Subject: dlv2k Getting things going ...
From: Annie (annie )
Date: Sun Jan 02 2000 - 17:07:09 CST
In this mailing:
Getting things going
Call For Volunteers
Mini Trip Report
Activity notes
Airfare
Group hotel rates
Mailbag
Las Vegas Lounge
On a budget
Possible activities, events (not already on schedule)
DLV2K schedule
Administrivia
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Only 130 days left, gang!
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Getting things going:
This is the first regular mailing of the DLV 2000 mailing list. For the
time being, we'll try to keep to a weekly schedule, normally on Sunday.
If volume is low, we may skip a week, if volume is high, we may do a
midweek mailing on Wednesday.
As the date approaches, we will most likely switch to an as-needed
mailing schedule.
Things have already started to take shape, since we started the initial
planning shortly after DLV99. We simply have to fill in a few blanks
and tie up a few loose ends and we will be ready to go.
I'm very much looking forward to this, to meeting those I have not,
and catching up with those I already know.
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Call For Volunteers:
Awsk Nawt .... what DLV can do for you, ask what you can do for DLV! :)
Seriously, gang, DLV has gotten too big for one person to coordinate.
In order for a number of the things we've discussed to happen, people
(meaning you) will have to step forward and volunteer to help organize
them. We don't want anybody to be discouraged, or to burn out. Nobody
is asking that you take on so much that you can't enjoy the weekend.
We've had a few volunteers already, but we are still needing people to
volunteer to help out in the following areas:
1. EVENT COORDINATORS: We need a few people to "adopt" certain planned
activities and do the necessary legwork to make them happen. Things like
shows, group dinner, side trips, etc. I'll jump in first. I'll coordinate
a trip to see the Kenny Kerr Show on Saturday. Who's next? :)
No, you don't have to live in the area, or even know the area well, you
just have to be willing to do such things as find out information, take
a headcount, make a reservation, etc.
2. DRIVERS: Some of our people will have their own cars, but quite a
few will not, and will prefer not to use public transportation for
obvious reasons.
I'll most likely have a van for the duration, but we will need other
people to help get everybody from point A to point B, especially on the
weekend. We already have a few volunteers and semi-volunteers for
this, but we need to firm things up here.
3. BIG SISTERS: We need a few people to volunteer to help out (possibly
at very short notice) those who for one reason or another are having
some kind of difficulty. It could be a case of first-time jitters, or
assistance with makeup, advice on what to wear, etc.
4. "HOUSE MOTHERS": If a communal meeting/hospitality room/suite is to
happen, people will have to volunteer to do such things as find an
available room/suite/whatever, set hours of access and open/lock as
needed, and last but not least, handle the $$$-related tasks, such as
collecting from those who want to use it, being sure the bill is paid,
etc. We've already had one person volunteer to look into possible sites
for this (no report back yet) and another who volunteered to be a
"House Mother", but no definite arrangements have been made yet.
5. I dunno what you would call this one, but we've had interest in
looking into group room rates and a preferred hotel. If this is to
heppen, somebody will have to do the legwork to contact the hotel(s)
and see what they can offer. I've commented on this below.
6. SPREAD THE WORD. This is one thing you can do right now. I've lost
count of those who have written to the effect of "... if only I knew
about this last year ..."
You can help spread the word in the following ways:
* If you are a member of a local support group, put a blurb in the
newsletter or announce it at a meeting.
* If you see one of those "TG Event Listings" that does not include
DLV, make a submission.
* If your community has a local GLBT paper, submit a note to them for
their "Events and Activities" listing. Most will have a column such
as this.
* If you have a personal website, include a link to DLV at the url:
* Use your imagination!
I realize many of you do not yet know if you will be able to attend,
but it's fine to provisionally volunteer.
Please take a few minutes to think about activities or other things
that are a priority for you on the upcoming trip, and those that you
think others would like as well. (If you're lost for ideas, look at
the schedule below at the items marked with "NEED VOLUNTEER".) Then
write a brief note to this list saying "I would like to help out by
doing {whatever} ...".
