Best of the City 2023: Paradise

Sep 18, 2023

While social media continues to bemoan our lack of a metropolitan art museum, the Barrick has been quietly showing exhibits — usually by local artists — that you’d find in just such a place. Furthermore, its curative focus on community-first art reflective of marginalized communities bears similarities to that of other university and urban museums in the Southwest. With as many as six exhibits going at any given time, there’s no such thing as downtime at the hardest-working art space in the desert. MP | unlv.edu/barrickmuseum

No music hall with a bowling alley should be this inviting. But it works. In fact, bowling while bands play behind you somehow works, too. Frankly, we have willed it to work because no other music venue in town — even in the neon saturnalia that is the Strip — aims to have as joyous a music experience, or as diverse a booking calendar, as this concert space in the Linq Promenade. And if they will book it, we will come. And dance. And quite possibly bowl. MP | brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

Gone are the days when several ambitious production shows would debut annually on the Strip. Who has that kind of dough anymore? Having escaped bankruptcy itself, Cirque du Soleil sought to avoid another R.U.N-sized flop and settle on a variety show light on stage production and heavy on old-school entertainment — vaudevillian comedy and a few music performances flecked with the athletic derring-do long associated with the Quebec company. That’s hardly a slam-dunk elevator pitch, but in modern-day Vegas, it does the trick nicely. Mostly because it’s legitimately funny, and man, do we need a laugh. MP | cirquedusoleil.com/mad-apple

Thanks to the revival of retro activities through shows such as Stranger Things, roller skating has gotten a huge boost in popularity. Don’t believe me? Try to keep count of how many Hellfire Club shirts you see next time you go. For just $20 ($15 if you’ve got your own skates), a few laps around Skate Rock City easily turns into a cyclical reverie of nostalgia. Even if you find yourself occasionally falling, it’s hard not to have fun with a DJ keeping the vibes right, groovy overhead lights, and the sound of hundreds of wheels rolling together in harmony. EDV | skaterockcity.com

Although it opened 51 years ago, UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre is still the best venue to catch community-oriented music and theater productions. Initially acting as home base for the nascent Nevada Ballet Theatre, the building’s stage now hosts the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, as well as many of Opera Las Vegas’ performances. Popular shows tend to sell out the 550 seats, so if the next opera or musical piques your interest, jump on it! AD | unlv.edu/maps/jbt

Twenty years after Disney California Adventure Park’s ride Soarin’ Over California began offering audiences the experience of flight, Pursuit created its own version. At the Showcase Mall, find FlyOver Las Vegas, currently gliding over the American West (which took 100 hours of filming), Iceland, or the Canadian Rockies. Strapped in their seats and their feet dangling, guests feel “six degrees of motion,” mists, and scents immersed in front of an 8K, spherical 52-foot screen. KDS | flyoverlasvegas.com

Bazaar Meat by José Andrés in the Sahara Las Vegas offers two tasting menus: “José’s Way” and “Ultimate,” both with at least a dozen different dishes, from land and sea, both traditional and experimental. Foie gras is transformed into a fluff of “cotton candy,” and “olives” are liquid-filled spheres that pop in your mouth. The steak tartare is a spot-on rendition of the classic dish. Served with the main courses, the potato puree, described on the menu as “butter, butter, more butter, some potatoes,” is the comfort food you wish your mama made. LTR | thebazaar.com

Too many times have I been desperate for a makeover, only to end up with a new DIY-do with uneven bangs and splotchy highlights. Learn from my mistakes: If you’re in crisis, trust the professionals. This salon has been reinventing locals through the magic of styling since 2006. Never suffer through another bad hair day. Get a complete chop, funky color, unique braid design, or texture treatment from stylists who are determined to make you feel more like yourself. BJ | hotboxsalon.com

This gym is a flex, embodied. Fit Club LV is unapologetically flashy with its retro Miami Beach aesthetic that nods to the golden era of bodybuilding. Get a workout here that will leave you glowing as bright as the neon ceiling. Ultimate fitness enthusiasts will enjoy the pump with elite equipment and trainers that you won’t find at just any gym. It’s a vibe. BJ | fitclubvegas.com

If you want to get far, far from Target and the Gap, both aesthetically and geographically, there's Cash 4 Chaos. Open since 1998 (just a decade after Hot Topic, thanks), the shop carries a full complement of bondage pants and brocade corsets, as well as bowling shirts and pinup-style wiggle dresses. If you need to restock your T-shirts, Cash 4 Chaos carries an assortment of two-for-$20 tees emblazoned with punk bands such as the Misfits, rock icons such as David Bowie, or one of goth’s three graces — Morticia, Vampira, Elvira. A small but well-curated selection of vinyl and monster movie/vintage Halloween tchotchkes also make for promising gifts, although whether that treat is for yourself or someone else is up to you. LTR | cash4chaos.com

Although light on literature, the Realms Within makes up for it in atmosphere and style. For your spiritual objectivist cravings: All manner of chakra stones and divining utensils can be obtained. It also provides an expansive events calendar with sound baths and meditation circles. Services include reiki, shamanic reiki, and past-life regression meditation. The Realms Within vibes high among similar shops. BH | therealmswithin.com

Admittedly, I’ve forgotten many a birthday, anniversary, or Hallmark-inspired holiday. But in my absentmindedness, I have learned that flowers solve everything. This florist offers same-day delivery all over the valley, so it’s a lifesaver (and relationship-saver). Its selection includes everything from flowers and succulents to candles and soaking salts. A handcrafted arrangement is the perfect way to tell your loved one, “I’m thinking of you,” even if they actually slipped your mind. BJ | whispersandhoney.com