This week, I am bringing you an interview with a very important person in Las Vegas and a good friend of mine, Mr. Brian Kip. Brian is a true jack of all trades, dabbling in the fields of photography, swimwear, television and event promotion. He has worked with Las Vegas’ best promotion and entertainment company, Showcase Events, and has hosted events at venues such as Tao, Tabu, Voodoo Lounge, Playboy Club, Moon and, of course, Tao Beach. Currently, Brian is the COO of the largest production/sound stage facility in Southern Nevada called “Cin City Studios.” With all that’s going on in his busy life, it’s amazing that he had time to sit down and chat with us. Now let’s find out what he had to say…

Marc Jay: So I’m here at The Wynn Hotel inside Blush Boutique Nightclub for Brian Kip’s event tonight with One Model Place, the largest modeling networking site. So, Brian, obviously I’ve known you for a very long time, but I don’t even know how you got here – tell us, how did you get to Vegas and what brought you here?

Brian Kip: Well, I actually grew up here in Vegas. I graduated from high school and decided that I wanted more, so I ventured out and ended up in Miami Beach. While I was there I picked up photography, got into the casting world, got into the TV world, produced some TV and even had my own swimwear company for three-and-a-half years. After a while I wanted to bring it all home. Vegas was where everyone was coming to and where it was happening so I came back here about five years ago when Vegas was on the up and up, you know, when all the nightclubs were popping off. I decided to jump in the pool, and see where the stream took me.

Marc Jay: So you mentioned that you were into photography, and I’ve seen some of your work and it’s incredible! Tell me, how did you get into photography and what sort of stuff do you normally like to shoot?

Brian Kip: Actually, I kind of fell into photography. I was working part-time at this restaurant and one day this beautiful girl comes up to me and says, “Hey, I want to be in Playboy, do you know how to do it?” I was like, “No” – I had no idea about that industry. So I got on the internet, researched some things for her, and ended up meeting a great photographer named Paul Miller. After watching him shoot beautiful, beautiful models for about six months, I decided to pick up the camera myself, realized I had the eye and got the blessing from him. After he tweaked me a little bit, I was off to the races shooting beautiful women just like he was.

Marc Jay: I thought my life was good when I was hanging out with girls, but you were hanging out with girls in lingerie, models and bikini girls – what is the secret to your success?

Brian Kip: I would probably say, keeping it professional. I think a lot of people go wrong in the industry when they take advantage of what they have and abuse it. I think I excel by keeping everything professional, keeping everything legit and whatever I can promise I deliver and whatever I can’t promise, you know, I hope to still deliver.

Marc Jay: Now most people who know me in Vegas know this, but for the people who don’t know, Brian and I started Tao Beach together with Sunday Sunset Sessions, an incredible party. What do you have to say about the Tao Beach days, Brian?

Brian Kip: Well, first of all, I have to thank you, Marc, for bringing me into such an amazing event. Tao Beach, three years… wow, it’s been three years since we’ve been doing that party! Anyway, I would have to say working with you and learning the politics of dealing with the #1 club in the U.S. at the time was amazing. Sundays aren’t the same without Tao Beach, and I think Vegas is going in that whole direction. There are a lot more pool parties opening up, a lot more opportunities and a lot more room for expansion. Hopefully we’ll be back at a top pool this year and bringing in all the beautiful bikini girls.

Marc Jay: It’s funny when I think about it because the staff has changed so much at Tao Beach, but the only two people who have stayed the same are me and you. We were like part of the furniture almost [laughs].

Brian Kip: Absolutely, tables 20 and 21 [laughs]. You know what’s funny, is that the only other person who has always been there is little Ashley. She used to work the door, wasn’t even old enough to go into the club the first year, and poor girl, she wanted to go in so badly. But yeah, I hope that reputation we built there over the years sticks around. I mean, the branding alone, the Tao-tinis and the strawberry mojitos, is the thing that Tao Beach is known for – along with Marc Jay and Brian Kip – and I think it should stay that way.

Marc Jay: And if you ever come to Tao Beach and look in the corner and see it packed with gorgeous girls jumping up and down with two guys, that would be me and Brian, week after week, come rain or sunshine… mostly sunshine, obviously. So, I’ll stop reminiscing and get back to your event tonight with Blush Boutique Nightclub and One Model Place. One thing that people might not know about One Model Place is that it’s the world’s largest online modeling agency, is that correct?

Brian Kip: I wouldn’t say modeling agency, I would say more of a modeling networking site; they have the largest number of portfolios to be viewed for models, photographers, and also agencies and makeup artists. There are even TV producers and set designers on there now, but One Model Place is by far the largest in the world, I believe. They’re actually expanding and they’re hoping to launch a new product here shortly. Hopefully I keep them on as a client and we can keep bringing out beautiful models and do the same thing we did for the launch party at Tao Beach last year. For that party, we brought out several beautiful models and I believe that was one of our best days for numbers. We actually did better than the Saturday party because of that great launch party. So, yeah, great client, great people to work with, and that’s pretty much all I have to say about that.

