performing inside the Donny &
Marie Showroom, the internationally-renowned singer-actress will
continue to take audiences on a
musical journey through her life in
film and music.
“I’m really excited to continue
to call the Flamingo home through
2016,” says Newton-John. “I love
being a part of this great community and I look forward to creating
more wonderful memories in Las
Vegas next year.”
The production, featuring an
eight-piece band, takes fans on a
journey through the celebrated
singer, actress, songwriter and
philanthropist’s life and career, and
was recorded and released as a twoCD collection “Summer Nights —
Live In Las Vegas” earlier this year.
The show is a musical journey
through the iconic artist’s illustrious career featuring hits from her
early years including “Have You
Never Been Mellow,” “Let Me Be
There,” “If You Love Me Let Me
Know” and “I Honestly Love You,”
as well some of her hits from
Grease, “Hopelessly Devoted to
You,” “You’re The One That I
Want,” and of course, “Summer
Nights.” Favorites from some of her
other movies, including Xanadu ,
as well as her ‘80s anthem and
record breaking song “Physical,”
keep the room dancing, while new
songs from her recent Billboard hit
album Grace and Gratitude warm
the hearts of the entire audience.
In addition, a portion of every
ticket sold to her Flamingo shows
benefits the wellness programs the
Olivia Newton-John Cancer &
Wellness Centre (ONJCWC). In
1992, Olivia was diagnosed with
breast cancer and it was her personal triumph against cancer that
led her to announce her partnership
with the Austin Health and the cre-
ation of the ONJCWC in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. The
ONJCWC opened its doors in 2012
and, provides a comprehensive
range of services and facilities for
cancer treatment, education, training and research as well as a dedicated
wellness
center
(oliviaappeal.com). The Olivia
Newton Cancer Research Institute
opened its doors on the grounds of
the ONJCWC in 2014.
All shows begin at 7:30 p.m.
Ticket prices are $69, $99 and $129,
and a special meet and greet package is available for $299. Additional
taxes service fees apply. Tickets are
available at any Las Vegas Caesars
Entertainment Box Office, by
phone at (702) 777-2782 or (855)
234-7469 or by visiting
flamingolasvegas.com. For groups
of 10 or more call (866) 574-3851
or email EntertainmentGroup
[email protected].
*****
GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT
WITH FESTIVE LIGHTING
CEREMONIES
Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman to
light Grand Menorah on Dec. 6 and
Christmas Tree on December 8.
Get in the holiday spirit with festive lighting ceremonies and holiday themed entertainment at Fremont Street Experience this season.
Once again, the famous neon
lights of the Viva Vision canopy will
be complemented with a touch of
holiday spirit as Fremont Street Experience kicks off the holiday season with the annual Grand Menorah
Lighting on Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. and
the annual Christmas Tree Lighting
Ceremony on Dec. 8 at 5 p.m.
Grand Menorah Lighting
Ceremony
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.
WHERE: Fremont Street Experience at Fremont & 4th Street
Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman
will light the Grand Menorah. A ceremony will be led by Rabbi Shea
Harlig, Director of Chabad of
Southern Nevada to welcome the
holiday known as the Festival of
Lights. The Grand Menorah will be
on display at Fremont Street dur-
ing the Hanukkah Season.
Christmas Tree
Lighting Ceremony
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 5
p.m.
WHERE: Fremont Street Experience at the 3rd Street Stage
Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman
will help Santa light Las Vegas’ official Christmas tree. The 50-foot
tree will be decked with festive
decorations and shine brightly below the 12.5 million lights of the
Viva Vision canopy. The official
Las Vegas Christmas tree will be on
display at the Fremont Street Experience through the Christmas
holiday.
*****
NATURAL HISTORY
MUSEUM GETS GARY
AND MATTHEW PRIMM
WILDLIFE COLLECTION
Las Vegas Natural History Museum announces it has obtained a
prestigious museum quality animal
collection from Nevada casino developer and wildlife enthusiast,
Gary E. Primm.
The rare Gary and Matthew
Primm Wildlife Collection features
approximately 99 exotic and domestic species including a Pride of
Lions, Buffalos, Bears, Giraffe,
Crocodile, Baboon and more.
The exhibits are in “better than
museum” condition and have been
worked on and crafted by the
nation’s top artists. Select pieces of
the Primm Wildlife Collection will
be available for viewing by museum guests beginning today,
Thursday, November 19, 2015.
The value of this exclusive, oneof-a-kind collection is estimated at
$650,000 according to Unmatched
Appraisal Services.
The Primm Wildlife Collection
began making its way to its new
home inside the Africa exhibit at the
Las Vegas Natural History Museum
this month.
Patrons will also be able to view
a Giraffe, Hyena, Bison, Chamois,
Baboons, White Stag, and Lions as
part of this vast display.
Primm donates this extensive
collection which has been collected
and curated for more than 20 years.
For more information on the Las
Vegas Natural History Museum and
the updated Africa exhibit, visit
Facebook,
Twitter
or
www.lvnhm.org.
*****
THE IMPROV AT HARRAH’S:
NOVEMBER 24-29
The world-famous Improv at
Harrah’s Las Vegas is the longestrunning comedy club on the Las
Vegas Strip. The Improv’s ability
to showcase young comedians, as
well as bring in big names, has attributed to its longevity and success
.
Each week, The Improv showcases some of the funniest and
freshest faces in comedy, creating
a show that is always unique and
definitely funny. The comedians
who will perform November 24-29
are:
Jeremy Hotz: One of the most
unique stand-up comedians today,
Canadian-born Jeremy Hotz has
quickly become an international
success.
Performing all over the United
States, Europe and Australia, Hotz
grabs audiences with his original
and confused, yet very astute, observational comedy. Hotz made his
debut on “The Late Show with
David Letterman” and has been
seen on “The Tonight Show with
Jay Leno,” MTV’s “Half Hour
Comedy Hour,” in addition to Comedy Central with his own half hour
special.
Don Barnhart: Don Barnhart’s
stand-up show consists of wellwritten topical material, delivered
with an animated flair that keeps audiences of all ages howling with
laughter. Audiences say Barnhart
has the wit of George Carlin with
the delivery of Jim Carey, making
him funny on so many levels.
Barnhart has been seen on MTV,
“Star Search,” “An Evening At The
Improv,” ABC, CBS, FOX and
NBC.
Jamar Neighbors: Known for
his unique, raw, and colorful perspective, stand-up comedian Jamar
Neighbors has been performing
stand-up comedy for eight years
and improv for nine. Neighbors has
written for Adult Swim’s “Loiter
Squad,” among other shows. He’s
also appeared on Comedy Central’s
“Tosh.O.”
Shows are at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday
through Sunday with an additional
show at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Tickets start at $30.50 (plus applicable taxes and fees). VIP tickets include special seating, an
Improv T-shirt and post-show meetand-greet with the comics.
Special two-for-one tickets are
also available for locals for the 10
p.m. show. Tickets are available at
Harrah’s Box Office 702-369-5223
and online at the website
www.harrahslasvegas.com.
