From over my right shoulder, the waiter said "Hey big fella, you're about done with that plate, right. I mean, what do you have left there... a lemon wedge?"

      The Greek busgirl, or waiters' assistant (?) had been through a few minutes earlier, and to my mind, snatched the other plates a bit too soon. I guarded mine defensively. Hell, there was still at that time a quarter of soft warm pita, some zatziki, and yes... a lemon wedge. I wasn't ready to give it up then, but now, half embarrassed, reluctantly let it go- without licking.

      "Dessert?" Very rarely do I eat dessert..."yeah, the custard." She declined, but...

      ..."shots of ouzo?"

      "Sure!" I spoke for the both of us without consulting her. Half a minute later, he brought two shots that looked much like seafoam green listerine, and taste barely better, whoa... but hey, it's a Greek restaurant!

      Opa!

      Tasso's is the name of the joint, there in the Waldo district of K.C., Mo. since '76. The food is genuine Mediterranean; fresh, and flavorful as you'd expect, but the atmosphere and live entertainment is an equal part of the experience at Tasso's.

      - Not an empty table in the place either. It was after all, Friday. Friday and Saturday nights are belly dancer night- the same dancer they've had since I can remember, the enchanting Zaina Ali!

      I'll let you guess her age, but will give a clue-- last time I saw her dance there...... was in the 80's (when I was a child... *cough*). 

      From our table, a bit after 9. Zaina is always fashionably late...

      Something about the lighting, her bright belly-dancer's get up, or the fast motion (or all of the above), wouldn't let the usually trusty phone cam get a good capture. I shot over twenty, and they came out.. like this. Think I'll say I did it that way on purpose. 

      This one captures her pretty well... 

      There.. she stood still! This is the part where she gives free lessons to all the girls-- even provides the noisy little coin-laden wrap skirts for all. I thought I took a movie of the whole lesson, but it ended up being two seconds. Oops!

      Second girl from the left is my sweetie, who by strange chance in fact takes lessons from Ms. Z every Thursday evening. Zaina whispered in my ear after the performance that she is the best shimmier in her class. Opa!

      Now, this movie below (1:33) actually came out fairly well for some reason, although Z leaves the stage at about one minute to go work the audience.

      Great night out, and thanks to "groupon," CHEAP--

      Opa!!!