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STEVE WYNNON GETTING TO THE

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72 Lotus linen

embroidered dress ($16,600) and Serrure ring ($535), both by

Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton, Wynn,

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FEATURES26 Steve Wynn: Magic KingdomsSteve Wynn refl ects on the infl uential hoteliers, designers, dream makers, and even showmen who helped inform his vision of Wynn Resorts at a very young age. By Andrea Bennett

56 Wynn Luxury: House of Mrs. PradaPrada opens a boutique on the Wynn Esplanade that is as faithful to the tradition of the venerable design house as it is

to its inimitable co-CEO and lead designer Miuccia Prada’s maverick sensibilities. By Lydia Gordon

68 Macau Spotlight: Magical BrewThe tea service at Golden Flower in Wynn Macau is intricate, precise, and attended by a tea sommelier whose mission is to fi nd your perfect brew—or the perfect match for dinner. By Jennifer Blossom

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WINTER ISSUE 2015/2016 • NO. 29CONTENTS

16 WYNN

Diamond Collection

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Wynn Las Vegas (702) 696-0146 The Shops at Crystals (702) 487-3160 The Forum Shops at Caesars (702) 418-3904

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contents

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72 Flirty Floralsthe intimate spaces of Wynn and encore provide a lush backdrop for winter’s most romantic fashions.Photography by Bonnie Holland

78 A-List: Little LuxuriesMirror this season’s decadence with the most luxe and covetable fnds.Photography by Brian Klutch

82 Sparkle Seasonthe most effervescent in jewelry with the very finest in bubbly.

some combinations never lose

their luster.Photography by Brian Klutch

88 Wynn News: Treasure Trovetiny treasures ofers a highly curated selection of children’s gifts. By Karen Rose

90 All Access: Mirror MirrorBrioni brings its cutting-edge Miror to Wynn, changing not only the made-to-measure process, but also the luxury menswear industry as a whole. By Connor Childers

92 Très Chic Tressesclaude Baruk looks to Paris for the hairstyles to best complement this

season’s trends.By Abby Tegnelia

8218k white-gold and diamond

Franges swing bracelet by

Chanel Fine Jewelry

($222,000). Chanel, Encore,

702-770-3498

Style & Beauty

56

18 Wynn

Breguet, the innovator.Invention of the Breguet balance spring, 1795

The balance spring gives time rhythm and sets its rate – the key to a

watch’s precision. With its many patented innovations, the Tradition

7047PT with fusee tourbillon pushes the limits of precision time-keeping

by combining the accuracy of the Breguet balance-spring’s terminal

curve, conceived in 1795, and the anti-magnetic properties of silicon.

History is still being written ...

72

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Food & SpiritS

40 Food for Thought: Feast on Thisthe already sumptuous Bufet at Wynn gets a decadent new look—and even more incredible dishes. sensory overload? that’s the goal.

By Beth Schwartz

48 Food Spotlight: Prime TimeFor those who like their meat rare— or ultrarare—a beef even more precious than Kobe is now on the menu at Wynn. By Larry Olmsted

54 Vine Arts: Into the Lightcan red meat and white wine get along at the table?

By Amy Zavatto

96 Last Call: A Gala Afairthe crowned Apple cocktail at Andrea’s is a fresh pick this season.By Chris Stave

contents

48

20 Wynn

ON THE COVERS

LEFT (IN-ROOM): Barbara Kraft captures the redesigned Buff et at Wynn.

ABOVE (NEWSSTAND): The glowing new Costa di Mare in an image by Barbara Kraft.

CONTENTS

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IN EVERY ISSUE46 Discoveries: “As Exciting Every Time”Production designer Michael Curry shares a few of the aspects of Wynn and Encore resorts he most admires.By Karen Rose

94 Back Story: Hoop DreamsYou may never make the USA Basketball Men’s National Team, but for a few days each August at Wynn, you can play among the best of them.By Dave McMenamin

22 WYNN

260 years of continuous history is reflected in the Harmony Collection. A new legacy has dawned.

C R A F T I N G E T E R N I T Y S I N C E 1 7 5 5

H A R M O N Y

D U A L T I M E

Geneva official watchmaking certification

1

2

3

1. The author of our Food Spotlight story on Wynn and Encore’s steak pro-

gram, Larry Olmsted, also writes the “Great American Bites” food column

for USA Today and covers gourmet cuisine for forbes.com. “I’ve been to

Japan several times, and even to Kobe to learn how the famous Kobe beef

cattle are raised,” he says, “but I have never seen anything quite like the

Snow Beef program at Mizumi. All that beef comes from just one ranch in

Hokkaido, and you can count the restaurants that serve it around the world

on one hand. It’s amazing that it is so accessible here at Wynn, along with

the rest of the Japanese program—the Kobe, the Ohmi, and the Kumamoto

beef. Those are enough to set it apart from every other resort, but even

the domestic oferings are exceptional.”

2. Photographer Bonnie Holland is inspired by all things fanciful and stun-

ning. Her clients include Bebe and Benefit Cosmetics, and you can see her

work at bonniehollandstudio.com and in this issue’s fashion feature. “This

issue’s story was particularly appealing to me,” she says. “There was such a

fluidity to it—a beautiful lighter-than-air quality. Wynn is a treasure trove of

tranquil moments and harmony, and it is these unexpected moments—like

finding koi fish or bamboo gardens or curved pathways—that make Wynn

special. Their attention to the tiniest detail or architectural curve or lighting

nuance creates a fusion of excitement and relaxation.”

3. Photographer Mikayla Whitmore, who shot our Food Spotlight piece,

will be featured in a Contemporary Arts Center exhibition called “Taste,”

which runs January 14 through February 5. “Steak, steak, and more steak

was on the agenda when I was shooting at the Wynn,” says Whitmore. “It’s

amazing to see how one genre of food can be prepared in so many differ-

ent ways, all yielding very scrumptious results. It was amazing to watch the

style of each chef and how they approached their task at hand. Each dish

had its own story to tell.”

Wynn magazine is published by GreenGale Publishing, LLC. The entire content is copyright

of GreenGale Publishing, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the

express written permission of the publisher. Wynn magazine does not assume liability

for products or services advertised herein. Wynn magazine is a registered trademark.

Chief Editorial and Creative Officer Mandi Norwood

Vice President of Creative and Fashion Ann Song

Creative Director Nicole A. Wolfson Nadboy

Senior Managing Editor Karen Rose

Art Director Allison Fleming

Photo Director Lisa Rosenthal Bader

Photo Editor Marie Barbier

Senior Fashion Editor Faye Power

Associate Fashion Editor Casey Trudeau

Assistant Fashion Editors Connor Childers, Lisa Ferrandino

Copy Editors David Fairhurst, Julia Steiner

Senior Digital Imaging Specialist Jeffrey Spitery

Digital Imaging Specialist Jeremy Deveraturda

Digital Imaging Assistant Htet San

Advertising Sales

Susan Abrams, Dawn DuBois, Vince Durocher, Kathleen Fleming,

Irena Hall, Alison Miller, Valerie Robles, Dan Uslan, Jessica Zivkovitch

Distribution Relations Manager Jennifer Palmer

Sales Assistant Rue McBride

Positioning and Planning Manager Tara McCrillis

Production Artist Marissa Maheras

Traffic Supervisor Estee Wright

Traffic Coordinators Jeanne Gleeson, Mallorie Sommers

ANDREA BENNETTEditor-in-Chief

MAUREEN SCHAFERPublisher

Wynn Editorial Advisory Board Maurice Wooden, Michael Weaver

Wynn Resorts Liaisons Nehme Abouzeid, Aga Abram, Shane Collins,

Taylor Shields, Hedy Woodrow

GREENGALE PUBLISHING, LLC | GREENGALE CUStOM PUBLISHING

711 3rd Avenue, Suite 501, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 646-835-5200 Fax: 212-780-0003

Managing Partner Jane Gale

Chairman and Director of Photography Jef Gale

Chief Operating Ofcer Maria Blondeaux

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Ofcer John P. Kushnir

Chief Executive Ofcer Katherine Nicholls

24 Wynn

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26 Wynn

magic kingdoms steve Wynn refects on the infuential hoteliers, designers,

dream makers, and even showmen who helped inform his vision for Wynn Resorts at a very young age.

by andRea bennett

steVe Wynn

Wynn 27

STEVE WYNN

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Should you ask Steve Wynn about

himself as a real estate developer

and hotelier, he might describe a

composite of Jay Sarno (the founder

of Caesars Palace), Ben Novack (who

built Fontainebleau Miami Beach), Bill Harrah

(founder of the Harrah’s empire), and Walt

Disney. In fact, on a recent visit, he went so far

as to suggest that if you were to shake them all

up in a test tube, out would pop a fully devel-

oped Steve Wynn.

His component personalities couldn’t have

been more diff erent. Sarno, for instance, rode

into Caesars Palace in a fl ower-bedecked

chariot for the resort’s 1966 grand opening, while

Harrah studiously avoided the limelight, allowing

the Harrah’s brand to take center stage. Disney,

meanwhile, worked diligently to conjure up a

Magic Kingdom that would forever occupy an

important piece of real estate in every child’s

brain. Novack and his hotel were symbols of the

glamorous party culture of midcentury Miami

Beach. But each man belongs to the postwar

pantheon of dream weavers most infl uential to

a young Steve Wynn. Even as an adolescent,

Wynn had an innate sense for luxury, and he

grew up in the golden age of burgeoning resort

kingdoms—Disneyland and Fontainebleau—criti-

cally evaluating them from the age of 15.

