We took my mom to Legoland today. That statement right there sounds like a joke, doesn't it? Okay, so here's proof. Of course, in my family, we always seem to travel in a pack. (herd? gaggle? flock?) Whatever. We do stuff together.A lot of stuff. Well . . . just about everything. And we think it's NORMAL.Well . . . okay. It's probably not ...
Archives for March 2007
The Cheese Stands Alone
I was willing. Really I was.A houseful of people to cook for?Count me in!But, it wasn't meant to be."Mom, can we just order pizza?"ORDER PIZZA??Blasphemy!Of course not. If you must have pizza, I will make homemade pizzas for a dozen people. Cheese, pepperoni, mushroom & onion, garlic, tomato & basil. And serve sugary drinks.And ...
Salsa Fresca Recipe: And now for something completely different…
I don't dare post pictures of what I have been up to in the kitchen anymore without posting the recipe. (I get emails...) I know I usually post about Cuban food, but I wanted to share one of my family's favorite foods with a Mexican influence. Believe it. My family moved to California in 1964. My oldest sister was pregnant with the first ...
A Decorating “Fiesta”
In the late 50's in Cuba, my family always spent summers at the beach in Varadero. By family, I mean my five siblings, 14 cousins, parents, aunts, uncles, grandmother. ALL OF US.My big, fat, EXTENDED Cuban family. The parents took turns commuting to and from Havana. All of us cousins were there for the duration. With so many mouths to feed, the ...
Salon Hair and Rum
There are certain rules that I live by as a Cuban woman.One very important one is that if I spend a Saturday morning at the Hair Salon (thanks, Kate!), I will not be cooking for anyone on Saturday night. And in fact, Husband should be prepared to actually take me out on a date. Seriously, Salon Hair should NOT be wasted. He's been ...
Can it be true??
This is my niece, Natalie.(whom I ADORE.)This picture is not in any way unusual. She always just brings drama with her wherever she goes.She can't help it. She's an artist.A tortured artist.Like me.(Only she's a thousand times more talented and I'm just, well... tortured. =D)She's 17 today. Seventeen?? How is that possible?If she's 17, that would ...
We know that it’s probably magic…
I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in Intelligent Design. And I tend to be observant. I was listening to Lucy practice the piano this afternoon. The sweet notes of the music stinging my eyes. Then I noticed The Amazing Light. The sky was darkened with clouds, but the sun insisted on breaking through for a few final moments as it ...
Cuban Mush Pot
A conversation with Jonathan: "What's for dinner?" "Tamal en Cazuela." "Tamales?" "Sort of." "Doesn't cazuela mean a pot?" "Yes." "Ummm.... Mom... it's MUSH." "Yes, but it's Cuban-style-corn-mush with pork and lime and garlic. Try it." "I'll eat it. And I'll ...
Quien es mas macho?
I took Jonathan to get a haircut. I have been taking him to a local barbershop. The real old-school kind with a striped pole in the front and 4 chairs lined up against one wall. (I think this particular outing should really fall under Eric's job description as Dad - after all, Jonathan is 11 and having his Cuban mother take him to a place ...
The Lucy Show
This is what happens when you have creative women in the house and a rip in the knees of your jeans. I think I remember it being last year's JCrew catalog that showed patched jeans for about $300. (!!) At times like these I make my kids repeat these magical words: "Mi mamá cose." "My mother sews." Seriously, all that good ...
Full House
I always wished that mine would be the house where all the kids wanted to hang out. (even though it makes me absolutely crazy when kids say they are just going to hang out.)But I am so not "the cool mom."I'm pretty strict about voices and volume and feet on furniture and doors being open. I insist on "pleases" and "thank ...
God Save the Queen (or Princess)
As Cuban as I am, I have to remember that my daughter also has English Darby blood in her veins. And truly, she carries herself with such amazing confidence and poise. And I KNOW she didn't inherit that from me. =D We're in the middle of the Renaissance now in Junior High. Lucy goes to school one day a week with other homeschooled kids to get her ...
Lindbergh and Pepin – a random tale
Here is my mom with her dog, Lindbergh, circa 1930's. He was the terror of their tiny Cuban town of Manati. Yesterday, Val posted this cool picture of his father'slittle schoolhouse also in Manati, Cuba. I knew that my mom's family lived in Manati for years. So, I began asking her if she recognized the name “Prieto.” “Well, there was a kid ...
Cuando sali de Cuba…
This is my golden ticket. In 1961, it cost $21.60 for the 1/2 fare for children to fly the 90 miles from Havana to Miami. It's not lost on me that I can easily spend more than that to feed my family at McDonald's.And that the distance is about roughly from here to San Diego. I don't know if it is because we spent the first few years in exile ...
Promises, promises
Dork alert! I go a little nutty this time of year. I start walking around my garden and taking mental inventory of what is going on out there. Of course, I have my camera with me. And really, is there anything worth documenting yet? Well, technically...no. Then I notice that the lavender is pretty fragrant already and that the sweet peas are ...