Yes, it's ok to volunteer to "help out any way you can". You will be
taken up on your offer. :)
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Mini Trip Report:
In early December, I was able to attend a conference in Las Vegas. I did
get out evenings, and spent some time with KarenJane from the DC area,
who was attending the same conference. Hopefully Karen will be joining
us (HINT) this May. :)
We also had a very nice gathering of some of the local girls that Friday,
and we checked out a rather new t* owned and managed club which is not
too far from the Strip. I enjoyed that evening very much, thanks, gang!
Karen and I also found a very nice steak house, somewhat off the beaten
path, which might be appropriate for a group dinner.
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Activity notes:
I spoke to our Dam Tour guide, and yes, the Dam Tour will be repeated this
year. Details will be given as the date approaches. This is a very good
tour, more extensive than the public "hard hat" tour which runs $25 per
person.
I inquired to the local ladies about a golf outing, but did not get
much interest. Although some of them have played at the local courses,
there was no concensus as to which course (if any) would be appropriate
for a DLV golf outing.
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Airfare:
Spot-checking what is available now, Southwest is showing $198 round
trip to Las Vegas from many cities they serve, with that price being
good for the DLV dates. Several other carriers are matching that price
in those markets.
Historically, other than fare wars, lowest cost airfare to Las Vegas
for the DLV dates has always occurred in January. Don't procrastinate!
You will probably do best to check with an independent travel agent
(one who does not work for a particular airline) or one of the online
booking services such as Travelocity or Preview.
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Group hotel rates:
If I may speak very freely here, I'm not very optimistic of something
like this for one reason: Money! I've attended a number of organized
functions in Las Vegas, and in every case I can remember, the so-called
"special group rates" were the same as or greater than the rates you
could get by simply phoning the hotel or booking through an agent.
In addition, many of our people who semi-regularly play at some of the
Las Vegas properties can easily get reduced (casino rate) or free
(comp) accommodations at those places. It's absurd to try to persuade
those people to pay more unless they *really* want to do so.
If somebody does want to take the initiative to look into group rates,
be my guest, or rather I'll be your guest. :)
If you want to do this, please write in and announce your intentions
as soon as possible.
My gut feeling is, however, that any group of small but unknown size
(like us) with an unknown gaming history on the property (like us) will
get no more than a token 5-10% off the non-rack list prices, far more
expensive than casino rate, and probably more than the cold-call rate.
What I'm gonna suggest as an alternative, is that we agree on a
few places to recommend to our people. One should be bottom-dollar
but still decent (such as Palace Station), and one or two others that
we know are nice and reasonably t-friendly, such as Imperial Palace
and Stardust.
Comments, gang?
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Mailbag:
>I ... was chatting with one of the girls that went to DLV
>and told me some about it ..Im a crossdresser <a new one only a few
>months> but I m interested in going to DLV ..Last year I was in vegas 3
>different times and I still haven t gone out dressed ...
>Last time i was there was in Nov. and i was with 2 g.g.`s <no problem
>there> I wanted to go out but when we left our rooms we wouldn t make
>it back to them for anywhere from 12 to 16 hrs and me being new to
>crossdressing i couldn t handle beoing out inh public THAT long so i
>just didn t go out dressed .. I looking forward to going back out ther
>and dressing up ..
12-16 hours may be rough for a beginner, but many of our people stayed
en femme for that and longer during the past few years.
>I do have a couple questions tho ,you say theres usually no problems
>for cd`s in the hotles .. Im just a little scared being new what can i
>say I still very shy..
It's ok to be scared, but you will find the feeling goes away very fast.
As for shyness, everybody is to one degree or another.
No incidents of harassment, abuse, etc., period!
>Im told I pass when I dress whgich I find hard to believe but,, Ive
>been to a shopping mall dressed and no one even looked twice at me or
>blinked when I walked up to pay for a blouse I bought at Lane Byrants
>,,so maybe their right
Hey, if Tammy Fay Bakker can pass ... (ok, enough of that worn-out line
for this year ...) Seriously, there are very few who, with a bit of
attention to style, technique, and attitude, cannot pass in an
individual setting. Those who don't seem to ignore advice, or don't
have the desire to pass at all.
