The Police Concert at Wrigley Field

Last night I attended the first of two concerts at Wrigley Field by The Police, currently on their reunion tour (the second show is tonight). For those of you unfamiliar with Wrigley, it is where the beloved Chicago Cubs baseball team plays, and it's somewhat of a national treasure as far as baseball stadiums go (along with The Green Monster/Fenway in Boston). One of the many things that makes Wrigley unique is that it is smack dab in the middle of a residential area where a lot of straight-outta-college yupsters live, and that area is called... Wrigleyville (creative, I know). The Police playing at Wrigley is special because it's only the second time there's been a major concert performed there - the first was in 2005 (Jimmy Buffett - which I missed, which sucks) - so last night was like a double-whammy... not only did The Police reunite, but they were playing in Chicago at a very hard-to-book venue. There are crazy-strict noise ordinances that typically prohibit such an event from being held at the stadium, but the owners of Wrigley and the Cubs, as well as the City Council, approved the event - probably figuring that The Police fans can't possibly that rowdy. I personally think they underestimated the number of people who would want to lay claim to "being arrested by the police at The Police concert," but that's just me.

Expectations were damn high at the beginning of the night - entering the stadium, we were deluged by vendors selling old school t-shirts, which was pretty cool. Why buy a t-shirt with old dudes on it when you can sport one with the guys back in their heyday? Anticipation mounted.

We sat behind first base, a few levels up. The stage was set up in the outfield, and I have to admit that it was really bizarre to see the stadium with a monstrous set looming over everything and the field set up with rows and rows of seats. I think it made it that much more exciting to be in an open-air stadium, rather than the usual enclosed, massive, no-personality theater. And I have to give MAJOR props to Miller Lite for being the only advertiser clever enough to tie in the concert with their billboard. But I still didn't drink any... sorry guys.

Because of a great meal at local Moe's Cantina, we missed the opening act, which was Fiction Plane (Sting's son's band - I wonder how they got the gig?). Less than ten minutes after we arrived, The Police came on stage, so I'm very glad we didn't stay for the ice cream skewers we had ordered and paid for at Moe's. "Message in a Bottle" was the first song, and it was very high energy, so I thought that the rest of the show was going to rock the house.

However, it didn't. Some will say this is blasphemous, but I just didn't think the concert was that great. It wasn't bad... but it wasn't astounding, either. My favorite song of theirs, "Don't Stand So Close To Me," was probably their worst performance of the night - they just didn't sound together at all, and it was played at a weird tempo (I like the slower version of the song). My husband, who as I have mentioned before, knows way more about music than I do, agreed that it sounded like crap.
The good news is that they played every major song they have - I can't think of anything that was left out. High points included "Every Breath You Take" (the ultimate stalker song), "So Lonely," and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." And when Sting mentioned that the last time they played Chicago was TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO... well, it just made you happy to be there, no matter what some of the songs sounded like.

Sting still looks pretty darn good for a 55-year-old (that's right, that IS his age). Must be all that lute playing. He was sporting a cropped haircut and his signature loose-fitting tank top (white with red sparkles on it... hmmm...). The other guys haven't aged quite as well, but I'm sure I won't be able to do what they do over twenty years from now, so I give them props. Stuart Copeland (the drummer) even busted out the Cubs jersey for the final song - that's my boy!

All in all, I'm glad I went - it was a little bit dull (I have since talked to a few other people who went and agree with me), but it was still the freaking Police at Wrigley Field!

- e

John Mayer is poop

First off, Happy 4th of July to my U.S.-based readers!

It was a hot one here in Chicago today, but my friends and I braved the sweltering sun and made our way back to the Taste of Chicago for yet another concert - John Mayer. I highly doubted that he would top Kenny Rogers' performance from last Saturday - and I was right.



I should state upfront that I don't like John Mayer - I never understood what all the fuss was about with him. "Your Body is a Wonderland" is a good (albeit cheesy) song, but I haven't liked anything else he's done. I do not think he is good-looking, and he is obviously dumb since he dated Jessica Simpson. People who know more about music than I do have assured me that he is a really good guitar player (evidenced by the fact that Buddy Guy came out to play "Sweet Home Chicago" with him during the encore), so I guess that's more than some other popular singers can say.

So why go to the concert? The short answer is - to continue to avoid errands and tasks that I didn't want to do on my random day off of work in the middle of the week. I just wanted to relax, and since I don't DESPISE John Mayer, I figured it would be a good way to pass some time. Plus, then I could get another deep dish slice of pizza at the Taste (it's like a siren's call to me - beckoning me back for more).

