Roberta LaRocca REALTOR® Las Vegas Broker Salesperson Property Management

In this season of History Channel's American Restoration, you'll be seeing Rick Dale's new Las Vegas home for Rick's Restorations. The new shop is at 1112 S. Commerce St. , just off Charleston Blvd and between the Las Vegas Strip and downtown, in what is known as part of the 'Arts District' of Las Vegas. It's a perfect fit, as this areas has become a hub for artists and craftsmen, as well as eclectic shops and dining. It's also become part of the new urban core evolving in Las Vegas, with Zappos founder Tony Hsieh not only spearheading the movement by expanding into the former Las Vegas City Hall, but multiple investments he's made in the area, including the First Fridays events held in the district each month.

I had wanted to post about this some time ago, but ironically so much of my 'free time' has been taken for my own restoration project of sorts. My project was also the reason I happened to be in the arts district when Rick's new shop opened. I had purchased another home, a brand new custom home that was built just as the financial markets collapsed, and hadn't sold. So a stop at Rick's would also help to give me a few ideas for the new gameroom and theater room I have to furnish. After all, my Tim Arnold Pinball Hall of Fame machine would be pretty lonely in the big new gameroom!

The shop is open for tours, Monday - Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. You'll be able to see some of the projects that have been shown on TV, or will be. Above is the golf cart restored for 'The Old Man' of Pawn Stars, and below it is the 1965 Chevy pickup restoration for Kelly's son Brettly.

You'll find a variety of historic items that have been beautifully restored, and some of them that weren't seen on air. It really is amazing to see the detail put into these pieces of Americana, and the tour offers an even more in depth look at what it takes to bring these back to life.

Yes, you'll even get to watch Rick's guys as they work their magic. You can sneak a peek at them hard at work tearing things apart to rebuild them as new.

You can even get a chance to meet the newest Las Vegas 'Stars' of the show. We had a great chat with Rick's brother Ron, discussing a variety of common topics including their trips to Lonnie Hammargren's unusual collection that has been on the show twice. We also saw Rick and Kelly come in as they tried to break away from the fans for a moment so they could eat their lunch. While they were very accommodating to everyone, I didn't want to interrupt their brief down-time. Besides, I was able to get the ever grumpy 'Kowboy' to stop for a moment to take a picture...and of course he complained, but he did it anyway!

If you're a fan of the show, or know someone who is, there's also a gift shop at the new location. Everything from logo T-shirts, glasses and mugs, to Rick's cutoff sleeveless shirts and more can be found here.

As you head out the door, you might also want to take a peek at the new boneyard. As you look at some of those rusty hulks you have to wonder which ones may end up on TV, and you can say you saw them when they weren't quite so pretty.

In addition to the Wednesday night shows on History, if you want to catch some more of Rick's Restorations from behind the scenes, and you can tune into their Friday Webcasts, at 5:30 PM PST, 8:30 PM EST. Of course you can also get more of the inside scoop from their Facebook Fan Page.

While we were originally headed to some other stops in the Arts District, including Artistic Iron Works next door that custom built my new courtyard railings and gate, I'm really glad we made a stop at Rick's Restoration's new home. It was interesting to see the history and artistry, and have a friendly chat with some of our latest celebrity neighbors. With the latest reality show twist added to 'The Entertainment Capital of the World', it's unique experiences like this that make Las Vegas such a great place to call home.

If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like more information on Las Vegas Real Estate, please email me, at Roberta@RobertaLaRocca.com, or call 702-354-8988. I look forward to hearing from you!

Las Vegas has one of the most recognizable, and brightest, skylines in the world. Las Vegas strip views are popular with visitors as well as home and luxury condominium buyers. With the normally great visibility the views and activity of the entire valley are amazing.

That's why, when I saw this time lapse video, I knew it was something to share. It was shot by Phillip Bloom from one location, in one of the three tower condos of MGM Signature, just off the famed Las Vegas Strip next to MGM Grand. Titled '24 Hours of Neon', this stunning photography gives you a look of the resort, the boulevard, and the valley as day turns into night, and Las Vegas shines.

If unable to view the video player in the current syndicated post location, Click Here to watch on Vimeo

If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like more information on Las Vegas Real Estate, please email me, at Roberta@RobertaLaRocca.com, or call 702-354-8988. I look forward to hearing from you!

