I'm here in Las Vegas for a work-related conference. It really is as overstimulating, phony and craven as I imagined. The potential for fun is an inch thick and a mile wide, in general.
However, I did do two amazingly fun things. One was hang out with Matt, Keith Matthew, and their cohort from New Orleans. We took a couple of very cool teens to an event called First Fridays, which is a gallery walk. It kind of reminded me of living in Columbus, where there wasn't a whole lot going on, and as a result, everyone came out for everything. One of the teens, Roque, has written a fantasy novel, and was very excited about discussing all of his favorite books, from Harry Potter to the Chronicles of Narnia to the Golden Compass.
Before the gallery event, we ate at the mall food court. Did you know that Hot Dog on a Stick sells tofu corndogs? Matt is eating one. Keith is not happy with the food selection.
The next day, I went on a bus tour called Vintage Las Vegas sponsored by our huge conference. Our tour guide, who works for the city, seemed to think it was cute that the mayor is a former mob lawyer and that the city is trying to build a stadium encroaching on one of the city's only culturally active neighborhoods. The heroes of the tour were the folks at the Neon Museum, which is currently a neon "boneyard"--cast off neon signs collected in a couple of lots in a somewhat sad-looking neighborhood. They're raising money to build an indoor/outdoor museum. Below are a few of the many photos I took. I was in heaven. (I also met Larry Harvey of Burning Man fame--he was on the tour too).
2 comments:
Wow, that neon graveyard sounds like it's worth a trip to Vegas all by itself. And I'd forgotten you'd be hanging out with Mat! Hi Mat! (Mat only uses one "t", like I only use one "d")
did u get a new digital camera? the fotos are great!
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