I arrived at the Taste alone and needed to find some friends who set up a spot on the lawn there hours earlier. When I stepped foot on the grounds, I immediately knew I was dealing with a whole different scene than I'd been a part of last weekend. It was PACKED. And I mean the kind of crowdedness where you just can't even move, and people start getting crabby because they're hot and sweating all over each other, and somebody's trying to push a baby stroller through the crowd, and some idiot brought his poor dog and everyone shakes their heads at him, and someone's blowing cigarette smoke in your face, and your feet get stepped on and your heels get clipped and you start wondering why you left your house - that kind of crowded.

By the time I found my friends, I was pouring down sweat (and I don't sweat easily - which is not some weird badge of honor - just a fact). There was no way to avoid the sun, and I was immensely thankful that I had thought to grab my hat and sunscreen before heading out. But the sun was so strong that I kept feeling like I was getting burned, so by the end of the concert a few hours later, I looked like Casper the Ghost's sister - I had piled so much thick sunscreen on. At one point late in the concert, everyone started cheering, and I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized that everyone was whooping it up because THE SUN WENT BEHIND A CLOUD. *That's* how hot it was.

So back to the concert... the first opening act, two guitarists with a Spanish flair who go by Rodrigo Y Gabriela, were actually the highlight of the night. They were already jamming away by the time I got there - and I'm usually not a fan of music without lyrics (shallow, I realize, but true) - and even I thought it was good. The second opening act was Robert Randolph & The Family Band, who I was familiar with because of their single "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That," which I like. Their set was pretty upbeat and sounded good, but I was in a heat coma at that point and just sat there, still, trying to will myself to feel cooler.


John Mayer finally came on, dressed in cargo pants, a white t-shirt and sporting aviator shades. I will say that he looks much better now that his hair is shorter (and he's also better-looking with his sunglasses ON). He kicked off his set with that "I want to run through the halls of my high school... I want to scream at the TOP OF MY LUNGS!" song - so I thought perhaps the rest of his performance would be promising. But alas, it got much worse - what followed were a lot of slow songs that all sounded the same and just brought the mood of the entire crowd down. Way to kill the celebratory vibe, man!

I also realized very quickly that I don't know many John Mayer songs, because I only recognized that one he started off with, "Waiting on the World to Change," and "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" (and that last one is only because it way played on the radio during a recent cab ride).

What's that, you say? He didn't play "Your Body is a Wonderland?"

No, he didn't!??! What's up with that? He's probably embarrassed by that song now, especially since everyone thinks he wrote it about ex-girlfriend Jennifer Love Hewitt (though he didn't - he wrote it years before they started dating). Whatever the reason, it was lame that he didn't play it - I hate when artists try to deny the songs that made them popular. Back in the day when the Dave Matthews Band became big, they wouldn't play "What Would You Say" at concerts - apparently out of protest because it had been played on the radio so much. Guess what, guys? That's why you're famous - play the damn songs people want to hear!!!

At least I didn't pay for the John Mayer concert - God Bless America!

- e

Sesame Street Memories

A few days ago, when I was searching YouTube for the clip of Kenny Rogers singing "The Gambler" on The Muppet Show, several other classic clips popped up, which reminded me of the good old days... the days when The Muppet Show was on the air and Sesame Street did NOT have that annoying Elmo character.

With each clip I watched, I then thought of others that I just had to find. I was struck by how awesome Sesame Street was - so many aspects of the show were geared toward adults. Take "The Letter B" by The Beetles, for example. Little toddlers weren't going to make the connection between the buggy band of muppets and the real Fab Four. Nor would the kiddies appreciate all of the famous guest stars doing funny takes of their most popular songs. If I included everything I found that took me on a fond walk down memory lane, I would be pasting in links forever, but here are some of what I consider to be Sesame Street's greatest hits:

- Letter B by The Beetles. Now THIS is how to learn the alphabet!

- Subway! My el-riding experience would be much more enjoyable if people busted out in song like this.

- Rubber Duckie. One of the all-time greatest Sesame Street songs.

- C is for Cookie. I have a t-shirt with "Me want cookies!" on it - some things just stuck with me, what can I say?

- Johnny Cash sings "Nasty Dan" with Oscar. The Man in Black lays down the law.

- I Love Trash. Oscar was always one of my faves.

- The Count and the Cookie Monster. Cooperation at its best!

- 'Eleven Twelve' by the Pointer Sisters. I apologize for the fact that you will have this song in your head for the rest of the week.

- The Ladybug's Picnic. Ahh, the memories of my mom singing this to me when I was just little bitty e bring a smile to my face.

- The Alligator King. A quick but memorable moral lesson.

- These are the People in Your Neighborhood. I'm trying to imagine how this song would go if they were describing the residents of my current neighborhood...

The verdict is in - Sesame Street was the best, and they just don't make 'em like that any more. Barney? Teletubbies? The Wiggles? Crap, I say! If I ever have kids, they will be watching DVDs of old-school Sesame Street so that I, too, can be entertained.

