LIP SMACKING FOODIE TOURS OFFERS NEW ART DISTRICT TOUR FOR NATIONAL ART DAY, OCT. 25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

L to R: Guests smile for a photo at Jammyland on the Arts District Lip Smacking Foodie Tour. Guests pose for a photo while enjoying their stop at Esther’s Kitchen.
(Photos Courtesy of Lip Smacking Foodie Tour)

LIP SMACKING FOODIE TOURS OFFERS NEW ART DISTRICT TOUR
FOR NATIONAL ART DAY, OCT. 25

Click Here for Downloadable Photos

LAS VEGAS (October 2019) – To celebrate Las Vegas’ dynamic and quickly growing local art scene, the award-winning Lip Smacking Foodie Tours will offer a special engagement of its brand-new Arts District tour on National Art Day, Oct. 25.

Not only is every Lip Smacking Foodie Tour an elevated culinary experience but participants also learn relevant stories and behind-the-scenes details about the local art history in each area of the city it tours. From famous sculptures to murals, each tour is crafted around supporting and exposing the local artists who make up the Las Vegas art community and culture.

“It’s part of our mission to celebrate all forms of art — paintings, sculpture, photography, architecture, music and, of course, food. The new Arts District Lip Smacking Tour mixes those things by uncovering the talented artists that live here and reveal the many hidden art pieces we have around downtown,” says Donald Contursi, founder, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours.

On this tour, attendees explore one of the city’s most spirited and colorful neighborhoods—home to a vibrant community of talented artists and artisans. Here, the popular “First Friday’’ arts and cultural festival entices nearly 15,000 people on the first Friday of each month to stroll and admire one-of-a-kind local art. Spunk and creativity abound along the 18 blocks encompassing the Arts District, with a lively mix of independent businesses including vintage clothing boutiques, antique stores, theaters, art galleries, bars and restaurants.

Art exhibits include the thought-provoking “Chain Migration’’ by artist Izaac Zevalking, known as the Recycled Propaganda, which depicts the Statue of Liberty in handcuffs. The group on this tour will receive a personalized presentation by Zevalking on the background and purpose for his controversial painting. They will also see the iconic artwork, including “Paintbrush Gateway,’’ Dennis Oppenheim’s two 45-foot tall steel paintbrushes of rainbow-colored LED light.

This inspiring experience escorts groups to multiple locations, with each restaurant presenting an array of distinctive dishes while patrons relax and mingle. Guests are treated as VIPs as they are personally greeted by chefs and proprietors and whisked to the best seats in the house at each venue. Guests never wait in line or need to make reservations.

On this tour, guests will get a taste of the best the Arts District has to offer as they meet some of its most distinctive chefs. The first stop is Esther’s Kitchen, where the seasonal Italian cuisine is served on handmade tableware fashioned at a pottery studio just steps away from the restaurant. Chef James Trees, a Las Vegas native, has worked under such culinary luminaries as Gordon Ramsay, Eric Ripert, Ray Garcia and Michael Mina. The restaurant, named for his Great-Aunt Esther whose generosity helped him attend the Culinary Institute of America and open his first restaurant, specializes in scratch-made pastas, pizzas and breads.

At Jammyland, guests will feast not only with their palate, but also their eyes. Former New Yorkers Danielle Crouch and Allan Katz opened this Jamaica restaurant in a converted garage with a spacious patio with twinkling lights featuring two vibrant wall murals, including one that depicts the history of Jamaican music around the globe. Here, guests can groove to Reggae tunes, peruse an extensive rum list, and feast on modern Caribbean fare such as the classic meat patty with curried grass-fed beef enfolded in a turmeric-scented pastry, as well as the popular jerk wings which are marinated for 24 hours and smoked in-house.

The tour excursion ends with a sweet taste of history. At Cornish Pasty Co., Cornwall, England native Dean Thomas continues the tradition of making English, hand-held pies that originated in the 1200s when wives and mothers baked them as a convenient packable lunch for miners. Thomas also serves classic British desserts, including Banoffee Pie made with house-made caramel, fresh bananas and a fluff of whipped cream; Sticky Toffee Pudding; and Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding that features warm, house-baked bread soaked in a rich chocolate-brandy sauce and served crisp on the outside and custardy within.

The new Arts District Lip Smacking Tour is $125 per person. For an even more elevated experience, guests may add an optional $50 per person beverage package that includes a pre-selected signature cocktail at each stop. Click here to make a reservation.

ABOUT LIP SMACKING FOODIE TOURS
In just a short time, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours has grown into the premier culinary walking tour in Las Vegas, garnering not only loyal fans but also outstanding accolades. Its variety of experiences offers guests personalized service and VIP access to the best tables in the house at the city’s most acclaimed restaurants – all without standing in line or the hassle of making reservations. Each tour includes an expert guide who entertains guests with insider knowledge about the sights along the way. At each of four restaurant stops on The Strip or downtown, guests indulge in signature dishes, as well as receive a warm welcome from the chefs. Guests can sit beside different patrons at every stop, gaining new friends and networking connections. The tours are perfect for everyone from locals to tourists to business travelers, including corporate groups of up to 250. In 2019, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours expanded for the first time outside of Vegas to include upscale Santana Row in San Jose, located in the heart of California’s dynamic Silicon Valley. 

Recent honors include: “Best Tour”, “Best Food Tour”, and “Best Date Night Spot” by Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2018; “Best Food/Beverage Tour Operations (Land)” by The World Food Travel Association 2018; “Best Tour,” “Best Fine Dining,” and “Best Brunch” by Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2017; “Best Tour” by Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2016; “Best Tour” by INVEGAS Magazine in 2015 and 2016; and “Best New Tour” by Thrillist in 2015. It has also earned inclusion in TripAdvisor’s “Top 3” tours in Las Vegas and ranked as the No. 1 tour on Yelp.

Additionally, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours has been given the honored distinction of “preferred partner member’’ of Virtuoso, the invitation-only member network catering to luxury travel advisors. That designation means that no other company offering similar experiences can become a member of this leading international travel agency network specializing in opulent experiential travel. For more information, visit lipsmackingfoodietours.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Facebook: @VegasFoodieTour
Instagram: @LipSmackingFoodie

HASHTAGS:
#LipSmackingFoodieTours 

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Desiree Webb/ Erika Pope
The Vox Agency
desiree@thevoxagency.com, erika@thevoxagency.com
(702) 569-0616, (702) 249-2977

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