Track #5 (of 5): Around Town Medley: Sunset Rd Viewing Area, Neal Portnoy Gallery, and Chinatown’s Xiao Long Dumplings
In aviation circles, it’s said that “a good landing is one you can walk away from.” (Image: Vegas 411)
One of the best free attractions in Vegas is the Sunset Rd Viewing Area alongside Harry Reid Airport where folks go to watch planes come in for landings and enjoy the scent of jet fuel (if that’s your thing).
Pulling into the observation parking lot (where there’s around 45 spots), you’ll see families relaxing on truck beds and relishing the experience, while photographers, positioned on ladders above the perimeter mesh fence, point their cameras for clear shots of the planes descending on the airport’s longest runways. During the winter season (through March 31), the lot is generally open from 9am-7pm, with extended hours (until 9pm) available during the summer (April-September).
All hail acclaimed artist extraordinaire and all-around nice guy Neal Portnoy, pictured here at his gallery. (Image: Staci Layne Wilson)
Did you know that every January 28 in the calendar year is “National Pop Art Day”? This is the day when you can raise your glass to the pop-art movement that began when artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, via their eye-popping bold creations, gloriously messed with the line dividing commercial and traditional fine art.
Famed Las Vegas-based artist Neal Portnoy celebrated the day at his downtown gallery by showing his prized and colorful felt marker illustrations of pop stars like Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, and more. The packed event, with live music and food catered by downtown’s Taverna Costera, raised money for Vegas Stronger which is helping to “reverse the devastation caused by the opioid epidemic to our community.”
People like singer Heather Lomax clearly need people like Patrick Vitagliano, frontman of the Bones. (Image: Vegas 411)
Back in June 2021, I hosted the first “People Need People” mixer to push back against the Covid-era isolation that everyone was going through. The 13th iteration of the mixer took place at the revered Xiao Long Dumplings in sprawling Chinatown Plaza. Over 70 people turned out to enjoy potstickers, scallion pancakes, and more. There was a fab mix of groovy souls from Vegas’ many diverse communities including music, art, burlesque, non-profit, spiritual, fashion design, and hospitality.
L-R: Jason Hope of Velvet Chains and Carl Raether of Crashing Wayward brought the “heavy” to Chinatown. (Image: Vegas 411)
It was cool to see everyone interacting and exchanging contact info including musicians Patrick Vitagliano of the Bones, Carl Raether of Crashing Wayward, Jason Hope of Velvet Chains, Pat Fontaine of XYZ, Heather Lomax, Jeff Tortora of Blue Man Group and Tinnitus, Jason Ebs of Swaggermouth, Izzy Presley, and Bryce (Lifehouse) Soderberg, along with “Burlesque Bombshell” performer Dinah Might and artist Neal Portnoy. People need people, indeed—that’s what makes Vegas great.
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