Vegas Encore: Part One
Last weekend, I returned to Vegas to see my beloved Ricky Martin once again. Much to my great relief and delight, MGM’s Monte Carlo Hotel and the Park Theater brought their A-game following two disappointing previous VIP experiences.
All smiles waiting for Ricky
After receiving an email that stated only one digital photo from the meet and greet would be provided, I attempted multiple times to connect with the venue on social media. When that failed to yield a response, I tracked down the name of the Monte Carlo’s General Manager (thank you, Linked In).
His reply back was swift and apologetic. He connected me with Dan, the Park Theater’s affable GM. Less than a few hours later, Dan called me, eager to hear my story about what happened even though he had already read my blog post about it. Not only did he apologize, he laid out what he would do immediately–including reversing the one photo restriction and changing the impersonal meet & greet email confirmation. He then offered me a complimentary dinner and upgraded seat for the concert. His genuine desire to make everything right and quick actions exemplified the best of hospitality.
As soon as I arrived at the Monte Carlo on Saturday, I could tell it was going to be a much more enjoyable experience. The box office agent double checked with her manager that meet and greet credentials would be provided upon check-in. When I got to the venue, I was warmly welcomed by Dan, VIP manager Shelby and the greeters. Even security was noticeably more upbeat than it had been during my September visit. Instead of just pointing to an escalator, Shelby escorted me upstairs, engaging in friendly conversation along the way.
Thankfully, the crowd for the meet was about half the usual size (38 versus 70 people last time). It made for a much more relaxed, intimate experience–even though Ricky was running late (with good reason, as I later found out).
And then finally, he was there. Looking as age-defyingly handsome as always and making me completely forget the missed flight to Vegas on Friday and $$$ spent. You can’t put a price tag on the level of joy and uplift that comes from spending even just a few minutes in the light of his warmth.
He gives the best hugs!! 🙂
“Hi Gorgeous, ” he said sweetly, greeting me with a big hug and kiss. I congratulated him on his recent marriage and showed him a photo of me at one of his Puerto Rico concerts back in 2007. And I thanked him for so many years of incredible performances.
“You’re the best,” he said with that killer smile of his.
After a silly pose and one more hug and kiss, sigh, it was over.
The photos captured every precious moment including this one.
I waited until after the concert to look at the photos, just in case they didn’t live up to my hopes. What an amazing surprise I found–22 professional photos, the most ever from a meet and greet! Sincere thanks to Cashman Photo and the Park Theater for capturing every second of my cherished moment with Ricky. This, my friends, is how you deliver a truly five-star experience. And there was much more in store.
Up next, all about running into a beloved New York TV anchor and my fifth time at Ricky’s ALL IN residency!
