Waleed is coming soon and told me his friend Adham the singer in the band Wust el Balad will be playing in Las Vegas this Nov. and Vegas is one place I really want to take him. Also Adham was the driver for our wedding and dear friend of Waleed's so it would be another reason to go. I also recall a suggestion awhile back for a VJ-MENA meetup in Vegas and if ever there was a chance this would be the event! We're not for sure this is the event but I think it is as my Mom who has been a travel agent for over 8 years searched everywhere in Vegas last week and came up with this event in November which is the only one like Adham was saying. If it is the event does anyone want to meet-up for it?




SAHRA Room & Ticket Packages

Actual website for links

ill ask hubby but I would love to go!

oh so cool!! Depends on finances!

Yeah I was really surprised when my Mom showed me the event she found and I was happy we have almost 3 months before hand to prepare for it!

wish i could! i liked vegas a lot when i went there before, but i don't think A would appreciate all the gambling/drinking/general debauchery.

That sounds like it would be alot of fun. My husband really liked Vegas. I should check into our schedules and see if this could work for us.

How long will you be staying in Vegas?

I'll be there in Dec. unfortunately I'll miss meeting up with you guys but I wouldn't generally care for the event and wouldn't go either way !

This sounds like it could be fun. Although, when is Eid al Adha this year?? Isn't it around that time?? I'd think about going, but don't wanna miss the Eid with my family either.

Eid is the day after Thanksgiving. Sounds like fun! Maybe we'll see about going but we're planning a trip to DC around that time.

Sounds like a good time - Vegas is what you make it despite what it has to offer, I lived in Vegas & because its billed as one big playground, it gets a really bad rap. Many people forget that there are people who live, go to school & work in Vegas who DONT get into all of what Vegas to offer!

Anywho - too close to the holiays for us - have fun for whoever does go!

Yeah hubby mentioned not to show him anything too shocking which isn't my intention. Vegas also offers loads of family fun other than the general debauchery you can find. You don't have to go to Vegas for that btw it can be found in your own hometown but doesn't mean you'll seek it there either. I'd just go for one of the packages which is usually 3 days and 2 nights. For Vegas that isn't a lot of time but I also have school to get back too.

We are GOING!

YAY! I just asked H...he's dying to go! Well, it was Khaled that sealed the deal! LOL Vegas is a blast ... I don't gamble at all...just a people watcher and I adore the spas and shows!

Awesome! And I know that Phoenix to Las Vegas is having direct flights and killer deals all the time. I was thinking you might be one of the ones to go with us!

He just called and said "can we book it tonight?" Yippee! We were supposed to go after Ramadan for my bday. So who knows...maybe twice or bday gets celebrated here. Hmmm...

That is so awesome! I'm still waiting on Waleed's visa in hand but I have a very good feeling he's coming soon since 2 others already got their visas like they said. Please, please, please let him come in October I want to book the tickets now too!

Waleed loves Khaled too!

*crossing fingers*

gonna send the link to hubster and see what he thinks I'd love to go!!

Hey Vegas Gals ~ I will be there next week for The Belly Dance Intensive and bringing my son for his 21st B-day present !!


Viva Raks Vegas !!!

YAY! I wish I was going but there is no way to get away during Ramadan and my BIL here. Miss you!

We just got back from 4 days in Vegas - it was wonderful. I only did a little bit of gambling - but we're Catholic and we'll raffle anything. hehe...Aside from that, I saw the signs for the Sahra event. It looked awesome! We stayed at the Monte Carlo (nice but rooms need updating). I will say though that I never saw so many fake hooters in my life!!! And I live in Florida, so that says lots. I hope you all have an awesome time...wish we could go again. <sigh>

I will call you from there, Annie I am hoping between the heat and dancing to lose 10 more lbs.

I'm sure! It's very very hot here still so I'm sure Vegas will give you the same weather... ughh. I could never lose weight in Vegas! LOL Toooo many good places to eat!

Hey, where will you all be staying? the MGM Grand hotel (i think that's what it's called).

Yes. It's pretty nice. I love Paris and Cesars but the concert is at MGM so it seems best to be at the same place.

However, if you research online many of the other hotels are having great deals now...like Luxor, Bally's and a few others. I was shocked at cheap rates even for weekends.

Ok, well let me know where you stay. I want it to be a romantic weekend with a jacuzzi in the hotel room inshallah...ok you get the point lol...I've also never been to Las Vegas before.

Awwwww, Kenza - that's so sweet and so much fun. I know I shouldn't go there, but I will...that's where you wind up with the hijab spinning around on the ceiling fan. You know I luvz ya, honey!

It will be the week after we get back from our cruise but i will mention it to Hasan since he love Vegas just maybe.

Mom and I were searching online tonight and we're thinking to book a room at Excalibur because of the rates and it's across the street from the MGM but my only question is how does this affect ticket prices for the concert? We're thinking the cheapest are $65 a piece with tax but not sure. I have to buy my plane tickets now to get good rates so I'm going with Southwest since if we have to cancel they credit us and I can use it later for up to a year. After looking at room prices I'm looking at staying from Nov. 20th-Nov 24th with us flying back that Tuesday.

