From: Ginger (dlvdisc@geekbabe.com)
Date: Tue May 11 2004 - 03:50:36 CDT
It's nice to be where you belong with others of your kind and DLV was
certainly that again this year! Thanks to everyone for everything!
We all have different perspectives on the DLV events and venues. What I
like about DLV is the safe environment it provides for those who need it
like I did three years ago and the freedom to explore and grow as I
have done since. Without DLV Id not be the confident person Im
becoming and for that DLV and the people who have made it possible over
the years (and you know who you are) have my sincere appreciation and
thanks! You are the greatest!
Now for some comments and a few suggestions and possible topics for
future discussion..
First general comments.............
Ride Sharing. Maybe it was me or maybe it was the Mothers Day problem,
but it seemed lots of people were going and coming all week and just as
I established or reestablished contact they were gone or off somewhere
else. I saw little evidence of others staying at the Sahara although
several did. Is there better way to get together to shared rides and the
like considering the need of many, including myself, to stay somewhat
anonymous? I stayed over until Monday morning and would have loved to
have had dinner with someone Sunday evening, but didn't know how to
contact even those I knew were staying over.
The walk-abouts. I've been trying to get my fitness program going again
and tried to continue to walk four or five miles every afternoon after
lunch. The walks were interesting and uneventful even with the high
temperatures which I actually enjoy for the first time in Las Vegas I
wasn't freezing my you know what off! Previously, I've stayed mostly in
the hotel and ridden about in cabs or private cars. There are all kinds
of convenience stores, interesting little shops, and informal eating
places near the Sahara and the Glamour Boutique is within a 15 minute
walk!
Three times (for some unknown reason) my route took me to the Fashion
Show Mall which has a great selection of stores. However, my only
purchases were at Macy's MAC counter where the staff was helpful and
friendly. The Macy's or Nordstrom's MAC counters at the Fashion Show
Mall would be great places for anyone interested in a MAC makeover! The
only downside to my walks was that they sometimes made it hard to get to
the evening event on time. For next year I'm proposing a walk-about
every afternoon following lunch although we will probably not want to
walk as far, or in one large group, and probably in no more than pairs.
Anyone interested?
The venues. I've heard and read various comments on our venues. Yes,
some are becoming crowded. Some are dumps. The Sahara buffet isn't five
star quality and there is the NASCAR factor, but the food is not all
that bad, parking is free and convenient, and it's quick and accessible.
For the area where I live even the LVL conditions aren't all that bad. I
enjoy fine places too, but I also try to remember as the Garth Brooks
song lyrics go that, "I've got friends in low places, Where the whiskey
drowns and the beer chases, My blues away, And I'll be okay, Yeah, I'm
not big on social graces, Think I'll slip on down to the Oasis, Oh I've
got friends in low places! Over the years Ive somewhat adopted that
song and another that includes the phrase, I was born to reject
rejection." I guess I'd rather be in a dump that wants me than in an
establishment which in reality is not all that much better, standing in
line waiting for the ladies room to clear so me and my kind can go in.
For what it's worth, I think this was a local problem, having had no
problem at other Hard Rock Cafes! also see my comments on the HRC
problem below.
Riding the bus. Friday I wasn't able to make contact with anyone going
to the San Remo from the Sahara in a timely manner for me, and having
busted my cab budget the night before, decided to ride the bus. I felt
perfectly safe and comfortable and the other riders either didn't notice
me or treated me with benign neglect. My seat mate, a Russian native
and student at UNLV, even volunteered helped me find the Las Vegas
Boulevard pedestrian overpass leading to the San Remo. While the bus
trip cost only $2.00 it took much longer than I had anticipated, but,
as my seat mate pointed out, the cabs weren't making any better
progress in the rush hour traffic either so I'll be riding more next
year.
Some specific comments.............
Sunday Metropolitan Community Church service Didn't arrive in time,
but would have enjoyed it! Happy hour, Freezone, well organized and the
dress and behavior agreement seemed to set the tone for the week! Good
job everyone! The pre-DLV dinner at Milano's Pizza and Pasta overwhelmed
the staff and next year if we return, and I hope we will, we have to
give them better warning of what's about to happen. Pre-DLV gathering,
Spotlight Lounge, the staff and other customers were accepting, but
nothing special.
