I live in the world's best city for nightlife. Here's why Las Vegas deserves that title.
Las Vegas being named Time Out's top city for nightlife —part of a global survey of what locals love best about their cities—is well deserved. The desert destination has added so many entertainment and nightlife alternatives into what was once a gambling-centric town that it should be applauded for its ability to adapt and change to current trends. These days that means catering to millennials and Gen Z visitors who seek out experiences to share on their social media accounts that aren't limited to nights out at the bars or dancing in nightclubs.
In my years living in Las Vegas, I've seen a lot of change. Here, a night out means many things.
There are shows like ABSINTHE and Atomic Saloon that push both physical and comedic boundaries, an entire compound of immersive activities, museums and walk-through participatory exhibits like the John Wick Experience and Meow Wolf's Omega Mart at AREA15, and places to challenge friends at mini-golf, axe throwing or darts. And that's before we even get to an always-packed slate of concerts, theater, comedy and professional sports. So, Las Vegas has plenty of options after dark.
As synonymous with Vegas as they seem now, nightclubs in casino-resorts are actually relatively new here. In fact, they've barely hit drinking age. One of the first megaclubs, Pure Nightclub (now OMNIA) debuted at Caesars Palace in 2004 and was joined a year later by Tao at the Venetian. Together, they ushered in the massive celebrity-driven DJ culture that's still spreading to other resorts today—and is highlighted by one of the city's biggest annual events: the Electric Daisy Carnival.
Nightclubs aren't the only game in town. They now compete for attention with downtown breweries, tons of tiki bars and dozens of speakeasies as the city's most popular places to grab a drink. But concerts and residencies have become the true lifeblood of entertainment for us in Las Vegas.
Take, for example, a recent week in mid-July when we were lucky enough to witness the opening of two new residencies—Kelly Clarkson at Caesars Palace and Backstreet Boys at Sphere —at the same time that Lady Gaga's Mayhem tour kicked off with three nights at T-Mobile Arena. Not a bad week.
Now granted, Las Vegas is not the bargain it used to be. Paid parking and rising drink prices that hover around $20 have both been mocked online, but visitors generally seem to accept them. On the affordability scale, a majority of respondents to Time Out's survey thought grabbing a cup of coffee (66 percent) or getting a drink at a bar (57 percent) was affordable in Vegas, but they sour on the cost of theater, music and clubbing with 74 percent of people saying that going out to a nightclub is no longer affordable.
What's got me most excited right now, though, is what's happening in the Arts District. Also known as 18b, the 18-block bohemian neighborhood just north of the Strat is a walkable district that's home to First Friday, a monthly arts festival and block party, along with a collection of bars and restaurants.
We're seeing the biggest changes here along Commerce and Main Street where several new standout cocktail lounges like Nocturno, Petite Boheme and Doberman have all opened in recent months. You could spend the evening inside the vinyl listening room at Echo-Taste and Sound, sipping Japanese whiskey at Bar Ginza or grabbing a craft beer at one of the breweries in the area. It's here among the vintage shops, art galleries and performance spaces you'll find us locals meeting up with each other or accompanying out-of-town friends for a night of barhopping—and an unforgettable evening that's literally the best in the world.
