A Weekend in Las Vegas

June 28th through 30th my friend, Patty, and I took a trip to Las Vegas to see Reba with Brooks & Dunn.

At my new job, there's a sock monkey named Noodles that employees can take with them on their various adventures, and photograph the fun Noodles is having with them.

I'll be honest, I do NOT like sock monkeys.  They've always creeped me out, and I want nothing to do with them.  However, I love to write, be creative and silly, so I kind of wanted to take Noodles with me to Las Vegas.  I thought maybe it would also help me get over my loathing of these creatures.

 I decided to just go with it, and got Noodles from the coat rack he hangs out on, and took him to my desk.  That way I wouldn't forget to take him with me when I left work that day to head to the airport.

Well, it seems while hanging around my desk, Noodles made friends with my 98.7 The Bull, bull I got from my favorite radio station.  And thus, my journaling of Noodles' adventures in Las Vegas began even before I left work.

A co-worker, Karla, asked me to post my pics to Facebook, so I did, with captions for each, and also tagging my friend, Patty, so she'd be able to have them as well.

I have another wonderful co-worker, Michelle B. who doesn't have Facebook though.  Since it's Michelle who's encouraged me to start making blog posts again, (it's been over a year), I felt that posting all my captions and pics of Noodles' adventures in one blog post would be a good place to start; and Michelle would be able to see what Noodles had been up to in Las Vegas.

Below are my pics of Noodles, with the captions that accompanied each.  Read on to see Noodles' adventures in Las Vegas:

This is Noodles, the traveling sock monkey who lives at the office where I work.  Noodles goes anywhere an employee wants to take him.  This weekend Noodles will be going to Las Vegas.

While hanging out at my desk, Noodles made a new friend, the bull from my favorite radio station, 98.7 The Bull.  The bull was sad that he was stuck at my desk, and unable to be with his other Bull co-horts, Jake Byron, Danny Dwyer, Jenn Hays, Tony Russell, and MoJoe Roberts, in Eugene this weekend for Garth Brooks.

Noodles was quick to respond that the bull could come along on his adventure in Vegas, to see another Brooks:  Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn, as well as Ronnie Dunn AND Reba McEntire.

This made the bull very happy as he loves country music.  Noodles is happy because he won't be traveling alone in a bag with just a bunch of clothes and stuff.

As you can see, the two have become fast friends.  More posts will be made as these two begin their new adventure.  :)

Made it to the airport in record time.  (Go figure, the one time traffic *isn't* bad, and on a Friday no less!)

Noodles and the bull are relaxing and stretching their legs a bit, while we wait for Patty Pittman to get here.  :)

Well, after a slight delay, we're through security and at our gate.

Noodles and the bull let Patty and I know they were a bit peckish; so we're enjoying some delicious Mo's fish and chips while we wait for our flight.  Yum!

And the traditional "PDX Carpet" pic with Patty, Noodles, the 98.7 The Bull bull, and myself, (please forgive my ugly toes!), before boarding our flight.  Next stop, Las Vegas!

Seems the Las Vegas luck has already started for Noodles and the bull.  An empty seat in Patty's and my row means they can enjoy the flight in a comfy seat, instead of cooped up in a carry-on bag under a seat.

Finally made it to the hotel.  As you can see, we have one very tired Noodles and bull.  One very tired Patty and Nola also.  Nighty night everyone!

Noodles and the bull met a friendly Las Vegas native today, Burney the monkey, who volunteered to show them around town.

No real pics to show, as they were rushing here and there.  Burney also didn't want others to know where he's from, as it lacks the glitz Vegas is known for.  Noodles and the bull did convince Burney to let them take this one photo together, high above where Burney called home.

That's not a typo.  Seems Burney has been wanting to go places and see things for awhile, so Noodles and the bull invited him to spend the rest of the trip with them, Patty, and me, then go back to Washington and live with them.  Burney happily accepted.

After a warm, (95 degrees), day sightseeing, Noodles, the bull and Burney wanted to go swimming.

