September 2, 2025 • 49 mins
It’s the grand finale of Season One of Tickets to Travel Podcast, and we end with Fan Travel Stories! For Episode 52, we head to Las Vegas with Greenwich, CT mom and former TV personality Dorothy Cascerceri-Simone—known to many as Dorothy on TV. Dorothy shares how a group of moms pulled off a 48-hour escape to catch the Backstreet Boys opening night at The Sphere, balancing family life with fandom and finding a little magic of their own.
From the nostalgia of Avalon ’99 and boy-band crushes, to VIP dinners at Encore, cabanas by the pool, and unforgettable Sphere visuals, Dorothy’s story proves that every ticket is a ticket to travel. Along the way, she reflects on her years as a celebrity journalist, the evolution of Las Vegas, and how fan travel can be both glamorous and soul-restoring.
Follow Dorothy at www.dorothyontv.com and subscribe to her podcast That Greenwich Life for more stories of culture, lifestyle, and community.
And don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Tickets to Travel Podcast for more Fan Travel Stories and more behind-the-scenes journeys in sports, music, and entertainment.
We'll have more in Season Two of Tickets to Travel Podcast!
Follow on all the socials: @Tix2Travelpod
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Tickets to Travel, the Business of Travel Experiences. I'm your host, Mario Bwin, and today we have another episode of Fan Travel Stories with my good friend Dorothy Casser. Simone, welcome to the pod. Hi. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you coming on the podcast because I've been looking for people who have been attending shows at the sphere, and you just had.
(00:01):
A great experience in Las Vegas. Yes. And so I think what everybody needs to know is who's your favorite Backstreet Boy and when did you start following that? I mean, Backstreet Boys, it takes me back. Now I'm gonna really reveal my age if anybody wants to do some quick calculations, but totally backs Streete Boys for me, goes back to probably the summer of 99.
When I graduated from high school and I was living down the shore in Avalon, New Jersey with my girlfriends, and that was. I mean, that was like, you know the Britney Spears? Yep. Backstreet Boys, like all Christina Aguilera. That was the height of pop. Yes. The height of pop. Yes. And I mean, they don't really have that anymore.
No. And so it doesn't surprise me that they chose the Backstreet Boys to do a residency at the sphere in Las Vegas. And so when you first heard that they were gonna be there. What, what, what went through your mind? What went through the mind of your friend group? Well, well, what went through my mind at first was, okay, I really wanna go and see them, but also like, I'm a mom.
I have two little kids. My daughter's two, my son is nine. It's, you know, the summertime. It's such a hectic time with. Camp and all sorts of things and, and our own family vacation travels because I'm a travel writer, so I'm always on the go and traveling and, you know, checking out new places. Um, so I'll like, I'll never be able to go and do that, but it would be really cool.
And then a group of my friends. Asked me if I wanted to come with them. They had kind of already, you know, scoped it out and they included me in on their plan. And for me that was its own vacation. The fact that I didn't have to be the ringleader of it, buy the tickets, all I had to do was Venmo someone.
Afterwards, you know, um, and use Splitwise to figure out like all the bills at the end. But I was a passenger princess on this little 48 hour Vegas trip and it felt so good because I'm the one always taking my family places. I'm the one always taking my husband places and I'm the one always taking my friends places because I'm traveler Yout.
Treat yourself Dorothy. Yeah, exactly. You treat yourself well. Well, here's the thing. 'cause they made the announce only a few months ago. Mm-hmm. And then you guys, you decided on a whim. A 48 hour trip was gonna happen. That means you're a giant fan. Yes. I mean, I just, it, it's such a piece of my, not my childhood, but like my teenage years.
Yeah. You know, it's like, it feels like a piece of history. And then also. My background is in celebrity news, so I, celebrity news and gossip. So I started out, when I was in college, I started out working at People Magazine and being on the red carpet and interviewing celebrities for them. And then moved on to Life and Style Weekly and uh, in touch.
I even worked at the National Enquirer for a little bit. Amazing. And I did all of their tv. So then I started appearing on the Today Show and the Wendy Williams Show and Chelsea lately, and talking about celebrities and what was going on. The Backstreet Boys for me, were not even just like a small, like a huge part, a small and a huge part of my, my own personal life, but it was also just like they're, they were a part of my, the beginning days of my career.
Right, right. So you have this almost a, I mean, like a, a kinship of, of sorts with That's right. With the Backstreet Boys because this probably flowed into other fandom because what we'd like to, to touch on in this type of pod with, with fan travel stories is that one. The, the planning around the travel mm-hmm.
To get to see these type of artists, but also the community that is built. But if the Backstreet Boys was really like the high school side, you, you probably were a new kids fan at one point. Huge, yeah. Huge new kids fan. I would even say more of a new kids fan through and through than even the Backstreet Boys.
Well, just in pure, like developmental time. That's right. But also of being a. A fan of anything? Well, right, so like my first concert when I was, I think turning eight years old, yeah, it was on my birthday, was Tiffany. Ah, and they had this, she had this great boy group that opened for her and nobody knew who they were, but I vividly remember.
Sitting in the audience and watching these five guys dance and sing on stage. And then they later became the new kids on the block. Right. And so I grew up, you know, sitting on the couch like with chickenpox, you know, 'cause like that used to be a thing when we were kids. Mm-hmm. Uh, and how, you know, they have a vaccine, they have vaccine for everything now.
But, um, but no, no. But I just, just to stop you for a second, I think Yeah. When some, when a kid got chickenpox. All the moms would get together and then they would have the kids sit to like hang out. Right. So they would all catch it. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Well, my, no, my mom did not do that at all. I sat on the couch by myself and I watched VHS tapes.
Yep. Of new kids on the block music videos. Mm-hmm. And just dreamed about someday I am gonna be married to, it was really Jonathan, that was my crush, Jonathan Knight. But what's crazy is that then, as I. Came into my career. Yeah. Working in celebrity news, people always ask like, who's the great greatest celebrity you've ever interviewed?
And look, I've interviewed Jennifer Lopez and Brad Pitt and Jay-Z and all of these huge names, but I always say the answer to this question, it's the new kids on the block. Because it was such a moment in time for me to see how far I had come from that little girl. Dreaming of them. Yep. You know, like having a trapper keeper with their pictures on on there.
Yeah. And then here I am at the MTV Video Music Awards, like after party, and I'm hanging out with Jordan Knight, or here I am, you know, a couple years later and I'm down at the Borgata in Atlantic City and I'm sitting VIP. Watching them perform when they all went back on tour. And then I'm in the VIP area hanging out with them the entire night because I was friends with their publicist.
Okay. So there's a lot of stories like that. No, of, of course. But what you're demonstrating is that there's definitely been, uh, a few decades of fandom around these boy bands. Yes. And also you're part of a community of fans. Yes. 'cause I'm sure, uh, these women who you went to Las Vegas to see the Backstreet Boys, you probably known them for a long time as well.
Yes. And you had that in common, so I'm sure when you first met, you're like, John is my, is my new kids, or you know, or Nick is my, my Backstreet boy. Yes. And so putting this, this trip together, what was sort of the. What were the things that you wanted to tick off, or at least the group wanted to tick off?
Like where did you stay? Mm-hmm. What other things were you gonna do in Las Vegas? 'cause obviously the sphere is the main event, but you're in Las Vegas. There's lots of cool things to do, so much to do. And so how did you guys build the itinerary for the trip? So basically we were on a group text and.
Everybody decided when they were gonna go and when they were gonna leave. So the concert, we went for the very first night, the opening night, amazing atmosphere, which was incredible. Um, so that was Friday, July. I'm trying to think like the, I forget the exact date, but, um, the Friday night show. And so some people arrived on Wednesday, some people left on Saturday, some people arrived Thursday, left on Sunday.
(00:22):
Like everybody kind of did what they needed to do around their spouses and their kids because we left a lot of kids behind to make this trip happen. And so the girls all decided that they didn't wanna do the package. Um, there was some package, I think it was at the Venetian. 'cause you know the Venetian is attached Yep.
To the sphere. You can walk, walk through the tunnel. Right, exactly. So they didn't wanna do the package 'cause they wanted to stay at the encore and I. 100% agreed with that because I just, I love the encore. There's so many great hotels in Vegas, but historically I just feel that the Encore has, it has a little bit of like an, a higher, uh, no, you can say it, class of people.
The win Encore is the best hotel. Yeah, I think so. You know, you've, you've graduated from new kids, right? Which is probably the Venetian Yes. To the backs Streete boys at the sphere. Yes. Which, yes, again, is, is. You wanna make sure the experience itself. Matches the energy, right? Yes. That you're gonna bring to it 100%.
And, and so it was, it was without a doubt, you're staying at the win encore. That was 100% what was happening. And so we went, we went on, everybody kind of booked their rooms separately. Like I knew how, who I was gonna room with and you know, we're a group of moms, so it's a very organized. Well, it's a very organized group.
Moms rule the world. Moms do. Yes. I mean, and like, so everybody just kind of knew what they needed to do without needing somebody to hold their hand to do it. Okay. So booked our flights, booked our hotel, and then it was. The question was, you know, like, okay, so again, we're a group of moms, so everybody really wanted to have nice meals, like nice dinners.
Mm-hmm. Because we don't really ever get to do that. We just stand around our kitchens eating like little tiny shards of chicken nuggets that our kids haven't eaten before we throw the plate in the dishwasher. Sure. So really nice meals was high priority. So the majority of us were really only there. We really only overlapped for two nights.
So the night before the concert and then the concert. So the first night we decided to get a reservation at Delilah. Nice. Which is in the win. Yes. Now, I had not heard of this. Okay. So this was my first time back to Vegas in 10 years. 10 years. Lots of lots has changed in 10 years. Oh, lots has changed. 10 years ago I was there.
Um, I was newly married. I was not pregnant. I did not have any children. I got pregnant with my son shortly after that. Um, and the time before that was actually right before my wedding. Um, and so, and then there were many, many times prior to that when I was in my twenties. That we will not talk about what happened during those times.
But Delilah is a hotspot. Delilah's a hotspot. Yes. I mean, and they've, they've created this, um, very mysterious kind of facade. Mm-hmm. Because you're not allowed to take any photos or any videos, so they don't want to go viral on Instagram. Don't you worry, I took some photos and videos. Uh, you could go on my Instagram and you could see what's going on at Delilah, at Dorothy on tv.
Um, but you're technically really not allowed. And so we had this amazing dinner at Delilah, and there this woman came out on stage. My back was kind of to the stage, um, when we were eating and I heard her start singing and she opened with Amy Winehouse back to Black. And I thought for sure that Amy had amazing, risen from the grave and was standing right there on stage.
This woman's voice was unbelievable and that's what I love so much about Vegas. Yeah. The music. Yeah. And I turn around and I see this. Drop dead Gorgeous chick that looks like a more beautiful version of Angelina Jolie. Okay. In this beautiful flowing gown. And she just, she was the show and she stole the show, and it was an incredible dinner that we had.
Um, the one thing I didn't love about it, but, but Delilah did it. Right. Okay. And I appreciate this because I'm always, you know, as a travel writer, I'm always kind of like, my eyes are wide open to the level of hospitality that you're receiving. Of course. Which I will talk about something Yeah. At the encore pool about the level of hospitality.
Um, but because you went to Encore Beach? Yes. Okay. Well, we did go to Encore Beach briefly, but we mainly stayed at the excess pool. Okay. Um, which Arod was there the day after I left, of course. Which that was like, that broke my heart. Um, but anyway, so the, so Delilah, they, after we ate and we, you know, you go there and it's, it's an expensive place.
Sure. You spend a lot of money. There were five of us. And they kind of abruptly after they brought out the homemade chocolate cookies, they kind of like abruptly asked us to leave. Oh, because they had to turn the Because they had to turn the table. Yeah. Which is my pet peeve of all pet peeves. However, the gentleman.
Walked us up to the bubble bar, which is like mm-hmm. The bar when you first walk in. And he offered to get us a round of drinks. Okay. And we could hang out in the bubble bar and Yeah. 'cause it turns into a club. It does. Yeah. It does. And, and I liked that. I thought that that was. I thought that was the right way to do it because you're communicating to me that you have a business to run and you can't let people sit at the table for three hours or Right.
