What do a topless revue, “Holy Cannoli” doughnuts, and a 4500-pound tractor all have in common? Absolutely nothing, except they each have a righteous place on my latest “mixtape.”
Track #1: “X ROCKS” @Horseshoe Las Vegas

If there was ever a match made in heaven or on the “Highway to Hell,” it’s the combination of high-octane rock & roll and erotic burlesque. And since 2025 is off to a rough start with so many catastrophes, why not escape from the news cycle by going to the popular “X ROCKS” topless revue? Never mind doom-scrolling—fantasy beats reality every time.
“X ROCKS,” playing in the intimate Imagine Theater at The Horseshoe, makes good on its promise of “showcasing the artistry of striptease to a rock soundtrack,” says owner/producer/director Angela Stabile, a former Vegas dancer whose credits include “Lido de Paris.”
She and her husband, Matt Stabile, have been producing shows in Vegas for over 20 years, and their daughter, Tiffany Stabile, who grew up in the business, co-produced “X ROCKS.” In short, this family—who are also behind the “X Country” and “X Burlesque” shows at Harrah’s and The Flamingo, respectively—know what works.

The five “X ROCKS” dancers bring theatrical sizzle to their seductive moves. The show is fresh, engaging, and fast-moving, with lots of costume changes and lighting effects. It’s loudly soundtracked to a non-stop mix of snippets of songs from artists like T. Rex, AC/DC, and Slash with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators—which features guitarist Frank Sedoris, son of Angela and owner of the Hard Hat Lounge on Industrial Rd.
Unlike the national touring burlesque show “Little Miss Nasty,” with its intermittent themes of female political oppression, there are no big messages in “X ROCKS,” and that’s OK. Near the show’s end, there’s even a welcome tip of the hat to the iconic Vegas extravaganza “Jubilee.” “‘X ROCKS’ is in the same hotel as the legendary ‘Jubilee,’ so it just seemed fitting to do a tribute to it,” points out Angela, who’s like a medicine woman healing the world with fantasy, one revue at a time.
Track #2: Pinkbox Doughnuts @Boca Park Fashion Village

As an admirer of architectural whimsy and all things kitschy, I’m pleased to welcome the new and 14th location of Pinkbox Doughnuts—the Vegas-born doughnut brand—to my neighborhood in the Summerlin area.
Driving along Rampart Blvd, you can’t miss the screamingly loud pink structure at Boca Park Fashion Village, with an “oversized doughnut archway at the entrance as well as a giant doughnut around the 24-hour drive-thru window.”

Inside, the meticulously arranged display case is teeming with 70 creative doughnuts, including three vegan choices. Doughnuts with names like “Holy Cannoli,” “Don’t Be Salty,” and “Fudging Love You” are right in line with the brand’s extreme frivolity. You can wash them down with premium roast coffee, lattes, and more.
Stopping in recently, I made a beeline for the “Vegas Cream,” a wholly satisfying chocolate-covered and Bavarian cream-filled creation I’ve had before. With my waistline in mind, I skipped ordering the tempting “Purple Rain” doughnut, hopelessly repeating my New Year’s mantra—“deprivation is the new gratification”—over and over.
Track #3: Boho Village @Charleston Heights

There’s nothing like wandering around the Charleston Antique Mall on Decatur Blvd. You can easily kill a few hours at this vintage mecca, with 75 dealers in the 18,000-square-foot space. If you’re a collector who just can’t get enough, step into Boho Village right next door. Shopping here is like enjoying an appetizer or dessert alongside the Charleston main course experience.
There are 25-plus vendors occupying the 2,200 square feet inside the shop, opened in late 2022 by former NoCal resident and proud bohemian Loretta Langer. Skewed to younger customers, the anything-goes merchandise includes vinyl albums, horror film memorabilia, vintage board games, rock and roll T-shirts, spirit catchers, original paintings by local artists, antique figurines, and funky clothing. I spotted a show-stopping maroon fake fur vest—a steal at $20—that was calling out for the ghost of Janis Joplin to buy it.

If nothing here rings your bell, you can always purchase a “mystery bag” in the store’s general area for only five dollars. Loretta says they’re filled with anything from old Christmas tree ornaments to trinkets that didn’t sell after sitting on the shelves for too long. It’s up to you to rescue them from oblivion.
Track #4: Ole Red Las Vegas

I didn’t know that the “Blackberry Crispy Chicken Sliders” on brioche buns I ordered at Ole Red Las Vegas on the Strip was the treat my palate needed. The buttermilk fried chicken sliders are served with blackberry compote, jalapeño whipped goat cheese, and Napa cabbage—a creative and tasty combination. Might I add that the accompanying tater tots were the biggest ones I’ve ever seen?
The massive four-level restaurant and free live music venue is “inspired by the boss man himself—Blake Shelton” and occupies prime real estate at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo. Praise be the 4,500-square-foot rooftop bar with balcony seating overlooking the Bellagio’s fountains. On a chilly Saturday night, while a DJ spun country hits, it was packed with undaunted revelers—although some like me were huddled next to heat lamps—mesmerized by what might arguably be the best views on the Strip.
Holding court downstairs was the soulful and forthright Mississippi country trio Chapel Hart. They unfurled their heavenly harmonies that grace songs like “You Can Have Him Jolene,” their riff on Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” and “Perfect For Me,” a tribute to hard-working, blue-collar men who are probably tired of hearing about toxic masculinity in our culture.

If you go, don’t forget to point your eyes to the ceiling, onto which an upside-down 4500-pound tractor is impossibly mounted. It leads me to think that Ole Red has, uh, plenty of insurance.
Track #5: Around Town Medley

The ever-growing SoCal/Vegas culinary connection continues with the unveiling this past December of the Venice-originated Gjelina at The Venetian. The brand is known for its “produce-forward, locally sourced, sustainable cuisine,” and the restaurant is on my list to try.
But, especially with the horrific California wildfires on everyone’s mind, I instead felt the calling to dine at a simpler SoCal eatery, like the West Hollywood, CA-born Pinches Tacos at The Gramercy development on W Russell Rd in the southwest (there’s also another Pinches downtown at Container Park).

Feeling vegetarian, I couldn’t resist the potato and manchego cheese-filled flautas, plus the sopes with pinto beans. Each offering was a delicious, soulful, and fresh celebration of Mexican food. The ambiance at the eatery and bar (marking its ninth anniversary this year) is fun and colorful, with carefree Day of the Dead dancers painted on the walls.

Downtown, The Beverly Theater continues to be an essential cultural spot. The programming at the gorgeously designed arthouse cinema and live performance venue makes Vegas, well, smarter. A case in point: the recent screening of the truly wild documentary, “Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story,” followed by a lively Q&A with Red Kross brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald (the pride of Hawthorne, CA) and the film’s director Andrew Reich.
It’s still amazing to think that Jeff was 15 and Steve was 11 when they started the band, merging feral punk rock with their unabashed pop culture obsessions. For proof, dive into their early nugget “Annette’s Got The Hits,” their punchy tribute to Annette Funicello and the California sun, and their self-titled new album on which they triumphantly come off like a micro-dosing Cheap Trick.
On hand at the packed Beverly event was punk hero Mike Burkett (NOFX frontman), who founded The Punk Rock Museum here—another place that makes Vegas smarter.
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