The view from the floor-to-ceiling windows in our room at the new Wynn Encore provides a distressingly clear picture of what’s going on in Las Vegas these days. To the south, there’s a casino project that has ground to a halt, half built, its steel skeleton an outline of a multibillion-dollar dream gone hungry. Across the street, there’s a Modernist chapel, a lonely vigil of virtue on the Strip — people seek salvation elsewhere in this town. Look west toward the mountains and you can trace the Vegas real estate developers’ dash toward the horizon with building projects. Now as far as you can drive, there are foreclosed homes and empty new developments offering come-ons to prospective buyers.
The Encore, which opened officially in January, stands like a luxurious monument of defiance to the recession. It is not; it cannot. Wynn Resorts boss Steve Wynn has cut room rates to as little as $169 a night — the original projected rates were something on the order of $350 — but he won’t cut service. That act of defiance means the Encore is a pretty astonishing value for any visitors in the mood to treat themselves to a Las Vegas fling in these tough times. The $2 billion, 2,034-room project adjoins the Wynn — the hotels are connected by a retail alley — completing Steve Wynn’s most recent move to reposition the Las Vegas mind-set. The man who brought you exploding volcanoes (the Mirage), pirate ships (Treasure Island) and over-the-top light shows, not to mention a zillion dollars’ worth of fine art (the Bellagio) has now fully assembled his antidote to overstimulation, which began with the Wynn Las Vegas in 2005. Here is a different kind of sensibility — dare we say classy? — a resort with gaming, rather than a gaming resort.
At ground level, the Encore, like its older sibling, is still all business, though Wynn had his decorator, Roger P. Thomas, nod to the Las Vegas of the past. The casino floor is dominated by a color that the company says used to be standard in casinos in the bad old good old days — just call it whorehouse red. But it works here, with the brilliant red chandeliers, the whole effect muted a bit by judicious use of off-white fabric. The other delicate touches are cast, oddly enough, by natural light streaming in from either end of the casino floor. And not only through windows — the main entrance to the Encore casino takes you through a lush, plant-and-tree-filled atrium over three stories tall. There’s a certain amount of whimsy at play here too: for instance, the brightly colored butterflies inlaid into the mosaic floors. It makes the contemplation of losing at the tables almost pleasant.
The blanket with sleeves—oh, let’s call it what it really is, a full-length bib—and we are the new Arabs. In danger of becoming a silly people. Which was OK when we were riding high, but now every man, woman and child in America owes China $6,000. Imagine owing that to a bookie. This is sooo cozy.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in China this week, trying to get them to buy more American debt. And they think their milk is toxic. We need the Chinese to finance our printing of money to give to bankers, or else we’ll be paying for the stimulus with seashells and colorful rocks. If the Chinese get a look at us in our Snuggies—and they will, since they make the damn things—they’re going to decide, “We can’t buy any more T-bills from these people! They’re wearing blankets with sleeves. They’re a silly people.”
New Rules From Bill Maher For February 27, 2009
I saw Maher in the Spearmint Rhino in Las Vegas recently.
Guy had some Game.
Newsom is pretty smooth too.
I know his wife.
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK, Jr.
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
Great call on Bourdain. He is a perfect representation of everything twisted & jaded with folks in the food world today. Also the perfect American dream story, drank too much and did a ton of dope in the 70′s, 80′s & 90′s. Now has one of the top culinary entertainment career’s in the world and a multimedia superstar. Not to mention he is one of the only true lyrical assassin. Tony has thrown stones at everyone from Alan Richman, Rocco, The Food Network, and most recently her majesty Alice Waters. Dude just isn’t afraid to go toe to toe with anyone.
Now on to something I picked up while hunting in Madrid when I was a young cook. First thing you want to focus on is landing the Jamon Iberico Aka “pata negra”. Iberico pigs from Spain that feed only on black acorns. The marbling on this stuff is out of control. At $150 per lb. in the down economy I know is tight, but it will be well worth it. Just at all cost stay away from the “Boars Head” shit.
Cubed fresh braised Pork Belly should be your next move. I take my pork very serious, Duck is the only other protein that I have the same passion for. well talk about that another time. A nice organic fried egg is a great touch. On to the cheese, Keep it in Spain and lay on the aged manchego. When trying to land fly model chicks, stay away from the stinky cheese. This might be the most important touch of all. I’ve seen some closed deals drown because of the cheese. Drizzle with a nice Extra Virgin olive oil and a crunchy baguette.