Whatever. Um, but you also care about your customers and you care about people who are spending their money here and enjoying themselves, and you don't want them to. You don't wanna leave a bad taste in their mouth Right. When you ask them to leave. So also they, they cater to a certain clientele. The reason why they don't allow any of the, the cameras or video is because a lot of celebrities mm-hmm.
A lot of important people. Right. Um, and they're trying to draw that type of crowd. Exactly. And, and so they treat everyone in this way. Yes. And so how was the experience once you got to the bubble bar? It was great. We got our round of drinks and we sat down and we hung out and it was. Incredible people watching.
There was a woman there, I can imagine, whose rear end made Kim Kardashian look like. The flattest, most bored, like bored like person you've ever seen. I've never seen anything like it in my life, but it's Vegas. Welcome to Las Vegas. And that's, that's the beauty of it. That's right. So we had some awesome people watching.
We met some really nice people who we ended up then seeing later on at the dwelling piano bar. Uh, and we just enjoyed our drinks and we hung out and we left. So it was a great first night. We wandered over to the dwelling piano bar. We salivated over the one pianist, um, who may or may not have been interested in ladies.
Um, and we had like the best time and literally got back to the room at 2:30 AM which if you're. Doing the math right. I'm asking like your listeners to do a lot of math on this episode. This is like 5:00 AM 6:00 AM six. Yeah, it's like five 5:00 AM 5:30 AM Connecticut time. Greenwich. Connecticut time.
Yeah. So, um, so yeah, it was a really, really fun first night. Do you gamble? I don't really gamble. Okay. The girls did. I and I sat and, you know, ordered a drink and hung out. The girls played a little bit of blackjack. It's just never really interested me. Yeah. Like, I like to be the girl that blows on the dice.
(00:43):
Got it. You know, for the guy who's you're lucky winning a lot of money. Right. You know, lucky and then hands me without your money. A bunch of chips. Yeah. Yeah. That's like, that's kind of my, that happens. Extent of my gambling. Yeah. No. As someone who, who lived in Las Vegas, that happens quite a bit. There's, there's a role Yes.
For that. For that position. Okay. So. It is game day. Mm-hmm. It is. It is Backstreet Boys at the sphere opening night. What happens had, do you, 'cause also you had to wear white. Yes. So, so the boys, so there must have been a whole process to get the right white outfit. Oh, there were many white dresses from as low end as $25 on Amazon to as high end as a thousand dollars from the Sachs website being shared on our group chat leading up to this trip, I heard about this, there's a lot of, uh, obviously there's.
Families or, or guys who are dragged. To go to this show. Yes. And uh, a friend of mine said that there was a ton of guys who you see like the creases in their brand new Amazon white shirts. Yes. Right. I'm sure yes. Because there's just so many people who are like, because they don't own Right. They don't own all white outfits.
Yes. And no one gets, no one goes to white parties regularly. You know, other than me and you obviously, but Right. Obviously. Well, it is true in Greenwich there are a lot of white parties. You had to. You had to be prepared to do this. So I would imagine you guys had the range in the group chat of Yes.
Various types of outfits. Yes. And so what, what was that conversation like? So everybody, you know, everybody. Like understood the assignment. Everybody got their white dress. Um, two girls had white dresses that were a little similar but not too similar to cause any big challenges or obstacles. And yeah, everybody planned out their whole look.
And actually what I, what I forgot to mention about the first night is that. When you are over 40 and married and have children and you go to Vegas, it's a much different experience than when you're in your twenties and you're slumming it in a room with like, you know, nine of your friends. Yep. Um, and we had a.
Hairstylist come to the suite at the enco, at the Encore and do all of our blowouts and do our hair. And so, um, amazing. That was a very fun part of getting ready and getting glam in Vegas. And so the following night, um, one of my roommates did actually have the hairstylist come back and, you know, do her hair course and we all got ready.
Of course. That makes sense. And then we decided to have dinner, um, that night. At the Venetian because it was convenient, and that way we could just walk to the sphere. Mm-hmm. Because there's this like, connecting tunnel. Um, I wouldn't say it's close. Yeah. But also in Vegas, like nothing's close. So everybody made the decision.
He's right that we were not gonna wear heels. Smart to the sphere. Yeah. But then the question was, are we going to wear sneakers? Like read between the lines? Yeah. Golden Goose or are we gonna wear flats? Got it. And I voted for flats, open toed flats. 'cause it's still Vegas. It's hot. Yeah. And so, but it had to be a unanimous decision.
Like this was very carefully planned out so everybody decided flats. So we all were flats. We went to, um, we went to Boon. Well, well sidebar. Yeah. This is a pro tip because if you've, I, I lived in Vegas for a few years. I go back probably once a year or so, but anytime I meet someone who's like, oh yeah.
Let's just walk to this place. Yeah. Uhhuh, everything is so huge in Las Vegas. Yes. That what looks like a short walk, it's not, is actually several miles. Yeah, that's right. And so you have to plan ahead. Yes, that's right. Anybody who's listening to this, what they did was genius because you don't wanna deal with the one woman who wore the heels and then she can't.
Hang out the rest of the night. That's right. Kind of thing. That's right. So this is a pro tip that everybody should, should understand is that Vegas is gigantic. It's gigantic. I mean, yes. And it's tough to get around. It's really tough to get around. Even just going from my room at the Encore to Delilah, which is in the win.
Yep. The first night I wore a brand new pair of. Christian Louboutins actually, that your wife had purchased for me at the sample sale. That's right. Okay. Yeah, brand new. And, uh, I walked, I walked miles, I walked miles to get to Delilah. Uh, and let me tell you, when I got back from Vegas, my body was broken. I had to get my like pelvic floor.
Right. Physical therapist in. Yeah. I had to get, like, go get a massage. Like I had to do. We did get massages 4 48 hours in Vegas is just, I, I say this all the time. Y three nights Yes. Is tops. You did it right? You did. I did two nights. You did a two nighter. You're gonna be fine. But even then you're, you're kind of broken.
I was, my body was broken. But anyway, what's funny about the, our day two there is that the whole day I kept forgetting, not forgetting, but like, just it was out of my mind that, oh my gosh, we still have the concert tonight. Right. Because we were having so much fun as it was. Yeah. That I almost forgot, like why we were actually there.
You know, it's like, that's Las Vegas. It's like, it's like the Christmas season. Yes. You know, you, you almost forget like what the true meaning of Christmas is when you're worrying about all the gifts. And that's what it was. You know, like the, the real reason that we're here is for the Backstreet Boys abs.
Absolutely. For Nick Carter. So for, for Nick, uh, in particular, but. Let me understand this. Why did you have to wear white? Well, I think it was an ode to their Millennium album. Got it. 'cause they all wore white. It was like a thing that they did back in like 99, 2000 and, and they ended up recreating, like the whole tour was the millennium tour.
So they recreated the whole feel of that album. It was like Millennium 2.0 I guess was the album that dropped the same night as the first day of the concert. Um, so their, their costumes and everything that they wore kind of echoed that and they wanted their fans too also. So let you're in the building.
Mm-hmm. Where were your seats? Because obviously being in the sphere itself, and I have not been yet. I'm, I'm getting there. You're gonna love it, but the entire venue. Is, it's 18,000 seats, I think, and you're surrounded by the highest definition screens. Yes. It is basically every seat in the place is amazing.
Yes. So where did you sit and what was the thought process of purchasing those tickets? So I will tell you, I did not have anything to do with purchasing the tickets. I pretty much just said. You know, I really don't wanna spend like a thousand dollars on tickets. Like, you know, so everybody kind of just voiced what their range was.
Yeah. And I was willing to spend up to $500 because I know what concerts cost these days, and it's this fear. So who knows what tickets cost. Um, but, and, and our friend who bought the tickets, like she did a great job, we ended up sitting. So what's weird about the sphere is in a typical concert venue, you know where the good seats are and you know where the good seats are, not.
(01:04):
So like when I see a concert at MSG, I know that I don't wanna be up in the nosebleeds. I know that I wanna be closer down like 100 level, like 200 level maybe, because that's where you're gonna get the best acoustics and that's where you're gonna get the best experience, right? The sphere is almost the opposite.
And so we went for, I believe, the 100 level tickets. Okay. So we knew that we didn't wanna stand, we knew that we're old ladies. We wanted to have seats, even though we literally never sat in them. Right. But, but we, we were dancing the entire time. So you didn't wanna be on the, in the pit, in the pool? We didn't wanna be in the pit, no.
Okay. That we did not want. I think my days of doing that are over. Like, I don't, although I did for the Greenwich Town Party. Okay. I did go up to the front with Mumford and Sons, and I loved that, but that's different. It's a much smaller venue. Um, but for this, we ended up dead center. Um, but the problem is we were in, there was like a, we were covered.
Okay. We were a little bit covered. There's an awning. There's, well, it's, it's, there's seats above us. Right? Okay. So. Again, Broadway show, typical concert. These are great seats. Sphere. I'm realizing that we missed kind of the, the upper 50% of the experience. Ah, because we couldn't really see Right. The full visuals.
Visuals, right. Huh? It took nothing, by the way, away from our time. Okay. I wasn't sitting there at the time saying that. Yeah. But once we left and then I started seeing. What other people were posting. Yeah. From like the 300 section, then you start to realize that there's a whole, there's a whole other experience to be had half of the sphere you didn't actually see.
That's right. Okay. That's right. I could really only see kind of like what was in front of me. I could see top to bottom what was in front of me. Sure. And on either side of the stage, but I couldn't see the full effect, like a full immersive effect. So the recommendation would be what? To get higher up? Yes.
Interesting. Sit higher up or sit. Sit high, I think really sit higher up. Because even if you're in, even if you're in the pit, or even if you're in the very front Yeah. What are you gonna do? Be turning, turning around and looking behind you to see the experience. Yeah. You gotta sit up and actually, you know who was smart Lance Bass?
Because he was sitting just directly above us. Really? Yes. Wow. He, he's sitting directly above us. He probably has insider information. He has insider info. Yeah. And also I'm hoping that he was there because he was scoping it out. Insane for the NSYNC residency. Maybe because I will be there opening night for that as well.
So, okay, so let's, you know, unpack that for a second. You, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, 100% O opening night Las Vegas, the Millennium 2.0 tour, the Backstreet Boys. But to your point, yes, the visuals are the hook at the sphere, but what about just being close? To Nick and Howie and the guys like you would've lost that a bit if you were sitting in Lance's seats.
That's a good point. That is a good point. Because didn't you have a straight ahead view? I did. You did? Yeah. So I wasn't really like looking down on them, although, spoiler alert. Okay. Although there is social media, and I posted on my Instagram too, there is one part of the show where the stage rises. Okay.
Goes all the way up. So then the people in the upper level seats are. Basically at eye level with them. Ah. But that's only one part. It's only for one song. Okay. Yeah. So I guess I, but then they're also projecting a tight shot of them performing. Yes. All over the sphere. Well, no, no, no. O no, actually not the whole time.
So you don't get the same kind of screens that you would get at a typical venue. Okay. 'cause really what they're projecting for most of the concert is not the guys, it's all sorts of other graphics and things to match the song. Got it. Yeah. And so what do they open with?
Now you're putting me on the spot. Remember how I said I'm a mom in my forties? No, I get it with two kids there. There's mom brain. Yeah, I get that part. I don't, I do not remember. I can't remember. I know that they closed with, um, no. Nope. I'm not gonna be able to answer these questions. So the feedback is that the visuals.
Are so enthralling or so, uh, captivating. Yes. That people, what, what you're describing is like, you don't even remember because it's almost like a. Cathartic experience for most fans. 'cause one, you have them there in real life, but then these visuals, because it's in the sphere, kind of take you to a different place.
Like beyond. Okay. Beyond. So you're confirming that, I mean, I, it was, it was all a dream. I felt like it went by so fast. Yeah. And I was in such a trance when it was over, like I was on, I was in such a high. Um, when it was over. Yeah. Which by the way, like it a high only from the concert like I had. Right. I had a, I had drinks, but I'm not talking about any other kind of high.