Patty and I *tried* to tell them this fountain in Caesar's Palace was NOT a pool.  As you can see, they didn't listen.  :)

Noodles, the bull and Burney wanted their pic with a Reba/Brooks & Dunn poster, but needed some help doing so, so Patty and I helped them out a bit.  Burney was a bit camera shy, sitting on Patty's shoulder.  One of the nice security people snapped the pic for us.

Noodles wasn't sure if he'd ever been to a country concert; Burney was sure he hadn't been; and of course the bull has been to many of them.  By the end of the night, all three agreed, they had a fantastic time.  They even got some confetti streamers as souvenirs.

Now it's time for bed as they're up early tomorrow to head back to Portland.

Noodles, the bull, and Burney sitting at McCarran airport awaiting their flight to Portland.  Three tired, but happy travelers; five if you count Patty and me.  :)










And there you have it, Noodles the sock monkey's adventure in Las Vegas.  Though there isn't a pic of it, Noodles, the bull, and Burney all made it back home safe and sound.  :)

I'm still not too keen on sock monkeys, but I'll admit, Noodles is kind of cool.  :)

Diamond Rio Helps Jubitz Celebrate 60 Years

In 1952 Jubitz Truck Stop opened in Portland, Oregon. It was a place for truck drivers to fill their rigs while on the road and have a quick bite to eat.

Over the past sixty years, Jubitz has grown from that small fuel stop to a world renowned travel center with all the amenities a truck driver, or traveler could want, or need.

On September 15, 2012, to honor their sixty years, Jubitz held a concert on the back part of their twenty-six acre complex.

Inside the gates of the concert area beer and food stands had been set up, as well as a merchandise table, and other things of interest to concertgoers.

Held outside, the concert line-up started with local artist, Carrie Cunningham, culminating with a performance by headliner, Diamond Rio.

Though at first there was only a small crowd, Carrie Cunningham performed as though she were in front of thousands of people.  

Whether singing songs she'd written, or covering others, like Martina McBride, Cunningham showed the crowd why she's such a local favorite.  Though she definitely has her own style and sound, I couldn't help being reminded of Pam Tillis while watching and listening to Cunningham sing; she's a truly talented woman.

Following Carrie Cunningham, one of Portland's favorite bands, Lock, Stock & Barrel hit the stage.

Like Cunningham, Lock, Stock & Barrel kept the crowd's attention with their mix of original and cover tunes.  From start to finish, these five guys hit the stage running, never slowing down until their set was done.

Throughout the day, KUPL's Danny Dwyer had been emceeing the concert from both the sound board, and the stage; introducing the first two local acts.  Before Restless Heart was to take the stage, Danny brought middayer, Lola Montgomery onstage as well.

Restless Heart was then introduced.  What memories these guys brought back!

These guys have been together for twenty-nine years, with no band changes.  Sometimes after that long, you'd expect the quality of the music to diminish; not so with Restless Heart.  Their sound, style, everything, is just as clean and fresh as the first time the world had heard of them.

One song in particular during their performance was something they've never recorded.  However, there is a YouTube video, which bass player, (and singer of the song), Paul Gregg, let the audience know how to find.  The song is called "Home".

 When Paul Gregg sang this live, it was just him, and keyboard player, Dave Innis onstage; it was a very powerful and memorable moment.

Throwing in a side note here, I honestly don't know how many people noticed what I did while this song was being performed.  As I was sitting, listening to the song, I saw a bald eagle flying towards the stage.  Earlier, I'd seen a nest atop one of the light poles; the occupant of that nest decided to arrive home just as Gregg and Innis were playing.  There was no way it was planned or scripted; which made it even more cool that it happened.

Once Restless Heart ended their set, it was time for more announcements, and t-shirt tosses from the KUPL staff.  It was during this time that Jubitz brought out mini cupcakes for everyone in attendance; to celebrate their sixty years of business.

Then it was time for headliners, Diamond Rio.  Talk about memories!

This was my first time seeing Diamond Rio live; for some reason, every time they've been here, I've missed seeing them.  Believe me, they were well worth the wait!  Like Restless Heart, there's nothing about this band's performance that has diminished over the years.  These guys have it all, rhythm, harmonies, talent, you name it!  And so many hits! 