Jerry Fink is an entertainment
columnist for the Las Vegas Tribune
newspaper and writes a weekly column. To contact Fink, email him at
jfink@ lasvegastribune.com.
&
HEALTH LIFESTYLES
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 23
11th Anniversary Celebration with
Chef Haru’s New Menu Creations
By Sandy Zimmerman
Las Vegas Tribune
Photos by Sandy Zimmerman
I savored every bite while tasting Sushi Roku’s delicacies from
their new menu. Chef Haru’s extraordinary array of flavors, his bold
sauces and unique combinations
made every dish special.
The entrees began with Seared
Sea Scallops and Wild Mushroom
Tobanyaki. The Scallops were
large, U10, and they served the
mushrooms in a large Japanese
cooking vessel remaining warm
during the meal. There were five
different types of mushrooms in a
peppercorn source. Mushrooms are
great and when you have the taste
thrills of five, each bite brought new
surprises.
Sushi Roku’s New Zealand
Lamb Porterhouse became the hit
of the evening, the chef choose to
match the quality of New Zealand
lamb and the oh-so-tender porterhouse cut. This cut is rarely served
in a Japanese-style restaurant. And
there is more, their truffle
chimichurri and grilled onion added
luxury and flavor to the lamb chop.
Fried rice has never been like
Sushi Roku’s Kakuni fried rice with
pork belly and fried egg.
The thick slices of pork belly are
not chopped-up in the rice so you
can mix them with the fried rice or
eat the pork.
Of course, Sushi Roku brought
out their sushi rolls. The Spicy
Panko Shrimp Roll filled with cucumber, spicy mayo, spicy tuna,
sliced Serrano chile with eel and
Sriracha sauces.
The second sushi roll was called
the White Lotus Roll filled with
popcorn shrimp, asparagus, topped
with albacore and jalapeno. This
was served with truffle soy sauce
and crispy onions.
For the finale, there were more
unique slants on traditional dishes
for dessert. I have never heard of
Pumpkin Cheesecake with white
Oreo Cookie Crust.
Another interesting way to prepare the second dessert for parties,
Pumpkin Mousse was served inside
mini pumpkins.
For information, call (702)-7337373, Sushi Roku, Innovative Dining Group.
Sushi Roku is on the 3rd floor,
in the Forum Shops, along the Strip,
at Caesars Palace.
The Innovative Dining Group
began with Sushi Roku and their
successful concept grew throughout the years with each new restaurant having its own individual personality and menus. Celebrating the
11th anniversary of Sushi Roku
Kakuni Fried Rice with Pork Belly and Fried Egg.
was a grand affair with the VIP’s adventures and more. Sandy is talk
and Media in their private dining show host of the Las Vegas Today
room.
Show programs and Discover the
Award-winning
Sandy Ultimate Vacation travel specials.
Zimmerman is a syndicated colum- If you wish information or have
nist featuring Show/Films and Din- questions about any of Sandy’s aring reviews, travel, health, spas, ticles, please call (702) 735-5974.
luxury living, medicine, music, re- SUGGESTIONS: Do you have a
treats, island hideaways, jungle “fave” restaurant? Whether it is
Italian, French, Asian, Spanish,
Mexican, Indian, Steakhouse, Seafood or other style of cooking, write
us with the reasons for your choice,
name, email, telephone number and
you may win free show tickets or
other prizes. Email Sandy at
[email protected] or
call (702) 731-6491.
New Zealand Lamb Porterhouse with Truffle Chimichurri and grilled Onion.
Seared Sea Scallops and Wild Mushrooms Tobanyaki.
Spicy Panko Shrimp Roll with cucumber, spicy mayo, spicy tuna,
sliced Serrano chile with eel and Sriracha Sauces.
White Lotus Roll with Popcorn Shrimp and asparagus topped with albacore and
jalapino, served with truffle soy sauce and crispy onions.
Making the most of the last stretch
Page 24 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
A “Shotgun Wedding” for entertainer Nelson Sardelli
By Las Vegas Tribune Rolando Larraz publisher/editor
and friend of the groom
There is a saying, “Live your life to the fullest, so when it
comes to the end of the journey you will say ‘WHAT A
RIDE!’”
Obviously, entertainer Nelson Sardelli is a true believer
in that adage. At the age of 81, he, courageously and decisively, married New Jersey’s lovely Lorraine Thompson, who
is some decades his junior.
The wedding took place at the Italian American Club, in
the presence of over 100 well-wishers. Among the guests
were many fellow entertainers who came to honor the newlyweds: Shecky Greene, Marty Allen, Karon Kate Blackwell,
Bob Anderson, Vince Falcone, George Bugatti, Scott Record,
Paul Lowden, Felix Silla — who actually carried a bazooka
behind the groom, Dennis Bono and Lorraine Hunt Bono,
Carme and Peter Anthony.
Elvis impersonators were not admitted.
Angelo Cassaro, President of the I.A.C. posted this: What
an incredible three days in Vegas. Went to a star-studded
wedding of my dear friend Nelson Sardelli. He married the
beautiful Lorraine Thompson. When the minister asked him
“Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife.”
Nelson said, “Could you repeat the question?” The second
time he said, “Could I poll the audience?”
The Italian American Club went all out for their son. It
was a wonderful laugh- and love-filled wedding that could
only happen in Vegas. When you get that many show biz
people in one room, the laughs never stop.
May you have many years of happiness my friend. And
the entire staff of the Las Vegas Tribune wants to add their
best wishes to Nelson and Lorraine.
Paul Van Adams plays “suspicious” song as
the groom makes his entrance.
We thought the “Shotgun wedding” was a Joke.
The bazooka on Felix Silla’s hands and bats being
held by the bride’s family prove otherwise.
Bat men George Bugatti and Tom Cervini.
Here comes the bride. (Sardelli, you lucky...)
Here comes the bride. Lorraine’s brother-in-law, Marty Bergen,
looks very serious as he escorts the bride to the “altar.”
The groom and his “Second,” Shawn Lamb...
I mean, his Best man.
The lovely bride Lorraine Thompson.
Chaplain Barry Mainard seems to be shouting to Nelson:
“YOU’RE ON THE WRONG SIDE”
“Do I really have to put up
with this nonsense”?
A lovely wedding ceremony at the altar of Saint I.A.C.’s church.
The Flower Girls, Cindy Miller and Kathie Perfetti,
came all the way from New Jersey.
Nelson asked the Chaplain to repeat the question.
“Can we ask the audience”?.... or “Call a friend”?
Lovely Lorraine cuts the cake. Nelson holds a sweet thing.
“Must you dance, ev’ry dance, with the same fortunate man...?”
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 25
A “Shotgun Wedding” for entertainer Nelson Sardelli
Wake up Nelson, Shawn is saying nice things about us...
Smiles and tears and Lynne Bergen, Lorraine’s sister speaks.
A tender and precious moment.
Indrani, Pietra and Giovanna Sardelli wondering: “Can we
really say these things about Dad in front of all these people?”