Okay. Uh, for me personally, that's not my thing. But, um, we ended up buying, when we got our drinks at the bar before we went in, they had these, you know, for $3 extra. These. Insanely awesome souvenir cups. Okay. Which my husband's always like, if you bring one more souvenir cup home from a vacation, but this is, this is a once in a lifetime event, right?
Shout out to John. Right, right. Yeah. But it was, you gotta make it happen. It was, but it was, you know, like, um, I think we got like Grey Goose and they had like the funniest cocktails they had, like the hot topic was one of them, you know, and o to the amazing store that we all used to hang out with in the mall.
Yeah. One was the Y 2K. Um, they had a couple different really cool cocktails, but I ended up just getting, I think, um. I don't remember. Again, like the memory doesn't work, but I think I just got maybe like, uh, Casamigos, you know, with club soda or something. Okay. With my $3 Backstreet Boys souvenir. So Cup, souvenir Cup.
But I was in such like a state of, I don't even know what, when the thing was over. Ecstasy. Do you wanna call it? Yeah. That I left the cup there. Yeah. Oh really? I just walked, walked right out with it. Yeah, I left it left back because all this tracks, I'm telling you. Yeah. I've been doing some research and it doesn't matter.
It, it could be you two, it could be it. There's been a number of them. Um, anima, which is a, a DJ like it, people just lose it. It's uh, essentially it's the most insane concert experience. Yeah. And I don't know how, I really don't know how I'm gonna go to. A regular venue, a typical concert venue after this.
Yeah, like, I mean, it's, it sounds ridiculous. No, I can't just fly to Vegas for every concert that I wanna see, but I do wanna go back for Zach Brown. Oh, it's, I'm, I'm thinking about it. I actually, um, when Zach Brown performed here in Greenwich, and I talked about this on my podcast, that Greenwich Life. Yeah.
(01:25):
I actually was in his. Trailer in his bus Okay. With him and the band for the warmup before Zach Brown performed at the Greenwich Town Party, uh, in 2021. Amazing. And sat with him and listened and, you know, listened to the warming up and things like that. So, um, I, I really do wanna go back out for Zach Brown, but I'm also waiting for Yeah.
So why don't you give us what you think or which artists you think would just do really well with the residency. At the sphere, because they weren't there very long. I, I think it was maybe a total of a, I think four nights. Oh, no, I think there's, I think they're there through August. Are they? Okay, so they, yeah, I think they're, I think they're there for about maybe less than two months.
Yeah. You know, we discuss this a lot on the pod in terms of, you know, this is the new model. Is to have a residency if you can, and you can support one with the visuals at the sphere. That's one piece, but just, you know, Adele's done it, right? Yes. Wu-Tang Clan has done it in Vegas. Yes. Because you get the same sort of traction in terms of fans coming, but you don't have to travel.
Yes. So it's a almost more cost-effective, more enjoyable way for the artist to meet fans or, or to be there to have the residency. At, uh, at las in Las Vegas. And so what do you think now that you've experienced the sphere, which artist do you want to see there? Number one. Number one. I think it's such a long shot, but I'm just gonna say it because I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed.
Okay. Cold play. Ah, interesting. Cold play. I can see that happening from the very minute that I read about the sphere and I understood what it was. Yeah. I said to myself. When cold play performs there, I'm gonna fly out and just go see it. Yeah. So I'm gonna cross my fingers on that one. I said it before in sync.
Yep. I would fly out there in a heartbeat to see in sync New Kids on the block. New kids on the block has a re, they're doing a residency at the I. Uh, let me think. I can't remember. Is Caesar's No. Is it at Caesar's? They're doing it and they're, it's, there's February dates and I'm trying to get, I'm trying to get the group together, like everyone comes back from Vegas and they're like, no, don't talk about going back to Vegas.
So I figure like maybe the group wants everybody settles in. Yeah, we will decide to go back in February because I would like to see that, but also. Do we fly all the way out to Vegas to see new kids on the block? If it's not the sphere? Well, there's, there's plenty of other things to do, right? I know, but like, if it's not the sphere, now we've seen a show at the sphere.
Yeah. So are we, have we been spoiled? I don't know. You absolutely have, but here's the thing. This is why we're on the podcast, right? Right. It's called Tickets to Travel and it's really about the focus of the live event ticket driving it. So the question is, would you go to Vegas anyway? If it wasn't. The new kids, or if you didn't have to purchase a live event ticket at this point in life.
Why would you go? No, I don't think I would because I don't know anybody who's getting married. Everyone, anyone that I know is already married or getting divorced. It's not really a kid destination. It's not, I'm trying to justify it for my kids's people. People, people think that yes, it is. And people do plan trips to take their kids there.
Yeah. And I respect that, and I know that there's a million cool things to see there. That is not my idea of a vacation with my kids. Right. That's just not like, I don't, yeah. I'm just not interested in taking my kids there, like really ever. Um, I'm actually not interested in my kids going there really ever.
Well, we, we think about it because we, we love hospitality, right? Mm-hmm. We, we work with hotels, we love restaurants, and our kids are kind of this way too. So I. I didn't go to Las Vegas until I was over 21. And so same, it'd be interesting if our kids saw it because it's just a spectacle. It is really cool.
Right? It is, it is. I, I feel like our, like, you know, our boys are Yeah. Really close friends and I feel like they would absolutely love it. Yeah. Like, I'm not saying that my kids wouldn't enjoy it. I don't think I would enjoy it. I don't like how you're indoors for all of it. Sure, sure. So. Maybe if like, no, I, there's just so many other places I would like to take them.
Yeah. I have to be really honest with you about something. Yeah. After I signed on for this trip, I was having second thoughts. Really? Not because of the Backstreet Boys, of course not, but part of, of course not. But part of me was going back to. All the times that I went in my twenties and my thirties where the, just the idea of Vegas was exhausting to me.
Yeah. It's a bit traumatic. Yeah. And I thought to myself, it's like the middle of July. I'm a mom, like I'm, yeah. Tired is my baseline. Yeah. You know, just exhausted is my baseline. Mm-hmm. Am I, is this going to be an, is this gonna be a trip that really feeds my soul right, and really fills my cup? Or am I gonna come back like a ragged.
You know, like idiotic version of myself that needs three days to recover. Well, that, that's what you think back to, right? Mm-hmm. I mean, 'cause 'cause getting back to the kids too, I try to explain it to them. 'cause the only time you could, you could actually go right, is in the summer. Mm-hmm. Summer in the middle of the desert of Las Vegas, you know, and, and this is coming from someone who's lived there.
I mean, it's 110, 115 and to your point, you're always in air conditioning. Right. And when you step out, if you're gonna go to the pool. It's gotta be between like, you know, 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM right? Because then you know, you can literally get cooked out there. And so I understand like the thought of. Do I really wanna go through that?
Yeah. Like why am I going to Vegas in the middle of July? I looked at the, at the forecast. Yeah. And it was 112 degrees exactly every day. But I, it wasn't like I was thinking I shouldn't go, I just was kind of like, Hmm, are you, are you doing what is really gonna serve you? 'cause I'm really trying more of these days to be really mindful and deliberate about my choices and how I spend my time and who I spend my time with.
And I knew that I wanted to be there with this group of girls, right? Because I love this group of girls. Right. Um, and so. I just kind of, you know, quieted those doubts and went, and what I didn't realize when I was having those doubts is that. Vegas can be anything that you want it to be. We got a cabana both days at the excess pool and the pool was very, very quiet.
It was a Thursday and a Friday. The pool was very quiet. Now again, I mentioned I missed Arad on Saturday. Got like a little bit more exciting that day, but I was already gone and you know, we had. Waiter service, and we had a masseuse that came in and everybody did hour long massages, right? And we did end up going over to Encore Beach for about, you know, an hour and a half.
You know, they had my one, my one friend had her laptop in her bag because she had a little bit of work to do that day. So they made her check her laptop, you know, for $20. Another friend had her empty glass water bottle because she's training for a marathon in Berlin, and they made her check her. Glass water bottle because they were afraid that like she was gonna throw the lid at somebody, or I don't know.
I'm sure they've seen insane things at Encore Beach. Yeah. I've seen insane things at Encore Beach. I've done insane things at Encore Beach, so I get it. You know, they confiscated my Altoids because who knows what's in Aloid? Whos Altoids? Yeah. I get it. I'm like, honey, I'm like a 43-year-old mom. I have a 2-year-old.
(01:46):
She's like, oh, you have no idea what we saw here. Anyway, we went to Encore Beach. We had a drink. We stood in the pool. We probably got an STD, and then we left because we were like, okay, good. I'm glad that we saw it. Yeah, like we came, we saw it. Yeah. I don't need to stay here and I don't need to see any more of it.
I felt really good about that because you had more control over the experience, how control rather than. You were kind back in your twenties or so. It was, you kind of just went where everybody went. Yeah, and also like, I didn't have any money in my twenties. Huge point. You know, I had no money in my twenties, so I was just like, I was slumming it.
Like I think we stayed in, you know, like the cheapest possible room one time of the. Like the MGM, which is not, again, like if that's not a terrible hotel, but it's not. No, but it's, it's not our suite, it's over 5,000 rooms. So there's a quality factor. Yes. Yeah. Yes. And it like smells like, you know, cigarette, who knows smoke and, um, who knows what goes on in those rooms.
Right. But like, you know, now, um, now I'm like at the encore and like this beautiful suite. Yeah. And we, you know, so like, I definitely did it this time more of, more in a dignified. Yeah. Way. Um, but I, I also was, this time really showed me how far I've come because being at Encore Beach and feeling slightly disgusted by it also, I was wearing, I was wearing a one piece at, I was wearing a one piece for both of the trips.
Now I. I wasn't wearing like a one piece conservative, you know, like Speedo, like an Olympian wears that covers like every body part. Yeah. I was still wearing You're conserv still a pretty skanky one piece. Okay. But it was still a one piece because I just had a baby two years ago. Okay. And when we were at the Encore pool at Encore Beach, we were, we were, we played a game, like, could we find anybody else in one piece?
And we couldn't, like I found lots of people that should have been wearing a one piece, but instead were wearing dental floss. And it really like made me feel kind of like, good about myself for a second. Like, okay, whatever. I don't have like the, the abs that I used to have. It is what it is. But you know what, like I have more wisdom now.
Yeah. And I'm like a more grounded Yeah. Smarter version of myself now. Sure. Where I know what makes me happy and what doesn't. And like Now listen, many of my friends wore string bikinis and they should have, they should have. 'cause they look good. Yeah. I mentioned one is training for a marathon, like literally when we landed.
These girls all went to the gym. I'm like, yeah, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna be at the gym. But that's also why I wasn't wearing a string bikini. Sure. That's, that's, that's part of the reason why I was wearing a one piece because I wanted to go sit by the pool and drink a cocktail, not go to the gym. So you get, you get what you put into it.
No, no, completely. And I think a couple things there don't back. It's like much like when you go to Disney World in Orlando, you get to see the entire gamut. Of Americans. Oh, yes. Or internationally. Yes, you do. Right. So you, you experience that. But again, money is key. You know, you, you can determine your experience by spending a little bit more or not, or going to Delilah versus Circus Circus.
Mm-hmm. Or somewhere else. Right, exactly. So, um, so overall, I, well, two more que two questions. I, I think first one thing that keeps coming up about Las Vegas since we're in this conversation is that it's dead. Have you heard this? That because of the. Trump tariffs and all the stuff that's going on that the Canadians and the Chinese are not coming and gambling as much as they used to in past years.
And then on top of that, you, you alluded to it with your $20 coat check, is that the prices of everything has just gone through the roof. And so there's this combination of political pieces mm-hmm. That the international markets are not coming to Las Vegas, but also. Parking costs a bunch of money now. It used to be free everywhere.
Um, to get into a club, the dinners are gonna cost you 500 bucks and all these different things. As someone who just returned from there, was Las Vegas dead, I, so I would say no. But now that you, you're bringing this up, like I would've said no. Okay. But now that you're bringing it up. You know the, the pool.