As lead singer, Marty Roe, put it, in twenty-one years, the band has had so many hits, they've had to leave some out of their shows.  Finding that audiences didn't like it, they've now incoportated melodies of their hits into their show.  This way attendees can hear their favorite tunes, and still hear new music from Diamond Rio as well.

At one point, early on in their set, Diamond Rio asked the guys of Restless Heart back onstage.  Together the bands sang happy birthday to Jubitz; it was a cool moment.

The Jubitz Corporation definitely knows a thing or two about throwing a party!  Instead of waiting for the "milestone" years to celebrate though, I really think they should throw themselves a birthday party every year; this year was definitely a blast!

D. Vincent Williams @ the Bing Lounge--7-17-12

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


You may not recognize the name, 'D. Vincent Williams'; however if you've been a country music fan for any length of time, you've probably heard his songs.

For example, "I'm Movin' On" by Rascal Flatts:

Or, James Otto's "Just Got Started Lovin' You".

How about "Hands of a Working Man", by Ty Herndon?

D. Vincent Williams had a hand in writing all of these hits, as well as many others, for various country artists.

The evening of July 17, 2012, Williams performed at least part of the above songs, plus others, for the crowd gathered at the Bing Lounge. Even before the show began though, Williams could be found wandering amongst those in attendance. While the audience dined on catered food, Williams made the rounds, introducing himself to each guest; asking names and answering any questions people had.

One person asked what the "D" in his name stood for.  I didn't catch the whole conversation, though I did hear that "Vincent" was in tribute to some of his family members.  The "D" is for David, which is his first name.

When it was time to start the show, Williams and his band were already onstage and ready to go, instead of waiting in the green room to be introduced.  The show itself seemed to be a continuation of what had been going on earlier; with great music thrown into the mix.

To say the least, Williams, (and his band, for that matter), is very warm and personable.  Almost from the start it felt as though Williams had been a long-time friend.  He talked, joked, and told stories like he'd known everyone there his whole life.  As he told the audience at one point, he and the band like to have fun; they check their attitudes at the door.

If song writing weren't enough, Williams is a singer as well; which is why he was at the Bing Lounge.  After landing a record deal almost immediately after hitting Nashville, he saw the deal fall through, and turned to songwriting instead.  The same thing happened to Williams again a few years later, and he stuck with songwriting after that, until Keith Steagall convinced him to record his own music.  Steagall is known for working with some of Nashville's best artists, most notably Alan Jackson.

During his Bing Lounge performance, Williams showcased the vast variety of music he writes and performs regularly.  As he explained, he wanted his album to show all sides of him.  He wanted each song to be able to stand alone, yet mesh together to make a strong album from start to finish.  From the performance given, it's safe to say Williams has achieved, if not exceeded, his goal.  As one person said, every song Williams did was a winner; there wasn't one song the person would skip on Williams' new CD.

Though Williams is classified as a country musician, he definitely isn't just a country singer.  His songs are tinged with a bit of everything from pop to rhythm and blues; still staying true to the country genre.  After a particularly soulful number, KUPL's Danny Dwyer told Williams it was like listening to a mix of Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles.Yet another audience member was reminded of the Charlie Daniels Band while listening to another Williams tune. I found these diverse comparisons interesting, especially since *I* heard a mix of two other artists; The Zac Brown Band and Phil Vassar.  Especially Phil, when Williams was playing keyboards.  Yet, even with the comparisons, Williams' writing and singing are strong enough to give him his own unique style and sound. 

D. Vincent Williams' single that will be released to radio later this month is called, "Down By the River".  As with the other tunes, Williams explained how the song came to be written.  In addition, he was telling how he wants to have a song that's a classic, like Alabama's "Mountain Music", or "Fishin' in the Dark" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.  He wants to be one of those artists who has a song that's still popular 25 years, or more, from now.  I'm thinking his dream might come true from the sounds of "Down By the River". 

Of all the shows at the Bing Lounge in the last two years, D. Vincent Williams' performance was definitely one of the best ever.  If this man comes anywhere near where you are, go see him, you won't be disappointed!