Loretta St. John at ‘My Mother’s House’ January 12th 2020

Loretta St. John

Longtime friend, a wonderful entertainer, and a personal favorite of this writer, Loretta St. John will be appearing this Sunday, Jan.12, at My Mother’s House,  Las Vegas’ quintessential Supper Club in Sun City, with a show that’s bringing back the ambiance of the “old days” of the dinner shows on the strip, with tickets priced at $20.00.  Dinner and drinks are extra.  Hosted by Chefs Michael and Laura, My Mothers’ House has been getting rave reviews on Yelp and Twitter for their re-creation of the Las Vegas Strip ‘dinner shows’, excellent, affordable food and live entertainment.  Backing Loretta will be Jeff Davis on Bass, Jamie Grant on piano, Mike Dibari on drums, and Steve Johnson on Sax.

Loretta St. John at the Aladdin

Loretta St. John is a long-time Las Vegas performer, having opened for some of the biggest headliners to ever hit a stage including:  Jack Jones, Della Reese, Bobby Vinton, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Myron Cohen, Willie Nelson, Jackie Gayle, and Jackie Vernon to name just a few. During a career that has spanned more than 30 years, she has traveled the world, first as a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra conducted by Buddy de Franco during a world tour, and later with Wayne Newton performing in such prestigious venues as the London Palladium, Royal Festival Hall in London, and Concert Kabal in Amsterdam, Holland, among many.  Loretta also sang backup for one of this writers all-time favorite headliners, Bobby Darin.

St. John has created a special collection of songs which she hopes will bring back memories of the good ol’ days such as: “Teach Me Tonight,” Autumn Leaves,” “Besame Mucho,” and “Splish Splash.”  Those are just a few of the more than 20 musical selections you’ll be listening to.

My Mother’s House

Loretta has dazzled audiences all over the world with everything from large orchestras to jazz trios, duos and as a single performer. playing  the keyboards and responding to requests from her many fans.  She has been able to adapt her performances to whatever the venue calls for. St. John sings jazz standards, show tunes, country, classic rock, as well as ethnic songs in 27 different languages: Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi and many more.

One of her fans told me one night, as we sat in a local nightclub, that “Loretta St. John is much more than someone who plays the keyboards and sings.  She’s witty, funny, talented, charming and delightful.  She is in fact a complete and thoroughly enjoyable Entertainer!”

And, gang, I second that thought! Go see for yourself. You’ll be glad you did! I would be there myself, except I’m on vacation in the Bahama’s.

 

THIS AND THAT QUICKLY:

CraftHaus Brewery

CraftHaus Brewery proudly taps their special benefit beer, StationHaus, a tasty Smoked Red Lager, and hosts a family-friendly event on Saturday, January 18 from noon to 3pm at 7350 Eastgate Rd #110 in Henderson. In their first year partnering with the Henderson Firefighters Benevolent Association, CraftHaus created a collaboration beer, the StationHaus, in which a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Trauma Intervention Program of Southern Nevada (TIP).  Guests of the event will enjoy photo opportunities on a fire truck, meet and greets with local firefighters and brewers, bites from Black Tiger BBQ and special Black Cherry and Vanilla Haus-made soda for all to enjoy. The exclusive StationHaus will be available on draft during the event as well as to take home in CraftHaus’ 32 oz crowlers. Donated proceeds stay local, so guests can savor in delicious beer while giving back to their community. No tickets required.

 

CraftHaus Brewery

“We are always looking for ways to make a positive impact in our community,” said brewery owner Wyndee Forrest. “We are happy to help our firefighters and a program that provides crucial emotional and practical support during traumatic emergency situations.”

Established in 2006, the Henderson Firefighter’s Benevolent Associations primary objective and purpose is to provide charitable assistance to its members, disabled and retired personnel, along with their dependents and their survivors as needed. Further, the Association provides charitable assistance to the public who also demonstrates needs.

Henderson Firefighters Benevolent Association

Established in 2014, CraftHaus Brewery is passionate about building a community around quality driven beers. Owners, Wyndee and Dave Forrest successfully changed licensing for the city of Henderson and Las Vegas to a more craft friendly license. Named Favorite Local Brewery, Reader’s Choice, Las Vegas Weekly 2018, and one of the Top 100 Businesses Coast to Coast, among many awards. Their beer can be found in Clark County, Nevada including the Las Vegas Strip. For more information, please visit their website CraftHaus Brewery or visit their Facebook page.