The pool at the encore at excess, Thursday and Friday, you said it was quiet Thursday and Friday. It was really quiet. Really quiet. And do you remember what it used to be like? So I'm trying to remember. I packed, I feel, so I feel like, was it packed or did I just go to the places, like Right. If we would've gone to marquee, to Marque's Day Club.
Yeah. Which I was like trying to rally the girls to go and do that. Um, but if we would've gone there, would that have been dead? Like do people just go, but even Encore Beach on that Friday was they didn't have any performances. Right. They had a DJ going on. They did going on. It wasn't anybody that I recognized.
Okay. But, you know, it wasn't like Zed or anything like that. Yeah. But it was, it was not that crowded. Okay. It was not how I remembered it being. Yeah. Now is that because this time I didn't. Chase the parties. Sure. Um, I will tell you that after the concert on that Friday night, we went back to the Encore, obviously, like we're such encore snobs, and we ended up going to excess because two friends were performing perfect.
And, um, none of my friends knew who they were, but I knew because my brother, my brothers. Turning 32 and he introduced me to their big booty mixes like years ago. And so I'm, they're a lot, lot of fun guys. It's two friends, you know, the big booty mix. And my friends were all like, what? Um, see, I'm kind of a cool mom.
No, no, you totally are. But anyway, so when we went to excess. I don't know what things cost, because I feel like still the one, the one thread that remained throughout this trip is like, as a woman, I really don't feel like I paid for all that much. Mm. Um, but we went to excess and it was, it was packed. Okay.
I mean, it was, it was packed. It was like two in the morning. Yeah. And you've never seen more people inside a place in your life. Um, so I don't know. You know, the, the tables, the tables did not seem very crowded to me. Um, when I was watching my friends gamble, um, you know the VIP rooms that you passed by, like the VIP poker rooms?
Yep. All those tables were full. Okay. Anytime that I pass by them. Interesting. Any hour of the day. Yeah. Um, but I don't know, maybe there is a case to be made for that. Well also, you know, again, you're at the WIN Encore, and that is the most popular. Casino on the strip. Had you walked across the street to Resorts World or even Fountain Blue?
I don't know. Did you get out to any other pro? I mean, you were only there 48 hours, so Yeah, we only went to the Venetian and I felt like the Venetian casino was very crowded. Yeah, I felt Ian probably because it was Backstreet Boys. I think so, right? I think so. I think so. I mean, I, I think overall where, where we went, the places that we went were, were crowded.
It wasn't, it didn't feel. Quiet. There was also like a big NBA thing happening there. Oh, it was summer league. Yeah, summer league. Yeah, exactly. So there was like a big NBA thing happening and um, everywhere I looked there were like gigantically tall men that I like, had no idea who they were. Yeah. But, um, I would say, you know, I would say it was probably like a mix crowded in some areas and not, not in others.
(02:07):
So again, it's the events that sort of drive. The people. Right. Um, and so, but to your, to your earlier point, because of your experience, you didn't notice any drop off in Las Vegas at all? I don't think so. Yeah. I would say just the day, the daytime. Got it. But also when have I ever been to Vegas in the past and gone to just some obscure Yeah.
Typical hotel pool. Yeah. No. I've in Vegas in the past, I literally wake up, get my dress on my bikini. Yeah. There's a mission. Go to the pool party. Yes. Like you're at the pool party. Right. And that place is packed and like, I keep mentioning Zed, but like Zed is DJing. Yeah. Or like DJ Polly D Yeah. You know, I spent like a whole time in Vegas with him.
I, I, I knew his publicist and like, um, you know, all the times that I've gone, I've gone because I have been like. VIP Yeah. With something, right? Like the Marques guys, I used to like be really close with them back in the day. Right. Um, I used to write for Vegas magazine and I did the, I wrote the cover story with Rebecca Romaine on it many years ago when rehab at the Hard Rock was still a thing.
And so they invited me to come out for their big cover launch party and hung out with Rebecca Romaine. I interviewed her over the phone Yeah. Initially, and then wrote the article. So your, your experience is gonna be a lot different. Than, than most. Yes. 'cause even, you know, that was, that was a while ago.
You still sort of understand how to maneuver Vegas. I, I've never gone to Vegas as just a typical person. Yeah. I mean, that trip that I mentioned when I went, um, for the Rebecca Romaine cover story and I hung out with, uh, Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca, I was at a party and got a call, um, that I had to go over to the CNN.
Remote satellite studio because I needed to get, go on live to talk about, I think it was like Casey Anthony or something. Ooh. So I like literally went from like pool chlorine. Yeah. You know, Lord knows what else, like I was covered in from those pool parties, how gross they are. Don't go in those pools, don't go in those schools and like into the studio to go live on CNN.
Full hair and makeup Yeah. To talk about, you know, this like huge national news story. Yeah. So all the times that I've gone, I mean like the, the first time that I went I'm pretty, yeah. The first time that I went I was literally being hosted by the Hard Rock right on like a press comp and they set us up for rehab and we had like VIP tickets and I was only, I had, I'd only just graduated college, so I was only like 20, like four years old or something.
So I've never gone as just your like typical. Like pedestrian person walking into Understood this place. Understood. And so 48 hours in Vegas? Yeah. Backstreet Boys, four really good friends of yours? Yeah. How would you? Well, there were 10 of us. There were 10 of you total? Yeah. Okay. I didn't know some of the girls initially, 'cause there were another friends.
Friends from college. Part of the networks. Yes. But then when we all came together for the show, there were 10 of us. Obviously. You guys were on the same vibe. Yes. Same frequency. Yes. Kind of thing. Yep. So how would you rate it? Overall and 12 outta 10. 12 outta 10. 12 outta 10. It added. It added 20 years to my life, anytime that I went to Vegas prior.
All the bad decisions that I made, all the, like the lack of sleep, all of it. I was always there for way too long. Three nights too long. Right. All of those times, like, I would come home and I felt like I was, I felt like I had died five deaths. I needed so much rehab and so much hydration and so much therapy.
And this time when I came home, I, I felt like, I feel like, yeah, like a new, like more sparkly, energized, glittery, energized version of myself since this trip. Even just talking about it. Yeah. Like just makes me so happy. Because I, I'm a wiser person now. You know, I'm, I still had fun. I still stayed out until like three in the morning.
Yep. Which is like six in the morning at home. You know, I went to bed when my kids were waking up, but back in Connecticut. But like, it just, there was something about it that made me so grateful for where I am in my life now. That's amazing. And, and that you were in control. That I was in control because maybe previously you weren't so much in control.
That's why you were really I was out of control. Yeah. I was. I wasn't, I wasn't so much like not in control. I was completely out of control. Yes. In my twenties and even my thirties. And this is indicative of lots of people. That's who go to Las Vegas. That's right. Trust me. That's right. But also I think, I think this time around, I think I had no idea that this trip was gonna be such a spiritual.
Experience for me. Yeah. I had no idea that it was gonna feel, fill my, my heart and, and like, and like align so perfectly with my energy. Um, but, but it was, it was, it was spiritual and I think it was that way because I think back then that person, I don't think she knew. The things that she knows now. I think she was living a lot of life on autopilot, making bad decisions and being so wild and reckless and just doing insane things, thinking that that was going to lead her to a place of fulfillment and happiness, and I think this version knows better now.
That's a mic drop. It's the truth. Amazing. Sidebar, putting on your, putting on your travel writer hat. Yes. Any tips, tricks that we can edit in for a trip to Las Vegas? Yes. Or the sphere to, to wrap this up, so, okay. So, um. So number one, um, what was the, what was the advice that I had given? 'cause a couple people dmd me on Instagram because they know, like, I'm like their travel girl.
Yeah. Um, a couple tips, like number one, 100% wear flats. Do not wear, do not wear heels to the sphere. Yep. Um, leave. Really early. Leave really early. Give yourself so much time to walk over there and to get in there and to look around. Do if you wanna buy merch, do not buy it on the floor where you enter.
Take the escalators all the way up. Merch and drinks all of it, all the concessions, take the elevator all the way up because nobody knows to do that when they arrive. They just go to the closest place. And the lines are so unbelievably long. Like I actually ended up buying no merch because I'm like, yeah, you didn't wanna stand in line for a million hours.
Yeah. I don't wanna miss the show. Yeah, yeah. Um, so definitely go all the way up and also just like take, oh my gosh, something that I had just discovered that we didn't know. Apparently there's some complimentary like. Lounge or something at the sphere where you can go and have this immersive experience.
Yep. Where you're flying on like Backstreet Boys Airlines or something. Yeah. And you can take pictures with these big cardboard cutouts of them. I didn't know any of that. We didn't, we knew nothing of that. Ironically, there. Kind of a client of mine. Oh, get out. It's a, it's a company called Vibey. Okay. That manages the sphere experiences.
And so, yeah, I, I was, we didn't talk beforehand or else I would've been like, Hey, well, you would've told me. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, so I feel like they need to put that out there a little bit more because nobody, yes. They nobody knew. Nobody knew. Like, there, I didn't see any signs for that or like, really? If you were like, I'll.
Tell me right now, like where you think that would be set up. I'm like looking back through my entrance Yeah. And everything and I, it's not like we missed it, it just wasn't there. You, you would have to pay some type of fee. Oh, there is a complimentary lounge. 'cause it's part of a bigger experience that you would buy.
(02:28):
Okay. But, um, actually, oh, so you did, you did have to pay a fee to go in there. You you did, but you could get in. I if I Right. If we were know right. You what I mean? Like I have a meeting with them later today actually. Okay. So I'll mention this to them. Yeah. Because they're doing, I think Zach Brown's coming, right?
Like they're, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Like the guys who I talked to, they, they booked it. Okay. So maybe they can fly me out and I can do, yeah. Possible a ton of content around what they're doing to promote its for people so that when they go, they know and then they buy this upgraded, it's like an upgraded package, you're saying?
Mm-hmm. Yeah. So I don't, I don't even think. I asked my friend, I said like, oh, was that, was that some kind of package that you could have bought tickets for? And she's like, I didn't see that anywhere. So what? You don't know. You don't know. Yeah. So, okay. So yeah, so they can fly me out for Zach Brown. I can do the whole thing.
Hang out with Zach again. I'll introduce you to them. Wonderful. Very good friends of mine. Great. Um, but like, yeah, and, and trust me, there is a marketing challenge, uh, there, but there is definitely a spot. Yeah. So that, yeah, I would like, so that's, I would leave room. I would, I would leave time to do that.
And I would also. Buy whatever that upgrade is to do that. 'cause it looked really cool from other people's Instagram. It just looked like something that you could go like, especially with a group of girlfriends and just be so silly about, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Anything else? Hotels, food, I mean, I mean, loved the encore.
Yeah. Loved the encore, loved Delilah. Um, be prepared that if you're gonna go there, like you're probably not gonna able to stay too long. I do think that they can give you a little, they should be giving you a little bit more time for what you're paying. Yeah. Um, but we went to Bouchon before the concert because it was in the Venetian and that was great.
Um, that turned out it worked out really great. We just took like a cab over there and then we all just walked, um, right to the sphere. And, you know, I think, I think definitely if you can do it and if you're a tired mom like me, like do the things that make you feel good, like hire. Hire the girl to come and do your hair, and so you don't have to blow dry your hair, you know, like Right.
Give yourself some time off or, or try to get a time at the salon, which is Right. Exactly. Just a pain. Right. Like this, we, we ended up using this amazing girl, her name's Saint Lee, and she really was a saint. And you can, if you DM me on Instagram, I can send the information at Dorothy on tv. Um, and it's just like, it's a real treat.
And then, you know, get the masseuse in the cabana, right? Like everybody took a turn. And what, the only thing about the cabana masseuse that you need to know is that if you're a retired mom like me, you want to be in there by yourself. Like, you don't want people coming in and out grabbing like a bite of, you know, nachos or whatever, but they can't close the curtain.
