Frankie Tease Blog

I encountered Mark Giovo while on assignment photographing Ann Marie's 90th birthday party at the world famous old style Vegas Italian restaurant "Casa Di Amore". The unassuming restaurant is hidden way off-strip on East Tropicana. The 150 or so capacity dinner house has a small stage and sound system as well as more seating at the bar, where you can also take in dinner. This particular night was full of about 100 guests for the birthday party, and there was also a just-married couple who chose to spend their night at Casa Di Amore. I was so busy with the party photography that only part of me was focused on the singer on stage backed by the house drummer Clyde Dual and keyboardist Ronnie Payne. The singer in question? Mark Giovi. Mark is disabled, (his left arm is shorter than his right) but you only notice it for about the first 15 seconds of seeing him. After that, all you'll ever notice is his boyish good looks (at age 44) and that voice. Possessing th

Downtown continues its revitalization with hotel name changes and make-overs led by previous mayor Oscar Goodman and CEO of Zappos Tony Hsieh (who are encouraging others to invest in Downtown). The D Hotel and outside bar shown here on Fremont Street are recent newbies taking the place of Fitzgerald's Casino (previously and no longer an Irish-themed property). Dancers shown are atop the bar at the opposite end of Fremont Street West at the Golden Gate, which claims to be the first hotel in Vegas (themed after the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA.). Many other developments, small bars, and hotels are renovating and bringing in new jobs and more downtown tourism to compete with the Las Vegas Strip. Fremont holds free outdoor concerts, parades and festivities and is often a preferred destination for locals above the Strip. Weekends are always busy, but street vendors and performers are out seven days a week at this artsy mecca. You can also drink on the street a pop