Weekend full of surprises for Las Vegas couple
Bartenders make the most amazing connections.
Which leads us to John and Diane’s Excellent Adventure.
Well-known Las Vegas bartender John O’Donnell and his golf-loving girlfriend, Diane Booth, just spent a magical weekend in Carmel-by-the-Sea and San Francisco.
It came together this way: O’Donnell knows an Irishman who owns a winery in Carmel Valley. The winery owner arranged for golf outings at picturesque Pebble Beach and Spanish Bay.
After their round at Pebble Beach on Saturday they headed to dinner, where the winery owner introduced O’Donnell and Booth to the new mayor of Carmel, Steve Dallas. He took one look at Booth, a 6-foot former showgirl in “Jubilee,” and made an executive decision.
Some quick background: Nearly 90 years ago, Carmel’s city attorney, for liability reasons, banned high heels more than 2 inches in height or with a base of less than 1 square inch.
“The mayor thought it would be fitting for me to be the first high-heeled permit holder he was going to sign off on,” said Booth, also a former ballerina.
So the mayor invited the Las Vegas couple down to City Hall on Monday morning to issue permit No. 1,656, one of his first official pieces of business.
“Now I’m legal and I can’t wait to pick out my favorite heels for my return trip,” said Booth, who has won Spanish Trail’s club championship for women for the past four years.
The improbable story doesn’t end there.
They wrapped up their weekend at AT&T Park, in seats given to them by San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who gave them pregame passes to walk out on the field during batting practice.
Bochy, who met O’Donnell at N9ne Steakhouse at the Palms about eight years ago, escorted the couple into his clubhouse office under the ballpark.
“He has the most incredible wine collection I’ve ever seen,” said O’Donnell, bartender and partner at Crush at MGM Grand.
“He had all the big Napa cabs (cabarets). Some restaurants in town would like to have that collection,” said O’Donnell.
When they returned to the field, Bochy was concerned Booth was dressed warm enough for the notorious Bay Area breezes. He removed his Giants jacket and gave it to her.
“It was the weekend of a lifetime. That’s as good as it gets,” said O’Donnell.
BIRTHDAY BASH
Entertainer Clint Holmes celebrated his 70th birthday with fellow singers, family, friends and cake on Monday.
It started with a surprise party in the Troesh Studio Theatre at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, thanks to Smith Center CEO and President Myron Martin.
Later, Holmes was joined at the Bootlegger Bistro, where his wife, Kelly Clinton, the host of “Open Mic Cabaret” on Mondays, brought together a talented group that included Broadway star Capathia Jenkins, her musical director Michael Mitchell, Earl Turner, Sonny Charles, Gordie Brown, Chris Phillips, Pia Zadora, Tony Sacca, Frankie Scinta, Bill Fayne, Pat Caddick and Dennis Blair.
ON THIS DAY
May 11, 2012: Gordon Ramsay, TV’s favorite abusive chef, opens his first Vegas outpost, a steakhouse at Paris Las Vegas. The “Hell’s Kitchen” star gives a cooking demonstration/press conference laden with comedy, cheery insults and F-bombs. “I’m at my all-time best,” he says.
SIGHTINGS
Comedian/actor Tracy Morgan, with his family at a Mother’s Day brunch at Eiffel Tower Restaurant on Sunday. … Country superstars Reba McEntire and Ronnie Dunn and hip-hop star Fabolous, in the audience at Lionel Richie’s show at The Axis (Planet Hollywood Resort). … What are the odds of getting all these guys under one roof on the eve of the Kentucky Derby? Gathered at Tuscany Grill in Henderson on Friday to chat with oddsmaking pioneer Roxy Roxborough: John Avello, Wynn Las Vegas; Nick Bogdanovich, William Hill; Art Manteris, Station Casinos; Vic Salerno, William Hill; and Chris Andrews, Southpoint.
THE PUNCH LINE
“It’s being reported that the Kardashians were frustrated when they were in Cuba because most Cubans have not seen their show, so they don’t know why they’re famous. As opposed to most Americans who have seen their show, and still don’t know why they’re famous.” — 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