Oh! Wow! Our % hasn’t changed !!!
The girls from Jersey. Kathie Perfetti, Aimee Cervini, the Bride, Lynne Bergen and Cindy Miller. You got a problem with that?
The one and only Shecky Greene congratulates the
newlyweds. Very funny and very warm.
Bob Anderson came alone but brought along Sammy,
Dino, Frank, Jack Jones, Mel Torme’, Nat King Cole,
Buddy Greco and others.
George Bugatti, accompanied by Vince Falcone,
sang a very romantic song.
Carme (no known last name or address), came all way from
Florida to congratulate Lorraine and Nelson. Carme and
Nelson have been friends since 1964... BC.
Dennis and Lorraine Hunt Bono had some funny words
for the couple. This is Las Vegas!
Peter Anthony really proved this wedding was a major event.
Not only was he missing Jeopardy and The Wheel of Fortune
shows, but he had a suit and tie on... On a Monday!!!
Scott Record came all the way from Massachusetts for this
wedding... And the fact that he had a gig at The Harrah’s
Hotel had nothing to do with it. Yeah , right.
Love and respect... Notice the Purple Heart Medal on
Lorraine’s Bouquet. It is her father’s. He has passed away.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson and Lorraine Thompson Sardelli.
Nelson and Lorraine enjoying their friends.
All your friends, Romans, Countrymen and you-name-it, wish
both of you the very best. May this Union be a blessed one.
The Photography Nobel Prize...
‘Cause you are the wind beneath my wings.”
Mission Accomplished!
Page 26 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
CITY BEAT
Nevada’s public education report
card shows no signs of improvement
According to the Nation’s Report Card, Nevada’s Johnnies and
Janes are not improving in reading
and mathematics despite all the efforts and emphasis from lawmakers and public education bureaucrats.
In fact, the figures reported this
month, show fourth grade math
scores and proficiency levels have
dropped 3 points since 2011. The
scores are below the national average, which has been stagnant.
Eighth grade math faired about the
same.
Fourth grade reading scores for
Nevada students are stagnant,
though basic proficiency ticked up
3 points from four years, but is the
same as two years ago.
Eighth grade reading scores
dropped 3 points from two years
ago, and basic proficiency dropped
a point.
All scores were below the national average. Neighboring states
also showed stagnation or decline
in shows.
The National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) is the
largest national test of student capabilities. Tests are conducted in
reading, math, science, writing and
other categories.
*****
Nevada named #3 ‘Most Tax
Friendly State for Retirees’
by Kiplinger.com
Kiplinger’s has released its annual ranking of the most and least
tax-friendly states for retirees. The
list was unveiled as part of
Kiplinger’s Retiree Tax Map —
available at kiplinger.com/links/
retireetaxmap — which offers an
easy-to-use visual guide that compares taxes on income (including
Social Security benefits, pensions
and other forms of retirement income), property, everyday purchases, and, ultimately, your estate.
The guide also reveals special senior tax breaks across all 50 states.
“What many people don’t realize is that where you retire can be
just as important — or, in some
ways, even more important — than
what you have when you retire,”
said Sandra Block, Senior Associate Editor at Kiplinger’s Personal
Finance. “Retirees and near-retirees can use Kiplinger’s 2015 Retiree Tax Map to explore their options and determine which locations
would be the best fit for them, taking into account their personal finances, needs and lifestyle.
The 10 Most Tax-Friendly
States for Retirees:
1. Alaska
2. Wyoming
3. Nevada
4. Mississippi
5. Georgia
6. Delaware
7. Arizona
8. Louisiana
9. South Dakota
10. Florida
The 10 Least Tax-Friendly
States for Retirees:
1. Vermont
2. Connecticut
3. Rhode Island
4. Minnesota
5. Oregon
6. Montana
7. California
8. Nebraska
9. New Jersey
10. New York
The Retiree Tax Map is a sister
project to Kiplinger’s annual Tax
Map—which presents each state’s
income taxes, sales taxes, gas taxes,
“sin” taxes (for products such as alcohol and tobacco) and other tax
types, rules and exemptions. The
2015 Tax Map launched in September.
The 2015 Retiree Tax Map features comprehensive retiree tax profiles of each state, a list of the 10
most tax-friendly states for retirees
and a list of the 10 least tax-friendly
states for retirees, as well as additional roundups including states
with no sales tax, states that don’t
tax Social Security, states that tax
Social Security and states with estate and/or inheritance taxes.
*****
Ethel M Holiday
Cactus Garden
Bring the family out to celebrate
the season at the 22nd Annual Ethel
M Holiday Cactus Garden! This
always-popular attraction features
more than 600,000 holiday lights,
carefully strung across 300 species
of native desert plants. Holiday
music, visits from Santa Claus, and
free tours of the chocolate factory
(with a sweet treat at the end in the
gift shop) make this a must-do attraction for locals!
The illuminated Cactus Garden
will be open from 5 pm to 10 pm
nightly, through January 1, 2016.
For more information visit
www.ethelm.com.
*****
Opportunity Village
Magical Forest
Experience the Magic! Celebrate the holidays with a cherished
southern Nevada tradition — the
Magical Forest at Opportunity Village! The Magical Forest is a winter wonderland with millions of
sparkling lights, nightly entertainment, great food and endless holiday cheer. This year you’ll enjoy all
this and much, much more:
A Forest Filled with Hundreds
of Dazzling Trees, Forest Express
Passenger Train, Cheyenne’s En-
chanted Carousel, Boris the Elf’s
3D Experience, Avalanche Slide,
Rudolph’s Raceway, Rod’s MiniGolf, Magical Midway, Nightly Entertainment For All Ages, Photos
with Santa in his Workshop, Wondrous Gingerbread House Display
and Free Parking.
The Magical Forest is located at
Opportunity Village 6300 W. Oakey
Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146. Between Rainbow and Jones. Parking
is behind the Magical Forest in the
CSN parking lot.
*****
The Las Vegas
Great Santa Run
Fremont Street Experience
425 Fremont St
December 5, 2015 at 10 a.m.
The Las Vegas Great Santa Run
is not only one of Opportunity
Village’s
most
important
fundraisers but also an internationally recognized holiday tradition
that attracts families, businesses,
individuals and global tourists to
downtown Las Vegas.
Last year, over 8,000 runners
participated in the event and this
year they are hoping to attract over
10,000 Santas! Opportunity Village
needs your help to bring home the
World Santa Challenge after they
lost to Liverpool last year!
Help Opportunity Village to
continue to raise much-needed
funds to support our programs and
services for individuals with disabilities! Help them break all
records again this year by registering today! Just go to the website
opportunityvillage.enmotive.com/
and support Las Vegas’ favorite
charity.
*****
City Beat is a compilation of
news and views of our editorial and
writing team, along with reader
submissions and topics. Readers
are invited to suggest a local topic
or any other items of interest.
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 27
Debunking the five big myths about WordPress
By Kristen Thomaselli
The Internet is abuzz over last
month’s major WordPress update.