The obvious opulence of Wynn’s resorts belies

his sophisticated ideas about luxury, based on

the notion that guests should be cared for as if

each is the most important person on earth. At

this moment, you can conspicuously consume a

$10,000 cocktail (the Ono) at XS; dine on a beef

even rarer than Kobe (Hokkaido Snow Beef)

at Mizumi; design your own exotic bag at the

bespoke table in the new Prada boutique; bask

in the refl ected light from a monumental Jeff

Koons sculpture; be serenaded by a frog with the

voice of Garth Brooks at the fantastical Lake of

Dreams—and any number of other things impos-

sible to do in whatever city you came from.

“Listen, the commodious rooms with the

hand-woven fabrics, the beautiful stone and

ornamental iron—all of that is pretty standard

stuff ,” Wynn says. “If you’re surrounded by

beautiful things, you could feel lonely and

disconnected. But when you’re being attended

to, then the story comes to life. I could put you

on a nylon carpet in a chair that cost a fraction

of the one you’re sitting in, but if your every

need was met, you would have the feeling of

overwhelming luxury.”

In Wynn’s last year of prep school, his parents

sold the family home in Utica, New York, and

moved to Miami Beach, a change of address

that he calls perhaps the biggest factor in

determining his future career. “From spring

break at prep school my senior year until my

father died fi ve years later during my senior

year at Penn, I spent every holiday in Miami

Beach at our home on Pine Tree Drive,” he says.

“My folks had cabana 364 at the Fontainebleau

in Miami Beach, which in the ’50s was the single

most important destination on the planet. The

Fontainebleau was a world unto itself. There

were French gardens, shopping, restaurants,

swimming pools. Goldfi nger was fi lmed there.

You see the cabana there where he was playing

cards? Right above him was cabana 364.”

In the consumerist years following World War

II, everyone was talking about luxury, Wynn says.

“All of them, men and women, would sit around

the coff ee shop in the hotel and talk about the

owner, Ben Novack, and his glamorous wife,

Bernice.” That downstairs shop, Chez Bon

Bon, was the hotel’s nerve center, a 24-hour-a-

day New York deli (despite its French name).

Legendarily, the air-conditioning in the hotel

lobby was turned up high so that female guests

The Fontainebleau Miami

Beach entrance in 1955.

28 WYNN

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30 Wynn

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r)could comfortably swan up and down the Morris

Lapidus–designed “staircase to nowhere” in their

mink stoles in the heat of summer. “The place

dazzled me. It didn’t even have a sign, and you

had to have a key to get into the lobby. They

didn’t allow lookie-loos.” It was in the hotel’s La

Ronde Room that Wynn frst saw some of the

performers who were hitting it big in Las Vegas,

including Sammy Davis Jr., Jack Benny, Tony

Bennett, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley.

Even as a teen, Wynn was forming incisive

conclusions about how a sense of intimacy

and fantasy should inform hotel architecture.

“The idea of creating a world that was better

than the outside world is, in literary terms,

very romantic,” he says. “The thing about the

Fontainebleau is that it had parts that you could

go to—from a two-story lobby with massive

windows to smaller spaces, formal French gar-

dens—that felt like you’d just discovered them. I

thought it would be a great life to build a place

like that. I changed my major from premed. I

wanted to be a developer like Ben Novack.”

Wynn credits two men as being the drivers of

fantasy destination resort development in the

late 1950s: Ben Novack and Walt Disney. “Walt

became much more famous for the park than

he did for the cartoons,” he says. “That television

show that was all about the wonderful world of

Disney was always about the park. Remember,

the theme of the show was to look at the palace.”

Jay Sarno was similarly afected by the

Fontainebleau, Wynn explains, building the

frst themed resort in Las Vegas, Caesars

Palace, partly with money from Jimmy Hofa’s

Teamsters union. “Caesars almost became

as big as the town,” he says. “It was hard to

separate Caesars Palace from all its prizefghts

and stars. Prior to Caesars, all the hotels on

the Strip were identical. The Riv, the Flamingo,

the Sands, the Dunes—they were all casinos

in front of a motel building. Caesars Palace

was a fantasy world totally integrated like the

Fontainebleau, only more themed.

“All of those infuences matured while I was

impressionable,” Wynn adds. “Disneyland became

from top: The Fontainebleau cabanas as enjoyed by

James Bond in Goldfnger; Jeff Koons’s three-ton Tulips

(part of the artist’s “Celebration” series) departs Wynn

Las Vegas for Wynn Palace in Macau in April.

STEVE WyNN

A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME – WITH RIMOWA

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32 Wynn

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from left: Steve Wynn and Frank Sinatra at the Golden Nugget, circa 1984; Disneyland, 1960.

an institution by 1960, as did the Fontainebleau.

And then I get a chance to come to Las Vegas,

which seems to me the perfect way to combine

the glamour of the movies and the Fontainebleau

with the security of the bank. The father of one

of my fraternity brothers from Penn was the

chairman of Caesars, so there I am at Caesars

on opening night in 1966, and I’m 24 years old.

And Las Vegas feels like the promised land.”

Years before Wynn would build the Mirage,

with its 3,000 rooms and spewing volcano,

capitalizing on the “fantasy factor” that the

Strip was ready for in 1989, and the $1.6 billion

Bellagio, which blew Las Vegas’s collective mind

in 1998, he learned another important lesson

about luxury—one having nothing to do with

Roman chariots, summer furs, or pyrotechnics.

It was 1973, Wynn had been elected chairman

and president of the Golden Nugget, and he was

going to visit the Nevada Gaming Commission in

Carson City for the fnal hearing on his license.

“In those days, you had to be found suitable,”

he explains. “I rented a car at the Reno airport

and made a reservation at the Harrah’s hotel on

Virginia Street, a downtown hotel in Reno that’s

bare-bones. And when I pulled up my rental car

to the curb, it felt like pulling up to the Plaza.

This young kid comes and says, ‘Welcome to

Harrah’s. Are you just visiting or are you check-

ing into the hotel, may I ask?’ And he gave me

his card with an extension and had my bags sent

directly up and said, ‘Don’t you worry about a

thing, Mr. Wynn. If you call that number, we’ll

have your car waiting.’ And I’m thinking, Whoa.

He walks me over to this cheap glass door and

welcomes me again to Harrah’s. I go up the

escalator, and there’s a young woman behind a

wooden front desk, and she gives me a greeting

that’s just as nice as the one I got downstairs.

“Now at this point she looks down—they didn’t

have computers in those days; they had registra-

tion cards—and she sees the reservation request

and it’s in red, which means complimentary, and

the authorizer is Rome Andreotti, the guy who

ran the casino. And I’m in the Presidential Suite.

She says, ‘Oh my goodness, Mr. Wynn, you’re

in the Presidential Suite. Are you gonna love

this room—it’s the nicest one in the hotel! Mr.

Andreotti has taken very good care of you! We’re

delighted to have you. Are you just staying the

one night?’ ‘Yeah, I’m going to Gaming Control

in the morning.’ ‘Well, good luck, Mr. Wynn, and

again, if there’s anything you need, just pick up the

phone—there’s a butler service in your suite. Your

bag will be upstairs.’ I hadn’t even made it to the

room yet, and okay, it was a lobby with a nice car-

pet, but I’m dazzled. And I make up my mind that

that’s what I want with my employees. What the

hell were they feeding these guys? How did they

get that warmth? You know, 40 some odd years

later and I can still see her face and hear that

valet door kid. Now there’s luxury.” (Wynn tracked

down the Harrah’s human resources consultant

and hired him right away at the Golden Nugget.)

Somewhere between the Fontainebleau’s

cabana 364 and Carson City, Steve Wynn found

his hospitality core. “I was infuenced by a whole

bunch of forces that the men before me could

not have experienced the way I did,” he says.

“Disney played no role to Novack. Bill Harrah

didn’t know from the Fontainebleau and he didn’t

know from Disney. Sarno never gave a damn

about Reno because it was Squaresville.” But

Wynn saw them all in their heyday, “and I had that

Harrah’s experience tattooed on me forever. And

that gave me a richer experience. I was going to

combine all the magic I’d seen with the service of

Harrah’s.” And he’s been doing it ever since. n

STEVE WYNN

34 Wynn

Gold ribbon cuf by

Alexis Bittar ($295).

alexisbittar.com. Pumps by

Rene Caovilla ($3,600).

Wynn Collection, 702-770-

3545. Optics clutch by

Judith Leiber ($4,495).

Bags Belts and Baubles,

Wynn, 702-770-3555

a-list

LittLe LuxuriesMirror this season’s decadence with

the Most luxe and covetable finds.

photography by brian kLutch

styLing by casey trudeau

CALIBER RM 07-01

THE SHOPS AT CRYSTALS, LAS VEGAS

702-588-7272

RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUE

36 Wynn

a-list

Cofee-table book by Graf

($95). Graf, Wynn, 702-770-3494.

slippers by Kevyn Wynn ($250–

$295). Wynn Collection, Wynn,

702-770-3545; Wynn LVNV, 702-

770-3470; and Encore Homestore,

702-770-5477; kevynwynn.com.

Platinum Han espresso cup

and saucer by L’Objet ($120).