Open up a Unico, Vega Sicilia – 1998, Ribera del Duero
Tempranillo, which comprises between 65% and 80% of “Unico” has a structure that seems to defy oxidation. Blended with a small portion of Cabernet, this Tempranillo gives intense black fruit and leather aromas. The texture is legendarily supple due to extensive oak aging. (10-25 years!)
White Wine with pork isn’t an advisable move, especially with the cheese. If you don’t get down with the reds. Grab something barrel fermented from the WC of the US.
TV is crap these days. Actually, it has always been crap, but that’s neither bricks of Hashish or slabs of Blowfish.
I really can only stomach that show American Greed, Marijuana Inc: Inside America’s Pot Industry (although I have only seen it once) and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
If you haven’t seen his show, its pretty dope: Travel, Drinking, Smoking and Eating Dope Spots. Hell, if I had a show (which I never would, I am way too low-pro) I would do it the same. Only adding swooping mad fly girls and rolling in Custom Suits (and it would be the best show on TV, no doubt).
Anyways, recently, Bourdain went to Chicago:
In the latest episode of No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain went to Chicago and visited the Silver Palm restaurant. He had the Three Little Pigs Sandwich: smoked ham, a breaded pork cutlet, two strips of bacon, and two fried eggs, blanketed in a thick coat of gruyere, all on a brioche bun.
Bourdain is blown away, and drops tons of praise: “This is a work of genius, in an evil way…. A two-fisted symphony of pork, cheese, fat, and starch… that sandwich is the greatest sandwich in America. This is the apex of the sandwich-making art… the sandwich that dreams are made of.”
The Three Little Pigs Sandwich looked so dope, I had to make my own version:
Jamon Serrano
Freshly butchered Pork Chop (farm to table)
Four strips of Freshly butchered bacon (sustainable)
Free-range fried eggs
Imported Gruyere
On an Artisan Brioche Bun
Some breaking news: The Setai San Diego has changed its name to Sè San Diego to avoid any confusion with The Setai Miami which is currently owned by the epic FAIL bank, Lehman Brothers. Straight from the official press release:
Today, Fifth Ave. Partners Llc., owners and developers of the hotel, Setai San Diego, are proud to announce that beginning Monday, Dec. 22, 2008 the property currently named Setai San Diego will be renamed Sè San Diego.
The Setai Miami is currently owned by Lehman Brothers. Due to the uncertainty of this ownership, Fifth Ave. Partners Llc. determined that a new hotel name and brand would be best for its development.
The developers believe the meaning of the Chinese word Sè – colour, look, quality; expression, sensuality and physical attraction – better represents the level of design, art and experience that will be unique to the San Diego property and long-term vision of the company.
The creation of the Sè hotel brand also supports the owner’s desire to have complete freedom to independently create and manage their investments. Fifth Ave. Partners Llc. are currently in advanced planning stages for additional Sè hotels in the Western US and internationally.
Always start with high quality product. So go down to your local butcher shop that you have on lock and get your steak. Don’t forget to Grease your butcher. It is the holiday season after all.
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Heat your pan on stove top on high.
3. Put salt, pepper and Grapeseed oil on steak. You must use Grapeseed oil because it doesn’t burn at higher temps like olive oil.
4. Wait
5. Make sure Pan is like 7 layers of Hell Hot. Then let it get hotter. Wait till you think that maybe you shouldn’t be heating the pan so hot, then heat it more. Then take a smoke break and let it heat more. If you are with a fly girl, swoop her and let the pan heat some more. Then spark up one more smoke as you let it get as hot as a topless French girl on the beach in Anglet in July. This will sear the fuck out of the steak and “lock in” the juices.
6. Put a little Grapeseed oil in pan.
7. Drop in steak. Enjoy the sizzle. 2 min each side.
8. Grab pan and put in oven with butter on top of steak.
9. 4 min each side.
10. Feast with a glass of Red and plan your next Heist.
Try it and let me know what you think.
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK
The Guide to Getting More Out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Chuck D, Big Daddy Kane, and Ice Cube – Burn Hollywood Burn
Hotel developer Steve Wynn, confident he’s sitting on the next big thing, has a response for an archrival’s proclamation that the Wynn era was over.
Back in January, fellow gaming giant Sheldon Adelson, then the third-richest man in America with a $28 billion fortune, said Wynn’s time “has come and gone.”
