Monday Musings

BRRR! It's cold. I don't expect any pity, it's likely far colder wherever you are than here in Sin City, but still my hands and feet are icy. I'm bundled in two coats as I sit here in front of the PC. This winter stuff is for the birds. Wait! Even they don't do winter. I should make like a bird and migrate south because the desert isn't cutting it.

Anyhow, can you believe this time next week Christmas will be over? And we'll be waiting to welcome 2017. Pure craziness.

I thought I'd keep a more regular schedule after my last update, but it wasn't in the cards. The past month has been a complete whirlwind. It began with a team meeting called at work. The owners gathered us around and shared that they had been in negotiations to sell the business. It wasn't a huge surprise, but I didn't know how close we came to laying off 95% of the office staff, myself included. They couldn't seem to agree on a number so they've decided to go the distance, not sell and instead invest in us and the company's future. Changes are underway, but it appears we won't be losing our jobs. As a result, I find myself with little down time. At home, our pc is toast - Frank started shopping for the pieces to build a new one, but his time has been monopolized by other things so that's the cause for the crickets around here.

I hope everyone had a lovely thanksgiving. My dad and aunt arrived Nov 15, it was nice to catch up a bit before the holiday and the rest of the visitors arrived. My mother in law arrived next, and then Bob & Hugh flew in just in time for the gluttony to begin. Sixteen of us gathered around the table noshing on a spread that consisted of mixed greens & apple salad, yeast rolls, cranberries, sausage stuffing, corn casserole, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and very moist turkey. And later, apple and pumpkin pies. Let's not forget the several bottles of wine that kept things merry. With full bellies, we battled each other with hilarious rounds of Fibbage, Cards Against Humanity and other games. You simply cannot beat a house that's full of loved ones and laughter.

There was no Black Friday shopping for me. Instead, Frank and I took Bob & Hugh to see Lucky Dragon and we also checked out Desert Wind Coffee Roasters beforehand. What a great coffee shop, and they share my love of Breaking Bad. Very cool. Then, on their last night, we all had dinner at Joe's. It never disappoints! The stone crab and steaks are always stellar. Afterwards, the six of us went over the Rio for a tour and tasting at the Wine Cellar. It's such a gem, if you've never been, it's definitely worth a visit. Next, we saw Rock of Ages. Too bad the show ends it's run in January. It was a hoot.

December 1st we celebrated Frank's birthday. His gift was rather bittersweet for me - Amy, Jeff and the kids moved out. I'm thrilled they found a townhouse to rent. It's in a great area, it's very nice and it provides them with some much needed space, three bedrooms and a two car garage. It's only a few minutes from us so Nick is able to stay in the same school and we'll be nearby so I won't have to miss them too much. Sharing a home for almost a 1.5 years has its challenges, but also its rewards. Watching the kids learn and grow day to day was something I'll always cherish - even if it meant I was sick - A LOT. Our house was busting at the seams with the seven of us, eight if you count my dad or nine when Mike would stay (Pahrump is far, after all) and now it's rather bare. We have big plans for some home improvements, but first we must narrow down some options. We also took advantage of low interest rates by refinancing the house - so long PMI and we're reducing our loan to 15 years - If all goes well, we'll be debt free by 51!

Even with the kids out of the house, we still managed to have one last bug make the rounds. I think Nick picked up this one from school. It ran through everyone. Frank and I weren't even safe - babysitting for a few hours was all it took to become infected. The downtime gave us an opportunity to binge watch some Netflix shows. Goliath and The Crown were both very good. It had been far too long since I was excited about a show. Well, besides my guilty pleasure This is Us.

And now, we're just days from Christmas. My shopping was pretty quick and painless - Thank you, Amazon Prime and Etsy. I'll be hosting Christmas day. This year will be a little different than last year, since we all won't be under one roof. We'll lose the magic of Santa paying us a visit, but Addison is filled with wonder and it should make for a pretty special holiday. Lex will likely enjoy the wrapping paper more than the gifts themselves, and Nick will tear through them in record time I'm sure - but that's all part of the fun. Wherever you are, wherever you go I hope your Christmas is merry and bright.

The Blue Man Group

Aside from running a couple errands, grocery shopping, a few meals and two dinners at friend's houses, I haven't gotten out much in the past two months. I was delighted to learn that Travelzoo was offering $25 tickets for locals to preview performances of the Blue Man Group. They are now, back at The Luxor. Frank and I had seen the show ages ago in Chicago. We liked it then, and I thought it was something Nick would also enjoy. He's been really into music lately, and I thought it would be a good introduction to a production show. I bought tickets for the 6pm performance on Monday evening. Mike joined us.

The theater is easy to find on the mezzanine level. You are able to bring drinks inside the theater if they are in plastic containers. We stopped at Starbucks beforehand, Nick's choice. We had seats in Row E 46-49. They were on the far right of the stage. If given the choice I'd try for something more centrally located so you don't need to crane your neck. That said, the seats suited us just fine. It was a full theater, and the show flowed as it should despite it being a preview. The acts were fun and interactive. The show has changed quite a bit since I first saw it. Back then, there were no smart phones, and even Razr cellphones didn't exist so there were no selfies. Both now monopolize much of the show. I prefer the percussion acts, but it's a fair mix of comedy, art and music. It's fun for all ages. Ideal for first timers, those with a bunch of Cirque Shows under their belt might be a bit disappointed by the meager production value (by comparison), but don't let it dissuade you. Especially, if you can snag discounted tickets. Nick didn't know much about The Blue Man Group prior to going, but he did have a good time. He loved the dance party. He wanted the autograph of a Blue Man, but settled with a photo.

