From the Publisher
BY ANN PARENTI
What can I say about the first quarter of 2022 that would even describe what has transpired in this ever tumultuous world we all live in these days. So much drama comes to mind, and it is all too surreal to capture in a few short paragraphs. Unless you live in a cave, you know exactly what I am referring to.
In the meantime, Chic Compass has been gathering inspirational stories here and there and trying to find some semblance and balance in a world that requires navigation through storm after storm, and we are here to deliver just that.
We invite you into our little niche of sanity and share many stories of people making a positive difference in our world and shining light with their music, art, or showcasing what is fresh and innovative in the fashion world or design. We now also offer a business perspective to share with you, too.
I am delighted to say that we have featured the beautiful and talented Melissa Manchester as our cover for this edition. Melissa shares some heartfelt tales about what she has learned along the way in her career and how some of the songs she has sung or written over the years take on a whole new meaning at this stage of her life. We hope you enjoy catching up with what this fabulous entertainer is doing these days.
This time, we do not travel too far out of town to take you on a wine tour. Grape Expectations is a unique experience to learn about, and has been here in the desert since 2005. Next up, we take you on a beautiful fashion shoot of some of the newest fashions of Anna Gupta shot by the uber-talented Jaime Lim. Jaime also reminds us that weddings are making a comeback in grand form! We feature the beautiful designs of Parvesh Jai.
We take a quick trip to New York to hear about why once you visit NYC, you will fall in love with the energy, food, theatre, and everything else it has to offer. Can’t make it to New York soon? Then we suggest visiting the new Todd English Olives inside the Virgin Hotel here in Las Vegas. If you want to learn more about what Todd has been up to, visit our blog site and visit his new boutique hotel, The English Hotel, in downtown Las Vegas. While downtown, visit the famous World Market Center and learn about some of the latest things they have accomplished during the Covid times.
We would not miss sharing some inspirational stories of some folks who make a difference day in and day out in our world. Don’t miss the feature on Marilyn’s Project and find out how they are helping the ladies of Ukraine. Then we have a plethora of talented artists to share with you. We feature the talented artist-photographer Elisa Terry and are stunned by the subjects she photographs. Come along with us and meet the man with many markers Neal Portnoy and share his many accomplishments over the years. Artist Renata Bosnjak also gives us an inside take on what drives her to create the soulful images that she captures on canvas. Artistry comes in all shapes and forms, and we learn about the artistry of celebrity make-up artist Miguel Julio and some of his famous clients.
We never disappoint by bringing you a story here and there of some fabulous talent that we have here in Las Vegas, and this time is no different. Reckless in Vegas is a fun and talented group of entertainers you won’t want to miss if you get the chance to catch them while you are in Las Vegas.
Most times, well before we develop our first story for the next edition, we give the edition a name or theme. This time it was Magic in the Air, and after we developed that theme, we got the opportunity to interview the fabulous and entertaining Kevin Lepine and find out what makes his show so unique and fun to watch. Don’t sit too close to the stage, or you may become part of the show, and the wildest part is… you won’t even remember it, but everyone else in the audience will!
We hope you find some magic in every story we have to offer this season. The heat is about to begin for the season, but we will be back in the autumn with some more hot tales we gathered over the summer to share with you then. May our world be less chaotic and stressful by then, and may all of you have a wonderful peaceful spring and summer ahead and find a little magic in the air!