Calistri's Corner

Yesterday, remembering it was the first day of Chinese New Years, I bathed but didn’t wash my hair. Washing your hair on New Years could wash your luck away. I also put on my pair of red Jockey bikini underwear (bought on sale of course). Red is supposed to insure a bright future for the new year. I’mhoping that the year of the boar will live up toits straightforward and honest hype.Theonly loyalty last year’s “dog” brought us was Frist’sto Leach, selling us out with the UIGEAinhis failed attempt at a presidential bid.

I have beenkeeping an eye on LasVegasVegas this week, as I usually do - but even more this time of year asI love flipchip’s pics of the Vegas scene during Chinese New Year. I was also reminded of the last time I was in Vegas for the New Year and the first time I met the talent behind LasVegasVegas…fading to a flashback…

It was February 14th 2005 and I was flying to Vegasfor a last minute invite to be on a British reality TV show called Vegas Virgins. The show was a strange combination ofSurvivor meets Fear Factor meets poker, where poker newbies vied for chipsby doingbizarre stunts. They would then take their stacks and play atournament - and lose a contestant. The final newbie would play “experienced” poker players for a $10,000 winner take all tournament. I guess when they asked Lou Krieger, one of the show’s hosts, if he knew of any non-Virgins, he thought of me.

The show flew me through LA - something I never opt for. The LA to Vegas runs arenormally like crowded gambling commuter cattle cars. But this one was different. It was Valentines Day and the Chinese New Year. The flight was brimming with starry eyed couples andaged Chinese. I felt balanced by theyin/yang forces ofyouth’sirrational optimism and the spiritual pragmatism of the ages.

I was completely unbalanced on landing, however. My bags were lost and Isoon discoveredthe show was unable to book me at the Orleans, where the rest of the cast was lodged. I wasstaying at”The Greek Isles” near the convention center. I’m not that high maintenance about my accommodations, but this wasn’t the best “walking around on your own at night” Vegas locale. And I suspected the old Debbie Reynolds Hotel had seen better days. I was even more disappointed to learn the Lou was already booked for dinner on a special shoot for the show. So there I was…without my bags…alone on Valentines Day…in a casino the size of a postage stamp. Insert self-pity here.

I had a surprisingly goodGreek dinner (aided by large amounts of cheap red wine)in thecasino restaurant. I headed to”the casino” which amounted to two small dark rooms with about thirty slotand video poker machines. I’m pretty sure the cocktail waitress doubled as the cashier - but I eventually flagged her down formore of the cheap stuff. I threw some money in a video poker machine with a decent pay schedule andmy worldshifted.

I hitquads for the first of what would be many times that night.I found myself smiling when twoyoung giggling brides ran threw the room. A cheesyone man lounge act took thetiny makeshift stage. Hestarted with “Fly Me to the Moon.” This was one of my father’s favorite songs when he was alive.A large part of the Chinese New Year is making a connection with your ancestors and Isuddenly felt I had made mine.

Vegas is a state of mind and I had finally arrived….and so, I would discover, had my luggage. The next day my luck continued as I got to meet the LasVegasVegas crew for the first time, which began friendships I hope I will have for a lifetime. I also hit a jackpot at a nickel video poker machine while I was waiting for rehearsal. And after we non-Virgins busted theVirgin, we chopped the $10,000 winner take all - and were winners all.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 19th, 2007 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.