- e

Happy 21st to Lindsay Lohan

What would have been the party of the year, Lindsay Lohan's 21st birthday celebration at Pure in Las Vegas (scheduled for tonight), was canceled in mid-June as Lindsay tried to get well in rehab. A few days ago, Lindsay's mother (if you can call her that - she's more like a wannabe teenager) announced to the press that although Lindsay had completed her rehab program, she would be staying at the Promises facility (where she's been recouping) for an extended period of time. However, now that news broke today of toxicology reports stating that Lindsay was not only drunk but also had cocaine in her system at the time of her car crash over Memorial Day weekend (the event that sent her into rehab), something tells me that perhaps the Lohan clan had an inkling that our favorite red-head better remain on the down-low. They were already trying to deflect attention away from her cocaine scandal that broke in early May when a British tabloid ran pictures of Lindsay and her "friends" taking drugs in a club restroom (just weeks after she left her first rehab stint).

I don't know what's up with all these crazy starlets recently (Paris, Britney, Lindsay, Nicole), but it is pretty damn embarrassing to watch these girls ruin their lives before our eyes.

But I guess it's really not a recent phenomenon, is it? After all, last summer I posted this recap of disturbing events in Lindsay Lohan's life, Britney's been a mess for years, Paris has always been an idiot and Nicole is famous for nothing (which she admits in a recent interview).

So whenever you're feeling a little bit down, just be thankful you are not any of them! They are living proof that money and fame cannot buy happiness or class.

- e

Prairie Dog brings the drama

I just hooked the blog up with video embedding - let the craziness begin!

Kenny Rogers rocks the Taste of Chicago

After waiting around for 3 hours in the morning for Stanley Steemer to arrive, I was free to enjoy the beautiful day in Chicago yesterday. It was a perfect 80 degrees with a breeze, so I took my dog for a walk along the lake and then got ready to go see none other than Kenny Rogers at the Taste of Chicago - for free! God Bless America!

Even though I'm not a huge country music fan, I have listened to Kenny Rogers' music since I can remember - I think he's one of those artists who has transcended his musical genre and many of his songs appeal to everyone. So I was EXTREMELY excited when I found out that he was playing at the Taste this year and that I was free to go catch the show.

Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my real camera, so I only had my phone with which to take this crappy picture of the scene. What I loved was that there was such a wide range of people there to see Kenny - the couple next to us was older, and the man had a black cowboy hat and boots - so he was a legit fan. They were two-stepping to a good portion of the songs, so I tip my hat to them. There was a guy in front of us who was completely tattooed - and if I had to guess his occupation, I would have said "bicycle messenger." He was sitting next to a family with small children. To the right of us stood a group of guys, all wearing matching light blue t-shirts announcing "Aaron's Last Stand" - clearly a bachelor party. They definitely had a few drinks in them as they were attempting to "fast dance" to slow songs such as "Through the Years." But my point is that all ages and all races were represented in the Kenny Rogers concert audience, and not only did everyone look extremely happy to be there, but most were singing along with every song.

Kenny himself sounded good - his voice has gotten much raspier, but is still unmistakably his. However, as you may know, he got plastic surgery and no longer LOOKS the same - witness the "before and after" below:



Kenny was quite the jokester during the show - he talked to the crowd A LOT - sharing many of the stories behind certain songs, or fan reactions to songs he's received through his web site over the years. I was surprised at how funny he was, and I commented to a friend that you could tell that at this point in his career, he was clearly just enjoying being on stage and interacting with his fans. This morning I read a review of a show he did over a year ago in Reno, and it sounded like he did the EXACT SAME spiel there, so I guess he wasn't just in some rare form in Chicago but rather, he has his routine down pat.

"The Gambler," my personal favorite of all of his songs, was performed about half-way through the show. He also then did a hilarious clip of the Coolio remix of the song, entitled "The Hustler." If you type "The Hustler, Coolio" into iTunes, you can hear about 25 seconds of it, which is enough. The finale of the show was "Islands in the Stream" (minus Dolly Parton), and everyone really got into it. I am so happy that I got to see him!

After I got home, I remembered the time he was on the The Muppet Show and sang "The Gambler," and how it really freaked me out at the time. I mean, one of the muppets DIES in it?!?! This is a song with gambling, drinking and smoking in it, so I think it is awesome that it was on The Muppet Show back in the day, because you know we've gotten too PC now to ever allow anything like that to happen again. If you want to be transported back in time, I found the clip here on YouTube. I was no longer scared by it!

- e

Three cheers for Stanley Steemer!

I am happy to say that my condo is slowly but surely approaching normalcy after the flood we had in our lower level on Tuesday.

We had new carpet padding put down and then the carpeting re-laid on Friday morning, and then Stanley Steemer came out to deep clean on Saturday morning. I am pleasantly surprised with the results!

