Diva Las Vegas Baby

So, it is official, I am now a resident of the state of Nevada. I just got my Nevada-issued driver's license and plates for my car. Crazy, never thought I'd live anywhere else but in NYC, or perhaps, more accurately, not Nevada. Ah, the impromptu turns of life. The Las Vegas DMV was actually a pleasant and expedient experience, so simple. Makes you wonder why it is such a chore in NYC. Perhaps the population difference, more people in NYC, yadda, yadda. However, one thing I do not like about my new license is that they print your WEIGHT on it!?!?! That seems so random. I can understand height, that's something that is probably not going to change much by the time you are of age to own a license. But your weight? I asked the guy what happens if I lose weight, he laughed and told me that I could come back and they would change it for me. I've already lost a pound, I'm on my way to the DMV tomorrow!!! My driving has improved, or at least my fear of driving...

We FINALLY got to see Prince out here - he has a weekly weekend gig at his club at the Rio, 3121. He's been here since December or so and goes out on tour at the end of March, so we were just in time. The directors took a group of 8 of us and it was just fantastic. We had a table right next to the stage, so that when Prince came on, he was so close. The space is pretty intimate to begin with - a dance floor in the center surrounded by tables in the round. What a talent Prince is. And such a presence. The highlight of the evening, however, was when our friend was beckoned to dance onstage - she sashayed across the stage as if it had been choreographed and rehearsed, it was fabulous. And then, the rest of us were summoned to dance onstage too. Prince had left the stage by this point, probably for a wardrobe change, but we still had such a good time. The band was playing a James Brown hook and Prince's backup dancers (who happened to be twin sisters) joined us in OUR rout...

Well, we've immediately expanded our newlywed family with the addition of our new puppy girl, Brooklyn. She's five-months old, a Lhasa Apso/Bichon Frise mix (I only hang with dogs of "two-name" species), and she is just adorable. Very cuddly and loving and spunky, but also chills out when necessary, a people-lover, very playful. The challenge right now is to housebreak her, which was going very well until recently. For some reason, she no longer sees the great outdoors as her grand toilet - at least as far as urinating goes. She holds it until she gets back inside and then relieves herself on her puppy pad. What to do? At least I don't have to pick up any number #2 inside, she's got that routine down pat. It's funny how having a dog opens up a completely new social circle. Fellow dogwalkers, who probably wouldn't have given me the time of day, now greet me regularly; conversations consist of colorful words like pee and poop; voices climb dangero...

The entire cast performed during the NBA All-Star weekend extravaganza. We went on right before the Slam Dunk contest. Our performance, however, was during a commercial break - so no need to get upset that I didn't call anyone, LOL! Vegas really gets into its All-Star festivities. Ads posted along side highrise resorts, easily 30-plus stories in height, go up within hours, it seems. Parties popped all weekend - unfortunately, my winding down from the wedding excitement left us too tired to attend any parties, particularly the Lebron James party, which we heard was slamming! The resorts got into the sporting spirit and were appropriately delegated to opposing sides, with Lady Liberty of New York, New York repping the East, and the MGM's Lion donning West Coast gear. At the All-Star game, I met Kareem Abdul Jabar; he and my mother were childhood friends, so I felt compelled to introduce myself. We also saw Penn & Teller hanging out backstage - my husband met them both...

So, my fiance is now...my HUSBAND! Yes, we tied the knot on Valentine's Day. It came up very casually the night before as an idea, "Wanna get married tomorrow?" and we thought about it all day on Valentine's Day, "Should we get married today?" "Do you wanna do it?" We finally decided that we were going to go for it after work, and then the preparation began: we got ready, a friend and castmate extraordinaire spread the word out to the company, we left the house, and within forty-five minutes, we had rings and a marriage license and arrived at the Little White Wedding Chapel - which has two chapels, an outdoor gazebo and a drive-thru window for DRIVE-THRU weddings, no joking! I accidentally walked through a drive-thru ceremony between a couple on their motorcycles. We opted to get married in the smaller, indoor chapel. They make weddings so accessible in Las Vegas: the marriage bureau stays open for licensing until midnight, and until 10pm for...

Last night I had my first real go at gambling - roulette. A real game of chance that pays big, 35:1. Now, I don't like gambling, I don't like parting with my money, so as many times as I've walked through the casino to cash my check (yes, our payroll cashier is conveniently located in the casino), I've never had the strong desire to place a bet. I watch the numbers flash at each table, and there just doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the game, complete chance, and either you are lucky or you are not. But, like I said, if you are lucky, the payoff is nice. That being said, on our way out, after examining the tables for any hint of a pattern, my fiance and I decide that a red number is bound to pop up next at a table flashing a chain of black numbers. The wheel is spinning and I'm in a zone, and for some reason, I decide that I am going to take a risk and part with $20 by placing it on Red 9, my favorite number. Call it an inkling, but I feel confiden...

So, some friends went to see Lauryn Hill perform at Prince's nightspot, 3121. I imagine that she was the headliner since Prince was in Miami for the Super Bowl Halftime Extravaganza. The show was advertised as an 8:00 pm event online; however, when our friends arrived at the club, the buzz was that Ms. Hill (as she requires EVERYONE to call her) would not set foot on the stage until 10:30 pm or so. So, our friends kill time by getting something to eat. When they return at 10:30, they are told that Ms. Hill's show won't start until about midnight. The vibe in the club was very positive, folks dressed up, everyone dancing and waiting with open arms to welcome Ms. Hill back to the tour circuit and bask her in doting adoration. Well, Ms. Hill's feet never touched the stage! She just never came out - by about 1:30 am (and yes, people were still there waiting at 1:30 to see her) folks became furious. Now why would she not come out? Let's hope it wasn't anythi...