Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/419349
photography by bailey grace gill (gill) HeatHer Gill photographer VirGinia VitztHum writer Jim K. DecKer photographer Photographer Heather Gill, who captured our "On the Town" story, set at a cooking class in Guy Savoy's kitchen at Caesars Palace, special- izes in food photography, which makes a lot of sense, since she's also a classically trained chef. How was your day in the French kitchen? This was a perfect shoot for me! I love to see people getting excited about something that I love as well. I think the couple enjoyed seeing a small part of how a pro kitchen is run. The chef keeps it very clean, and this class was no exception. I loved the energy of photographing the chef teaching something that he and his staff are quite passionate about. Nothing was wasted in the chef 's kitchen. I could have continued to photograph the kitchen and equipment for several more hours. I think it was fun for everybody. Photographer Jim Decker, who shot our "Desert Patrol" piece on DJ Justin Blau, aka 3L AU, moved from Virginia to Las Vegas in 1978 and worked as a staff photographer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal for 25 years. He's now a freelancer for some of the finer advertising agencies and publications in Las Vegas, and his portfolio can be viewed at jimdecker.com. How was your shoot with Justin Blau? He really is very comfortable in front of the camera. I really enjoyed photographing him against the red acoustic wall with hard light. It made a very cool portrait setting. And his condo was really amazing: full of natural light, with a fantastic view of the Strip. You've probably shot lots of interesting characters during your long career here. I've been creating art in one medium or another since childhood, and I have been fortunate to make my living doing what I love for more than 30 years. Virginia Vitzthum is a New York – based writer and editor who has authored two books, a play, and a screenplay, as well as numerous articles for Elle, Ms., and The Village Voice and as a columnist for salon.com and washington post.com. For this issue, she interviewed our "Power Strip" subject, Julie A. Murray of Moonridge Group, a philanthropic investment firm. What did you learn in your talk with Julie Murray? I was impressed with her focus and dedica- tion and skill at raising and using money to help people. I was surprised at how many working people are poor and hungry. What are your own charitable endeav- ors? My own volunteering has included working with Amnesty International and helping 9 - to 11-year-olds write plays with the 52nd St. Project. Now I edit Represent (representmag.org), a national magazine written by and for youth in foster care. Bryn Kenny fashion writer Our "Tastemaker" story on Suzy Biszantz, La Perla's creative director, was written by Bryn Kenny, a former editor and writer at WWD and W magazine and most recently the public relations director for Dior Beauty. She lives in the West Village of Manhattan with her French bulldog, Binx. Were you already a fan of the brand before this La Perla piece? The legacy and tradition of La Perla are unparalleled. There's nothing more decadent than wearing a gorgeous piece of lingerie that's made with beautiful materials, because it's all about how it makes you feel, not necessarily so much how it looks to the outside world. What other brands do you favor? I love simple, somewhat edgy brands, like Alexander Wang and Vince, that I accessorize with state- ment pieces from jewelry designers like Assad Mounser and Vita Fede. Lately I've become addicted to delicate gold jewelry from shops like Catbird and Phoenix Roze. What are your biggest fashion splurges? My biggest splurge is definitely anything leather. I have a little 1970s rock star hidden in me somewhere. My must-haves are black leather or suede booties, skinny jeans, a soft T-shirt, and a motorcycle jacket. And an Alexander Wang handbag! 36 vegasmagazine.com ...witHout wHom this issue would not have been possible