The Latin invasion continues

The Triangle has so many Latin-themed nights that you can break a sweat at salsa and show off your samba at least once a week.

If you're a fan of these events, you probably know about the weekly Latin Night on Thursdays at the Red Room (510 Glenwood Ave.) and the First Friday Latin/International Dance Party at Spice Street (201 S. Estes Drive), both staged by TriangleFiesta.com in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, respectively.

But now there's a newcomer on the scene.

Escandalo Entertainment has partnered with Carmen's Cuban Cafe and Lounge (108 Factory Shops Road) to fill a different niche on the Triangle nightlife scene. Appropriately titled, the Best of Both Worlds, the event offers salsa, merengue, bachata and Reggaeton in the main room and hip-hop, reggae and R&B in the lounge area.

The action gets under way on the second Saturday of the month at 9:30 p.m. when Mambo Dinamico sponsors a free one-hour salsa and merengue dance lesson. After that, the lights go down, swirling visuals appear on the walls and the music heats up. Free champagne circulates for a good portion of the night, but you can also find a deal in the $3 apple martinis and $2 draft. Ladies are in free until 11:30 p.m., but guys have to shell out $10.

Carmen's and Mambo Dinamico also host a Salsa After Work party every Tuesday. One-hour classes for beginners and advanced beginners in salsa and mambo begin at 7 p.m. sharp. For $15, you'll get instruction in all the fundamentals for salsa, mambo and cha-cha dancing such as leading and following techniques, timing, Cuban motion, spinning techniques and partner connection. If you already know your way around the dance floor, skip the class (and save the $15) and come at 8 p.m. for the free social dance (and a free buffet, too).

In Durham, fans of Starlu (3211 Shannon Road, Suite 106) have a new reason to head to this eclectic American restaurant after-hours. The bar manager has concocted some yummy and innovative libations great for beating the summer heat. The Key Lime Martini (Stoli Vanil, fresh lime juice and a dash of Frangelico) and the Sympathy for the Devil (passionfruit puree, Patron Silver tequila, Cointreau and dashes of peach schnapps and grenadine) are among just a couple of the dozen or so new cocktails. Starlu also offers a late-night menu from 10 p.m. to midnight on the weekends with a couple of salads, a few gourmet hot dogs (one decadently topped with seared foie gras and maple syrup and another in which the hot dog is wrapped in bacon, deep-fried and topped with peanut butter) and a handful of desserts.