Marc Jay: So as I sit here outside of Blush, I keep seeing all these cute girls waving at you – there’s been about 50 in the last five minutes. I suppose I should let you get back to your party, but quickly, what’s on the horizon for Kip in 2010?

Brian Kip: Kip in 2010, I’m basically going with the flow. I’m hoping to land myself in a top pool party, hopefully at Tao Beach and if not there, then it’s going to be at another luxurious pool party here in town. I also run the largest production sound stage in Las Vegas, and hopefully I’m going to be getting some good concert tours over the summer.

Marc Jay: Do you actually have time to sleep or date any of these girls you get to hang out with or is it just work, work, work?

Brian Kip: It’s pretty much work, work, work; but I think, just like you, we always find time for the beautiful ones.

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After a stressful week, I needed something to help me wind down, so I decided to head over to Arcs to see my little friend Brooklyn for some TLC. Brooklyn is one of the best stylists in Las Vegas, catering to celebrities, corporate CEOs and anyone who wants to get treated like a VIP. If you have never had the salon's "Sex in the Sinky" shampoo/massage then you’re missing out.

Marc Jay: If you can hear the water running in the background, I’m now getting the most incredible shampoo and head massage, which I believe they call, “Sex in the Sinky.” It’s really the greatest invention and giving me the “Sex in the Sinky” now is Miss Brooklyn. Say hello, Brooklyn.

Brooklyn: Hello (laughs)

Marc Jay: Now, I’m doing this interview while I’m having my hair washed, which is something I’ve never done before, so I’m at a bit of a loss for words; but tell us about what I’m actually receiving now.

Brooklyn: We believe the foreplay to any great experience starts with a great shampoo, so we do a 10 – 15 minute head, neck, scalp and shoulder massage to set us up for a great shampoo, haircut, color or style experience.

Marc Jay: Now, I’ve been to a lot of hair dressers and had my hair washed many times, but this really is an experience that everybody that’s reading this on Clubplanet should come and explore. Now, you have two hair salons in Vegas, tell us about their locations.

Brooklyn: We have two located in Mandalay Bay – one on the beach level next to the spa, which is our original location, and then we built a second location, where we are right now. This one is called “Arcs,” which stands for A Robert Cromeans Salon and it is located in Mandalay Place which is the shopping area between Mandalay and Luxor.

Marc Jay: Now this is the number one hair salon in Las Vegas, so naturally a lot of celebrities come in. So, what kinds of people have come in here to get their hair done?

Brooklyn: We’ve had all types, everyone from the CEOs of the hotels to Tera Patrick whose hair I did for the AVNs, everyone from the porn stars to the CEOs (laughs). But some of our favorite celebrities that have come in are Reese Witherspoon, Oscar De La Hoya, and we did Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas. We get a lot of athletes and fighters from the UFC; Punkass, the guy from Tapout, comes in every time there’s a fight to get his head shaved. Brandon Flowers from The Killers lives here and comes in when he’s in town. Actually, I’m having Teri Hatcher, we’ve done Joss Stone... the list goes on.

Marc Jay: So it’s the who’s who in Vegas and the A-list crowd from L.A. Now tell us, you’ve been cutting hair for a long time, when did you start and how did you get into it?

Brooklyn: I fell into it. I started off as a reservationist, worked my way through school and I’ve been a stylist for six years. I mean, our boss is the artistic director of Paul Mitchell so we do a lot of shows and a lot of education all over the world. I was really lucky to fall into it. I was a guest of the salon before I started working here and I just really liked the energy and I liked the people who worked here, so when I decided to go to hair school, I thought this would be the best place to be cause it was my favorite place to hang out.

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Marc Jay: So, now I’ve moved over to the chair where I’m now getting my hair cut by the beautiful Brooklyn and one thing you should know about her is that she has an adorable child, and has this job, so I want to ask, how do you manage to do those two things at the same time so successfully?

Brooklyn: That’s what happens when you become a mom, you learn to multitask (laughs).

Marc Jay: You just juggle your job and having a child at the same time?

Brooklyn: Yeah, I mean, the job is the easy part, having a baby is the hard part. But as a mom you learn to do a lot of things at once and you have to be good at a lot of things at once.

Marc Jay: So if people want to come in and specifically see you, which they should do because you’re the best in here, what days of the week are you here?

Brooklyn: I’m here Wednesday through Saturday from 10 – 6 so you can just call and make a reservation.

