little. yellow. different. A weblog by Ernie Hsiung

on vacation

So, I posted this e-mail on a company for-sale mailing list:

I’m taking my 70 year old, non English-speaking mother to Las Vegas for two days for a belated birthday. As she is a casual gambler (she finds slots exciting, but not for hours at a time) I’m looking for some other things for her to do and some good Chinese restaurants in LV any Yahoo!’s can recommend. Some notes:

She speaks no English, so if any attractions have a universal appeal to them (or if the restaurants have Chinese menus) that would be helpful. (Taking my mother to a Asian Fusion restaurant that has avacados in chow mein would probably have me disowned. Just a guess, however)

Three years ago I took her to Cirque Du Soliels “O”, and she loved it. Something in that same vein would probably be nice.

Thanks, Ernie

So what did I learn from the responses I got? I’m so glad you asked.

In no particular order:

• There is a Ranch 99 in Las Vegas.
• Mystere is nice, but “avoid their show ‘Zumanity’ at all costs - it is terrible and has naked people in it.” (Not that a show is terrible BECAUSE naked people are in it, mind you, but…)
• “There’s a bunch of free show thingies all over the strip. There’s the show outside treasure island and the lion exhibit at mgm grand. Your mom can scream ‘aiya!’ at the trainers as they toss beach balls at the lions, pissing them off.”
• “I hear the hometown buffet is nice. ;)”

But wait… there’s more.

• “Try these places: Crazy Horse Too, Olympic Gardens, Cheetahs, Spearmint Rhino, Centerfolds. And for you I would probably suggest The Thunder down under, or Chippendales.”
• “I’d also recommend Thunder Down Under. She can even get pics with the dancers after!”
• “what about Thunder From Down Under Wouldn’t that be “universally appealing?”

Can you tell which of the e-mails came from other web developers and which came from people I don’t know? Yeah.

Besides, have you seen those guys from The Thunder from Down Under? Crickey, they all look like Siegfried and Roy.

See you guys next week!

Have fun on vacation!

Ernie, It’s no ‘O’ but Blue Man Group is almost entirely nonverbal, so is good for pretty much everyone.

But yeah, I suggest one of the Jubilee shows, or the new We Will Rock You revival at Paris! Who doesn’t like Queens? Err, I mean Queen? Actually it doesn’t start ofr a few weeks anyhow.

–Kevin (Who just got back from Vegas this morning)

I’ll second Blue Man Group - though it may be alittle loud. Very funny without any language. The only other place I can comment on is Olympic Gardens…needless to say I would not bring my grandmother there.

The Thunder from Down Under is HILARIOUS. The skits the boys do.. eesh.

My mom went to Las Vegas recently. Her top two consist of 1) all the buffets and 2) the Chippendales. Make of that what you will!

If you’re staying near, try seeing the free water show in front of the Bellagio Hotel. Actually, if you are staying at the bellagio hotel its even better because they have artifical surfing waves there. Very coool.

btw, i got a chinese mom too. ALL chinese moms enjoy walking down the strip with their children, but avoid any brochures with naked ladies on the covers.

Ernie,

I have to tell you that I have it on good authority that non-English speaking Taiwanese adults DO NOT enjoy Blue Man Group.

Or as I heard it, “all those blue guys were doing was hitting and bang things. bing bing bang bang. aiyahh, such a headache.”

Man, I so need to move to a country where there’s more than one Western-Chinese person in a company.

There’s always the Liberace Museum. Now that’s cheesy!

OK i went to LV with my (Chinese) family to see my sister get married by Elvis (really). If you have access to a car, you will be pleasantly surprised to know that there is an actual Chinatown in LV. Or, more specifically two blocks devoted to China. There is a large restaurant in a shopping plaza on the second block that is pretty good (can’t remember name, alas). The owner is actually from my father’s village in China. Good luck!

I’ve always wanted to go to the Ethel M Chocolate Factory, which I heard is also on the Liberace Museum and Hoover Dam tour. Be sure to take lots of pictures of your mom. She’s super-cute.

Wait…how long has your Mom been in this country that she still speaks no English? As merely a casual reader, I’m under the impression that you were raised, if not born, almost entirely in the US. Is it weird that someone living here for 25+ years hasn’t learned any of the language?

Then again, maybe I’m off-base because I don’t tune in on a regular basis.

there’s a Filipino restaurant about 3 blocks away from the strip down Harmon. But that’s doesn’t really help you now, does it. Maybe you can dance for the patrons at that restaurant for pennies that your mom can use on the slots. Anyway, if she likes the outdoors, you can take her to Red Rock Canyon.

Liberace Museum is actually rather interesting. I’d recommend it.

Blue Man - I have seen it, it’s fun but very loud.

Thunder from Down Under - I have seen it, enjoyed it, but it kind of depends on your mom. It’s very good natured and has a touch of “Benny Hill” attitude.

