05.01.12 Mayweather vs. Cotto Arrivals @ MGM Grand - Las Vegas, NV

The place to be this week!

Today we had the ceremonial arrivals of Canelo Alvarez, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto & Floyd Mayweather in the lobby of the MGM Grand. I strolled up there around 1.30p. I've done enough of these to know they rarely start on time. Decent crowd although it looked like there were more people there than there really was in part due to the fact the barricaded area was enormous. Not only did we bike rack off the area around the ring but much like we do for the now standard UFC press conferences, it wrapped around the makeshift stage which held the "Throne" and the Corona girls. Every fight it gets more silly and gaudy. I'm not a fan at all. But what do I know. That's why I'm not in PR or marketing. 

Canelo Alvarez arrival

I managed to get there just as Canelo arrived. I really don't like crowds and have no desire to be around this hoopla so I stay just long enough to snap some ops pics (so when someone asks what the hell we did, I can show them). People seem to be having a good time. Lots of iPhones and Androids in the air trying to click a pic of the fighter. Good for them. Hope they get the souvenir photo they're looking for. Maybe it makes their trip a little more memorable.

The press congregates.

I don't have the patience to wait for the other fighters, least of all Mayweather who I know will be late. Little did I know HOW late. He was scheduled to be there shortly after 2.30p. At 3.30p, one of my supervisors came down to the arena and said he wasn't there yet. Rumor was he hadn't even left home yet. Who knows what the truth is and I really don't care. This is precisely why I didn't wait around. Been there, done that, not gonna waste my time again.

Decent crowd

I make it back to my office and at this point it's almost 2.00p. I am so behind with fight stuff, upcoming convention crap, getting back to the Drake & Billboard people. Meanwhile instead of doing any of that I was busy working on onsale CAD drawing and seating manifests. Like it or not I've been tasked with this stuff now. Shit runs downhill and when there's no one else around who can or is willing do it, I get stuck with it. This isn't a pity-party statement. It's a simple fact. 

The Throne

I finally get that stuff out of the way and go for a quick jaunt to stretch my legs. I head into an empty office where we have a digital scale to check to see how the Great American Juicer Experiment is progressing. In 2 months I'm down 12 pounds. Not bad. I can do better. On my way out of the arena admin offices go go smoke a Dunhill I tell my bosses assistant, "If anyone comes in here looking for me, tell them I'm not in the office." I've got too much shit to do and don't have time to sit and chit chat with people. So what happens? She goes to lunch (which she should, she's not chained to the office) and in walks 3 different people at 3 different times, each who stay and talk for 20 minutes. There goes an hour. I like these people but holy hell, I'm in no mood to play catchup, either with what's been going on in our lives or on the mounting count of the unread emails in my inbox. But I can't say that so I sit thru it. In the end I'm glad I got to talk to these people - their lives are important - much more so than any idiotic emails I need to respond to but sometimes a girl just wants to shut the door and pound out some work. 

Photogs waiting for the next fighter

Before I know it, it's almost 7.00p. Where the hell did the day go? I've barely made a dent in my emails and at this point I could care less. I'm only 1 person and last I checked my 24 hours last as long as everyone else's. I'm just trying to improve the quality of mine. Rodney is on his way over for TWR so I pack up and head up to Fiamma for some sushi with my BFF. All of this crap can wait until tomorrow. 

Wholy Holy

UFC 130 Weigh In is at the MGM Grand Garden Arena tomorrow. Today the production crew started loading in the lighting truss. It's cool to see the arena go from Academy of Country Music Awards to Pacquiao vs. Mosley to Billboards to UFC and then to Nitro Circus next week. It's been an exhausting run and we've still got 1 more week to go before a break. But I love it. I love my team, I love the arena boys, I love the stress, the long hours, the perks, the problem-solving and the satisfaction of putting together world-class events. I'm a lucky girl. I know that. I know that most certainly - Wholy Holy.

You Are The Sunshine Of My Life

So starts UFC week. I'm not a fan of the sport but the crew is pretty cool. And I get to have dinner with one of my favorite people on earth Burt Watson. I'm bringing Counselor with me so it should be interesting. 