As no one could ever accuse me of being an excellent housewife, four years ago when we first moved in, I noticed that we were dirtying up the cream-colored berber carpet we had just installed on the stairs and throughout our entire lower level. So what did I do, but attempt to clean it with blue dish washing liquid detergent, leaving dark blue lines across about six of the top steps (then I realized what I was doing, so I stopped). Fast-forward to yesterday morning, when the Stanley Steemer representative moved the magical vacuum over the steps and voilà! The dark lines almost entirely vanished - certainly no one who hadn't known they were there would notice. I stood there, mouth gaping, in amazement - wondering why it took a flood to get me to try out a carpet cleaning service.

We had a few other dark spots on the rug, just from dirt in the main path where everyone walks, and all of those are gone, too. I had tried to clean those before with Resolve Carpet Cleaner, and then heard from a relative that "insiders" know that Resolve is actually really bad to use on carpeting?!?! How am I supposed to know these things?!?!

Needless to say, I will definitely be having Stanley Steemer come back on a regular basis. I just wish they spelled "Steemer" correctly because that bugs the crap out of me!

- e

Where e will be on March 22, 2008: Indiana Jones 4

I never fail to be surprised at the things that will make me gasp or shriek - because even I cannot predict my own reactions sometimes. Most recently, I was a tad startled when I found myself shouting out a "YAY!" of happiness while sitting alone in my office at work and coming across this photo from the set of Indiana Jones 4 - showing Harrison Ford once again in the "Indy get-up." Isn't it awesome?



The movie, which does not have a finalized title yet (Indiana Jones 4 is just the working title), is currently shooting in New Haven, Connecticut. They have transformed parts of the town to look like the year is 1957, and supposedly it's pretty cool. It is also rumored that they will be filming in Hawaii.

Cate Blanchett, John Hurt and Shia La Boeuf join the cast this time around, but Sean Connery is out - "enjoying retirement too much" to come back to work, even for Indy, he stated.

Less than 9 months to go!

- e

Two Princes

Last weekend, I was re-watching the "Lost" finale and accidentally hit the "Live TV" button on the Tivo remote control. What popped up on-screen just so happened to be a replay of Matt Lauer's interview with Prince William and Prince Harry, which I had forgotten to record when it originally aired. It was fate that I hit the "Live TV" button! I then quickly pressed the red "Record" button to capture the show before returning to "Lost."

I was so curious to watch the interview with the princes that I stayed up way past my bedtime to do so that same night. Like many people, I remember where I was when I heard that Princess Diana and her boyfriend, Dodi Al Fayed, had died, and I remember that my first thought was of the young princes - my heart broke for them. I cried and cried and cried. My dad just so happened to be in London that week and he took pictures of Kensington Palace - the entire lawn, the gates, the trees... EVERYWHERE there were flowers, stuffed animals, pictures of Diana - knee-deep in some places. I was there exactly one year later, and the outpouring was still overwhelming - the entire gate and front area of the Palace were covered with flowers and the crowd was still quite large - with many people crying. I also saw Mohamed Al Fayed (Dodi's father) during a dedication ceremony at Harrod's (which he owns) of a memorial to the couple. Today at Harrod's there is a statue of both of them, entitled "Innocent Victims."

Having read so much about Prince William and Harry in the past ten years, I feel oddly protective of them. I know that's silly because I don't KNOW them... I've never met them and I never will (and I'm not even British, though I think I was in a past life...), but I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes the best for them. We've all seen them grow up in front of the cameras that it's hard not to have any interest in how they're doing. And that topic was much of the focus on Matt Lauer's interview: how does it feel to be them, and to live in the public eye constantly?

What I could gather from their responses was that since the princes have really never known anything other than paparazzi covering every move they make, they have made peace with it. They know that their mother "hated the cameras," and the irony that she died being chased by photographers is not lost on them. But they have taken in the high road in how they deal with the media - they claim not to read any of the tabloids because it's not worth the frustration, and they are surprisingly understanding about the public's obsession with Diana and the mysteries surrounds her death. I have to say that overall, I was extremely impressed by both of them. One thing that struck me as I watched the show was that I've never really heard them speak - to it was almost strange to hear their voices. It's really just been picture after picture after picture for nearly two decades since they were born, but they rarely give interviews. So it was cool to see a bit more of their personality - they were constantly poking fun at one another but were well-spoken and mature. I felt proud of them in the same strange way that I feel protective of them.

Their attempt to "control" the media and the messages that surround the tenth anniversary of their mother's death (on August 31st) has resulted in the Concert for Diana, slated for this Sunday (which would've been Diana's 46th birthday) at Wembley Stadium, a little outside of London. Everyone from Duran Duran to Kanye West to Rod Stewart will be performing (and even Fergie - see, the Royal Family loves guilty pleasures as well!) As William and Harry stated in a joint interview they gave about the event late last year, they want the concert to be a celebration of her life, and the "best birthday present" she'd ever had. I have no doubt that it will be.

