ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE...

"She wants to party.  She wants to get down.  And all she wants to do is - all she wants to do is dance..."

Don Henley, the founding member of The Eagles, performed at The Joint/Hard Rock Hotel on Friday night, and we were lucky enough to be in the audience.  Let me tell how he was, other than FABULOUS!  We were treated to his solo hits..."Dirty Laundry”, “The Boys of Summer”, “All She Wants to Do Is Dance”, “The Heart of the Matter”, “The Last Worthless Evening”, “Sunset Grill”, “New York Minute” and “The End of the Innocence”, among them, along with some new stuff.   AND, a few of The Eagles' biggest - "Hotel California" and "Desperado" - LIVE!  Told you it was fabulous - yeah, Henley ROCKED the sold out house!

I also got to meet up with another Internet friend this week, who I had the pleasure of meeting here about three years ago, when she came through town.  Suxie Hamill (Yankee Lane Primitives) , and her delightful Mom, came for a few days of gambling and Vegas lights (Suxie is actually Susie, but in a bit of a rebellious moment a few years ago, over people being too lazy to actually write out "Christmas", took to using X in her own name).

I spent a half-day (plus an evening trip to old downtown, before depositing them at a show) with them, chatting, catching up, and enjoying the company...they went to a big concert the same evening we did, before flying out, and I am anxious to hear how it was.  Her Mom has a photo on her camera, since mine was left on the kitchen table.  Great seeing you again, Suxie - here's hoping you left with loads of cash in your pockets, as well as that song in your heart!

THE NEW BLACK...

Actually, OLD, new black.  It didn't take me long to find that perfect black bangle, and it arrived yesterday.  But first, I wanted to share a new/old rosary I made for my daughter this past month (and humming the Gaga song about "Jesus is the new black", as I write - I think Gaga would like this one).  I found the antique marcasite cross pendant awhile ago, but it seemed to get pushed to the side...probably in a frenzied attempt to find more Bakelite bangles.  The cross is a beauty, and can be used as either a pendant or a pin - perfect for the rosary.  I purchased the sterling center connector in Denver this summer, and then made my own rosary chain - each and every one of those bead links was hand made and I think the end result was well worth the effort.

My much coveted black Bakelite bangle was found last weekend, and arrived just yesterday...hand cut in the shape of a bow - shiny, thick, 3/4" wide, and all mine.  The race has slowed for now - famous last words.  The final photo is a grouping of a few of my antique tintypes that will be undergoing a beading transformation in a few days...new stock for the shop, and a show I have been invited to participate in, come December. Hope your Thursday is creative...we are looking at blue skies in Vegas today - not the black clouds of yesterday!

A FIVE HOUR CONCERT - Justin Timberlake and Friends Old School Jam...

Unlike a three hour tour, we did get to go home at the end of it all...channeling my younger days when we would sit at Grateful Dead concerts and begin to wonder if they were ever going to leave the stage (even though we loved them), this past Saturday night, for us, was "off the hook"!

Ginger, Mary Ann, and I were lucky enough to take in the Justin Timberlake and Friends Old School Jam, at Planet Hollywood...raising money for Shriner's Children's Hospital.  Five...yes, FIVE...incredible hours of some of the best Old School Hip Hop and Funk performers from my youth - ahhh...heavy sigh (I remember those evenings on the dance floor).  These were performers who had influenced Justin Timberlake as a kid (a lot younger than my youth) - ahhhh...even heavier sigh!

An outstanding line-up that was hosted by Justin, and comedian Wayne Brady, we were treated to lengthy performances by TURBO B (of Snap); COLOR ME BADD ("I Want to Sex You Up); SUGAR HILL GANG ("Rapper's Delight"); SISTER SLEDGE ("We Are Family"); CHARLIE WILSON (formerly of The Gap Band, and probably my favorite performer of the evening!); EARTH, WIND & FIRE (how do you choose their biggest hit?!); VANILLA ICE ("Ice, Ice Baby"); and THE COMMODORES (ditto, EW&F).  SO great, that we never looked at our watches until the 4-hour mark, and then realized just how long we had been enjoying ourselves.  No gaps longer than a few minutes in between performances - just one smooth production, from start to finish!

Halfway through Charlie Wilson's set, we were treated to this..."Doo Wah Diddy/Blow That Thing".  Our view was better (though a bit back from the stage...dead center, second row balcony - GREAT seats), but when you're too chicken to pirate videos from actual events, you have to rely on others posting to You Tube...and you're thankful for it!  VERY cool, just the same - turn up your volume.

And there was this little A-cappella number that Color Me Badd threw in, in addition to their biggest hits.  Thank you to Justin, Shriner's Hospital, and Planet Hollywood for one of the most spectacular concert evenings we have happily sat through - definitely the longest...I think Mrs. Howell would have even enjoyed it!  "Word to your mother!"