Photo and story by Dennis Hensley.
Monday, February 4, 2008 - Florianopolis, Brazil
Flying here, I watched the behind the scenes DVD of Hairspray and learned that the original crew had to keep forcing Ricki Lake to eat because she was losing weight rehearsing the dances.
I'm reminded of this as I enjoy a juicy slab of beef tenderloin at my hotel, the Majestic Palace, which also has a lovely infinity pool and a great view of the bay. Of course, no one's forcing me to pig-out, but I have done a fair bit of dancing in Brazil.
Last night, we went to a dance party put on by the Sao Paulo nightclub The Week. Between trips to the dance floor, my new Brazilian friend Eduardo explained to me that a "Barbie," in local gay slang, is kind of like a Chelsea or Circuit Boy, super pumped-up and pose-y.
A "Susie," named after a Brazilian doll, is not so pumped up but is super-sexy nonetheless. We both agree that Susies are hotter than Barbies, but don't tell the Barbies that. It'll just upset them.
Dinner beforehand was at the gay-owned Bistro Isadora Duncan, right on the lagoon. Romantic, charming, and French, it has an attached guesthouse where I'd love to spend a night or twenty.
Before ordering the prawns, I read the Isadora Duncan bio on the wine list. Boy, did she have a rough life. Her two sons drowned, her husband committed suicide and she died by suffocation in a convertible when the scarf she was wearing got caught in the axle. Bon appetit! I almost skipped dessert, but if we can learn anything from Ms. Duncan it's that you can go at any minute, so I had the brownie sundae. It didn't disappoint.
