So, thanks to a customer, the Firebird Tango Dream is alive and kicking…

La Catedral, my home away from home is where my life changed forever. Months learning to dance tango, to breathe, changed my way of being and the things I value – along with how I share my energy and what I believed about myself.

When I returned to New Zealand after a year away, I was determined not to fall back into my old life habits and set about bringing the dream to open a tango cafe to life. I wanted it to be modelled loosely on La Catedral; one where I might have an outside courtyard and an inside dance space with a bar, art gallery and cafe, and one or two small side studios for lessons. It would ideally be open 24/7 and hold space for other dance modes and different teachers, as well as regular social dances. I would serve Argentinian street food such as Choripan and empanadas, pizza, tapas, red wine and black beer and the overall aesthetic would be an elegant cobbled-together look…it has taken some time but the dream is about to become manifest!

I have always thought since having Gloria the little red Caravan, that I could have a roll-out dance floor and park up at the beach somewhere early evening, and serve food and have tango dancing outside…lessons maybe and a brazier…so far it hasnt happened but now there is Firebird the Cafe and one awesome customer (thanks Grace!) introduced me to a tango teacher who would teach there. Not only, but also, another visitor brought a Wellington Tango band into my periphery and now we are only to have the dance floor made – and voila! Tango at the Bird!!

…so while this blog session has been parked up in draft mode for a week or two, some amazing stuff has happened!!

So La Wellington Tipica tango band performed at Firebird on Sunday evening 22nd May – So exciting! AND I asked Levin iTM if they might like to sponsor the materials for a dance floor and they said YES!!!! They ROCK big time!! …pizza lunch heading your way!!

Thankyou so much to Bradley Duncan for building a beautiful dance floor and Rhys Dwyer for helping with heavy lifting and nutting stuff out with us! Couldn’t have done it without you both! Almost finished but tango classes have already started (Mondays at 6:30pm)! Stage to move and a disco ball to find and install we are all business!

So all in all the Bird is in good shape and looking forward to hosting some great acts and meeting some new folks – get ye here!!

Oh and before I forget….we do have a wish list if anyone has anything they might want to rehome/repurpose …ceiling fan, mirror ball (large), long length of warm white fairy lights (indoor), black stain or paint (a couple of litres)… cheers!

Until next time… Infinite Love and Gratitude to you all 🙏🏼❤️