I hope you've been enjoying all the "Cuando Sali de Cuba" stories from the various contributors. I know I certainly have. I always tell people that there are as many amazing escape-from-the-island stories as there are Cubans in the U.S. Thanks for proving my point. I'll be sharing more stories in this space in the coming ...
Archives for September 2012
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Roland’s Story
Marta here: This story is really about Roland's mother. I love how totally genious she was in preparing her young son to leave Cuba at any given moment. as told to Lucy Vega In 1966, little Roly Vega was just 4 years old, born in Habana and living in Camajuani, Las Villas in Cuba. Castro had been in control of Cuba for over 5 years and his ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Estrella’s Story
Marta here: Estrella was 10 years old and part of the historic Mariel Boatlift which happened 32 years ago and brought more than 125,000 (!) Cubans to America's shore and to freedom. Mariel: Remembering the Boatlift By Estrella Diaz-Quibus My parents and I were part of the Mariel boatlift, where hundreds of thousands of Cubans ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Carmen’s Story
Marta here: Carmen tells a beautiful story about her family's many and painful losses after the Cuban Revolution and about their personal triumphs here in America. (Get tissues.) by Carmen McPherson I was born on July 23, 1960 in Santiago, on the beautiful island of Cuba. My parents were born and raised in Cuba. My father had attended ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Henry’s Story
Marta here: Today's entry in my continuing series of "coming to America" stories contributed by readers, Henry tells about his family, who are proud Americans with Cuban roots and his memories of growing up Cuban in Little Havana in the 70's. by Henry J. Celorio I was born in Miami, but my family was from Cuba. My mom and ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – “El Gallito” – Theresa’s story
Marta here: I'm celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Cuban-Style with a series of stories about Cuban American families: Cuando Sali de Cuba, stories of courage and hope. This is a short story by Theresa Cecilia Garcia Trilla (Theresa C. Newbill) submitted by Isabelle Ann Newbill. El Gallito (The Rooster) "El Gallito" is a ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – stories of Courage and Hope
Every year around this time, I start to get requests for a story or a recipe to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. It struck me that it would be fitting during this month of heritage celebration to tell the stories of Cubans who had to flee their island home to make a new life here in the U.S. So, I put out the request to my readers and you have ...
Everyone Should Have a Giant Chalkboard
Back at the beginning of the summer I had the opportunity to host a big birthday bash. It was a joint birthday party for my sister, Helen who would be turning 70 and my daughter, Amy Kikita who was going to be 29. Because we entertain so often, we have tons of dishes and silverware and vases and cups and tablecloths and all the sorts of things to ...
9/11 – Remembering
Eleven years ago today, the 11th of September, I remember awakening to the news that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center Towers. So odd and random. It was before 6 am here in Southern California and had to take my son, Adam to school. By the time I returned home, a second plane had crashed into the second tower and the real horror of what ...
La Virgen de La Caridad – A Personal History
September 8, 1961. My family had been in the U.S. for seven long months. There was still a longing for anything or anyone that reminded us of "home." We eagerly waited for news that the revolution had failed and that the new regime had fallen and that we would soon be heading back to all things familiar. The Catholic Archdiocese of ...
Croqueta Talk
Every now and then I get invited to be a guest on someone's radio show and talk about my life and about Cuban food. I never, ever say no, but that's not important right now. Tonight at 7 pm Pacific, I'll be a guest on Silvio Canto Jr.'s radio show, along with the lovely and talented Sonia Martinez, another amazing Cuban cook who ...
