Índex per Autumn 2022 a Chic Compass

Virgelia Productions, Inc. launched its premier project in Tokyo, Japan, on August 21, and Mark Gunter was there with his camera for the photo shoot. The successful black-tie dinner and fashion show at the Hilton Hotel Tokyo was where approximately 400 of Tokyo’s socialites gathered to witness the latest couture collections of Los Angeles-based fashion designers Will Franco and Tommy Le. Emceed by the legendary Tokyo-based Greg Irwin, models were serenaded by ballads and romantic violins as they walked the red carpet and showed off their exquisite gowns amid murmurs of delight.…

Nevada (particularly Las Vegas) is so proud to have a very talented, creative, and radical artist in residence with a unique style of his own! I am referring to Gig Depio, a local painter who focuses mainly on public art and large-scale oil paintings. Once you see one of his paintings, it will forever be imprinted on your memory. Aside from creating gigantic works of art, his style is one of a kind, best described in strong rough strokes of massive swirls and converging lines. His painting technique is "Alla Prima," meaning wet-on-wet, layering wet paint over previously administered layers of wet paint in one sitting. He uses oil as his medium for canvas, board, and murals (artwork applied directly to a wall). Depio’s topics cover American culture and its…

Proper planning will almost always ensure successful results. Lack of planning will result in unanticipated consequences that could have been easily avoided and may prove detrimental to the continued existence of the company. I am writing this article to provide specific insight and direction on preparing your business for the future. There will always be multiple challenges in the lifecycle of a business operation. None is more evident than the lack of planning for the continued operations due to retirement, sickness, or death of the existing ownership. The goal is always to be ahead of the curve and minimize or eliminate unwanted surprises that can negatively impact the long-term health and well-being of the company. In the last five years, I have witnessed this situation multiple times in Las Vegas,…

I was excited to write about Christopher Todd of Christopher Todd Design since his store is right around the corner from where I live. I knew it would be fun when I met him to arrange the interview. Christopher Todd is a handsome, friendly man with twinkly blue eyes and a broad smile that exudes joy in what he does for a living. He is a southern boy, full of stories … and had many to tell. Christopher Todd Hall grew up in Monticello, a small town of 8,000 in Arkansas, with parents who adored him and his talent. Christopher says, “they were always proud of me and loved to show off what I created. I was spoiled.” While in 8th grade, Todd (as he was called then) went to…

It’s often said that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Take one glance at Mario Barth, and you might assume he’s a real “bad boy.” Well, he is, but not in the way you might think. With his wild mane, beefy arms, multiple tattoos, and biker-chic wardrobe, the Austrian native presents an imposing figure. Nevertheless, you’ll soon realize that Mario Barth has more layers than a Vidalia onion. And he’s probably even sweeter. I first met Mario Barth at a lunch meeting to discuss this article. He and his close friend, producer Norbert Aleman (CRAZY GIRLS), were already seated when I arrived. Mario stood up and shook my hand with an imposing grip… and the aura of his presence was palpable. Sometimes you can feel the power of…

Cleveland, Ohio-born Kelley Poling has transitioned from being one of the top bathing suit and athletic models of the late 90s to work as an actress in film and television today. As a model, Kelley worked on campaigns with Hawaiian Tropic, Nike, Yamaha, and Harley Davidson. For a year between her modeling and acting career, she was on tour with Madonna. Having grown up in a military family, she is also a marksman with handguns, rifles, and archery. Kelley is also trained in automatic weapons and martial arts techniques specific to film and television. When not filming, she travels the world as a competitive Classical Fencer and is proficient with foil, small-sword, dueling sword, rapier, and saber. Poling has been training for more than 20 years in New York with…

Since the mid-’90s, saxophonist Paul Taylor has been firing up stages with his passionate and energetic performances. His first album, On the Horn, debuted in 1995, and he has released twelve albums throughout his 25-year-plus career. Constantly stretching his creative horizons, Taylor’s eclectic styling of music reaches across the genres of urban jazz, smooth jazz, funk, and electronic/pop. With his newest album, And Now This, created via the exchange of digital files during the Pandemic, Paul Taylor and his collaborator, producer, and co-writer, Dino Esposito, have once again hit the charts with #1 songs. A graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - Division of Jazz and Commerical Music, Taylor decided to make Las Vegas his home after graduation. He has toured extensively with top artists such as…

VIVID. Vivid color, Vivid content. Vivid passion. Vincent Van Gogh famously painted several self-portraits. More artists have become their subjects than we know. The audacity and irony of a writer painting a picture of an artist are perhaps less likely. I will attempt to paint the story of Pamela Nielsen using a few essential elements. Nielsen, a native of Toronto, brought many elements to the easel to begin this process. Her life up until that moment had all the ingredients to pull off a task like that with confidence and just enough edge to describe her powerful and vividly colorful art pieces. What was unknown at the time was I had been admiring a work of hers at the local popular restaurant DW Bistro for years – I just did…

News flash for Las Vegas culture vultures! A stunning new museum formally opens its doors this fall to showcase the life work of a prolific, remarkable local artist extraordinaire. Can you name the artist? And the location of this treasure? Although most locals would not recognize Rita Deanin Abbey as an artist, many would recognize several of her landmark pieces in the community. They include Spirit Tower, the 20ft. one-ton Corten steel sculpture greeting visitors to the Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center, or the monumental Isaiah Stained-Glass Windows (16 windows 10’x 2’ each) at Temple Beth Shalom. Visitors to UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre before 2000 will recall Bridge Mountain (1974), the massive lobby mural welcoming audiences with a 30’ span of riotous color and undulating energy, now happily at…

Siena Italian Authentic Trattoria and Deli in Summerlin, Las Vegas, has its roots in 1978 when it operated in a small space near UNLV. It has since moved to affluent Summerlin in 2008. Over the years, they have expanded to a spacious 12,000-square-foot contemporary restaurant, Deli, bakery, lounge, and marketplace under one roof. What keeps motivating this bustling restaurant with a dedicated chef-owner and personal staff to have an average of 10,000 covers per quarter? According to Executive Chef Partner Giancarlo Bomparola, “it is the ability to intuitively and genuinely know the needs of your venue and your staff after decades in the business. Being aware that one must keep growing and training the staff to meet the ever-changing demands of the public and the current world situation while being…