Salsa Night at Enigma
Posted on May 10, 2021 by Ching under Hobbies.
Ever since we’ve met my friend Greg, who is both an avid dancer and pickleball player, has been inviting me to various dance lessons and events across town. Most recently he told me about free salsa lessons at Enigma, a new nightclub in Old Town. The have a free lesson from 8-9 pm followed by open social dancing on Sundays. It just so happened that the Wichita Explorers club was planning an outing there on May 1 also so I told Greg I would be there. I’d basically kill two birds with one stone.
Unfortunately, on the one night that we decided to go, the normal dance instructor had been injured and they could not find another instructor to take their place. There was no dance lesson that night but we managed to make the best of it.
Greg, who is a regular on Sundays, led us in a round of social dancing. Lucky for us, several people already knew the basics of bachata and salsa so we were able to take advantage of the space and the music and danced to a few songs. Brian danced a few songs and I got to dance with Greg too. Greg actually knows a bunch of combinations and is pretty good. Those lessons are definitely paying off!
Overall, I really liked the layout of the place. The square bar is in the middle of the floor, right as you enter. It’s much better than having it against the wall and then when it’s busy you can’t even got to it.
Beyond the bar is the dance floor. There was plenty of space for our group but, I imagine, it gets pretty crowded around 11 o’clock when everyone else shows up because the area is really not that big. Thankfully, Brian and I are never out that late. Back in the day, 11 or 11:30 was pretty much our cutoff. I’d expect these days we’d probably be on our way home by 10 o’clock if we did turn this into a regular, weekly thing like we used to back in our salsa dancing days.
The lounge chairs all around the perimeter of the dance floor is also a nice feature so it’s quite convenient if you want to be a wallflower and just people-watch. I had a very positive impression of the place and would love to go back for dancing another night. Perhaps I could even bring all my Zumba and pickleball friends together. So many ideas are already swirling in my head. I can’t wait. Until then, GNG.
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Other Stuff Besides Food
Posted on May 7, 2021 by Ching under Hobbies, Zumba.
I know it seems like all I do is eat these days. I’m definitely feeling it. I’m currently at 135 lbs, up from my immediate post-COVID weight of 127 lbs from back in December. I’m not really doing anything to get fit beyond just teaching my group fitness classes and playing pickleball and I’m finding that I really need to do something because I can see and feel the additional weight on me.
I took a short 4-week hiatus from teaching Zumba in April so I could play in a Monday night league with my friend Chris Wilson. I was supposed to resume my Zumba classes this week but we are short an aquatics instructor so I’m teaching the Monday night aqua class instead. It’s easier to find instructors who can teach Zumba because we have several on the VASA bench. Aquatics instructor are in short supply unfortunately. Or, I guess, fortunately for me because I actually enjoying teaching Aqua Zumba.
I’m currently teaching Aqua Zumba four times a week: Monday and Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings at the Harry location, and then Saturday mornings at the Woodlawn location. Once we Ivette returns or once we find another aquatics instructor, I’ll probably go back to teaching my Monday night Zumba class unless someone else wants to take it over. Then I would be free to participate in pickleball leagues on Monday nights. It can be quite tricky juggling multiple hobbies.
Speaking of Aqua Zumba, it can be pretty hit-and-miss. I’ve had classes that range from 0-14 at VASA. Of course, when I was teaching at the YMCA, we had a much bigger pool and so many more members so some of my Aqua Zumba classes would average 30 students, specially in the summer time when we are outdoors. At VASA, I normally average 3-5. I would see 6-7 people on a good day and zero on bad days.
Having only a handful of participants is fine because our three-lane lap pool is quite small and can’t really accommodate that many people. Plus, it’s easier for me to learn names and connect with the members on a more personal level when there’s only a few of them.
I’m not quite sure what was going on this past Wednesday, though. At one point we had 14 people exercising with us in the pool. I think it’s the most I’d ever seen since I started teaching Aqua Zumba at VASA and it was quite refreshing. The more people we have in class, the more festive and party-like it is so I absolutely loved it.
This weekend I am teaching back to back classes on Saturday because I am filling in for Brynden’s Zumba class at Woodlawn. It works great because I’ll already be there to teach Aqua Zumba. I just need to end Aqua Zumba a few minutes early so I can put the portable stereo away and get ready for the next class. It’s a bit hectic but it’s the least I can do since Brynden is covering my Aqua Zumba class the following weekend so I can be at Picklemania. It’s the pickleball tournament fundraiser for my Rotary club. Plus, I have missed teaching Zumba. The month and a half of not teaching it feels like forever.
