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My big, fat, EXTENDED Cuban family

April 13, 2007 By Marta Darby 6 Comments

3_babies_1955 All cheeks and lips and missing a shoe.

That’s me circa early 1956.
My two cranky companions are my cousins, Maria and Ileana. They are not as cranky anymore. In fact, they are downright delightful. 😉

They live in Miami.
And I live in California.

The reason I’m thinking about them is that I get to close the 3000 mile gap between us in about a month.

I’m going to Miami, home of all-things Cuban. I"m taking Amy and my mom with me.

Primas043 We are going specifically for Cuba Nostalgia. But the family buzz has already begun.

We have our choice between 3 different places to stay. So far. And a car at our disposal. And what would we like to eat?

Already the phone and emails are buzzing:

"Hildita will want to see you. And so will the Lechugas.  Josefina and Alejo want to cook dinner for you."

My birthday falls on the weekend we will be there. It happens to coincide with Cuban Independence Day and I always used to think they were celebrating because of me. Such is my arrogance. =D  So, of course, there will be a party.

And I’m so looking forward to meeting my Cuban blogging friends. That is going to be a big party. I can’t wait. Val has invited me to come and cook at the Babalú booth, but I think this being my first time, I will just come and EAT. (which is really what I do best and Miami is the place to get the very best Cuban food on the planet. =D)  Amy and I have committed to help Carrie in the Los Pollitos booth.  I can’t wait. (did I say that already?)

I’m so looking forward to meeting all of you.  Please come and introduce yourself if you recognize my smiling face.

My plan is to drink in all this love. My plan is to let them feed me and love on me. My plan is to laugh a lot and see a lot and hug and kiss a lot. I think it’s a good plan.

There is nothing like Cuban hospitality. Nothing.

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Filed Under: Cuban-American Life Tagged With: travel

Previous Post: « Cooking for George
Next Post: The Hilarity Never Ends »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Annie says

    April 13, 2007 at 12:09 am

    I’m so jealous! I want to go too, but in my ‘condition’ the doc says I’m not allowed to fly. Maybe next year!

    Reply
  2. Eric says

    April 13, 2007 at 4:42 pm

    And I quote: “There is nothing like Cuban hospitality. Nothing.”Amen to that.
    🙂

    Reply
  3. Carrie says

    April 14, 2007 at 12:14 am

    So glad the “slight” pressure from your daughter and me worked. See you soon!

    Reply
  4. alysa says

    April 14, 2007 at 10:08 am

    Wow! Adam and you have identical baby pictures.Amazing!

    Reply
  5. Melek says

    April 16, 2007 at 5:27 am

    I know you will have a great time! You always manage to have the right attitude … I to also make it that way one of these years … God Willing … I’m looking forward to reading your posts on the Cuba Nostalgia experience.I wish you well 🙂 Melek
    “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~ Marcel Proust

    Reply
  6. keb says

    April 16, 2007 at 6:41 am

    no matter how hard we try, we never get to all the topics needing discussion. I specifically intended to ask about the miami trip fri; now how’d it get by me? Too many other items on our yak agenda…. hope it’s too much fun, you could use a vaca about now.

