I ran across this and thought of a fun December trip to Vegas a few years ago.
What a show these guys put on! One of my older brothers and favorite SIL (Psst! They all are my favorites!) had such fun.
This is what I remember from the day and night we were there:
My SIL (from Arizona) was wearing a freaking mini parka because she was cold (what?) in the 68-degree weather. My body was still Alaska-nized/Iowa-ized so I was wearing shorts and drinking anything that had ice in it.
I got drunk off 2 drinks) at the bar in Crush with the SIL.
After Crush, my cheap drunk self thought I was hallucinating when we walked past the Jabba's store and the "mannequins" suddenly came alive for a moment.
The SIL and I drank some more and drinking made me want to smoke again. I paid something like $15 for a single pack of cigarettes - because I bought them in the hotel instead of going to a convenience store outside down the street... I was more than happy to go back off the tobacco immediately after that trip but I smoked like a hooker's coochie for 2 days.
The show we had bought tickets for was canceled while we were standing in line to board the flight to Vegas. We decided to go ahead and make the trip. Since we were staying at the Grand where the dancers were being featured, I chose to see the Jabbawockeez Jreamz show instead. We stopped at a street kiosk on the Strip to find another attraction, and...
the 3 of us tried hard not to laugh out loud on the street as we watched a couple of 80-year-old women who'd been on our flight hilariously cuss out the artist who'd pulled the no-show.
I (again, coming from Alaska - home of the best pot in the world - or so I've heard) got absolutely wasted just breathing the weed fumes while walking down the Strip. My brother practically had to hold me up. And it's Vegas so no one noticed.
I couldn't help myself and started crying (probably cos I was still unintentionally high) while watching the Fountains of Bellagio synced to "Oh, Holy Night".
The Jreamz show was amazing. I got my hand kissed by a Jabba who came through the audience pre-show and I am to this day trying to understand what is so sexy about a man who can dance even when you have no idea what they look like.
My brother tried not to show it but he liked the show as much as the SIL and I did - and we were dancing in our seats through the whole show.
Even at my age, I love being with my family. Being with any of my brothers always makes me feel safe and loved. Being with my SILs makes me feel like part of an exclusive group of crazy-sexy-cool ladies.
This is not the first nor will it be the last time I say this: the best gift my parents ever gave me is my sister and brothers. We don't always like each other but we love each other always. Watching that newer video from the Jabbas brought back a lot of good memories.
In the exhaustion after vacation, I forgot to post about going to my first ever Vegas show. I had such a blast!
First off, the show we were supposed to see was Lionel Richie's. My brother and sister-in-law were psyched and I was just happy to be seeing any kind of a show. Of course, I got kind of hyped up the day we were set to leave for Vegas. I was trying to think of all the songs I wanted to hear live: Zoom, Easy, and Three Times a Lady.
We get to the airport and just as we are about to board, my brother gets some kind of alert text on his phone. He's got bad news about Vegas: Lionel Richie had to cancel. Apparently, he or his band were having issues due to the California wildfires.
Of course, we are disappointed. Boarding for our flight is literally being called as we get this news of the cancellation. So... we are really sorry that Mr. Richie and/or his band is having problems....
... On the OTHER HAND...
Lol. This is going to sound selfish and heartless, but my SIL and I were kind of wondering if Mr. Richie didn't have "a guy" to handle things for him. Just saying, right?
Okay, we are some heartless, selfish heffas!
Anyway, we decide to take the flight and just enjoy Vegas however we can. And we did.
We stayed at the MGM Grand at the same time that the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) was happening. It was pretty cool to be there with all the cowboy and gals. The MGM lion had on his gear:
Cute, huh?
I hadn't been to Vegas in years. Back when I used to escort my mother on her trips there, things were a little different. Everything was cheaper for one thing. Those glorious buffets that were so cheap are gone, gone, gone. We saw a buffet that was priced at $50. Who the hell can eat fifty bucks worth of mediocre food in one sitting? Also, the slot machines aren't as simple as they used to be. Now, they all resemble video games. ~sigh~
We did enjoy walking the strip (that really wore me out, though) and just watching the people of the strip. My favorite part of our day was watching the dancing waters at the Bellagio. That's the kind of thing that should be viewed with a lover. Again ~sigh~ and hashtag I sometimes hate being single.
