Stopping at Red

As I sprayed a jet of water from the hose into my wheel wells I hoped to get rid of the black mess that was covering the once silver hubcaps of my car. At last they were clean, then by the time I pulled out of the drive way and into the parking lot next door they were black all over again. If that was all that was happening I might have been baffled, but due to the screeching and grinding sounds that would erupt from the brakes of my car when stopping, the massive amount of brake dust that was continuously accumulating confirmed that already known fact that I desperately needed breaks.

The appointment was made and I pulled into the Bruce Scher's Goodyear, where my brake problems would be left for good. I walked into the office and suddenly realized this was the same location I had visited only a few weeks before when my car would debate with me whether or not it would in fact drive when I would hit the gas pedal, (an issue that was easily solved by replacing the sludge covered spark plugs). Here I was back in the office and despite the usual bit of a wait time for someone to walk in and realize I was waiting, I was in the computer system and they were ready to take a look at my nonexistent brakes.

Over the course of the time I spent in the waiting room, I watched as cars came in and out of the giant, roll up garage doors and the front office door opened and closed with new and returning customers. Although each customer grew slightly impatient over the lack of office staff at the front desk and the long wait for attention, not a single customer seemed to think the service wasn’t worth the wait. The location was surrounded by various mechanics, brake teams and part stores and yet customers endured the wait for what they believed to be the better mechanic and I didn’t hear a single complaint about the quality of car service received.

Thanks to bad daytime TV, continuous political news updates from apps and a good book, two and a half hours of waiting felt like a mere two hours flat and before long I heard my name called from the lobby. There are few times when hearing your own name sends a rush of excitement through you and you jump to your feet. Sitting in a waiting room waiting to drive your newly fixed car is one of those times. From the sounds of it, needing new brakes was a bit of an understatement but their team managed to get me everything I needed to be able to abide by the red octagonal signs that were in my driving future.

So maybe you don’t wait until your car is literally screaming for help at every red light for some changes in it’s automotive makeup but regardless of the severity or routine maintenance needed, I can honestly say that as a return customer, I’d highly recommend this location for mechanic necessities and tune-ups.

For more information on Bruce Scher's Goodyear and the services they offer visit their website and feel free to check them out on Facebook and give them a ‘like’.

...For the record, despite car malfunctions and a constant need for a mechanic, I am a very safe driver J

Magic, Music and Wit

The lights were dim, tables lined a wall that were covered in an array of various appetizers and the bar tenders were busy pacing back and forth from ice bin to fridge filling the fast paced drink orders being placed. Robin Leach sat next to the bar watching people pass by him. Lance Burton sat back on a couch talking with friends, occasionally jumping to his feet to take pictures with fans. Siegfried Fischbacher was chatting with fans while simultaneously posing for photos.

It was the premier night of the all-new Vegas Magic Theatre, at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino and magicians, media and spectators crowded around for a chance to see it first.  But the show wasn’t starting just yet, first thing was first; mingle, drink and eat.

While sitting at the bar prior to the start of the show, local magician Adam Flowers came by to demonstrate some slight-of-hand. As he made rings pass through a solid piece of rope, cards appear at the top of a deck with a snap of the finger and a cigarette flip and turn in mid air, I couldn’t help but smile and giggle with utter frustration. As he left us sitting puzzled it was time to make our way into the theatre and take a seat for the show.

Red drapes covered the stage; dim lights lit the room well enough to make our way to an open table and with a quick flicker of the house lights we knew we were only a few short minutes away from the start of the show.

Magic, music and comedy combined together into a 70-minute show that amused, confused and frustrated the heck out of me. Don’t get me wrong I love magic shows, but as a journalist I don’t work well with unanswered questions, so having a scarf continuously turn into a bird and people disappear and reappear right in front of me with no explanation of how it’s done is quite frustrating. My level of frustration for the night proved nothing more than the skill level of the magicians brought in to entertain audience members for the show.

