I think pole dancers are some of the sexiest women in the world. I love their combination of athleticism, sexuality and grace. Charles Amadeus of Smoking Securities posted this video of the 2009 US Pole Dance Championship a couple of days ago:

My beautiful friend Crysta, who is a feature dancer and competitive pole dancer, keeps offering to teach me how to pole dance, but I never make time for the lessons. Maybe I should visit her this fall and do a pole-dancing intensive!

XOXO,
Aina

I finally started posting on Les Demimondaines’ blog Allure of A Subculture. (Just a reprint of last night’s election review post.) Les Demimondaines are a group of beautiful, passionate and literate companions, including my dear friend Holly Brooks, who invited me to get in on the blog from the start, but has been very patient in awaiting my first post.

Les Demimondaines

I’m really getting into reviewing things, so why not an entire election? Or even an election weekend. I had planned to vote today, but I hadn’t quite thought out the consequences of this being an election weekend in advance.

I had an afternoon date scheduled on Friday, and my companion and I had planned to go to Latitude, a popular tapas and wine bar located in La Mariscal, where you choose your own wines, but the food is an unending parade of whatever beautiful little dishes the kitchen produces. Suffice it to say that I love this place, but cannot review it today, as it was closed when we arrived early Friday evening. Our plan had been to sit and people-watch, as Plaza Foch is a lovely urban square, with about 10 restaurants circling a common open space and an intersection. The streets are usually full of cabs and private cars on a weekend afternoon, and the square is full of teenagers, couples and street vendors. Some of the cafes have live music, and they all have outdoor seating.

Not on Friday, though. In Ecuador, we have a dry law that goes into effect the Friday before an election. Many of the restaurants in Plaza Foch, including Latitude, depend heavily on liquor sales to clear a profit, so they chose not to open up this weekend. My date and I decided to visit a nearby Cuban restaurant, which I will review later or tomorrow.

Saturday, I planted an avocado tree. I bought it on a whim at a nursery about 10 minutes away from my farm, and just dug a hole for it, stuck it in the ground and watered it. It really is nice to get out into the country, even just for a few hours once a week.

Today, I voted. Before I left the house I typed the following:

I am almost convinced that I will vote the Allianza Pais (#35) straight party line. This is not to say that I fully support President Correa, but I think he is the best choice out of the three candidates who have a chance to win or at least make it into a run-off vote, and certainly the most likely to win the election. I like his vice-president, Lenin Moreno, who is a strong supporter of rights and respect for the differently-abled. And I don’t think any progress will be made on actually codifying and printing up the new constitution that Ecuadorean voters approved last September unless Correa has a majority in the Constitutional Assembly, the legislative body that serves instead of a Congress until the constitution is ratified.

I didn’t vote for Correa. But I did vote for his new constitution in September, and today I voted for his party members in the Constitutional Assembly races. And, a couple of hours ago, when a neighbor lady called down from her balcony, with a Allianza Paiz banner flying proudly behind her, to tell me that Correa had just been confirmed the winner of the election, with no run-off required, I told her that I was pleased to hear those results.

XOXO,
Aina Montero

P.S. Here’s a link to a quick review of today’s win:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8475269

According to the Mirage, the Revolution lounge, created by Cirque du Soleil,  is “inspired by the sprit of the Beatles.” In non-marketing speak, this translates to a small nightclub decorated in an upscale, contemporary version of psychadelic 60s decor. If you really enjoy dance music, especially remixes of retro classics, you will enjoy the themed music nights. The venue is divided into 3 distinct ambiances: the calm, sit-down environment of the Abbey Road Bar which wraps around the lounge; the pushy, crowded feel of the dance floor, which is dominated by twenty-somethings; and the high-energy, but very spacious and pleasant VIP areas which surround the dance floor. It is popular with hipsters, fashionistas and celebrities, especially celebrities who are headlining at the Mirage or Treasure Island. For example, Adam Sandler, Ray Romano and Kevin James were there last night.

I met the lovliest couple at the salon today. It was her birthday yesterday, so they were celebrating with a spa day, complete with champagne. I popped in for a manicure and we started talking. They ended up inviting me to Delmonico, and it was an absolute delight. Great wine, great food, and great conversation. We ordered family-style, to give all of us the chance to taste as many things as possible on the menu. The lobster was extremely fresh, with the perfect delicate texture. The New York Strip was cooked to perfection, full of flavor and also very tender for this particular cut. We chose asparagus and twice-baked potatoes for our sides and were very happy with those as well. The ambiance is modern and relatively quiet, making Delmonico an excellent choice for romantic dinners or business lunches.