 

“Frank & Ella” at The Italian America Club

He is the Chairman of the Board. She is the First Lady of Song. They are two of the most iconic American singers of all time: Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. With a rich friendship lasting many decades, their mutual respect and admiration created musical magic whenever they shared the stage. And you can see and hear what it would be like, if the two were still here, this coming Friday, Jan. 10, at the Italian American Club on East Sahara with showtime set for 8:00 p.m.

Backed by an all-star 8-piece little big band and brought brilliantly to life with the stellar vocals of crooner Chris Jason and chanteuse Amanda King, Frank & Ella ‘A Swingin’ Affair’ celebrates the essence, friendship and unforgettable music of this majestic duo.

Chris Jason is currently starring as Frank Sinatra in the award-winning show, ‘The Rat Pack Is Back’ at the Tuscany Casino in Las Vegas. A professional musician for over 25 years, he is considered one of the preeminent Frank Sinatra interpreters in the country. Chris achieved international status after performing concerts with the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, conducted by internationally acclaimed conductor, Boris Brott.

Amanda King is a classic chanteuse who performs standards, jazz and more. Hailed by critic Stephen Holden in the New York Times as one of the nightclub world’s “exceptional rising talents”, Amanda is a vivacious and captivating performer bringing to mind the great ladies of song. Her natural sense of swing and bold phrasing reinvigorate oft-heard standards, solidifying them as her own.

 

Enhance Your Home

There is always a bit of magic in the air this time of year, especially for those who are experiencing the warm and comfortable atmosphere of being home for the holidays. But in the New Year, if selling that home is planned, it may require keeping that magical feeling from disappearing, especially if a quick sale is desired. That’s where the appearance of expert Gayle Novak, nicknamed “The Residential Illusionist,” is needed. The Las Vegas resident and nationally known award-winning home stager, CEO of her own company called “Enhance Your Home,” can transform any property in the blink of an eye into one that makes potential buyers feel like they are home not just for the holidays but for good, the minute they walk in the door.

EYH: Before and After

Novak is the only home stager in Las Vegas who holds an MBA and a Certification in Staging and Redesign as well as a Luxury Home Staging Designation. She is a member of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), and has also earned the coveted designation of RESA-PRO. In addition, through RESA, she is also a Nevada State Accredited CE Instructor and, teaches several Continuing Education Classes to realtors every month. Enhance Your Home is also the only company in town that really specializes in staging occupied homes. Novak works with her own concept, which she calls the “3 D’s — Declutter, Depersonalize, and Décor Touchups.” To that avail, Novak and her team will do the hands-on decluttering, light pre-packing, and will remove any excess furniture and accessories that don’t belong in the home. They will then bring in neutral artwork, plants, accessories, lamps, or area rugs as needed.

“The purpose of staging is to create a ‘warm, home-like atmosphere,’” she said. “I want a homebuyer to walk into a house and say, ‘I am home; I could live in this home. I want to buy this house.’ I want to make the entire home look warm and inviting and not sterile. This will help sell the house faster and for more money.”

Gayle Novak

For a vacant house, Novak will provide all the furniture, artwork and accessories. If repairs or new carpeting or appliances are needed, she will recommend vendors to the seller. She will also help the seller retain a pod, garage, or storage unit at a discount. Staging a home can generally take from four to six hours depending on the size and the condition of the property.

Some facts about the lighter personal side of Gayle Novak is that she was a five-day undefeated champion on “The $25,000 Pyramid” TV game show; she walked barefoot on a bed of burning hot coals in “Tony Robbins Firewalker” to prove she could do anything she wanted to do in life, and did a comedy routine with Billy Crystal in his first HBO special as a volunteer from the audience. And, Gayle most recently was honored to be included in My Vegas magazine’s “Top 100 Women of Influence 2019.”

Well, gang, that’s about it for this week, and next week. I’ll be floating on a big ship that’ll be taking me to the Bahamas and back, with my best friend Trisha, and about 4,000 other close friends (laughter in the background).

I’m outs here!

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