Celebrate in Las Vegas

There’s no denying that Las Vegas embraces cultural diversity. Even a short list of themed hotels gives nods to France (Paris Las Vegas), Burma (Mandalay Bay), Venice (The Venetian), Egypt (Luxor), Brazil (Rio) and Asia (Lucky Dragon Hotel and Casino). Here are the reasons to visit Las Vegas this year.

Cuisine

With its distinctive blend of East and West, Las Vegas Chinatown Plaza buzzes with Orientals purchasing traditional products and Occidentals exploring Asian culture. The plaza provides the city’s largest sampling of Asian cuisine that runs from Mandarin, Cantonese and Vietnamese to Japanese, Hawaiian and Chinese. Culinary aspects aside, visitors can catch the Year of the Rooster hoopla on Feb. 12 via dances, performances, cultural activities, a calligrapher, fortuneteller and vendors.

Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas will resurrect its Dim Sum Brunch with dozens of traditional Asian delicacies served tableside, and at carving stations in its extravagant buffet.

Patrons at Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino are in for a treat with Pearl Ocean’s prix fixe menu available from Jan. 28-Feb. 5. The live seafood and dim sum restaurant features a menu with stir-fried conch, Dungeness crab, and lotus root, black moss and pork tongue soup. In its live seafood room, guests can select living exotic delicacies flown in daily for preparation in both traditional and modern culinary styles.

With complementing styles from Jose Andres, China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will lure with a bevy of Chinese specialties from that includes fat choy, feng and dried oysters. On the spirits front, the restaurant will serve 50-year-old Hardy Noces d’Or Cognac from a rooster branded crystal bottle.

Other culinary options that will appease palates hankering for Asian cuisine are Fin at The Mirage, Hong Kong Café at The Venetian Las Vegas, MR CHOW at Caesars Palace, Cha Garden at Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino, Blossom at ARIA Resort & Casino, and the new Momofuku at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas that debuted on Jan. 10.

Decor

The Palazzo’s Waterfall Atrium and Gardens goes to theme with a horticulture and floral display dominated by a 15-foot tall fire hand-painted and covered with some 60,000 crystals. An 18-foot tall dragon will adorn the atrium’s infinity pond, while eight smaller hand-carved roosters are sprinkled throughout the resort.

Each season, the talented designers and horticulturalists of the Bellagio Conservatory team transform the 14,000-sq. ft. floral playground within the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at Bellagio into a showcase of the distinctive seasonal sights. A special display for Chinese New Year stands out as a singular celebration.

After entering the colorful gardens through a Moon Gate, guests find four ding pots burning incense to protect against bad fortune and bring good luck. The display also salutes the Lunar Calendar with a rooster perched atop a mountain, hen guarding her eggs and newly hatched chicks.

Encore Las Vegas and Wynn Las Vegas will sport large rooster statues, lanterns, silk dragons and 100-plus tangerine trees symbolizing wealth and good fortune in the upcoming year.

Entertainment

Yet, it wouldn’t be Las Vegas without a bit of a twist.

Credited with popularizing “Cantopop” by infusing Western-style music with street Cantonese jargon in his lyrics, Hong Kong musician Sam Hui will take the stage in The Venetian’s ballroom on Jan. 28. Considered by many to be the first major Cantopop superstar, Hui will bring his “Fun Fun Fun” tour to Las Vegas with a special guest performance by Shannon Lee (daughter of martial artist Bruce Lee).

With its members releasing more than 80 albums combined, Chinese pop-rockers Band of Brothers will light up The Park Theater at Monte Carlo on Jan. 29.

When greeted with “Gong Xi Fa Cai” during Chinese New Year festivities, simply respond with the same phrase – meaning, “Wishing you a prosperous year, too.”