My Son Can Dance!

DARN! THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I LOST THE MAIN CONTENT OF A BLOG POST. WHY IS THE TITLE THE ONLY ONE VISIBLE?

What’s going on? The Forum shows some people having this type of problem. I wonder if this is a known problem.

Last Friday, March 21^st my family went up to the City of Roses to spend the night. The drive up there from My Hippietown takes about close to 2 hours if one is doing 100 miles an hour speed (just kidding!).

 

Once in the city, we usually hang out at the downtown mall. No, we are not mallrats! The downtown mall area, as in any city, has a variety of stores, restaurants, cultural activities a person can do. For me, there’s a nearby KNITTING SHOP. For my husband, there are 2 Irish pubs he gravitates to. For my son, well…….he either follows me around (for the food, mind you, as I’m a food junkie) or he takes off (glad to know he can be normal when he wants to) to search for knife shops, or the local MAC store, or wherever a young man wants to hang out at.

 

There’s one place that the three of us love to be at……a Greek restaurant. We just love this restaurant, for its great, healthy menu; for its atmosphere and ambience. Wonderful food! Mouth-watering desserts!

Let me first describe the restaurant. On the outside of the 2-story building, there’s a huge PURPLE OCTOPUS. Very unique landmark! The main floor has the dining area; and the 2^nd floor has the bar, dining area, dance floor and the stage. Family dining is allowed till 10 p.m.

Whenever we visit the City of Roses, usually it’s just for half a day. This, is not enough time to hang out too long at the restaurant. Last Friday, being a day for overnight stay, we thought to spend dinner at this Greek restaurant. We heard that they have fantastic entertainment. And that’s what we did…..stayed to be entertained.

We got to the restaurant at around 8 p.m.; went upstairs; had some scrumptious meal; had desserts (we cannot have a meal without dessert whenever we go out). Around 9 p.m., the entertainment begun.

• First up, a man with a Greek guitar (or Kithara), which looks like a Moorish Lute (http://www.angelfire.com/sk/syukhtun/kithara.html), started playing some kind of 60’s music (definitely not the Greek kind).  The kithara had a twangy sound to it, but don’t all guitars do?
• Next, a Greek woman singer came up and sang; encouraged the audience to join her into dancing some Greek dance steps.
• Followed by the Masters of Ceremony, who is quite charismatic. I have the feeling he’s also the owner. He had the audience up on the feet participating in whatever he asked of them to do. He rounded up the people who came to celebrate some event (e.g. birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, etc.). For these participants, he had them drink OUZO, a Greek liqueur; and those who can take in the most Ouzo gets a t-shirt. A rather large woman, who was celebrating her birthday, got the t-shirt.
• Next up, plate breaking! Boy, this Greek tradition is fun to do, especially I think if you are angry, happy or whatever feeling you are having. Just throwing plates without being reprimanded or punished is such a liberating feeling. And so, there were a dozen people throwing plates across the room.
• Belly dancing was next. The belly dancer went around and people, especially the guys, gave her money. More like insert dollar bills to her waist pants. She teased them by coming close and as the men attempt to insert the dollars she would prance away. The guys attempt to follow her with dollar bills on extended hands. My Precious got caught in that scheme; felt embarrassed and rolled his eyes; but finally caught up with her and gave her a dollar bill. Doing so, some of the dollars already attached to her fell and Mr. Wonderful jumped to the opportunity to grab them and chase after her.
• Then came the MOMENT after the belly dancing! IT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE for me. The MC rounded up guys to practice on Greek dancing-man style. Mr. Wonderful and My Precious did not want to join in but the woman singer coerced them anyway. The MC showed them the steps and off they went circling the dance floor and dining area. At this point, this was the time I regretted not having my camera. I took lousy photos on my cell phone camera instead. Once the men got back to the dance floor, it was time for the solo dancing. My Precious was the 2^nd one up. I got so shocked to see that MY SON CAN DANCE, I had forgotten to take photos. His move was so smooth, like a natural Greek dancer; he did not make a fool of himself…..unlike Mr. Wonderful. Before I forget……after each man’s solo dance, the MC gave them a drip or two of OUZO. As My Precious was taking in his OUZO, I was just thinking that: ‘Boy, little do they know the young man is not even 21!’
• Right after that, the MC took a little table; placed it in the center of the dance floor; proceeded to grab someone’s plate of food and someone else’s beer or two; and placed them on this little table. He knelt down from one corner of it and chomped the corner of the table. He attempted to stand up with hands extended out (not holding the table) and started dancing in circles. WOW! Is all anybody could say. This man must have jaws made of steel to be able to pick up a table with his teeth.

After that, the mood changed and the techno-disco DJ music came on. At that point, we were all tired but TRULY ENJOYED OURSELVES. We left with happy feelings. More so for me knowing that My Precious Enjoyed His Time with The Old Fogies despite his efforts to show he wasn’t.

DISCLAIMER: Other than the OUZO incident at the men’s dancing, My Precious was not drinking hard stuff at any other time.