>I ask if you would recommend any special hotel that I ahould stay at I
>just don t want to be embarassed or ridiculed in one
We'll most likely have quite a bit of discussion on this as the list
gets going. We've had people stay at Sahara, Riviera, Circus, Stardust,
TI, Mirage, IP, Flamingo, Bally's, Excalibur, Luxor, and a few other
off-strip places, and others I know I'm forgetting, all without any
incident.
Personally, Stardust is my fave place to stay and play (tho they no
longer have the bottom-dollar motel rooms out back) with Riviera being
a close second (alas, I stayed there a few weeks ago and they are
showing sold out for Monday-Tuesday of the DLV period).
I'm sure we will have multiple people staying at both the Stardust and
Imperial Palace this year, as before. Stardust is a bit nicer, imao, IP
is a bit cheaper and does have plenty of non-tower motel rooms. (Both
have very unsavory reputations. :)
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Las Vegas Lounge:
>When you were here in Las Vegas last, we discussed the new clubs that
>were open.
>I stopped in the new one...The Las Vegas Lounge...at 900 E.Karen Ave.
>as was pleasantly surprised to find that the the lady who is the
>manager there is an old friend.
Actually, if you would have hung around a bit, we wandered down there.
>She is a post-op TS and the owner Debbie is a CD.
(For those listening in, this is a different Debbie than the one who is
known and loved by past DLV people.)
>I enjoyed myself a
>lot and highly recommend the place. Which is unusual in itself as I
>don't normal frequent bars. LOL They are billing it as a
>transgendered lounge and not just a gay bar.
>Hope you get a chance to stop there next time you're here.
I sure will. My first impression was very good, and they want DLV
business. It will be great especially if they get somebody in there to
run the food part of it. This will be a very good place to add to our
list of known-t-friendly places. I see it keeping the neighborhood bar
theme.
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On a budget:
If you're on a tight budget, check out the url:
http://www.geekbabe.com/dlv/dlv2000/dlv2kbud.html
This gives a real-world spreadsheet type budget for attending DLV this
year, for air fare, hotel, and food, with prices that have been
verified a few days ago.
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Possible activities, events (not already on schedule):
1. Group dinner (theme night?)
2. Thrift shop tour.
3. Legacy LV show (Splash, Follies).
4. Concert at Hard Rock.
5. Side trip(s) (Rhyolite, Valley of Fire, etc.)
6. Golf, tennis.
7. Outlet mall shopping.
8. C&W club.
9. Sightseeing airplane rides.
Anything missing here? Incorrect? If so, send it in.
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DLV2K schedule:
(Still preliminary.)
Thursday Evening : Possible group dinner (NEED VOLUNTEER)
Pre-DLV get-together
Friday AM :
Aft. : Possible makeovers
PM : Possible group dinner (NEED VOLUNTEER)
Evening : Welcome get-together
Optional nightclubbing
Saturday AM :
PM :
Evening : Kenny Kerr Show (Boylesque)
Midnite : Rocky Horror Picture Show
Alternate: Gypsy (nightclub)
Sunday AM :
PM : Dam tour
Evening : Group dinner (NEED VOLUNTEER)
Show - Legacy LV (NEED VOLUNTEER)
Monday AM : Golf outing, tennis? (AM or PM) (NEED VOLUNTEER)
PM : Side trip(s) (NEED VOLUNTEER(S))
Evening : Possible show (NEED VOLUNTEER)
Tuesday AM :
PM : Shopping trip (malls/thrift)
Evening : Bar/club tour
Wildcard options include gaming, nightclubbing, sightseeing, shopping,
side-trips, people-watching, etc.
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Administrivia:
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Diva Las Vegas 2000
Thursday, May 11 thru Tuesday, May 16, 2000
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2a23 : Sun Jun 18 2000 - 10:38:34 CDT