What is it with European white women and local tribesmen? If your mind is inquiring, then check out White Masai and Married to a Bedoin! These stories titillated while I was in Tanzania and jockeyed for my brain’s attention when in Jordan…

Both are the stories of Western European women who fall in love with and marry local nomadic tribesmen while vacationing in Jordan and Kenya. Imagine giving up your posh Paris home to join your new man in his dung hut!!

But let’s ask that most honest of questions–was it for love or love of a story?

* * *

My first experience with these stories was at the airport store in Dar Es Salaam. Looking for a good read since my copy of Eat, Pray, Love began repeating itself on page 240 thus giving me two Prays and no Love (seriously in so many ways!!), I stumbled onto this titillating title–White Masai. I fell for it.

Big mistake. First of all, White Masai is horribly written–with so little syntax and grammar that when you read it, you imagine rabbits hopping around on typewriters…and expect better results!! And this is a TRANSLATION from the German. I can only imagine der original draft, ja. Yeeesh.

It is the strange tale of Swiss-born Corinne Hoffman who falls in love with, marries, and bears a child with a beautiful Masai warrior. I think any of us who have ever been anywhere near Africa’s Masai Mara can sympathize with her fascination, yet most of us embrace our stark cultural differences and move on. Not Corinne.

If you manage to wade through her tale, you will be rewarded with very valuable insights into Masai culture, but you will also get the icky sensation that you are watching a very unsettling reality TV episode. Corinne Hoffman is apparently an exception to the rule of her neutral countrywomen–what Corinne wants, Corinne gets, thus sentencing us to more and more pages of her wacky prose.

The novel is a train wreck of her singular obsession that only Freud and twenty bottles of Xanax can sort out. When obstinate fascination with the exotic tragically couples with severe naivety, you can take it as the first sign of the apocalypse, only written by, as I said, wabbits. Lots of rabbits.

But like reality TV, who could put it down? I read the whole darn thing. And there’s a MOVIE so maybe that’s better…

* * *

The genre of crazy white women in the bush was lost to me until I met Marguerite van Geldermalsen. I ran into the author of Married to a Bedoin and her son at their small trinkets stall inside the gates of Petra. (They specialize in fabulous antique Bedouin jewelry and artifacts so don’t miss it…) The big poster of her book caught my attention, so I wandered over and met them. We talked, and the wind whipped up and sand obscured ancient monuments and camels, and the shading tent nearly flew off its moorings.

This woman, I can tell you, is more the real deal than the White Masai woman. In my humble opinion, she found true love with a man from another world, and they stayed happily married for decades until his recent death. She still spends a lot of time in Jordan, and she and her supremely gorgeous, educated-in-Europe/New Zealand-but-now-back-in-Jordan son are happy to discuss their story. And she can WRITE! Oh, hallelujah.

* * *

Both are fascinating reads. If you find yourself following in these ladies’ footsteps on your next far flung adventure, let me know. I’ll interview ya!

* * *

River Runners Adventure Dating is a new craze hitting the adventurous lovelorn in Colorado. Adventure Dating is a fun, unique and exciting way to make a love connection. They say that participating in adrenaline sports with your potential mate can often times strengthen the bond between one another, heightening a new perspective on someone you thought perhaps incompatible at first. Dunno about that, but at least it’s better than making awkward conversation over a latte. And even if the date is a bust, you’ll still get your heart pumping paddling through the whitewater rapids while enjoying breathtaking views of the Rockies.

River Runners, one of the most respected whitewater adventure companies in Colorado, will host Adventure Dates every Sunday throughout the season. Daters can experience a full day of professionally guided, adventure rafting down the Browns Canyon, complete with a catered riverside lunch. If sparks flair, with discounted tickets, daters can venture over to the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park for more thrill-seeking activities or they can turn up the heat and get cozy in the natural hot spring pools at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort, plus then you get to check each other out in the “swimsuit competition”.

It’s time to countdown to the biggest bash of the year: our eighth annual Best of the Bay Area Party. Join San Francisco magazine and Tango Diva as we toast the best people, places, and things that make the Bay Area the very best place to live, work, and play.

Enjoy endless entertainment for every obsession: eats, drinks, treats, drinks, and beats. Celebrate the best of the best with more than 55 restaurants including SPQR, Waterbar, supperclub, EOS, Prana, Le Bistro, Kara’s cupcake,; free flowing bars with signature cocktails, Trumer Pils beer, and the Sonoma Valley wine lounge; and dancing to the hottest sounds in the city, featuring Kid Beyond. Best of all, the party, benefits Family House.

