Heidi Klum Skinless Dead Body Costume

A report at New York Times, "Project Halloween."

'One Way or Another'

Blondie will play Mandalay Bay on October 8th. Don't know if we'll be out there, but that would be awesome:

'All You Need Is Love'

I've been out all night. It's just after Midnight. Normally I'd have a few scheduled posts going live, but I've been partying. The family had a blast at the Beatles LOVE. I'll look for some LOVE videos I haven't posted and update later. The second time around is different, but the first is, well, the first time. Nothing like it. That said, I could see it again and again. It's so fun. I kept checking over at my kids and my oldest's (sorta) girlfriend. They loved it. And my youngest just turned 10 and he's already a HUGE Beatles fan. The Beatles are the great generational unifier

On the Road to Vegas for Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil

I imentioned it a week or so back. As this post goes live, I'm heading out the I-15 to catch up with my family at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. My oldest boy invited his (sorta) girlfriend along, so it's a big deal. A couple of weekends ago my wife and I went over to talk with (sorta) girlfriend's mom for a couple of hours. We shared stories and (sorta) girlfriend's mom laid down the line. She said she trusted her daughter. It was everybody else she was worried about. We assured her that we don't give our son too much free rein, that he's only allowed to walk across to the New York New York Hotel to ride the roller coaster there. All the hotels are connected by walkways so it's not like you're being accosted by a bunch of drunks or beggars down on the Strip. Anyway, girlfriend's mom loves my son so much permission for her daughter to go with us was a foregone conclusion.



The show's tomorrow night. I'll have regular blogging tonight, once I get set up in Vegas.



PREVIOUSLY: "The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil." Plus, "'A Day in the Life'," and "Impressions: The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil."

'Hey Jude'

It's ranked #8 at Rolling Stone's all-time best song list, "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

I'm taking my boys to see the Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil in a couple of weeks, so bear with me on the continued Beatles postings, LOL!

Steve Wynn: 'It's Obama That's Responsible for This Fear in America...'

I was just over on the North end of the Las Vegas Strip last week, and the Wynn properties looked fabulous. We haven't stayed there yet, but we will. They send us invitations for multi-night stays, but the schedule hasn't worked out so far. But listening to Wynn's conference call makes me want to speed it up. Business people know what it's like to create jobs, and in Las Vegas you see it first hand. People are working. They are bustling and making good money. Democrats want to kill it, and Wynn says business owners are waiting it out.

Joe Weisenthal has the commentary, "Wynn CEO Goes On Epic Anti-Obama Rant On Company Conference Call." And the full transcript's at Seeking Alpha, "Wynn Resorts' CEO Discusses Q2 2011 Results - Earnings Call Transcript":

Everybody complains about how much money is on the side in America. You bet. And until we change the tempo and the conversation from Washington, it's not going to change. And those of us who have business opportunities and the capital to do it are going to sit in fear of the President. And a lot of people don't want to say that. They'll say, "Oh God, don't be attacking Obama." Well, this is Obama's deal, and it's Obama that's responsible for this fear in America. The guy keeps making speeches about redistribution, and maybe we ought to do something to businesses that don't invest or holding too much money. We haven't heard that kind of talk except from pure socialists. Everybody's afraid of the government, and there's no need to soft peddling it, it's the truth. It is the truth. And that's true of Democratic businessman and Republican businessman, and I am a Democratic businessman and I support Harry Reid. I support Democrats and Republicans. And I'm telling you that the business community in this company is frightened to death of the weird political philosophy of the President of the United States. And until he's gone, everybody's going to be sitting on their thumbs.

Impressions: The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil

I mentioned previously how moved I was by the show in Las Vegas. Charles Spencer, writing at The Telegraph UK in 2006, really captures the feeling:

Everything that was bold and beautiful, fresh and funny, sad and just plain silly about the Beatles comes together in this ravishing and almost indecently spectacular show. It's what old hippies call a head-trip, a constant 90-minute rush of dazzling sights and sounds.

But for those of us who grew up with the Beatles - and the first record I ever bought was She Loves You, aged eight, in 1963 - this latest piece from Cirque du Soleil is also overpoweringly moving. For it achieves the apparently impossible, allowing you to hear the Beatles with fresh ears. At times you seem to be listening to the music of your childhood and youth as if for the first time.