Date Night: Nobu & Absinthe

Before 2014 was in the books, Frank and I were treated to a fantastic date night. Our evening began with dinner at Nobu inside Caesars Palace, and after, we saw Absinthe. What a duo!?! I highly recommend both.

I've been wanting to see Absinthe for ages, but they never offered a local's special to entice me. I'm glad it has had great success, though; I'd hate to think I could have missed it. It's really well done! I love the intimate theater. I don't love the uncomfortable seating, but the off color jokes and superb entertainment more than make up for it. We saw Absinthe shortly after Penny Pibbets left to perform her own show at the Arts Square Theater. Joy Jenkins now fills the role of the Gazillionaire's assistant, she was awkward and hysterical. I hear the show isn't as quick paced, but I didn't notice. Her and Gaz played off each other well. The audience participation is a load of laughs. The acts felt more spectacular than, dare I say it? Cirque du Soleil. Don't get me wrong the talent that goes into Cirque shows is mesmerizing, and visually, those shows are stunning. Absinthe, however, is raw, sexy, funny and in your face. You can look the performers in the eye, see their muscles flex and veins bulge when demonstrating their amazing strength. The roller skating bit had me so tense and nervous for the female performer - I was in awe. The connection is incredible. If you haven't see it yet. Don't hesitate, go check it out.

Before the show, we had a feast at Nobu. We never even peeked at the menu, since this was our first time Omakase ($125) was the best way to experience the varied menu. We told our server that we are adventurous diners, we love spicy and we preferred not to have uni since Frank isn't a fan - we left the rest to him. I had a fantastic sauvignon blanc with dinner and Frank really enjoyed the Sake selection. He sampled two excellent chilled varieties: black label and aged.

Our tasting included many of Nobu's signature dishes. We started with Yellowtail with Jalapeno. This is a favorite of ours, it's a must whenever we go for sushi. This certainly did not disappoint.



The next dish was Tasmanian Ocean Trout, it was rich and creamy. Very different from the delicate and refreshing yellowtail.



The next course was Live Scallop with rocoto paste. It was beautifully presented and it tasted even better than it looked. The scallops melted like butter and the heat from the rocoto pepper awakened our taste buds. We enjoyed the chili so much, we were ready to book a trip to Peru.



Next, we sampled some hot dishes, beginning with the Black Cod Miso. This was delicious. The fish was buttery and the miso gave it the ideal amount of sweetness. I understand why it is one of their most popular dishes.



Rock Shrimp with jalapeno followed. Now these were tasty morsels. Shrimp is so often overcooked, but not these. Perfection. And highly addictive.



For the next course, the focus was on land rather than sea with the Tenderloin of Beef Toban Yaki. The scent of this dish was intoxicating. The beef was prepared very well and it was tasty. However, it was our least favorite.

We wrapped up dinner with a sample of Tuna and Salmon Sushi. Both rolls were simplistic, but incredibly yummy. The rice was beautifully seasoned, key for great sushi.



Finally, we finished with a vanilla dessert and a variety of mochi. A lovely end to an exceptional meal.



If you can swing it, the Omakase is an awesome experience. Keeping it simple by choosing a few small plates will be totally worthwhile, too.

Sapphire's Comedy Hour

Comedy at a strip club? Well, I'm sure comedy occurs in clubs all across the country. But an actual show? Yes, you'll find that here in Vegas, Friday and Saturdays at the Showroom inside Sapphire; the World's Largest Gentlemen's Club, they even have entertainment for the ladies with the Men of Sapphire. The Comedy Hour, however, was news to me. I didn't know about it until the lovely and talented Linda Lou announced she was performing. Comedy. Not dancing, just to clarify. I was fortunate that I was placed on the guest list. Frank was unable to go, but my brother happily tagged along. Strip club? Sure.

Before the show started, we were entertained with funny videos, magic and body painting. Our host was Donnie Johnson. Guest comedian was BReal Robinson, Linda Lou was the feature act, and P.J. McGuire headlined. In between, the darling Buttercup Delight dazzled with her burlesque. Scandal and Mon Dre entertained us with their slight of hand and other tricks and there was plenty of eye candy throughout. It was a fun evening. I might be biased, but I think Linda stole the show.



The unexpected joke of the evening is that the Men of Sapphire actually perform in the Showroom. I did not know this. I figured it out when the room filled with ladies when the headliner neared the end of his bit. My brother was clued in about the same time. He couldn't believe I brought him to a male review. The promo video was enough for him to bolt. He wanted to wash his eyes out with soap, but it was coconut scented. Instead, we popped over to the lavish area where the ladies perform. It was indeed the largest room I've ever seen, classy, too. I'm sure it is a fun way to part with loads cash. We were welcome to stay, but we headed home. Party poopers, I know.