My last post was about Las Vegas local Domenick Allen's 'Vinyl' Rock Show at Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip. The event, sponsored by Cadillac of Las Vegas, benefited the USMC Toys for Tots. It was an absolutely amazing show, and for such a great cause. It even had this thumbs up from Broadway World the day before, so I'd have to say they already knew the quality of the performance to come. The show was also webcast live by Tour TV and you can watch it here with Part 1 and Part 2.

There was a rare Saturday Vegas Strip lane closure permitted for this very special night, with Cadillacs filling with toy donations and a Marine 6x6, as well as coverage throughout the night by KLAS TV. A number of celebrities attended, including guests such as America's Got Talent Fire Performer and Illusionist Antonio Restivo and Recycled Percussion, the Las Vegas Hilton's 'Triumph' magicians 'LaRaf', band members from Imagine Dragons and Moshaka, Mrs. Nevada Deborah Ashston-Cooke, and of course members of the Marine Corps, just to name a slight few who attended.

More entertainers were there to perform, including Billy Hinsche of the Beach Boys, Sonny Turner of The Platters, Workin' at the "Car Wash" Regi Brown of Rose Royce, Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie, singer, musician, producer, arranger Gene Sironen and his wife, the premier Cher Tribute Artist Heidi Thompson. Of course Las Vegas drummer LJ Harness, formerly of Sarasota's 'The Arch Band', and who has played with many music greats like Patty LaBelle and for 'Hoochie' that had opened for the classic rock bands Aerosmith, Journey, Cheap Trick, and many more.

Of course Domenick Allen was amazing. High energy and so versatile, going from vocals and guitar to sax or clarinet, and with moves that were unreal. Yet with all that unstoppable effort his warmth and smiles come shining through to let you know he really loves what he does...and why he does it so well. It's no wonder his shows are so popular and have sellout crowds, just like 'Vocal Soup' where he teams up with Clint Holmes, Susan Anton, and the Philippines singing sensation Martin Nievera.

As you can see, for Domenick, he really lives "It's all about the Music", which just happens to be his other Las Vegas sellout show. His next performance is Jan 29 & 30, 2011 at the Suncoast Resort and Casino, with tickets already on sale to meet the demand. This show has something for everyone as it incorporates, swing, jazz, and Rat Pack to Classic Rock. It is a reflection of his own career that began at age 3, his starring roll as Liberace's protégé, performing with Buddy Rich, Foreigner, and so many of the great musicians, this show is the evolution of music through this era and how these sounds and styles are all intertwined.

Even though I didn't have any shots of myself with Domenick at his Hard Rock show, I did get time to chat with him a bit. Strangely enough, I made a stop at Cadillac of Las Vegas late this week, and while it may look like we planned our wardrobe color coordination, it really was purely by chance that Domenick also dropped in. How could I resist his charming offer to take our 'makeup' picture right there on the showroom floor... and of course since it was totally unexpected and a quick stop, I didn't even have any makeup on! :)

Las Vegas has so many shows and so much incredible talent, and Domenick is a perfect example of exactly that. What is even more amazing about living here is that you can not only enjoy fantastic entertainers on the stage, but may do so on a personal level as part of helping others in our community, and as our friends and neighbors. It's getting to know and interact with such gifted and giving performers like Domenick that just adds yet another reason to why Las Vegas is a such a great place to call home.

If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like more information on Las Vegas Real Estate, please email me, at Roberta@RobertaLaRocca.com, or call 702-354-8988. I look forward to hearing from you!

This coming Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, 8 pm to midnight, the fabulous 3 story Flagship Hard Rock Cafe on the Las Vegas Strip will be rocking to Domenick Allen's 'Vinyl Rock Show'. Domenick's personal invitation is in the above video. The show is by this former member of Foreigner and his 10 piece band, plus special celebrity guests dropping by, benefits the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots. Donation is $20 or a new unwrapped toy, all of which will be used here in the Las Vegas Valley. Tickets are available online, and at the door.

