Bette Midler

George and I saw Bette Midler’s show “The Showgirl Must Go On” last Saturday evening at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum.




Oh...My...God!

It was one of most incredible performances we’ve seen anywhere. Bette Midler is such an astounding and professional performer on stage. She’s a hilarious comedian. And an amazing singer, an actress and a dancer. All in one. She’s like this bundle of energy, waiting to burst out and filling up the showroom with electricity and ecstasy. She jumps, runs and dances from one end of the huge stage to the other with such vim and vigor that she gives those young so-called “Superstars” of today a run for their money. Even in a wheelchair.

Compared to Bette Midler, even Cher looks almost ridiculous with her over-the-top extravagant show, which is also being held on this very stage. The enormous stage, which was originally built for Celine Dion’s previous show “A New Day,” is being shared by Cher, Elton John’s soon to be closed “The Red Piano,” and Bette Midler and all three are rotating their schedule throughout the year.

And yet, it’s Bette Midler who keeps it real. Even with a surprising large number of very gifted show girls, called the Caesar Salad Girls, and an amazing live band, she’s delivering a perfect show. She never misses an opportunity to make fun of herself, pop culture or current affairs. It’s the right mix of a musical spectacle and comic relief. The kind of show one would expect to find only in Las Vegas. She is after all the “People’s Diva!”

George, who usually is very critical when it comes to performances of any kind and not necessarily the biggest Bette Midler fan, was even blown away. He said he has a newfound admiration and respect for the “Diva for the People.”

If there are two shows one must see when in Las Vegas, make it Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at the Bellagio and this one...Bette Midler’s “The Showgirl Must Go On.” The tickets for both shows are expensive but well worth the price. These two shows are definitely not to be missed.





Before the show George and I had an early dinner at the original Grand Lux Cafe inside the Venetian. He had an excellent Salisbury Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and caramelized vegetables. I had an amazingly prepared Pasta del Sol with chicken and the finest vegetables in a creamy white wine sauce. And their freshly baked loafs of bread are to die for.

Afterwards we walked through the Grand Canal Shoppes inside the Venetian Hotel & Casino and the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. We were checking out the latest fashion at Barney’s New York and various boutiques and trying out some of the newest electronic gadgets at the Sony Style Store. And we did a lot of people watching. Las Vegas is perfect for that. Believe me, you can see quite some characters walking up and down the famed “Strip.”

Then it was time for Bette...and with that we experienced another wonderful weekend in the city of illusions. Below are random photos I took when we were on the Las Vegas “Strip,” before and after the Bette Midler show.



Inside the mall of the Palazzo


The piazza in front of the Venetian Hotel & Casino


You can find gondolas in front of and inside the Venetian


Shadow play on the mezzanine of the Venetian


Guests are streaming out of the Coloseum after the Bette Midler show


The usual busy traffic along the famous Las Vegas "Strip"


The two pictures above show the updated volcano attraction in action, in front of the Mirage


More traffic, lights, entertainment and people in Las Vegas

Gesundheit!

Just finish off this world already. Jeez, how many times do we have to do this?


Well, it looks like we all survived the Conficker computer virus. Remember, this thing was suppose to wreak havoc with every single computer yesterday. Creating another doomsday of sort. The end of the world as we know it. Again!



Yeah, right! Whatever.



Remember the Y2K bug? Wasn’t every electronic device imaginable suppose to shut down on December 31st, 1999 around 11:59 p.m.? And weren’t we all suppose to die just as the world was about to enter the new millennium?



We’re still here, people. It’s the year 2009. Isn’t it time to finally stop believing in silly superstition and buying into all the media and religious hype?



Yesterday was April Fool’s Day alright. And that computer virus joke just played right into it. Another stupid tradition I could very easily do without. I wish humanity would finally put the same effort into doing something more constructive and positive, as they do when they think up another prank.



Anyway...



Since coming home from our fabulous trip to California last weekend I’ve been coughing, sneezing and sniffling through this week. After having so much fun in Cali, this is definitely no fun at all. But then again, I have only myself to blame.



California State Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway.



You see, Saturday morning we were driving up northbound on the PCH. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. The clear blue skies and the abundance of sunshine just tempted us to roll down every window in the car to let all that fresh ocean air blow in. And that’s when I really should have known better. As great as it felt to have all that wind blown around my nose, the draft eventually caused me to catch this nasty cold.



This and these pesky allergies, which I seem to have developed over the last three years or so. I never used to suffer from any kind of allergies and never understood why everybody else seemed to be constantly complaining about them.



Now I do. Oh boy, do I ever!



Did I get allergies because I’m getting older? Or because I’ve lived in the desert for too long? Who knows? All I know is that I now have it. And suffering from allergies, along with a cold, just plain sucks!




The divine Ms. M’s extravaganza now plays at the Coloseum in Las Vegas.



But I’d better hurry to get rid of this annoying cold because we have another highlight coming up on Saturday evening. George and I are going to see Bette Midler’s “The Showgirl Must Go On” at Caesars Palace. We love the divine Miss M. and think she’s hilarious. Some of our friends, who have already seen the show, just raved about it. We’re definitely looking forward to this spectacle.



And what a spectacle it will be!



Bette... Las Vegas...



Need I say more?