“Think of me, think of me fondly…” Christine Daaé of Phantom of the Opera
Day two in Las Vegas…and already feeling it. Gone are the days when I could stay up all hours of the night and still be able to function the following day. The term “partying” currently has taken on a completely different meaning. We went to bed early, about 2:00 am, but still I was hurting. Primarily because of my aching feet…those gorgeous Jimmy Choos did a number of my tootsies but boy was it worth it. Yes, I’m a slave to fashion and I love it.
We woke up bright and early thanks to our ever so spirited two year-old. Those of you that are parents can relate to NEVER EVER sleeping in. Time for the Pool! My beautiful daughter’s bathing suit deserves a special mention… My friend Lisa (aka: Fatty) was kind enough to buy my daughter, Poet, a Burberry bikini for her birthday. Poet looked adorable if I do say so myself. We headed down to our air-conditioned cabana because when it’s 108ºF outside, you need air conditioning! Before I go any further, let me go back a bit…
When the idea of a Vegas trip first came up my first instinct was to say NO! Why? Because I envisioned hot babes in g-strings with giant silicone chi-chi’s running around while I sat there in my oversized hat and moo moo! No gracias! I ran it by my Fatty who is an expert on all things Vegas since her family lives there. She thought the Venetian was not one of those “Hard Rock” places but rather more family oriented. I rethought my position and decided it would be fun. Now back to the present, we go down to the pool area and enter TAO beach! NOOOOOO!!! It was even worse than I thought… the girls weren’t wearing tiny bikinis, they weren’t wearing anything at all!!! WTF!! Oh hell to the no!!! Luckily, Tao beach was located far away from our beautiful cabana so my moo moo looked very stylish and not awkward at all with its full-length sleeves, built in Spanx, and turtleneck. We had a great time in the sun, having drinks, lunch, and watching Poet become a little fish baby.
That evening we had big plans… Dinner at Mario Batali’s B & B Ristorante, then a performance of Phantom of the Opera. I LOVE Phantom… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I’d seen it twice before but both were a LONG time ago. Last time I saw Phantom, Robert Guillaume (as in Benson) was the Phantom. I decided on wearing jeans that night because they went best with the most comfortable shoes I brought and my feet needed some serious lovin’. I paired my Current Elliot tie-dyed jeans (courtesy of my fabulous friend and designer Emily Current) with a butterfly sequin top, and Miu Miu glitter shoes. Susana did my hair so I was feeling very happy…Good hair makes you feel that way.
Dinner was fun because of the great company but the food was just okay. I’ve dined at one of Mario’s other restaurants, Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, and loved it. The thing that bothered me at B & B was that when I asked for Tabasco I was informed, “Mario doesn’t like his food to be altered but rather enjoyed as he meant it to be.” Oh really!?
Here’s the thing Mario, from one fatty to another, I’ve eaten enough in my lifetime to know what I like. And that includes eating at several “nice” restaurants and eating my mothers amazing grub. Everyone’s pallet is different so please accept that you cannot and will not please everyone and order some got damn Tabasco. Moving on…
Phantom of the Opera!!! Oh, how I love you!!! Before the show began I asked my husband to pinch me if I started singing out load. Honest to god, I love it that much. The CD is on my iPod and I bump that shit just like if it was some Too Short. The show was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. The story is exquisite and incredibly sad. The production was epic, costumes were gorgeous, and the vocals were just as I remembered.
What I always take away from it is that the Phantom, because of his gruesome face, is treated like a monster his entire life. He is ridiculed, rejected, treated like an animal, and never shown any love. Eventually he embodies those feelings and becomes that monster but all the while desperately wanting and needing love. When someone finally shows him love, we see ever so clearly that it is all he ever needed. It is a beautiful lesson coupled with larger-than-life music. I will always think of Phantom of the Opera and that lesson fondly.
For more information on the B & B or Phantom, visit the following:
http://www.bandbristorante.com/
http://www.phantomlasvegas.com/
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