hu-latta fun

Yup, it took me a while to think of that title. Clever, no?

It could have been 'Hu-la-va good time' Ha!

Anyhoo, Wednesday myself and some of my friends from work went to Tortilla Flats waaaay over in the far West Village for a hula hooping showdown.

There had been a lot of smack talking at work and the two contestants were ready to bring it. There had been lots of talk about 'carb loading,' 'abs classes,' and The Eye of the Tiger theme song.

I personally was not a contestant - I know that you can hardly contain your shock - I was a documentarian.

Documentarian is a word, right?


Margaret warmed up with a margarita while we waited for the two competitors to get their mojo working. To give you some background on Tortilla Flats, it is bedecked in tinsel and owes it's decorating technique more to the Indian restaurants in the east village than any Mexican place I've been to.

And the music is all Madonna, all the time. This is the west village people!

First up was Brian, who came still dressed in his suit from work. this was brave of him since - in his estimation - he hadn't hula hooped in several decades. His rythm was - um - rapid. He ended quickly.


That's Patti laughing at him - she was up next. She has visited Tortilla Flats multiple times over the last couple of months and the MC fully called her on it.

Her technique was very relaxed - all raised arms and rolling hips. But she is prone to giggling and the MC caught on. Her time was the best at this point, but it wasn't to last.

In the best two out of three, Patti looked like she had the advantage. But that Brian, he's athletic and observant so on his third try he pulled out all the stops and found some technique.



Our champion! They only had shirts for chicks, so he's a bit packed into it, but he was so proud he couldn't resist putting it on.


He didn't rub it in though, not at all.

He got his t-shirt and his shots.


And I got blackmail material for the office...