“Yeah,” Wynn said in an interview with Vegas Confidential, “and I remember when he said it, I started to pack up. I figured anybody who is the master of the universe must know everything. Who am I to argue?
“My reaction,” said Wynn, “is the same as since his arrival on the scene. Total incredulity. He has surprised me in every single way. He’s quite an extraordinary fellow, Sheldon, and his approach has been singular, to say the least, to the industry and to life in general.
“And I think it’s pretty safe to say that hardly any of us have seen anybody quite like Sheldon and we wish him well.”
Whiplashed by an economic storm, Adelson, who built The Venetian and The Palazzo across from Wynn and went full throttle overseas, saw 95 percent of his wealth disappear this year.
“You have to give him credit for being fearless,” said Wynn. “Who else would have enough guts to start six hotels at once without the money to finish them? That’s extraordinary. I know it’s an old-fashioned idea but I’ve always had my money all done before I broke ground. I know that’s old-fashioned these days, but that’s why our interest rate is 3 percent here on our bank line, here and China. I don’t know what anyone else is paying but I borrowed the money before I started anything and my builder told me he’s going to give me back $40-odd million. We’re getting a refund.”
I have never “officially” taken sides in this heavyweight matchup as I like both Steve Wynn’s and Sheldon Adelson’s products and biz steez. And I have swooped mad amounts of fly girls in both cats Hotels.
But I will be willing to mediate if necessary.
For a “Up Economy” fee, of course.
(Thanks to Chris R for the Data Sheets)
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK
AKA The Arsonist who Burns with his Game regardless
The Guide to Getting More Out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Official “Encore” Hotel & Casino Las Vegas TV Commercial
Keep in mind that the Setai San Diego has NO relation to the dope Setai Miami Beach. They only share the name (who knows for how long).
In fact, the Setai Miami Beach people have gone as far as dissing the Setai San Diego saying it “cheapens the Setai Brand” and dissing San Diego saying that “they had no interest in entering the San Diego market, and the only reason they did is that the developer promised them Larry Flynt’s building in Beverly Hills”. (I am paraphrasing).
I have been following the Setai San Diego and so far it seems like a debacle and they are miss-timing the market to say the least.
The Setai San Diego is “a striking essay in aluminium, zinc and stainless mesh. You might want to rob a bank for the Grand Penthouse, which will open in February: at 5,000 sq ft, with a 4,000 sq ft terrace, it’ll be the largest on the West Coast – hence the £13,400 a night tag. “That doesn’t include tax [£1,675],” we’re told, “but it does include breakfast.” Pray it’s all-you-can-eat. ”
All you hear these days is Regular Guy whining about having no Dough in the Down Economy. More negative energy floating around than at Biggie’s funeral. But everything is going to be alright this morning.
As you know by now, The G is a breed apart. We got our Mojo working. G’s are kneading more Dough than Wolfgang Puck at Spago’s in the 80’s.
Sure G’s like to diss things that need dissing: Bottle Service, Mortgage Brokers, Restaurants serving crappy Dungeness crab cakes, Police, Guys wearing Glittery Christian Audiger shirts, white girls who can’t dance and favor flip-flops over high heels etc. But generally speaking we like to keep positive vibrations.
The Up Economy was cool (actually it has been stylistically, culturally and intellectually the worst decade yet, but that is neither Marinella ties nor Colombian Pies. I will address in a future Manifesto), but the Down Economy is even better:
Girls coming out the Woodwork
I am sure everyone has noticed this. Ever since the Down Economy has been in full effect, girls have been coming back like Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins. At least twice a day, I get little girls lost re-contacting me with calls and texts. It has gotten to be so sublime and ridiculous that I am actually kicking around the idea of out-sourcing to India a secretary to field all my incoming calls and texts a la The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. I think the reason for this goes something like this:
Honey dip settled for some striped shirted fool in the wack BMW whip during the Up Economy. Now “Guy” is out of work, out of dough and can barely afford his sparkly Ed Hardy shirts and queer ripped jeans, let alone a night out on the town or his condo mortgage payment. Now girl remembers you as the brutally handsome, sharply dressed G who was LA, next week MIA, the week after BA. Little does she know, as far as giving up green, “I ain’t the one”. But, I will get Brain like a “know it all”.