You may also know of the multi talented and multi instrumental Domenick outside of the rock world. His long Las Vegas history includes performing with some of the music legends of of all time. He was a featured performer with Liberace at the Las Vegas Hilton, performed with Buddy Rich and the great headliners of the Vegas Strip. Check out the video trailer for his show, "It's All About the Music", that will be returning to the Suncoast Jan 29 & 30, 2011. I think you'll be amazed by the depth of his musical talent.

Of course you may also know of Domenick from both screen and stage from all over the world. He portrayed Simon Prescott on 'Days of Our Lives', starred in Disney films, was on Star Search, and appeared on stage from Carnegie Hall, to Broadway, to London's famed West End. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Domenick, as he's been performing since age 3.

Domenick is also a Las Vegas 'local', and pictured above he dropped in to enjoy a another local, Bobby Brooks Hamilton and his show at the intimate Chianti Cafe in Summerlin. Domenick and his wife, Leigh Zimmerman, also a star of stage and screen, live here with their young daughter.

Another musician involved in this Toys for Tots is drummer LJ Harness, who has played with many of the greats of the rock world, and has performed in the Tangerine Bowl. LJ relocated to Las Vegas from Florida, and has become part of the local music scene.

You'll find LJ playing around town and at this Toys for Tots concert, but as Marketing Manager for Cadillac of Las Vegas, his company is sponsoring this event as well as others in the community. I met LJ while shopping for a new Cadillac for my dad, and he was great to work with and quickly became a friend. He tells me there's an Escalade in the showroom that's filling up with toys, and he received approval for it and Marine vehicles to be parked on the Strip in front of the Hard Rock Cafe Saturday night.

This a great event for a worthy cause, and it shows once again the unique Las Vegas community. Even with it's relatively small size, it has international city status and amenities often only offered in packed metropolitan areas. It's been a draw to not only the artists and entertainers that work here, but has become a home to many more, and it's not unusual to catch these performers not only on the Strip, but just about anywhere in the valley. Our Las Vegas celebrities are 'neighbors', and are often involved in the community. It's one of the many interesting things that makes Las Vegas a great place to call home.

Oh, and while I'd suggest anyone in Las Vegas dropping in Saturday night and helping the USMC Toys for Tots, there's a way for those that won't be here to still catch the show. It will be webcast live on TourTV.

If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like more information on Las Vegas Real Estate, please email me, at Roberta@RobertaLaRocca.com, or call 702-354-8988. I look forward to hearing from you!

Located in the heart of downtown, you could say that Symphony Park is setting the tone for the future of Las Vegas, NV. It has become the center for orchestrating the diversification of the local economy, a new base for arts and culture, and a showcase for conservation and green building in a state already poised to become a leader in renewable energy, at the newly titled Nevada National Security Site that may also have additional future uses for energy, technology experimentation and jobs.

This project was originally named Union Park, after the former Union Pacific rail yards that had been on this location. In what seems a twist of fate, the railroads are what originally gave birth to the city, with land auctions in 1905 that led to the incorporation of the City of Las Vegas in 1911. Now nearly 100 years later, this same land in the shadow of the historic downtown with it's world famous Fremont Street, appears to once again play a highly important role in the Las Vegas of tomorrow.

Is this a building that melted in the desert sun? No this is the work of internationally renowned architect Frank Gehry. His style is a blend of contemporary architecture and sculpture that turns into a flowing work of aesthetic space, and a fitting gateway into this project centered around art and culture.

The building houses the new world center for the treatment of Alzheimer's and other brain disorders, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The center is a partnership of Cleveland Clinic and the Las Vegas Keep Memory Alive Foundation that began this quest for research and treatment of these disorders. KMA was founded by local businessman Larry Ruvo, who had watched his own father, Lou, suffer with the disease.

The back of the Center reveals a look at the contemporary styling lurking beneath the stainless steel facade. The interior of the building, shown here, is just as flowing and unique as the front, appearing to simulate the complexity and connectivity of the human mind.

The efforts to fundraise and build such a structure, through events like their annual star studded Power of Love Gala, and the support it has received from both the community and outside sources are what helped to inspire the partnership with Cleveland Clinic. It has even led them to explore expanding their presence in Symphony Park, as they currently hold exclusive negotiating rights to several adjoining parcels for expanded medical services, as shown on this Newland Community Map of the project.

