Wynn says Ephron ‘adored’ Las Vegas
Shortly after awakening on Wednesday, Elaine Wynn made a mental note: Send an email to good friend Nora Ephron.
"We had not spoken for some time, and I wanted to send her my love and let her know I was coming back to New York this summer," Wynn said.
Then off she went on her morning walk.
Upon returning, Wynn started to browse the headlines of one of her morning newspapers, and "I just froze."
The beloved screenwriter, author and playwright, whose box office successes included "When Harry Met Sally ..." and "Sleepless in Seattle," died Tuesday. She was 71.
"I had no idea she was ill," Wynn said. "I was completely caught off guard, but I guess I was intuitively connected to her."
They became fast friends during dinner at Prime steakhouse, not long after Bellagio opened in 1998.
Ephron, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, was in town with Mike Nichols, who had directed "Silkwood," the 1983 film co-written by Ephron and Alice Arlen. The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards.
"They were scouting the (dancing) fountains for a movie," recalled Wynn, who was with her then-husband, hotel developer Steve Wynn.
"She was delightful," Elaine Wynn said. Their friendship grew during Ephron's return trips to Las Vegas with husband and writer Nicholas Pileggi, best known for "Casino" and "Goodfellas."
"She just adored Las Vegas," Wynn said. "She would always come in with her fancy friends, and she made me so proud. I have never had anyone so sophisticated and accomplished talk about this place with such love.
"It always was a giggle for me because a lot of people from back East were snobby. She just thought this place was the cat's meow," Wynn said.
Ephron was a foodie, and her favorite restaurant was SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas, Wynn said.
"She was the first to tell me about Lotus of Siam," she said. "Every time she was here she insisted on going to SW. She loved the truffle creamed corn. I could never get her to try another restaurant."
Finally, Wynn persuaded Ephron to dine with her at Botero, the steakhouse at Encore.
The next day, Wynn got a call from an ecstatic Ephron.
"Their flight had been canceled. She was gleeful. That meant she was going back to SW.
"I will miss her, and Las Vegas will miss her as a great champion of our city," she said.
THE NAME GAME
Early in my newspaper career, I got hooked on San Francisco's legendary man-about-town Herb Caen.
He loved to mention names that made readers chuckle and there was no shortage of 'em in the San Francisco area.
I'm thinking Herb, who died in 1997, would be amused to hear my nomination for his ever-entertaining Names Hall of Fame.
Among the spectators watching today's European championship semifinal game between Germany and Italy at the Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas will be Berlin Germany.
Nein, you say. Well, it gets even better.
Germany, a Las Vegas resident and scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is celebrating his 59th birthday today. "And for my 60th we're going to Berlin," said Germany, who grew up - you guessed it - near San Francisco.
The last of seven children, he is not sure how he got his name. All of brothers and sisters had common names.
His name will be around for a while. His son Berlin Germany Jr. has named his son Berlin Germany III.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Experts say (Jerry) Sandusky is headed for a special circle of hell in the prison system. See, you never hear about the good things the prison system does." - Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