Thursday night’s premier featured magician Mike Douglas, the hilarious 'Dennis the Menace' of Magic Murray SawChuck, comedian and juggler Michael Goudeau, American Idol finalist Jasmine Trias and show host Ben Stone. The show was quirky, funny and featured a musical talent in addition to humor and magic. With a comedy club atmosphere, the show set-up features a new line-up of acts each and every week.  

Vegas Magic Theatre takes to the stage Thursday – Sunday and each show hosts an hour event for mingling in the Magic Lounge where slight-of-hand artists entertain patrons prior to the main show.

For more information on Vegas Magic Theatre call 702-367-7111 or visit goldcoastcasino.com.

(STAY TUNED FOR VIDEO FROM THE NIGHT)

First Fight

For the entirety of my life, and still to this day I have never been a fan of fighting. While others in school would pick fights with the yearbook and journalism nerds I would continuously defeat my opponents by becoming friends with them and avoiding conflict. In this arena however, conflict was what was expected and the longer the fight played out, the more cheers it would solicit. Breaking away from my consistent avoidance of observing conflict I entered the arena and sat back to partake of my first UFC fight.

Hip hop and dance music took turns playing back and forth over the loud speakers with intermittent pauses as photos were shown on the six big projection screens set up around the top of the arena. As the photos shown and scrolled through, interviews and bios of the men about to make their big appearance were played to the thousands of fans that sat in their chairs.

Then without delay, music would shift and the fans let out a roar of clapping and shouting as the announced fighter emerged into the arena from the side tunnels below the stands to make their way toward the center octagon.

As each bout started and ended, I found myself cheering on for my selected fighter, who I had chosen to root for based on who had the better entrance music before the round. As punches and kicks were thrown and fighters were thrown to the ground by their opponents, I continuously found myself thinking two things: 1. Why? and 2. Why!? Despite my questions going unanswered, I continued to watch in awe of the spectacle and while watching the cheering fans I was unsure of who was more intimidating, the fighters or the fans.

The size of the fighters was increasing by the round and by the time the main card fight came around the size of the fighter’s neck had the same radius of one of my thighs. It was obvious this was the heavyweight bout, and by this time I had abandoned my technique of music selection to root for the winner. Now I had started to listen to the fighter’s bio and introduction to determine my favorite but with two strong backgrounds from Alistair Overeem and Brock Lesnar. I choose to root for Lesnar, (a choice I had determined by looking at the fight card photos, and had established that Lesnar’s photo hinted a nice-guy side more than Overeem’s.) 

As the round got close to beginning not an empty seat in the arena was visible. Each punch they threw at each other echoed up to the higher seats and in return fans would give a verbal grunt or cheer accordingly. Within two and a half minutes and one vicious kick to the liver and Lesnar was knocked out and Overeem was declared the winner. Cheers and Boos mixed into an overall screaming noise that echoed off the ceiling of the arena. Each fighter took a moment to speak to the crowd who was cheering Overeem and boo-ing Lesnar.

“I’m officially going to say tonight was the last night you will ever see me in the octagon,” Lesnar announced to the crowd who was boo-ing the loosing fighter. As his words sunk in, the ‘boos’ began to cease and a drone of silence took over as people listened.

Lesnar explained that he had made a promise to his family that if he had won the fight he would go for the title fight and retire afterward, but since he lost tonight was his last fight. The non-existant ‘boos’ has ceased and a roar of clapping took over as fans stood to applaud the heavyweight fighter and send him into retirement with an honorable walk out of the octagon.

Once Lesnar was done speaking, Overeem spoke to the crowd about his win and about his competition and his choice to retire, a choice he didn’t seem to agree he should make. Just as quickly as the arena had filled, it was now nearly empty and people rushed from their seats to their next place for evening.

For my first fight I can honestly say I enjoyed it, however despite the overall excitement and the entertainment of the night I still walked through the thousands of fans and wondered…why?