- e

The Concert for Diana will also be telecast by dozens of broadcasters around the world, including NBC and VH1 in the United States, BBC1 in the United Kingdom, RTL 2 in Germany, and Nine Network in Australia.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

Yesterday, I took a break during lunch and walked to a nearby gardener's market to pick up some flower bouquets. It was hot and muggy, and partially cloudy - but overall, it was a nice day outside (remember: I LOVE the heat!). The Man does not provide me with a window in my office - so I just assumed that the weather remained kind of sunny for the rest of the day.

But I was mistaken. There were flash floods in the Chicago area for a few hours in the late afternoon, as I learned when my friend came to pick me up from work to go to dinner. After a nice meal, I took a cab home and immediately knew something was wrong as I walked toward my place.

EVERY SINGLE owner of a condo on my block was standing outside, and many were crowded around a guy wearing a Department of Water Management uniform.

Uh-oh.

I busted through our front door and yelled to see if my husband (who had been home for at least an hour) had bothered to look downstairs. "No, why?" was the reply. I hurriedly explained that everyone's place on our street had flooded... and then we both went downstairs, bracing for the worst. At first, all seemed to be well. There was nothing we could SEE that was wrong. I made my way to the back guest room, while my husband inspected the front room.

"YEP, there's something!" he hollered and I ran to join him. He was walking around on our carpet near the furnace room, and I could hear a sloshing sound with each step. We opened the furnace closet door and lo and behold, there was a dirty brown mess of dried up water all over the floor. Awwwww, CRAP!!!!

Needless to say, Tuesday night sucked. There were essentially two rectangles of damage - one in the back-half of our TV room (luckily all furniture was spared) and the other down our hallway. We spent hours pulling up the carpeting, peeling off the sopping wet padding and throwing it away, and then draping the carpet over various folding tables and chairs to get the airing-out process started. We bought two extra fans from Walgreens, bringing us to a total of four fans strategically placed to blow over the most carpet possible. The dehumidifier was set to run non-stop, the air conditioning was also turned to run constantly, and we called it a (late) night.

The morning alarm came waaaaay too early. I had an 8:30 meeting where all of my fellow employees looked at me with pity as I explained my plight. Which of course comes on the heels of my kitchen being flooded just over a month ago. TO ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT OWN A PLACE - keep renting! You will miss the building's repair man when you don't have one at your beck and call anymore!!!!

After putting in some more time for The Man, I called a friend whose place flooded last night, too (the third time she's had to deal this situation). She recommended a carpet company for me to call to see if they would put down new padding and re-lay the carpet. I called them, while my husband called Home Depot. My husband reported back that Home Depot wouldn't re-lay "damaged" carpeting. The place my friend recommended took down all my information and said they'd call back. I wasn't holding my breath.

I then decided to try Home Depot myself. Someone who sounded half-dead answered the phone. I explained the situation, and then she said, "Lemmetransferyoutothacarpetspecialist."

Hold music, hold music.

Finally a young man picked up.

"HELLO???" he yelled, accusingly but yet disinterestedly.

"Ummm... is this the carpet specialist?"
"It is."
"Who is it that I'm speaking with?"
"Be for real."
"What? I mean, what is your name?"
"My name is B 4 Real, ma'am."

Pause.


WHOA.

I then proceeded to tell B 4 Real my problem, but I have to admit, it is REALLY hard to expect that you're going to be given great service by a guy named B 4 Real, much like it's hard to take him seriously. He immediately cut me off and said, "We don't do that. We don't touch carpet that's already had wear and tear. You can buy NEW carpet, though..."

Of course. They want you to spend thousands when all the carpet needs is a steam cleaning...

"I don't get it - my friend's done this three times."
"Done what?"
"Had her same carpet re-attached three times after getting water damage, and it's been fine."
"I don't know what to tell you - that's crazy."
"What if I don't need any warranty or guarantee?"
"We're not going to do it. Good luck!" And he laughed as he hung up.

Is it wrong that I want to go to the store just to see B 4 Real in person? And to ask if that's his birth name or if he just "goes" by that?

Around 1 PM, I checked the weather forecast and sat frozen in horror as the graphic for "thunderstorms" popped up for the late afternoon. I decided to head home so that I could hopefully prevent any further damage if things started backing up again.

Luckily, the company who I called in the morning DID call me back, and said that they would be right over to give a quote - so I was happy that I was already en route home. The carpet company representative arrived, took stock of the damage, and said it would be $400.