Gold Mine Tavern

Last Friday night, we went to Gold Mine Tavern to see, our friend's band, Priceless Advice. It's a small bar in downtown Henderson, we've been once before for a Dirty Heads after party. Back then, the venue didn't have outdoor space. The patio was such a pleasant surprise. It an open air, cozy space with tables, couches and heaters. It's also where bands and comedians perform. Priceless Advice put on a Nirvana Tribute show featuring music from In Utero. They got a late start, but they sounded great and it was a good time. The bar had some good choices on tap, which is always a bonus - Sculpin IPA flowed all night.  I love these small bars that host local bands.

Bar 702

I had never heard of the Sand Dollar or Bikini Bar. Frank and I came upon Bar 702 by accident turning around to head back to I-15. Bar Rescue happened to be there at the time. I made a mental note of it. Two weeks ago, the episode premiered and we've been hooked on the show since. I particularly enjoy following up on the bars with reviews on Yelp.

If you aren't familiar with Bar Rescue, it's on Spike TV and the host is John Taffer. He helps breathe new life into bars on their death bed by pointing out weaknesses like management flaws, lazy staff, underperformance and/or general disregard for cleanliness. They've had some real winners on the show. Note the sarcasm.

Initially, I didn't want to check out Bar 702 because the co-owner doctor came off so vile I didn't want to give him any of my hard earned dollars, but curiosity got the better of me and we checked it out last Friday night. Frank, my brother and I got there about 10:30, there was a $5 cover.

We figured we were in deep, now, so we bellied up to the bar. My brother tried one of the beer look alike cocktails created on the show with Crown and Caramel bitters. It was pretty terrible. Then again, I'm pretty loyal to beer so what do I know? I was happy as a clam with Ballast Point Pale Ale for $5.25. They had a good list of microbrews, Frank had some squirrel beer that was mighty tasty.



Strange Mistress took the stage. We really enjoyed the show. After ten years in Vegas, I've been in and out of dive bars, but never any with live music like this. The sound system was impressive. We stayed for Meade Ave. Played some video poker between bands and Frank managed to win some coin hitting a couple 4OAKs. The staff wasn't too friendly, but they kept beers coming. They were cold and reasonably priced. That's all I really ask.

American Idiot and Mundo

The great thing about theater is either you love it or hate it.

Last night, we returned to the Smith Center to see the adaptation of Green Day's rock opera, American Idiot. When we saw Wicked we sat in the balcony; this time we sat on the floor or orchestra seating. Honestly, I'm not sure which I prefer. In the balcony I had an unobstructed view of the stage, but sitting next to sound & lighting booth allowed us to see the facial expressions, those were lost when seated so far up in balcony. However, the man seated in front of me obstructed my view. I had to bob and weave throughout the show to follow the story.

The gist of the story was easy enough to gather, three young men are disgruntled with their parents and lives in suburbia. So, they set out for the city; and each one follows a different path: wallowing father, soldier and drug addict. However, I never felt a connection to the characters. I don't know if the disconnect was from the one act, the music or what seemed to be the constant gyrating and/or headbanging.

I must be getting old. Sigh. I thought the music was too loud in many of the songs and I found the strobe lights distracting. The cast and live band performs well I just didn't love the show.

I do love that the Smith Center is here. It's definitely something Las Vegas was lacking. It's a wonderful addition to downtown. Before the show, we had dinner at Mundo. This experience was far better than our first. Service was attentive. Frank had Shrimp Diablo and I had Chilean Seabass. Both were delicious - a bit spicy - and well executed. We shared Mexican Risotto but I wasn't a fan, it was too cheesy and creamy. I'm not a fan of cream cheese and that is exactly was this reminded me of, Frank liked it, though. We finished with churros for dessert. They were fine, but nothing notable. I'd probably skip dessert next time, but I'd return for the seabass alone. It was so tender, moist and flavorful.

An Old Favorite

Last weekend, we got together with a few friends and had dinner at Stack before seeing Daniel Tosh at Mirage. When it came to picking a restaurant the choice was easily decided. Stack has been a long time favorite, and it's been way too long since we've dined there.

We had beers at the Sportsbook bar beforehand. It's been 23 years since the Mirage opened, and I must admit it's still one of my favorites. And that book is still one of the better ones around.

Anyway, our party of five was seated shortly after our 7 o'clock reservation. Bread is now only available upon request. Of course, we requested it. Warm popovers were brought over with softened herbed butter. Yum! Our friends started with salads, but we opted for the King Crab & Jalapeno Tacos ($23). These four tacos are itty-bitty, but tasty bites. Although, with jalapeno in the name I expected them to pack a punch, but they did not. Overall texture and flavor reminded me of ceviche.

We had a lull between courses and our server was very apologetic and with compliments of the house we were offered our choice of shot for the trouble.

For the main course, I went surf, Frank and friends went turf. Our friends had steak; the bone in filet and the porterhouse for two. Both steaks were prepared to perfection. There were no complaints. Frank had the Lamb Shank ($38). This was the dish that sold me on lamb and it is still delicious! Thanks to the six hour braise it is so tender it falls off the bone. It's served over lentils in a port wine sauce. I chose the Seabass ($42). The only protein except for chicken I have not had at Stack. It was cooked beautifully with a wonderful sear and served over lobster risotto. I was surprised to find large chunks of lobster. It was nicely prepared too. To accompany the main dish we had adult tater tots ($11) and potato gratin ($11). Is there a better comfort food than potato? I think not.

All in all, everything was still top notch. Prices have gone up over time, but where haven't they? My only complaint is they've resorted clubby beats instead of classic rock tunes. I miss music.