Wynn LVNV, see above

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. Imported Cognac Hennessy®, 40% Alc./Vol. (80˚). ©2015 Imported by Moët Hennessy USA, Inc., New York, NY. HENNESSY is a registered trademark.

AVAIlAblE At SW StEAkHoUSE, tHE CoUNtrY ClUb, b bAr, toWEr SUItE bAr & WINg lEI

38 Wynn

Ewert lace-up shoes by

Jimmy Choo ($1,195). Wynn

Collection, Wynn, 702-

770-3545. Palladium and

lacquer cuf links ($480)

and wallet ($1,950), both by

Hermès. Hermès, Encore,

702-650-3116. Ronde

Croisière de Cartier watch

by Cartier ($5,300). Cartier,

Wynn, 702-770-3498

a-list

40 WYNN

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he Buffet at Wynn was never a room

one would describe as austere, what

with its Carmen Miranda–meets–

Willy Wonka décor; its central, sky-lit

atrium bursting with oversize fruit

and flowering trees; a dessert counter drawn

straight from a sugar-crazed child’s wildest

fantasies; and at least 16 live-action cooking sta-

tions. Just when you might think a dining venue

FEAST ON THISThe already sumptuous Buff et at Wynn gets a decadent new look—and even more incredible dishes. Sensory overload? That’s the goal. BY BETH SCHWARTZ

has hit its sweet spot, however, Wynn tradition

says it’s ripe for a refresh.

Its newest incarnation, replete with sushi

station, hand-dipped chocolate treats, more

than 100 new dishes, and a theatrically fl aming

rotisserie defi es any attempt to describe it

without hyperbole. The fi rst feeling that should

come over people who dine there this holiday

season, according to Roger Thomas, Executive

Vice President of Design and Development for

Wynn Resorts, is delight. “It is a delicious and

exquisitely presented experience with every

one of the fi ve senses considered,” he says.

From the start, the Wynn buff et experience

is visual, as guests enter beneath an array of

chevron-patterned, tasseled draperies in vivid

colors of persimmon, tangerine, lemon, and

raspberry lollipops. As splendid as freshly picked

fruit, those same hues are refl ected throughout

the buff et area, appearing on awnings and

seating, and as accents on walls and ceilings.

In addition to brightly colored awnings used

to identify food stations, sculptures of stainless-

steel tuna, mahi mahi, sausage links, and ham

artfully designate the seafood and charcuterie

stations. “In the 16th or 17th century, signage

was not in language but rather visual cues. In

turn, we have created sculptures in gold and

PlaceCaption Hrer plac ecapt ion hereplace

captionhere placecaption hHrer plac ecapt ion

hereplace captionhere placecaption her eplace

The atrium at the Buffet

at Wynn offers guests an

experience that is both

visual and gustatory,

from vivid candy hues to

tableside Champagne.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

42 Wynn

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Fire & ice

“We are trying to create a conversa-

tion and draw the guest in,” says

Executive Chef Russell Parker of

the grill and rotisserie that are just

two of the focal points that bring

the element of fire to the newly

refreshed Buffet at Wynn.

The centerpiece rotisserie featur-

ing a dramatic open flame rotates

through different large cuts of

meat. “Boneless lamb, trussed and

filled with more leg of lamb, prime

rib, roasted whole ducks that are

stuffed, salmon, chickens, and whole

pigs, of course, that goes without

saying,” explains Parker of the rotis-

serie’s succulent offerings.

The rotisserie isn’t the only fire

element to generate excitement for

Wynn buffet guests. A Wood Stone

parrilla grill is also bringing the the-

atrics of an open flame. “Basically

anything you can put on a grill, we

are going to put on that station,”

says Parker of the grill, the first of its

kind in a US restaurant.

On the other end of the elements

spectrum, diners will be able to

catch an ice show at the buffet’s

Italian Rotunda ice cream cooler.

“It rotates in a spiral direction so

guests can see all the flavors,” says

Parker. “Guests will basically pick

the ice cream of their choice, and

the chefs can hit a button, and it will

spin back around so we can serve

our guests.” Enjoy the experience—it

will only be a matter of time until

Wynn’s wizards find a way to top it.

silver to turn signage into art,” explains Thomas.

The sensory consideration of sound at

the bufet has also been enhanced with the

addition of 177 speakers. “We wanted to add a

more attractive audio experience so that when

you are selecting your food, you experience

beautiful music rather than the noise of the

kitchen,” says Thomas, noting, “With a room

like a bufet, it looks and sounds like you are

entering a party in progress.”

It goes without saying that the carefully

chosen cuisine is the focal point of the

gustatory wonderland at The Bufet at Wynn.

Diners encounter stations that include South

American rodizio meats roasting on a grill with

an open fame, fresh sushi rolls being prepared

in front of them, a station featuring a rotating

drum of bottomless crab legs, and a rotisserie

laden with a carnivore’s feast of everything

from prime rib to whole ducks.

“We wanted to make it so you would have a

hard time choosing because it all looks good,

regardless of what you thought you were going

to select,” explains Wynn Bufet Executive

Chef Russell Parker of the live-action stations

and 120 new dishes that have been thoughtfully

curated for the bufet.

From the healthful red kale salad bathed in

sea salt caramel vinaigrette to the decadent

baked Caribbean grits with criollo shrimp, there

“We wanted to make it hard to choose because it all looks good, regardless of what you thought you

were going to select.”—russell parker

A candy wonderland

dangles over vats of dark,

milk, and white chocolate.

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44 WYNN

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is no shortage of options for diners regardless

of allergies or special diets. “We have chefs

available to walk with guests through the whole

buff et and specifi cally guide them to dishes that

fall within their dietary restrictions,” says Parker.

The centerpiece of The Buff et’s dessert

station—a large sculptural display with three

pools fi lled with white, dark, and milk chocolate

created specifi cally to amplify guests’ dessert

bacchanalia—was surely inspired by Willy

Wonka’s Chocolate River. “It encourages our

guests to have fruit, ice cream, and cakes

freshly drizzled with chocolate as they desire,”

says Thomas.

Also new is an assortment of warm desserts.

“When we fi rst sat down to discuss the

renovation, we talked about our favorite things,

FROM TOP: The candyland theme continues in the refreshed

dining room; sculptures of fi sh fi ttingly adorn a seafood

station replete with fresh crab legs and claws.

and we realized we were missing classics like

chocolate lava cake, warm apple tart, and sticky

toff ee pudding,” recalls Parker, who has upped

the sweet off erings from 22 to 39. “There are

cobblers, butterscotch bread pudding, and

crepes made to order, and we will be baking

cookies and madeleines on the station.”

“We are looking to put that olfactory

sensation out there,” explains Parker of the

aroma of freshly baked desserts wafting

through the room. “These sensational smells

create excitement for the guests causing them

to explore what is on each station.”

With all of the senses engaged in the most

exquisite of ways, The Buff et at Wynn is

the golden ticket to discovering the holiday

season’s most irresistible delights. ■

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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1. the fabrics“Wynn and Encore utilize soft materials throughout, and this is

extraordinarily rare within public spaces. These rich and inviting

surfaces are found in valances, lighting fixtures, and wall coverings.

Mr. Wynn and Roger Thomas [Executive Vice President of Design

for Wynn Design and Development] accomplish this beautifully.

The use of fabrics is really tough in interior surfaces, because they

drape differently over their time, and they’re fairly transient in

terms of color fading. They’re tricky and require fastidious clean-

ing and maintenance. What’s really amazing at Wynn is that all the

interior soft goods are impeccable. They’re maintained to the point

that they look like they did the day they were installed. Other indi-

viduals would make the choice to not use them—they would do hard

surfaces that would be cleaned with some caustic cleaner. But Mr.

Wynn is a designer’s designer, as is Roger Thomas. And they offer

that familiarity—that you can trust that you’re gonna go in and it

looks and smells and feels exactly like it should, like it was intended,

like the day we opened. And so what happens is, it makes you feel

as excited every time.”

3. the base“What’s so hard in today’s world of so much

information is establishing simplicity and a

wholistic clarity to what one is trying to do.

And Mr. Wynn has this—there’s a feeling that

surrounds the choices he makes. There’s a

familiarity to it, but he’s always surprising

you. Mr. Wynn has a very specific chocolate

brown used in various ways throughout his

properties. This brown is rich and strong, like

his voice. To me it’s his use of the nuance of

brown through the interiors that is really gor-

geous. It’s become familiar and is a strong base

to support the vivid use of rich primary colors.

Like Rembrandt would use this brown and

then build on it—he was famous for it. But it’s

a misunderstood color, and one of the most

varied in the spectrum. It can be warm, it can

be cool, it can be light, it can be rich. It is actu-

ally a very tricky color. But it’s a good base, like

the velvet that Tiffany puts their jewels on.”

2. the escaLatOrs“I never tire of the incredible experience of descending the spiral escalators into Parasol Down.

The animation of the stairs and parasols is poetry in motion. Many people don’t realize they move.

I helped consult on that, and we didn’t want to make it overly active.... But in natural environ-

ments—in a forest, in an ocean—there are cycles—the way the sky is moving and shadows are

changing—so it gives an organic

story to the room. When there’s

motion around you, it kicks in

your cerebral cortex to a slightly

heightened awareness. It makes it

exciting and stimulates the envi-

ronment to have those opposing

motions. You have these parasols

slowly shifting up and down like

clouds, and then you have this

movement of the escalator.... If

you walked down the stairs, it

would still be grand, but there’s

something about this smooth glid-

ing motion. It always makes me

feel giddy and slightly royal.”