After massive data breaches at
Ashley Madison, CareFirst
BlueCross BlueShield and the U.S.
Office of Personnel Management,
cybersecurity has become a top priority for consumers, businesses, and
even federal agencies. So
WordPress, a platform used by
nearly a quarter of all the Internet’s
websites, has installed advanced
new privacy features. Observers are
eager to see if these enhancements
make a difference and prevent future breaches.
But despite the update, some
people are still skeptical of using
WordPress, chiefly because of some
baseless myths about the platform.
Here are the five most prevalent —
and why they’re wrong.
Myth No. 1: WordPress is just
for blogs.
While primarily used as a
blogging tool in its early days,
WordPress is now a full-featured
“content management system.”
That means users can customize
their site’s appearance with thousands of themes and specialty functions via downloadable “plugins.”
WordPress can serve as the
backbone for powerful, dynamic
websites far more advanced than a
cookie-cutter blog.
Myth No. 2: WordPress isn’t
secure.
With over 60 million websites,
this system is certainly targeted by
hackers. The vast majority get
blocked. WordPress comes with
KRISTEN THOMASELLI
robust security plugins, which are
particularly useful for sites hosting
ecommerce or other sensitive client information. And those plugins,
along with other security measures,
are only getting stronger.
The update, for example, includes enhanced password security
features. Password reset links will
now only stay live for a limited time
and passwords themselves will
never end up in inboxes — a feeding ground for hackers. WordPress
will even advise individual users on
the safest possible password.
And even those scant few successful breaches don’t mean
WordPress is any less secure than
rival platforms. The websites of
CitiGroup, Google, and Zappos
don’t run on WordPress and have
also been hacked or attacked. Regular, commonsense precautions —
like avoiding “password” as your
password — will protect average
users from any shenanigans.
BEHIND THE MIKE
My buddies and my babies
By Michael A. Aun
I affectionately differentiate my
twin grandsons and their two female cousins as “my buddies” and
“my babies.” They call me
“Jiddo,” which is the Arabic word
for grandfather.
Let’s face it... girls are a world
of difference from boys! I’ve had
some personal experience with my
own twins. My sons Cory and Jason were twins, but I never sensed
there was a Baby A/Baby B thing
going on.
One was not more dominant,
MICHAEL A. AUN
crankier, happier or less sick than
the other. However, over the course of time, they traded illnesses and
injuries with reckless abandon.
When Jason broke his arm as a child, Cory did not follow suit. Instead,
Jason promptly broke the same arm again the same day he got the first
cast off, inviting suspicious questions from Dr. Hank Martin, the family
physician.
Those same questions followed years later when Jason evened the injury score with a hammer to the back of Cory’s noggin. Kids just being
kids, the doctors explained. Well, they didn’t have to become “Bill the
Kid.”
“My babies” is what I call Ashley (9) and Ava (7). If there was a Baby
A/Baby B syndrome going on, Ava would clearly be Baby A. She marches
to her own drumbeat. I identify with her because she’s like me, grumpy!
Ashley, on the other hand, is the loving big sister who always gives in to
her younger sibling.
“My buddies” is what I call my four month old twin grandsons,
Cameron Jeremy and Keenan Christopher. Cameron, for the moment appears to be the dominant Baby A of the pair. The good news is they are
both healthy; the bad news is they look just like me.
I was giving a speech in Ann Arbor, Michigan recently. In the course
of my presentation, I spoke about my childhood growing up in the little
town of Lexington, SC, which was recently devastated by flooding.
I show a baby picture of myself and decided to introduce my twin
grandsons with a slow dissolve of my photo into theirs. Stunning how the
three of us look like ripe mushrooms, grinning with Mickey Mouse ears.
Cameron, who was labeled “Baby A” by the hospital before his mom
Viviana and his father Christopher named him, clearly looks like yours
truly. He’s grumpy like yours truly. He has a squatty body like yours
truly. He is competitive like yours truly. In fact, his mom, Viviana, who I
nicknamed “Bones” years ago, simply calls him “Jiddo Junior.” Works
for me.
Keenan is clearly the more lovable and yielding of the two. Cameron
wakes up like a bullet out of a rifle, announcing to the world with his
cries, “It’s time to eat!” Keenan will wake quietly and will slowly open
his eyes and surmise the room, spotting a familiar face and greeting them
with a shy little smile. I can’t recall ever hearing him cry.
Their father Christopher earned the nickname “Gutt” from his brothers at birth. He is a carbon copy of yours truly in looks, but is clearly his
mother in every other way. He’s kind, gentle and caring to others. Like
his mother Christine and his grandmother Rita, he is also a Registered
Nurse, a profession of giving.
While Cameron was marked with his father and grandfather’s looks,
Keenan clearly inherited his mother and father’s kind disposition. “Bones”
is a teacher by profession and a good one, because she cares for her kids.
Keenan has those characteristics. Christopher tells me the rare time he
does cry, you get crocodile tears. Other than that, he figures why waste
the energy? Cameron can do the crying for the both of them.
“My babies” on the other hand, are all girls. They’re coming to the
age where they are no longer interested in hugging and kissing me in
public. In my duties as world’s oldest ball boy for their father’s high school
football teams, I was in the north end zone at St. Cloud High School’s
Gannerelli Field to retrieve the point-after-attempt. Ava and some of her
buddies were down in the end zone playing so I shooed them away so
they wouldn’t get hit by the ball.
One of Ava’s buddies said, “Isn’t that your grandfather?” Without batting an eye, Ava said, “No, that’s some other man!” and turned to continue playing leapfrog with her friends.
How soon they forget.
Michael Aun is a syndicated columnist and writes a weekly column for
this newspaper. To contact Michael Aun, email him at
[email protected].
Myth No. 3: WordPress isn’t
suitable for big businesses.
Many large companies with
high-traffic sites use WordPress,
including Forbes, CNN, TIME
magazine, The New York Post, and
General Electric. Most of the speed
and security issues that might affect a well-trodden site can be
solved by hosting the site on a private server.
Even the experts trust
WordPress. TechCrunch, a major
technology news site with millions
of visitors each month, runs on the
platform. And The Seattle Times
now entrusts its entire online presence to WordPress.
Myth No. 4: Open-source software doesn’t provide good user
support.
WordPress uses software that
can be edited by any web developer.
Some critics claim that such “open
sourcing” leaves gaps in user support.
The opposite is true.
Open-source software allows
millions of developers from all
around the world to add and refine
the WordPress programming. That
means if a user runs into an issue,
chances are someone else has
bumped into it too — and already
found the solution. WordPress forums are a massive base of community knowledge and offer fixes
to almost every potential problem.
Compare that to a closed-source
platform. Even the most dedicated
support team probably includes at
most a dozen or so people. They’re
responsible for solving a wide and
sprawling mass of glitches. Even
common user issues often go unaddressed.
Myth No. 5: The plugins can’t
be trusted.
It’s safe to assume that some of
WordPress’s 30,000 plugins haven’t
been coded to the highest standards.