Night and day I'm listening to Wust el Balad and I just found this video where Assala, one of the main stars at this upcoming concert, is singing Wust el Balad's song Anntika on stage with them so I think this has to be the concert in November Adham was talking about! Assala must have invited them! Waleed hasn't been able to reach Adham still. He guesses because of Ramadan being a busy month for them because they are requested (and all singers actually) to play after breakfast in what they call Ramadanian tents, which is like open shows in hotels and resorts where people (mostly rich) go to spend their time after breakfast till dawn. He said last Ramadan there he remembers they were playing daily in the tent of Semiramis Hotel in City Stars.

Love this video if it's anything like the preview we're going to get at the concert!

Ok! Found the site to buy tickets if you stay somewhere else other than MGM. Grand Garden Arena

We'll be in the $52.50 section.

Mom says if we stay at the MGM we get better tickets and probably two per room.

The SAHRA FEATURING KHALED, ASSALA NASRI & RIDA AL ABDULLA event is at the bottom of the page if you scroll down.

Hey Annie when you book MGM will you ask them what section their tickets are in for us please? Then we might know if it's a better deal or not to stay there or somewhere else.

Will do Liv!

I will be booking it before the weekend for sure. Kenza, I will check to see what I can find but I'm thinking perhaps the MGM deals might be the best w/ seating at the concert, rooms and flights. I will make sure to research all. Plus I think if you upgrade to a room w/ jacuzzi (i will ask) it might be cheaper as you're already in the package deal w/ the hotel.

I will let you guys know!

@ Staashiii...LMAO You are too funny!

You're the best! Thanks Annie

Awww thanks babes! (To be honest, I'm thinking I want a jacuzzi too )

Ok so change in plan due to recent news I got. Waleed is telling me he may not be here by then. The whole point was to take him. It was all for him. Now I am considering going solo or not at all. Does anyone want to share a room?

Hopefully you can find someone. If my SIL was coming soon I'd say you guys could share...but we don't have a specific date for her yet.

Well maybe it's for the better. He wasn't for the amount of money I was willing to spend on it anyways but now that he's making independent choices behind my back I feel like taking some personal liberties. On the other hand sensible Flower is feeling like turning inward and taking a sabatical from the world for awhile to nurture myself.

Relax babes. I know its easier said then done. I know that frustrated feeling but he will be with you soon enough to annoy you on a daily basis. Let him see the family before the day to day married life begins. It will all be good and you will be a happier better person for just letting him have that time to be with his sister. You can say to him "As you wish..." Always annoys the crap out of my husband (i'm joking don't say that!)

Thx Nawal. I'll leave Vegas in your hands.

I was thinking about going to Vegas for my birthday, anyway Iam wondering are all of you guys going with your hubbies? Or are there some singles going?

PERFECT! Olivia needs a roommate

I'm thinking of going single now.

I'm trying to decide if we should drive or fly there. The drive would be 9 hours and the plane 1.5. To drive it would be either our car or rent a car for 100.00 plus I don't know how much the gas would be. and the plane tickets are like 250 each.

PM me where you are and there maybe deals thru different sites. I can try car plus hotel deals or plane/room deals. Either way I will try to get the best rates. Driving 9 hours will be rough but also might be fun for hubby if the road trip is interesting with different sites to see. If we drove its about 5 hours ... that's my limit. Actually Mexico (Puerto Penasco (rocky point) is my limit which is a bit longer however, reaching that beautiful warm and amazingly blue water makes it all worth it Not going there for a while tho to dangerous right now...*sniff*

We are coming from Rocklin but you can search just the general Sacramento area-that's also where the airport is. I looked at the driving route and it looks mostly desert and I think my hubby can pass up the desert park that's on the way.

I came back to check the boards (do this every few months or so now) and saw this. OMG THANK YOU for posting this, Olivia!!!!!!!! I would have been so sad if I missed out on seeing Khaled and Assala in Vegas!

I'm definitely going and would love to meet up with whoever goes. I will book this weekend for sure! Yay! Glad I logged in today

cool! I'm soo excited! It looks like this is going to be a big MENA meetup!

I sooooo want to go. I told hubby and he was super interested - we'll see! . He loves Khaled.

My husband and I sooo want to book this trip, but he says he doesn't know if he will have a job by then and if he can get off that Friday...I'm also thinking of staying in the MGM Signature hotel.

I spoke with H&S and she really would like to go for her 30th Birthday but doesn't want to go alone and prefers to share the costs of a room. I however have looked at things with my Mom and I have two problems with going that are kind of big. The first is it's right before Thanksgiving and I live in college town USA with two small airports that are close but both are all booked because there are two major Universities in the Moscow/Pullman area. The next closest is either 2 hours away in Spokane or I take the bus down to Boise and fly out of there the day of the concert. Both options are a hassle. My second problem which is really the bigger problem is I don't know when and if Waleed is coming to me. If I book the tickets for myself and he comes then he will get left behind as prices will skyrocket near the holidays. If I book for us both and he doesn't come then I've lost money. So really it's better if I sit this one out and wait till he is with me and we can make plans to go together. That was the whole point in the beginning for me was that I wanted to experience something like this with him and he can meet couples like us and see his friends in the band in my home country. I am happy though that I posted this and that people are going and meeting up and excited about it. I really wish I could go as it is the event of a life time and I hope you all have a blast!