“As ExcITED EVERY TIME” Production designer Michael Curry shares a few of the aspects of

Wynn and Encore that he most admires.

specializing in transformational scenery, large-scale puppetry, costuming, and character design, Tony Award–winning production designer Michael curry has enjoyed a working relationship with steve Wynn for more than 20 years. His designs can be seen in Le Rêve—The Dream as well as the show on Wynn’s Lake of Dreams, and he is currently developing an intimate theatrical experience for The Wynn steakhouse at the soon-to-open Wynn Palace in Macau. “Mr. Wynn is a modern-day Medici,” curry says. “He wants great artists to be able to confer with, and I enjoy that he really values my opinion. It’s been a trusting, great relationship, and it’s helped

me grow as an artist—and I hope I’ve helped him.” Here curry shares a few examples of ways in which, as he says, “Mr. Wynn has created a bunch of stage sets where the guest gets to be the performer.”

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48 WYNN

Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture is home to

the strictest beef grading rules on

earth, standards that make the USDA

scale of Choice, Select, and Prime

seem amateurish by comparison.

Inspectors grade each animal on five different

variables, the most crucial one being the beef

marbling standard. The Japanese are obsessed

with marbling, and when Canadian food writer

Mark Schatzker visited the country for a chap-

ter in his book Steak, he described a quality

cut as “So fatty that ‘meat’ may no longer be

the correct term for it… beef ornamented with

wisps of fat that looked like crochet work, a

pervasive filigree that reached into every nook

of red muscle.”

That is why beef from Japan is so prized

worldwide, and in Hyogo they take this very

seriously, because it’s the only place on earth

where real Kobe beef can originate. Kobe is

the most famous and expensive steak on earth.

But because the name was never afforded

trademark protection in the US, it is widely

misused in restaurants, and an estimated 99

percent or more of all beef sold as Kobe in this

country is not Kobe at all, or even Japanese. So

little is exported that the Kobe Beef Association

licenses individual restaurants and hotels to

receive it. In the entire United States, only

three such licenses have been granted: to res-

taurants in New York, Hawaii, and Las Vegas,

where it is held by Wynn. But the exotic and

varied nature of Wynn’s beef program doesn’t

PRIME TIME For those who like their steaks rare—or ultrarare—a beef even more precious than

Kobe is now on the menu at Wynn. BY LARRY OLMSTED PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKAYLA WHITMORE

FOOD SPOTLIGHT

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start and end with Kobe. From domestic

hybrids to a breed even more elusive than

Kobe, the Wynn beef repertoire is gaining

international renown.

“At SW and Mizumi, they have real Kobe,

which is very rare,” says Joseph Elevado,

Executive Chef at Andrea’s in Encore. From

Kusunoki Farm in Kumamoto Prefecture,

Andrea’s carries high-end Japanese wagyu

rated A5, the highest score the country awards.

All real Japanese wagyu beef is scarce in the

US, but other regional meats are available in far

greater supply than Kobe.

“We all know a USDA Prime New York strip—

that’s the benchmark,” says David Walzog,

Executive Chef at SW Steakhouse, which has

a huge variety of beef options. Prime is the

highest grade that American beef can receive,

awarded to less than 2 percent of all meat pro-

duced in this country and typically available

only to top-tier steakhouses. All the regular

domestic steaks served at SW are Prime. “If

you consider that steak to be a 10 in terms of

marbling, beef flavor, and ‘steakiness,’ then

something like the Snake River Farms domestic

wagyu we offer would be a 13, with more mouth-

feel, richness, and layered fat. In comparison,

Kobe, Ohmi, or the A5 wagyu would be around

18 to 20.” Considering that Prime is already a

very high standard, that’s a quantum leap—and

the reason that dedicated red-meat lovers are

making special trips to Wynn and Encore to

sample all the myriad offerings.

Almost all high-level Japanese beef comes

from purebred black wagyu (which means

cattle) and has similar taste, texture, and

appearance. But like wine, Japanese beef is

highly regionalized, with some places more

famous for quality, especially Kobe, Ohmi,

and Matsusaka. “They are the holy trinity of

Japanese beef,” says Walzog, “the most presti-

gious, and we carry two of the three: Kobe and

Ohmi. The Ohmi has the most characteristic

beef texture. It’s still very silky, soft on the pal-

ate, and much richer than American beef, but

the Kobe has more fat dominance.” SW also

carries a third regional Japanese wagyu, from

Ideue Farm in Kagoshima Prefecture, with more

balanced fat content.

Wagyu cattle have been exported for breed-

ing in other countries, especially Australia and

left: A dry-aged tomahawk chop at SW Steakhouse. below: A Kobe dish at

SW, one of the few restaurants in the country licensed to serve authentic

Kobe beef. right: Executive Chef David Walzog of SW preparing Kobe.

Wynn 49

50 Wynn

top: Creole-spiced bison rib eye. above: Chef Rene Lenger

of The Country Club at work in the kitchen. right: The

Country Club’s Australian wagyu beef carpaccio.

the United States, but they are often crossbred

with less expensive and more productive cattle

to increase yields and reduce costs. Because

the greater amount of fat in Japanese beef

needs to be rendered by cooking, most chefs

don’t like to use it raw, so Australian wagyu

is the choice for the signature beef carpac-

cio at The Country Club—A New American

Steakhouse. “The carpaccio has been on the

menu since the very first day—along with

the corn chowder, it’s a staple of this place,”

explains Executive Chef Rene Lenger. “When I

eat Kobe, I want it to be at least medium rare.

The Australian wagyu is a crossbreed so it has

less marbling, and the flavor comes through

better when cold.”

Several of the restaurants at Wynn offer

domestic wagyu beef from Snake River Farms,

which Elevado explains is from wagyu heifers

crossed with Angus bulls, called “Wangus” in

the beef industry. “The marbling is much bet-

ter than Prime, but not as much as in Japanese

beef,” he says. While everyone agrees that

imported Japanese wagyu is distinctive and rec-

ognizable, not everyone thinks it’s the best, and

Center Fusion

Andrea’s puts a modern Asian-

inspired spin on its dishes,

offering guests the chance to

try rare Japanese wagyu or

classics with a twist, like the

signature New York strip. “It’s

our best seller,” says Executive

Chef Joseph Elevado. “We take

a USDA Prime New York strip

steak, broil it, slice it, then drop

it in a sizzling-hot cast-iron skillet

with our special wasabi demi-

glace, and we bring it right to

the table, sizzling and covered

in that delicious sauce. It’s a

Japanese-inspired riff on a clas-

sic French sauce paired with one

of the most American favorites.”

Elevado’s wagyu program

offers options that encourage

guests to try “table shares”—

sampling menus that feature

wagyu beef tartare (using the

less-fatty Snake River Farms

domestic wagyu/Angus cross-

breed) as well as domestic

wagyu sliders. For diners who

want pure Japanese A5 beef,

Andrea’s has a trio of interest-

ing options. As an appetizer,

a two-ounce portion is sliced

into about five thin pieces, then

seared in garlic oil and served

with wasabi, ginger, and soy, not

unlike the popular preparation

of seared ahi tuna. Alternatively,

the appetizer can be cooked

tataki-style, in which the slices

are lightly seared on all sides

on a hot stone with ponzu sauce

and green onion. Andrea’s also

offers whole wagyu steaks,

served on a sizzling plate with

a trio of dipping sauces on the

side so the beef takes center

stage. “Some guests like to get

two ounces of each wagyu and

try them side by side,” Elevado

says. “We’ve just added another

Japanese wagyu from Ohmi to

the menu. Needless to say, these

are very high-end luxury items.”

Food SPoTLIghT

52 WYNN

some diners find it too fatty, like eating butter.

All the chefs interviewed recommend consum-

ing it in much smaller portions, no more than

four to six ounces per person. Elevado suggests

that wagyu novices try the domestic version

first, as a stepping-stone to the intensely fatty

Japanese beef. Many visitors try a sampler of

Kobe, Ohmi, and Ideue at SW, Kusunoki and

Snake River at Andrea’s, or Kobe and Hokkaido

Snow Beef at Mizumi.

The latest addition to the Wynn family of

exotic steaks, Snow Beef is even rarer than

Kobe. It is produced by just one farmer, on the

cold, snowy island of Hokkaido, the northern-

most in Japan, known for its skiing and its long

winter. “They call this farmer the ‘wagyu meis-

ter,’ and he has devoted his entire life to raising

them,” says Devin Hashimoto, Executive Chef

at Mizumi. “Because it’s so cold and they use

corn as feed, you get this uniquely sweet taste

from the beef. He only slaughters four head a

month: One stays on Hokkaido, one goes to a

restaurant in Singapore, one gets split between

two places in Seattle and San Francisco, and

one comes here. During Golden Week, we have

a lot of Japanese guests come in, and we had

people from Tokyo and Kyoto who don’t get up

to Hokkaido telling us that they had to come to

Las Vegas to finally try it for the first time.”

Imported and domestic wagyu are not the

only choices for beef lovers at Wynn. All the

restaurants still do a brisk business in USDA

Prime beef, often dry-aged, which concentrates

and elevates the flavor, with SW serving classics

like a dry-aged tomahawk chop, a 44-ounce por-

terhouse for two, and a rare double rib eye. To

offer yet another taste profile, Walzog recently

added a grass-fed natural domestic steak from

a boutique Oregon farm. Slightly leaner than

traditional grain-fed domestic beef, with a fat

ratio closer to that of wild salmon, grass-fed

is the standard in the world’s largest beef-

consuming nations, Argentina and Uruguay, and

is becoming increasingly popular in this country.

