We got up at 9:00am today. Robin slept in bed with me last night and we both got a great night’s sleep (thank goodness). We got ready for the gentle yoga class and walked with our yoga mats the mile and a half to the yoga studio. We had a great (although pretty strenuous) gentle yoga class. I told Robin if this is their idea of “gentle” yoga, I’d hate to do something more challenging!
After class we walked across the street to Starbucks and got a little something to eat and drink. Then, we walked home. When we got back to the apartment we just had enough time to relax a little, take showers, get dressed and leave to drive to El Cajon for the West Coast Swing dance class at 3:00pm and the dance social that follows at 4:00pm.
The social takes place each Sunday at an Elks Lodge. It was kind of funny, because there was a statue of an elk on the roof of the building, but it wasn’t so funny when I saw the heads on the wall. I don’t like that. It makes me sad.
Anyway, Robin and I got in free, because it was our first time, but it’s usually $7 for the class and the social is $5. They give each person a name tag that you wear on your chest. Mine and Robin’s had a star on it, which means you’re a first-timer.
They had the whole place decorated for Valentine's Day, and most of the men and women had something red on, but Robin and I didn't even think of that!
I thought that I’d be dancing with Robin, or that maybe we’d all be learning the dance in lines or something, but I had no idea how it works in swing dance classes. The guys stand in one place in a big circle and the girls rotate, dancing for a few minutes with each guy. The teacher stands in the middle with her partner (in this case, the instructor was a woman and her partner was her husband -- it was very cute), and teaches the step and we all watch. Then, you do it with a partner a few times, and then move on to the next guy. Some guys are great dancers and lead you well and actually help you. Some guys have no idea what they’re doing and are no help at all!
There were about 20 guys and 20 girls and we kept practicing and rotating and learned 4 or 5 steps of West Coast Swing, which is really fun. The guy has a much harder job than the woman, because he has to move a lot more than the woman does, believe it or not. This dance is done on a “track” so to speak, because the woman just goes back and forth in one direction and the guy either pulls her toward him, pushes her back, or steps out of the way to turn her or let her pass. I found it pretty easy to learn some of the steps when I was working with some of the more experienced dancers, but when I was the better of the two I had a harder time.
Robin was doing great, partly because she already knows the dance, and partly because she picks things up so easily. She’s always been an amazing dancer. When the class was over, after an hour, the social began. People were coming up to us and talking to us, telling us how friendly the group was and that they’re “party people” and if we want to have fun we have to come every Sunday, because they know how to have fun! Meanwhile, there were only a few people in the entire room that were younger than us. Most of the people there were senior citizens. Some were as old as 80! I really didn't mind, because I told Robin that lately I feel very old when I'm around a lot of young people and I'd actually rather be the youngest person in the room than the oldest!
It didn’t seem to matter, because they were all amazing dancers. I never saw so many great male dancers in one room before. I was wishing my Dad was there, because my Dad is a fantastic dancer and he and I would have had the best time learning this dance and then doing it together.
For the rest of the dance, you either ask someone to dance, or they come up and ask you. A few guys asked me to dance, but I think they were just being kind, because they’re supposed to ask the people with the stars on their name tag, knowing that you’re a “newbie” and wanting to make you feel included.
Here's Robin dancing with one of the many, many men who asked her to dance tonight. Please note the poor elk on the wall. Boo hoo!
Robin got asked to dance almost every single dance and I don’t think it had anything to do with the star. Every guy wanted to dance with her. I can’t really blame them – she’s beautiful AND a really great dancer.
This guy looks old, but let me tell you, he could really cut a rug!!!!!
Ann and Frank are a great couple who were like the unofficial host and hostess of this event. They took me and Robin under their wings and insisted on introducing us to people. He made me ask one guy to dance and danced with me and Robin multiple times.
Here's another guy who was totally smitten with Robin!
It was a nice crowd tonight at the social. See the nice mirrored ball?
They told us they have been married 54 years and met when they both worked in SEARS. He was in vacuums; she was in cosmetics. And they’ve been dancing ever since! They have four daughters and 11 grandchildren. They danced so beautifully together. It was really sweet and romantic. All the people in this club come every Sunday to dance, socialize, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company.
Here's Robin dancing with Frank!
At one point they made several announcements and asked Robin to stand up and said she was from New Jersey and asked me to stand and said I was from New York. I stood and said, “New York is in the house!” and raised my arms up high. It was pretty funny.
Here's Ann and Frank in their Valentine's Day best. The cutest couple at the dance!
Here they are in action!
The dance went on until 7:00pm but by 6:30pm we were ready to go. We said our goodbyes and left to go get something to eat. We were both in the mood for pasta, so I said I’d take her to a place Eric and I loved in Little Italy called Spaghetteria.
As we were driving, just a few blocks from the dance, we saw an Italian Restaurant and decided to stop there, but they said the wait was 20 minutes, so I said, “Let’s just go to Little Italy!” And we did! We found a spot right around the corner and were seated immediately.
This woman, with the giant strawberry earrings, was playing the spoons and Robin was intrigued. She tried to teach Robin how to play!
We started with fried calamari and I had the same dish I had last time – Cappellini with vodka sauce. Robin had penne with tomato, basil and mozzarella. Both were amazing. We each had a Cosmopolitan, but it was SO strong that I only had a few sips of mine and gave the rest to Robin.
We were totally stuffed, but we couldn’t leave Little Italy without going to the best gelato place in San Diego – Pappalecco. So, we drove over there, got some to go, and came home. We got into our pajamas and saw that the Grammy’s were on. Since Stacie didn’t get into the Top 3 it wasn’t foremost on my mind and I completely forgot that it was on tonight! I was hoping I didn’t miss Katy Perry singing I KISSED A GIRL, because I had a feeling Stacie’s video would be on – and I was right!
It ends up being a VERY good thing that Stacie DIDN’T get into the Top 3, because the Top 3 were shown, along with many other videos – including Stacie’s – for only a few seconds at a time. If Stacie had gotten into the Top 3, we would have had every person we ever knew watching and it would have been a MAJOR disappointment. I called her immediately after and asked if she saw herself. She said she did and she agreed that it was good she didn’t win, because it was SO disappointing how little screen time each video got. VERY disappointing.
Anyway, Robin and I enjoyed our gelato VERY much as we watched the Grammy’s. I got half Nutella and half Mocha. Robin got half Stratiatella (Eric’s favorite) and half chocolate. YUMMY YUM YUM!
Robin faded fast, but I got up to blog. Oh, I forgot to mention that at some point while we were learning the dance, I pulled a muscle in my hip. Could I BE more lame? I told Robin and she said it’s very common, because in that dance you’re sitting back on your right hip a lot and it’s not something I’m used to doing. So, now I’m limping around like a cripple. I just took 2 Advils and I’m hoping it won’t limit my walking, because we’re planning to either walk around Mission Bay tomorrow, or go to the zoo, or go to Ocean Beach. Any of those include LOTS of walking!
Robin and I are having a blast. I haven’t done so much in one day in a LONG time. She’s really so much fun to be with (as much fun as I remembered) and it’s just one adventure after another with her! I just hope I don’t pull any more muscles!!!