    Reply

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Deseándole mucha felicidad a nuestro querido @will Deseándole mucha felicidad a nuestro querido @willychirino por sus cumpleaños! 🎂LA friends: Don’t miss Willy at the Downey theatre on May 8th and 9th, 2026! Come celebrate with us! 🎉See you there! Ey-o Ey-o! 🕺🏼💃🏻#willychirino
In these days of great uncertainty, it’s our cheri In these days of great uncertainty, it’s our cherished rituals that bring us comfort and provide great joy. 🇨🇺☕️Also, I really need the jolt of caffeine💥 but that’s not important right now.😉@cafelallave#thedrinkofmypeople🇨🇺☕️ #cafecubano #cafecito #cafelallave #itsacubanthing
🚨ATTENTION LOS ANGELES!!Get ready to meet all of 🚨ATTENTION LOS ANGELES!!Get ready to meet all of the local like-minded Cubans who are ready to celebrate the death of communism on our beloved island! 🇨🇺We’ll be meeting at the Federal Building in Westwood.
Saturday, March 28, 2026
From 10 am to 12 pm.Bring your family and friends, your cazuelas y pitos, and of course ALL your Cubanity!
Porque nuestro día YA LLEGÓ!!! 🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺
Ahora si se está formando! Come be a part of the celebration of history being made! 🙏🏼🇨🇺🎉❤️
After 67 years, they’re finally listening to us and we deserve to be heard.
Also, we deserve to PARTY!! 🎉In memory of our beloved Ziva Sahl, Fernando Marquez, Delia & Miguel Abascal and all our beloved dear ones who waited rather impatiently for this day. 🙏🏼🥰Que viva Cuba Libre!! 🇨🇺❤️
I’ll see you there!!🇨🇺🥰#patriayvida
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day, friends! ☘️ Today I’m O’C Happy St. Patrick’s Day, friends! ☘️
Today I’m O’Cuban. But my mom used to say I was “sinvergüenza.”
It tracks. 🙄Sláinte! 🍻😉#belikemarta 🖖🏼😎
My family left Cuba in early 1961.My brother was My family left Cuba in early 1961.My brother was on the first Pedro Pan flight in December of 1960. Happily, my family was only separated for a few very tense months. But we were part of the lucky few who managed to leave the country rather quickly.Once reunited, my father vowed we’d never be separated again and so when my older sisters were to be married in California, he packed up the family and we never looked back.We lived in Miami for the first 3 years of our exile, before my parents moved us across the country, and so we made our lives in Southern California.As Cubans in California – “en el exilio del exilio” – we managed to find other Cuban families and connected with the familiar community of people who spoke our language and recognized our customs and our food.I’ve told the story of my family’s exile many times using whatever words the Lord sees fit to give my feeble brain.Tonight, I’m a white haired 70 year old grandmother (call me Wella😉) living in Southern California with the family my husband and I have created.My parents passed away years ago. (And I unabashedly miss them daily💔).What’s happening tonight (on the island that saw me born) is that the people have taken to the streets armed with nothing but pots and pans and have been banging them for 12 hours as of this writing, calling for “Libertad!”Who could believe we would actually see this day?
Who can sleep when freedom is so close you can taste it?Praying for the brave people of Cuba. May liberation come quickly! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼Also, I’m shining up my own pots and pans. It’s almost time.
There are just no words for this moment.
This is OUR Berlin Wall moment and the cracks are already stating to show.#patriayvida
#soscuba🇨🇺
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Happy #305Day, Miami! ☕️🇨🇺With espresso love fro Happy #305Day, Miami! ☕️🇨🇺With espresso love from Southern California. ❤️#mybigfatcubafamily
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Public Service Announcement: 🗣️ “We’re all brave u Public Service Announcement:
🗣️ “We’re all brave until we realize the cockroach has wings.”
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Happy Monday! 😉#mybigfatcubanfamily
Ahora como nunca, como lo dice mi socio, el gran @ Ahora como nunca, como lo dice mi socio, el gran @willychirino …“Nuestro día ya viene llegando.”May God be with the Cuban people as the hour draws near.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
At this point, I feel like this is an important pu At this point, I feel like this is an important public service announcement.
Write it down. ✍🏼
🗣️Repeat it.
Believe it. 👍🏼
Don’t come at me. ✋🏼
Ya tu sabes. 😘#ohthecubanity🇨🇺
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Coffee Day! ☕️Make mine @cafelallave!Also, I’m celebrating 19 Years in the Blogosphere today! Woohoo!!🥳Please join me over on my blog for all the *“RELAJO!” 🎉💃🏻*(That’s Cuban for BIG FUN.)https://bit.ly/4gUtFqv
Where in the world is My Big Fat Cuban Family Mart Where in the world is My Big Fat Cuban Family Marta? 🌎 👀I’ve been so super obviously absent from all my socials, let alone my blog itself.
For a while there, I was overwhelmed by the once easy task of documenting my day-to-day life.Everywhere I looked, people moved on to high production video and I was hopelessly lost, so I put writing on the shelf and happily got caught up on all the seasons I’ve missed from the Great British Baking Show.But then, as I often say, “life is in session,” and my life was accumulating entire chapters before I could even type, “Oh, the Cubanity!”Which brings us to today. I’m starting to dip my toe back into writing online. Mostly, I miss the writing and telling about my extraordinarily ordinary life and the daily happenings at Casa de la Loma.So, tell me: Do you have any questions for me as I get back into the over-sharing of my days? 👀#mybigfatcubanfamily #belikemarta #callmewella #mbfcf
Starting my day as God intended. Amen. 🇨🇺☕️#cafe Starting my day as God intended. Amen. 🇨🇺☕️#cafecubano☕️
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I have a gift for you today on the blog. 🎁 These C I have a gift for you today on the blog. 🎁 These Classic Cuban Crema de Vie printable labels designed by the lovely and talented @lucyruthdarby // I also share the recipe for our amazing Cuban egg nog. // 🇨🇺❤️ Merry Christmas, my friends.🎄 #itsacubanthing
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Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites. You should totally Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites. You should totally make these for Thanksgiving. Also, practice taking bows and saying, “it was nothing.” 🇨🇺🎉🏆 Here’s the link -  bit.ly/GuavaBites #thefoodofmypeople #guavabites
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