What Happens in Vegas Doesn't Always Stay in Vegas

Pssst:  I'm giving away a Flip camera this week.  Be sure to check back tomorrow for more details.

SITScation was so much fun. It was over in the blink of an eye, but worth the quick trip to Vegas. I hope you are up for a quick play-by-play!

Jeff and I were able to get away for the weekend (thanks to my MIL for babysitting) and stay in the fabulous Venetian resort. The hotel really is amazing, with incredible restaurants, great shops, large suites and even gondola rides.

SITScation kicked off with a presentation by the controversial but well loved Jessica Gottlieb and then we were introduced to Spirit Jump. I was thoroughly impressed. Meagan (the founder of the non profit organization) is a cancer survivor and proof that one person can make an incredible difference. BlogWorld and SITScation occured during the same weekend and SpiritJump was at both conventions causing quite the stir. They ended up winning the Charity Smackdown that weekend for being the #1 trending topic on twitter (#beatcancer)! Meaghan has promised to guest post here on 7 Clown Circus and I can't wait. We all have the potential to make a difference!

Now back to my story. After the quick intro session of SITScation came dinner at David Burke. Can we just say best steak ever?

The night was really kicked off with the SITScation dance party and ample opportunity to meet most of the bloggers I wanted to. Can we say AMAZING?

9:00 am Saturday morning marked the beginning of the presentations that lasted through the day.

Sugar Jones talked about "beautiful blogging", which is really positive blogging. LOVED her thoughts on this.

And then, Laurie Turk of Tip Junkie Fame. Laurie talked about creating your own experience through blogging. She even mentioned me (hand held over mouth!).

Let me just tell you that both women are absolutely fabulous and Laurie Turk is even cuter and more enthusiastic and sweet in person than you'd imagine.

Jen Hinton (Keep it Classy Jen) spoke to us about vlogging and Alli Worthington of Blissfully Domestic spoke to us about creating our own personal brand. Next came Renee Ross of Cutie Bootie Cakes about building a blogging community and lastly, the SITS panel, which included moi, Heather and Tiffany of SITS, Mama Kat of Mama's Losin It, Francesca of Mayhem & Moxie, Shannon of Phat Mommy and Lula of Lulaville. The SITS panel was over before you could say SITScation, and then the whole conference was finished. Whew!

Wait. I forgot to mention the swag. Oh the swag........T-shirts, jewerly, edible items.....the list goes on.

Now, you can see from my pictures that I was so exciting about seeing so many bloggers that I love that I kind of only took pictures of people. People, by the way that I adore both through their blog and in real life.

May I present "Who is WHO (or is it WHOM) in Vegas?"

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Vegas........condensed

I have so much to say about Vegas and SITScation.......and so much to share.

I just haven't had time to put everything together for all of our entertainment.

For now though, I'll leave you with my favorite shot from Vegas:

(you might want to double click the picture in order to enlarge and fully appreciate my sentiments.)

This picture was taken during the "SITS Panel" discussion during the conference. See the microphone in my hand? I was trying to wax eloquent about blogging. Not very successfully, I see.

I learned something here. I see now who my real friends are (in case you are unclear, I'm TOTALLy joking). Notice Heather of SITS and Mindless Junque listening to me with a smile on her face? I'd like to think she's gazing at me with an adoring expression on her face because what I'm saying is so profound.

And then there is Lula from Lulaville on my left. Professed friend (hump). Totally hanging on my every word. As you can clearly see.

Disclaimer: I'm only joking. Lula adores me. She really does. I'm pretty sure. And I adore her. You DO still love me don't you, Lula?

P.S. That's her pink phone sitting on the table in front of her.

KA by Cirque du Soleil

Hum...........where to begin?

Is it too forward and in poor taste to just blurt out that KA was LAME? With a capital L?

I basically INSISTED that Jeff and I go to Vegas for our Anniversary for TWO reasons. First, and foremost, we needed to smuggle buy some paint that is now the equivilent of contraband in California in another state. This particular paint is amazing for painting trim and it was pulled from the shelves last month. Something about exceeding the VOC's allowed by the air-quality-control-powers-that-be here in CA. I appreciate air quality measures, just not this one. I needed this paint. My privacy and sanity was hinging on it.

How, you might ask?

Let me tell you.

If I didn't get that paint, then my interior doors would never get painted and I'd continue to have NO PRIVACY and I would lose my mind. Guaranteed. {Just in case you are wondering why not use another paint? Well, no other paint will do. Seriously. }

Anyway.

On with my story.

I also really, really wanted to see a Cirque du Soleil show.

I hand picked KA.

Apparently, I'm a poor hand-picker, because KA was not for me. Or Jeff.

For the PRICE.

I would probably be singing praises about KA IF the tickets were like 50 bucks a piece. But, at $147.00 per ticket for mid-level seats, I felt ripped off.

Here's what MGM says about KA:

"KÀ by Cirque du Soleil is an unprecedented theatrical event. A masterpiece in storytelling, KÀ uses acrobatic performances, the thrills and action of martial arts techniques from all over the world, plus innovations in puppetry and multimedia to tell the epic tale of twins on a perilous journey to fulfill their shared destiny.
Along the way, the twins confront characters and events representing the opposing forces of good and evil. Before their world comes under attack and collapses around them, the twins receive a magical talisman for protection. As the plot unfolds, danger lies in wait for them at every turn.
KÀ by Cirque du Soleil brings the visual language of cinema to a dazzling live event that is more about storytelling than any previous Cirque du Soleil production."

Here's what I have to say:

If this production is more about storytelling than any other Cirque du Soleil production, then the producers need some serious storytelling 4-1-1. One of the things that I found fault with is the story line. It was hard to follow and seemed disjointed.

Honestly, I may have had a bad taste in my mouth from the get-go which tainted the show for me. Before the show begins, they have these costumed "ushers" helping people find their seats (and reprimanding about half the audience that can't read the signs that say "no photography", and are taking pictures ) that are ridiculous. Think Pirates of the Caribbean meet Water World or Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. I'm still shaking my head.

Before I go on with negatives, I should tell you that the technical aspects of the set ARE amazing. Super amazing. The stage truely is a masterpiece that twists, turns, even goes vertical.......

But, I don't understand how certain acts in the production made the cut. There are a few "comedic" acts that just don't fit. At all. Further, there is a hand puppet scene that would have totally impressed me. If I had my 5 kids there with me.

I'm still perplexed. Supposedly, "the twins receive a magical talisman for protection". Perplexed because for the life of me, I couldn't tell you what that talisman is. And I sat through the whole show. I paid attention, too.

Lastly, the costume director for the character that plays the female twin's (the twins are boy/girl) "love" interest MISSED the BOAT. Big time. Picture this: Fabio covered in heavy body glitter, wearing a THONG. Only. Let's be clear here. Were talking something (gold, I might add) that covers the package in front, with a little T in the rear exposing the full buttocks. That's for most of the production. At the end, it gets better. He gets to wear a wedding gown. Seriously. Wears a gold and cream dream-princess-type skirt. Alrighty then.

My recommendation? Unless you get heavily discounted tickets.....you might consider just missing it next time you are in Vegas and feel the need to see Cirque du Soleil.