Guests will be able to take a ride on the custom-designed mechanical pickle by ordering a shot. Rattlecan's signature shot will be the Jameson and pickle juice shot. House made crunchy pickles as well as pickled carrots, cauliflower, beets, eggs, tomatoes, peppers, jalapenos, green beans and watermelon will add zest to the burger-centric fare. A series of microbrews and American classics will round out a beer focused drink menu.

The interior design will capture a cool New York City East Village vibe with a down and dirty interior look designed by HGTV's Antonio Ballatore and feature street chic graffiti art installations by the country's top street artists. Rattlecan will open daily at 11 a.m. with expanded services to the casino's sports book and poker room.

Andrea's will be a new dining concept opening on Dec. 28 in Encore at Wynn Las Vegas in the space formerly occupied by Switch. The restaurant named after Steve Wynn's British wife Andrea Hissom Wynn will debut “vibe dining,” combining a restaurant and nightlife experience into one environment and serve Asian fare. Andrea's will complete the expansive Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub entertainment complex. Wynn Las Vegas resident DJ Steve Angelo, of Swedish House Mafia fame, will direct Andrea's music program as “Musical Chef.”

The 6,194-square-foot restaurant will feature a lounge, a step-up dining area, hexagon-shaped tables for larger groups, private dining enclaves and a 2,100-square-foot terrace overlooking Surrender Nightclub's outdoor space.

The ACT Las Vegas, the newest concept by New York City theater-nightlife impresario Simon Hammerstein, has opened inside The Shoppes at The Palazzo. Up to 1,000 folks can enjoy the 9,600-square-foot, multilevel performance-based nightclub. Hammerstein's other clubs in NYC and London are known as “The Box.”

Petra Greek Taverna at Tivoli Village closed on Halloween. Chef Angelo Sosa will take over that space and introduce Poppy Den, a neighborhood Asian-gastropub, on New Year's Eve. Chef Sosa was cast as a Season 7 “Cheftestant” on Bravo's “Top Chef” and also competed on “Top Chef All Stars.” The restaurant's design will embrace natural light with a rustic, country setting and an outdoor Poppy Garden with poppy flowers and fresh herbs.

Ventriloquist-comedian Kevin Johnson will entertain in the Rampart Casino's Grand Ballroom on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Johnson is recognized for his appearances in the 2006 season of “America's Got Talent” where he made it to the semi-final round of competition. Tickets are $15.

TV actor-crooner James Darren will follow on Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $20.

DoubleTree by Hilton and New Tropicana Las Vegas now have a strategic franchise agreement that marks the return of Hilton Worldwide to the Las Vegas Strip after an almost 14-year absence. In January 2013, guests will be able to earn and redeem Hilton HHonors points and airline miles at the Strip resort.

“The Hollywood Show” featuring many pop culture celebrities signing autographs and memorabilia vendors will hold its event for fans on Friday, Nov. 9 from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Las Vegas Hotel-LVH. Some of the iconic celebrities will include: Adrian Paul – “Highlander;” Jimmie Walker - "Good Times;” Linda Blair - “Exorcist;” Paul Michael Glaser and Antonio Fargas - “Starsky & Hutch” and the famous red Gran Torino car from the show. Tickets are $20.

The Sixth Annual Ping Pong Palooza presented by Sapphire Gentlemen's Club will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 20. The tournament pits teams of nightlife professionals against each other for a trophy. Teams must have a minimum of four players with at least one being a female player. This event was originally inspired by the Christopher Walken's flick “Balls of Fury.” The first year there were a total of 32 teams and now the event is the largest mixed team ping pong tournament in the world. Event registration on Nov. 20 starts at 6 p.m. with cocktails and complimentary food and the tournament begins at 7 p.m. Proceeds from the Heineken booth will go to the Sapphire Foundation for Prostate Cancer.

For the holiday season, the inaugural Food University at Caesars Palace will take place Dec. 11-13. The three-day event is designed to transform fun-loving foodies from spectators into competition-ready chefs. Proceeds from the Food University's first 80 “admissions” will go to Keep Memory Alive, dedicated to finding cures for brain disorders. “Tuition” is $1,995; call 866-840-8822.

There will be private, VIP “field seminars” and a ceremony for Food U's first graduating class when the “Enlightened Palate” diploma will be passed out. Food University's culinary faculty will include: James Beard Award-winning Chef Alex Stratta; acclaimed cheese expert Laura Werlin, author of the James Beard Award-winning “All-American Cheese and Wine Book;” chef and TV personality Claudine Pepin; and Anne Dolce, cook editor, “The Daily Meal.” Chef Bradford Thompson, winner of “Food and Wine” magazine's Best New Chef Award and the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest, will serve as Food University's culinary director.

The publication “DTLV” and “The Jeweler's Daughter” Polly Weinstein are creating the inaugural Neon Holiday Bazaar, a one-day pop-up market featuring more than 50 retailers, craftsmen, artists and small businesses, that will be held in the Jackie Gaughan Plaza at the El Cortez downtown from noon-8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24. There will be a full-service bar and holiday menu at the “Shop Local Lounge” and food trucks onsite. “DTLV” will host the official after party at the new Commonwealth. For info, visit www.neonholidaybazaar.com.

Actress, singer-songwriter and musician Melissa Manchester will headline at the Suncoast Showroom, Nov. 24 and 25. Tickets start at $15.95.

Manchester was a “Harlette” with Bette Midler before her solo career that has included a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “You Should Hear How She Talks About You” in 1982. In 1979, she became the first artist in Academy Awards® history to have two nominated movie themes in the same year – “Through The Eyes of Love” from “Ice Castles” and the title song from “The Promise.”

As an actress, Manchester has guest starred in numerous television shows and films and recently starred in the Chicago premiere of the musical “HATS!,” which features several songs she co-wrote.

The “2012 Soul Train Awards,” a two-hour celebration of the artists in R&B, hip-hop and classic soul music hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, will take place at Planet Hollywood on Nov. 8. The show will be broadcast on BET Nov. 25.

The “13th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards” will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Nov. 15 and recognize today's Latin artists. This marks the fifth time Las Vegas will host the international Latin music showcase.

Since 1992, the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge has been the only professional golf tournament that pits three players from the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours against each other in competitive, head-to-head threesomes for Tour bragging rights. This year, the tour returns to Rio Secco Golf Club Nov. 13 with the teams competing for a total purse of $1 million.

Bagatelle Beach & Supper Club at the New Tropicana after numerous delays will hold its grand opening on Friday, Nov. 16, but got off to an early start when it held a special Halloween “Night of Masks” event hosted by Dylan McDermott star of “American Horror Story.”

The Ovation Room at Green Valley Ranch is going to close, which affects the Lon Bronson and his band. Now they have just three Friday night 10:30 p.m. performances left – Nov. 9, 16 and 23.