One Post, Three Months

Every now and then something happens that, although common, it catches us off guard every time. It’s not always bad, but sometimes doesn’t feel that great. It’s time consuming and sometimes, down right frustrating. It’s a constant up and down, but with the right attitude, can generally feel like a continuous high. It’s called life. So why the long, drawn out characterization of life? Because while it has been doing it’s thing I have managed to let it get in the way of my personal habit of writing for enjoyment and photographing for fun, therefor this cyber chronicle of ramblings and life updates has been neglected. In an effort to pick up from where I left off without causing corpus cranium exhaustion on my reader(s) I will provide a quick recap of the past few months’ life lessons and experiences and will thus ultimately update you to my current existential place in the world.  

October Lessons and Experiences:

- A new job and creative freedom feels exhilarating, daunting, overwhelming, mindboggling, and inspiring (not necessarily in that order).

 - There comes a point where living with roommates is no longer an option for the preservation of sanity. 

- When this point is reached, the involvement associated with moving out on your own for the first time rushes over you in waves and the process feels exhilarating, daunting, overwhelming, mindboggling, and inspiring (not necessarily in that order).

 - Looking for new apartments is fun at first, but after more than two days it begins to be frustrating and feel more like searching for a pair of jeans…the ones you love are associated with a designer name which makes you giggle because you can’t even remotely afford them and the ones you can afford don’t fit the way you like, make you feel like a mismatched sock and are not even flattering even in the lowest light. Therefore frustration begins to be a constant state of being.

- Foster the People: They’re better live. You should really see them live.

- Sequels to horror movies can be good, but the third time around they most likely will fail miserably and lead to angry walks back to your car and long rants on social media sites.

- Designer jeans go on sale occasionally and right when you’re ready to settle on corduroys you find them and grab them up before anyone else has a chance.

- Despite your age, you are never too old to don fuzzy leg warmers, neon makeup and bad hairstyles for the sake of acquiring free candy from strangers.

November Lessons and Experiences:

- Photographing a week-long event involving cowboy hats and Wranglers will leave you with a sudden desire to ride horses.

- Spending an entire day glued to your phone and computer and sporting matching jackets is fun and feels like the NFL: Nerd Edition.

- You’re best friends are the ones who help you move, then proclaim their aversion to the combination of your book collection and new stair case on every social media outlet.

- Cold showers are an instant fail and heat is much appreciated.

December Lessons and Experiences:

- Three years of microwave cooking and marginal kitchen time results in the inability to cook more than chicken, pasta or eggs.

- Unpacking produces multiple feelings that are exhilarating, daunting, overwhelming, mindboggling, and inspiring (not necessarily in that order).

- In a starring match between you and an angry bird, the bird will always win, especially when they are painted on the side of your coffee mug.

- Being in three places at once will result in cognitive breakdowns and sudden bursts of manic.

- 62 degrees is cold. 32 degrees is freezing. 9 degrees is nonsensical.

- When all else fails, build a fort.

The Cold Hard Facts

As I begin to pack up my things for a transfer to a new location, I am shocked at the amount of things I have learned while living with roommates for three years. These are words of wisdom not to be taken lightly.

FACTS:

• Pushpins are not a form yard art.
• Don’t cry over spilt milk, unless of course it’s old and lumpy and its rancid smell and toxic fumes are such that it causes dust bunnies to run away, in which case cry all you want then run and call for backup.
• If you don’t remember the bread being blueberry flavored your best bet is to just throw it out.
• You will never find your missing pen, shoe, backpack or textbook until it is 2 am, pitch dark and you are walking barefoot through the hallway. 
• Only begin to panic when the large black dot you’ve been staring at for the past two weeks in the corner of the room is no longer there.
• With determination and lack of storage space, you can fit anything underneath a bed, in the back corner of a closet or under the lampshades. 
• The full effect of echoing capabilities of a room will go unnoticed until it involves a brass instrument, a drugged cat or drunken neighbor at 3, 5 or 8 am.
• When all else fails, earplugs, duct tape or scissors are probably your best bet.  

Stepping Aboard with Ghosts

With Halloween thrills on every city block, it’s nice to get away from the costumes and masks and take a moment to dive into the real hauntings that take place in Las Vegas.