But that’s why the platform has a
robust review system that allows
users to flag any problems.
With millions of sites giving
feedback, glitches are ferreted out
quickly. And just as you wouldn’t
buy a blender on Amazon with onestar reviews, users would do well
to avoid installing a plugin with
less-than-stellar ratings.
Whether you want to run a basic blog or an online empire,
WordPress is a solid platform option. And its recent security upgrade
is bound to make it even more so.
*****
Kristen Thomaselli is a director
at Keybridge Web, a leading web
development company based in
Washington, DC. Visit Keybridge
Web at http://keybridgeweb.com/.
DOUG DICKERSON
Extra mile leaders put
the team first
Extra mile leaders by and large
are selfless in that their motivation
and their proactive ways are done
with the intent of benefitting the
team. Yes, there can be exceptions
when what motivates an individual
is selfish in nature. But by and large,
extra mile leaders have a broad understanding of the mission and vision of the organization and their
extra mile sacrifices are for the benefit of the group. Of course, it pays
dividends in the long run as all hard
work and effort does, but it’s not
the prime motivation. Extra mile
leaders put their colleagues first.
Extra mile leaders have an
attitude of excellence
Extra mile leaders are not satisfied with the status quo nor do they
settle for what is merely acceptable.
Extra mile leaders have a compelling desire to be the best personally
and professionally. At times it can
be misinterpreted by those without
the extra mile mentality as selfserving, grand-standing, or posturing, etc. but at their core, the extra
mile leader cares deeply and truly
wants to advance the team in the
right direction.
Extra mile leaders have
found their purpose
Extra mile leaders have not only
tapped into their passion but have
taken it a step further in discovering their purpose. Extra mile leaders intuitively understand that it’s
not about what they “do” that defines them or motivates them to go
the extra mile. Extra mile leaders
are those who have embraced the
blessing and gift of their Creator
and have committed themselves to
living their life in such a way that
honors it.
Danish philosopher Soren
Kierkegaard said, “There is nothing with which every man is so
afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.”
What you are capable of becoming as an extra mile leader is realized when you worry less about
what you do and care more for the
life you have to live and the ways
in which you can serve others.
When you do, the results will speak
for itself.
Are you an extra mile leader?
Doug Dickerson is a syndicated
columnist. He writes a weekly column for this newspaper. To contact
Doug Dickerson, email him at
ddickerson@ lasvegastribune.com.
Five traits of extra mile leaders
By Doug Dickerson
There are no shortcuts on the
extra mile — Zig Ziglar
Bob Kuechenberg, the former
Miami Dolphins great, once explained what motivated him to go
to college. “My father and uncle
were human cannonballs in carnivals. My father told me, “go to college or be a cannonball.” Then one
day my uncle came out of the cannon, missed the net and hit the
Ferris wheel, I decided to go to college.”
The way you tap into your motivation as a leader may not be as
drastic for you as it was for Bob
Kuechenberg, but tapping into it is
necessary nonetheless. Going the
extra mile as a leader is what will
set you apart from the rest of the
pack and will take you farther than
you could have without it.
So what traits do “extra mile”
leaders possess? Here is a sampling
of a few that I believe are essential.
It’s not an exhaustive list but is a
good place to start.
Extra mile leaders
are proactive
Extra mile leaders take the initiative in getting things done. They
prefer to tackle issues head-on
rather than assume a reactionary
posture. Extra mile leaders are out
front on understanding the culture
of their organization and the needs
of the people they serve. They don’t
wait to be told or asked, they see
what needs to be done and they do
it.
Extra mile leaders
possess a
contagious enthusiasm
What sets extra mile leaders
apart from mediocre leaders-every
time, is a passion and enthusiasm
for what they do. Their attitudes are
positive and their temperament is
even-handed. An extra mile leader
in your organization with enthusiasm and passion will be the benchmark for the rest of your team.
Without extra mile leaders your
work will be hard but with them
your team can see extraordinary
results. Extra mile leaders bring out
the best in those they serve.
Page 28 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
SOCIAL SECURITY AWARENESS
How the budget deal changes Social Security
Married retirees will no longer be able to use two Social Security claiming strategies.
By Emily Brandon
The Bipartisan Budget Act of
2015 makes significant changes to
the Social Security program that
impact the payments you will
qualify for in retirement. The law
eliminates several Social Security
claiming strategies, which the bill
refers to as “unintended loopholes”,
that some married couples and
families used to increase their benefits. Here’s how the Social Security rules have changed:
No more double claiming
Some dual-earner married
couples who are 66 or older have
been claiming Social Security benefits twice. They first collect spousal payments worth half of the
higher earner’s benefit amount, and
then later switch to payments based
on their own work record, which are
then higher due to delayed claiming. People who turn 62 in 2016 or
later will no longer be able to claim
these two types of payments at different times. “If you are not 62 by
the end of this calendar year you
can’t do the restricted application
anymore,” says Tim Steffen, a certified financial planner and director of financial planning at Robert
W. Baird & Co. Instead, you can
claim a spousal payment or one
based on your own work record,
typically whichever is higher. A
2009 analysis by the Center for
Retirement Research at Boston
College found that if every eligible
person used this strategy, it would
cost the Social Security program
about $10 billion a year.
Dependents can’t claim
payments if you suspend
your payments
In the past, you could claim Social Security benefits and immediately suspend them, which allowed
a spouse and sometimes dependent
children to claim payments based
on your work record while you continue to accrue delayed retirement
credits that allow you to claim
larger payments later on in retirement. The new legislation changes
the rules so that if you suspend your
Social Security payments, your
spouse or children who receive payments based on your work record
will no longer receive them until
you start your payments again. This
rule change applies to benefit suspensions submitted beginning in
May 2016. “If your plan has been
to do it all along, you have a sixmonth window starting [November
2] in which to do it,” Steffen says.
“If you wait past that the ability to
claim and suspend and have a
spouse collect benefits will be
gone.”
Retirees continue to be able to
suspend their payments, and when
they resume them they will be paid
going forward at a higher rate, due
to the accumulation of delayed retirement credits. “You can still suspend your benefit and start it up
again at 70 at a different level,” says
Laurence Kotlikoff, an economics
professor at Boston University and
co-author of “Get What’s Yours:
The Secrets to Maxing Out Your
Social Security.” The Center for
Retirement Research at Boston
College estimates that couples using the claim and suspend strategy
cost the program about half a billion dollars per year.
Take advantage of
the claiming options
you still have
Married individuals are still eligible to claim payments worth up
to 50 percent of the higher earning
spouse’s benefit, if that amount is
higher than payments based on the
lower earning spouse’s work
record. And widows and widowers
inherit their spouse’s benefit payment when it is higher than their
existing benefit. All workers also
have the option to increase their
monthly Social Security payments
by delaying claiming them up until
age 70. “Most of the gain is really
from delaying,” Kotlikoff says.
“The real advantage is still there,
which is being patient.”
