DIRTY ROTTEN BOZEMAN, MT

And we're back after a whirlwind week that could have been relaxing, but I suspect not. Though a change IS as good as a rest.

Michael and I waken at the crack of crow's piss on Monday morning to catch our flight to Vegas. The payoff is that we are checking into our hotel (The Luxor) by 11 a.m. The rumours about the long lines at The Luxor's front desk are true, but service otherwise is very, very good. Our room, as luck would have it, is ready, and we stagger into our 21st floor suite, complete with hot tub overlooking the mountains. Sadly, Vega has so much to offer that we will never get around to the hot tub.

Vegas is delicious and much changed since my last visit. I drag Michael, mercilessly, up and down the strip, indulging in every possible excess (it is Vegas after all). "La Reve" at The Wynn, "Believe" at The Luxor(See note below), "Ka" at The MGM, the roller coaster at New York, New York, cocktails and caviar at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at Paris, shopping at Venice and Bellagio (ask Michael about his new Prada bathing suit), manicures at The Mirage, tasting menu at Emeril's (ho-hum) restaurant in MGM, and more martinis and slot machines than I can remember.

As we have another crack-of-crow's-piss flight to Calgary, the decision to stay up until all hours drinking and playing slots is probably ill advised, but what happens in Vegas only follows you as a hang over. We arrive in Calgary late on Thursday afternoon and are whisked away to the wilds of Airdrie for home some home-cooked deliciousness and calm. The next two days are a blur of visiting. Friday is egg-colouring day at the homestead, but I manage to drink my way through the throngs of attending children, some of whom, I'm told, are relatives. Friday night is our visit with a throng of rarely seen but cherished friends at our favourite Mexican restaurant, followed by a quick trip to StageWest where we catch the second act of "Boeing Boeing" (would someone please stop Marty Fishman from making good actors look bad?!?!) and a visit with more amazing friends who are still in the biz. Saturday is the big family Easter dinner which is lavish, delicious and entertaining but over-populated by children.

Sunday is another rising-sun-departure as we are being driven to Bozeman by my sainted Father and Step-Mother. The drive is a 9-hour blur of reading, napping and mountain views.

Bozeman is another arena-trying-to-be-a-theatre show. Have I mentioned how much I hate playing arenas? Again, most of the major set pieces and drops are cut. Again, we are yelling to be heard over the roar of set pieces rolling around on the hollow stage. And also, again, the audience is capacity and crazy-happy. It seems that no matter how bitter we are, we can't help but bring happiness to the people. We are now faced with two days off in Bozeman. Have I mentioned that I'm over Montana? Two days off here is a bit like two days off in your basement. Two days off in your car. Two days off in your bathroom. You probably could find something to do, but it will only entertain you for a few desperate moments. It's a bit like waiting in purgatory before we have to get up at 4 a.m. on Thursday morning so that we can fly to California.

*Note re: Criss Angel
Everyone, well, lots of people, are trashing this show. While I admit that it has some problems, most of which could be cured by a good writer and some major clean up on the transitions, it is a great night of thrills. I was enthralled and entertianed. Most of the furor seems to come from the content of the show which is very dark, macabre and twisted. I will say this......we saw "La Reve", which is the hot new ticket in Vegas that everyone is wiggling about. It was pretty, sometimes breath-taking, and a stunning use of technology. When all is said and done though, I felt empty, left with nothing, unchanged by the show. The Criss Angel show took risks, sometimes failing miserably, but at least it thrilled me, challenged me and left me lots to think about.