Nothing to do in El Paso?

I once was a member of the "there's nothing to do in El Paso" crew. During the past year, I have discovered how mistaken I was. There is plenty to do in El Paso; this past weekend, I attended several events.

I started the weekend with a dance workshop and social at Shundo Dance Studio. The event was called Tropical Friday, which, I suppose, is fitting when one is learning and dancing salsa, merengue, and bachata. The workshop was a lot of fun, albeit difficult. I have a hard enough time learning new footwork without having to think about styling, but styling was the workshop's emphasis. It was fun to learn, but I was glad to have some friends with whom I could laugh about how ridiculous I felt. I was very glad when we started to work on choreography.

The social itself was fun. Food was served buffet-style - delicious - and music was provided by Team Havana and Deejay Louie. Several of the Shundo instructors gave performances, which were fun to watch. Of course, I danced as often as I could.

The following evening, some of my friends and I went to the Champagne Festival at the Grace Garden. The festival is only in its second year, but based on what I saw and heard, I think it will be around for a long time to come. For the price tag of $11, I was able to enter the venue, receive three wine tastings (if I so desired), and listen to five bands. I had to pay extra for food and beverages, but I was still under $20 for the entire evening.

The location for the festival was perfect; the Grace Garden has beautiful fountains, a small man-made lake, and several buildings that offer shade and ambiance. The building used for wine tasting was gorgeous. The building's decor included several crystal chandeliers with a draped ceiling. The lighting, too, was very well-done. It created a sense of intimacy without being overpowering or too dim.

One of my favorite aspects of the evening was the food, or, in my case, the snacks. The cinnamon pecans and almonds were delicious. I think I could have eaten those all evening, although I didn't and don't recommend doing so. Other snacks for sale included churros, funnel cakes, roasted corn, and homemade chocolate. Main courses also were for sale. I bought a salad, which was excellent. Some of my friends ordered crepes and pita pockets. The food was good, but I think the highlight of ordering our entrees was the Scottish chef preparing the crepes. He was wearing the kilt, the socks, and the shoes, and he had an accent that I've only heard in movies. I think we were all hoping that he would come back and yell "order up" more often.

Another favorite part of the evening, or more correctly, the whole of the evening, was the music. I didn't arrive at the festival in time to hear much of the first band, but the second band, Dr. Groove, was amazing. They played a lot of songs from the sixties and seventies, but I think their best song was a cha-cha, probably because my friends and I could dance to it. All of the band members were consummate performers, but I found myself watching the brass section. If they weren't playing an instrument, they were dancing. The final band, Radio la Chusma, also was excellent. Their music is an interesting blend of Carribbean and hip-hop. It sounds a little like reggaeton, but it's not nearly as heavy with the bass. They played for a good hour, and my friends and I were on the dance floor for almost their entire set. Like Dr. Groove, the members of Radio la Chusma are performers. They interacted with the audience, and, at the end of the evening, they twice acquiesced to the audience's request for another song.

What I loved most about the festival, though, is how it attracted such a variety of people. Different ages, different races, families, couples, friends - it didn't matter. We were all there to enjoy the evening. Some people came only for the champagne and wine. Others came for the food or the music. No matter the reason for coming, though, it was a joy to see people enjoying the evening and each other.