I’m witnessing the near-death experience of the iconic Twinkie with a mix of sadness, satisfaction and schadenfreude. In case you’re living under a bed of kale: In January, Hostess filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to shutter its factories after years of plunging revenue; now management is huddled in mediation with employees in a final attempt to avoid liquidation.

It all started when Dylan Bathurst had to clean out the garage when moving out of his old place. “The usual thing to do is to have a garage sale, but I was too lazy to do that.

Local style icons on why they wear what they wear so well Joele Corrigan Full-time mother, board member of Nevada Ballet Theatre, co-owner of the Michael Corrigan restaurant group Personal style: I always like to be comfortable, yet feel a little sexy and stylish. Favorite designer: Balmain.

Family classics NEVADA BALLET THEATRE’S THE NUTCRACKER Dec. 15 & 21, 7:30p; Dec.

Dish of the Year Seared ahi tuna at The Barrymore The boyfriend and I were celebrating our anniversary, and this melt-in-your-mouth seared ahi tuna had my guy exclaiming, “I’m having a foodie moment!” No predictable Asian fusion preparation here. This pesce is paired with comforting accompaniments.

Downtown upstarts with fresh moves and fine-dining citadels on the Strip upending their own traditions — 2012 was a year of surprises, mashups and fertile chaos. The gastropub dished up a remix of the artisanal and casual; desserts refused their status as sweet epilogues and rushed the stage; and Vegas culinary institutions strove anew not to just meet a standard, but to forge a new one.

Q: What’s it like being an executive sous chef at a high-end Strip restaurant? A: It’s intense, sometimes crazy, but always rewarding. My day starts at around 9 a.

“If you can adopt a highway, why can’t you adopt a teacher?” Good question. It’s the question retired carpenter Dan Kowal put to his wife Joyce one evening.

Salt and caramel, Elton John and Eminem, ranch dressing and pizza: unlikely duos that just seem to work. Here’s another: Neiman Marcus and Target.

You want stuff? Vegas has stuff. Let me show you where the stuff is I love stuff.