elvis and vegas, baby! morning of day 2

I was up and out of my room by 10 AM!
Looking out toward The Strip, over miles of hot desert, under a blue sky, I was so glad to already be where
I needed to be!
No planes, no buses... hooray!
No need to go off the premises in search of food, either, as Sam's Town has plenty of options!
(smile)

T.G.I.Friday's advertised a weekday breakfast
special for only $3.99.
I'd see the ad when I was at Roxy's last night,
as the two establishments are side by side.
This was Friday, so how much more appropriate
could it be to have breakfast at T.G.I.Friday's?
(smile)
And so I did, dining on eggs, bacon, and toast,
along with a steaming mug of coffee...

and a Breakfast Margarita for just four dollars!
And who should be keeping me company on this
fine morning away from home?
Why, my dear Elvis was there, of course,
although he looked a bit different than he does
in my dining room!
Still, he kept me good company this first morn.
Life is so good!

Sated and content - and, yes, maybe slightly buzzed -
I walked around looking for a little something to do
before the first show.
And guess what?
I found it!
A little something to do!
This machine, called "Pompeii", provided me with
twenty minutes of diversion for a mere
seven dollars! (smile)

Today's shows began with a bang at 1 PM!
'56 THE BEGINNING featured headliner
Taylor Rodriguez, a young and up and coming entertainer who captures the essence and innocence of Elvis in the 1950’s.
Taylor has starred in numerous productions, including as Elvis in the award-winning "Million Dollar Quartet".
Through music and storytelling, ’56 THE BEGINNING painted the picture of Elvis in his breakout year when this Hillbilly Cat became the King of Rock and Roll.
The show very much reminded me of the photos I visited three times at the Jepson - very nice to have them come to life!
Today’s matinee had an opening performance by special guest Stephi Z (an ETA wife), as well as the Change of Habit tribute band.

For me, Stephi Z's four songs were just a bit of filler before the main course commenced.
That was set on July 18, 1953, when an 18-year-old Elvis Presley went to Sun Records to record two songs onto a birthday album for his beloved mother: "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin".
The owner of the company, Sam Phillips, recognized his talent and soon had Elvis back in the studio, recording songs like "Blue Moon of Kentucky" and "That's All Right" for a broader audience.

That broader audience included Colonel Tom Parker.
By early 1955, Col. Parker was the manager and Elvis was no longer playing county fairs and small-town halls, but was on television shows.
That was quite a big step for the shy young man, but the exposure lured RCA Victor Records to sign Elvis.
The rest, as they say, is history, captured in photographs by Alfred Wertheimer in 1956.
Elvis Aaron Presley was just 21 years old that year.

Afterward, there was a meet-and-greet - and photo session with Taylor Rodriguez, accompanied by Stefi Z and "Col. Parker"!
Woohoo! I don't know if that was really a decompression for me or not!
I had danced throughout most of the show and still had so much energy!!!
The Cinemark beside Sam's Town Live promises fresh popcorn, so I think I'll buy some and take a walk in the garden for a while.
That should serve to settle me down a bit... maybe!
(smile)

I thank you, Ryan Pelton, for writing the script for '56 THE BEGINNING, giving it so much heart and such a natural flow.
I thank you, Taylor, for giving the performance so much energy and sweetness.
i thank You, God, for this amazing birthday vacation.