First time SEMA

It just so happened that during my weekend in Vegas, the annual SEMA show was being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It’s a trade show for makers of automobile aftermarket parts. Wheels, suspension, interior, car care, you name it. What’s most awesome about the SEMA show are the numerous project vehicles that get built especially for the occasion. It’s the North American version of the Tokyo Auto Salon, heaven for car enthusiasts who like to tinker with their pride and joy.

Sadly, being a trade show, SEMA is not open to the public. Even though it’s the car enthusiast public who are spending money on their cars, the show is catered towards B2B sales. That means the lay person cannot go to Las Vegas to see the awesome cars, unless you know a person already attending (badge sharing is a thing, apparently).

To my surprise, this year’s SEMA show has a Friday component that is open to the public. For a hefty sum of $70 dollars for a ticket, regular ole Joe blow like me can walk the same convention halls as the people in the trade. Serendipitous that I was in Vegas the same weekend, this provided the perfect opportunity to tick the SEMA box off my car enthusiasts bucket list. The Las Vegas Convention Center is easily accessible by the tram from the strip, which is what I took to get there.

It seems a lot of enthusiasts had the same idea: the line to pickup badges was nearly two hours long. I arrived at around 9:30 AM. By the time I had my badge in hand, it was time for lunch already. And the line was still the same size. I felt sorry for those folks as they probably won’t get into the halls until after 2:00 PM. And the show that day closes at 4:00 PM.

Overall I would say the SEMA show is definitely worth a go, at least once. The amount of interesting cars there, in varying degree of price (there was a Pagani Huarya at one booth) and modification, is simply amazing to see. On that alone you cannot have a bad time at SEMA. Being there have certainly rekindled my car enthusiasm. The whole time I was missing my BMW M2, and could not wait to get home to drive it again. More so than modifications - and I grew up on Super Street and Fast and Furious - it’s really about driving the cars and putting on miles.

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There’s even a really live F1 car there.

Loathing in Las Vegas

The last time I was in Las Vegas was back in 2014. As an adult who seldom drinks and detest going to parties, the little town in Paradise, Nevada never held the same appeal to me as it does to others. A weekend off to Vegas? But why? It’s nothing but a whole mess of people, spending your hard-earned money frivolously, and supremely dry weather (bring lotion).

Well, I just came back from a long weekend in Las Vegas. My friend was attending a conference and had a free hotel bed for me to stay. I figured, why not? It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Vegas; let’s see what it’s like from the perspective of an introvert who is now in his mid thirties.

My priors views about the place are still present. The throngs of people on a Saturday evening on the strip is absolutely amazing and also terrifying, coming out of the pandemic. All I could think about while I was amongst the sea of people is the horrific tragedy in Itaewon, Seoul. If there is a crowd rush right now I will for sure die. The best time to walk the strip is actually a weekday afternoon, during golden hour. Far less people, and the sunsetting colors make the views kind of spectacular.

The frivolous spending of money is what actually grosses me out of the most about Vegas. American consumerism and consumption-ism is on full display. You can’t walk a super long Vegas block without encountering something to lose your money to. Everything there is designed to separate you from your cash, all dressed up in a nice coat of high-class veneer to convince you of your specialness. Las Vegas allows the layman to indulge in a taste of the stereotypical rich lifestyle. Provided you’re willing to fork over some money.

Because the lunch there is definitely not free. The food prices in Vegas are incredibly high, even at the hotel food court level, never mind the branded restaurants behind famous chefs that you’d need reservations for (and a tip to the maître d'). For three days I bought nothing material from any store, only spending on food. I easily dropped $300 on sustenance alone, and that’s without going anywhere fancy. Vegas inflation is real, add on top of that the regular inflation we’re experiencing everywhere.

Las Vegas is indeed a playground for the rich. Normal folks like you and I can only pay what little we have to get a taste. And perhaps get lucky at the tables and games so we can join the ranks of the rich, however minuscule the chance may be. That’s what keeps people coming back, the endless hedonic treadmill.

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Old school Vegas.

Asia is my Vegas

For plenty of people, Vegas is their escape from the drudgery of adult life. They go there often to eat, drink, play, and celebrate. 

Asia is my Vegas. 

I've just returned from my trip to Taipei yesterday, marking the fourth time I've visited an Asian city within a 12 month period (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Taipei). I simply love it in Asia, and like most people are wont to do on their 'Vegas trips', I go there mainly to eat, drink, play, and celebrate. Only flaw is the price of the plane ticket makes traveling to Asia significantly more expensive than heading to Vegas.

It's so worth it.

While I enjoy the diversity we get here in America, spending time amongst people who look like me and share the same culture and habits is also a treat. We all crave homogeneity on some level: it explains the cliques we form during high school lunch hour. in Asia there's a homey feeling that entirely different than the vibe in San Francisco. Even though I'm technically a tourist, I blend right in. At least I think so.

A city boy at heart, the urban density, the interconnectedness, and the supreme convenience of Asia is super attractive to me. It truly comes alive at night: the most memorable parts on these trips were walking through the city streets taking in the lights. 

All without an ounce of worry about getting mugged. That's a freedom we ironically don't have in America.