We grabbed a round of drinks at BB Kings before the show. Despite the billion signs stating "no comped drinks", I got one. All it took was being completely ignored. It seemed that I didn't exist because I was lacking a penis. Every man at the bar got served before me. Apparently, ladies first did not apply. And in turn, I broke their no comped drink rule.

Showtime finally neared and we made our way to the Terry Fator Theater. We were way in back, but the seats weren't bad. The show opener was hilarious. I wish I recalled his name. Tosh opened stronger than he closed, but he was highly entertaining. He's toured half a dozen times before and we kept missing him due to conflicting schedules or sold out shows so it was nice that we finally made it happen.

November Concerts

November was such a busy month for me, I think it'll take most of December for me to catch up. I did want to share about to concerts I saw last month.

First, was the Dirty Heads at House of Blues, Mandalay Bay. It was my third time seeing them this year. It wasn't my favorite performance, but it was the first indoors. They headlined, and Wallpaper opened for them since Gym Class Heroes cancelled their leg of the tour. Wallpaper was not my style of music, but the crowd seemed to enjoy it.

This was my first show at the House of Blues, I've only seen comedy acts previously. It's not the best venue, but I like that you can see the stage from almost anywhere. We caught the show from the side of the stage near the bar. I would've liked to have been front and center like previous shows but it was a risk I couldn't take with my ankle. The show was standing room only unless you bought VIP tickets that offered bar or bench seating. Frank asked a security guard if there was a place I could sit while Wallpaper was on stage. She was mean nasty bitch. She questioned why one would go to a show knowing they had a broken foot? Frank and her had a few exchanges before he stormed off in disgust. What set him off? He asked, "well, what about those in disabled or in wheel chairs?" Her reply? "They have their seat!" Totally uncalled for. We returned back to our spot on the side of the stage. There was no security there, Frank asked him about a seat for me. A couple seconds later, he appeared with a bar stool. We thanked him profusely. I was able to sit and conserve my energy for the main act. Dirty Heads did not disappoint. This was one of their last stops on the tour so we got to hear a couple new songs that we hadn't seen earlier when the tour was just starting out.

Our second show was a treat because my cousin plays bass for two bands and they left the midwest to tour the east and west coasts. On my coast they played Tempe, Vegas, San Diego, the Viper Room in LA last friday Friday and Slim's in San Francisco on Saturday. While, here, they performed at Hard Rock Cafe on the strip.







We got to the venue early and had a chance to chat with Kevin. His band Strange Arrangement played first, the music was from there latest album, Polygraph, so I was unfamiliar. It's good stuff, though, check it out. It's also been nominated for Homegrown Music Network's best studio album of the year. You can vote here. Dexterous Roy did a DJ set in between shows. That was the first I've seen a DJ with a drummer, it was neat. Then, Digital Tape Machine joined them. Kevin is in that band, too. It's a side project of Umphries Mcgee, which is a pretty popular midwest band. They sell out in Chicago every time they play.

We left just before midnight. I was too sleepy to stay and we both had to be up early. Digital Tape Machine was still on stage, my brother stayed until the end, he said they finished their set at 12:30. That Hard Rock Cafe is a very cool venue, I'd definitely see another show there. I love that they pump the music through the entire building, you can hear it in the bathrooms and walking along the strip. At this show, they had a wide variety of bottled craft beers for $5. I took a liking to Shiner 102. It was great to enjoy a good beer while taking in the show.

Happy Halloween!

I did quite a bit of running around this weekend and visiting with my mom and brother. Frank and I also went to the Palms Saturday night to see Louis CK perform at the Pearl.

Years ago, we were big fans of "Lucky Louie" and we currently love "Louie" on FX. This was our first time seeing him live. He had no opening act, "he'd suck anyway," he said. He performed about 90 minutes, coming back for an encore, he said "I'll save myself $20,000 (beating at tables) and give you a few more minutes."



The show was funny. Supposedly, it was new material and it'll be out soon. I'm happy we saw him perform. However, it's doubtful we'd spend the coin to see him again.

The Palms was pretty tame with crowds and costumes. I figured majority of folks must be on the strip or at the Fetish & Fantasy ball. The ball moved from Hard Rock to South Point this year. Mike and my mom went over to people watch. Mike said that too was tame. Between the larger space and strict costume policies - no masks, weapons/ props, nudity, etc. it was pretty lame compared to the chaos at Hard Rock a couple years ago. They spent the rest of the night on Fremont. They enjoyed the crowds better there.

Hopefully, the strip saw their share of characters. Halloween has always been an awesome time in Las Vegas. I'd hate to see that change.

"Join Us"

Yesterday while scanning my google reader I came across a blurb from the LV Weekly that Evil Dead The Musical was playing at Onyx Theater. Onyx Theater? Hmmm, I couldn't place it. A quick search revealed it was over on the eastside in the commercial center plaza near the Green Door. The theater is attached to The Rack a fetish clothing store. We bought our tickets, only $15 each, and had a look around. Lots of leather, fetish wear, some gay porn and accessories.