Monday I made a commitment to hosting lunch each day at the Sahara and
didn't do the Rhyolite trip or other events that conflicted for the
rest of the week. We had 11 for lunch at the Sahara including some who
were first time DLV attendees. I'm volunteering for this duty again
next year! Happy hour and dinner at Hamburger Mary's was excellent and
the welcome celebration at the Flex Lounge was well attended although
Flex is somewhat of a dump as someone observed. But I guess it's my
kind of dump and I thought the bartenders were good to us.
Tuesday was the Lake Mead Boat Cruise and thrift shop tour which were
apparently popular. I dined alone at lunch with Ginger and understand
that Michelle (Las Vegas) also bowled alone and incurred some personal
cost when others who had committed didn't show. The Night of Soiled
Doves excursion was the highlight event for me. Believe it or not, this
was my first experience at such an institution and it was fascinating. I
was surprised to find the girls were all so attractive and appeared to
be so young, physically small, vulnerable, wholesome, innocent and not
at all hard or cheap looking as I had expected. George Dickel Tennessee
Whisky (without an e) consumed Tennessee red-neck style with Diet Coke
(not Pepsi) proved poplar and Aiko, Debbie, Diane, Michelle (Jenkins),
and Yvonne were marvelous traveling companions! Later the LVL and unlike
others I actually enjoyed the this dive, but always find some of the
regulars' behavior troubling because you know in time it's not leading
to any good.
Wednesday included the Star Trek Experience, lunch at the Hilton's Quark
Bar and shopping at the Las Vegas Premium Outlets which I missed for
lunch with Ginger where 14 came with some even arriving early or at
least exactly on time! How do you figure? Happy Hour and Dinner at the
Hard Rock Cafe was a disappointment at best. The original Hard Rock
contact was taken away on an emergency and Id like to think his absence
was part of the problem. As I understand it, the restroom issue
occurred when a child asked her mother why some of us were using the
ladies room and the mother complained to the management. Although we
were inconvenienced by having to use the restroom in shifts, the
regular women customers were also inconvenienced. Debbie or I will
investigate in an attempt to understand better what caused the problem.
Perhaps we can learn from it and better address the restroom issue for
the future. Karaoke at the Goodtimes Lounge actually revealed that some
among us have good voices!
Thursday had Golf, the Art Tour, and SO's luncheon competiting, but we
still had 11 for Lunch with Ginger! Again, go figure? Amy and the other
staff at the Glamour Boutique Open House were great as usual! The V Show
was a nightmare for Aiko with all of the changes! Thanks for hanging in
there for us Aiko! It was fun, but definitely "G" rated and not in the
glitz league with LaCage, Showgirls of Magic or La Femme of past years.
The Limousine tour was well organized and over far too soon! Thanks
Jamie and Tootsye! Following, Gina corrupted our driver Hollywood and I
got to eat my first authentic burrito at a seemingly authentic Latino
dive! That was followed by the evening at Charles Bar in the Bellagio,
talk about contrasts!
Fridays Lunch with or without Ginger had only four in attendance and I
don't know about lunch at the Bellagio. I was late to dinner at
Carluccio's and as is typical there really wasn't anything on the
limited menu suitable for my diet, but that's a personal problem and
I've got no complaints. Besides Veronica gave me her side dish of
spaghetti with marinara sauce and the price was right! After the
pictures at the Goodtimes Lounge some of us went downtown to Fremont
Street and checked out the Casinos and street entertainment. Very
interesting for a country girl and Ive got to get to Fitzgerald's and
Binion's in Tunica just to compare! Anyone else want to go?
Saturday, was mostly a day of rest after the night before and I missed
the Garden Party because I slept late and didn't have a ride. (Mindy,
I'll be sending my suggested contribution by the United States Postal
Service! Sorry!) I was also late for happy hour and dinner at the San
Remo because of my walk-about and long bus ride. I was disappointed so
few came to the Farewell Get-Together at Flex and missed saying good bye
to many I had wanted to see one more time!
I hung around town on Sunday, but since I didn't know who was still in
town and had no way to contact even the ones I knew were staying over, I
had a misspent Sunday evening alone in a well known Las Vegas dive.
However, I was still functional and able to catch my early Monday
morning flight, arriving home safely late in the evening in a
thunderstorm. What a week and what changes a day makes! Now I'll
probably be depressed for a month!
Thanks again for a wonderful week! I hope to see you all next year if
not sooner!
Ginger
PS I'm really old enough to have lived in the era where the Harvey
Wallbanger was a popular drink, but I'm going to be suspicious of
Densie's interpretations about my innermost thoughts on Galliano, but it
still has it's place other than as an industrial strength solvent!
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