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Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
Escape the hordes at Greece's last great off-the-radar glories
Tiers of whitewashed houses tumbling down to impossibly blue coves, charming tavernas serving the classics in sleepy villages, and greetings of 'opa' from exuberant locals… Our rose-tinted idea of the Greek island idyll is now all too often a nostalgic cliché which no longer truly exists. These days the most popular resorts on the Greek island big hitters – the likes of Crete, Corfu and Mykonos – seem more focussed on Instagram appeal, where Gen-Zedders and wannabe influencers think nothing of shelling out €150-plus for a beach lounger for a day. In the main streets you're never far away from a big chain, from Zara to Starbucks, and even the so-called 'hidden gems' are now on most tourists' checklists. But for those still seeking that archetypal authentic Greek island holiday – and perhaps looking to experience must-sees a little differently – help is at hand. Here's our selection of the loveliest off-the-radar spots which the tourist hordes haven't yet discovered, and where the hazy, dreamy Greece of yesteryear lives on. Skopelos Before hosting the Mamma Mia nuptials, this small island in the Cyclades was barely on the tourist trail. Now, however, you'll find more tours in its tiny hilltop Agios Ioannis church than olives in a Greek restaurant. Yes, it's pretty as a picture, but so are the other 360 or so chapels and churches dotted around the island. Go beyond this popular spot, however, and you'll soon find Skopelos – 80 per cent of which is covered by pine forest – retains much of its traditional charm. This is helped by the fact that the island has no airport (just frequent ferries from neighbouring Skiathos), meaning it gets a fraction of the tourists it otherwise might. The stunning Panormos beach, with its deep crystal clear waters, is 12km from Skopelos town and popular for divers keen to explore the wreck of the Greek cargo steamer Christoforos, which sank in 1983. It's a large beach with parasols and beds (some free, some around €5 a day), but it's also possible to hire a motorboat to seek out one of many deserted coves along the coastline that are inaccessible by road. For some authentic Skopelitan shopping, the Rodios pottery workshop and store in Skopelos Town is the place to to buy the island's patented black pottery. Since 1900, four generations of the Rodios family have continued their tradition of creating unique black ceramics, and you can even watch Nikos Rodios at work at their original foot-operated wheel. Just don't ask him to reveal how the pottery achieves its celebrated colour – it's a closely guarded secret. Portaria and Makrinitsa The third largest port in Greece (after Athens and Thessaloniki) and an important industrial hub, Volos is about as far from textbook Hellenic paradise as you can get. But there's more to it than meets the eye. For those seeking something rather special, it's also the gateway to the lush hills of Mount Pelion, where the ancient Centaurs (half-man, half-horse) are said to have brought up the young hero Jason, who went on to lead his Argonauts in the quest to find the Golden Fleece. Pelion was also believed to be the summer residence of the Olympian Gods, who enjoyed its abundance of figs, olives and pomegranates under the pine and cypress trees. Half an hour's drive up the winding hillside, the twin villages of Portaria and Makrinitsa appear like an illustrated pop-up book. Plane trees with maple-shaped leaves grow close to the abundant natural springs dotted all around Makrinitsa, offering soothing shade for those keen to take a dip. The town square, meanwhile, is the heart of the village, filled with tiny shops selling bunches of mountain herbs to cure all ills. Even the local cats are on a go-slow; you simply can't help but relax here. Skyros The fishing village of Linaria is the port stop for Skyros, from where a €15 taxi will take you to the main town (or Chora – the name for most Greek island capitals). Here, the medina-like streets and white-cubed buildings seem to cling to the hillside, which is topped by the Byzantine Castle and Monastery of Skyros. Not being much of a shopper myself, it was refreshing to see something different being offered in the quirky stores along the marbled walkways: miniature boats made of driftwood and sailors twine; traditional Trochadia sandals made of leather with rubber soles from car tyres (certainly more unusual than the ubiquitous Birkenstock); and Skyrian macarons topped with a clove and stuffed with walnuts and thyme-scented honey. The island's network of old footpaths appeals to both hikers and those keen to seek out isolated beaches, the walk made all the lovelier by the wild Skyros' ponies, one of the rarest equines in the world, who roam the mountains. Patmos Known variously as the Jerusalem of the Aegean, the Holy Island or the Island of the Apocalypse, Patmos is famous