I thrid Blue Man Group, but its typically sold out weeks in advance and you probably won’t be able to get tickets.

Fremont Street Experence is kinda neat/one-of-a-kind too. And free! What mom doens’t like free?

heh. i have been to vegas with my non-english speaking taiwanese mom too. good luck ernie.
if you will have a car, take advantage of the valets at all major hotels. they are free, but make sure to tip.
chinese people are big gamblers, so most major hotels cater to us. in most of the big casinos i can remember, there is ALWAYS a 24-hour (or at least late night) chinese food place that will serve noodles and porridge and dumplings. not always the best food, but i know my mom preferred it to eating “that western stuff”.

there’s a sam woo bbq (bbq pork, roast duck, hongkong style food) near the 99 ranch.

the free show in the caesar’s mall is pretty cool. the statues come to life and perform.

Well, I am too late to make any recomendations but I was there not to long ago… it was a fun time. I did have some good Chinesse there.

Bellagio fountain. It is sooo worth it. The show in the sky at the rio is free, stupid, and pointless… she’ll love it.

Ernie, does your mom like gay disco? There’s always Gypsy, the club. It’s quite terrible for a gay bar, but entertaining for straight people I bet.

Order her a cosmopolitan, she’ll have a blast!

I’m surprised no one hasn’t talked up Chinatown Plaza (yeah, a plaza) on the other side of the strip, kitty corner to the Rio/Gold Coast.

Also, there’s a Ping Pang Pong inside the Gold Coast casino. They have dim sum served up until 3a, at last visit a few months ago.

Ernie,

If your Mom feels like buffet, Mirage just opened their newly re-modeled buffet “Cravings” and it’s nice! both the ambience and the food. I was just there month and half ago and was pleasantly surprised.

in light of the sudden shortage of taiwanese non-english speaking mothers in california, you are not allowed to leave the sovereign state of the big golden bear because of our need to protect precious militarist-state interests.

warmest regards,
olson lee lambert ramos jordan,
secretary of the People’s Party of Greater and Baja California

Oh dear, as an Australian (Sydneysider) I found the Thunder Down Under website very embarrasing…I know that my mum would hate to be taken to something like that.

Hope you had lots of fun and quality time with your mom

i like “ranch 99.” in fact, i like it so much i even own the domain ranch99.com

woohoo!!!

I’m just going to wish you good luck. I went away with my folks a couple of years ago and I was glad to get home at the end of it, I was shattered from all the back&forth they wanted to do that I didn’t get a holiday of my own.
I’m sure you’ll find some great shows to go see, and a good singer can be appreciated in any language.

I was just in Vegas. I too was told to go see “Thunder from Down Under.” needless to say, I was more interested in watching sports at the various sports books and going to see “The Bourne Supremacy” many many times. that’s what happens when the Yanks play the Red Sox and a Matt Damon movie opens on the weekend I’m in Vegas. might I also suggest “Blue Man Group,” if you haven’t yet left.

I just had to respond to the comment by Jere - I myself have an 83 year old Taiwanese grandmother whom I care for who doesn’t speak very much English - she can manage in a food market and knows some basic phrases - but she can’t carry on a conversation. While she has been in this country for 30 years I don’t find it unusual at all - most families who immigrate to the US rely on their children to be their communication to the world.

—
Wait…how long has your Mom been in this country that she still speaks no English? As merely a casual reader, I’m under the impression that you were raised, if not born, almost entirely in the US. Is it weird that someone living here for 25+ years hasn’t learned any of the language?

Then again, maybe I’m off-base because I don’t tune in on a regular basis.

Posted by: Jere at August 4, 2004 08:51 AM

I just had to respond to the comment by Jere - I myself have an 83 year old Taiwanese grandmother whom I care for who doesn’t speak very much English - she can manage in a food market and knows some basic phrases - but she can’t carry on a conversation. While she has been in this country for 30 years I don’t find it unusual at all - most families who immigrate to the US rely on their children to be their communication to the world.

—
Wait…how long has your Mom been in this country that she still speaks no English? As merely a casual reader, I’m under the impression that you were raised, if not born, almost entirely in the US. Is it weird that someone living here for 25+ years hasn’t learned any of the language?

Then again, maybe I’m off-base because I don’t tune in on a regular basis.

Posted by: Jere at August 4, 2004 08:51 AM

I live in Toronto and it’s very multicultural here. It’s possible to immigrate, live in your own ethnic community, find a job that is predominantly populated by members of your nationality and live your life here without ever learning English. It depends on your philosophy. My parents came to Canada (separately, they met here) and felt they needed to integrate themselves and learn to live in Canada as Canadians. They still kept their culture and language alive at home and with their community, but learned English and Canadian ways as well. I’m really glad they did that.

I think it’s important to keep your heritage when moving to a new country, and I’m glad Canada makes it easy for you to do that. I’m also glad that my family falls into the group of immigrants that respect their new country enough to learn how to live in it as natives.