*****
Emily Brandon is the senior editor for Retirement at U.S. News. You
can contact her on Twitter
@aiming2retire, circle her on
Google+ or email her at
[email protected].
Several Social Security perks for married couples have been eliminated.
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 29
12 Tips for Investors in Their 50s and 60s
Now is the time to analyze your retirement savings and focus on how to reach your goals in 10 years.
By Kira Brecht
There’s no getting around it:
Saving for retirement is hard. Investors in their 50s and 60s may still
be contributing to their child’s college education or paying off a mortgage, and the job market in recent
years has thrown speed bumps into
some workers’ careers. As the
golden years of retirement approach, now is the time to focus in
on how your retirement savings
stack up and where you want to be
in 10 or 20 years. Here are 12 tips
to fine-tune your retirement savings
plan.
Make a plan
How much do you want to save?
Take the time to develop a realistic
financial plan, and establish goals
that are both measurable and
achievable. “Your anticipated investment rates of return and annual
contribution goals that you set need
to be within reach,” says Ellen Jordan, senior vice president at Bryn
Mawr Trust, a wealth management
firm in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
Pay off consumer debt
Carrying high-interest rate credit
card debt is costly and derails your
retirement savings goals. “Having
as few hard costs as possible provides flexibility to weather unexpected ups and downs in retirement.
If you haven’t already, 10 years or
so before retiring, start working a
disciplined plan to be debt-free before you hang it up,” says Derek C.
Hamilton, certified financial planner at Indianapolis-based Elser Financial Planning.
Pay down your mortgage
Do not plan to go into retirement
with debt of any sort, says Ann
Minnium, certified financial planner at Concierge Financial Planning
in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.
“Many plans I see would look great
if only the clients didn’t have debt.
I frequently tell clients in this situation to keep working until the debt
is paid off. If you refinance, do not
move into another 30-year loan. If
you have 10 years left on your current loan, then move into a 10-year
mortgage.”
Consider downsizing
Are your kids out of the house?
If you don’t need the extra two or
three bedrooms, a smaller home can
decrease living costs and allow for
extra funds to be diverted into savings. “In many cases, the largest
asset that a family owns is their primary residence. In order to make it
through retirement without running
out of money, downsizing is often
an easy solution,” Minnium says.
Leave your asset
allocation alone for now
Many investors diversify between stock and bonds in their retirement portfolio, but new retirees
should stay heavily invested in
stocks even in their 50s and 60s.
“The danger is in being or becoming too conservative with your investment allocation. I don’t recommend people change their allocation until they are five years away
from retirement... Once in retirement, the portfolio will likely be
working for another 20-plus years,
so there is no reason to get too conservative,” says Travis Sollinger, director of financial planning at Pittsburgh-based Fort Pitt Capital
Group.
Keep allocation shifts
gradual as you age
Sollinger recommends main-
taining an 80/20 stock-to-bond mix
in a portfolio until five years from
retirement. From there, investors
can “gradually shift to a 60/40
stock-to-bond portfolio. If market
volatility frightens you, keep a 70/
30 or 65/35 mix until five years
before retirement. Then shift to a
50/50 split. You give up potential
gains, but you should experience
less volatility in your accounts,”
Sollinger says.
Increase your level
of savings
This is your last chance to sock
away money for retirement.
“People in their 50s and 60s usually are close to their peak earning
years. Kids are grown and gone by
this time usually, so max out your
401(k) at work and put additional
savings into the bank and a brokerage account for investment,”
Sollinger says.
Delay taking Social Security
Current rules allow reduced benefits to begin at 62, before the socalled “full retirement” age of 66
or 67. You can receive a
higher level of benefits the
longer you wait to start. “It rarely
makes sense to claim at 62, but most
people do it anyway even though it
could cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars if they are longlived. Work with an experienced
financial planner to understand your
options. The rules are so complicated, even experienced and wellmeaning Social Security agents can
miss big opportunities,” Hamilton
says.
Know your retirement plans
If your employer offers additional plans such as nonqualified
deferred compensation benefits,
learn about your options. Many
such plans allow for a one-time
election to delay the payout and re(See Brecht, Page 30)
Page 30 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
The Social Security Facade
Our system of taxing the young to pay for the old needs reform to reflect 21st century realities.
By Jared Meyer
“We’ve been crippled by Social
Security, by Medicare ... and that is
the root of the problem. Entitlements. Let me be clear: You are
entitled to nothing.”
These words come from Kevin’s
Spacey’s
character
Frank
Underwood, star of the Netflix political drama “House of Cards.”
Harsh though they may be, they’re
not without truth: America’s principal health and retirement programs for the elderly, Social Security and Medicare, are placing a
massive fiscal burden on its youngest generations and crippling the
country with debts that cannot be
paid.
While the official national debt
Brecht
(Continued from Page 29)
ceive it in annual installments for
five or 10 years, Minnium says. “In
order to take advantage of the delay, you may have to make the election to delay at least 12 months before retirement or attaining age 55.
Employees need to prepare for the
NQDC payout because unlike a
401(k), it cannot be rolled into an
IRA.”
Take control of your taxes
Consider rolling into a Roth
IRA. “Uncle Sam makes you pay
tax on required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from traditional
retirement accounts like IRAs and
401(k)s starting at age 70 1/2 for
most people, which can push you
into a higher tax bracket. If you’re
in a lower tax bracket in years before that age, look into converting
traditional IRAs each year to Roth
IRAs. The conversion will be taxed,
but any appreciation and future
withdrawals would be tax-free,”
Hamilton says.
Ask lots of questions
“Be careful of anything that
seems too good to be true. Guarantees are not what they seem to be.
Read the fine print. Ask a lot of
questions. Know that no investment
is a sure bet,” Jordan says.
Keep your goals
at the forefront
Take the time to analyze the
numbers to make sure you are on
track. “See if you are saving
enough. Think about what you want
your retirement to look like, and
make sure to put money away for
yourself. If you are planning to retire in your mid-60s and have 10
years still to go, save as much as
you can. This will help the oftenemotional transition of earning income to spending down your assets
easier,” Jordan says.
Kira Brecht is a financial journalist who writes extensively on
stock, commodity, and foreign exchange markets, investing strategies, the economy and the Fed. She
was managing editor at SFO
(Stock, Futures & Options) Magazine for 10 years, creating digital
magazine, newsletter and online
content aimed at the individual investor. She began her career on the
floor of the Chicago futures exchanges covering commodity markets for a financial newswire service. Follow her on Twitter
@KiraBrecht.
sits at a staggering $18 trillion, taking future entitlement spending obligations into account pushes the
number beyond the conceivable:
$200 trillion. That’s 14 zeroes, over
10 times the official number. The
Social Security trust fund is projected to reach insolvency in 19
years, and Medicare will be unable
to meet its projected obligations in
15 years. Young Americans are
stuck paying into programs that,
absent reform, will only partially be
there for their retirements — if
they’re around at all.