They're not allowed to. Interesting. Yeah. Too much, too many things have gone on there, I guess. Makes sense. It makes sense. You know? Gotta feel safe. Yeah. Yeah. But it's just not private. Yeah. Is what you're saying. Yeah. Got it. Yeah. It's like, but, but it didn't matter. It was still quiet and, you know, it was still very quiet and it was very fun.
And also like the spa, the spa itself at the encore is unbelievable. So if you have time, check that out. But, um, you know, request a room with a, with a view of the sphere if you're going, 'cause that makes, that makes the whole trip perfect. Ending. Thank you so much for being on Tickets to Travel. Dorothy, thank you for having me.
We'll see you on the next one. Thank you. Thanks.
Welcome to Tickets to Travel, the Business of Travel Experiences. I'm your host, Mario Bwin, and today we have another episode of Fan Travel Stories with my good friend Dorothy Casser. Simone, welcome to the pod. Hi. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you coming on the podcast because I've been looking for people who have been attending shows at the sphere, and you just had.
(00:01):
A great experience in Las Vegas. Yes. And so I think what everybody needs to know is who's your favorite Backstreet Boy and when did you start following that? I mean, Backstreet Boys, it takes me back. Now I'm gonna really reveal my age if anybody wants to do some quick calculations, but totally backs Streete Boys for me, goes back to probably the summer of 99.
When I graduated from high school and I was living down the shore in Avalon, New Jersey with my girlfriends, and that was. I mean, that was like, you know the Britney Spears? Yep. Backstreet Boys, like all Christina Aguilera. That was the height of pop. Yes. The height of pop. Yes. And I mean, they don't really have that anymore.
No. And so it doesn't surprise me that they chose the Backstreet Boys to do a residency at the sphere in Las Vegas. And so when you first heard that they were gonna be there. What, what, what went through your mind? What went through the mind of your friend group? Well, well, what went through my mind at first was, okay, I really wanna go and see them, but also like, I'm a mom.
I have two little kids. My daughter's two, my son is nine. It's, you know, the summertime. It's such a hectic time with. Camp and all sorts of things and, and our own family vacation travels because I'm a travel writer, so I'm always on the go and traveling and, you know, checking out new places. Um, so I'll like, I'll never be able to go and do that, but it would be really cool.
And then a group of my friends. Asked me if I wanted to come with them. They had kind of already, you know, scoped it out and they included me in on their plan. And for me that was its own vacation. The fact that I didn't have to be the ringleader of it, buy the tickets, all I had to do was Venmo someone.
Afterwards, you know, um, and use Splitwise to figure out like all the bills at the end. But I was a passenger princess on this little 48 hour Vegas trip and it felt so good because I'm the one always taking my family places. I'm the one always taking my husband places and I'm the one always taking my friends places because I'm traveler Yout.
Treat yourself Dorothy. Yeah, exactly. You treat yourself well. Well, here's the thing. 'cause they made the announce only a few months ago. Mm-hmm. And then you guys, you decided on a whim. A 48 hour trip was gonna happen. That means you're a giant fan. Yes. I mean, I just, it, it's such a piece of my, not my childhood, but like my teenage years.
Yeah. You know, it's like, it feels like a piece of history. And then also. My background is in celebrity news, so I, celebrity news and gossip. So I started out, when I was in college, I started out working at People Magazine and being on the red carpet and interviewing celebrities for them. And then moved on to Life and Style Weekly and uh, in touch.
I even worked at the National Enquirer for a little bit. Amazing. And I did all of their tv. So then I started appearing on the Today Show and the Wendy Williams Show and Chelsea lately, and talking about celebrities and what was going on. The Backstreet Boys for me, were not even just like a small, like a huge part, a small and a huge part of my, my own personal life, but it was also just like they're, they were a part of my, the beginning days of my career.
Right, right. So you have this almost a, I mean, like a, a kinship of, of sorts with That's right. With the Backstreet Boys because this probably flowed into other fandom because what we'd like to, to touch on in this type of pod with, with fan travel stories is that one. The, the planning around the travel mm-hmm.
To get to see these type of artists, but also the community that is built. But if the Backstreet Boys was really like the high school side, you, you probably were a new kids fan at one point. Huge, yeah. Huge new kids fan. I would even say more of a new kids fan through and through than even the Backstreet Boys.
Well, just in pure, like developmental time. That's right. But also of being a. A fan of anything? Well, right, so like my first concert when I was, I think turning eight years old, yeah, it was on my birthday, was Tiffany. Ah, and they had this, she had this great boy group that opened for her and nobody knew who they were, but I vividly remember.
Sitting in the audience and watching these five guys dance and sing on stage. And then they later became the new kids on the block. Right. And so I grew up, you know, sitting on the couch like with chickenpox, you know, 'cause like that used to be a thing when we were kids. Mm-hmm. Uh, and how, you know, they have a vaccine, they have vaccine for everything now.
But, um, but no, no. But I just, just to stop you for a second, I think Yeah. When some, when a kid got chickenpox. All the moms would get together and then they would have the kids sit to like hang out. Right. So they would all catch it. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Well, my, no, my mom did not do that at all. I sat on the couch by myself and I watched VHS tapes.
Yep. Of new kids on the block music videos. Mm-hmm. And just dreamed about someday I am gonna be married to, it was really Jonathan, that was my crush, Jonathan Knight. But what's crazy is that then, as I. Came into my career. Yeah. Working in celebrity news, people always ask like, who's the great greatest celebrity you've ever interviewed?
And look, I've interviewed Jennifer Lopez and Brad Pitt and Jay-Z and all of these huge names, but I always say the answer to this question, it's the new kids on the block. Because it was such a moment in time for me to see how far I had come from that little girl. Dreaming of them. Yep. You know, like having a trapper keeper with their pictures on on there.
Yeah. And then here I am at the MTV Video Music Awards, like after party, and I'm hanging out with Jordan Knight, or here I am, you know, a couple years later and I'm down at the Borgata in Atlantic City and I'm sitting VIP. Watching them perform when they all went back on tour. And then I'm in the VIP area hanging out with them the entire night because I was friends with their publicist.
Okay. So there's a lot of stories like that. No, of, of course. But what you're demonstrating is that there's definitely been, uh, a few decades of fandom around these boy bands. Yes. And also you're part of a community of fans. Yes. 'cause I'm sure, uh, these women who you went to Las Vegas to see the Backstreet Boys, you probably known them for a long time as well.
Yes. And you had that in common, so I'm sure when you first met, you're like, John is my, is my new kids, or you know, or Nick is my, my Backstreet boy. Yes. And so putting this, this trip together, what was sort of the. What were the things that you wanted to tick off, or at least the group wanted to tick off?
Like where did you stay? Mm-hmm. What other things were you gonna do in Las Vegas? 'cause obviously the sphere is the main event, but you're in Las Vegas. There's lots of cool things to do, so much to do. And so how did you guys build the itinerary for the trip? So basically we were on a group text and.
Everybody decided when they were gonna go and when they were gonna leave. So the concert, we went for the very first night, the opening night, amazing atmosphere, which was incredible. Um, so that was Friday, July. I'm trying to think like the, I forget the exact date, but, um, the Friday night show. And so some people arrived on Wednesday, some people left on Saturday, some people arrived Thursday, left on Sunday.
(00:22):
Like everybody kind of did what they needed to do around their spouses and their kids because we left a lot of kids behind to make this trip happen. And so the girls all decided that they didn't wanna do the package. Um, there was some package, I think it was at the Venetian. 'cause you know the Venetian is attached Yep.
To the sphere. You can walk, walk through the tunnel. Right, exactly. So they didn't wanna do the package 'cause they wanted to stay at the encore and I. 100% agreed with that because I just, I love the encore. There's so many great hotels in Vegas, but historically I just feel that the Encore has, it has a little bit of like an, a higher, uh, no, you can say it, class of people.
The win Encore is the best hotel. Yeah, I think so. You know, you've, you've graduated from new kids, right? Which is probably the Venetian Yes. To the backs Streete boys at the sphere. Yes. Which, yes, again, is, is. You wanna make sure the experience itself. Matches the energy, right? Yes. That you're gonna bring to it 100%.
And, and so it was, it was without a doubt, you're staying at the win encore. That was 100% what was happening. And so we went, we went on, everybody kind of booked their rooms separately. Like I knew how, who I was gonna room with and you know, we're a group of moms, so it's a very organized. Well, it's a very organized group.
Moms rule the world. Moms do. Yes. I mean, and like, so everybody just kind of knew what they needed to do without needing somebody to hold their hand to do it. Okay. So booked our flights, booked our hotel, and then it was. The question was, you know, like, okay, so again, we're a group of moms, so everybody really wanted to have nice meals, like nice dinners.
Mm-hmm. Because we don't really ever get to do that. We just stand around our kitchens eating like little tiny shards of chicken nuggets that our kids haven't eaten before we throw the plate in the dishwasher. Sure. So really nice meals was high priority. So the majority of us were really only there. We really only overlapped for two nights.
So the night before the concert and then the concert. So the first night we decided to get a reservation at Delilah. Nice. Which is in the win. Yes. Now, I had not heard of this. Okay. So this was my first time back to Vegas in 10 years. 10 years. Lots of lots has changed in 10 years. Oh, lots has changed. 10 years ago I was there.
Um, I was newly married. I was not pregnant. I did not have any children. I got pregnant with my son shortly after that. Um, and the time before that was actually right before my wedding. Um, and so, and then there were many, many times prior to that when I was in my twenties. That we will not talk about what happened during those times.
But Delilah is a hotspot. Delilah's a hotspot. Yes. I mean, and they've, they've created this, um, very mysterious kind of facade. Mm-hmm. Because you're not allowed to take any photos or any videos, so they don't want to go viral on Instagram. Don't you worry, I took some photos and videos. Uh, you could go on my Instagram and you could see what's going on at Delilah, at Dorothy on tv.
Um, but you're technically really not allowed. And so we had this amazing dinner at Delilah, and there this woman came out on stage. My back was kind of to the stage, um, when we were eating and I heard her start singing and she opened with Amy Winehouse back to Black. And I thought for sure that Amy had amazing, risen from the grave and was standing right there on stage.
This woman's voice was unbelievable and that's what I love so much about Vegas. Yeah. The music. Yeah. And I turn around and I see this. Drop dead Gorgeous chick that looks like a more beautiful version of Angelina Jolie. Okay. In this beautiful flowing gown. And she just, she was the show and she stole the show, and it was an incredible dinner that we had.
Um, the one thing I didn't love about it, but, but Delilah did it. Right. Okay. And I appreciate this because I'm always, you know, as a travel writer, I'm always kind of like, my eyes are wide open to the level of hospitality that you're receiving. Of course. Which I will talk about something Yeah. At the encore pool about the level of hospitality.
Um, but because you went to Encore Beach? Yes. Okay. Well, we did go to Encore Beach briefly, but we mainly stayed at the excess pool. Okay. Um, which Arod was there the day after I left, of course. Which that was like, that broke my heart. Um, but anyway, so the, so Delilah, they, after we ate and we, you know, you go there and it's, it's an expensive place.
Sure. You spend a lot of money. There were five of us. And they kind of abruptly after they brought out the homemade chocolate cookies, they kind of like abruptly asked us to leave. Oh, because they had to turn the Because they had to turn the table. Yeah. Which is my pet peeve of all pet peeves. However, the gentleman.
Walked us up to the bubble bar, which is like mm-hmm. The bar when you first walk in. And he offered to get us a round of drinks. Okay. And we could hang out in the bubble bar and Yeah. 'cause it turns into a club. It does. Yeah. It does. And, and I liked that. I thought that that was. I thought that was the right way to do it because you're communicating to me that you have a business to run and you can't let people sit at the table for three hours or Right.
Whatever. Um, but you also care about your customers and you care about people who are spending their money here and enjoying themselves, and you don't want them to. You don't wanna leave a bad taste in their mouth Right. When you ask them to leave. So also they, they cater to a certain clientele. The reason why they don't allow any of the, the cameras or video is because a lot of celebrities mm-hmm.
