Award puts Alex in upper strata
Star chef Alex Stratta celebrated his 46th birthday Friday night at L'atelier de Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand.
The real celebration came Saturday when Wine Spectator gave Stratta's restaurant, Alex, one of the six Grand Awards handed out in the world.
The who's who of the wine world attended the presentation dinner at The Venetian to honor Stratta, his master sommelier, Paolo Barbieri, and Wynn/Encore wine director Danielle Price.
Alex, one of the most decorated restaurants in town, opened at Wynn Las Vegas in 2005.
Only 75 restaurants in the world have received the Grand Award. Only four in the United States made the cut this year.
"It was one of the big, big goals we had," Stratta said. "We have won the five-star Mobil, now Forbes five-star, and Michelin twice."
Stratta credited Price and Barbieri for building the formidable wine list of 14,000 bottles and 2,000 labels. "Danielle was the orchestrator, with her relationships with wineries," he said. "It's so much Paolo's program. It's his baby."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
ABC's "Skating With the Stars" all-star cast will be revealed Tuesday during "Dancing With the Stars." The skating show debuts Nov. 22, and there's some industry buzz the six cast members will include Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil, Bethenny Frankel of "Real Housewives of New York City" and actress Sean Young. That would explain those recent Vegas Confidential sightings of him ice skating with girlfriend Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter of KSNV-TV, Channel 3.
SATURDAY SIGHTINGS
Studio 54 Halloween host Holly Madison, making a ceiling-to-floor grand entrance on a swing as Aurora of Disney's "Sleeping Beauty."..."Jersey Shore" DJ Pauly D, dressed as Justin Bieber while hosting the Night of the Killer Costumes at Moon nightclub in Palms. ... Kendra Wilkinson Baskett, dressed as a mobster's moll for her hosting duties at LAX Nightclub in Luxor. ... On-again, off-again couple Heidi Montag and husband Spencer Pratt, hosting Saturday at Pure nightclub in Caesars Palace. ... At The Venetian's Tao on Saturday: "90210" star AnnaLynne McCord, as White Queen in "Alice in Wonderland," hosting Veuve Clicquot's Yelloween celebration. ... David Arquette, recently separated from wife Courtney Cox Arquette, with show producer Jeff Beacher at XS Nightclub in Encore. ... Actress Tia Carrere, at Koi in Planet Hollywood Resort on Saturday before heading over to Matt Goss' show at Caesars. It was at a Carrere party about a decade ago that Goss and Daisy Fuentes met. On Sunday, Carrere and her parents were at Buca di Beppo restaurant on Flamingo Road, celebrating her father's birthday. ... Bombshell McGee, the other woman in the breakup of Jesse James and Sandra Bullock, was spotted Saturday in Vanity at the Hard Rock Hotel. Also there: Colorado Rockies veteran Jason Giambi, part-owner of Vanity; Austin "Chumlee" Russell of "Pawn Stars," MTV's "Daddy's Girls" star Angela Simmons; and musician Big B.
THE PUNCH LINE
"The noise has taken its toll. There's partial hearing loss among 90 percent of New York City's rats. It's even noisier in New York City if you get a room next to Charlie Sheen." -- David Letterman
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
