David Rockwell

Celebrities pull focus. And rightfully so: That is their job, after all. Annual Academy Awards evenings are no exception. Billy Crystal flies across the stage (and into Charlie Chaplin films), appropriating "Ol' Man River" and "People (Who Need People)" for his best-picture-themed musical revues. George Clooney, Sandra Bullock and other mega-stars read nonchalantly from teleprompters, adding improvised winks or quips. Hordes of hopeful dancers don garish costumes to tango or crunk through elaborate best-original-song performances.

Celebrities pull focus. And rightfully so: That is their job, after all. Annual Academy Awards evenings are no exception. Billy Crystal flies across the stage (and into Charlie Chaplin films), appropriating "Ol' Man River" and "People (Who Need People)" for his best-picture-themed musical revues. George Clooney, Sandra Bullock and other mega-stars read nonchalantly from teleprompters, adding improvised winks or quips. Hordes of hopeful dancers don garish costumes to tango or crunk through elaborate best-original-song performances.

You'd expect a boffo resume from David Rockwell, architect of the Kodak Theatre. Oscar's intended home at Hollywood and Highland will, after all, likely be scrutinized by hundreds of millions of people around the planet next March when ABC broadcasts the 74th annual Academy Awards ceremony. So you'd hope the guy in charge would have a degree from a notable architectural school, and Rockwell does (New York's Syracuse University).

The slim credit that flashed by at the end of the broadcast -- "Production Designer: David Rockwell" -- hardly hinted at the deep, sometimes very odd architectural symbolism that piled up during Sunday night's Academy Awards. Rockwell, a New York architect known for his lengthy resume, shaggy hair and productive ease with the press, had been brought in to thoroughly re-image the interior of the Kodak Theatre, where the Oscars have been held since 2002. Working closely with Bill Condon, one of the evening's producers, Rockwell set out to make the stage layout less of a static backdrop and more of a high-low proving ground where digital effects and personal emotion could have room to roam.

The slim credit that flashed by at the end of the broadcast -- "Production Designer: David Rockwell" -- hardly hinted at the deep, sometimes very odd architectural symbolism that piled up during Sunday night's Academy Awards. Rockwell, a New York architect known for his lengthy resume, shaggy hair and productive ease with the press, had been brought in to thoroughly re-image the interior of the Kodak Theatre, where the Oscars have been held since 2002. Working closely with Bill Condon, one of the evening's producers, Rockwell set out to make the stage layout less of a static backdrop and more of a high-low proving ground where digital effects and personal emotion could have room to roam.

Within the fabric of human mythology, there is a common thread that weaves the archetypal images of our ancient kinship. David Rockwell explores that kinship in "Giving Voice to Bear," a collection of American Indian bear mythology and rituals and a less comprehensive but intriguing selection of analogous European and Asian myths, poetry and traditions.

NEW YORK - Let the record show that on April 4, 2013, the night that "Kinky Boots" opened on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, drag officially became a commodity of the tourist masses. Female impersonation has long had mainstream appeal, but now even the campier tradition has been co-opted. "La Cage Aux Folles" proved that a man in a dress belting "I Am What I Am" could move straight theatergoers to tears. "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" showed that sparkly attired male disco divas traveling the outback on a bus could bring in audiences by the busload.

LAS VEGAS - Hotels open restaurants all the time. But a restaurant opening a hotel? That happens less often. But stuff happens in Las Vegas. The newest Nobu here is, indeed, a hotel. Not only that, but it's also a hotel within a hotel. And it's backed by two stars in their fields. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert De Niro first partnered in 1993, after De Niro dined at Nobu, Matsuhisa's flagship restaurant in Beverly Hills. The actor was impressed and persuaded the chef to open a Nobu in New York City.

Chef Shawn McClain will soon open his first pizzeria inside Las Vegas' Aria resort , a property at which he has run the popular, upscale Sage restaurant since CityCenter's opening three years ago. The eatery, called FIVE50, is to open this spring. The name comes from what's considered to be the ideal temperature for baking pizzas, 550 degrees. “I would say it's 50% pizza and 50% bar,” McClain told me. “We wanted to capture the soul of an East Coast, New York pizzeria and combine it with a fresh, edgy, soulful bar.” McClain said he has spent the last several months researching what makes a great pizza.

Has it come to this? Nobu Matsuhisa has a new hotel with 24-hour sushi service. Sushi fanciers can hole up in Vegas at the new Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace and “get into bed with Nobu for breakfast, lunch and dinner” per the breathless prose of a news release. Nobu is such a global brand now. Sometimes it's hard to remember that Nobu Matsuhisa the sushi chef who turned the genre on end started out in L.A. via Peru at Matsuhisa on La Cienega Boulevard. Now like Cher and Madonna and Beyoncé, he goes by one just one name: Nobu.

You'd expect a boffo resume from David Rockwell, architect of the Kodak Theatre. Oscar's intended home at Hollywood and Highland will, after all, likely be scrutinized by hundreds of millions of people around the planet next March when ABC broadcasts the 74th annual Academy Awards ceremony. So you'd hope the guy in charge would have a degree from a notable architectural school, and Rockwell does (New York's Syracuse University).

Within the fabric of human mythology, there is a common thread that weaves the archetypal images of our ancient kinship. David Rockwell explores that kinship in "Giving Voice to Bear," a collection of American Indian bear mythology and rituals and a less comprehensive but intriguing selection of analogous European and Asian myths, poetry and traditions.

As summer months and sizzling temperatures approach, the Ministry is always excited to mark the shift in party life: Around this time of year, the good partying moves from nighttime to daytime. The opening salvo of the pool party season came last weekend when New York nightlife institution Marquee opened the doors to its day club in Las Vegas. Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio, in a pool-appropriate slip dress, was on hand to unveil the luxurious space. The club, designed by David Rockwell, has eight private cabanas with infinity-edge dipping pools, an open-air deck, dedicated space for games and bars aplenty.

TWO of Los Angeles' quintessential restaurants will soon disappear off the city's dining map. After 29 years of serving French haute cuisine to Angelenos, L'Orangerie "will be no more," says owner Gerard Ferry. He has sold the restaurant -- a package deal that includes everything in the restaurant, including the well-stocked wine cellar, to Nobu Matsuhisa and his original partner in the Nobu chain of restaurants, Robert De Niro, for an undisclosed price.