A lot of important people. Right. Um, and they're trying to draw that type of crowd. Exactly. And, and so they treat everyone in this way. Yes. And so how was the experience once you got to the bubble bar? It was great. We got our round of drinks and we sat down and we hung out and it was. Incredible people watching.
There was a woman there, I can imagine, whose rear end made Kim Kardashian look like. The flattest, most bored, like bored like person you've ever seen. I've never seen anything like it in my life, but it's Vegas. Welcome to Las Vegas. And that's, that's the beauty of it. That's right. So we had some awesome people watching.
We met some really nice people who we ended up then seeing later on at the dwelling piano bar. Uh, and we just enjoyed our drinks and we hung out and we left. So it was a great first night. We wandered over to the dwelling piano bar. We salivated over the one pianist, um, who may or may not have been interested in ladies.
Um, and we had like the best time and literally got back to the room at 2:30 AM which if you're. Doing the math right. I'm asking like your listeners to do a lot of math on this episode. This is like 5:00 AM 6:00 AM six. Yeah, it's like five 5:00 AM 5:30 AM Connecticut time. Greenwich. Connecticut time.
Yeah. So, um, so yeah, it was a really, really fun first night. Do you gamble? I don't really gamble. Okay. The girls did. I and I sat and, you know, ordered a drink and hung out. The girls played a little bit of blackjack. It's just never really interested me. Yeah. Like, I like to be the girl that blows on the dice.
(00:43):
Got it. You know, for the guy who's you're lucky winning a lot of money. Right. You know, lucky and then hands me without your money. A bunch of chips. Yeah. Yeah. That's like, that's kind of my, that happens. Extent of my gambling. Yeah. No. As someone who, who lived in Las Vegas, that happens quite a bit. There's, there's a role Yes.
For that. For that position. Okay. So. It is game day. Mm-hmm. It is. It is Backstreet Boys at the sphere opening night. What happens had, do you, 'cause also you had to wear white. Yes. So, so the boys, so there must have been a whole process to get the right white outfit. Oh, there were many white dresses from as low end as $25 on Amazon to as high end as a thousand dollars from the Sachs website being shared on our group chat leading up to this trip, I heard about this, there's a lot of, uh, obviously there's.
Families or, or guys who are dragged. To go to this show. Yes. And uh, a friend of mine said that there was a ton of guys who you see like the creases in their brand new Amazon white shirts. Yes. Right. I'm sure yes. Because there's just so many people who are like, because they don't own Right. They don't own all white outfits.
Yes. And no one gets, no one goes to white parties regularly. You know, other than me and you obviously, but Right. Obviously. Well, it is true in Greenwich there are a lot of white parties. You had to. You had to be prepared to do this. So I would imagine you guys had the range in the group chat of Yes.
Various types of outfits. Yes. And so what, what was that conversation like? So everybody, you know, everybody. Like understood the assignment. Everybody got their white dress. Um, two girls had white dresses that were a little similar but not too similar to cause any big challenges or obstacles. And yeah, everybody planned out their whole look.
And actually what I, what I forgot to mention about the first night is that. When you are over 40 and married and have children and you go to Vegas, it's a much different experience than when you're in your twenties and you're slumming it in a room with like, you know, nine of your friends. Yep. Um, and we had a.
Hairstylist come to the suite at the enco, at the Encore and do all of our blowouts and do our hair. And so, um, amazing. That was a very fun part of getting ready and getting glam in Vegas. And so the following night, um, one of my roommates did actually have the hairstylist come back and, you know, do her hair course and we all got ready.
Of course. That makes sense. And then we decided to have dinner, um, that night. At the Venetian because it was convenient, and that way we could just walk to the sphere. Mm-hmm. Because there's this like, connecting tunnel. Um, I wouldn't say it's close. Yeah. But also in Vegas, like nothing's close. So everybody made the decision.
He's right that we were not gonna wear heels. Smart to the sphere. Yeah. But then the question was, are we going to wear sneakers? Like read between the lines? Yeah. Golden Goose or are we gonna wear flats? Got it. And I voted for flats, open toed flats. 'cause it's still Vegas. It's hot. Yeah. And so, but it had to be a unanimous decision.
Like this was very carefully planned out so everybody decided flats. So we all were flats. We went to, um, we went to Boon. Well, well sidebar. Yeah. This is a pro tip because if you've, I, I lived in Vegas for a few years. I go back probably once a year or so, but anytime I meet someone who's like, oh yeah.
Let's just walk to this place. Yeah. Uhhuh, everything is so huge in Las Vegas. Yes. That what looks like a short walk, it's not, is actually several miles. Yeah, that's right. And so you have to plan ahead. Yes, that's right. Anybody who's listening to this, what they did was genius because you don't wanna deal with the one woman who wore the heels and then she can't.
Hang out the rest of the night. That's right. Kind of thing. That's right. So this is a pro tip that everybody should, should understand is that Vegas is gigantic. It's gigantic. I mean, yes. And it's tough to get around. It's really tough to get around. Even just going from my room at the Encore to Delilah, which is in the win.
Yep. The first night I wore a brand new pair of. Christian Louboutins actually, that your wife had purchased for me at the sample sale. That's right. Okay. Yeah, brand new. And, uh, I walked, I walked miles, I walked miles to get to Delilah. Uh, and let me tell you, when I got back from Vegas, my body was broken. I had to get my like pelvic floor.
Right. Physical therapist in. Yeah. I had to get, like, go get a massage. Like I had to do. We did get massages 4 48 hours in Vegas is just, I, I say this all the time. Y three nights Yes. Is tops. You did it right? You did. I did two nights. You did a two nighter. You're gonna be fine. But even then you're, you're kind of broken.
I was, my body was broken. But anyway, what's funny about the, our day two there is that the whole day I kept forgetting, not forgetting, but like, just it was out of my mind that, oh my gosh, we still have the concert tonight. Right. Because we were having so much fun as it was. Yeah. That I almost forgot, like why we were actually there.
You know, it's like, that's Las Vegas. It's like, it's like the Christmas season. Yes. You know, you, you almost forget like what the true meaning of Christmas is when you're worrying about all the gifts. And that's what it was. You know, like the, the real reason that we're here is for the Backstreet Boys abs.
Absolutely. For Nick Carter. So for, for Nick, uh, in particular, but. Let me understand this. Why did you have to wear white? Well, I think it was an ode to their Millennium album. Got it. 'cause they all wore white. It was like a thing that they did back in like 99, 2000 and, and they ended up recreating, like the whole tour was the millennium tour.
So they recreated the whole feel of that album. It was like Millennium 2.0 I guess was the album that dropped the same night as the first day of the concert. Um, so their, their costumes and everything that they wore kind of echoed that and they wanted their fans too also. So let you're in the building.
Mm-hmm. Where were your seats? Because obviously being in the sphere itself, and I have not been yet. I'm, I'm getting there. You're gonna love it, but the entire venue. Is, it's 18,000 seats, I think, and you're surrounded by the highest definition screens. Yes. It is basically every seat in the place is amazing.
Yes. So where did you sit and what was the thought process of purchasing those tickets? So I will tell you, I did not have anything to do with purchasing the tickets. I pretty much just said. You know, I really don't wanna spend like a thousand dollars on tickets. Like, you know, so everybody kind of just voiced what their range was.
Yeah. And I was willing to spend up to $500 because I know what concerts cost these days, and it's this fear. So who knows what tickets cost. Um, but, and, and our friend who bought the tickets, like she did a great job, we ended up sitting. So what's weird about the sphere is in a typical concert venue, you know where the good seats are and you know where the good seats are, not.
(01:04):
So like when I see a concert at MSG, I know that I don't wanna be up in the nosebleeds. I know that I wanna be closer down like 100 level, like 200 level maybe, because that's where you're gonna get the best acoustics and that's where you're gonna get the best experience, right? The sphere is almost the opposite.
And so we went for, I believe, the 100 level tickets. Okay. So we knew that we didn't wanna stand, we knew that we're old ladies. We wanted to have seats, even though we literally never sat in them. Right. But, but we, we were dancing the entire time. So you didn't wanna be on the, in the pit, in the pool? We didn't wanna be in the pit, no.
Okay. That we did not want. I think my days of doing that are over. Like, I don't, although I did for the Greenwich Town Party. Okay. I did go up to the front with Mumford and Sons, and I loved that, but that's different. It's a much smaller venue. Um, but for this, we ended up dead center. Um, but the problem is we were in, there was like a, we were covered.
Okay. We were a little bit covered. There's an awning. There's, well, it's, it's, there's seats above us. Right? Okay. So. Again, Broadway show, typical concert. These are great seats. Sphere. I'm realizing that we missed kind of the, the upper 50% of the experience. Ah, because we couldn't really see Right. The full visuals.
Visuals, right. Huh? It took nothing, by the way, away from our time. Okay. I wasn't sitting there at the time saying that. Yeah. But once we left and then I started seeing. What other people were posting. Yeah. From like the 300 section, then you start to realize that there's a whole, there's a whole other experience to be had half of the sphere you didn't actually see.
That's right. Okay. That's right. I could really only see kind of like what was in front of me. I could see top to bottom what was in front of me. Sure. And on either side of the stage, but I couldn't see the full effect, like a full immersive effect. So the recommendation would be what? To get higher up? Yes.
Interesting. Sit higher up or sit. Sit high, I think really sit higher up. Because even if you're in, even if you're in the pit, or even if you're in the very front Yeah. What are you gonna do? Be turning, turning around and looking behind you to see the experience. Yeah. You gotta sit up and actually, you know who was smart Lance Bass?
Because he was sitting just directly above us. Really? Yes. Wow. He, he's sitting directly above us. He probably has insider information. He has insider info. Yeah. And also I'm hoping that he was there because he was scoping it out. Insane for the NSYNC residency. Maybe because I will be there opening night for that as well.
So, okay, so let's, you know, unpack that for a second. You, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, 100% O opening night Las Vegas, the Millennium 2.0 tour, the Backstreet Boys. But to your point, yes, the visuals are the hook at the sphere, but what about just being close? To Nick and Howie and the guys like you would've lost that a bit if you were sitting in Lance's seats.
That's a good point. That is a good point. Because didn't you have a straight ahead view? I did. You did? Yeah. So I wasn't really like looking down on them, although, spoiler alert. Okay. Although there is social media, and I posted on my Instagram too, there is one part of the show where the stage rises. Okay.
Goes all the way up. So then the people in the upper level seats are. Basically at eye level with them. Ah. But that's only one part. It's only for one song. Okay. Yeah. So I guess I, but then they're also projecting a tight shot of them performing. Yes. All over the sphere. Well, no, no, no. O no, actually not the whole time.
So you don't get the same kind of screens that you would get at a typical venue. Okay. 'cause really what they're projecting for most of the concert is not the guys, it's all sorts of other graphics and things to match the song. Got it. Yeah. And so what do they open with?
Now you're putting me on the spot. Remember how I said I'm a mom in my forties? No, I get it with two kids there. There's mom brain. Yeah, I get that part. I don't, I do not remember. I can't remember. I know that they closed with, um, no. Nope. I'm not gonna be able to answer these questions. So the feedback is that the visuals.
Are so enthralling or so, uh, captivating. Yes. That people, what, what you're describing is like, you don't even remember because it's almost like a. Cathartic experience for most fans. 'cause one, you have them there in real life, but then these visuals, because it's in the sphere, kind of take you to a different place.
Like beyond. Okay. Beyond. So you're confirming that, I mean, I, it was, it was all a dream. I felt like it went by so fast. Yeah. And I was in such a trance when it was over, like I was on, I was in such a high. Um, when it was over. Yeah. Which by the way, like it a high only from the concert like I had. Right. I had a, I had drinks, but I'm not talking about any other kind of high.
Okay. Uh, for me personally, that's not my thing. But, um, we ended up buying, when we got our drinks at the bar before we went in, they had these, you know, for $3 extra. These. Insanely awesome souvenir cups. Okay. Which my husband's always like, if you bring one more souvenir cup home from a vacation, but this is, this is a once in a lifetime event, right?