Heists
“Note Jobs” are up at Banks. So are “Smash and Grabs”. This only makes it easier for high-end Heistmen like your humble author to ply his trade, as police resources are being used up. Drug dealers are making more money these days, too. Independent dealers are on the rise. All the better to Standover, Oh my Brothers. If you want some pretty polly…you take it.
Public Opinion Improved
Girls are so desperate these days, you can actually, finally, tell the truth about what you do for a living. Just the other night, as an unofficial case study, I told a fly Platinum Digger with light Grey Eyes and lies, when she asked me what I did for a living I said, “I rob Drug Dealers.” The Platinum Digger actually responded, “Wow. That seems like a good job… must pretty recession proof”. In 2005 she would have been running away like Usain Bolt, had I been honest.
Suits have more punch these days than Andre Berto. Everyone, and I mean everyone loves the well dressed, International Playboy/Heistman/Peoples Champ in these grim economic times.
Bring terror, like C4, and boom step in the room with a Custom one button Saville Row suit with Claret red interior, Borelli shirt, Brioni Pocket Square, Berluti shoes, and lighting a cigarette with a Dunhill lighter and you will have girls locking jaws on you like one of Michael Vick’s prized pitbulls. It’s mad Scary. Like Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”, lyrical poisonous darts or macroeconomic charts.
And with Great Britian’s Drop in currency value since a year ago at 23%, it’s about time to pick up some new Saville Row suits. Trust me, they will pay for themselves.
CASH
Having a huge Bankroll these days is more rare than the seared Ahi at Masa in NYC. So it goes without saying, that having a huge Bankroll is going to drive girls wilder than an opium dusted, bi-polar-crack head drinking Cisco waving around a malfunctioning deuce-deuce. Mascara is melting off China Dolls when you flash rolls. And I am not talking about Beans either.
Music
It hasn’t happened yet, but with tough economic times comes better music. Hip Hop has had an atrocious decade, but with DC’s own Wale and some other dope new school non-hip hop shit, I think we are going to see a turn around. Like Immortal Technique says “The bling-bling era was cute but it’s about to be done, I leave you full of clips like the moon blocking the sun”.
Wale Feat Duffy – Warwick Avenue
Money Making
Making money is actually easier in many ways in a Down Economy. Less clowns all up in the Game. Less talkers. More takers. (See The Top Ten Ways to Make Money in a Down Economy). Just don’t forget to give back to the less fortunate.
Smoking
With less liquid CASH around (and I don’t mean Chris Paciello’s 90’s Miami Beach Nightclub Liquid that I used to hold court at as a young Proto-type G either) girls have less money and get more fiendy for cigarettes. Which means you will have more little girls “setting out that line” at the witching hour every night. Which means you have more chances to throw Voodoo on Fly Girls. And you know I got the Black Cat Bone, mojo bag, the John The Conqueroo and I am going to mess with you. Mean Mannish Boy. Hoochie Coochie Man and all that.
Muddy Waters – Mannish Boy (1971)
Also, in the Down Economy, restaurateurs have less say on whether or not you can smoke jacks in their spots. What are they going to do? Tell you that you can’t smoke when you are their best customer? Light up. And feel the elegant nicotine high. Fly pelican fly.
Rivals
I would love to say I don’t feel pleasure in others failure. But to be honest, I do. I love to ash on my rivals mangled and bloodied bodies decaying in a 5 foot deep lime pit. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
Travel
Traveling is so much easier these days. Way shorter security lines. Sick Hotels, in sick trouble, are offering rooms at prices akin to a mean streets Ghetto flop house. Even Las Vegas can be done on the cheap. Wynn Las Vegas was offering rooms for $169 on a Friday recently. I felt like I was pulling a Heist. (I don’t have to tell you I got my Encore Tower Suite Deluxe King comped. Over 2,200 square feet of Luxury, in case you didn’t know.)
Getting your favorite table at a restaurant is even easier than swooping a slip-sliding Nightlife Princesses in a Down Economy. Restaurateurs even pro-bono you more. Plus, you don’t have as many Red State tourist yokels leaning over your shoulder asking, “Whaat is thaat your eatin’?” when you are trying to relax and enjoy some Foie Gras and a glass of Red.
More Foreign Girls
The Down Economy has made more Euro girls come to America (we will see if it holds up), so you can swoop way more of them without leaving the USA. They may call you a Lothario, a seductor, a séducteur or a freak but the fact remains I swoop a different fly girl every day of the week.
