Every other year, we hold our annual customer conference in Las Vegas. On alternate years, it’s on a Disney property in Orlando. Here are some highlights (and lowlights) of last weekends get together:

  • The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art had 34 impressionist works from Boston’s MFA in a show they called, “The Impressionist Landscape from Corot to van Gogh.” Highlights for me were a couple paintings by my favorite of the Impressionists, Camille Pissarro, and this quote that ended the tour:

    “It must be good to die in the knowledge that one has done some truthful work and to know that, as a result, one will live on in the memory of at least a few and leave a good example for those who come after.” – Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh Amsterdam, 3 March 1878

  • Dining on Art – After the Impressionist show, we experienced the artistry of Picasso at the Bellagio. The Picasso’s hanging in the room were astonishingly alive.
  • “Le Reve” at the Wynn – A very Cirque du Soleil show performed in an aquatic theatre in the round. “The Dream” opens with a red-clad man slipping into a floating bed that slowly circles the round pool until it disappears into the depths. The dream begins. Stunning. Oh, and the 12 of us were transported in a Hummer limo.
  • “Hey, try some of this.” – When the new VP of Marketing says, “wanna grab lunch,” it’s a cool opportunity. When he offers you to try some of his sushi with eel, you just do it. Actually it was pretty good, and it didn’t taste like chicken.
  • The Sharon Stone – At our Sunday night reception poolside at the MGM Grand, several Hollywood lookalikes roamed among us. Sharon Stone was my favorite. She looked just like the actress, but what really amazed me was that she sounded exactly like her.
  • The Long Ball – After the reception I went up to my room to change and flipped on the TV. Game 5 of the NLCS was on and the Astros were up 4-2 with 2 outs in the ninth. After a single and a walk, Albert Pujols absolutely crushed a hanging 96mph slider for a 5-4 Cardinals win. It’s moments like those that make baseball the best game, period.
  • The Brunch – I was invited to a Sunday morning session for a specific group of our customers and it was fabulous. Customers were greeted at the door with Mimosas or Bloody Marys and then enjoyed the best food I’ve ever had in the six years I’ve attended the conference.
  • The Eight – I didn’t gamble a lick until the last night when I had no business doing so. When the dealer drew an 8 while holding a 13, my trip was over.