Shout out to John. Right, right. Yeah. But it was, you gotta make it happen. It was, but it was, you know, like, um, I think we got like Grey Goose and they had like the funniest cocktails they had, like the hot topic was one of them, you know, and o to the amazing store that we all used to hang out with in the mall.
Yeah. One was the Y 2K. Um, they had a couple different really cool cocktails, but I ended up just getting, I think, um. I don't remember. Again, like the memory doesn't work, but I think I just got maybe like, uh, Casamigos, you know, with club soda or something. Okay. With my $3 Backstreet Boys souvenir. So Cup, souvenir Cup.
But I was in such like a state of, I don't even know what, when the thing was over. Ecstasy. Do you wanna call it? Yeah. That I left the cup there. Yeah. Oh really? I just walked, walked right out with it. Yeah, I left it left back because all this tracks, I'm telling you. Yeah. I've been doing some research and it doesn't matter.
It, it could be you two, it could be it. There's been a number of them. Um, anima, which is a, a DJ like it, people just lose it. It's uh, essentially it's the most insane concert experience. Yeah. And I don't know how, I really don't know how I'm gonna go to. A regular venue, a typical concert venue after this.
Yeah, like, I mean, it's, it sounds ridiculous. No, I can't just fly to Vegas for every concert that I wanna see, but I do wanna go back for Zach Brown. Oh, it's, I'm, I'm thinking about it. I actually, um, when Zach Brown performed here in Greenwich, and I talked about this on my podcast, that Greenwich Life. Yeah.
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I actually was in his. Trailer in his bus Okay. With him and the band for the warmup before Zach Brown performed at the Greenwich Town Party, uh, in 2021. Amazing. And sat with him and listened and, you know, listened to the warming up and things like that. So, um, I, I really do wanna go back out for Zach Brown, but I'm also waiting for Yeah.
So why don't you give us what you think or which artists you think would just do really well with the residency. At the sphere, because they weren't there very long. I, I think it was maybe a total of a, I think four nights. Oh, no, I think there's, I think they're there through August. Are they? Okay, so they, yeah, I think they're, I think they're there for about maybe less than two months.
Yeah. You know, we discuss this a lot on the pod in terms of, you know, this is the new model. Is to have a residency if you can, and you can support one with the visuals at the sphere. That's one piece, but just, you know, Adele's done it, right? Yes. Wu-Tang Clan has done it in Vegas. Yes. Because you get the same sort of traction in terms of fans coming, but you don't have to travel.
Yes. So it's a almost more cost-effective, more enjoyable way for the artist to meet fans or, or to be there to have the residency. At, uh, at las in Las Vegas. And so what do you think now that you've experienced the sphere, which artist do you want to see there? Number one. Number one. I think it's such a long shot, but I'm just gonna say it because I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed.
Okay. Cold play. Ah, interesting. Cold play. I can see that happening from the very minute that I read about the sphere and I understood what it was. Yeah. I said to myself. When cold play performs there, I'm gonna fly out and just go see it. Yeah. So I'm gonna cross my fingers on that one. I said it before in sync.
Yep. I would fly out there in a heartbeat to see in sync New Kids on the block. New kids on the block has a re, they're doing a residency at the I. Uh, let me think. I can't remember. Is Caesar's No. Is it at Caesar's? They're doing it and they're, it's, there's February dates and I'm trying to get, I'm trying to get the group together, like everyone comes back from Vegas and they're like, no, don't talk about going back to Vegas.
So I figure like maybe the group wants everybody settles in. Yeah, we will decide to go back in February because I would like to see that, but also. Do we fly all the way out to Vegas to see new kids on the block? If it's not the sphere? Well, there's, there's plenty of other things to do, right? I know, but like, if it's not the sphere, now we've seen a show at the sphere.
Yeah. So are we, have we been spoiled? I don't know. You absolutely have, but here's the thing. This is why we're on the podcast, right? Right. It's called Tickets to Travel and it's really about the focus of the live event ticket driving it. So the question is, would you go to Vegas anyway? If it wasn't. The new kids, or if you didn't have to purchase a live event ticket at this point in life.
Why would you go? No, I don't think I would because I don't know anybody who's getting married. Everyone, anyone that I know is already married or getting divorced. It's not really a kid destination. It's not, I'm trying to justify it for my kids's people. People, people think that yes, it is. And people do plan trips to take their kids there.
Yeah. And I respect that, and I know that there's a million cool things to see there. That is not my idea of a vacation with my kids. Right. That's just not like, I don't, yeah. I'm just not interested in taking my kids there, like really ever. Um, I'm actually not interested in my kids going there really ever.
Well, we, we think about it because we, we love hospitality, right? Mm-hmm. We, we work with hotels, we love restaurants, and our kids are kind of this way too. So I. I didn't go to Las Vegas until I was over 21. And so same, it'd be interesting if our kids saw it because it's just a spectacle. It is really cool.
Right? It is, it is. I, I feel like our, like, you know, our boys are Yeah. Really close friends and I feel like they would absolutely love it. Yeah. Like, I'm not saying that my kids wouldn't enjoy it. I don't think I would enjoy it. I don't like how you're indoors for all of it. Sure, sure. So. Maybe if like, no, I, there's just so many other places I would like to take them.
Yeah. I have to be really honest with you about something. Yeah. After I signed on for this trip, I was having second thoughts. Really? Not because of the Backstreet Boys, of course not, but part of, of course not. But part of me was going back to. All the times that I went in my twenties and my thirties where the, just the idea of Vegas was exhausting to me.
Yeah. It's a bit traumatic. Yeah. And I thought to myself, it's like the middle of July. I'm a mom, like I'm, yeah. Tired is my baseline. Yeah. You know, just exhausted is my baseline. Mm-hmm. Am I, is this going to be an, is this gonna be a trip that really feeds my soul right, and really fills my cup? Or am I gonna come back like a ragged.
You know, like idiotic version of myself that needs three days to recover. Well, that, that's what you think back to, right? Mm-hmm. I mean, 'cause 'cause getting back to the kids too, I try to explain it to them. 'cause the only time you could, you could actually go right, is in the summer. Mm-hmm. Summer in the middle of the desert of Las Vegas, you know, and, and this is coming from someone who's lived there.
I mean, it's 110, 115 and to your point, you're always in air conditioning. Right. And when you step out, if you're gonna go to the pool. It's gotta be between like, you know, 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM right? Because then you know, you can literally get cooked out there. And so I understand like the thought of. Do I really wanna go through that?
Yeah. Like why am I going to Vegas in the middle of July? I looked at the, at the forecast. Yeah. And it was 112 degrees exactly every day. But I, it wasn't like I was thinking I shouldn't go, I just was kind of like, Hmm, are you, are you doing what is really gonna serve you? 'cause I'm really trying more of these days to be really mindful and deliberate about my choices and how I spend my time and who I spend my time with.
And I knew that I wanted to be there with this group of girls, right? Because I love this group of girls. Right. Um, and so. I just kind of, you know, quieted those doubts and went, and what I didn't realize when I was having those doubts is that. Vegas can be anything that you want it to be. We got a cabana both days at the excess pool and the pool was very, very quiet.
It was a Thursday and a Friday. The pool was very quiet. Now again, I mentioned I missed Arad on Saturday. Got like a little bit more exciting that day, but I was already gone and you know, we had. Waiter service, and we had a masseuse that came in and everybody did hour long massages, right? And we did end up going over to Encore Beach for about, you know, an hour and a half.
You know, they had my one, my one friend had her laptop in her bag because she had a little bit of work to do that day. So they made her check her laptop, you know, for $20. Another friend had her empty glass water bottle because she's training for a marathon in Berlin, and they made her check her. Glass water bottle because they were afraid that like she was gonna throw the lid at somebody, or I don't know.
I'm sure they've seen insane things at Encore Beach. Yeah. I've seen insane things at Encore Beach. I've done insane things at Encore Beach, so I get it. You know, they confiscated my Altoids because who knows what's in Aloid? Whos Altoids? Yeah. I get it. I'm like, honey, I'm like a 43-year-old mom. I have a 2-year-old.
(01:46):
She's like, oh, you have no idea what we saw here. Anyway, we went to Encore Beach. We had a drink. We stood in the pool. We probably got an STD, and then we left because we were like, okay, good. I'm glad that we saw it. Yeah, like we came, we saw it. Yeah. I don't need to stay here and I don't need to see any more of it.
I felt really good about that because you had more control over the experience, how control rather than. You were kind back in your twenties or so. It was, you kind of just went where everybody went. Yeah, and also like, I didn't have any money in my twenties. Huge point. You know, I had no money in my twenties, so I was just like, I was slumming it.
Like I think we stayed in, you know, like the cheapest possible room one time of the. Like the MGM, which is not, again, like if that's not a terrible hotel, but it's not. No, but it's, it's not our suite, it's over 5,000 rooms. So there's a quality factor. Yes. Yeah. Yes. And it like smells like, you know, cigarette, who knows smoke and, um, who knows what goes on in those rooms.
Right. But like, you know, now, um, now I'm like at the encore and like this beautiful suite. Yeah. And we, you know, so like, I definitely did it this time more of, more in a dignified. Yeah. Way. Um, but I, I also was, this time really showed me how far I've come because being at Encore Beach and feeling slightly disgusted by it also, I was wearing, I was wearing a one piece at, I was wearing a one piece for both of the trips.
Now I. I wasn't wearing like a one piece conservative, you know, like Speedo, like an Olympian wears that covers like every body part. Yeah. I was still wearing You're conserv still a pretty skanky one piece. Okay. But it was still a one piece because I just had a baby two years ago. Okay. And when we were at the Encore pool at Encore Beach, we were, we were, we played a game, like, could we find anybody else in one piece?
And we couldn't, like I found lots of people that should have been wearing a one piece, but instead were wearing dental floss. And it really like made me feel kind of like, good about myself for a second. Like, okay, whatever. I don't have like the, the abs that I used to have. It is what it is. But you know what, like I have more wisdom now.
Yeah. And I'm like a more grounded Yeah. Smarter version of myself now. Sure. Where I know what makes me happy and what doesn't. And like Now listen, many of my friends wore string bikinis and they should have, they should have. 'cause they look good. Yeah. I mentioned one is training for a marathon, like literally when we landed.
These girls all went to the gym. I'm like, yeah, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna be at the gym. But that's also why I wasn't wearing a string bikini. Sure. That's, that's, that's part of the reason why I was wearing a one piece because I wanted to go sit by the pool and drink a cocktail, not go to the gym. So you get, you get what you put into it.
No, no, completely. And I think a couple things there don't back. It's like much like when you go to Disney World in Orlando, you get to see the entire gamut. Of Americans. Oh, yes. Or internationally. Yes, you do. Right. So you, you experience that. But again, money is key. You know, you, you can determine your experience by spending a little bit more or not, or going to Delilah versus Circus Circus.
Mm-hmm. Or somewhere else. Right, exactly. So, um, so overall, I, well, two more que two questions. I, I think first one thing that keeps coming up about Las Vegas since we're in this conversation is that it's dead. Have you heard this? That because of the. Trump tariffs and all the stuff that's going on that the Canadians and the Chinese are not coming and gambling as much as they used to in past years.
And then on top of that, you, you alluded to it with your $20 coat check, is that the prices of everything has just gone through the roof. And so there's this combination of political pieces mm-hmm. That the international markets are not coming to Las Vegas, but also. Parking costs a bunch of money now. It used to be free everywhere.
Um, to get into a club, the dinners are gonna cost you 500 bucks and all these different things. As someone who just returned from there, was Las Vegas dead, I, so I would say no. But now that you, you're bringing this up, like I would've said no. Okay. But now that you're bringing it up. You know the, the pool.
The pool at the encore at excess, Thursday and Friday, you said it was quiet Thursday and Friday. It was really quiet. Really quiet. And do you remember what it used to be like? So I'm trying to remember. I packed, I feel, so I feel like, was it packed or did I just go to the places, like Right. If we would've gone to marquee, to Marque's Day Club.
Yeah. Which I was like trying to rally the girls to go and do that. Um, but if we would've gone there, would that have been dead? Like do people just go, but even Encore Beach on that Friday was they didn't have any performances. Right. They had a DJ going on. They did going on. It wasn't anybody that I recognized.
