Roberta LaRocca REALTOR® Las Vegas Broker Salesperson Property Management

While I get to view so many luxury Las Vegas homes, it's always so interesting to see the ones that have some history. This visit was also a little different. I wasn't there with clients, as this home isn't for sale at the moment. This was by invitation to a birthday party at the former home of the legendary Jay Sarno, considered by many as the father of the themed casino resort. If you've ever driven through Caesars Palace from Las Vegas Blvd to Frank Sinatra Dr., the street you were on is Jay Sarno Way. He was the builder of Caesars Palace Las Vegas and later, Circus Circus.

Above is another angle that also shows a glimpse of the garages and guest quarters to the left of the main house. Below that is the gated entry to the front door. The home is located in the neighborhood of Rancho Bel Air, and is west of downtown Las Vegas. It is nestled around other prominent luxury neighborhoods, such as Bel Air Circle, the Scotch 80's, Alta Dr and Pinto and Palomino Lanes, the latter the location of the Las Vegas home to Michael Jackson between 2006 and 2008.

Here you can see the elegant stairs, chandelier, carved wood and stained glass that you can find throughout the house. Below that is the formal living room with mirrored ceiling. Large mirrors on ceilings and walls are also found in multiple areas of the home.

As the guests arrived it became a little more difficult to take pictures of open rooms, but above is the family / game room with full bar to the left and pool table to the right. The far left end exits to the pool and patio, pictured below. This the room where a large number of entertainers would step up to perform over the course of the evening.

While these handfuls of pictures don't show it, you can't imagine the number of singers, musicians, and comedians that performed throughout the evening. Wait, Is that Bobby De Niro being greeted at the front door? Well no, it's actually comedian and impressionist Robert Nash, who does do a mean De Niro. With his presence and all the others it really added to the magic of the evening, and to reliving the history of the home. One can only imagine the number of entertainers that graced the halls of this casino mogul's estate. In the background you can catch a glimpse of the leaded glass doors and the carved woodwork.

Of course the birthday boy was wished a happy birthday by none other than Marilyn Monroe, accompanied by the boys in the band. The iconic starlet was portrayed by Mycki Manning, while her fiance Ned Mills, musical director and performer, who can play both keys and horn....at the same time.

The party was to honor yet another legend, my dear friend rock drummer LJ Harness, who relocated here from Sarasota, FL less than 3 years ago. With the guest list limited to 150 people, and many other entertainers unable to attend as they were performing at the time, I think you can understand that LJ has developed quite a following in the short span he's lived here. If you visit his soon to be revamped website and watch the video there, you'll get a small taste of the number of rock legends that are either friends or with whom he has performed.

He has become the catalyst for reviving the Las Vegas live music scene, and the unscripted performance of entertainers and musicians dropping in just to have fun. It produces an energy that's reminiscent of the Rat Pack days and beyond, even beyond the time of Jay Sarno owning the home into the 80's.

Today's production shows and their performers are amazing, along with the elaborate theaters and technology. Nightclubs have grown huge in proportion to the intimate entertainment lounges of even the recent past. Yet something was missing. The interaction of the performers and celebrities with their fans in the audience. The impromptu surprises of never knowing just how the show will turn out tonight, or tomorrow or the next. It is purely spontaneous entertainment that gets everyone in the room involved.

That unique entertainment experience found during the era of this historic home is being revived by LJ with his ever growing group of industry friends, in the recently formed The Vegas Underground. Currently you can catch this style of classic Vegas entertainment on Monday nights, but be prepared for standing room only. With the crowds I've seen the demand is there, and I can imagine this has the potential of expanding into other events in the future.

Las Vegas is a community that is rich in talent, and this Las Vegas 'Secret Society' LJ formed has built a stronger sense of community by giving back not only in their performance, but by helping others in the process. Since his arrival, LJ has been a major presence to 'Pay it Forward' in Las Vegas by organizing community events, from Toys for Tots, to Veterans programs, and Music Foundations like the one from pianist Danny Wright, to expand the arts in the local schools.

I hope this background helps you see what an experience it was to view the home of Jay Sarno while celebrating with yet another visionary, with both focused on building through entertainment that includes more than just the performance, but the total experience. This combined with enjoying the company and performances of so many entertainers and musicians made for a very special evening at a very special home.

This is just one of the many unique custom homes of Las Vegas. A few I've previously written about are the founder of Avon, Jerry Henderson's Las Vegas Underground Home, the former Las Vegas home of Liberace, the #1 Weird, but Wonderful Home of 2011, or should I say homes, of Dr Lonnie Hammargren, and the collection of Las Vegas period homes on Heritage Street at the Clark Co. Museum that is headed by History Channel's Pawn Stars Expert Mark Hall-Patton.

The interesting and often colorful history, talented neighbors and celebrities of Las Vegas, and the sense of community they can create by sharing their art, are all just a few of the reasons Las Vegas is 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!

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!