The doors opened and we were able to take our seats. We had no expectations for the show, I hadn't heard a peep about it until reading the review yesterday afternoon. Being big fans of Army of Darkness we had to check it out. It was awesome. Clever, campy, hilarious and absolutely bloody. I thought only the splatter zone was in range of blood but nope, no one in the theater is safe. Of course, I wore white. Not smart. It was completely spattered when we left. It took a whole stain stick when I got home, when I pulled it out of the washer this morning it was brightly white no trace of blood. Best money we've spent in a while. Great production! It can be added to my list of favorite musicals. I needed a fun night out. Evil Dead The Musical delivered.

It wasn't til this morning that I learned that the funds needed to produce the show came from pledges made on Facebook. Once their goal of $3000 was reached director Sirc Michaels was able to bring the cult classic to the intimate 98-seat Onyx theater. The cast is great, especial Ben Stobber as Ash. I loved the transformation from S-Mart employee to superhero. Bruce Campell was channeled. My fond memories for the Sam Raimi trilogy flooded back and I was quoting the lines from Army of Darkness right along with Ash. It was "groovy", so go see who's evil now and check out Evil Dead The Musical. The show runs through October 31. Those of you not in Vegas should check local listings, I've heard other cities are currently running the production as well.

Waking Up in the Dark

It seems like I am the only one not jumping for joy for fall's arrival. I never want summer to end, and my dread for fall grows each year. "EH! EH! EH!" My alarm sounds each morning at 6:30 to encourage me to get my ass out of bed and start the day. I'm one of those people who sets the clock 10 minutes fast to build in a buffer, but I snooze it away more times than not and I'm fully aware the clock is fast so it doesn't make a whole helluva lot of sense. Still, I do it. This week it's been dark. I'm not much of a morning person and to start my day in darkness makes it's so much harder to drag myself from the coziness of my bed. The sun rises as I brush my teeth. Soon, I won't see the sun peer from the window until I shower. It won't be long before we're changing the clocks back, which does help the morning routine, but I hate driving home in darkness. I sit in a windowless office all day, rarely getting out for lunch, the hour of sun (while I prep and drive to work) I see in the morning hardly gives me the dose of Vitamin D I need. I'm definitely one affected by SAD. As soon as I know winter is near the depression settles in.

It's rained off and on for three days and it's not helping my mood any. I'd really like to resume our regularly scheduled warmth and sunshine. I'm not ready for clouds and 80-degree highs. Most Las Vegans are in heaven. They welcome the break of triple digit heat and rain is a treat in the desert. Just this morning, co-workers bounced down the halls giddy that more rain would fall. They all love this weather. "Good for them," I say. I hate this shit. It looks like we'll be plagued by storms all week. I can already hear everyone's cheers.

Speaking of storms, they put a damper on our concert Saturday night. We went to Mandalay Bay Beach to see Slighty Stoopid with Fishbone. Mike joined us. We brought beer to pre-party before the show. The Selena Gomez show was at the event center, kidlets and their parents paraded around while we polished off a 6 pack of Dos Equis. I'm sure we made the most interesting man in the world proud. We also had PBR to bring into the show since last year we were welcomed with tall boys, aluminum was A-OK. This year, we learned they limited it to plastic. Anything and everything had to be poured into the cups at the gate. Still, better than no outside beverages. We obliged their request and each of us entered double fisting our PBR in plastic. We're so high class.

We took our spots, front row in the water just below the stage, we were there for the Dirty Head show too. I was unfamiliar with Fishbone, but they were high energy and quite entertaining. They made my night when they played Sublime's "Date Rape". Stoopid had the longest sound check ever. When they finally got the show underway they invited Fishbone to join them on stage. It was cool, and I wouldn't have minded had we seen them move on and play our favorites. But they never got the chance. Mother Nature had other plans, after "Closer to the Sun" lightning appeared in the distance. The show went on, I kept one eye on the storm the other on the stage since we were standing in water. They did belt out "Til it Gets Wet" before we got wet. We knew the storm was getting close so we left the pool and found a place front row on the beach. Just as we got settled security and life guards made everyone exit the pool. Fishbone and Stoopid encouraged the crowd to return, they asked if someone pissed the pool. It didn't take long before the caught on (or were told) why we were all huddled on the beach. They finished out the song with a "we love you, Las Vegas" and people cheered for the encore, but the house lights came on and show was over. It's no one's fault, this is the risk you take with an outdoor show, but still we felt robbed. No "Collieman".. nuthin'. Such a bummer. This was the second show shut down by weather. The other was Steve Miller last year at M Resort. They never even had a chance, winds shut that show down before it even started. This shouldn't be such a problem in the desert, but that's my luck.

Dinner and a Show

After a full day of cleaning and running errands Frank and I were off to Mandalay Bay. First, we stopped at Ri Ra the Irish bar at Mandalay Place. I wanted to check out their draft selection. There was one that piqued my interest, Delirium Tremens. A Belgium pale ale. We both had one, I loved the pink elephants on the glasses and tapper. The irony was fun, it was good strong beer to boot 8.5% abv. Frank also had a Weihenstephan, I had it before in Chicago and didn't care for it, but it was right up his alley. No Irish beers for us, but we found another Irish bar that was a winner.

We left to make our dinner reservations at Border Grill. Their chips were excellent two of the four salsas were good, we requested hot and we like the tomatillo. Our $49 meal deal from travelzoo came with house margaritas that weren't very good. We had an appetizer platter (chosen for us) to start. That had taquitos, empanadas, and sweet corn tamale. The taquitos were the best, we only wished we had known they were coming because Frank ordered the entree so he was stuck with more of the same. I had beer battered fish tacos which were tasty. I liked that they lacked the creamy slaw that so many places like to add. For dessert, we shared Tres Leche cake. It was drier than those I've had before, but still good. Service was attentive, the meal was ok. I'm glad we got it at a discount, but I see no reason to return.