for its religious legacy. A day trip here will likely include a visit to the Monastery of St John and the Cave of the Apocalypse, where you will see such treasures as the skull of doubting apostle St Thomas. The museum houses the late 5th century Gospel According to Mark, one of the sources for the text of the New Testament, and in the Cave of Revelations you can touch the crevices in the wall where St John steadied himself while receiving the heavenly revelations. Perhaps not a huge draw for everyone, but of special importance for many. Less likely to be on everyone's radar is Patmian House, a living museum which not only reflects a typical wealthy family home, but also depicts the way in which wealth is passed down through the daughters, rather than the sons, of each family. Perhaps the Greeks were on to something from the start… How to do it Most major cruise lines offer itineraries covering various Greek isles – but bear in mind that companies with smaller vessels can reach a wider range of islands, and – better still – have the flexibility to adapt itineraries depending on the sailing conditions, opening up more opportunities to get off the typical tourist trail. A good option is SeaDream, a line whose catchphrase is 'It's yachting, not cruising': you're technically on a cruise, but with a yachting mindset, allowing for a flexible route which often leads to bonus destinations not on the original itinerary (such as Kusadasi in Turkey to see the ancient city of Ephesus by night). Choosing to sail with a company like SeaDream also often means additional comforts (nightly turndown gifts such as monogrammed pyjamas and personalised water bottles, for example), and experiential highlights such as sleeping under the stars on the top deck or zooming down a huge inflatable slide straight into the Aegean. What to book SeaDream Yacht Club (020 7399 7670) has an 11-day Greek Odyssey round-trip from Athens. Prices from £12,465 per person, including return flights from London Heathrow, overseas transfers and all meals and drinks, use of waterspouts equipment, gratuities and port fees. Departs September 19 2026. If you'd like to tack on a few days in Athens pre-cruise, the five-star Xenodocheio Milos hotel has rooms from £259 (including breakfast), as well as a fabulous spa, superb fish restaurant, and great location close to Athens's most famous sites and buzzy areas such as Psyri, Kolonaki and Pangrati.
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Are young women finally being spared the unique cruelty of male literary opinions?
Gen X, millennial and gen Z men are reading less than boomers and older generations in Australia, and there's only one good thing about it. Thirsty, bookish young women might now be spared the niche heterofatalist torture of a sexual objective frustrated by the obstacle of male literary opinion. Oh, what a second-by-second social negotiation it was; if she hadn't read the enthused-about text, would her desired object find her vapid and shallow? If she had read it, she was in even more trouble: would his interest be piqued or levelled dare she confess she found Stranger in a Strange Land a meandering journey? Would she argue Fight Club beat you around the head with its message? Would the young woman really have to listen to him read out bits from And the Ass Saw the Angel before his pants removal? I'm grateful, at least, that the latest generation of girls who bear the heterosexual burden are unlikely to experience the unique cruelty of collective, instant male disinterest after blurting out 'Goldberry is a completely unnecessary character!' amid casual Lord of the Rings chat at the pub. But I am sad that, if figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and discussed by the ABC last week are to be believed, the steps of this complex, sometimes ugly, sometimes exhilarating dance may be becoming the stuff of anthropological archives rather than an ongoing scene of potential frisson. The ABS data does exclude reading for study or any online reading – including news – so it's possible younger men are indulging in the written word in other areas. Oh, boys; with the passage of time, have your forsaken your Goldberry … or have you forgotten her entirely? It's even sadder news that reading is down across the board. Among Australian senior school students, according to Australia Reads, 29% of them did not reportedly read a physical book last year. It's not an Australian problem. In the 1970s, 60% of American year 12 students read daily. By 2016, it was 16%. Obviously, screens, the internet, binge TV replacing long-form narrative consumption habits and the – yes, again – handheld doom machines are accessories to their cultural decline. Johann Hari's excellent book Stolen Focus explains in detail how technology has 'hacked' our attention spans for short-form, immediate interruption, with the result of rewiring our brains against the concentration required to immerse in a book. In case you can't find the time, energy