The DLV Discussion Post (resend)

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This posting is from: Tawni St Croix
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This years Diva Las Vegas was a fabulously coordinated and well
organized vacation event. It was divine to see so many girlfriends again
from last year and to met new ones this year. All the hard work, time
and effort put out by the hostesses/coordinators are very appreciated in
bringing this type of experience to fruition. As two members of DLVers
and the transgendered community, Barb and I give a deep curtsey and
namaste to all that were involved with such an undertaking.

Having arrived in Las Vegas on Sunday April 24, our small group of Utah
girls set out to make the week a fabulous vacation. We secured our
living quarters, unpacked and dressed for Happy hour and dining at
Hamburger Mary's. The gathering of girls was more enjoyable than the
food and service. For a second year in a row, it seems their staff is
less than capable of timely or correctly serving a large crowd, but for
me, simply being out with the girls was quite enjoyable. Afterwards the
Utah girls went to Zingers but we must've been too early or too late as
it was quite lacking for a crowd or good dance music. We chose then to
go to Freezone and had a most marvelous time there dancing and laughing
and four of us even got up and sang a four part harmony karaoke... and I
hate karaoke, so you know this had to have been fun!

On Monday 4/25, we went for lunch and a little shopping before heading
over to the Glamour Boutique for makeovers and photos. Amy was such a
sweetheart and totally made thatf our highpoint for the week. That girl
KNOWS makeup! We had four makeovers and then individual and group pics
that are truly astounding. Dinner that evening at Bahama Breeze was very
good. I felt welcomed there and the staff and food was deliciously
prepared for us. I liked our having the space set aside for us as they
did, so that we could all mingle and dine with other girls without the
usual public eyeballing. Bahama Breeze was an excellent selection.
Unfortunately, my visit to the Fremont Street Experience that evening
was curtailed by back problems, but thankfully that was the only
incident.

Tuesday 4/26 was another day of shopping, in preparation for our
anticpated trip to The Night of the Soiled Doves II at the Chicken
Ranch. Since Barb and Jenni had gone last year and had such a good time,
I knew I had to go this year. However, it seems the event was lackluster
compared to last year since the CR girls were often busy 'working' and
had little time for us. Since we were hungry, the food was welcomed and
although it was not haute cuisine, it was indeed delicious and
plentiful. Thank you Aiko for all you did for this. Perhaps a different
historic site would be fun to visit next year.

On Wednesday 4/27 we lazed about at our quarters for the morning and
prepared for the Arthur Murray Dance Instruction class. As a
co-coordinator with Diane, who by the way deserves kudos for her
handling many of the details, I was hoping for a decent turnout and was
not disappointed. We had nearly 20 girls show up and although we could
not now be considered as Ginger Rogers, I believe everyone had a grand
time. I was pleased our dance instructors were so vibrant and upbeat and
treated us all as women without predjudice.

After dance class, the Utah girls had to go shopping (once again!) for
shoes and we lost track of time and sadly missed out on the Eating Out
Night at Paco's, but wanting to see the Showgirls of Magic, we dined at
the San Remo before the show. I must say, the Showgirls of Magic was a
quality Vegas entertainment and I haven't laughed that hard for a long
time. I'd go see it again. I believe if the seating or venue was much
bigger, much of the intimacy and production would have been less
impacting. There are advantages to smaller venues.

Thursday 4/28 started out cold, wet and windy for a round of golf at the
Desert Rose Golf Club, but in true style of golf lovers we managed to
stay the course (pun intended). This round was not any of our best as
far as scoring went, but it was a most enjoyable round. Once again, I
managed to win the long drive hole by sheer luck, not knowing it WAS the
long ball hole. Aiko won the closest to the hole and it had to have been
an amazing shot to see... Congrats Aiko!

After golf, it was hurry back to change and makeup for the Limo Tour.
Arriving at our staging area and coordinating ourselves, our small group
of Utah girls did indeed manage to secure a limo with all six of us in
the same vehicle. I realize some girls feel six to a car was too
crowded, but personally it felt just right to me. The visiting and
mingling at each of the stop points proved to be quite thrilling and I
loved seeing how the public took interest, openly and secretly, in our
large gathering of fabulous women. I would like to think that we helped
some people get a better understanding of our culture and that we are
simply enjoying OUR vacation our way. I'd like to see future Limo Tour
Nights allow for more of a intermingling with the public even if it
means fewer stops. Perhaps a chartered luxury bus(es?) would be more
accomodating rather than seperate limos. Afterall, WE are the
entertainment when we make the stops at the casino/hotels... so our
transportation is less important than what we do. All in all, even with
this being my first time in a chaffuered limo, our group of Utah girls
had more fun outside of the limo than inside... and inside the limo was
a fabulous party!

Friday 4/29 dawned on us as our having only two days left of what was
becoming a most awesome vacation and oh so short. Being a little foggy
headed from the champagne and drinks of the night before, we chose to
miss the Secret Garden of the Dolphins and instead try to repair the
damage we'd done to ourselves. We all six went to an early dinner at
Quark's Bar at the Hilton and had a delightful time with the Klingons
and Borgs as well as cuisine "out of this world". That evening we all
went to Krave's for the dance night and although things started out on a
misunderstanding, I think it turned out rather well. Kenny Kerr, who
once had a much better show with Boy-lesque, could use some pointers for
emceeing a night club act, but I suppose in Vegas its more about earning
the paycheck in front of the spolight instead of behind it, once you've
been there. I doubt that Kraves needed to crank up the volume quite as
much as they had it, but then I don't have the hearing quality many of
the younger people do.

Saturday 4/30. Our last scheduled day at DLV and with the adjustments
made to the planned events, it seemed our day was pretty much open to
our own choices of activities. We took advantage of the time to do final
shopping (does this ever end?) and a last contact with some friends. In
the evening the six of us were joined by Mari for dinner at the Four
Queens and an evening on Fremont Street. Those half-yards of margaritas
were quite novel and deliciously wicked, so we had another. The band
playing on stage was very tight and quite good and we danced to their
tunes, with the crowd opening up a space for us to strut our stuff. As
with the public during the Limo Tour, the Fremont Street crowd took some
note of us, with cameras, questions, entertained and smiling faces. We
didn't set out to be so dominant in presence, but it seems we became one
of "those sites" in Las Vegas that garnered interest. The canopy light
show was astounding and we loved seeing each one. A little after
midnight, the shows ended but the party didn't. Many familys of tourists
left Fremont Street and it seemed to take on a different vibration of
people. Perhaps it was the combination too much drinking and too many
gambling losses from too many of the machismo good ol' boys, but I felt
we were not being viewed quite as well as earlier, so we wisely decided
to call it a night and return to our quarters. All in all, this had been
a perfect cap to a most awesomely fabulous vacation.

The next day, we left Vegas tired, sad, happy, fulfilled and pleased by
all the events and all the people connected with Diva Las Vegas 2005. We
all look forward to returning next year and again being a part of the
experience. On behalf of "the Utah girls", Jenni, Valerie, Barb, Linda,
Liz and myself, I would like to once again thank everyone that made this
vacation so well put together and all that came and enjoyed it. Our
numbers are growing, both in DLV's and in the TG community and I
personally think an event like DLV is a golden opportunity to bring us
together for a party such as it is. Thank you for allowing me to be a
part of it all. Hugs! Tawni St. Croix & Barb

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(This posting was entered by Tawni St Croix, an external user of MyDLV.)