The Country Club also offers grass-fed steaks

alongside grain-fed, but Chef Lenger is more

excited about bison. “We try to source more

natural ingredients—we use organic fish and we

have the grass-fed beef,” he says. “We get the

bison from Colorado. It’s 100 percent natural,

and we work with just four or five ranches. It is

very good meat, and you can use it for steaks,

chops, or burgers, but if you’re a little health-

conscious, it has less calories and cholesterol.

We have the rib eye now, and I want to add ten-

derloin and a bison burger to the menu.”

According to Walzog, a lot of guests who eat

at SW are inspired to try more beef dishes at

the other restaurants as well. “People love all

the choices, and they’re going crazy for the

dynamic of the varied offerings,” he says. “And

because we’re one of only three registered

users of the Kobe Beef Association in the US,

they feel comfortable indulging, because here

they know what they’re getting.” ■

Diners sear their own Hokkaido Snow Beef on

a hot stone at their table at Mizumi.

FOOD SPOTLIGHT

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INTO THE LIGHTCan red meat and white wine get along at the table? BY AMY ZAVATTO

54 WYNN

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An aged rosé from Bandol, such as Domaine Tempier’s, is an

excellent choice to pair with meat; try Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

Pinot Gris with a leaner, pepper-spiced steak.

We all try to play by the rules.

Look both ways when cross-

ing the street, even at the

crosswalk. Pay your taxes

on time. Pair red meat with

red wine. But like the occasional jaywalk or fi l-

ing extension, bending the rules at the table

can be an advantageous exercise. And for the

sommelier who likes to be presented with a

challenge, it can be downright thrilling. 

Wynn Wine Director Mark Thomas is one

such somm. “I’ve certainly been asked to pair

steak with white wine before,” he says. “Thinking

outside the typical wine rules challenges you to

learn your wine list, honing in on exactly what

a guest wants and bringing a meal together.

Finding the right wine for a customer completes

the circle of the dining experience.”

A thoughtful practitioner is certainly the key.

While one can always fall back on wine-pairing

principals like Chablis with oysters or Sauternes

with foie gras or California Cabernet with a nice

juicy rib eye, there are no hard-and-fast rules

for white wines and red meat. “With other food

pairings, there are rules you can work with,” says

Thomas. “But this certainly challenges you to

know every little corner of your wine list—from

the terroir to the vintage to the producer—and

the food, too. It challenges us somms to be as

great as we possibly can.”

There are, however, some guidelines to fol-

low. For instance, your typical New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc or ethereal Orvieto should be

avoided for the simple reason that pairing either

with the meatiest of meats is like pairing spunky

but reedy Taylor Swift in a wrestling match with

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. For Thomas, there

are a few places his brain goes to solve this par-

ticular pairing conundrum, like Alsatian Pinot

Gris, with its spice and weight and acidity. But

it’s not an automatic go-to, he warns.

Thomas starts by asking a diner questions in

order to personalize the pairing, like what white

wines and red meat dishes has he or she had

and enjoyed in the past? Then he looks at the

way a dish is prepared. “If you have a heavy, fatty

steak that’s dry-aged and has a lot of fl avor and

sauce, it’s trickier,” he says. “But seared Kobe

beef that’s delicate in fl avor, well-marbled, and

melts on your tongue can do well with a high-

acid, low-fl avor white or even a savory junmai

sake.” Or a pepper-crusted bison fi let with an

older vintage Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot

Gris from the aforementioned Alsace. That

high-fl avor style of wine and its residual sugar

work to counteract the spice of a lean meat

like this. Also, he notes: Don’t ignore the ancil-

lary dishes. Sides are part of the pairing, too.

Orange wines—whites that are often made in

amphoras and left in contact with the grapes’

skins to create a fuller, grippier wine—are also

fun to play around with here.

“It really is case by case,” Thomas says.

“And sometimes you’ve got to get granular!

Was the meat grass-fed? Was it corn-fed?

Understanding your protein is the kind of

detail that can set a pairing apart.” But that’s

the sort of peel-back-the-onion assistance that

Thomas and his staff thrive on. Inspector Veuve

Clicquot, at your service. ■

VINE ARTS

House of Mrs. Prada Prada opens a boutique on the Wynn esplanade that is as faithful to the tradition of the venerable design house as it is to its inimitable co-Ceo and lead designer Miuccia Prada’s maverick sensibilities.By Lydia Gordon

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Wynn Luxury

Wynn 57

An interior of the new

boutique at Wynn. right: A

look from Prada’s Spring/

Summer 2016 collection.

58 Wynn

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If you were forced to nominate one single current designer to represent

fashion, someone whose name and style are known by even the most sar-

torially challenged, there is really only one candidate: Miuccia Prada. And,

if such a poll were restricted to the cognoscenti, it might still come up

Prada. Because Mrs. Prada, as those insiders call her, is one of a handful

of individuals who command universal respect in the fckle, competitive

world of fashion, even though it is a

world she was reluctant to join.

This factoid is one of a number

of startling biographical details in

the Prada creation myth—such as:

Miuccia Prada is probably the only

fashion grandee with a doctorate

in political science, and defnitely

the only major designer who is a

former Italian Communist Party

member with fve years of mime training under her ostrich leather belt. It

was hardly the ambition of the then-29-year-old arty intellectual feminist

from the Milanese counterculture to take over Fratelli Prada, the luxury

luggage company her grandfather Mario had founded in 1913. Yet, in 1978,

she bit the bullet, taught herself design and, seven years later, launched a

range of handbags in military-grade black nylon that became instant cult

objects: the frst It bags. Later, she married her business partner Patrizio

Bertelli—they are still very much together in both senses—who, in 1988,

became the catalyst of fashion’s swerve into left feld. It was by appeal-

ing to his new wife’s famous competitive instincts that Bertelli more or

less goaded her into designing clothes, when he threatened to hire a

“professional.” And thus was born the most recognizable—and fnancially

successful—of fashion’s mavericks.

The empire that Prada inherited

began as a single shop in Milan’s

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. In

a sense, this is still the empire—

only opposite that little atelier

now stands a second, far grander,

Prada. And Prada stores fan out

worldwide (70 countries) in more

than 600 directly operated retail

hubs, turning over some $4.65 billion annually. The very newest of the

600-plus stores is a 7,000-square-foot bemirrored marble and steel

ode to the original atelier by Roberto Baciocchi. The latest star opened

in October on the Wynn Esplanade: not the frst, nor the second, but

the third Prada in Las Vegas. Even in a city that is the luxury shopper’s

nirvana, that is some heavy Prada coverage. Of course, this boutique

Patrizio Bertelli appealed to his wife’s competitive instincts when he threatened

to hire a “professional” to design the clothes. And the most recognizable of

fashion’s mavericks was born.

WYnn LuxuRY

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60 Wynn

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Miuccia Prada walks the runway during

Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/

Summer 2016. below: Frame bag ($3,200).

is something quite special. Its entrance is dedicated to

women, defned by the signature black and white marble

checkered fooring, and opens up into a large octagonal

space in which leather goods and accessories collections

are set as art atop polished-steel display cases

embellished with black Marquina marble draw-

ers against a backdrop of green fabric-clad

walls. Cut-in alcoves, in a reinterpretation of

Prada’s iconic display niches, showcase the

leather goods, accessories, and jewelry. A

mirrored portal leads to the men’s collection

in a succession of intimate spaces punctu-

ated by polished-steel display counters and

green ostrich leather sofas. But duck into

one of the alcoves, such as a room devoted

to exotic leather goods, and you will see

what separates this from other leather goods shopping expe-

riences. Sit across from a Prada made-to-order specialist,

and you may customize your handbag from a selection of

Prada’s most iconic styles, including the Prada Galleria,

Pyramid, and Sound in safano leather, ostrich, or

crocodile in a variety of color combinations, and

then personalize it with your initials in silver

or gold. The made-to-order service is ofered

only in three locations in the United States—

Madison Avenue, Beverly Hills, and at Wynn.

A few handbags on the shelves even cel-

ebrate the Wynn and Prada marriage, made

exclusively for Wynn.

So how do these clothes, shoes and, of

course, bags of all sizes keep renewing

their appeal? Certainly a Prada collection is

“Fashion fosters clichés of beauty, but I want to tear them apart.”

—MIuccIa Prada

Wynn lUxUry

Tickets and information 702.693.7871 | bellagio.com/bgfa

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JULY 3, 2015 – JANUARY 10, 2016

62 Wynn

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aspirational, replete with exquisite artisan detail and mas-

terful tailoring, but it is also edgy, avant-garde, and often

downright challenging. To parse Prada, we must look to the

woman herself.

From her very frst 1989 collection, Prada refused to

do things the “correct” way. “By defnition good taste is

horrible taste. I do have a healthy disrespect for those

values,” she noted. At the time, Milan fashion was noth-

ing but good taste, if glitzy, with highly produced shows

of va-va-voom corsetry, enormous hair, power shoulders,

gilt buttons, and mini-miniskirts. “Fashion fosters clichés

of beauty, but I want to tear them apart,” she said. And

amid the theatrical hyper-femininity, she did just that,

showing minimal, muted long skirts, cropped pants,

demure collars, and vintage silhouettes, all paraded on

a beige carpet, hair close to the head, bare faces—and

not a heel in sight.