Marc Jay: And I know there’s a special offer for our Clubplanet readers, tell us a little bit about that.

Brooklyn: Well, we have two offers. The first one is offered by the whole salon and it’s a free color consultation where we like to ask “are you in love with your color?” With that, any time that we do any color services, we give a complimentary take-home kit so that way you have some products to take home with you to ensure your color. We’re also celebrating our “rituals” which are experiences back in our Lather Lounge. We’re infusing sugar scrubs and Perrier and different kinds of conditioning treatments, and if you come in and mention that Marc Jay sent you, we’ll offer you a complimentary beauty ritual.

Marc Jay: So we have an exclusive gift just for you, so take care and come in for your free beauty ritual while I enjoy the rest of my haircut.

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Marc Jay: So, it’s Thursday night and we’re at Tao and while most clubs in the world may have small competitions where the winner receives $200 or 500 pounds, this is Las Vegas. So, tell us what just happened to you, Grace.

Grace Atencio: This is pretty much the biggest go-go competition in Vegas. They do other go-go competitions at other small nightclubs but nothing compares to this one. I’m fortunate enough to be in the top five and finally make it to the finals so it’s a good feeling.

Marc Jay: And tell us how much you’ve won tonight.

Grace Atencio: I won $10,000

Marc Jay: $10,000! That’s incredible! So tell us: what are you going to spend it on?

Grace Atencio: This is going towards my mortgage. We’re in a recession, pay those bills!

Marc Jay: I thought you were going to say handbags or shoes like most girls.

Grace Atencio: No, no. I have to be realistic about it. Let’s pay those bills off.

Marc Jay: Fantastic. So what do you do when you’re not dancing or in a club making $10,000?

Grace Atencio: I cocktail at another nightclub here in Vegas, so I’m always dancing. If you ask anyone that knows me I’m always in the bar on a go-go box or on top of a table dancing so it’s definitely human nature for me.

Marc Jay: Now, have you entered any of these competitions before? Have you won?

Grace Atencio: I did Tao-A-GoGo last year. It was my first go-go competition in Vegas and I took second out of 140 girls and it was a great honor to be there so to win this year is absolutely amazing for me.

Marc Jay: Do you know how many girls were in the whole competition tonight?

Grace Atencio: I want to say it was between 80 and 100, so yeah, it’s a good feeling.

Marc Jay: I believe they do another competition, a kissing competition, a girl-on-girl one. Have you entered and would you enter?

Grace Atencio: That’s not my cup of tea, but good for the girls that want to go for it and have fun. This is Vegas, anything goes so have a great time and don’t hold back.

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This week I had a moment to catch up with my good friend Dave Pappas, Director of Customer Development for the new $100 million Encore Beach Club at the Encore Hotel expected to open May 2010. Find out what Dave had to say about the new hotel, his amazing career and the business of beach clubs in the City of Sin.

Marc Jay: I’m sitting here at the wonderful Blush Boutique Nightclub inside the Wynn Hotel with my dear friend, Mr. Dave Pappas. So, Dave, I’m here to talk to you because you’ve just actually come on to this group and this is a new role for you, so tell us about your role and what you’ll be doing here.

Dave Pappas: Well, I’m excited to join this group. Las Vegas Nightlife Group has some serious experience in town. Sean Christie, the original owner and founder, was one of the original members of the Light Group and Bob Mancari has come on board from the MGM Mirage Casino marketing side (along with my same lineage). They brought me in to help develop and train the staff here at Blush to get ready for our next project that’s coming up at the Encore. I’m really excited about getting in and showing the young guys what it’s like to actually host and develop a customer as more than just a handshake and a “how do you do” to understanding who is in your club. The customer might not be a bottle service customer, they might be somebody who’s at the bar having a great time who doesn’t know about bottle service. I’m taking that role of showing the next generation of hosts what it’s actually like to be in customer service development.

Marc Jay: So, I remember I met you about 10 years ago when you were an executive over at the Mirage. Your background was as a casino host, would that be correct?

Dave Pappas: It is. In 1993 I went through the management associate program, Steve Wynn’s ultra-exclusive program. It takes the top 1% of the graduating classes at hotel-accredited universities. So I went through the program – it’s a two-year intensive training program and it teaches you everything about the hotel and casino in operations and marketing. I originally went into operations; I went into slot operations at the Mirage. I was one of the youngest casino shift managers on the Las Vegas Strip at just 25 years old. When Bellagio opened I was on their opening team, went over to director of slot operations and then from there I moved into casino marketing in 1999. So, the titles I’ve held were Casino Marketing Executive, Director of Customer Development and then Vice President of West Coast Operations. I actually went out to the Beverly Hills branch office and took over the branding for the MGM Mirage Corporation on the West Coast. I had some experience with SBE out in LA. Sam Nazarian who is one of my “big whales,” showed me the nightlife out there and how he did things in LA. Then I kindof took the LA attitude to the Vegas market when I came back and asked Scott Sibella, the President of the Mirage, for the opportunity to go into nightlife. He gave me Revolution Lounge, which had only been open for about eight months and was not performing. I came in with an understanding of what I wanted to do based on customer service and relativity to the market place. We brought rock ‘n roll to the Las Vegas strip.