Okay. But, you know, it wasn't like Zed or anything like that. Yeah. But it was, it was not that crowded. Okay. It was not how I remembered it being. Yeah. Now is that because this time I didn't. Chase the parties. Sure. Um, I will tell you that after the concert on that Friday night, we went back to the Encore, obviously, like we're such encore snobs, and we ended up going to excess because two friends were performing perfect.
And, um, none of my friends knew who they were, but I knew because my brother, my brothers. Turning 32 and he introduced me to their big booty mixes like years ago. And so I'm, they're a lot, lot of fun guys. It's two friends, you know, the big booty mix. And my friends were all like, what? Um, see, I'm kind of a cool mom.
No, no, you totally are. But anyway, so when we went to excess. I don't know what things cost, because I feel like still the one, the one thread that remained throughout this trip is like, as a woman, I really don't feel like I paid for all that much. Mm. Um, but we went to excess and it was, it was packed. Okay.
I mean, it was, it was packed. It was like two in the morning. Yeah. And you've never seen more people inside a place in your life. Um, so I don't know. You know, the, the tables, the tables did not seem very crowded to me. Um, when I was watching my friends gamble, um, you know the VIP rooms that you passed by, like the VIP poker rooms?
Yep. All those tables were full. Okay. Anytime that I pass by them. Interesting. Any hour of the day. Yeah. Um, but I don't know, maybe there is a case to be made for that. Well also, you know, again, you're at the WIN Encore, and that is the most popular. Casino on the strip. Had you walked across the street to Resorts World or even Fountain Blue?
I don't know. Did you get out to any other pro? I mean, you were only there 48 hours, so Yeah, we only went to the Venetian and I felt like the Venetian casino was very crowded. Yeah, I felt Ian probably because it was Backstreet Boys. I think so, right? I think so. I think so. I mean, I, I think overall where, where we went, the places that we went were, were crowded.
It wasn't, it didn't feel. Quiet. There was also like a big NBA thing happening there. Oh, it was summer league. Yeah, summer league. Yeah, exactly. So there was like a big NBA thing happening and um, everywhere I looked there were like gigantically tall men that I like, had no idea who they were. Yeah. But, um, I would say, you know, I would say it was probably like a mix crowded in some areas and not, not in others.
(02:07):
So again, it's the events that sort of drive. The people. Right. Um, and so, but to your, to your earlier point, because of your experience, you didn't notice any drop off in Las Vegas at all? I don't think so. Yeah. I would say just the day, the daytime. Got it. But also when have I ever been to Vegas in the past and gone to just some obscure Yeah.
Typical hotel pool. Yeah. No. I've in Vegas in the past, I literally wake up, get my dress on my bikini. Yeah. There's a mission. Go to the pool party. Yes. Like you're at the pool party. Right. And that place is packed and like, I keep mentioning Zed, but like Zed is DJing. Yeah. Or like DJ Polly D Yeah. You know, I spent like a whole time in Vegas with him.
I, I, I knew his publicist and like, um, you know, all the times that I've gone, I've gone because I have been like. VIP Yeah. With something, right? Like the Marques guys, I used to like be really close with them back in the day. Right. Um, I used to write for Vegas magazine and I did the, I wrote the cover story with Rebecca Romaine on it many years ago when rehab at the Hard Rock was still a thing.
And so they invited me to come out for their big cover launch party and hung out with Rebecca Romaine. I interviewed her over the phone Yeah. Initially, and then wrote the article. So your, your experience is gonna be a lot different. Than, than most. Yes. 'cause even, you know, that was, that was a while ago.
You still sort of understand how to maneuver Vegas. I, I've never gone to Vegas as just a typical person. Yeah. I mean, that trip that I mentioned when I went, um, for the Rebecca Romaine cover story and I hung out with, uh, Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca, I was at a party and got a call, um, that I had to go over to the CNN.
Remote satellite studio because I needed to get, go on live to talk about, I think it was like Casey Anthony or something. Ooh. So I like literally went from like pool chlorine. Yeah. You know, Lord knows what else, like I was covered in from those pool parties, how gross they are. Don't go in those pools, don't go in those schools and like into the studio to go live on CNN.
Full hair and makeup Yeah. To talk about, you know, this like huge national news story. Yeah. So all the times that I've gone, I mean like the, the first time that I went I'm pretty, yeah. The first time that I went I was literally being hosted by the Hard Rock right on like a press comp and they set us up for rehab and we had like VIP tickets and I was only, I had, I'd only just graduated college, so I was only like 20, like four years old or something.
So I've never gone as just your like typical. Like pedestrian person walking into Understood this place. Understood. And so 48 hours in Vegas? Yeah. Backstreet Boys, four really good friends of yours? Yeah. How would you? Well, there were 10 of us. There were 10 of you total? Yeah. Okay. I didn't know some of the girls initially, 'cause there were another friends.
Friends from college. Part of the networks. Yes. But then when we all came together for the show, there were 10 of us. Obviously. You guys were on the same vibe. Yes. Same frequency. Yes. Kind of thing. Yep. So how would you rate it? Overall and 12 outta 10. 12 outta 10. 12 outta 10. It added. It added 20 years to my life, anytime that I went to Vegas prior.
All the bad decisions that I made, all the, like the lack of sleep, all of it. I was always there for way too long. Three nights too long. Right. All of those times, like, I would come home and I felt like I was, I felt like I had died five deaths. I needed so much rehab and so much hydration and so much therapy.
And this time when I came home, I, I felt like, I feel like, yeah, like a new, like more sparkly, energized, glittery, energized version of myself since this trip. Even just talking about it. Yeah. Like just makes me so happy. Because I, I'm a wiser person now. You know, I'm, I still had fun. I still stayed out until like three in the morning.
Yep. Which is like six in the morning at home. You know, I went to bed when my kids were waking up, but back in Connecticut. But like, it just, there was something about it that made me so grateful for where I am in my life now. That's amazing. And, and that you were in control. That I was in control because maybe previously you weren't so much in control.
That's why you were really I was out of control. Yeah. I was. I wasn't, I wasn't so much like not in control. I was completely out of control. Yes. In my twenties and even my thirties. And this is indicative of lots of people. That's who go to Las Vegas. That's right. Trust me. That's right. But also I think, I think this time around, I think I had no idea that this trip was gonna be such a spiritual.
Experience for me. Yeah. I had no idea that it was gonna feel, fill my, my heart and, and like, and like align so perfectly with my energy. Um, but, but it was, it was, it was spiritual and I think it was that way because I think back then that person, I don't think she knew. The things that she knows now. I think she was living a lot of life on autopilot, making bad decisions and being so wild and reckless and just doing insane things, thinking that that was going to lead her to a place of fulfillment and happiness, and I think this version knows better now.
That's a mic drop. It's the truth. Amazing. Sidebar, putting on your, putting on your travel writer hat. Yes. Any tips, tricks that we can edit in for a trip to Las Vegas? Yes. Or the sphere to, to wrap this up, so, okay. So, um. So number one, um, what was the, what was the advice that I had given? 'cause a couple people dmd me on Instagram because they know, like, I'm like their travel girl.
Yeah. Um, a couple tips, like number one, 100% wear flats. Do not wear, do not wear heels to the sphere. Yep. Um, leave. Really early. Leave really early. Give yourself so much time to walk over there and to get in there and to look around. Do if you wanna buy merch, do not buy it on the floor where you enter.
Take the escalators all the way up. Merch and drinks all of it, all the concessions, take the elevator all the way up because nobody knows to do that when they arrive. They just go to the closest place. And the lines are so unbelievably long. Like I actually ended up buying no merch because I'm like, yeah, you didn't wanna stand in line for a million hours.
Yeah. I don't wanna miss the show. Yeah, yeah. Um, so definitely go all the way up and also just like take, oh my gosh, something that I had just discovered that we didn't know. Apparently there's some complimentary like. Lounge or something at the sphere where you can go and have this immersive experience.
Yep. Where you're flying on like Backstreet Boys Airlines or something. Yeah. And you can take pictures with these big cardboard cutouts of them. I didn't know any of that. We didn't, we knew nothing of that. Ironically, there. Kind of a client of mine. Oh, get out. It's a, it's a company called Vibey. Okay. That manages the sphere experiences.
And so, yeah, I, I was, we didn't talk beforehand or else I would've been like, Hey, well, you would've told me. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, so I feel like they need to put that out there a little bit more because nobody, yes. They nobody knew. Nobody knew. Like, there, I didn't see any signs for that or like, really? If you were like, I'll.
Tell me right now, like where you think that would be set up. I'm like looking back through my entrance Yeah. And everything and I, it's not like we missed it, it just wasn't there. You, you would have to pay some type of fee. Oh, there is a complimentary lounge. 'cause it's part of a bigger experience that you would buy.
(02:28):
Okay. But, um, actually, oh, so you did, you did have to pay a fee to go in there. You you did, but you could get in. I if I Right. If we were know right. You what I mean? Like I have a meeting with them later today actually. Okay. So I'll mention this to them. Yeah. Because they're doing, I think Zach Brown's coming, right?
Like they're, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Like the guys who I talked to, they, they booked it. Okay. So maybe they can fly me out and I can do, yeah. Possible a ton of content around what they're doing to promote its for people so that when they go, they know and then they buy this upgraded, it's like an upgraded package, you're saying?
Mm-hmm. Yeah. So I don't, I don't even think. I asked my friend, I said like, oh, was that, was that some kind of package that you could have bought tickets for? And she's like, I didn't see that anywhere. So what? You don't know. You don't know. Yeah. So, okay. So yeah, so they can fly me out for Zach Brown. I can do the whole thing.
Hang out with Zach again. I'll introduce you to them. Wonderful. Very good friends of mine. Great. Um, but like, yeah, and, and trust me, there is a marketing challenge, uh, there, but there is definitely a spot. Yeah. So that, yeah, I would like, so that's, I would leave room. I would, I would leave time to do that.
And I would also. Buy whatever that upgrade is to do that. 'cause it looked really cool from other people's Instagram. It just looked like something that you could go like, especially with a group of girlfriends and just be so silly about, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Anything else? Hotels, food, I mean, I mean, loved the encore.
Yeah. Loved the encore, loved Delilah. Um, be prepared that if you're gonna go there, like you're probably not gonna able to stay too long. I do think that they can give you a little, they should be giving you a little bit more time for what you're paying. Yeah. Um, but we went to Bouchon before the concert because it was in the Venetian and that was great.
Um, that turned out it worked out really great. We just took like a cab over there and then we all just walked, um, right to the sphere. And, you know, I think, I think definitely if you can do it and if you're a tired mom like me, like do the things that make you feel good, like hire. Hire the girl to come and do your hair, and so you don't have to blow dry your hair, you know, like Right.
Give yourself some time off or, or try to get a time at the salon, which is Right. Exactly. Just a pain. Right. Like this, we, we ended up using this amazing girl, her name's Saint Lee, and she really was a saint. And you can, if you DM me on Instagram, I can send the information at Dorothy on tv. Um, and it's just like, it's a real treat.
And then, you know, get the masseuse in the cabana, right? Like everybody took a turn. And what, the only thing about the cabana masseuse that you need to know is that if you're a retired mom like me, you want to be in there by yourself. Like, you don't want people coming in and out grabbing like a bite of, you know, nachos or whatever, but they can't close the curtain.
They're not allowed to. Interesting. Yeah. Too much, too many things have gone on there, I guess. Makes sense. It makes sense. You know? Gotta feel safe. Yeah. Yeah. But it's just not private. Yeah. Is what you're saying. Yeah. Got it. Yeah. It's like, but, but it didn't matter. It was still quiet and, you know, it was still very quiet and it was very fun.
And also like the spa, the spa itself at the encore is unbelievable. So if you have time, check that out. But, um, you know, request a room with a, with a view of the sphere if you're going, 'cause that makes, that makes the whole trip perfect. Ending. Thank you so much for being on Tickets to Travel. Dorothy, thank you for having me.
We'll see you on the next one. Thank you. Thanks.
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