Of course it's hard to show a panorama of Symphony Park's 61 acres in the size limits I have here in my blog. Clicking the image above will load into a Google Maps API, so that you can zoom in or out and drag to see the details, including the side view of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center and the under construction Smith Center for the Performing Arts. This $470 million center will house 3 theaters for everything ranging from Broadway and performing artist shows and concerts, to intimate local productions. A recent addition to the complex will be the $43 million Discovery Children's Museum, with a larger footprint and new exhibits for families to enjoy.

Smith Center will also become the permanent home of the Nevada Ballet Theater and Las Vegas Philharmonic, as well as other local theater, dance, music, and educational groups. For a sneak peek at these fabulous new facilities coming on line in 2012, there's a virtual fly over and through, along with a video presentation, found here.

You may have noticed in the Lou Ruvo Center pictures or panorama, that there was a rather large building hiding just behind it. That is just one of the 3 current buildings that make up the 5,000,000 square feet of the World Market Center, a furniture showplace for manufacturers and buyers from around the world. While the center has felt the squeeze of the global financial slowdown, hopes are that it can be a catalyst for export manufacturing in an economic rebound. You'd have to imagine that this facility played some role in the recent opening of Foliot Furniture's west cost manufacturing operations and showroom near McCarran airport.

In the panorama you may also notice another crane to the right of the Symphony Park sign and behind the Bank of America building. That is the construction of another Cleveland based company, Forest City, and their LiveWork project that will contain the new Las Vegas City Hall and a new Transit Terminal as part of that complex. This is one of several proposed and soon to begin projects in the downtown area that includes the CIM Group Lady Luck starting later this year, as seen on this map. It also shows the land swap arrangement between the city and Forest City, trading the City Hall parcel when completed in 2012 for one in Symphony Park for a 1000 room hotel and casino as shown in this rendering.

Symphony Park also has another unique architectural and cultural center in place just across the street. The Clark County Government Center and it's amphitheater where many community concerts and performances are held. If you thought the Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip was the only pyramid in Las Vegas, you'll discover there's one also found here. It houses the 400 seat cafeteria that service this nearly 400,000 square foot facility built on almost 39 acres.

The other existing neighbor on the last corner of Bonneville is the Las Vegas Premium Outlets. This 150 store outdoor outlet mall opened in late 2003 and as the name implies it features many designer brands. If the foot and vehicle traffic of my recent mid-week visit is any indicator, consumer spending here must be on the rise. The surface lot I was in didn't have a space, the one parking garage I was in was near full, and there was a constant line of cabs and limos adding to the crowds at the stores.

There is something else to notice in that panorama, other than it's in sight of the Las Vegas Strip. If you look at that red center lane on Grand Central Parkway, it's the new dedicated lane for the Regional Transportation Commission's new Gold Line. It connects the Symphony Park area with downtown, the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Strip. These diesel - electric hybrids are busses, but with the level entry of light rail. It's part of the future mass transit system connecting the Las Vegas Valley, with the Boulder Highway corridor under construction to connect downtown Las Vegas with Henderson. At a much lower cost per mile to build when compared with light rail, this transit system represents an affordable way to expand future transportation needs.

In the relatively short history of Las Vegas, it has been the fastest growing city of the past century. Much of this is due to it being able to reinvent itself over the years. It's beginnings in rail and mining, pioneering in gaming, it's WWII military base and manufacturing followed by cold war testing and development, to today's world class resort destinations with entertainment, shopping, and dining, and it's air and ground tours to the many natural wonders of the southwest, the city has always evolved.

Part of it's ability to recover has been it's forward thinking that you see here with Symphony Park, combined with it's business friendly environment and low tax burden. These incentives have inspired creative thinking and the ability to more easily absorb the risks of fresh ideas, while also offering employees more take home pay in a city that offers the amenities often found only in much larger and expensive urban areas.

Even now as we all inch toward a recovery, the groundwork laid out in Symphony Park offers Las Vegas a leg up on any potential the future may hold. It is part of the reason so many home buyers and investors have been absorbing the local home inventory, putting their money on a turnaround for the city with the can - do attitude.

If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like more information on Las Vegas Real Estate, please email me, at Roberta@RobertaLaRocca.com, or call 702-354-8988. I look forward to hearing from you!