"Viva" is one of Rachel's signature expressions. It is quite appropriate for our recent gathering of Olaf alums + in Las Vegas for the occasion of a triple bachelorette celebration. Rachel, Susie, and Sarah are getting married in July, August, and October to Aaron, Colin, and Justin in Lutsen (MN), Pender Island (BC), and Des Moines (IA) respectively. Since Rachel's been on the east coast, Sarah's in Chicago, and other friends are flung far and wide across the nation, we decided the only fair, reasonable, and economical solution was to GO TO VEGAS, BABY! The picture at left is Sarah, Susie, and Rachel outside of The Wynn.
The people who showed up represented a web of connections characteristic of St. Olaf. Just for example, Rachel, Susie, and Sarah were roommates sophomore year (knew each other since freshman year). Pretty straightforward, eh? Let me outline their connection to me alone (let's set aside the other 9 people who came along on this trip).
Sarah's fiancee, Justin, and I went to Italy together for an interim course over January our sophomore year. In the spring, I decided that my plan to room with my dear friend, Meredith, was not such a good plan. I told no one until one day I saw Justin outside the caf and he looked at me curiously and asked me what was up. I spilled my guts and he allowed as how that was really weird since his girlfriend, Sarah, was in exactly the same situation and would I be interested in rooming with her? So we did. Meanwhile, Meredith and Susie went on an interim trip over January to Italy together. These peculiar, iridescent strands bound us together in one way or another into a web that would now impress even Charlotte.
Bachelorettes, their relations, high school and college friends converged on Las Vegas beginning
Friday March 21st and stayed through Easter. While others were celebrating Good Friday, we were getting in touch with our midwestern roots by consuming J-E-L-L-O.
We were lucky to have a benefactress, Susie's MIL-to-be, who used her Hilton points to get our broke selves a couple of suites with kitchens.
We brought a lot of food. Certain person(s) brought an extra suitcase full of foodstuffs and drink. Without disclosing this person's identity (initials t.m.) I can say that she may or may not have ripped out the zipper of a suitcase at 5am the day she left from trying to fit
one more apple and may or may not have had to frantically unpack and repack. Another frugal woman got to the airport only to discover that BHOBW (bringing her own box of wine, of course) put her bag over the weight limit and cost and extra $25. In the end, though, this strategy warded off scurvy and provided ample free drinks in the whirlpool.
This was a remarkable group of women to travel with. Some took the initiative to plan events/activities ahead of time like a "Stripper 101" class, a trip to the spa, and free admission to the club 'Body English' where some of our party saw Dave Coulier, Bob Saget, and John Stamos. Also, there was a very fluid transfer of leading and following between group members and a very laid back splitting up and re-congregating throughout the weekend. Most of the time we looked like
Madeline: 12 little girls in 2 straight lines. See below:
As far as Srtipper 101 goes--all you need to know about pole dancing you learned on the playground in elementary school...except, perhaps, how to keep skin from sticking to the pole, but this was only '101' so I didn't learn the answer to that (must be baby powder or something).
Qua spa at Caesar's Palace was definitely a highlight of the trip and definitely not something I would ever have done if I hadn't had someone to arrange it and a group of friends to explore with (what do I know about spas?) For cheap we got an all day pass soak in the roman baths, hang our robes in a 'robe sauna', had someone brew tea for us, ate all the fruit we wanted, sat in the sauna or steam room (where we couldn't see the hands in front of our faces), and rejuvinate in the hilarious 45-degree 'snow room' where snow-lookin' foam drifted down from the ceiling when we opened the door and there was a basin of ice for 'exfoliation'. This is us by a swanky fountain at the entrance. We look quite relaxed, no?
Sunday evening, Susie taught me how to play slots. I suppose this is intuitive for some people, but not this girl. Here I am with my winnings. I put in a total of $4 and promptly quit after I hit some sort of jackpot for beginners, won $19.04, and scored a Bloody Mary like a real gamblin' woman.
By this time, everyone but Susie, Trisha, Rachel, and I had thrown in the towel. This was too bad because they missed karaoke with MC Sarah and Stewart. Here is a picture of Stewart singing "She Bangs" by Ricky Martin. He started singing, but there was so much cheering that he called the song to a halt, told us all to hush up because he's hard of hearing, and demanded that the song be started over. And then...he brought down teh house! Stewart was the star, but this place was full of the American Idol Contestants That Never Tried Out. I think it was his vibrato, vaguely reminiscent of a billy goat ("she ba-a-a-angs, she ba-a-a-angs") that won us all over so completely.
After that, Trisha and Susie abandoned us, but Rachel and I had a hankering for more karaoke. We searched the strip and ended the night/morning up here:
At this little outdoor karaoke dive, we discovered "Battle Hymn of the Republic" in the song book. When a friendly table in front of us asked us what we were going to sing, Rachel looked at them deadpan and said, "We were trying to find something patriotic to sing. What do you think of 'Battle Hymn of The Republic'?"
We ended up singing 'Old Time Rock 'n Roll' with the chicks pictured (from Ireland) and this guy who sang every song with everyone (and was not great). Before this, we sang the Fugees rendition of 'Killing Me Softly' which we dedicated to the fellas working construction across the street, specifically Crane Number Thirty-Seven (someone told us there were, like 42 cranes in Vegas at any given time, or just this given time or something) so Rachel dubbed this one #37.
Monday held some more hanging out by the pool and then Kris, Susie, and I were the last ones
to leave. Many thanks to Joe, who got us seats together even though the flight was packed and we were too late to plausibly expect such a favor.
I'll try to correct any spelling/grammer/sense mistakes, but I thought I'd actually throw my one reader a bone and catch this baby up!
Chicago. Nate bussed his way out to the airport after school on Thursday, rented a car, and picked me up in the parking lot of the dental office. We headed south through patchy rain and, as we drove though Rochester, MN, noted how far Ceara is commuting to be in The Taming of the Shrew there. I worked on my Unit Plan for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry in the car on the way down and we rolled in at Mike and Liz's house around 11:20 p.m. Mike was our roommate for awhile in Minneapolis, but eventually went to live with Liz in Chicago. They got married last year and moved into a house with their nice cat, Charlie, and their hissy one, Val.
These are the people we brought. Our mystery group had 19 people total. Raedean, in the pink boa, was the genius who planned the adventure (and was a GREAT actress at the dinner). 
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