It worked out perfectly before the concert, though. We were able to walk out from the patio, hit the bathroom, and we were right at the line to enter the pool. We were among the first inside, we grabbed a spot in the shallow end of the wave pool so we were front row. The water was bit more than ankle deep.

Us, waiting for the show to start.



I had no clue who was headlining Dirty Heads or The Wailers. With the ties to Bob Marley, I thought it might be the latter, but I was wrong. The Wailers went first. They were good, but straight up reggae gets old fast. I much prefer dub and reggae rock. It was hotter than hades and humid as can be. I went to get water, they were price gauging $8 for a liter of Fiji. $16 later we were refreshed and rehydrated. Dirty Heads took the stage and the place came alive. It was the largest crowd we've seen yet at a DH show. Good to see. They played three new songs, two we heard at the San Diego show a couple weeks back.

Before they went on, we were talking to this guy (Eric) who saw them in SD and the night before in Catalina (I tried to win tickets to the show, he actually did). He was chosen to go on stage and perform the Buenos Noches rap. They've never done it at the shows I've been to, but my brother told me they did it at the one in Chicago. Anyway, we thought that was cool. Then, last night we learn that the guy is a friend of Frank's friend in California that went to school with the DH's in Huntington Beach. Small world. Frank found video of Eric rapping at the Catalina show.



Awesome show, but liked the one in SD better. So I'm glad we caught it. Weather mainly affected that. I hope they come back soon, and don't wait another year to return.

SOAD

After busting ass all weekend, yes, I got much of my to do list completed... we headed over to the Palms to see System of a Down at the Pearl. It's a great venue. I'm not sure I can pick a favorite, The Joint or the Pearl. Both are winners in my book. We had balcony seats in Section 304. We could see the stage and the pits, it's a really great set up.

Start to finish, SOAD gave a high energy performance. They had the audience on their feet with the first chord and we sang along to every song. I've always been a big fan of Serj, he's outrageously talented and watching him juggle vocals with the guitar and keyboard was pretty spectacular. Daron was really impressive, too, it was nice to see a guitarist with front man presence.

They played all of their hits including personal favorites like B.Y.O.B., Lonely Day, Lost in Hollywood, Psycho, Cigaro, Aerials, Toxicity, Chop Suey and they closed out the show on the perfect note with Sugar.

System played their hearts out. They only broke to thank Las Vegas, the rest of the time they were rocking. It was a damn good show. Better performance and WAY better venue than when I saw them last at Ozzfest in Alpine Valley many moons ago.

Poor Promoting

Now, fast forward or rewind to Monday night... depending which way you look at it. We had free tickets to see Tomorrow's Bad Seeds at Crown Theater inside Rio. I'm sure your asking the same question I did, "there's a music venue at Rio?" Yep, it's a live music and night club venue. It's operated by the same folks as the Viper Room in Los Angeles. I guess its been open a year, but I only recently learned of it when I received an invite to see Afroman a couple months back. I was gonna see the show, but I got high. Ok, not really. Truth told, I'm an old lady masquerading as a women in her 30's. I was too tired to stay up late, knowing I'd have to be up early the next morning.

I prepared myself for the Tomorrow's Bad Seeds concert. After work, I napped so I'd be energized for late show. Go ahead, you can say it. I know I am so rockstar. We got to Crown just after 10:00. Bud Light draft were sold for $2, but even at the low price, it was tough to swallow so our next beers were Corona ($7). Ouch, but I guess they gotta make money somehow. It certainly wasn't by ticket sales, not only were free tickets available, but it was a very small turnout.

A local band RNR or Rhyme and Rhythm opened the show. They're a bit hip-hop, funk, soul, and raggae. It was an interesting mix. It was a shame the sound wasn't up to par. I'm not sure if it's the venue, in general, or just the set up for this night's show, maybe the lack of attendence threw it off? No clue, but the fuzzy music continued into HaleAmano and TBS's performances. We saw HaleAmano last year at the Dirty Head show. It was good to see them again. It was after midnight by the time Tomorrow's Bad Seeds took the stage. They played well over an hour, playing hits like Love Street, Only For You and Bad Seeds, plus a bunch of other lessor known songs - at least by me.

I'm shocked how few people were there. You'd think they'd make more with no show at all. I know promotion for this show and others has been really poor. Heck, the venue was open nearly a year before I ever even heard of it. That's not good, I'm usually pretty on top of things.

We have tickets to Seven Mary Three next Monday. We were planning to go, but I scored last minute tickets to see System of a Down on Sunday. I might not have enough rockstar left in me to hang for two shows, but we'll see. I'm interested to see if that show has a better turnout.

Dirty Heads & Sublime with Rome

Friday night, our friend, Shane drove in for the weekend. He's was going to the concert with us. Beforehand, we went to PT's for wings and beers. Made it in time for happy hour, gotta love drinks at 1/2 price. Primed up we headed to the strip, we valeted at Four Seasons. We've dealt with the crowds at Mandalay Bay, traffic is just ridiculous. The Four Seasons is the perfect alternative.