Spencer's a progressive, but folks might put aside ideological reservations and just enjoy the show. We were kids once. "Let It Be" is my most powerful Beatles memory as a child (and "Hey Jude" is right up there), and sometimes nostalgia is overpowering. And recall that recently I've been moved by George Harrison's songs, and it turns out that the one entirely original song at LOVE is Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." It's just so impressive all around.

I'm taking my kids to see LOVE next time we're in Las Vegas. They'll have to listen to some of the CDs, but they're already familiar with a whole lot of The Beatles from hanging out with me, my musical tastes, and from just the radio environment.

Leftists Freaked Out Over News of John Lennon as Republican

Well, mostly Jon Wiener at The Nation, although Joel Achenbach, at WaPo, "can't imagine" John Lennon as a Republican. Cute, isn't that?

But see James Delingpole, at Telegraph UK, "Was John Lennon a secret Reagan Republican?"

Over at the leftie Nation, historian Jon Wiener is having a massive sense of humour failure at this outrageous slur on a man probably second only to Che as an icon of international left-wing street credibility.

Exactly.

This story is so last month, but I couldn't get it out of my mind this week while visiting The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil.

'Get Back'

Okay, this clip's from early in the show. Notice at how the dividing curtains fall at about 45 seconds. The theater is divided into quadrants. The curtains are up as guests are seated. Later throughout the performance projections onto large screens are used as part of the performance. There are also a couple of transitional segments with musical choreography projected as well. The crashing bricks here represent something of the Beatles' origins and search for meaning of the rubble of the war. From the commemorative booklet:

The action suddenly stops cold and we flash back further still, to the chaos and devastation of war. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is destroyed. But there is hope:

'A Day in the Life'

More video:

'Octopus's Garden'

Okay, I promised more from "Love."

"Octopus's Garden" is toward the last third of the performance. I'm looking around for some clips from earlier parts of the show, which begins with background from the Beatles' origins in Liverpool during WWII.

I love this, in any case.

Bonus: Ringo live clip. He was touring last month, and spoke to the 5th anniversary audience by satellite feed.

The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil

My wife and I have seen three performances so far by Cirque du Soleil. The shows are simply outstanding, but nothing's left me with the same feelings as the LOVE production. I'll be writing about it this weekend, and posting music videos and commentary. I've never been an absolute Beatles junky. The show was transformative, however. I can see better than ever how important The Beatles are to American culture. And not just from the show, which was so good — exquisite even. It's the fans, the excitement, and the demand for it all. I'll save some thoughts for later this morning. Here's the brief advertisement at the Mirage YouTube page:

The BBC had a write up in 2006, "Love unveils new angle on Beatles."

And last month, at Las Vegas Sun, "Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono lead celebration for ‘Love’ anniversary."

See the write up at Rolling Stone, "Paul McCartney Celebrates Fifth Anniversary of the Beatles 'Love' Show: Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon also attended Las Vegas performance."

Midweek Getaway to Mirage Las Vegas

Blogging's been a little spotty.

My wife and I arrived last night at Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. It's our first stay here, and I'm impressed. We have a suite on the 21st floor. The room is well appointed and luxurious:

That console at the foot of the bed hosts a television, which elevates when turned on:

Here's the sitting area, with another high-quality television, and the second bath (this one with a shower, the other with a whirlpool).

The view looks east, with Trump Tower at center. (The property hasn't been the most profitable asset for Donald Trump.)

At breakfast this morning, the beard is gone --- and all the gray. My wife said I look "so much younger." Well, thanks!

And out front, the view across the Las Vegas Strip. That's the Venetian Hotel & Casino:

Looking down the Strip toward Treasure Island and Steve Wynn's properties:

Another shot of the Venetian:

Looking back at the Mirage from the sidewalk:

At the hotel entrance, the sign for the Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil:

Back inside, here's the box office and a display. We're going to the 9:30pm show. I was thinking, what the heck? We just learned that John Lennon was going Republican by 1980. All the more fun!

I'll be in and out of the hotel room all night, and might have some blogging updates. So check back!

Barry Manilow New Album Release

The new album is 15 Minutes.

Manilow's a featured performer at Paris Las Vegas. My wife's been dying to see him. She's trying to get a vacation schedule approved and we'll take another trip out there. Recall that we stayed at the MGM last time. I really recommend it. An awesome hotel.

Anyway, Manilow's interviewed at Vanity Fair, "Barry Manilow Only Ever Played One Bathhouse with Bette Midler."