or quietude to read it, Hari also explains that overwork, chronic stress, ultra-processed foods, poor sleep and environmental stressors are compounding the problem. Neuroscientists agree: Prof Maryanne Wolf has warned that reduced practice in sustained reading may not only weaken the brain's capacity to manage complex texts, but might also denude critical thinking, empathy and cognitive depth. This is where the gendered division of the world's remaining novel readers may be most painfully felt. Anna Burkey, from the book industry initiative Australia Reads, told the ABC that studies have shown parents read less to their male children than female ones, reinforcing an unconscious pattern that puts crucial developmental tools further away from boys who need them. As educators, male literary identity Brandon Jack and the Tough Guy book club movement strategise how to reverse the damage of gender-holing literary curiosity and get books back into boys' hands, the rest of us must grapple with the emotional world the present reading divide has contributed to creating. It's a gendered empathy deficit. Not only does it facilitate social carelessness and cruelty, but it is socially isolating. And it is leaving men and boys lonely and socially isolated at disproportional rates compared with women and girls. Nearly 43% of Australian men report loneliness, a recent survey shows, with 16% experiencing severe loneliness. I can't help but recall advice my mother gave me growing up as an only child with working parents: 'You'll never feel alone if you make friends with books.' I didn't, because I did. Humans invented storytelling in order to provide lessons in survival: we faced this, we dealt with it this way, this is the result, for good or ill. Sure, we can get stories from screens, but as that market has widened it's also flattened; a 'new literalism' of storytelling on screens has emerged of such comprehensive over-explication that there are few imaginative demands placed on viewers at all. It's from the imaginative, interpretative effort of reading stories from text that our brains wire a broader, personally felt social understanding, which provide us strategies for forming connections, maintaining relationships, overcoming restrictive and uncomfortable social roles, and being able to negotiate systems of help and of care. The same social psychologist who tracked the decline in reading among American teenagers published data from her 40-year longitudinal study identifying a maturity regression among today's western young people. They're having less sex, fewer dates, less civic participation and drinking less, meaning that 18-year-olds are more like how 15-year-olds used to be 40 years ago. Other scholars confirm; the rising generations have become more risk-averse. I've argued that the omnipresent social surveillance of mobile phone technology may be a reason … but one wonders if it's partially because they're consuming less vicarious experience from books to construct informed risk matrices around what they're likely to encounter. There are always social and emotional risks in the dance of sexual attraction. But sometimes, ah – mutual book-learnin' left boys and girls with some stories to tell. Van Badham is a Guardian Australia columnist.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
How Jenna Ortega became Gen Z's ultimate scream queen… from Johnny Depp rumours to ‘toxic' allegations & THAT sex scene
Scroll down for Jenna Ortega's seven most iconic roles, from a horror reboot to a role she played aged just 12 THE NEXT JEN How Jenna Ortega became Gen Z's ultimate scream queen… from Johnny Depp rumours to 'toxic' allegations & THAT sex scene Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOWBIZ writer Ashleigh Rainbird reveals how Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has dealt with her meteoric rise to superstardom. Last year, Jenna Ortega said she was sick of the sight of her own face. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 11 Ashleigh Rainbird reveals how Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has dealt with her meteoric rise to superstardom Credit: getty 11 Jenna as Wednesday Addams in Netflix hit Wednesday Credit: wednesday In 2024 alone, she starred in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, fronted campaigns for Dior Beauty and Neutrogena, and joined singer Sabrina Carpenter in her music video for summer's smash hit Taste. There was also that 'disturbing' viral sex scene alongside 53-year-old Martin Freeman in thriller Miller's Girl. 'I got sick of myself,' she told Variety magazine. 'My face was everywhere.' Now, however, Jenna is back, with the highly anticipated second series of Wednesday hitting Netflix on August 6 – and that face is set to become more ubiquitous than ever. A former child star, she was catapulted into the A list when Wednesday – viewed 252 million times and counting – launched in 2022. And by her own refreshingly candid admission, that rapid rise to the top was overwhelming. 