We had time to grab a beer before the gates opened. We thought we'd stop at the bar, but we walked by the sundries shop they had tall boys two for $8. We were pounding them while waiting in line thinking we couldn't bring them in, but as long as it wasn't glass we were good. Of course we learned that tidbit just as we gained admission. We took seats right on the edge of the wave pool. We stayed dry until the crowd filled the pool toward the end of the show. Beers were $9, so we came up with the idea of going back in the hotel to purchase more tall boys, if they'd let us out. Frank was off to find out and Shane and I held our spots. Frank returned with a bag of tall boys. Perfect! We were sticking it to the man. We found the ultimate value.

Frank got back just before Dirty Heads took the stage. They were awesome, again! I'll gladly see them every chance I get. I went to the bathroom in between bands. Lines were long, but not out of control like at HR. Made friends with the girls ahead of me. They thought I was from Ireland, they said I didn't look like a Las Vegan. Ha! Got back to the guys and Sublime with Rome took the stage. Rome did great. They played all the hits only one I was missing was Caress Me Down. They ended with What I Got and Santeria. By now, my feet were soaked, I was wet up to my shins and I had sand stuck to me. We walked back to Four Seasons, amped up, wet and sandy. We got complimentary bottled water, no lines at valet and we're off in no time. Score another for us. Had we parked at Mandalay Bay we probably be waiting an hour or so to get out.

Plan was to head back to PT's since it was after midnight and happy hour had started. I was beat from being up early, and singing and dancing in the heat so I bowed out and went home to sleep. By the sound of it they drank my share and had a good time.

I'll add that Mandalay Bay Beach is a FAR better venue than Hard Rock's Pool. I'll happily catch another show at the beach.

I'm Over the HRH Pool

Friday was Slightly Stoopid over at the Hard Rock Hotel Pool. Unlike Pepper, there were no long lines. We were able to walk straight into the pool area since we had tickets this time. The Expendables were on stage. We met up with one of Frank's friends, grabbed beers ($9 for bud light, craziness) and watched the show. People we passing us like crazy. The band was good. After they wrapped we joined Josh and his friends (a big group were in from SoCal) on the otherside of the stage we were situated between the pool and the sound/light crew. Apparently this was a hallway. Hundreds of people passed us. I ended up moving into the planter because I was tired of getting trampled by passerbys. Meanwhile, this wasted chick was making out with with a guy she met right in front of me. They were dry humping like mad. I wanted him to bust a nut just to be done with it. They went off to the bathroom and I never saw them again.

Finally, Slightly Stoopid took the stage. I thought the crowd would calm down and stay put (pot smokers are known to be pretty chill, right?) but nope. They were the passing us left and right and falling all over. We kept moving and they kept passing. It was RIDICULOUS! Frank and I ended up moving back against the edge of the pool. People were still passing us, in front, behind, left and right. Insanity. It was like a fucking ant colony. I wanted them to toke up and calm the fuck down, but it never happened. We made the most of it, and tried to enjoy the show in between people bouncing off of us, falling all over and using us as handrails. Slighly Stoopid didn't play much that I knew. I really like their songs with great guitar, they played one, Collie Man, at the end. It was mainly wind instruments all night, like their guitarist didn't show or something. It was a good show, but I thought it would be better. And I'm completely over the HRH pool venue. There are very few bands that could convince me to return. The layout is piss-poor. There is only one bathroom and it's right beside the stage. That's why there was a constant stream of people passing us. Yeah, I'm over it!

Viva Elvis

Sunday, Frank and I had a nice night out. A couple months back Cirque Du Soleil announced a summer promotion offering tickets from $55. I jumped at the offer and bought tickets to Viva Elvis. We attended Sunday's 7pm performance. We grabbed dinner at Julian Serrano beforehand, but I'll share more about that meal another day.

My tickets were auto-generated, we were seated in Section 404 Row JJ Seats 1 and 2. Which is located in the last row of the theater. The theater is large and a bit different than other Cirque Shows. This one reminded me a bit of the Colosseum where we saw Cher. The seating is very steep. Individual chairs are roomy and pretty comfortable - such a treat compared to those at "O".

We took our seat about 15-minutes before showtime. There is no pre-show entertainment, we played a game of Sudoku to pass time. About 10 minutes til, I recall saying "those are a lot of seats to fill in short time", as I looked at the sea of emptiness around and below me. The majority of those seats were never filled. If I had to guess, I'd say the theater was less than half filled.

The show got started to a fun number, but then it quickly lost pace. I was bored only a few minutes in, it wasn't until the trampoline act that I gained interest. Only to lose it again later. Viva Elvis gives us a look at Elvis' life from birth. His songs supply the soundtrack, but unlike Love his music is not used. Therefore, the show feels a bit like cheesy Vegas show, with an Elvis tribute. It was a lot of song and dance. The talents of Cirque Du Soleil performers were not well showcased here. There were only a few exceptions where the cast left you breathless. This was the first time 90 minutes lagged during a Cirque Show. Even the grand finale was bit anti-climatic. It was a big disappointment. It's hard to believe this is CityCenter's only entertainment draw.

Criss Angel's Believe has earned the reputation as the worst Cirque Show, but I really can't imagine it being much worse that Viva Elvis. I now want to see it, it can't possibly be that bad, can it?