Tonight I had a surprise drink with the Fireman. I was at Seablue for dinner with Michael and just as we were going to leave the Fireman text me. His mom is in town from Arizona and he was down on the strip and thought I might be at Seablue. Of course I was. We had a fun time. Closed the bar. I love it when that happens. He's probably got the best dating credentials of any man I know. When I'm with him he's so charming, cute, manly, smart & motivating. I think of him like, "You Are The Sunshine of My Life" - you know those people that just kind of light up a room? That's him. He's the kind of guy you just want to be around. I'm going to dinner and KA with him, his mom & his mom's friend on Wednesday night. Not sure if it's a date. Not sure it matters. I'm just going to enjoy myself and whatever happens, well, you know the rest...

Venice

I was so close to purchasing a ticket to Botti's Friday, May 27th Chukchansi show this morning... but I didn't. That's UFC 130 weekend and 'technically' I should be at the Grand Garden for the weigh in, fight club Q&A and autograph session. Truth is there isn't much I can't solve via my CrackBerry and my team could run it without me; the Grand Garden does UFC a lot. But to give DQ peace of mind, I'm staying put in Vegas. 

I'll offset my disappointment that weekend by passive-aggressively blasting Botti in my office, wearing my iShuffle when I'm out in the arena & hitting my Happy Place @seablueLV. Speaking of Seablue, my friend Melissa, the sommelier there just told me she's leaving in about a month. She and her boyfriend are moving to Italy. I didn't know this but apparently she specializes in Italian wines so it makes sense. I admire her courage to pick up and go. I asked her, "Why are you leaving?" Her response matter-of-factly, "Why not." Love that about her. I hope to visit her one day. Venice sounds great in the fall. 

03.05.11 Eric Clapton @ MGM Grand Garden Arena - Las Vegas, NV

30 min before doors to Clapton

It's 10 minutes to doors for Eric Clapton tonight @ the Grand Garden. In truth I couldn't give a fat rat's ass about seeing the show. I'm sitting in J's office on my Air. He's on his Pro. We're both a couple of Mac nerds. Well, I just became one; he's always been one. The kid's like stupid smart. I admit, when he first got to the arena I didn't get him. It took me about a year for me to figure him out. Now that I have he's turned out to be one of my favorite people. His raw intelligence evokes a bit of envy but mostly I just think he's cool. 

We all ate like kings with AZ Catering

Clapton's production team is as laid back as they come. Classic case of like-attracting-like, of a modified trickle-down-theory, of actions reflecting leadership. I was sitting in tour catering having a fabulous dinner by Arizona Catering (@arizonacatering). I look over at the next table and it's Clapton himself. He wasn't holed up like a prisoner in his dressing room. A true rockstar, he was simply a man enjoying good company with his crew.

Clapton on stage

His tour manager is a soft-spoken, uncomplicated Brit. God, I love the British. Always have. I love the people, the pace, the culture and yes, the accent. How could you not? Sadly, I've only really been there once when I did a UFC fight @ Royal Albert Hall. Yep, that's right. UFC @ Royal Albert Hall. Crazy, huh! I've been there on connections but never really spent any real vacation time there. It's on my list of things to do. What would be great is if Botti did another UK show. I saw he just added a Russia date. That's a little far for me. But London I could handle.

"She likes to be held close."

Mick is at the Grand Garden too. He is one of my favorite people on earth. He's got a joie de vivre that can't be put into words. It's something you have to experience. He oozes love - not smarmy, old man-bimbo love but true warmth and generosity of spirit. He's someone you just want to be around, unconsciously gravitate towards. Hear people having a good time? Mick's there. He makes you laugh and not take yourself too seriously. If I learn anything from Mick it's to spend time with people you love, who make you love, who make you laugh. I don't think it's a coincidence he's an ex-pat Brit. He lives out of what is affectionately referred to as the "promoter-home." I used to make fun of people with RVs. Now I think he might be onto something. He often posts pics of his view from his promoter-home on the beach, along the canyon, facing a sunset, passing thru another city. He's figured out that home, love & fulfillment doesn't necessarily need to be stationary. 

Clapton & band after encore

I think my path is leading to the UK. Not sure how I'm gonna get there. Not sure what I'm going to do with George Bennett. Not sure what I'll do when I get there. But I think it's time for a serious look at where I am, what I'm doing and why I'm here in Vegas.

That's one of the things that draws me to Botti. He's spent the greater part of a decade traveling the world calling home whatever hotel room he was in, living out of a suitcase. He found a passion that grounded his spirit when his body was anything but.


My pal Peter once told me a very long time ago, "Now fly little birdie, Fly." What I didn't realize until now - that wasn't a one-time deal.