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Vegas Lights
It’s Vegas, say it with me… Baby! It’s April of 2022 and my second time in Vegas. The first was in 2019 but it was only for a few hours. I did not get the Vegas experience. On this trip, I’ll take it all in. With great friends, BTS, and the lights of the Vegas strip all in purple, I knew this was going to be epic. Just like my BTS LA trip a few months before, I was leaning into my life. Ready to live it my way.
Enter my friend, Maria (The One With A Vibe That Is Totally Unapologetic). Not yet a BTS fan, she agreed to go to Vegas with me when my oldest and forever BTS friend, Jenny, could not join me (see the That’s My Squad portion of this blog for more about my friends). Being Maria’s friend is not easy if you need a solid plan. She moves with the vibe of grabbing life when she feels it. She works to live, and I love that about her.
I’m pretty sure that my new vibe includes Maria’s life strategy. I know that life is one big mystery, but with Maria, I’ll have to get used to the really unexpected. She was supposed to meet me in my home base and fly to Vegas with me, but she missed her flight. Stressful for her, but she knows how to handle travel issues. I am learning a lot from her about traveling without losing it, and moving with the unexpected.
Also enter my friend, Carley, and her friend, Jillyen, who live pretty close to Vegas and were able to drive in. Carley is part of My Squad, too. Check out more about Carley in The One With A Vibe That Has So Much Sparkle. She is so much fun. A carefree and lighthearted ginger, she makes everything better. I was thrilled to have both Maria and Carley with me. All together at the Mandalay Bay, we had a view of Allegiant Stadium and the Delano where BTS was staying. We could see it from our room. So close… 😀
We quickly realized that Vegas was totally embracing BTS. Purple lighting all along the strip, the fountains dancing to BTS’s music, and ARMY everywhere. Purple is the color associated with BTS and ARMY. Vegas was all about tapping into BTS’s vibe.
On the first night, we ate at the limited Café in the City which was hosted by The Noodle Shop in the Mandalay Bay. This was my chance to catch up with my friend, Alli. She’s my BTS LA friend. Check out that story in That K-Pop Connection. It was so great to see her and be able to reconnect over awesome food. The menu at the Café was made up of BTS’s favorite Korean dishes. We drank Kloud Beer and soju while the Café played BTS.
Of course, we also gambled. I have shockingly bad luck gambling, but Carley doesn’t. She hit a minor jackpot. We all celebrated with her. I love that we were all able to have such a great time together. My friends getting to know each other through common passions is the best.
I couldn’t believe how much fun I was having. Usually so anxious, I was feeling the freedom that comes with choosing to see life as something to treasure and embrace. This choice is a constant struggle for me, but when I really give myself permission to own my life, there is no greater feeling. Accountability for my life does not have to be stressful. It’s empowering and beautiful.
An Irish Morning and a BTS Night
The next morning, which was also the day of the first concert, we ate at the Rí Rá Irish Pub at the Mandalay Bay Shoppes. Eggs Benedict and a strong Irish coffee. Nothing like waking up and getting morning tipsy. That was a new sensation. Not sure it’s a keeper, but the food was incredible. I think the Pub did start a new curiosity in my life, though. I decided to keep the Irish theme going. Coming soon, please check out That’s Irish in the That’s Adventure blog section.
After spending some time getting a little sunburned at the pool, it was concert ready prep and room service time. More food from the Café in the City as I dressed in my “Dior J-Hope” inspired outfit. By this point, I was very well acquainted with the BTS Eras and their inspired fashion. The look I chose was from the Love Yourself, Speak Yourself 2019 Tour. It’s still one of my favorites. Dressing the part sounded a little pretentious (or immature) at first, but this is my one life, right? I don’t care how it looks or is judged. It’s fun, it’s once in a lifetime, and I realized that I never end up doing things for the reasons people think I’m doing them, so I’m gonna live it my way.
I already mentioned that Maria was not yet a member of the BTS ARMY. She had heard of them, but wasn’t too excited to fangirl over them as Harry Styles was the current love of her life. That all changed after the first concert (we still love you, Harry!). She might not have admitted it that night, but she became ARMY the minute V walked out on stage. As for me, my BTS LA blog, That K-Pop Connection, reveals that Jungkook is my BTS bias. He still is, but Jimin wrecked me during this trip. He captivated me.
After the first show, it was so great to hang with my friends and watch the BTS livestream. It was so sweet seeing them on the livestream knowing that they were in a room right outside of our window. Cheesy fangirl? Absolutely! I am not afraid to admit it. These dudes are talented and I have a huge appreciation for what they do.
