We love lots of things about the Double Helix: the name, the wines by the glass selection, the cool mixed drinks, the shopping hotties that hang there, and the fact that it’s the only place in The Palazzo Shoppes we can afford. (Whenever they add that extra “pes” to the word shop, you know, in the words of the late, great A. J. Curtas (The Official Deceased Father Of ELV): “…they saw you comin'”.)
There’s also a small wine shop/boutique next door that, remarkably, isn’t as overpriced as all the designer purse and shoe shops surrounding you, and that gives a 10% discount to locals on all purchases.
ELV has maintained for years that all shopping malls should have wine bars/brew pubs/sports bars in the middle of them to give us men folk something to do when our women folk are spending hours wandering in and out of stores, claiming to be in the act of buying something, but truly just engaging in what we call female retail porn.
Just as with porn for men, what they wants they’ze never gonna gets, but that doesn’t make the viewing any less pleasurable for them. It’s a Mars-Venus thing guys. Don’t fight it or ask too many questions. Just let ’em have their way and hope they do they same with all those ‘zines you have stashed in the garage (or deep in the bowels of your computer).
But enough about me.
And when they’re ogling those Christian Louboutins or Jimmy Choos, take solace in the fact that there’s a place close at hand to do a vertical tasting of Sonoma-Cutrer chardonnays, or grab a bottle of a chewy, Argentinian malbec for $20.
DOUBLE HELIX WINE BAR + BOUTIQUE
In The Shoppes at The Palazzo
Second Floor
3327 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.735.WINE (9463)
well ELV, should double helix wine bar allow you to bring in and enjoy your own wine???
I stopped by to get some coffee and snack at the center bar. The bartender was loud and awkward in his behaviour ignoring me for the first 5 minutes. He was definitely under the influence. Finally he asked me what i needed (!) I asked him if he could make a cup of iced latte and after the positive answer, ordered such. He made hot coffee, dropped couple ice cubes in it, added milk – that was his definition of ice latte. I didn’t want to make a big deal, paid, took my coffee and left. On the way out I sipped my coffee hoping it was ok, but it was disgusting colored water. I had to come back and asked the bartender if he could make another normal one. He turned red, and loudly in aggressive manner was demanding answers what was wrong with the coffee he made. I explained to him after what he yelled in my face i should go get coffee somewhere else. He throw couple dollar bills at me screaming “you can go and have it on me”…i actually paid for it (!) I did let him know he is out of control and rude asking to speak to his manager. He yelled me “And who are you for me to do so?” He took a business card out of the pocket throwing it at me, saying “here, come and visit me!”
The following day i got a hold of the general manager of double Helix bar and boutique. She seemed to be aware of the situation but expressed very little interest at hearing it from me. There was simply no appology. I made it very clear I didnt come to ask for any accommodation from them, but wanted the bartender to be held accountable for his unappropriate insaulting behaviour. The manager refused to contact the owner and refused to provide me with his contact info.
The following day, I was reading some Vegas magazine and ran accross an article about Double Helix and the owner. From that article I got his name and decided to try my luck by emailing him at the address combined in several variations of his first and last name at doublehelix website, hoping he wasn’t aware of the situation but can satisfy my request.
Suprisingly i got an answer from him in a day or so. It was full of protection for his bartender, indicating how great he was and hinting how much i was wrong and unappropriate (!) Are you kidding me?! Big spendings or not, i was a customer! I thanked Mr Nisi for his time but let him know i will use my way for the truth to come out planning on writing the review at least. In return, Mr Nisi got a hold of my employer making up false accusations and saying i was threatening him. Sure, if writing a review is a threat!…I believe i have all rights to do so. It wasn’t a threat, it was a promise.
The lesson of my story is – there are retailers, bartenders, owners of businesses, people working in customer service who does judge you by the way you are dressed and how much money you spend. They are not willing to take care of you even though it is their job and they are paid for it! We, customers, pay for it. And I refuse to pretend it is ok the get this kind of service in “high-end” place. Wine, dinner, coffee, or water, doesn’t matter. And no matter how wonderful Double Helix may sound on their main web page, the reason to have a rude bartender, it is because it is allowed for him to be so, it is beacuse the owner himself exactly like that! Simply a jerk
I’m hoping to open a new small business, specifically a coffee shop, so I’ve been searching the web for inspiration. Your posts have helped give me some new ideas, so thanks for the new ideas.
Olguita, you sound like a peach.
Methinks thou dost protest too much
ELV seconds that emotion…
17. Lengthy day to you, I used to be amazed with your function it’s flawless and words are pick perfectly as if it is really made for the write-up as nicely as the ideas on it.