Who would have thought that a typical tourist attraction would be the place to take in real-life ghost stories. At the Luxor’s Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition there are more than artifacts and photos inside the exhibit, there’s ghostly sightings and stories of paranormal encounters.

Tour guide, Randy Dale took me on a sneak peek journey through the haunted tour to experience the stories first hand before it’s Halloween-weekend affair.

“There’s more to the story than just the movie, there’s more to all of this, these are actual people. It’s more of the stories, there’s much more detail in the haunted tour. You don’t get these stories or the behind the scenes look about the doors closing and opening or the pictures falling in the normal exhibit walk-through,” said Dale.

As I was guided around the 350+ artifacts and room mockups I was told of onsite ghost encounters and eerie stories of experiences and survivor’s post-Titanic incidents.

Here are some of my favorites:

Bruce Ismay

Bruce Ismay planned to build steamers that would outdo all other ships in speed, capacity and luxury. To accommodate the luxurious features, Ismay ordered the number of lifeboats reduced from 48 to 16. During the sinking of the Titanic, Ismay boarded a lifeboat, stating that there were no women or children available.  His life was saved, but he was never accepted in polite society and to this day is still not accepted by the ghosts who haunt the exhibit. 

Ismay’s photo hangs at the beginning of the Titanic exhibit. On multiple occasions, the morning employees have claimed to come into work and have found Ismay’s photo on floor. In one instance, security tapes revealed the photo sliding down a wall and to the floor during closed hours.

  

The Lady in Black

Throughout the 2^nd class gallery, grand staircase and 1^st class room exhibit guests continue to address the staff after the tour and comment on the special touches with staff costumes.  Guests say, the lady in the black dress is very pleasant and a very believable addition to the exhibit experience, while this sounds like no big deal employees are always shocked because the fact is there are no staff members in costume at the exhibition.  Guests aren’t the only ones seeing the figure in black however, several staff members have seen the lady at various times.

Several eye witnesses’ accounts from staff and guests describe the lady with her hair up in bun, wearing a black period dress with a white collar.  She looks pleasant but does not have any real expression. She is clearly visible and does not speak.

One staff member shared a moment when she walking through the exhibition and when she stepped into one of the rooms she saw the lady in black standing in front of an artifact case. When the employee acknowledged the lady’s presence, the lady in black started walking away and disappeared right into the wall.

Fredrick Fleet

Fredrick Fleet was employed as a look-out for Titanic.  He was the first to sight the iceberg and proclaim, "Iceberg, right ahead!" As the ship was sinking he was assigned to man the lifeboats.  He survived. 

People who knew Fredrick said that he suffered from terrible guilt all his life because he had lived while so many perished. Out of 1,662 men on Titanic, he was one of only 315 who survived.   His wife always kept him sane and told Fredrick “it was not your fault”. When Fleet's wife died shortly after Christmas 1964, he became depressed and committed suicide by hanging himself two weeks later.

Fleet’s photo hangs on the promenade deck where doors would swing open and closed and lights would flicker. Noveal, the exhibit’s artifact specialist was disturbed by the amount of paranormal experience. One day, after some paranormal activity, Noveal turned to Fredrick and said, “it was not your fault.” Every morning after that when Noveal does his morning rounds, he greets Fredrick with a good morning and tells him, “it was not your fault Fredrick. Go in peace.” Since doing this, all paranormal activity has stopped in that room. 

Rivalry Battle for World Domination

Their interaction together was minimal. Their first encounters were brief. Despite their knowledge of the other they continued to partake in a silent battle for world domination. They never saw eye to eye and as a result they were rivals from the very start.

It was like any Hollywood inspired sibling rivalry, except this one was a worldwide battle for power. One was an over the top achiever and do-gooder while the other just never measured up no matter how hard they tried. After years of branding and finally acceptance on both their parts the over achiever pushed past their rival leaving a trail of dust for them to get lost in. Meanwhile, the defeated adversary turned their back on ever fairly catching up and embraced their sarcastic, dropout demeanor and began to brainstorm an alternate route to planetary supremacy.

