Atomic Ranch On The Road: Viva Mod Vegas

The modernist community showed up and showed out in Las Vegas for Atomic Ranch On the Road: Viva Mod Vegas!

On January 24^th and 25^th Atomic Ranch and the Nevada Preservation Foundation held a weekend of events highlighting and celebrating Las Vegas modernism for locals and visitors alike. From bike tours to home tours and a fabulous vintage-themed cocktail party it was a festive 2 days of touring amazing homes and learning about what makes Southern Nevada such a dynamic intersection of American history and design legacy.

woman in orange jumpsuit standing in front of a neon diving girls sign — Dyna Mite stands in front of the event’s famous Ruby sign which is in the backyard of Will and Amy Stutz also known as the Mid Mod Makers.

In all, with close to 200 in attendance over the entire weekend it was also a wonderful convergence of community. Jennifer Minucci was the regional sponsor of the entire weekend and for her it was also about pride in her city. “The Minucci Group proudly supports Atomic Ranch in honoring the enduring beauty and history of Las Vegas architecture. As one of the city’s leading real estate teams, we are committed to connecting buyers and sellers with homes of remarkable character, craftsmanship, and legacy. This collaboration celebrates midcentury modern design, champions preservation, and inspires a lasting appreciation for the residences that define Las Vegas’s unique style and heritage.”

the exterior front view of a mid century modern home in las vegas with xeriscaping — A mid mod house in the Paradise Palms neighborhood seen during the Peddlin’ Through Paradise: Paradise Palms Bike tour.

The weekend kicked off with a the Peddlin’ Through Paradise: A Paradise Palms Bike Tour, a guided tour of the most iconic MidMod neighborhood in Las Vegas. The Paradise Palms neighborhood is a stunning showcase of classic MidCentury Modern architecture featuring designs by architects such as Palmer and Krisel, Hugh Taylor and William Bray that in its hey day attracted a who’s who of celebrities. Meander its winding streets while finding out about its striking homes learn about the designs that lead to the neighborhood’s historic designation and get exclusive entry to a few of the neighborhood’s best backyards for prime views of the famed Las Vegas National Golf Course– famous for being a favorite stomping ground of the Rat Pack and featured in the film Casino. Special thanks to RTC Las Vegas for generously providing bikes and helmets for this event.

a group of people in black and white cocktail attire — From left to right: Rima Dorsey, publisher of EG Media, Atomic Ranch editor Jickie Torres, Jennifer Minucci, regional sponsor of the weekends events along with Boris Kostov.

That evening was spent in the historic John S. Park neighborhood for the Ring-A-Ding Ball: A Black & White Winter Soiree, sponsored by Holly Erker and IS Luxury. VIP Guests arrived to a Champagne welcome and then joined homeowner Kim Bavington as she gave a private tour of her home. Then the rest of the guests arrived to the vocal stylings of Robbie Howard who was accompanied by a live pianist, as he serenaded the crowd with classic tunes by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and more. Into the night he started taking requests and even crooned the Birthday song to a few guests who were celebrating their birthdays during the event. Grazing Belles provided tray passed hors d’oeuvres, desserts and a selection of Old Blue Eye’s favorite wines. Bar service also includes a curated lineup of classic highballs and themed beer options, all aligned with the mid-century aesthetic.

guests in black and white vintage cocktail attire — Far left: Kim Bavington (right) the homeowner of our Ring-A-Ding-Ball cocktail party home. Middle: Holly Eker (second from left) and friends at the Black and White Soiree. Holly was our Special Event sponsor for the evening and thanks to her support, food and drinks were flowing! Right: Robbie Howard was our entertainment for the evening and sang a range of mid mod classics.

Atomic Ranch editor Jickie Torres along with Olivia White, Las Vegas architectural historian with the Nevada Preservation Foundation, artist and graphic designer Victoria Hart, most knows for designing the new Las Vegas logo and homeowner Kim Bavington then gathered outside for a fireside chat and discussed the rich history, iconic homes, and influential figures who helped shape Las Vegas into the mid-century modern haven it is today.

For Sunday’s Viva Mod Vegas home tours, guests toured three amazing homes in various historic Las Vegas neighborhoods from Paradise Palms, Rancho Circle and Francisco Park. At each home, they were able to tour at leisure and then hear a quick talk given by the homeowner and a local expert who shared insight into the process of restoring and renovating the house as well as tidbits about the neighborhood.

guests listening to a person speak in front of a pool — left: Wil Stutz speaks to guests of his home tour stop during sunday’s tour. Right: Homeowners of another fabulous home on the tour– which was right up against the gamed National Golf Course.

Atomic Ranch was thrilled to connect so deeply to the modernist organizers and community members in Las Vegas who are doing such an incredible job of documenting and preserving these gems as well as providing engaging events all year long to keep the historic community vibrant. We want to thank everyone who came for and wide to welcome us and participate is such a wonderful weekend. We can’t wait to come back!

a woman in an orange outfit standing in front of a painted in a matching orange color. — A tour guest picked up a copy of our book Atomic Ranch Remodeled Marvels!

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