10 Things I Love About Las Vegas
Gotta Love Olivia
It’s easy to just think Grease when it comes to Olivia Newton-John. But the peripatetic star never slows down. Her current tour stops at Primm Valley Resort on Aug. 5. Grace & Gratitude, her CD to promote spiritual balance and physical and emotional healing hits stores in September and launches her signature line of mind, body. and spirit-wellness products. And the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Center provides ongoing fundraising to support cancer research. Plus, she was just named an Officer in the Order of Australia by Queen Elizabeth!
She gave Thom Wise the lowdown on her favorite Vegas things.
The sunshine.
Having some sunshine every day when possible is something I live by, and Vegas has it all the time. The Greeks believed in sun baths for health-light is healing. I don’t feel right without some sun every day. It resets my body clock when I travel and makes me feel alive, so the Vegas sun makes my visits here reinvigorating. (Not for too long, though! And not in the middle of the day when the sun is at its strongest. Twenty minutes is plenty and saves your skin.)
The Wynn hotel.
The hotel is beautiful, and it has one of my favorite lounges to have a glass of wine. Robin, who is usually our waitress, is a delightful person and makes the drink even more fun.
Primm Valley outlets.
I love to shop, and one great thing about performing at Primm is the outlet mall. I get into shopping mode the second the tour bus pulls into the parking lot.
Neiman Marcus
at the Fashion Show. I love to shop, but I hit Neiman Marcus so I can have a lovely lunch at the Mariposa cafe. A trip to Neiman’s is part of my ritual every time I am in Vegas!
Zumanity.
I loved it! The energy and fun of the show and the amazing cast of performers (at New-York-New York) made it a very special night. I laughed throughout the show and was so impressed with the talent of the cast and creative team.
The entertainers.
Vegas is a unique place that constantly provides great concerts and entertainment. I get to see a lot of friends while I am in town, and it makes my visits like a reunion.
The audiences.
There are people from all over the world that come to Vegas, and doing a show here is so much fun because I get to see fans from everywhere. They are so warm and friendly.
The spas.
I always try to hit the spa when I come to Vegas, and there are so many I love that it would be hard to single one out. I highly recommend a trip to your hotel spa. In fact, I love spas so much, I recently opened my own in Australia: the Gaia Retreat and Spa in the Hinterlands of Bungalow in New South Wales.
Mother Nature.
I have witnessed some of the most colorful sunsets and amazing lightning storms here in Las Vegas. It’s like Mother Nature giving her own free show in the sky!
The history.
Driving down the Strip brings back such fond memories of my first trips to Vegas when I started to perform here in the ’70s. Knowing that such legends as Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Sammy Davis and Dean Martin used to headline here makes me feel honored to be a part of the Las Vegas musical history.
More from Olivia’s 2006 US tour