“I was very much criticized for inventing the trashy

and the ugly,” the designer said recently. “But the inves-

tigation of ugliness is, to me, more interesting than the

bourgeois idea of beauty.” Indeed, the resetting of our

collective eye began immediately, as Prada frst made

us look twice.

In a way, it’s obvious why her iconoclastic vision should

be so potent. Unlike many designers in major houses

today, Prada has creative freedom. She works purely from

her own aesthetic, alighting on whatever motif grabs her

attention, whether it’s fairies (2008), stripes and bananas

(2011), or something more abstract such as Symbolism

(Spring/Summer 2016). This collection she named—at the

last possible minute, as is her wont—post-modest, post-

industrialist, post-pop. “It was trying to analyze the concept

between honesty, humanity, and simplicity, compared with

the necessity of being bold, aggressive, and loud,” she

explained backstage. Well, yes, and, as the curator of the

2012 Prada/Schiaparelli show at the Met said, “Prada is

more semiotician than designer. She’s like the Umberto

Eco of fashion.” And yet she is thankfully less than deadly

serious. Yes, it was Symbolism, she said, but “I don’t like to

simplify thoughts, so we chose stupid symbols, the most

infantile, that worked graphically.” Hence bunnies, space-

ships, and big red arrows. Ugly, funny, sublime.

Rabbits and rockets are reprised in the SS16 women’s

Miuccia Prada walks the

runway during the Prada

show as a part of Milan

Fashion Week Womenswear

Autumn/Winter 2014.

below: Prada’s fagship

boutique in Milan. right: A

shoe from Prada’s Spring/

Summer 2016 collection.

WYnn lUxURY

Wynn Las Vegas · 702.770.3520

A look from Prada’s

Spring/Summer 2016

collection. right: An

interior of the new

boutique at Wynn.

64 Wynn

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ready-to-wear collection currently in store—this time on charming silk

blouses. This backstage disquisition was given by Prada’s longtime Design

Director Fabio Zambernardi (as Miuccia Prada had just lost her beloved

103-year-old aunt), and the information was direct. “Mrs. Prada was

obsessed with suits this season, because we really don’t do them so

much anymore,” Zambernardi pointed out. “She likes obsessions.” It has

been called a return to her roots, a redo of Prada tropes, and certainly

it’s a collectible season, with the familiar boxy jacket and knee-length

skirt, only very, very tweaked. Here are gaudy 1970s intarsia V-neck wool

tanks tucked into, and showing right through, starched organza skirts,

the matching jackets in matchstick-line print with black edges recalling

Lichtenstein or Roberta di Camerino.

Also in organza are gorgeous embellished graphic frocks in 1920s fap-

per shapes and, in the opposite corner, showstopper leather blazers in

stripes of matte, patent, and suede, and boxy suede white-tipped car

coats with contrast collars, all in colors more autumnal than spring—raising

the question of where, in Prada’s global market, is it spring anyway? Those

bunny-print silk blouses are worn half untucked, with overlong sleeves

bunched down to the knuckles that hold the handbag—and what hand-

bags! Some highlights: totes in candy-striped crocodile; a whole stable of

top-handle structured lady purses in stripes of colorful calf or croc, as

tightly constructed as car seats; a snakeskin purse with steroidal chrome

hardware and chain straps thick enough for ships; and the continuing evo-

lution of the new Inside Bag. They’ll look especially alluring showcased

in diva light on the curved walls of accessory cubbies on the Esplanade.

“When I started,” says the designer, “everybody hated what I was

doing except a few clever people.” Well, thank you, Mrs. Prada. We can

all feel clever now. Prada, Wynn, 702-770-3495 n

Wynn LuxuRy

Go ahead, be fabulous. Just protect yourself.

When you’re out in the sun be sure to

protect your skin. Shade, sunscreen, and

a cover-up can go a long way to helping

your natural beauty shine through.

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James McNeill Whistler’s Peacock Room, an entire dining room

painted as a commission for British ship owner and art collector

Frederick Leyland in the 1870s, is considered one of Whistler’s

greatest works. In fact, its final owner realized that it was so impor-

tant, it belonged in the public domain. So he had it dismantled

and it now resides in the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer Gallery of Art in

Washington, DC. The work’s influence has been broad; in fact, the ornate

tea lounge at the Wynn Macau restaurant Golden Flower was inspired by

the Peacock Room. When the original room was in service, Leyland would

likely have enjoyed high tea there on most days. But it’s unlikely that even this

tycoon experienced a tea service of the caliber offered by the two-Michelin-

starred Golden Flower. He definitely would not have had a tea sommelier.

Percy Cheung holds the position at Wynn Macau, where she brings guests

MAGICAL BREWThe tea service at Golden Flower in Wynn Macau is intricate, precise,

and attended by a tea sommelier whose mission is to fi nd your perfect brew—or the perfect match for dinner. BY JENNIFER BLOSSOM

the finest teas, helping them make a selection that complements their

tastes as well as the menu, which features Tan, Lu (Shandong), and Sichuan

cuisines. Cheung, who holds the qualification of advanced tea art spe-

cialist, studied under a tea master in Hong Kong and led workshops and

seminars at the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware for six years. “Growing

up,” she says, “I always felt that tea had a kind of magical quality to it.”

Cheung brings that magic to Wynn Macau, curating premium teas from

China’s best-known tea regions—41 selections currently, with 23 more to be

added in the spring. In the lounge, she oversees traditional tea ceremonies

employing teas brewed expertly with whole leaves and flowers and served

using the finest teaware. Staff members carefully calibrate the tempera-

ture, especially for delicate teas like green and jasmine, by pouring the water

in a high stream so that the air cools it.

68 WYNN

MACAU SPOTLIGHT

left: Tea sommelier Percy Cheung. above: Golden Flower’s tea bar.

Tea is also central in the dining room, available to guests first rather

than last. A meal often begins with a pot of Golden Flower’s unique

signature blend of chrysanthemum-infused oolong tea to ready the

palate. Then Cheung will suggest a tea that complements the quali-

ties and flavors of each course. “Tea is a subtle beverage in general,

not having a strong character like alcohol or coffee,” she says. “Tea

plays a role on the dining table of cleansing and balancing the pal-

ate, assisting the natural flavors of each dish to come through.”

Green tea, one of the most delicate, can enhance the freshness

of seafood, for instance. High in amino acids, green tea creates the

earthy umami taste and can be as sweet as chicken soup. It pairs

excellently with dishes such as Golden Flower’s steamed fish with

chicken stock “Tan style,” stir-fried scallops with marinated ginger,

and stewed fish maw with crab claw in chicken broth.

For meatier dishes, Cheung may suggest a vintage pu’er tea. A

large-leaf varietal, pu’er has high levels of polyphenol and tannin,

which neutralize the oils from heavy meats and aid digestion. “Its mel-

low, sweet, full-bodied texture can clear up our palate instantly,” says

Cheung, who also suggests pairing it with braised, deep-fried, or crispy

dishes, like spiced roasted yellow croaker, braised abalone in brown

sauce, or braised pork ribs with pineapple and osmanthus honey.

Tea also figures in the dishes themselves. On the menu is a

Sichuan tea-smoked duck and a dish featuring fresh clam and jas-

mine in chicken soup. “The scents of the jasmine flower are released

by the heat as it floats on the clear chicken soup,” says Cheung.

For the cold months, Cheung is recommending Wuyi oolong, red

tea, and brown pu’er tea: “These teas are highly fermented, which

carries a warming effect and boosts the circulation to our body.”

The pu’er teas, grown in the Yunnan province of southwestern

China, are aged between five and 30 years, with their large leaves

often pressed into balls that blossom in the water.

Like wine appreciation, tea appreciation has a bit of a learning

curve, but Wynn Macau offers classes in which students can acquire

this new vocabulary of taste, texture, aroma, color, and aftertaste.

“Tea descriptions are more or less related to the herbaceous,”

Cheung explains. Some descriptions will sound similar to those

used for wine: buttery, full-bodied, complex, bold, chocolaty, smoky,

fruity. Others less so: umami, vegetal, wheat, salty.

And then, of course, there’s the magic, which is hard to put

into words. n

Wynn 69

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Exclusively represented by The Mark Company Nevada, LLC. DRE Lic#B.10000790.LLC. The developer reserves the right to make modifcations in materials, specifcations, plans, designs, scheduling and delivery of homes without prior notice and at the seller’s sole discretion. Investment opportunities are limited. Without limiting the foregoing, this is not an offer or solicitation to residents of California, New York and New Jersey or any other state where registration is required or sales are prohibited. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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WYNN 71

WYNN

StyleWhat could be more decadent than a riot of fl owers in winter? Or the ability to escape to a tropical oasis (or Japanese garden pagoda, or bamboo forest) in spectacular golden heels and miles and miles of taff eta, with an escape plan that involves only a short jog over a Monet-worthy footbridge? Of course, there are many ways to indulge, not the least of which is drink-ing something sparkly—while wearing something sparkly. Jewelry and fashion eff ervesce right off the following pages, setting the mood for a bright holiday season.