'To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person,' she told Harper's Bazaar in May. 'After the pressure, the attention – as somebody who's quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.' 'Having been on the wrong side of the rumour mill was eye-opening' The eight-month shoot in Romania had been challenging, with Jenna revealing: 'I was alone. Never had any hot water. The boilers in two of my apartments were broken, so I always took cold showers.' To make matters worse, her original request to have a producer credit was rejected, and she alluded to tensions behind the scenes, describing her own behaviour as 'almost unprofessional', changing scripts without telling the writers if she felt aspects 'did not make sense for her character at all.' Most controversial sex scenes after THAT Jenna Ortega & Martin Freeman romp… including stars who 'had real sex on film' The comments drew her first taste of controversy, coming at a delicate time in the industry when the US writers' strike was in full swing. The backlash was swift, with writers on social media slamming her behaviour as 'entitled' and 'toxic'. 'I feel like being a bully is very popular right now,' she said. 'Having been on the wrong side of the rumour mill was incredibly eye-opening.' Fortunately, Jenna, 22, is not one to put up with being bullied. Forthright and tenacious, she has always shown herself to be determined, from convincing her parents to allow her to become an actress, to her recent struggles with OCD that have seen her having to complete the same action many times and count things over and over in her head. Growing up in La Quinta, California, with her five siblings and parents of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, Jenna knew she wanted to become an actress at just six years old, after being inspired by Dakota Fanning in the 2004 Denzel Washington movie Man On Fire. Her mum Natalie, an ER nurse, has revealed that, only weeks earlier, Jenna had designs on becoming the first female US president, and before that had her sights set on going into space. So, initially, Natalie and Jenna's dad Edward, a sheriff, dismissed it as just another phase. Once they realised she was serious, it took three years to convince them that acting was a good idea. The kids grew up catching scorpions and even a rattlesnake to keep as pets. Yet her parents feared worse dangers lurked in Hollywood. 'Mom wasn't sure about putting me in this industry that she had heard such terrible things about,' Jenna said. But she pestered relentlessly. 11 Jenna with Sabrina Carpenter in the singer's Taste video Credit: instagram In 2010, Natalie posted a video recording of her then-seven-year-old daughter performing a monologue to Facebook 'as a joke', Jenna insists, and a casting agent got in touch. Reluctantly, Natalie relented because, as Jenna put it: 'She thought I might hold it against her for the rest of my life!' By the time she was nine, she had appeared in a Colgate advert, at 12 she had a recurring role as the young Jane in Netflix show Jane The Virgin and, aged 13, she had a main role in Disney comedy series Stuck In The Middle. Though it meant constantly travelling between her home and LA for castings and filming, she's said her mum 'watched over me like a hawk', and that: 'I see why my parents felt so hesitant about it, because you're putting a child in an adult workplace. Children aren't supposed to be working like that. They are supposed to be climbing trees and drawing and going to school.' 'Former child stars have a jaded way about us' Only allowed to take roles if she achieved straight-A grades, got plenty of sleep and socialised with school friends, Jenna remained in school to maintain a sense of normality. She was still just 17 when she filmed Netflix's serial killer drama You opposite Penn Badgley. But it was winning the role of Tara Carpenter in 2022's Scream that would set her on course to become Gen Z's scream queen, with roles in slasher film X and comedy horror American Carnage. Her horror credentials appealed to gothic film director Tim Burton, who was casting a new spin-off of The Addams Family. She jumped on a Zoom call with him while filming X in New Zealand, still drenched in stage blood and with a prosthetic bullet hole in her head, fittingly. Tim was blown away, and cast her as his title character Wednesday within five minutes, saying she had the character 'in her soul'. After wrapping that tough first season, Jenna intended to take time off and signed up to spend a summer working on a farm in Iceland. But when Tim presented her with the script for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, released last year, she shelved her plans. While filming the 2024 movie, she grew close to co-star and former fellow child star Winona Ryder. Likewise, she is also friends with Natalie Portman, after they met while filming The Gallerist. She likens their unique shared experiences to having a 'secret little language' together, and says she and Winona can almost 'read each other's minds'. Jenna credits the pair as having helped her navigate the perils of fame. She told Harper's Bazaar: 'They've seen it all, and, honestly, during a much darker time in Hollywood. 