Live Playing BTS
Our second concert day was the last performance of the four BTS shows in Vegas. Maria and I had Live Play tickets which included soundcheck. Live Play is a livestream of the concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. I had Live Play because I was not successful at getting tickets for the last show. I have said before that ticket buying online is madness. The madness hit me hard this time, but it didn’t last. Thank goodness for ARMY. I found someone in my local BTS ARMY Facebook group selling floor seats for face value. Seriously? I could not believe it! I had Live Play soundcheck and floor seats for the final show. Wow! People are awesome.
Starbucks was a must on the morning of the last show. Not surprisingly, I decided to skip the Irish coffee. Then, on to soundcheck at the Live Play. Maria was not pleased when we got to the check-in table and I realized that I had left my ID in the hotel room. Who does that? Me, apparently. The Luck of the Irish was still on our side though, because we were able to get back to the Live Play in plenty of time. Thank you, Lyft! I took advantage of the Live Play perks and got the exclusive photocard (J-Hope) and the “meet and greet” picture with virtual Jungkook. He’s so cute, even when he’s virtual.
Watching soundcheck on a big movie theater screen was so fun. Afterward, we hauled ass to the stadium for the concert. We loved the floor seats! It’s such a blast, especially if you are taller, to be on the floor. I’m lucky to be a little taller, but Maria had to struggle a little to see the stage. We had no trouble seeing them when they went around in the carts, though. I’m almost positive that I made eye contact with J-Hope. Wonder if he remembers… 😂 Of course, Jimin bias wrecked me again during this show. He’s shameless! Maybe it was because of my outfit. That night’s wardrobe was inspired by Jimin. The Blood, Sweat, and Tears Jimin look. I rocked it.
After amazing concerts, there is nothing better than hangover food. For me, that is Taco Bell. The Vegas Taco Bell brings a whole new level. A Baja Blast for adults is a beautiful thing. Not really feeling like going to a club, we were determined to make the most of Vegas Taco Bell. They were playing great music. It was like a big after party. Dancing on Maria (no worries- she gave me “Permission to Dance” 😀) was the perfect way to pass the time while we waited on our tacos.
Vegas Bonus Day
We all wanted to stay an extra day in Vegas to spend more time together. Because Maria lives in the Northeast and Carley lives in the Southwest, I want to make the most of any extra time. Online contact keeps me from missing them too much, but there is nothing better than the time we spend in person.
Carley and I planned more BTS activities. We went to the BTS Pop-Up Shop and the Behind the Stage: Permission to Dance Exhibit at Area 15. Even though we only had tickets for the Exhibit, we were able to get into the pop-up shop. The best way to make the most of your trip is to just take a chance and go. People are so cool about letting you experience what you want if you just ask.
The Exhibit had behind the scenes photos and videos of the making of Permission to Dance: On Stage. The pop-up shop was a maze of BTS music video sets. You could walk through the Dynamite, Butter, and Permission to Dance sets. At the end, there was a stand that had exclusive merchandise. I purchased the mystery package that included merch that has been discontinued. It’s like finding buried treasure! I love getting unique items to go along with the memories of the once in a lifetime experience.
That night, we had a yummy dinner at Johnny Rockets. After dinner, we headed over to the Fountains of Bellagio to watch the special water show dedicated to BTS. We also went over to ride The Big Apple Coaster in New York New York. I am a HUGE roller coaster fan. More on that in the That’s Adventure portion of the blog. I also recreated a picture of J-Hope at the mall on the strip. Great Instagram moment.
Shifting it All Around
It was time to head home. On the last day, Maria and I had several hours left in Vegas before our flights later in the afternoon. We said goodbye to Carley and Jillyen and headed to the strip for one more roller coaster ride. We watched BTS videos together so Maria could learn more about them. Carpool Karaoke is a must see. She is ARMY now and there is no going back.
I am even more certain after this experience that I am so ready to see more of the world. The time to be daring is while I am still young. The journey may not seem daring yet, but I am working up to it. Being introverted and anxious is not going to stop me. I will capture it as it happens so it doesn’t feel like a dream. If this isn’t what enlightenment is, it is at least my version of it. I feel like a whole person for the first time in my life. I’m seeking new experiences and connections, not ways to fill spaces. The paradox I live in has excitement and fear, joy and doubt with the inevitability of pain, but pain that teaches. My life in the oxymoronic wonderful awfulness of it all!
Life is shifting all around. The world is waiting for me. I’m not waiting on it anymore. As I have already revealed, I know this path is not smooth, and I will continue to question and reshape my thoughts as I take this time to discover the world, but I do know this. I am making a commitment to myself to live life for today and welcome tomorrow with all of the lessons that today taught me. I want to learn and seek out so many things. Friends, love, beauty, music, dancing… Connections in Purple and every other color. They are everything.
STAY TUNED…
Check out my Youtube vlog of the BTS Permission To Dance – Las Vegas experience!
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