Magenta silk faille bubble hemp dress with bow details ($2,990) and

black silver geometric facet stone earrings

($290), both by Oscar

de la Renta. Oscar

de la Renta, Encore,

702-770-3487. Delicate fancy quartz marquis

tennis bracelet ($995) and quartz marquis

cuff (price on request), both by Alexis Bittar.

alexisbittar.com

THE INTIMATE SPACES OF WYNN AND ENCORE PROVIDE A

LUSH BACKDROP FOR WINTER’S MOST ROMANTIC FASHIONS.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BONNIE HOLLAND

STYLING BY LEILANI LACSON

FlirtyFlorals

opposite page: Floral

embroidered and

beaded chifon gown by

Naeem Khan ($12,990).

Wynn Collection, Wynn,

702-770-3545. Fractured

spear clip earrings ($325)

and gold quartz bracelet

(price on request), both

by Alexis Bittar.

alexisbittar.com

this page: Silk organza

dress by Chanel (price on

request). Chanel, Wynn,

702-770-3532. Blueberry

marquis earrings with blue

topaz ($2,595) and blue

topaz cuf ($995), both by

Alexis Bittar. alexisbittar.

com. Shoes by Jimmy

Choo (price on request).

Wynn Collection, Wynn,

702-770-3545

Wynn 73

74 Wynn

opposite page: Capri

silk tafeta gown with

rufe detail ($6,690)

and black and silver

pear stone necklace

($1,190), both by Oscar

de la Renta. Oscar de

la Renta, Encore, 702-

770-3487. Black leather

pumps by Manolo

Blahnik ($595). Manolo

Blahnik, Wynn, 702-

770-3477. Round black

knight quartz ring by

Suzanne Kalan ($1,210).

Bags Belts and Baubles,

Wynn, 702-770-3555

this page: Maxie

leaf jacquard raised-

beading dress by Hervé

Léger ($5,190). Wynn

Collection, Wynn, 702-

770-3545. Crystal and

black pavé stacked

earrings by Oscar de

la Renta ($450). Oscar

de la Renta, Encore,

702-770-3487

76 Wynn

Viscose pullover ($5,500)

and coated lace skirt

($3,350), both by Chanel.

Chanel, Wynn, 702-770-

3532. Russian gold ivy

button earrings ($250)

and ring ($195), both by

Oscar de la Renta. Oscar

de la Renta, Encore, 702-

770-3487. Carnaby cross-

strap sandals by Nicholas

Kirkwood ($1,013).

Nicholas Kirkwood,

Encore, 702-770-3543

this page: Kendra embellished jumpsuit

by Diane von

Furstenberg ($998). Bags Belts and

Baubles, Wynn, 702-

770-3555. Silver sea swirl pearl necklace

($790) and crystal silver

foral baguette bracelet

($590), both by Oscar

de la Renta. Oscar de

la Renta, Encore,

702-770-3487

opposite page:

Sleeveless blue chifon

gown by Alexander

McQueen ($7,095).

Alexander McQueen,

Wynn, 702-770-3490.

Framed baguette

chandelier clip earrings by Alexis Bittar ($325).

alexisbittar.com.

Black and silver large

octagon stone bracelet

by Oscar de la Renta

($590). Oscar de la

Renta, Encore,

702-770-3487

78 Wynn

Dress by Georges Chakra

($8,300 for special order). Wynn

Collection, Wynn, 702-770-3545.

Olga pumps by Alexandre Birman ($890). Bags Belts and Baubles,

Wynn, 702-770-3555. Gold spike

earrings and crystal and gold cuf (prices on request), both by Alexis

Bittar. alexisbittar.com

Photo assistance by Zeke DeRose 

Styling assistance by Jason Klaiber

Makeup by Iryna Pume

Hair by Viviana M. for Claude

Baruk Salon at Wynn

Modeling by Alanna Whittaker

with Hollywood

Model Management

Wynn 81

The most effervescent in jewelry with the fnest in bubbly. Some combinations will never lose their luster.

photography by brian klutch styling by samantha yanks

set design by sergio esteves

sparkle season

82 Wynn

Platinum and 11.06 carat Diamond Links timepiece by Harry

Winston (price on request). Available

upon request at Wynn & Company

Watches, Wynn, 702-770-3520. 42.78 carat multishaped diamond

necklace and fancy yellow radiant-cut

and white-diamond-top earrings, both

by Graf (prices on request). Graf, Wynn,

702-770-3494. 18k white-gold and 7.94 carat diamond

High Jewelry Collection ring by

Chopard (price on request). Chopard,

Wynn, 702-770-3469

18k white-gold and diamond Franges Swing bracelet by Chanel Fine Jewelry ($222,000). Chanel, Encore, 702-770-5468. 18k white- and yellow-gold 39.39 carat fancy yellow emerald-cut diamond and 3.06 carat Three Stone Diamond ring by Jacob & Co (price on request). Available upon request at Wynn & Company Watches, Wynn, 702-770-3520

84 Wynn

18k white- and yellow-gold 6.27 carat fancy yellow radiant-cut and 30.72 baguette diamond necklace by Jacob & Co.(price on request).Available upon request at Wynn & Company Watches, Wynn, 702-770-3520

opposite page:

17.35 carat fancy yellow cushion-cut

diamond ring byGraf (price on request). Graf,

Wynn, 702-770-3494. Yellow-gold La D

De Dior Precieuse white and fancy yellow diamond

timepiece by Dior Timepieces (price on request). Dior,

Wynn, 702-770-3496

this page: 18k white-gold and 17.17 carat pavé set with diamond cuf bracelet by Jacob

& Co (price on request). Available

upon request at Wynn & Company

Watches, Wynn, 702-770-3520.

18k white-gold, diamond, and onyx

Charleston necklace by Chanel Fine

Jewelry ($126,000).Chanel, Encore,

702-770-5468

Wynn 87

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wynn news

treasure trovewynn’s new tiny treasures ofers a highly curated selection

of unique—and exclusive—children’s gifts. by karen rose

as with all things wynn, when curating the new upscale children’s

boutique tiny treasures, sourcing exclusive items from the world’s fore-

most purveyors was of paramount importance. the new tiny treasures

showcases a variety of extraordinary gifts, toys, educational games,

clothing, and other child-friendly fare from renowned designers.

why add a children’s store to wynn’s retail lineup on the esplanade?

“we saw a significant trend in our children’s business,” explains wynn

senior vice President of retail Hedy woodrow. “so we decided to

curate a children’s assortment for guests who are traveling with their

children, guests who attend the conventions and need to take some-

thing back, and grandparents who need to purchase a gift.” and what

gifts: of the wynn-exclusive Glitzy bella Morgan Cycle ($2,400), with

nearly 400 hand-placed swarovski crystals, handcrafted steel frame,

padded seat, and working headlight, woodrow says, “every little girl

needs a tricycle that sparkles!”

these treasures come from all over the world, says woodrow. the

organic cotton Mama teddy bear ($295) is by anne-Claire Petit in the

netherlands; a Dream Mobile ($125) by L’oiseau bateau hails from France

and is offered for sale in the us exclusively at wynn. “we also have a

little saab roadster and a scooter that is a must-have,” she shares, from

swedish brand Playsam. German company Hape designed the store’s

popular pink children’s piano ($225). there’s even a children’s robe ($95)

made by beverly Hill-based designer kelly van Halen. the mirrored bank

in the Form of a Pig, designed by Harry allen and made by reality by

areaware ($250), is a surprising take on a children’s classic, is great for

tweens, and works just as well for adults. “our team attends the various

shows to ensure that our assortment is very special,” says woodrow. and

with this treasure trove right next door to the wynn Collection bou-

tique, there’s something special for everyone within just a few steps. Tiny

Treasures, Wynn, 702-770-3588 n

90 WYNN

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SUITS AHEAD

The Brioni Miror

removes the

guesswork from

custom suiting.

Italian menswear house Brioni is merging its rich history of precise

made-to-measure suiting with cutting-edge technology that requires

just a bit less imagination from its clients. The new Brioni Miror, the

first of its kind—and aside from Wynn, available only in two bou-

tiques, in Rome and Milan—allows clients to simulate the look of any

fabric in a full suit using its special 3-D technology.

The Brioni Miror marks a breakthrough in the menswear industry by

eliminating the main issues commonly associated with the custom suit-

ing process. “The Miror builds confidence,” says Emily Ciafone, Brioni’s

Director of Retail for the West Coast. “It’s difficult for a new made-to-

measure client to imagine the garment and how it would look in the

material they’ve selected because they’re only given a swatch that’s

maybe six by six [inches] to look at for reference, so this allows the cli-

ent to see their creation fully rendered.” Considering that a Su Misura

(or made-to-measure) suit from Brioni gives customers 1,500 fabrics

from which to choose and up to 8 million styling combinations, coming

up with one’s perfect garment can be a bit daunting, to say the least.

The Miror is being rolled out in three stages, culminating in 2017

with the ability to virtually try on your custom outfit. A portable Miror

is also on the horizon, allowing the boutique to bring this experience

to clients via private appointments in their suites at Wynn. Ciafone

explains, “Made-to-measure is not for every customer. It’s really for

a very special client who understands the highest level of luxury.”

Brioni, Wynn, 702-770-3440 ■

ACCENT MARKSThe must-have accessories of

the season are all elegance,

with a festive twist.

