Go: Where to Go, What to Do & Why

By James P. Reza

If you find yourself wandering Seattle's Exposition Center on a chilled, drizzling day (and who doesn't?), and you have had the last bit of Space Needling and monorailing and science fairing that you can stand, extend your stride for a brisk paddle to the intersection of First Avenue and Denny Way.

Once there, you may, as did I, huddle with two friends at the still-locked doorway to Tini Bigs Lounge (206-284-0931), a tidy corner bar specializing in scotch, martinis and wonderful conversation, all served across a 1909 Brunswick hardwood bar. If your luck runs deep, pleasant barman Aron will see you shivering in the spit, rushing over to unlatch the door and invite you in, 15 minutes before the 4 o'clock opening time. You'll drape your overcoat on a nearby barstool, and before you know it, you're a regular in one of the Emerald City's best neighborhood watering holes, sharing stories with suits, drunks, hipsters and hotties of all stripes as they roll in from--or on their way to--their j-o-b.

I tell you this because it is no big secret that Las Vegas runs rather shallow when it comes to great bars. Comfortable neighborhood bars in Southern Nevada are typically local chains that replicate and export whatever success they find to every corner of the city, magnifying the sense that Las Vegans are an undemanding, unsophisticated and unadventurous lot when it comes to going out. Just gimme my lite beer, my bartop poker, my pool table and my hot wings, and maybe I won't dump my ashes in your drink!

As with other consumer choices in Las Vegas, most alternatives to these "comfort chains" are clustered at opposite ends of the spectrum: cranky, dirty dives at one end, snooty, velvet-roped playas' dens at the other. There are, of course, the oft-noted alternatives (the Double Down Saloon, Champagnes Cafe, Dino's, the Dispensary), and a few upper-mid varietals (Sedona, the Ice House Lounge, the Saloon, Kennedy Tavern), but not nearly enough to satisfy a wide range of social drinkers. Just check out the always-packed bar areas of neighborhood restaurants for the proof. BJ's Brewhouse has barely been open two weeks and the bar is already busy, and Kona Grill is such a runaway hit for locals starved for nongaming interaction that on a recent blistering afternoon, the indoor-outdoor bar was queued three deep with sweaty folks cheersing it up.

With that in mind, it's with a mixture of giddy glee and hesitation that I report to you the opening of Teatro, the best neighborhood bar in town...located in the MGM Grand. Let's get the gimmicks and the bling out of the way: The warm, enveloping interior is the work of the internationally renowned Adam Tihany (Aureole) and Leo A. Daily Associates, and features a wall of dozens of inlaid bottles behind which are small monitors displaying unusual synchronous imagery. Showcasing red leather and dark, warm wood, the interior is almost womb-like. The servers, all of whom are beautiful--but, thankfully, in a more cosmopolitan, less Stepford/Barbie-like manner than is typical--sport classy attire by celeb designer Tadashi Shoji. The music is everything it should be: an energizing (yet not overpowering) mix of downbeat electronica, acid jazz and vocal house. And the requisite drink menu, offering several pages of Teatro-only specialty cocktails, does the job nicely.

But all that is to be expected. What is wholly unexpected in a fancy joint like this is the democratic door policy and the impressive friendliness of the staff. You see, Teatro has no velvet rope. A hostess or host greets you and, whether you are sporting sneakers or Bruno Magli, gladly seats you at a table (if one is available) without requiring ridiculously overpriced bottle service. "We will never have a cover," says General Manager Peter Brattander, "and never force bottle service." Amazing.

What is the result of all of this friendly service, impressive atmosphere and an open-door approach in a city where velvet ropes and a snarky attitude are expected everywhere from night spots to hair salons? A wholly pleasant social drinking experience where hardly anyone feels uncomfortable--just like a "real" neighborhood bar in a "real" city. Anyone can step in, enjoy a drink, and step out, constantly refreshing the vibrancy of the environment. This contrasts places like Ghostbar, where a two-hour wait means that once the punters get in, they spend the rest of the evening hesitating to leave for fear of missing some life-changing gossip column event.

The primary concern? The Vegas Curse. Teatro has all the components in place--wonderful drinks, atmosphere and service--that could very well command a cover charge and bottle service. Let's hope Mr. Brattander can preserve the formulation that makes this already one of the top drink stops in town. Now, if only it was in my neighborhood...

Godless leftist, 1HotBiF

With Dennis Miller firmly in the grips of some inexplicable midlife crisis that has pushed him, seemingly irreversibly, from irreverent libertine into being just another volunteer for G.W. Bush's re-election, George Carlin re-emerges as one of but a few comedians who eagerly challenge the status quo and echo the sensibility of Lenny Bruce. Carlin's bit about America's willingness to "bomb brown people" is once again gaining steam, so one wonders, in the aftermath of the Linda Ronstadt Incident, if Carlin might find himself hailing a cab from the MGM, where he plays through Wednesday (through Aug. 4; 891-1111).

Remember the tech bubble of the mid- to late '90s? We do. That's when all the Internet l33ts were running around the office, shooting each other with Nerf weapons and listening to Ani Difranco, the punk folkie whose independent attitude made her a fave of the disaffected nerd herd. (That, and the fact that she's a seriously cute, openly bisexual female.) From coffeehouse strummer to career-exchanging album appearances with the likes of Prince and Maceo Parker, Difranco is one of those artists whose value and persistence allowed her to bypass the mainstream music miasma, create her own label (Righteous Babe records) and do it all on her own. This being an alt.weekly, you know we just love stories like that. Check out Difranco with Andrew Bird at the House of Blues on Thursday (July 29; 632-7600)--a venue where freedom of expression (as seen in last week's Circus Freaks Nevada Theatre benefit show) is still considered an American trait.

Despite what you may think after reading this, native Las Vegan James P. Reza believes in everything in moderation. That includes Dennis Miller. E-mail the author at jpreza@cox.net.