Thursday, June 26
VIP 6-11 p.m., Main Event 7-11 p.m.
Concourse Exhibition Center
Buy tickets at www.sanfranmag.com before June 12th and save!

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BE THE FIRST TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE BIGGEST BASH OF THE YEAR!

Buy Tickets at www.sanfranmag.com

VIP $175 advance / $200 at the door
MAIN EVENT $100 advance / $125 at the door
YOU PAY ONLY $90 (PROMO CODE: TANGODIVA)

BUY EARLY! Tickets sold out in 2007 days before the event. Your tickets must be purchased before June 12th to get this discount and are based on availability. This offer will not be extended or offered again.

San Francisco magazine’s Best of the Bay Area 2008 benefits Family House and is presented in partnership with Wells Fargo, Cadillac I Hummer I Saab, Shreve & Co., Crunch Fitness, The Infinity, Trumer Pils, and Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance. Produced by Dominic Phillips Event Marketing. Venue partner: SFDC.

Put on your cruel shoes, big hat and stuff your cocktail money into your designer bag.

It was clear from the loud screams during the opening credits that this was going to be a crowd pleaser. You got your four gals, their love interests, gay pals, and new for this film, the obligatory black side-kick girl friend. Jennifer Hudson, you rock girl.

Two and a half hours didn’t exactly fly by, rather it felt like blitzing an entire season on a great big screen.

Highlights: Fully exposed male member,hot simulated sex, fashion, weddings, girl bonding, lots and lots of shoes, & Big’s real name and email address John@jjpny.com.

Favorite Quotes: “40 is the last year a woman can be photographed in a bridal dress without the unintended Diane Arbus reference”.

“Why is it that we are willing to write our own vows, but not our own rules.”

Personally i have a hard time with the well worn plot twists based on a misunderstanding. I spent a good 80% of the film with an anxious pit in my stomach wondering when the other shoe was going to drop. Oh why doesn’t she just check her voice mail messages and see that her man was just working through his own issues. Ultimately these misunderstandings served as life lessons for our gals as they struggled with their relationship issues. Samantha ponders the loss of her identity as part of a “we”. Miranda and Carrie turn their lives upside down before they come around to seeing their love interest’s point of view. Growing up means realizing it’s not all about you anymore. Unless of course that’s the kind of life you choose. Without revealing the ending I will state that there were smiles all over the lobby, but by the time I got to the parking lot below I found myself front and center of a huge verbal girl fight over blocking the exit lane. Perhaps all those 20 something audience members were in a sublimated funk pondering the concept of becoming a 40 something single.

One of my most surprising discoveries at the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (detailed report in a few days) was not a new alligator gumbo, praline flavor or cajun spice blend– it was my first tasting/sighting of acclaimed film director and California wine maker’s FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’s new collection of European wines. Hadn’t heard boo about it here in California, but it created quite a stir in New Orleans as his new imported line, ENCYCLOPEDIA, is quite a departure from his usual offerings.

1. It is called ENCYCLOPEDIA because they have hand-selected wines from around the world to help you discover how wine is enjoyed and influenced by a country’s culture,geography, history, food and religion.

2. They are opening with a very tight line of only 4 wines: Cabernet Sauvignon from France, Pinot Grigio from Italy, Tempranillo from Spain and Riesling from Germany. I sampled the Riesling and thought it was a great balance of fruit flavors, with a touch of spice and minerals and a hint of sweetness complemented by some nice acidity.

3. Kitschy flask-shaped bottles are being used with brightly colored screw caps with a color-coordinated map for the label.

4. ENCYCLOPEDIA is being heavily marketed to the “millennial’s.” It will use trendy marketing by generating on-line buzz through lifestyle websites and events. Their website Knowine.com will not only offer wine-drinking anecdotes and vineyard critiques from all over Europe but also has videos , photos, and travelogues supplied by some mysterious ” Nick” person, surrounding each wine.

Wonder if Imelda owns a pair or twelve? Actually, the cool thing is that you only need to buy one pair and you’ll be able to create at least 12 different looks. The other cool thing is that these innovative sandals ( patent-pending) are cruelty free-to both you and the animals-since they are made completely from reclaimed materials (gorgeous hand rubbed woods and recycled tires) and are amazingly comfy to walk in.