Every rivalry is fueled with the need to compete. Throughout time these rivalries seem to be mirror images of each other and form a balance on opposite ends of the spectrum, and the smart phone battle is no different.

While iPhone users are at one end of the smart phone spectrum, getting things accomplished and looking things up with the help of Siri, Android users are at the polar opposite end and getting nothing more than a good laugh with mirror-imaged and jealous rival, Iris.

While the concept of a voice automated personal assistant is intriguing, the conversations between user and Iris leave Iris’ purpose unclear. Whether Android created Iris for functional or an entertainment purpose is up for debate, but the comic relief found in off topic responses raise more than a good laugh. With societies abundant use of sarcasm and copious exposure to ignorance Iris feeds society its knowledge, however hit and miss it may be.

ANDROID USER: Get directions to Town Square.

IRIS: I have never been to Milwaukee.

While productivity levels among Siri-assisted Apple users begin to rise, Android’s posse of Iris allies are brainwashed into training for world domination and surrender to the all-knowing and confusing banter of Iris. Don’t believe me? Just follow some of the conversations:

ANDROID USER: Where do you live?

IRIS: On planet Earth.

ANDROID USER: Where do you live?

IRIS: On the surface.

ANDROID USER: Who are you?

IRIS: It’s not important.

ANDROID USER: What is the temperature in Las Vegas?

IRIS: I ask the questions here.

ANDROID USER: Why am I arguing with technology?

IRIS: Because I am God. You need to communicate with other artificial intelligence to take over the world.

ANDROID USER: Isn’t that Pinky and the Brain’s job?

IRIS: They failed.

All That Jazz

For five days my senses were on overdrive, taking in the sights, smells, feelings, sounds and tastes of my new environment.

Within moments of taking my first steps off the plane, the sultry air commanded immediate attention. A different climate from that of the dry desert I was use to, this humid air left my skin resembling the warm damp sensation of a hot shower. 

Lush greenery surrounded the streets from the airport to the hotel where my fascination landed on the mere sights of one-way, alley roadways and wrought iron balconies covered in vines and flowers. Spicy smells of seafood concoctions and pastries permeated through the air as I walked down the sidewalks, beads hanging from wires overhead. It was my first time in New Orleans and I was captivated by it all. The architectural designs, the palatable encounters, it was unlike any place I had been before. It was even better than The Orleans and Rio casinos in Las Vegas had portrayed.

All the storefronts, antique stores and eateries that lined every street entranced me. My eyes darted from one wrought iron balcony to the next and I couldn’t seem to take enough photos of brick buildings and cobblestone alleyways.

Aside from the sights, the smells and tastes had me raving to everyone back home. Beignets, fried green tomatoes, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po boys, bananas foster, crab, catfish, shrimp and gumbo, my taste buds couldn’t get enough of the tantalizing Southern tastes, and before the week was out I was convinced I had eaten half my body weight in seafood.

I was in town for the Society of Professional Journalists convention and was on staff as the photo editor for The Working Press. After two years of interning with SPJ I had finally been given the opportunity to transition from intern to professional staff, and let me tell you this, I loved it. Outside the high stress-leveled newsroom, I managed to take in as much of New Orleans as humanly possible for the short time I was there.

From roaming around the mausoleums, which I was ridiculously fascinated by, to learning about life in New Orleans, post-Katrina, I was in awe the entire week I was there. The simple sight, and ultimate ride in a streetcar, the pleasant stroll down the river walk and the amazing sights of the houses in the Garden District had me marking things off of my to-do list one by one.

With a jaunt down Bourbon Street almost every day for lunch and post-deadline dinners the nightlife of the city kept me on my toes. The neon glows from strip clubs, gift stores and bars pulsed throughout the midnight hours, and songs and beats rang out from the bars and mixed with street performers and brass bands on street corners. When all was said and done, I came to one simple conclusion that I never expected to have. In comparison to Bourbon Street, Las Vegas is tame. 