More From Las Vegas!

I took my youngest son to "Shark Reef" at Mandalay Bay. I love that place. And my son's still a few months short of his 10th birthday, so he's still endlessly fascinated by animals and nature. We had a great time. The photos are okay, but what the heck? They're worth sharing.

The jellyfish exhibit:

My kid really liked the Komodo dragon. We got all the way to the end the facility, to the "ship wreck" shark tank, and he wanted to go back up to see the Komodo! And he made sure to justify it, since we somehow missed the python exhibit, which we then noticed was right next to the dragon. Hanging with my kid's a riot:

He liked the piranhas too. Big suckers:

Everybody loves sharks:

But the sawfish was another one of my son's favorites. This shot's blurry because the sawfish swims up over the top of the glass after skimming along the bottom. He surprises you, unlike the sharks, who just kinda hover around:

Walking back out to find my wife, who hit the casino and then the Red, White and Blue restaurant, here's the "beach" at Mandalay Bay, which features a wave pool:

There's a tram that takes you back to the Excalibur Hotel, and then a skywalk leads back over to New York New York, and then MGM Grande. A view of the interesection:

We always have fun, but this was our first time staying at MGM and I'm completely sold. An excellent experience all around. I'll have another update on this later ...

Road Trip Roundup

We're on the road from Vegas back to the O.C.

Should see regular posting pick up late tonight or in the morning. I have more photos to post. And some stories to tell.

Until then, check Bob Belvedere's, "Rule 5 Saturday." Also, William Teach, "Sorta Blogless Pinup Sunday."

And The Other McCain's 10 year-old son got one hella haircut.

BONUS: Theo Spark's "Bedtime Bunny."

Live From the MGM Grand Las Vegas!

We're on the 18th floor. This is the view from my suite, looking north from the MGM Grand. A blogging room with a view:

A look inside:

Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton out in the foyer, near the elevators:

And the view south from the elevator landing. Excalibur Hotel is kitty corner across the from the MGM. And that's Mandalay Bay at center and Tropicana at left:

Guests gather around the lion exhibit:

Now coming back around under the glass canopy, some close-ups of one of the lions:

The view from the skywalk over to Tropicana Hotel, here's New York New York. That replica Statue of Liberty recently made it onto a U.S. Postal Service stamp by mistake:

Looking from the Tropicana across to the MGM:

David Copperfield is a big draw for the hotel, although my wife is taking me and my oldest son to see KÀ| Cirque du Soleil, which is supposed to the most popular among the many Cirque du Soleil productions in Las Vegas.

I'll have more blogging either very late tonight or in the morning. I'm looking forward to meeting up with The Vegas Guy tomorrow as well.

In any case, I'll be back ...

Five Guys Takes On In-N-Out

LAT had a write-up a couple of weeks ago: "Will Five Guys Overtake In-N-Out?"

It's a great restaurant. A couple of weeks ago I ate at Five Guys with my wife and the boys. And yesterday on the way to Las Vegas we stopped in Corona, where a brand-new Five Guys just opened off the I-15:

The place was packed. You can help yourself to some peanuts (on the counter) while you're waiting:

I had the single-patty cheeseburger "all the way" (with everything), which includes lettuce, mushrooms, onions, pickles, and tomatoes.

The food's more like home-made compared to In-and-Out, and so far the quality has been excellent. The french-fries are cooked in peanut oil, which gives them a different look and flavor. I could eat Five Guys regularly. The only problem is the price. A small, single-patty cheeseburger, small fries and a coke runs almost $9.50. That's about $4 more than In-and-Out. Both are good, but the restaurants are pretty different actually. Five Guys has no drive-through service, which is a disadvantage IMHO. And while Five Guys is delicious, In-and-Out remains the industry standard for service, speed, and quality. And unlike Five Guys, In-and-Out doesn't come on like it's got a lot to prove (restaurant reviews aren't splattered across the walls at In-and-Out). The rivalry could become a Coke-Pepsi, Hertz-Avis kind of thing. And it all might boil down to location. And personal preference, too, which for a lot of people will mean affordability.

Check it out, by all means!

I'll have some blogging from Vegas later.

Bright Light City Gonna Set My Soul ... Gonna Set My Soul On Fire...

I'm on the way to Las Vegas.

I'll be blogging from the strip at the MGM Grand. Check back late tonight or in the morning for more of the great stuff!

Until then ...