Seeing Cher in concert was not a top priority on my bucket list. However, when two of my girlfriends said “Let’s go to Vegas and see Cher!” I said, “Ok!” I’ve been watching her perform for fifty years, so I figured I might not have another opportunity.
I was long overdue for a girl’s trip . . . and my husband agreed I needed it because I’d been serving as his nurse since mid-July following his first and second knee replacement surgeries—a period of sixteen weeks . . . but who was counting. Thankfully he was doing well enough on his own I felt comfortable leaving for a few days. Ordering and receiving the “Sock Horse” ahead of time helped alleviate my concern. The handy-dandy contraption allowed him to put his own socks on without having to bend his knee too much.
Cher’s show was at the Monte Carlo, so it seemed a logical place to stay. Rooms and flights were booked and we were ready to hurry up and have fun! Gail, Teri and I flew down from Florence, Oregon. My girlfriend, Sandi, drove up from San Diego. Sandi and I were delighted to catch up after not seeing each other for three years!
When my husband and I lived in Southern California we occasionally visited Las Vegas, aka Lost Wages. Sometimes we went with friends and had fun attending great shows, like Wayne Newton and Bobbie Vinton (the Polish Prince). This was back in the day when you could get a huge shrimp cocktail for a mere dollar downtown. I doubt that special exists now. On previous girls trips I saw Cirque de Soleil, Mama Mia and Thunder from Down Under, which was somewhat X rated.
I’d never thought of the literal translation for Las Vegas being Spanish for “The Meadows,” named when it featured abundant wild grasses and the desert spring waters needed by westward travelers. That has certainly changed since it was founded as a city in 1905.
Remarkably, to me, 1844 marked the arrival of John C. Frémont, whose writings helped lure pioneers to the area. Downtown Las Vegas’s Fremont Street is named after him. I attended John C. Frémont Elementary School, for a year in San Diego, and never knew the significance of this man who was an American explorer, politician, and soldier and, in 1856, became the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. I need to read more about this explorer whose series of seven maps produced from his findings, published by the Senate in 1846, served as a guide for thousands of American emigrants, depicting the entire length of the Oregon Trail.
But back to the present . . . we arrived on Monday, checked in at the Monte Carlo, and were happy with our upgrade to a suite for Sandi and me . . . just one of the perks of booking online. We had two sofas, two TV’s, a bar area complete with a wine cooler, a walk-in closet, great view of the park across the street, and plenty of room for us to gather and gab. Sandi brought wine, cheese, crackers, nuts, and fruit. We were all happy to just relax, enjoy and catch up. And, have time for Gail and Teri to get to know my friend Sandi.
Part of our suite 
And, a wine bar!
One of the many things to do is visit the famous pawn shop where the hit tv show Pawn Stars is filmed: https://gspawn.com. Sandi and I managed to leave with fun photos and all of our money.
Outside Pawn Stars 
Is this the real Rick Harrison?
Wednesday arrived and it was finally time to see Cher. Sitting in the sixth row was pricey, but worth the view at $252 + for each ticket. This actually seemed like a bargain considering tickets in the same section are now going for $405 each! Yikes!
Almost on time, Cher emerged mid-stage and dazzled us with her performance, costumes, voice and poignant musical regressions to the sixties and seventies. Though she’s still going strong at 71 years of age, there were a couple of subtle fleeting moments when a cast member offered a hand of support as she moved to a new location on stage. Elaborate stage sets and talented dancers enhanced the experience. Songs spanned decades of memories. During one song Sonny’s presence filled the concert hall, on screen, as Cher sang a duet with him. Cher wore sixties-style multicolor pants and a purple furry vest that was reminiscent of the early days with Sonny. Their emotional connection was palpable as she did indeed “Turn back time.”