To cover the ballooning costs of
these programs, workers in 2050
would have to pay nearly a third of
their hard-earned income just to
cover payroll tax obligations —
over twice the rate paid today. This
and other taxes would make it impossible for many workers to save
for their own retirements.
Some seniors believe that they
are entitled to their Social Security
and Medicare benefits since they
paid into these programs through-
It’s time to restore
intergenerational balance.
out their working careers. Those
who retired between 2000 and
2010, however, will receive an average of between $3 and $7 more
per dollar paid in Medicare benefits
than if they’d invested in private
markets. Social Security is no different. Due to a series of unfunded
promises, current Social Security
payments do not have the chance
to accrue interest, as they are immediately paid out to retirees — our
payments are simply too generous.
These entitlement programs
function not only as wealth transfers from the young to the old, but
from the poor to the wealthy. It is
true that Social Security accounts
for the majority of cash income for
65 percent of seniors, but this claim
ignores the reality that today’s seniors have an average of 47 times
the wealth of households headed by
adults under the age of 35. This is a
drastic increase from 1984, when
seniors held only 10 times the
wealth of young households.
Old age health and retirement
programs were designed for the
20th century, but they need reform
to reflect 21st century realities. The
six in 10 Americans who reached
their 65th birthday in 1940 lived an
average of 14 more years. Now,
eight in 10 Americans reach 65, and
they live an average of 20 more
years. It should be celebrated that
seniors are living longer and accruing more wealth, but a country cannot sustain such a system when only
three workers support each retiree,
a support that will fail if nothing is
done.
Some upper-income Americans
will not need Social Security and
Medicare to live comfortably in re-
tirement. Politicians, however, resist means-testing benefits because
that would show the programs for
what they really are — tax-andtransfer programs from the young
to the old, not forced-savings programs to which seniors are entitled.
This facade needs to end if an
intergenerational balance is ever to
be restored.
Our entitlement programs, due
to demographic changes, have
morphed into massive, unfunded
promises. It is time for politicians
and retirees to stop placing massive
fiscal obligations on young Americans. Old-age health and retirement
benefit reform is no longer an option — it is a necessity.
*****
Jared Meyer is a fellow at Economics21 at the Manhattan Institute. He is the coauthor of “Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young,” due out next
month from Encounter Books. You
can follow him on Twitter:
@JaredMeyer10
What You
Need To
Know
By Dr Nina Radcliff
Overeating: The
Power of Portions
By Nina Radcliff, MD
Many of us find ourselves
watching what we eat and exercising, but still we just can’t shed those
extra pounds. The reason behind
this may actually lie not in what we
eat, but how much we eat. Controlling our portions can be a challenge.
Whether we are at the grocery
store, fast food restaurant, sit-down
restaurant, or plating our homecooked dinner, research shows our
portions are exploding compared to
20 years ago. This makes it easy to
scarf down an extra 100-200 calories of food a day — and over time,
those extra calories really add up.
In one year, this can lead to a 10- to
20-pound weight gain!
Why do we overeat?
For the vast majority of human
history, we have lived as huntersgatherers: foraging for wild plants
and animals. Eating when food was
available was critical to survival.
There was no certainty of what the
future would hold. As a result, some
experts believe that overeating is
wired into our DNA.
Today, what and how much we
put into our mouths is the result of
two opposite brain systems at play.
The limbic system is subconscious,
emotional, and a remnant of our
hunting-gathering roots. It yells at
us to eat when we can, and, hence,
overeat! The rational decision-making system may seem more like a
whisper in comparison, even
though we logically know that there
is likely food in our future.
Portion vs. Serving Size
A portion is the amount of each
food that we choose to eat. It can
be big or small; we decide. A serving is a measured amount of food
or drink, such as one slice of bread
or one cup (eight ounces) of milk.
Many foods that come as a
single portion actually contain multiple servings. Today’s bagel counts
for three servings of bread, but
many consider it one serving. Dangerously growing portion sizes
have changed what Americans
think of as a “normal” portion when
away and at home too. This is
called, “portion distortion.”
What is portion control?
It is the understanding of how
much a serving size of food is and
how many calories or how much
food energy a serving contains.
Portion control is knowledge and
knowledge helps us to suppress the
instinctive limbic system that yells
at us to overeat and gain weight.
After all, our weight is a direct function of the number of calories we
consume via food and drink versus
what we burn.
When considering portion control, there must be a premise—food
is fuel and our bodies require certain amounts of nutrients to function at optimal performance. Portion control does not mean starving ourselves in order to decrease
calorie intake at the cost of malnourishment.
How do we determine
serving sizes?
1/2 cup = golf ball, ice cream
scoop
1 cup = tennis ball, baseball, fist
3 ounces of meat = deck of cards,
palm
1 teaspoon = thumb tip
1 tablespoon = whole thumb
Learn how to read (and
understand) nutrition labels
On the back of packaged foods,
the number of calories, fat, salt, vitamins and minerals are given for a
serving size. And despite The US
Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) encouraging manufacturers
to label a container as a single serving “if the entire contents of the
package can reasonably be consumed at a single-eating occasion,”
many times it is not.
For example, a small bag of potato chips (individually packaged),
may state that a serving size contains only 100 calories. However,
the entire bag may consist of 3 servings and 300 calories. And many of
us may consume the whole bag on
a single-eating occasion. By reading and understanding what a serving size is for the particular item we
are consuming, we are more likely
to control the portions we eat.
Additionally, to avoid passive
eating or munching, consider pre-
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 31
were overweight or obese; now 68
percent are.
What does this mean for all of
us? Our ability to estimate the calories in food decreases as portions
get bigger—leaving us more likely
to under-estimate how many calories we are taking in. We need to be
diligent about portions sizes — and
too, with understanding our food
and labeling.
When it comes to what we consume, “bigger is not better.” Increased portion sizes give us more
calories, encourages us to eat more,
distorts perception of appropriate
food quantities, and along with sedentary lifestyles, has contributed
greatly to our national bulge. Unless you’re trying to gain weight, it
may be time to reacquaint yourself
with serving sizes.
By learning and being mindful
portioning food into bags or con- a fast-food restaurant, consider of how much we are supposed to
tainers; especially when it comes to splitting a value meal between eat along with monitoring our porvalue- or bulk-sized products.
people, or saving some for later.
tions accordingly — while also beBeware of supersized
Don’t eat distracted
ing aware of the cues that encourportions at fast food and
Distracted eating—watching age us to eat those portions — we
sit down restaurants
television, reading, texting, Tweet- will make a very positive impact on
Many of us have grown up be- ing, or posting on social media — our health and a big difference in
ing told to finish what is on our can lead to overeating. Some ex- the life we live. Let’s do it!!
plates and not waste food. However, perts even recommend “mindful
*****
with larger portions being served eating” where we eat slowly and
This article is for general inforand equating to better value (e.g. relish every bite of food from the mation only and should not be used
large fries and drink just $1 more), colors to the smells to the flavor to for the diagnosis or treatment of
this can contribute to overeating. the texture. This allows us to expe- medical conditions and cannot subThis also encourages us to rely on rience food more intensely.
stitute for the advice from your
environmental factors (what someOver the past few decades, por- medical professional. Dr. Nina has
one else is giving us) instead of in- tion sizes of everything from muf- used all reasonable care in compilternal cues (our tummies are full). fins to sandwiches have grown con- ing the current information but it
When going out to eat, ask the siderably along with larger servings may not apply to you and your
server to package, in a “to-go” bag, from fries to mochas. Unfortu- symptoms. Always consult a doctor
half of the meal so you can enjoy a nately, America’s waistbands have or other health care professional for
late night snack, breakfast, lunch or reacted accordingly. In the 1970s, diagnosis and treatment of medical
dinner the following day. And if at around 47 percent of Americans conditions.