The other thing that's changed since I was last in Vegas was the legalization of weed. On the plane ride, I spotted this in the airline magazine:
In the Allegiant Mag
I immediately thought of a few people I know who would enjoy that. On the strip, I passed more than a few people who were enjoying it. I damn near got a contact high just from walking a block.
The big thing to decide was what show to see now that Richie was canceled. My brother and SIL left it up to me since they have live next door to Vegas and can go over anytime. Well, that's like taking a kid into a candy store and telling them to pick just one thing. This is how I decided on seeing the Jabbawockeez. First, I love watching them dance because, you know, I have access to YouTube. What I didn't realize is that they were actually performing at the Grand.
The first night there, my SIL and I leave my brother in the room so we can go down and have a drink. We pass the Jabbawockeez shop and I love them so I decide I'll swing by later and maybe buy a souvenir. I notice that there are two mannequins dressed as the masked wonders. One on each side of the entrance. Cool. My SIS and I go down and have a drink at Crush. I get a little tipsy on my one drink. Y'all know I'm a lightweight. As we are walking through the casino trying to find our way back to the elevators that go to our floor, we pass the Jabbawockeez shop again.
So, slightly drunk me decides that I will check out the shop later - when I'm not drunk. That's when I notice that there's something different than when I passed the shop before. I can't figure out what's different - because I'm drunk - so I stand there, staring. Until one of the mannequins moves.
No way!
Yes way.
Before there were only two mannequins, now there are four - two on each side of the entrance.
Drunk me moves a little closer to the window and stares harder. Maybe there aren't really two more mannequins. Maybe the mannequin didn't really move. Maybe drunk me is just seeing double.
The mannequin on the left moves again, He waves.
What?!
Now keep in mind that I'm a little wasted. I'm standing there in front of the shop window, looking in and freaking out a little because one of the 'Wockee waved at me.
People, I am like a little kid seeing Santa Clause come out of the chimney. I'm so excited that I'm sure I looked kind of, uh, special. Meanwhile, my SIL (who can handle her liquor) has walked on a little ways before she realizes I'm not with her.
I am just standing there, marveling that the mannequin has come to life.
(Yes, at this point, in my drunken state, I don't think I'm seeing an actual 'Wockee just having some fun with a tourist. I think that this cool azz mannequin has Twilight-Zoned into life and is messing with me.)
I turn around to tell my SIL that the mannequin is waving at me. She's looking at me like I'm just way too excited about this.
I wave a couple of times and the 'Wockee waves back and strikes some poses. (He will never know how much he brightened my evening.) As I finally walk away, this lady who is walking behind me asks me if she's drunk or did that mannequin in the window wave at me. Priceless! Only bad part is, I didn't get take a photo.
When we get to the show, my SIL and I go up to the bar to get drinks. (Because I never learn.) We meet these two other women who ask me to take their photo together. Turns out, they have the seats next to us for the show. They are both really nice and fun to hang with.
Just before the show, we had turned our phones off so they wouldn't ring. Guess what? I missed getting another photo with a 'Wockee...
Before the show started, one of the 'Wockeez was walking through and stopping to mess with some of us in the audience. He came over to me and shook my hand and the ~sigh~ kissed it.
The girls next to me start debating about whether he was one of the 'Wockeez. I say he is and they say he isn't. Guess what? He was. Hah!
One pic before I turned off my phone
The show was awesome. The dancers incorporated a lot of video in their act. What I mean is, they interacted with some things going on on the film screen behind them. That tells you how they practice and know their stuff.
Those 'Wockeez move like they are made of rubber! When they robot, they freaking pop and lock it so tight you think you are hearing the metal clank. The whole show was full of lighthearted comedy and so much precision that, if you weren't seeing it with your own eyes, you'd swear they were using special effects. The girls sitting next to me laughed when I said that I was hot for those guys without even seeing their faces.
By the way, the show is very family-friendly. The best part is when they pick people from the audience to participate in little skits with them. (As much as I love them, I am SO glad they didn't pick on me!)
Jreamz was the best show ever and I would have gladly gone back again and again. I'm such a 'Wockeez groupie now.
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