"Just make me feel better and tell me that you've seen worse," I pleaded.
"Oh, I've seen MUCH worse," he said, nodding his head.

Now the clock is ticking on when the carpeting will be completely dry, as it is set to be put back down a few days from now. Then we need to get it deep cleaned and that needs to dry before three of our good friends arrive for the 4th of July! Wish us luck.

As I wrap up this post, the skies have turned darker.... nooooooo!

- e

Frightening revelation of the week: I think I like Fergie's music

Have you ever been outright ashamed by a "guilty pleasure" of yours? Something that you know is just really stupid, but for whatever reason, you just like it?

I rarely get embarrassed by anything, and don't really care that everyone knows that I love(d) 'N Sync, the Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block, or Milli Vanilli (went to TWO of their concerts)! Nor would I mind if anyone knew that I love the movie "Xanadu," still watch "The Real World" even though I'm in my 30s, and would read Star magazine over anything serious any day of the week.

But this morning as I was walking to the El, I realized that I have finally found something to be ashamed of... the fact that I have downloaded/purchased not one, not two, but THREE of Fergie's songs (even more if you count Black-Eyed Peas songs).

Fergie has many, many qualities that I do not like:
1) She used to be a crystal meth addict
2) Her eyebrows are extremely strange
3) She has a boyfriend (Josh Duhamel from 'Las Vegas') who is way too cute for her
4) She acts about 10 years younger than she actually is and gets away with it
5) Her lyrics are utterly stupid

Yet, I have downloaded "London Bridge," "Fergalicious," and just yesterday, "Big Girls Don't Cry."

Why, God, whyyyyyy have you cursed me to like these songs? At least I didn't give money to support the train wrecks that were "My Humps" and "Glamorous."

Anyway, I think I figured out why I like these songs... they are all very good for work-outs - they have good beats that make you want to pick up the pace. And as Fergie herself says, "I'll be UP at the gym, just workin' on my fitness!"

In addition to that extremely deep line, here are some of my other favorites:

From 'London Bridge':
As the drinks start pouring,
And my speech start slurring,
Everybody start looking real good!


From 'Fergalicious':
T to the A, to the S-T-E-Y, girl, you tastey!

(That's right friends, tasty is now spelled with an e, get used to it!)


From 'Big Girls Don't Cry':
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket...

?!?!

but it gets better:
Like a little school mate in a school yard,
We'll play jacks and Uno cards

WHAT?!?!

First off, I guess I should have some sort of respect for the fact that Fergie brought UNO into a song?!?! I mean, it is a good game. But really, it's kind of strange to have in a song, don't you think?

I have come to peace with the fact that I like these songs. I don't LIKE that I like these songs, but I cannot deny my enjoyment when I listen to them on the way to or from work.

And guess what? You have a song that YOU like that is just as bad, I guarantee it!

- e

La Reve

After attending the impressive Fab Four concert and then enjoying an excellent meal at Tao, our Saturday night in Vegas was topped off with a visit to the Wynn casino to see "La Reve." I had wanted to go to this show last year, but it had just opened and was sold out. "La Reve" is a creation of Franco Dragone, who also produced Celine Dion's "A New Day" concert that's been running for years at Caesar's Palace and is now in its final days. I went to that show last year despite the fact that I cannot stand Celine. I knew it was going to be much more than a concert, and it was - it was absolutely amazing. So I had high expectations for "La Reve," and it did not disappoint.

Like Cirque du Soleil's "O" (housed in the Bellagio), "La Reve" is a water-based performance. Whereas "O" has its stage at the front of the theater, "La Reve" has its focal point in the center of an auditorium, and all seats surround it. Its web site describes the show as an "intimate experience," and I definitely agree with that - there's not a bad seat in the house and it does not feel like you are in a gigantic theater. But looks can be deceiving, as the sets are wildly complicated -- the floors rise, the ceiling opens, and people (and doves) are flying all over the place. There are also huge video screens lining the uppermost part of the theater walls, which add to the effect of each act in the show. If there's one thing Dragone rocks at, it's his videos. At the Celine show, the entire wall behind Celine was a video screen, and it was utterly breath-taking -- at times it appeared that everything was floating in space, or that a huge tree was growing right on the stage.

With "La Reve," besides the fact that it is always cool (to me, at least), to see people flying around in the sky and then dropping from really high above your head into a gaping pool, I also liked that it had somewhat of a comprehensible story line. "La Reve" means "the dream" in French, and sure enough, the show started off with a couple ending a date, the woman went off to bed... and then a whole bunch of freaky people showed up and she was immersed in her dream for the rest of the time.

I enjoyed this show and would recommend it. I still think "Ka" is the best show I've seen in Vegas, and I think "O" is a bit more impressive than "La Reve," but I wouldn't necessarily say that it was better. The strange thing about going to "La Reve" was that only about half the theater was full, and it was a Saturday night?!? I've NEVER seen a not-full theater for any show I've been to in Vegas, so that isn't a good sign. They probably need to lower the prices...

The first two rows are the "splash zone," so take heed if you go. e's always lookin' out for ya!

- e

Tao and Samba - Or, How I Gained Five Pounds in Vegas

As soon as we booked our trip to Vegas, I knew one place where I definitely wanted to make a dinner reservation: Tao. I had been to the one in New York, so I knew what to expect food-wise - but that's not why I wanted to go. I wanted to go to catch some celebrity action! Literally not a week goes by where Tao in Las Vegas is not mentioned in Us Weekly as the backdrop of a celebrity sighting. And while the stars are typically at the adjoining nightclub of the same name, I figured that my odds were good to spy someone at the restaurant as well. Alas, with Paris Hilton in jail, Lindsay in rehab and Britney still trying to figure out her life, all the famous people seemed to be staying home as a gesture of solidarity and support. Until, of course, I read this week's Us Weekly and realized I had near misses with about 10 celebs while in Vegas.

D'AH!!?!?

Anyway... despite our reservations, we waited at least 20 minutes, which is what you just need to expect anytime you try to go somewhere "hip." It wouldn't be a hip place if they didn't make you want it really badly! So I had a "Tao-tini" at the bar, which was tasty. I also grabbed a small handful of what I thought was something OTHER than wasabi-encrusted nuts from a bowl in front of me. Lesson learned there - Hot, hot hot!

We were seated on the third level, looking down on two other floors of trendy diners. My husband commented, "This is definitely a girly-place." He was right - it was probably 70% women (and many all-women tables and bachelorette parties) in the restaurant. My theory was that it was because all women read the gossip magazines, see Tao constantly mentioned and then think they're going to see a bunch of celebrities if they go there - just like I had assumed.

Despite the lack of famous faces, we still had a nice meal - edamame, four large sushi rolls and an excellent molten chocolate dessert. If a place has an all-chocolate option on the dessert menu, then I will be a fan - it's about as simple as that.

The next night, we went with a group to Samba, a Brazilian restaurant located in the Mirage. While it was much, much smaller than the typical Brazilian steakhouse, the heart of the experience was still the same. Waiters constantly circle the floor with huge skewers of every type of meat imaginable, and if anyone at your table wants more, you have an indicator at your table that you flip to GREEN and the food will keep coming. Once you think you are going to throw up, you flip the indicator to RED. Every Brazilian steakhouse has some version of this tool - when I was in a "real" Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro, they had this little sign with a cartoon pig that you kept in front of you - a happy pig with a green background kept the waiters running to your table, a sick-looking pig with a red background earned you some respite. A few guys I was with at that time had a "meat-off" to see who could eat the most... and let's just say that ALL of us got ill watching them stuff themselves for hours with hunks of meat. Nas-tay!

Back to Samba... it didn't have a lot of the traditional aspects you would come to expect if you've been to a few of these types of restaurants. There was no long, winding salad bar. In fact, there wasn't a salad bar at all - a salad bowl was passed amongst the group at the beginning of the meal, and that was it. They also didn't serve any of the little bread roll thingys that I came to love while in Brazil. I don't know what they're called, but they even serve them at McDonald's down there!

OK, I felt dumb so I just googled "Brazil, cheese, bread, poofs" and learned that they are called pao de queijo. Dammit, now I really want some! And Samba didn't have them, so it lost points for that.

But what I did eat there - turkey wrapped in bacon, many kinds of steak, and chicken - was excellent, and everyone else in the group had their fill and was satisfied.

Which way to the gym?

- e

The Fab Four and 'Love' - Beatlemania in Vegas

When I was in Vegas last spring with my parents and Grandma, I found out about a Beatles tribute show at the Aladdin - 'The Fab Four.' I went by myself (my parents were not interested: "They just keep repeating the same thing over and over again!") and loved it, and since my husband is also a big Beatles fan, I figured that we should go together (and for me, again) this past weekend.

Luckily, this show is never sold out, and therefore you can always get half-priced tickets the day of (but they don't play on Fridays) - so that's what we did - $26 a ticket, not bad for Vegas... But when you get to the "V" theater in what is now the mall of Planet Hollywood (bye bye, Aladdin) and realize that you are herded in to a small room with folding chairs, you'll be glad you took my advice and didn't pay full price!

While my view was partially obstructed by a big column in the middle of the room (I oh-so-unselfishly gave my husband the better spot as I had seen the show before), overall we had decent seats. Before the show, they put Beatles trivia questions up on a few screens around the room. I knew I had a major freak sitting directly behind me when the first question, "Where did the Beatles grow up?" came on and the guy screamed: "LIIVVEERRRPPOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLL!!!!!" like his life depended on it.