The Offspring

Mike, Frank and I were back at the Hard Rock for another concert on Friday. This time it was The Offspring at The Joint. After experiencing serious sticker shock at the pool last week, we brought a few beers with us to enjoy before the show. It was a nice surprise that plastic cups were handed out so we could bring our drinks inside the venue. Once inside bud was $5 and widmer was $6. In my opinion, it was well worth the extra buck.

The new Joint is a great venue. It has a large open floor plus an area for seating and balconies above the stage. The setup is great there seemed to be a clear shot of the stage from every vantage point.

We missed the first band, Battle Born. They wrapped as we entered. We stood near the stage and waited for the next band, Terrible Things. They were terrible. This was their first time playing in LV, their stage presence was awful, not sure if was nerves or what.

The Offspring took forever to take the stage, but once they did, it was on! They opened with "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" one of my favorites! The crowd went apeshit! Mosh pits broke out to our right (even a kid in a wheelchair went nuts in the pit). Frank let them bounce off of him to protect me. We were about 6 rows back center stage. We made it through a couple more songs but the mosh pits were just insane for "Bad Habit", Frank wore sandals without thinking - his toes were getting stepped on left and right and I was too paranoid about my ankle to enjoy myself so we bailed. We moved toward the left of the stage about 20 rows back. We could still see the band and I was safe so we could all relax. They played all their old stuff, I felt like I was 18 again. They've gotten old, but so have I. Still, they rocked it out. It was a great time! And a good crowd... ages from 20's to 50's. Even saw a first... that kid in the wheelchair that was moshing went crowd surfing, too.

We have one more concert at Hard Rock this Friday. We'll be seeing Slightly Stoopid at the pool, the show is part of the Legalize It Tour. Kinda ironic since I haven't smoked pot since I was 18. I do think it should be legalized, however. Anyway, it'll be our first time seeing Slightly Stoopid. I hope they put on a good show.

Off her meds - again

Mother Nature must have been off her meds again this weekend. Winds picked up on Thursday and brought in a cold front. It was a bit cool for the Pepper concert at Hard Rock's pool. Saturday, the temps barely reached 80. There were scattered showers all day. It just rained a couple weeks ago, wtf? It's not winter, it's not monsoon season. We're not supposed to have rain. Yesterday, was a lovely spring day. Trouble is we are one week away from summer. This weather has been so bizarre. Thanks El Nino.

Friday, we had free tickets to Pepper courtesy of SpyOnVegas. Those with free tickets had to wait in a line that snaked from the back of the casino near the Joint and box office, and ended at the pool entrance near the parking garage. Once the line started moving it wasn't too bad. It only took 30 minutes or so. Wouldn't have been bad, but it was the most I had walked and stood since I hurt my ankle. My toes felt like fat sausages, I had to rest and elevate my foot before the swelling worsened and I felt like I had overcooked sausages for toes. That "about to burst" feeling is quite uncomfortable. We found a an unoccupied bed off to the side. We took it as ours. I thought we might have to purchase drinks (from the Rehab menu) to stay, but a waitress never came around. We sent Mike off to get us beers. Two 16oz Budlights (blech) were $20. Insanity. We were so spoiled by the Dirty Heads show - the differences were unreal.

I was totally over-dressed in jeans and tee. It was never more apparent than when I went to the restroom. Which only had 5 stalls and had a 15-minute wait before Pepper even took the stage, by the way. The girls primping in the bathroom were all Snookie look-alikes... big girls - half naked in the least flattering pieces of cloth I've seen in a long while. Short and tight seemed to be the theme of the night. However, just a PSA - one size does not fit all. If your backside looks like two pigs fighting under a blanket you should probably re-think your outfit. Then, again, what do I know? I wore jeans and a tee.

The show could have been better. I couldn't deal with the crowd with my ankle so I limited where we could sit. The wind was ridiculous and it interfered with the show, the sound was shitty. Not to mention the disruption from the constant stream of airplanes overhead. $9 beers made it impossible to look past the flaws. After Pepper played the songs we wanted to hear, we bailed. It was a good thing, too, because there was already a line to get out of the garage.

We capped off the night at the new Yard House at Red Rock. The place was hopping, there was a 30-minute wait a 11:00. Think they underestimated the market? We ordered beers and shared wings: jerk & firecracker (per the suggestion of our waitress). They were the first menu items I haven't cared for. Mike didn't like them, either. Frank was left to have himself a wing feast.

Saturday was a fairly lazy day. It was cool and rainy. I took advantage of it and laid in the hammock in the sunroom. Between the sounds of the waterfall, breezes and scattered storms it sort of felt like Mexico. At least, that's what I was imagining as I dozed off. I did manage to clean house and shop at Smith's, but those two activites took me 3x as long as normal. Plus, they wiped me out. I relaxed until we caught the 9:00 showing of Get Him to the Greek at Rave. We had the opportunity to catch the movie premiere at Planet Hollywood, but we passed it up. Our mistake. The movie was hilarious. I liked it far more than I ever imagined. It was the funniest thing since The Hangover and it might even be funnier.

Sunday we went out to my mom's. Frank wanted to take advantage of the cool weather by tackling the landscaping. He cut down all the dead pines with the chain saw and pulled several stumps. The yard is really looking nice. Once the new growth fills in, and all the piles of dead trees are cleaned up, it will really come together beautifully. All his hard work is evident.