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/593724
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MILLIE FELDER (FELDER) DAVID HOCHMAN writer David Hochman covers travel, the good life, and fame for Food & Wine, Forbes, and Details, among other publications. He runs a school for writers called Upod Academy and lives in Los Angeles with his chocolatier wife, Ruth Kennison, and their son. In this issue, Hochman interviews cover star Natalie Dormer (page 82). What is your favorite role of Dormer's? "I love how sexy and quietly scheming she is as Queen Margaery Tyrell on Game of Thrones." Do you watch when it airs or have to avoid the rampant spoilers on the Internet? "I'm playing catch-up on Thrones. Waiting for the right El Niño weekend to binge." Which Hunger Games char- acter would you be? "When I take those quizzes, I usually end up as Cinna. Apparently I'm 'creative and have many hidden talents, although not a big fi ghter so will always play a big part in people's lives.'" Do you drive or fl y when you visit Vegas? "It's always a coin toss. With airport lines and waiting, you can sometimes get there by plane just as fast, door-to- door, as you can in the car." R ACHEL FELDER writer Rachel Felder's work has appeared in The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, and Departures, among other publications. Her third book, Insider Brooklyn, is being published by HarperCollins in the spring. She interviews Alessandro Michele, Gucci's new creative director, for this issue's Tastemaker. Did anything about Michele surprise or impress you? "Alessandro Michele is such an inspiring designer. He has an incred- ibly deep understanding of Gucci's DNA and is using that to infuse his extremely modern designs with a sense of history and heritage." Do you have a favorite Gucci piece? "I have been Gucci-obsessed since my fi rst purchase from the brand: a tiny, lipstick-red patent- leather satchel with a bamboo handle from Tom Ford's fi rst collection. My weekend uniform usually includes a well-worn pair of Gucci sneak- ers, purchased at Jeffrey New York at least a decade ago." You're based in New York but you have a Vegas con- nection, don't you? "Sort of: my Brooklyn-born and -raised uncle Doc Pomus, who wrote the song 'Viva Las Vegas.'" MELISSA VALLADARES photographer Freelance photographer Melissa Valladares, who shot our Taste section opening story on "Intuitive Forager" Kerry Clasby, is based in Los Angeles but visits Vegas often for work and pleasure. When she's not shooting, she enjoys cooking and going on small road trips with her husband. How was your shoot with Kerry Clasby? "Spending the day with Kerry was so much fun! Her energy is so contagious, and her love for food is so obvious. She knows all the farmers and has such great relationships with them, and I admire that. They're like family. She kept feeding me fresh food all day—it was fantastic!" Do you enjoy visiting farmers markets? "I love visiting farmers markets. Shopping for fresh produce and knowing you're supporting local farms is so great. My in-laws are grape farmers in Fresno, so I'm always trying to support local farms whenever I can. I cook a lot of fresh veggies at home: Brussels sprouts, corn, zucchini, squash—you name it! You know exactly where your food is coming from and you know that it's fresh and not sprayed with pesticides. And it just tastes better!" BR AD SWONETZ photographer Brad Swonetz is the photographer behind this issue's Vegas Gives feature, showcasing the nine philanthropic Las Vegas women who are being honored this year as part of our annual Vegas Gives event, held in conjunction with the Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian and Palazzo. How did you enjoy your morning with our honorees? "The shoot went really well. It was pretty crazy, though, as I only had an hour to shoot nine portraits and a group shot of all the women. It was like sprinting nine relay races. We only had about fi ve minutes before the ladies had to go to their next shoot, so my assistant and I had to run around like chickens with their heads cut off. To top it off, one of my lights malfunctioned and I had to improvise and MacGyver it." Vegas is said to be a small town in a lot of ways. Were you already familiar with any of the women? "I didn't personally know any of the women that we shot. It's true, though. In Vegas there is really only one degree of separation between you and anyone else, so we all had mutual acquaintances, I'm sure. One of the women's charitable endeavors was the Nevada Ballet, and my little 3-year-old, Sia, attends the school there, so we had a lot to talk about." …WITHOUT WHOM this issue would not have been possible // November 2015 40 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM