Happy New Year !

Started the new year by heading for Vegas yet again. We left on New Year's Day beating all the crowds and stopping at Barstow Big Boy along the way. The Barstow Bob's Big Boy was formerly a Harvey House Restraunt, and is still in great shape. Although not an original it had plenty of Googie charm and enough of a retro vibe.

I often wonder if the latest flirtation with modernism in the mass culture is just a fad or the emergence of a new accepted past style, a sort of Mid-20th century modern revival taking it's place along accepted past styles like Craftsman, Victorian, Colonial, etc. I sure hope so.

While in Vegas we stayed at the beautiful Las Vegas Hilton, formerly the International Hotel, former performing home of both Liberace and Elvis Presley ! Anybody who knows me is aware that I am a major fan of both and so was glad to see some bit of classic Vegas intact. While there my Father, an original Trekkie from 1966, myself a "2nd generation" Trekkie, and my son a "3rd generation" Trekkie partook of the Star Trek Experience as often as we could. Loads of fun as usual, can't get enough of that Star Trek: The Next Generation Enterprise Bridge set, oh and the Transporter effect is awesome, you really feel like you are beamed aboard! While we were there they were celebrating the Tenth anniversary of the attraction. Three guest stars were on hand for the occasion. The first was Lawerence Montaigne who played Romulan Sub-Commander Decius, in The Original Series episode "Balance of Terror", he also played S'Tonn the Vulcan who stole the heart of T'Pring; Spock's fiance/"Wife" from The Original Series Episode "Amok Time". My appologies but i don't recall her name but the actress who played the lone female "Blue Shirt" casulty of the aging syndrome in The Original Series epispode "The Deadly Years" was second. From Star Trek: The Next Generation, Voyager, and Enterprise Actress Susie Plakson, she played Vulcan Doctor Selar, and Klingon/Human Emissary Keh'Leyr mate of Lt. Worf and Mother to his only son Alexander, Q's wife from Voyager, and an Andorian from Enterprise. All three performers were extremely carming but at 20 bucks a head for a personalised item it was too pricey to get a souvenir from them.