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/577402
photography by andrea bennett (begley); Melanie WhitMore (WhitMore) Phoebe Reilly writer Phoebe Reilly is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles who visited Las Vegas for the very frst time to interview our cover star, Kaskade. Her work has appeared in New York magazine, Spin, Nylon, Rookie, and Los Angeles magazine and on RollingStone.com. How was your interview with Kaskade? "Hanging out with Kaskade was an ideal introduction to Vegas, where midnight is a reasonable time for the night to get started. Personally, I was worried he wouldn't make it, because I watched him balance on the railing of a three-story house for the photo shoot without any worries about personal safety. Maybe that's the kind of coordination that comes with clean living." And you got to see him perform. "His set was propulsive. I could feel every drop in my tonsils." Any special moments from the trip? "My favorite spot was Society Café at Encore. This is the center of the origin story—this is where Kaskade pitched the idea of DJ residencies to Wynn back in 2009. You might say that ended up being just a little successful. And the pretzel sticks are delicious." Shane McCauley is a photographer and flmmaker living in New York City and Los Angeles. Born in the Pacifc Northwest and raised outside Philadelphia, he has photographed for retail clients (Adidas, Urban Outfitters), the country's most pedigreed record companies (Downtown, Epic, Columbia, Universal Music Group), and a host of media outlets. He has published several books, notably 128 Beats per Minute (Rizzoli) and the Blow Your Head series (Picturebox), which chronicles youth culture and music. For this issue, he shot our chef- centered men's feature, Vegas Aces. How did you enjoy your shoot with the Las Vegas chefs in our Vegas Aces men's feature? "The shoot went well. I didn't know any of the chefs when I got here, but I tried to familiarize myself as much as I could with them and their menus before the shoot. I suppose I'm a foodie. I read a lot of food magazines and journals, and I cook a lot myself." Did you get to see much else of Vegas? "I like Downtown, where we did the shoot, and I usually hang out there when I'm in town. I like the Double Down Saloon." Shane Mccauley photographer Mikayla Whitmore, who shot our SushiSamba story, is a Las Vegas – born and raised artist, whose solo residency "When the Night Comes," at P3 Studio inside Cosmopolitan, runs November 11 – December 6. What do you love about food photography? "I enjoy working with food because it never gives you attitude. Sure, the lettuce may wilt or the cookie may crumble, but it typically does not throw a tantrum. You can really dive in and mold it into what you want. There are no restrictions." What's unique about shooting in Las Vegas? "Vegas is constantly transforming and updating its façade, so there is always something new to shoot or something worth preserving—or idolizing. Often I fnd myself trying to document the history or soon-to-be-forgotten landmarks." Tell us about your residency. "Through various projection sculptures, I will be focusing on how your memory corrupts over time and how you start to piece things together. It is free to the public and will have an interactive element. The story on SushiSamba that opens our Taste section was written by Jim Begley, a local food and drink enthusiast who writes to defray his obscene restaurant spending. When he's not dining his way through the valley, he enjoys spending time with his ever-supportive wife and his brood of canine and feline children. What are your thoughts on the current dining scene in Las Vegas? "It's a great time to be a gourmand in Vegas, as the food scene develops into something special. Classically trained talent is taking root in neighborhood venues in a wave of immigration from fne-dining venues, while the Strip continues to produce some of the country's best food. This trend has been ongoing the past couple of years but has hit a new high in 2015. I think the Las Vegas food scene is vastly overlooked and underestimated by outsiders. As a food writer, I have the opportunity to dine out more often than most, but sometimes even I take for granted the level of culinary expertise toiling away inside our glitzy casinos. Revisiting SushiSamba after a long hiatus makes you appreciate the venues most locals never brave the Strip to visit. But they should. For that matter, I should, too." Mik ayla WhitMoRe photographer JiM begley food writer 34 vegasmagazine.com ...Without WhoM this issue would not have been possible // october 2015