'We've all got this jaded way about us that I don't think we'd have if we hadn't started so young and had so many brutal realisations and experiences. But they turned out all right.' They surely had plenty of advice when gossip swirled that she was secretly dating 62-year-old actor Johnny Depp (Winona's ex-boyfriend from the '90s). The pair have actually never met, but even her castmates on her recent film Death Of A Unicorn grilled her about it. 'I was on set with Richard E Grant and he came up to me and said: 'Oh, so you and Johnny?'' she told Buzzfeed. 'I laughed, because I don't know that person.' Johnny, too, released a statement saying he had 'no personal or professional relationship with Ms Ortega whatsoever', and called the claims 'malicious'. 'I don't plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that's mine' Last year, Jenna told Vanity Fair that she would always seek to keep her private life private. 'I don't plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that's mine,' she said. 'When you know too much about someone's personal life, then you watch films and you can only see them – there's nothing worse.' In 2018, she was linked to fellow Disney star Asher Angel, after the pair dressed as another famous couple, Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson, for Halloween. She never confirmed their relationship, but in 2023, Jenna told Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast: 'I was in a relationship for a couple of years, but I stopped it when things got too hectic. 11 With her parents Edward and Natalie Credit: Instagram 'And it had nothing to do with them. . . I just couldn't manage all the things.' Her career is going from strength to strength, and there is certainly plenty to manage. She plans to remake Single White Female with actress Taylor Russell, who previously dated Harry Styles. The fact that neither of them are 'white' has already drawn 'stupid comments', prompting Jenna to quip the pair might 'just call it Single Female'. The actress is proud of her heritage, and is intent on using her platform for good, as per her mum's insistence. She's spoken out against LA's immigration raids, and wants to be a positive role model for young Puerto Rican girls, which undoubtedly she already is. She has spent a decade working on her own movie script, has designs on being a recording artist, too, and is likely to break more Netflix streaming records when the second series of Wednesday is released in just over a week. Jenna really will have to just get used to seeing her face everywhere for the forseeable future. Jenna Ortega's seven most iconic roles 11 Jenna played eight-year-old Jane Villanueva in Netflix comedy series Jane the Virgin Jane The Virgin (2014) Jenna played the eight-year-old Jane Villanueva in the Netflix comedy series, appearing in 30 episodes from the age of 12. The role obviously struck a nerve with the actress, who later said: 'I really miss Jane!' 11 Jenna played Harley, the fourth of seven siblings in Disney series Stuck In The Middle Credit: getty Stuck In The Middle (2016) Though she has five siblings of her own, in TV land Jenna played Harley, the fourth of seven siblings in this Disney series. She said: 'I love the cast, the crew was amazing – everyone is so talented.' 11 Ortega in creepy Netflix thriller You Credit: you You (2019) In the second season of this creepy Netflix thriller, Jenna played 15-year-old Ellie, Joe Goldberg's new neighbour with a troubled background. She didn't return for any subsequent seasons, sadly. 11 Jenna as Tara Carpenter in Scream Scream (2022) A legacy sequel to the original film, released 25 years later, starred Jenna as high-schooler Tara Carpenter, who somehow manages to survive the ghostface killer – and the subsequent franchise films. 11 Wednesday is perhaps Jenna's most iconic role to date Credit: wednesday Wednesday (2022) With her gothy outfits, jet-black fringe and perfected glower, it feels like Jenna was born to play this role. Season one saw her break the internet with her macabre dancing, now known as the 'Wednesday dance'. 11 Jenna as Astrid and Winona Ryder as Lydia in Beatlejuice Beatlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) The much-longed-for sequel gave Jenna the chance to play Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). She later admitted she was scared of the original, but working on the new one was 'unbelievable'. 11 Jenna starred in dark comedy Death Of A Unicorn, alongside Paul Rudd and Will Poulter Death Of A Unicorn (2025) 'There's a good chance I won't get to work with unicorns again, so when you get the opportunity you do have to take it!' said Jenna of her role in this dark comedy, also starring Paul Rudd, Richard E Grant and Will Poulter.