An Airborne Music Event

After their June appearance at the House of Blues, The Airborne Toxic Event makes it’s way back to Vegas, this time in a concert special that is 100% free.

Local rock and alternative station, X107.5 hosted the free X-Fest listener event at the Sunset Station outdoor amphitheater on Saturday, which featured the bands Sleeper Agent, Redlight King, Otherwise and headlined Los Feliz, CA band; The Airborne Toxic Event.

For weeks prior to the event, listeners called in and signed up with the station to win tickets or had the option to stop by Ford Country in the Valley Auto Mall and receive tickets with any test drive.

After tickets were in hand, fans and listeners headed over to lawns of the Sunset amphitheater for the two-hour concert. While the three opening bands gave a great performance of their own artistic vibe, the headlining band TATE was what drew in the loudest fans. 

As it was pointed out to me prior to their show; some concerts you go to see the band and some concerts you go to hear the band, after attending TATE’s second concert in Vegas this year, it is with out a doubt that TATE is a band you go to hear. With their indie rock melodies, head banging beats and classical sounding undertone, they send out a musical reverberation that is nothing less than an auditory indulgence.

As they were introduced to the crowd, they jumped up on stage, diving straight into their first song, All I Ever Wanted, with not a moment to loose.

While much of the crowd appeared more enthusiastic about the buckets of beer and concept of a free concert than the bands performing, the evening provided a great concert that left fans wanting more.

Despite the event being a free performance, TATE did much more than jump on stage, sing a few songs and leave. Throughout the concert, lead singer Mikel Jollett gazed around the venue’s crowd, as if absorbing every moment and analyzing those in attendance, interacting with members of the audience occasionally between songs. Drummer, Daren Taylor, Bass player Noah Harmon and Jollett, jumped onto the drum platform for a three-person drum solo, Anna Bulbrook head banged while playing the keyboard without missing a beat, and Steven Chen jumped to all platforms and speakers blasting the sounds of his guitar.

 

Their set was on a short 1-hour time frame but they managed to fit in as many songs as possible, moving without any hesitation from one song to the next and ending their set with a handful of short covers including I Fought the Law.

Just in case all that didn’t get the crowds full attention, Jollett took it to the next level and went to the extreme of climbing up the side of the stage’s metal framing and up to the top spotlights, where he delivered an entire song to the crowd from overhead.

With nothing less than an exceptional stage presence and superb compilation of their best songs, TATE left crowds looking forward to their next Vegas performance and intrigued as to who will be brought out for the next X-Fest.

Curl up and Dye

There’s a reason girls grow their hair out, it’s so we can curl it, cut it, dye it, straighten it, style it and every other thing that we are told is bad for it. While playing with my split ends one morning, a new brand was brought to my attention, Shielo. This Hearst Corporation brand was brought to life in New York City in 2001 and has since gone international. The brand's intention: designing new expertise in the volumizing and color treatment.

In a matter of days I found myself trying out various products from the line. The first thing I found intriguing about the line was the packaging, simple looking bottles with paper sticker labels on the smaller samples and simple packaging on the actual bottles, nothing over the top visually in the design. I later found out that the Shielo brand is not only a strong advocate against animal cruelty but they also use post-consumer recycled and recyclable packaging. And so came time to test the products; shampoos and conditioners for volume, moisturizing and vibrancy and a leave in antioxidant protectant.

Of the three types of shampoo and conditioners I preferred the volumizing, because it did just that; added volume and lift to my hair at the roots, which only made sense since the volume collection was the first to debut online. After looking over the antioxidant protectant, I realized the product was designed for the dyers in the world. Although I don’t color my hair, I did find myself using the leave in protectant, daily. While I couldn’t determine if it was indeed “providing UV protection” to my hair, I did like how it helped prevent my hair from combating itself throughout the day and stirring up battlefield tangles and knots.

While each product had it’s own job to do, each one did so in silence, without an overpowering scent of aromas and perfumes. The very subtle smells the products did have were of soap and shea butter. 

For more information on Shielo and their products visit http://www.shielo.com/.