Besides teaching back to back classes on Saturday, I also agreed to play in the Kaycee Mac Pickleball Tournament at Chicken N Pickle from 11 o’clock in the morning to 2 in the afternoon. It seems like a lot but I’m pretty used to it. Before the pandemic I would teach three classes and play 2-3 hours of pickleball in the same day. That was usually on Sundays — my most favorite day of the week back then. Anyway, I thought I should write about something else besides food so you wouldn’t think I’m a complete slug. I have been pretty lazy lately but still quite active compared to the average Joe. I’m only lazy by Ching standards.
I guess that’s all the news I have for now. Have a wonderful weekend and will check in again next time. GNG.
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Lunch with My Leadership Wichita Besties
Posted on May 6, 2021 by Ching under Food and Drink.
I had an opportunity to try a new place last week. My #LeadershipWichita pal Jessica organized a lunch time get together for us at Blue Hook Cajun Seafood and Bar last week. It’s a relatively new restaurant that opened in the old Granite City Food and Brewery space on 21st and Webb.
Only a few of us could make the lunch but we made the best of it. It was so nice to see and catch up with these amazing women again.
Here are some pictures of the food we had that day.
This is what the shrimp po’ boy sandwich looks like without the bread.
Michelle got the red beans and rice. She said it was kind of spicy. I considered getting the same thing but I’m glad I got the fried rice instead. It had great flavor and wasn’t spicy.
I’m not sure how the others felt. I thought the food was pretty good. I really liked my fried rice. The only complaint I had about the restaurant was that service was a tad slow. It took forever for our food to come out even though they weren’t super busy that day. I think, had we not had a nice time visiting and catching up, the long wait for the food would have been a lot more noticeable.
I really wanted to get crab legs that day but decided it would be too messy to eat in front of my sophisticated friends so I went with the fried rice instead. I’ll have to go back another time to satiate my crab legs craving. Perhaps I can bring Brian. He can help me shell my crab legs which is a bonus. LOL.
Until next time, GNG.
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Lunch with Our Tennessee Friends
Posted on May 5, 2021 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Our Tennessee friends Noi Sourinthone and Antonio Cummings came back to visit Wichita a couple of weeks ago and brought three others with them. We got to hang out at Fong’s birthday party and then also the next day at lunch and playing pickleball at Edgemoor Park.
Lunch was at Pho Special. I’m so glad that Michael recommended it because I had never been there before and it was really good.
Here are some pictures of the food we had that day.
Noi absolutely loves chicken feet. I’ve never had it and it’s not really on my list of things to try before I die so I still have never had it. LOL.
After lunch I went to play at Nahola for a bit before meeting back up with the crew at Edgemoor Park. It was quite windy that day but we made the best of it. I always have a great time when the Tennessee crew comes to visit. Looking forward to their next trip back. Until then, GNG.
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Fong Turned 37
Posted on May 4, 2021 by Ching under Events.
My friend Fong turned 37 a couple of weeks ago. You probably think I’m lying because she looks like she’s still in her 20s. At least I thought so. Until she set me straight, she was on my short list of potential pickleball women’s doubles partners for 19+ age division. I met Fong for the first time at the Wichita Corporate Challenge a couple of years ago. My partner Chris Wilson and I played against her and Brian Harshman. They represented Koch Industries for the pickleball event.
I’ve gotten to know Fong a bit more since then through our mutual love for pickleball. She is one fierce female both on and off the court. Do not even think about turning her down for shots. We were recently at her house to celebrate her birthday and I was glad that I got away with only drinking one shot.
Here are a few pictures we took at her birthday party.
I got Fong for her birthday because I thought it fit her perfectly. And, it smells good too.
Fong had a photo booth at the party which we had a lot of fun with. Here’s a picture that I took with Fong and Anna. We were in order of oldest to youngest. LOL.
Brian and I took some photo booth pics too. We didn’t stay too late because I have an early Aqua Zumba class every Sunday but I’m glad we got to attend her birthday celebration. We had a great time.
That’s all for now. Until next time. GNG.
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