The Poodle Partying with the Kardashians and Cher
The sneak peek of the members-only Poodle Room at the new Fontainebleau resort in Las Vegas was a lavish event, exceeding the usual extravagance expected in Vegas. Positioned on the 89th floor of the hotel, guests indulged in the breathtaking view of the city through the curved windows while enjoying the servers' freshly-made "caviar pillows." A disco-ball-shaped stage showcased Janelle Monáe's DJ skills while Ping-Pong ball-sized truffle chunks were available in golden bowls. Whispers spread that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck would make an appearance, possibly in a hidden back room. As the rumors suggested, they did attend the event.
However, nothing could compare to the presence of a white show poodle named Josephine. Josephine is the mascot for the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, and she frequently appears on the resort's Instagram account. She even makes occasional appearances in person to greet guests, making it seem like she resides at the hotel, similar to Eloise at the Plaza. There are even plans to create a series of children's books called "Josephine at the Fontainebleau." During the grand opening gala in December, Josephine stole the show from famous attendees like Tom Brady, Cher, Lenny Kravitz, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and even multiple Kardashians.
In truth, Josephine has been portrayed by multiple poodles. During the grand opening event at the Poodle Room, Mochi, who is eight years old and named after a Japanese dessert, and Patrón, who is two years old and named after tequila, took turns playing the part. The hotel has also brought in Fifi, a five-month-old puppy, to train as a backup. Both poodles wore shiny collars at the party. Nobody seemed to care or notice that Patrón is male. His owner, Javier Torres, a former exotic dancer, wore a tuxedo and explained that people often mistake Patrón for a female dog because of his feminine appearance, which he describes as "very poodle-y."
The guests at the party had the chance to take pictures with Josephine, like how people take pictures with Santa Claus at the mall. Mochi was in charge of taking the photos, and didn't show any emotion as more and more people sat on the blue velvet chair beside her, while someone took a lot of pictures. Two resort workers dressed up as poodles, with papier-mâché snouts - one white and one black - stood nearby. One of the workers said sadly, "We're just here for decoration."
Torres owns a business named My Pride Poodles. He took Patrón, one of his poodles, to the hotel before the start of the event for grooming. He has been breeding standard poodles for twenty years and has a total of twenty-two of them. He advised those in attendance not to pet Patrón. Torres explained, “It takes me four hours to wash and dry that dog.”
Torres was in the main room of the club, fixing Patrón's bangs with a special brush. A woman dressed in a black evening gown asked how Patrón became the star of the show. Torres explained that Patrón won the Winners Dog title at a local dog show called the Poodle Club of Las Vegas Specialty last year and would compete again soon. The poodle also makes between three hundred and a thousand dollars per hour for public appearances. People often recognize Patrón on Facebook and ask about his breeding availability and puppies.
Patrón sat on a couch that was cream-colored and then began to bark. The lady who was wearing a black gown said that he had had enough. Torres then put a leash on Patrón's collar, which had rhinestones on it. He said that Patrón needed to use the bathroom and proceeded to lead the dog through the club's entrance hall. A group of young women, who were called "atmosphere models" and had been brought in from L.A. and New York, were waiting to enter the party. When Patrón walked by, the models all reacted by moving around like a flock of birds.
When Patrón arrived, he spent the entire night hanging out at the bar. He rested his front paws on the edge, which made it seem like he was waiting for his own drink. The menu had cocktails named after poodles who previously won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, such as Puttencove Promise, Fontclair Festoon, and Cappoquin Little Sister. The ladies came over to pet him and coo at him. Torres shared that Patrón had been to many bars before. As it got closer to 1 A.M., Patrón grew restless. To ease his discomfort, Torres carried him around like a rancher carries livestock and maneuvered through the crowd. ♦
