Celebration of all things Sinatra is on
Las Vegas' countdown to Frank Sinatra's 100th birthday celebration kicks off Wednesday night with the taping of a CBS special at Wynn Las Vegas.
Also paying homage to Ol' Blue Eyes, whose star power helped elevate Las Vegas to iconic status: restaurants, nightclubs and show performers.
"Sinatra 100 — An All-Star Grammy Concert" will air Sunday on KLAS-TV, Channel 8.
The lineup for the black-tie affair includes Celine Dion, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Harry Connick Jr., Garth Brooks, Zac Brown, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood and Usher.
The city-wide celebration includes a "Celebration of Sinatra" at The Bootlegger Bistro, featuring Lorraine Hunt-Bono and friends, with George Bugatti on the keyboard.
Hunt-Bono said Sinatra was "instrumental in launching Las Vegas into the global spotlight of entertainment."
The Golden Steer Steakhouse this week started offering a $100 three-course meal based on what Sinatra ordered in the 1960s: clams casino, a 16-ounce New York strip steak and Bananas Foster.
"Frank's Menu" will be served at table 22, where Sinatra dined with members of the Rat Pack. The table seats four.
The special menu is available until Dec. 31.
A number of shows on the Strip plan special nods to Sinatra on Dec. 12, which would have been his 100th birthday.
Sinatra flashbacks
Richard Assalone, longtime manager of Hugo's Cellar at the Four Queens, recalls waiting on Sinatra at The Sands' Regency Room in the late 1970s.
"I think it was sometime in the '60s when they decided to build a gourmet room.
"So they built the Regency Room, and it was basically built for Sinatra and his clientele ... Sands' guests only.
"I worked there for seven years, and for four or five years you never had a cash customer. They were all comped. They were 'RFB,' room, food and beverage, so they were all players. I took care of the who's who of the world there."
Sinatra's favorite dish at The Regency was called The Medallions of the Riviera, Assalone said.
"It had the eye of a lamb chop, with some asparagus and Hollandaise sauce. It had the eye of the filet with truffles and foie gras, and we used to rotate a veal dish, and he liked the Veal Francaise and we had Veal Normandy, Veal Piccata and Veal Saltimbocca as well.
"People came in and ordered it because it was Sinatra's signature dish."
The scene and heard
The Linq Promenade will be the epicenter of NASCAR's Champions Week starting today with the arrival of the race cars and the Sprint Cup Series trophy won by Las Vegan Kyle Busch.
The High Roller's New Year's Eve deals were announced Tuesday: The private cabin experience goes for $6,250 — up to 25 guests with a full bar and a Champagne toast. Individual tickets start at $250. Ticket information: highrollersales@caesars.com. ...
A Montana sports columnist is lobbying for Bobby Hauck to be the next head football coach at Montana State University. Hauck's University of Montana teams won five of seven games against MSU and 80 of 97 overall before he was hired at UNLV in 2009. Bill Foley of the Butte Montana Standard wrote Hauck might be ready to switch allegiances after the UM administration didn't give him a courtesy call when the Grizzlies job opened after he left UNLV a year ago.
On this day
Dec. 2, 2010: Steve Wynn's British girlfriend, Andrea Hissom, is spotted sporting a huge engagement ring. They would marry on April 30, 2011, with Clint Eastwood serving as Wynn's best man. Garth Brooks sang "Friends in Low Places" at a party the night before the wedding.
Sightings
Mike Tyson, on hand for the unveiling of his wax likeness at Madame Tussauds on Tuesday. ... Supermodel Kate Upton, celebrating at Lily Bar & Lounge in Bellagio on Monday with galpals.
The punch line
"The Philadelphia 76ers set a new record for the longest losing streak in American sports history, with 28 losses in a row since last season. You know the 76ers are bad when they leave the game early to beat traffic." — Jimmy Fallon
— Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. On Twitter: @Norm_Clarke
