Diva Las Vegas Baby

I am listening to the swish and whirs of our dishwasher and it occurs to me how my city upbringing has made simple, commonplace items seem very luxurious. I am even somewhat humbled by the excitement these little things bring me, taking me back to my childhood self, when dreams were big and the cup overfloweth with possibility. For instance, I remember the first time (though I can't recall the exact place) I had a sink with the hose attachment - this was big, this was like on TV, the mother dutifully cleaning the pots and pans after a family meal, little Johnny sneaking up behind her, giving her a little scare, she turning around in surprise with the hose in hand, giving little Johnny a playful spray of warm water, the two sharing a good laugh, cut to a closeup of bottled dish detergent, Mom and little Johnny dripping wet and still laughing in the blurred background, and then back to our scheduled program. I mean, this was suburban ecstasy. I remember I was in a hotel on tour wh...

Brooklyn, Valedictorian, Class of 2007 PetSmart, Las Vegas, NV

In three days Brooklyn graduates from obedience school. She's been going (or rather WE'VE been going - let's be honest, the class is really for us) for the past five weeks and it has been extremely informative. But there are times when my husband and I step out of ourselves for a minute and just have to laugh. What the heck are we doing in a puppy class in Las Vegas!?! All of us dog owners, standing up in a closed-off pen, cooing our dogs' names, trying to get them to sit, or lay down, or shake. Brooklyn is definitely the life of the party, she just bursts into class in leaps and bounds, literally. Her best friend is Kiko, a male Chihuahua who belongs to our other married friends in the show. They love to rustle and tussle, and then they french kiss, Kiko biting Brooklyn's tongue. Then there's Crypto, who is a bit manic and nervous, although I believe he's opening up and calming down. He's a white, close-shaven little dog, perhaps a Maltese, I r...

My husband has been having a time locating the Hip Hop / Spoken Word culture in Las Vegas. A few Hip Hop concerts notwithstanding, the underground scene is either non-existent or so subterranean that only the mole people know its coordinates. There have been open mic nites and spoken word slams that my husband has penciled into his calendar, only to find upon arrival that the venue is closed, the event is postponed, or the talent is lacking. Last night, our first night off together in weeks (besides our weekly day off), we planned to check out an open mic Spoken Word slam that he heard about weeks ago. Once we got to the venue, there was no sign of human life anywhere in, out or around the club. Apparently, the event is moving to another venue and the new nite is TBA. And while there are lots of shows and night clubs here in Vegas, you really have to do some homework to find something different to do. Disappointed, we headed to our safe haven, the movie theater, only to find the...

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to make a professional appearance at a Girls' Club out here to help support their "Girls' Day" event, a day of empowering young girls and providing positive reinforcement as they embark on the path to becoming young women. All I had to do was sit at a table with other female "celebs" and sign autographs. My autographing comrades included a ten year old beauty queen, a 17 year old rising basketball star, two women from the Air Force, a female local news anchor, and the female winner of a cooking reality show. I was initially a little shy about venturing solo into a completely unknown situation, without my castmates, outside of the regular one-mile radius encompassing the theater and the apartment complex. But I was so happy I went. The girls were just adorable. The day started with a presentation in the club auditorium, during which about 200 girls were paired with 200 female adult volunteers to form teams, and then th...

Okay, let me preface this entry with apologies to my NY posse - I was in NY for ONE DAY only, literally 24 hours, for my Grandmother's 94th Birthday. And because I knew it was going to be an extremely short trip, with the focus being spending time with my Grandmother, I didn't even tell anyone that I was there, because I would feel so bad if I couldn't see people. Because that's the kinda gal I am. Plus, I know that visits to Las Vegas are in the works. So rather than set myself up for disappointment, I decided to keep my visit mum. The added factor was that I brought Brooklyn with me to meet my family, specifically my Grandmother, who was particularly excited about the prospect of a furry creature (besides myself) in her humble abode. Which meant that traveling around was somewhat limited, and I had to keep my eye on her ever-moving jaws to make sure she didn't destroy my Grandmother's house, so I had to keep her with me at all times. So, that being said,...

I was doing a spontaneous organization of my purses this morning, and I decided to gather all the ticket stubs I've kept to all the shows we have seen since we've been here in Vegas. And in doing so, there are two that I don't believe I ever mentioned in writing. Tower of Power - All I can say is what power!! They were so great, and it was great to see a REAL BAND who were obviously so comfortable with each other and have been playing together for such a long time. Great musicians, great music, old school soul/funk. I hadn't recalled hearing their name when I was little, but I know them now. House Of Blues Gospel Brunch - This was quite an experience. I was expecting a full-out choir and band, like in the movies, and instead it was more of a small family band with a down-home Southern feel - Uncle So-and-So on the bass, Cousin So-and-So on the drums, etc. Very talented, the entire family, and nice songs. Some of the songs even reminded me of 60's doo-wop, my...