Marc Jay: So I know – and this is an exclusive for Clubplanet – that you’ve been brought on for two new projects coming to Encore. Can you give us any indication of what is it you are opening?

Dave Pappas: It’s going to be Encore Beach Club and Surrender Night Club and they’re being built currently outside of the Encore. If you go to the fourth floor Wynn parking garage you can actually go over and take a photo [laughs]. So, we’re letting the people know the scope of the project, just saying go over and look for yourself. It’s quite encompassing, taking the whole area in front of the Encore and re-doing it, turning it into what we’re referring to as a “nightlife complex.”

Marc Jay: Now I understand this is probably the most expensive beach club that’s ever been built and it’s being built right here in Las Vegas, is that correct?

Dave Pappas: I think the number is close to $100 million and I don’t know the official number, but there won’t be anything like this built for the next five years I don’t think.

Marc Jay: It’s amazing how Vegas has changed, because I remember Moorea being one of the beach clubs that opened in 2002 or 2003 and now it seems that every hotel wants their own little beach club.

Dave Pappas: Well, if you go back to 1993 when Mr. Wynn made his staff aware of where money came from in hotels at staff meetings, you’ll see a change where the hotel started to surpass the casino for income and it certainly hasn’t changed since then. The nightclubs are off the chart, so it only makes sense to take the daytime. There’s another 12 hours during the day that no one has really taken advantage of and maximized and created an entertainment vibe and energy and experience. Vegas is 24-hours so why not take that amazing nightlife, put it in the daytime, put the service with it, the entertainment and the sexy people and create a new element to Vegas. And there’s nothing sexier than Vegas people in their bikinis and looking great out there.

Marc Jay: Oh, I love it; I’m always at the beach clubs. So, when can we expect this Encore beach club to open?

Dave Pappas: There’s no official date but I’m hearing April/May is the time frame. And once again, you can peek over the wall and see, since it’s only five feet off the strip, so literally the experience we’re building, you’re going to be able to walk down Las Vegas Blvd and see it just five feet away.

Marc Jay: Anything else you want to add or talk about?

Dave Pappas: You know, we’re really excited. The group that I’m involved with has a lot of experience in customer service, understanding Vegas as a whole, and to be involved with a group that’s all about the customer, that’s about its employees is great. We are inside the Wynn Encore and you know Mr. Wynn is a visionary that’s really started all of this. I started working for him in 1990 as a pool boy, so from May 1990 to May 2010 I’ve come full-circle with three college degrees and all these titles. The funny thing is, all my life the most exciting job I’ve ever had, the most money I’ve ever made and the most fun I’ve ever had was working at the Mirage pool, so here I come full circle.

Marc Jay: So is it true what they say, that you can actually start off as a valet or a pool man and really work your way to the top very much how you’ve done it?

Dave Pappas: The other owner, Bob Mancari, worked for Mr. Wynn at the Golden Nugget as a dealer and worked his way up from a Blackjack dealer to the Vice President of Bellagio’s Customer Development and now to an owner of this company that’s going to be involved in a game-changing venue. So, yeah, you can definitely work your way to the top in this organization, in this town as a matter of fact.

Marc Jay: And that’s why you should all come move to Las Vegas.

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Friday night was a big night in Sin City with Pauly D & Mike "The Situation" beating down the beat at JET Nightclub and LC of The Hills celebrating her 24th birthday at The Bank.

The highlight of Lauren's birthday bash was a gigantic cake in the shape of her second book, "Sweet Little Lies: An LA Candy Novel" which will be out in stores on February 2nd. Rumor has it that LC will be returning to reality TV - perhaps a take on Newlyweds with her long-time beau, Kyle Howard?

While LC partied the night away at The Bank, Pauly D hit the turntables at JET Nightclub - and "The Situation" was showing off his "situation" the entire time. The boys truly got wild and partied "Jersey style."

Saturday night was also a huge night out in Vegas, with Katy Pery as host of a "Waking Up In Vegas" party at HAZE, the newest nightclub to hit the Strip at Aria Resort and Casino at CityCenter. She didn't kiss any girls but she did treat partygoers to an impromptu performance atound 2 a.m. Mickey Rourke and Gabe Saporta (Cobra Starship) were among the many who came out to party with Perry.

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