Page 32 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / November 25-December 1, 2015
EarthTalk is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss
and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to:
[email protected]. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/
subscribe; Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.
Dear EarthTalk: What’s the latest in cutting-edge, hyper-efficient
solar cells? Are we really moving
beyond huge photovoltaic panels
anytime soon? — Michael Williams, Hartford, CT
Many people still consider environmentalists’ favorite black panels as the cutting edge of renewable
energy. However, the burgeoning
solar industry has spent the last four
decades refining these original photovoltaic panels, giving way to an
entirely new generation of solar
technology.
Most of us could hardly recognize some of the new solar collectors. Researchers at Michigan State
University specifically responded
to the aesthetic critics of solar panels by creating transparent solar
cells. Well, not totally transparent
— they actually have thin strips of
traditional solar panels to convert
the infrared light being reflected by
the entire panel. This technology
could effectively turn any sheet of
glass into a solar energy producer,
from the windows of your office
building to the screen of your cell
phone.
This could spell the end for
space-intensive solar plants. Currently the cells cannot convert light
into electricity at efficient enough
levels to be productive, but researchers hope to achieve efficiency closer to that of existing
photovoltaic panels in coming
years. Though less effective than
older technology, the sheer scale of
utility of the new model makes it a
much more substantial potential
energy source.
Beyond the collection of solar
energy, storage continues to be a
problem. Modern batteries are typically inefficient and expensive,
making solar energy only useful
during daylight hours. Researchers
at Ohio State University are working to solve this problem and recently debuted a photovoltaic panel
with a built-in battery. If the new
design is successful, fusing the battery and panel into one could be a
game-changer. The design has already shown to make batteries 20
percent more efficient and 25 percent less expensive.
Another area of solar innovation
has been ingenuity of application.
Thinking outside the box has
helped establish potential ways to
industrialize the production of solar energy without consuming an
excessive amount of acreage in the
process. The Dutch have already
pioneered solar roadways, in which
highways are lined with solar panels. This saves clearing more land
and makes use of land that is otherwise entirely unproductive. Another
effort to limit land use involves constructing solar plants in the 70 percent of the planet that is covered by
water. Experiments have already
begun in France, England, India and
California.
And while seemingly far-
Researchers Richard Lunt and Yimu Zhao test cutting edge transparent solar cells
at their Michigan State University lab.
fetched, generating solar power years ago. The challenge is to cre- ginning of the age of alternative refrom space is another area being ate satellites that can capture sun- newable energy, and the next few
examined. Satellites could capture light, convert it to microwave en- years and decades will be an excitsignificantly more sunlight than ergy, and beam it back to Earth. The ing time to follow the growth of
earthbound panels, as they could be exciting potential of this idea has solar power from a fringe sector to
positioned to collect solar radiation led to large-scale investment by In- a dominant player in the global enall the time. The first proposal and dia, China and Japan.
ergy mix.
tests of this idea began over 40
*****
No doubt we are only at the be-
PLACES TO GO
November 25-December 1, 2015 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 33
QUICK GETAWAYS
Christmas at the Gaylord
Opryland Resort in Nashville
By Sandy Zimmerman
Las Vegas Tribune
Photos supplied by the
Gaylord Opryland Resort
The all-glass-enclosed Gaylord
Opryland Resort is unique 365 days
a year yet at Christmas, there is a
special fantasy atmosphere. With
2.3 million glittering lights, holiday
decorations, a life-sized ICE! Exhibit, Grammy-award-winning trio
Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Christmas-themed Dinner
Show, The Nutcracker and Dr.
Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole
Christmas! The Musical, this is a
country Christmas you will never
forget.
The ICE! attraction was transported from Harbin, China where
40 artisans carved scenes from the
Nutcracker. Imagine over 2 million
pounds of colored ice blocks arrived to be designed in scenes from
The Nutcracker with all handcarved ice sculptures and two-story
slides. You can also see the ice artisans at work.
The Magic of Christmas appears
at the Gaylord Opryland Resort
from November 20, 2015 through
January 2, 2016 providing enough
time for you join them and enjoy
this once-a-year event.
Gaylord is one of the few resorts
with so much to offer and its allglass-enclosure creates a summer
atmosphere all year.
The musical themed decorations
at the seven-story Garden Conservatory Atrium, 48-foot-tall Christmas tree and 15,000 poinsettias are
some of the other stand-out attractions.
The Arctic Plunge Snow Tubing
six-lane tubing hill is covered in 1.5
million pounds of real snow and
there is even a 6,000-square-foot
outdoor ice skating rink.
BY THE NUMBERS
—2.3 million holiday lights
—1 million visitors to the resort
during the holidays each year
—15,000 poinsettias
—15 miles of green garland
—10 miles of hand-tied, red ribbon
—48-foot-tall Christmas tree
—1.5 million pounds of real snow
at Arctic Plunge Snow Tubing
—2+ million pounds of ice for
signature ICE! attraction
—Nearly 7,000 giant blocks of
colored ice
—40 ice artisans from China
Free activities include the
Brightest Star Fountain Show, Treasures for the HolidaysCraft Show,
the Outdoor Nativity with an audio
rendition of the biblical story and
Parade of Trees, a self-guided tour
of Christmas trees decorated by favorite musical artists and celebrities. Each tree’s decorations and
presents are up for grabs to the highest bidder—all to benefit favorite
charities. Channel’s “Extreme
Christmas;” one of the top 10 places
to spend Christmas in the world by
Travel + Leisure; and a “Nashville
treasure” by Southern Living.
Gaylord Opryland Resort &
Convention Center, a 2,882-room
hotel, offers “everything in one
place”—diverse dining options, a
full-service spa, top-notch entertainment, on-site shopping, an
award-winning golf course and
more. For more information, visit
www.gaylordopryland.com. For
information, visit the website
ChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com
or call 1-(888)-677-9872.
Award-winning
Sandy
Zimmerman is a syndicated columnist featuring Show/Films and Dining reviews, travel, health, spas,
luxury living, medicine, music, retreats, island hideaways, jungle
adventures and more. Sandy is talk
show host of the Las Vegas Today
Show programs and Discover the
Ultimate Vacation travel specials.
If you wish information or have
questions about any of Sandy’s articles, please call (702) 735-5974.
Page 34 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / NNovember 25-December 1, 2015
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