Chicago based designer, Annie Mohaupt, was previously an architect, where she learned all about form and function. Throw in some beauty and creativity and you have the interchangeable Mohop Sandal.

Ordering is as easy as doing the Hokey-pokey.

1. Go to website.

2. Pick your style: either wedge or a heel that comes in three heights.

3. Select your group of 5 ribbons from categories such as stripes, nautical, metallic etc.

4. Wait impatiently for them to arrive. Since Mohops are all handmade they will take about 6-8 weeks to arrive.

5. Tear open the box and find your Mohops, complete with an organza travel bag, a ‘how to tie’ booklet, and a re-useable translucent shoe box.

Okay, not ‘with’ her but near her! Dalia Itzik is Israel’s Speaker of the Knesset and first woman to hold the post! I was enjoying supreme squid at Manta Ray, the very best beach-side cafe in Tel Aviv, and marveling as this petite powerhouse sauntered in with male attendants in tow.

The waves rolled by, the awesome food kept coming like baba ghanoush and other Mediterranean salads with pita, and our spot was so hot that even our waiter was ’someone’–he was a VJ on local MTV!

So the next time you are in Tel Aviv, be sure to mangia at Manta Ray! The vibe is fresh, the patrons are It Listers, there is a whole mimosa menu (!!), and with all the sea-side decor, you’ll swear you’re in San Diego.

Manta Ray
Alma Beach (southern side of the promenade) between Tel Aviv and Jaffa, nearer to Jaffa
Price: NIS 80-150 pp
Tel: (03) 517-4773
Open: Sun-Sat 9:00-24:00

We spent an incredible afternoon in one of the 14 wine regions in Chile drinking wine, eating amazing BBQ beef, and watching beautiful Chilean horses prance.

If you are in Chile, I high recommend a day of wine tasting and a stop at Puro Caballo restaurant, horse farm, and show. It is around an hour outside of Santiago, Chile on the way to the coastal town of Valparaiso.

It is a tricky ride out there, so you need to hire a driver or rent a car to get there. It is out in the country, but it really is worth a day tour.

While we were there, our Tango Diva correspondent Andrew interviews two girls who moved to Chile to teach English and learn Spanish. This is what every 20-something should do! GO out and see the world!!

Divas - Can you imagine running on the streets of LA?
Put on Your Shades, and Get Going With Off ‘N Running Tours

Off ‘N Running Tours introduces their latest tour, “Running from the Paparazzi”.

An exciting 4-mile run from Wilshire Boulevard to glamorous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, through Hollywood and past eclectic shops on Robertson Boulevard.

Grace the streets of Beverly Hills in record time, doing some quick window-shopping and Celeb watching, while avoiding the forever-flashing paparazzi! This popular tour is becoming famous, so book your time and date. Don’t be left out of the headlines!

Check out www.offnrunningtours.com to sign up for our next run.

Additionally, OFF ‘N RUNNING TOURS has other running tours in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and West Los Angeles - designed for runners of all levels.

They offer a GREAT alternative to working out in your Hotel.

The atmosphere and energy will get you motivated and you’ll make new friends while having fun. The cost for this 4-mile adventure is $60 per person, which includes an exclusively designed Running from the Paparazzi T-Shirt, bottled water, fresh fruit, and ends with a rewarding frosted cupcake! Only a celebrity would do that!

Tours run daily, 1.5 hours per tour, through December 31, 2009.

I am so bummed that I won’t be able to make the 10th Stowe Wine and Food Classic, June 20-22nd at Trapp Family Lodge, selected by Travel & Leisure as one of the world’s 500 best hotels. (And yup, it’s still owned by members of the same von Trapp family portrayed in the movie classic, “The Sound of Music”.) I’m sure most of you think “ski resort” when they think of Stowe, but listen up, people…it ain’t called The Green Mountain State for nothing! It also offers some gorgeous hiking…which you’d better plan on doing after you see what’s in store for you at the Classic.

This special culinary weekend will be filled with an abundance of food from around the world to taste (with special tribute to the Lodge’s Austrian & Vermont influences) and even more wine flowing (100 different kinds!). Highlighted by a grand wine tasting, a gala dinner and live auction, and cooking demonstrations, it is unlike any other food festival in the region.Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef of 10 years, Art Smith, who was a guest judge on the smash BRAVO TV hit Top Chef this season, will be headlining the cooking demonstrations on Sunday.

For reservations, please call (800) 826-7000 and mention the Stowe Wine & Food Classic.