MIRROR, MIRRORMade-to-measure clients need only gaze into the Brioni Miror to see what their fabric swatch will look like as an entire suit. Up next: viewing yourself in an endless combina-tion of Brioni garments. BY CONNOR CHILDERS

Louis Vuitton’s tuxedo shoes

are minimal, sophisticated,

and highly stylized pieces

that, this season, get a modern

update in plush velvet paired

with textured trim and metal

accents. On Stage Richelieu

by Louis Vuitton ($970). Louis

Vuitton, Wynn, 702-770-34

Add the perfect touch of tex-

ture to your outfit this season

with a slim tonal necktie such

as Hermès’s smart take on a

structured plaid tie. The clas-

sic pattern references textile

influences from the 1930s,

while the silhouette and

subtle color evoke modern-

day menswear. Silk twill ties

by Hermès ($180). Hermès,

Encore, 702-650-3116

Brioni’s cuff links in robust

rose gold pair perfectly with

a crisp suit for day and add

a bit of romance to evening’s

dapper looks. Cuff links by

Brioni (price on request).

Brioni, Wynn, 702-770-3440

ALL ACCESS

TO OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION IN NORTH AMERICA, PLEASE CONTACT

Tutima USA, Inc. • 1-TUTIMA-1927 • info@tutimausa.com • www.tutima.com

For men who don’t

need GPS

to know where they stand.

Saxon One

It’s our rough edges that testify real character.

The Saxon One with its bold, timeless design lends this conviction

a new form: elegant, dynamic, distinctive. And created with exactly that

perfection which has made the predicate “Made in Glashütte” into

a world-famous promise of quality.

Saxon One · sweep minute stop chronograph · 6420-04

MADE FOR THOSE WHO DO.

92 WYNN

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Before celebrity hairstylist Claude Baruk was beckoned to Las Vegas by Steve Wynn, he had spent 18 years tending to the tresses of the most sophisticated women in the world in

his home country of France. Now settled into his high-glamour Claude Baruk Salons at Wynn and Encore, he is celebrating 20 fabulous years in the hair business with a romantic holiday hair menu inspired by the alluring women of Paris.

Baruk’s muses in the City of Love may give

off an air of effortless beauty, but in his world of high fashion, every single look is meticulously choreographed by him from cut to finish.

“The hair is the most beautiful part of a wom-an’s entire look,” Baruk says. “Diamonds without great hair mean nothing. If the hair doesn’t fit, nothing works. But the most simple dress with nice hair? Everything will then be great.”

This season Baruk is featuring dreamy looks that allow movement, perfect for both the cosmopolitan Parisian lifestyle and Vegas’s glit-

tering, breathtaking holiday parties.“I love waves and curly hair,” he says. “But it

has to stay in a natural way. I love movement. That is glamorous holiday hair.” In fact, Baruk is constantly researching, creating, and updating style trends. “We create two hair menu collec-tions a year, interpreting the trends,” he says. “Here in Vegas, we can try everything because everyone is ready to try looks they wouldn’t try in their regular life or in their hometown. They’re open here, so we can go big.”

TRÈS CHIC TRESSESWith a keen eye and a progressive sense of fashion, Claude Baruk looks to Paris

for the hairstyles to best complement this season’s trends.BY ABBY TEGNELIA

BEAUTY

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Wynn 93

from left: Naturally straight with heavy bangs; high-shine wavy blow-dry.

Naturally Straight with heavy BaNgS

inspiration: “The strong French spirit.”

how to wear it: “As a day look with a lot of

personality.”

how he creates it: “The bangs make the whole

style. It’s a one-length cut texturized on the

ends with heavy bangs for a nice fnish around

the eyes and face. Balayage technique creates

dimension with a mix of highlights. There are

light, warm honey lowlights and cold blond

highlights. It’s very natural, very straight hair.”

high-ShiNe wavy Blow-Dry

inspiration: “I went back to my roots: My

clients, friends, and muses are all from Paris.”

how to wear it: “It’s a natural look with natural

waves, so it is easy to wear in any place, day or

night, for a party.”

how he creates it: “It would not have these

waves without the right cut done in my salon.

There’s a lot of shine to the hair—that makes

all the diference. The only way to get this

shine is by working the hair gently with special

techniques. We curl exclusively with the brush

and blow-dryer.”

romaNtic chigNoN

inspiration: “The ‘naturally straight with heavy

bangs’ look—this is the night version! It shows

of a woman’s pure beauty.”

how to wear it: “This is for a sophisticated,

romantic night out.”

how he creates it: “Keep the heavy bangs

with texturized ends. Put the hair in a ponytail

in the middle of the head, and twist the hair

around the ponytail into a nice chignon that is

natural yet elegant.” n

wavy BoB

inspiration: “All of these looks are inspired by

the fall/winter trends of the Parisian woman.”

how to wear it: “Sophisticated and natural,

this could be worn day or night.”

how he creates it: “For a natural wavy look,

I use layers all around. It is a short bob cut

texturized with layers to create diferent

lengths, waves, and volume. We leave the roots

untouched on purpose, to create dimension.

Then we use balayage to add blond at

the ends.”

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LC

In August, at a private event at the nightclub

XS, 46-year-old Isaac Brown strode past

nearly a dozen professional basketball players

to accept an award. This was no bored-at-work

daydream for the hotel developer. Instead, he

was at the USA Basketball Fantasy Camp, where

his team had won the championship that caps

the four-day event at Wynn.

As memorable as the basketball was for Brown,

however, sharing the experience with his 4-year-

old son, who got to watch his father play among

some of the best basketball players in the world,

was even more meaningful. “This is something

that I never imagined he would actually get to

see,” Brown says. “And him meeting all these pro-

fessional athletes at that age, it’s going to sink in.”

For Brown, the reward came in the form of

meeting and training in the same environs as

Blake Griffi n, DeMarcus Cousins, and Kawhi

Leonard. And just to add a little more star power,

basketball legends like Hall of Famer David Rob-

inson were on hand, regaling attendees with sto-

ries of past triumphs.

“The camp and its related events are just out-

rageous,” says Ric Elias, CEO of Red Ventures

and a veteran of nearly every major fantasy bas-

ketball camp there is. “You don’t see this any-

HOOP DREAMSYou may never play in the pros or with the USA Basketball Men’s National Team, but for a few days each August at Wynn, you can sure feel like you do. BY DAVE MCMENAMIN

where. There’s no cutting corners at Wynn.”

Since Jerry Colangelo took over as man-

aging director and chairman of USA Basket-

ball, the sport’s governing body, in 2005 and

named Mike Krzyzewski head coach, Wynn

has hosted the organization for nine of the

last 10 summers. It will do so again in the sum-

mer of 2016 as the US team prepares for the

Olympics in Rio.

Three years ago, USA Basketball, in con-

junction with Wynn, created the offi cial USA

Basketball Fantasy Camp to heighten aware-

ness and build excitement for this summer

training block. The result is a four-day hos-

pitality and sports extravaganza, highlighted

by a stay at Wynn, a competitive amateur

basketball tournament, coaching by top col-

legiate coaches, and all the camaraderie and

good-natured ribbing of one’s letterman days.

“Wynn just does it right,” says John Cali-

pari, head coach of the men’s basketball team

at the University of Kentucky, who has moon-

lighted as a coach at the fantasy camp for the

last three years. “And they’ve been unbeliev-

able supporters of USAB for a while now.”

Beyond the basketball fi x the camp provides,

campers enjoy the same luxuries that USA

Basketball players do, from Nike gear to access

to a training room in the hotel, complete with

ice bag service and a masseuse.

The campers, typically men aged 35 and over

who are fi t enough to handle three consecu-

tive days of on-court competition, come from

all over the country for the experience. They

relish the fact that coaches like Calipari, who

are usually busy recruiting the nation’s top high

school prospects each summer, are just as con-

cerned with their fantasy camp team’s ability to

run a zone defense or a pick-and-roll off ense.

In nightly recap events, celebrity camp adminis-

trators Jay Bilas and P.J. Carlesimo analyze the

campers’ performances with the same fervor

they do the pros’ on their ESPN broadcasts.

And just as the USA Basketball Men’s National

Team returns to Wynn each year, so do the fan-

tasy campers. The camp has sold out every year

of its three-year existence, and interest is already

growing for this summer. Ed Henry, the White

House correspondent for Fox News, is a regular.

And last year actor Jerry Ferrara, best known as

Turtle on HBO’s Entourage, went head-to-head

with more than 60 campers. Apparently, not

even fame on the small screen can replace play-

ing among the big boys. usabfantasycamp.com ■

FROM LEFT: Anthony Davis, John

Wall, and DeAndre Jordan warm

up during USA Basketball

training camp; awards from USA

Basketball Fantasy Camp.

BACK STORY

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Who doesn’t love a gala? Or an

apple for that matter? Offered

exclusively in Asian-inspired

restaurant Andrea’s at Encore,

the Crowned Apple cocktail

combines Crown Royal’s Regal Apple whiskey—

made with Regal Gala apples—and Cardamaro

amaro, a Moscato wine-based amaro that’s

infused with cardoon (a relative of the artichoke)

and aged in oak. It all makes for an appley, slightly

nutty, smooth drink that, topped with a lightly

frothy crown, is fit for royalty.

THE CROWNED APPLE

2 oz. Crown Royal Regal Apple whiskey

1 oz. Cardamaro amaro3∕4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice1∕2 oz. simple syrup

White of one egg

Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker

without ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds to

get the egg white incorporated and frothy. Add

ice, shake again, and strain into a chilled cocktail

glass. Top with a dash of cinnamon. ■

A GALA AFFAIRThe Crowned Apple cocktail at Andrea’s is a fresh pick this season. BY CHRIS STAVE

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