First off, "Duh!" Second, another choice (yeah, the quiz was multiple choice on top of being easy) was "Las Vegas," so it's not like this was a qualifier for MENSA or something.

"Who was the Beatles manager that died from an accidental prescription drug overdose?" "BRIIIIIAAAANNN EPPPPSSTEEEEIIIINNNNN!!!!"

This was just a game to pass the time before the show, but the guy behind me was in it for blood. About half-way through, he complained aloud, "Man, I wish we were playing for something, I would totally win this!" However, the lack of a prize, much less of any recognition whatsoever, didn't stop him from continuing to shout answers at the top of his lungs.

At 6 p.m. the show began. While I would be able to tell if a Beatles cover band was REALLY BAD, I would never know if they weren't using the right instruments and I certainly wouldn't catch whether or not they were nailing small musical details embedded in songs. If they sound even the slightest bit like the Beatles, can fake a British accent and wear good wigs, I will be a happy girl. I even forgave the fact that, when I saw the Beatles Brunch at Dick's Last Resort a few months ago, the guy playing Paul McCartney was Indian?!?! But my husband (and apparently the guy behind me) knew all the things to look for, and after the first song, both he and Trivia Guy exclaimed, "Wow."

Throughout the show my husband continued to be impressed. Apparently the band used all of the same guitars as the "real band" did for every single song, on top of playing songs that are hardly ever attempted by cover bands - like 'Penny Lane' and 'A Day in the Life.' I dare say that this concert was the highlight of our trip for him.

At the end of an hour and 15 minutes or so, the show was over, and I finally had a chance to glance back at Trivia Guy. He was NOT what I expected in the least! Very punk-rock looking, appeared to have on make-up, wore a leather jacket, had spiked hair... one of those people whose voice does not fit what he looks like. I thought I was going to be staring at some dorky middle-aged guy yearning to still be cool, but I didn't know what in the heck to make of Trivia Guy once I saw him. But I was glad that he, too, loved the show. If you are a Beatles fan, I highly recommend The Fab Four show, but you should still try for the half-priced tickets at Tix 4 Tonight.

Beatlemania continued the next night when we saw 'Love' by Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage. We were in the second row, and other people we were traveling with were in the ultimate last row. Shortly after buying our tickets a few months ago, we learned from a friend who had been to the show that it is actually much better to sit as far back as possible. Curses!!! I have to agree with his insight after seeing the show myself. There are many visual effects that simply cannot be appreciated from a lower vantage point, not to mention the fog machines constantly blowing in our faces. So heed my warning - if you go to 'Love' - sit the farthest back (ultimately the center section, last row) that you can - you will get the best view in the house for about half the price! Then you can write and thank e for cluing you in!

Regarding the show itself... I think I had my expectations set too high. I had heard from several people that it was incredible, I had seen promising clips on the web site, and had purchased and memorized the soundtrack eight months ago. Plus, I have seen several other Cirque du Soleil shows so I had a lot to compare "Love" to... and the thing is, it just didn't really seem like a Cirque du Soleil show! I was expecting people flying all over the place and crazy stunts and impossibly limber people making my mouth drop open... and while there was a little of that, the show was by and large more of an interpretation of Beatles' songs rather than an acrobatic spectacle. Don't get me wrong, it was a great show and I will probably see it again (if for nothing else then to experience it from a better view), but I think I was more awed by 'O' (Bellagio) and 'Ka' (MGM Grand). 'Ka' remains my favorite show to date.

Things I actually liked BETTER about 'Love' than any of the other shows is that I actually knew what in the hell was going on for once... each song had dance numbers or stunts that were clearly inspired by the lyrics. For example, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" had a woman (presumably Lucy) whizzing all around in the air and the theater was all dark and there appeared to be a whole bunch of sparkling diamonds floating around. I GET IT, YAY! I prefer that to scary clowns and angry-looking bald dudes engaged in some inexplicable battle that is set to fairly crappy music and lyrics you can't understand any day. They also showed a lot of clips of the Beatles themselves, as well as audio of the band talking in recording sessions.

If you would like to see some of the show for yourself, visit this site and click on either Low or High Res in the upper right, and a bunch of highlight clips will load. My favorite performance of the show was "Octopus's Garden," which is interesting because that is not a song I would typically seek out to listen to, but what they did with it was very cool and fun.

There are very few bands in the world-- in fact, I can think of no other besides The Beatles, that could have a show like this pack a multi-million-dollar theater in Vegas night after night (the one-year anniversary is June 26th), and I would bet that every person in the auditorium had a great time. So if you want a very spot-on Beatles experience in Vegas, go to The Fab Four show, and if you want a surreal tribute, go to 'Love.' And if you're like me and really love John, Paul, George and Ringo - then do both.

- e