I've been saying from the beginning of this month that I was too tired to "do" Halloween this year. I insisted that they were getting too old for this. (Notice I didn't say the "I" on that one? I know. Shut up.) Let's just shut off all the lights and sit upstairs in the dark and watch movies and ignore the ...
Archives for October 2012
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Ada’s Story
Marta here: I have more stories than I could fit into just one month. I am going to share them once a week. Thank you all for having the courage to share the details of the most difficult time in your life. Today's story comes from Ada. Being able to leave Cuba after just having had surgery was worth the risk. by Ada Owens My mom, my dad, my ...
Is Anybody Listening?
It's barely 5:30 AM. I'm in the uber-hip offices of NPR in Los Angeles waiting to be called into the studio. I'm cooling my heels in the lobby as I wait to be summoned into a recording studio to tape a segment about my recollections of the Cuban Missile Crisis. October 22, 1962. I was only 7 years old and my family was living in ...
Remembering Papi. Resolviendo – Cuban style
My dad was an Electrical Engineer. A Cuban Engineer. Which made him brilliant and innovative with just a touch of Mad Scientist to him. When we first arrived in this country, someone had given us a very old, very used, five foot tall refrigerator. We were grateful to have it, since we arrived here with nothing. A gift of a large appliance, no ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Edilia’s Story
Marta here: My heart was aching as I first read Edilia's story. Imagine being a newlywed in Castro's Cuba and looking for a chance to get out and start a new life. By Edilia Beltran Pinero My full name is Josefa Edilia Beltran Bermudez de Pinero. I was 13 years old when Castro came into power. I did not understand much ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Silvia’s Story
Marta here: Silvia shares her story today forthe first time. It was very emotional for her to travel back in time to those last painful years her family spent waiting for the Freedom Flight that would bring them to the America. I'm grateful to Silvia's daughter, my online friend, Maribel, for convincing her mom to finally share her ...
MBFCF Giveaway Week is over – And the Winners are…
Thank you. I'm so grateful that so many of you joined in my 6th Blogiversary Celebration Week. I am humbled by your wonderful response and good wishes. I so love when you play along with me, but that's not important right now. Sometimes I think I've told all the stories I have to tell and that I don't have one creative bone ...
From Marta. With Love. (MBFCF Giveaway #6)
First, I want to thank you all for your extraordinary participation and engagement this past week as I celebrate my 6th year in the land of Blogging. Today, I want to share some of my own memories of “Cuando Sali de Cuba.” The times that I remember the most from my childhood, come to me in the form of grainy super-8 film and fading snapshots. ...
Freshly Ground Heaven (MBFCF Giveaway #5)
Last month I was privileged to visit the Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Roasters in Vernon, California. The occasion was the introduction of the new Gaviña Holiday Collection. That's right, people. A COLLECTION. Of COFFEE. *swoon* The Gaviña Holiday Collection (!) is a selection of seasonal coffees especially curated to “warm the hearts of coffee ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba (or not) – Christina’s Story (MBFCF Giveaway #4)
Marta here: I first met Christina, author of The Red Umbrella, a couple of years ago at Cuba Nostalgia in Miami. My first impression of her was that she was "the real deal." She cares deeply about her subject matter because, in the case of The Red Umbrella, it is very close to her family's story. She has been gracious enough to share ...
When the Zombie Apocalypse Happens, Havana Will Be Ready
And now for something completely different.... I don't usually enjoy horror movies. Wait. Let me rephrase. I don't like horror movies. At all. In fact, I hate them. They're usually so... well, horrific. (But I did enjoy An American Werewolf in London back in the day, mostly because of the comedic elements, but I'll deny it if ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Elena’s Story
Marta here: Most Cubans are familiar with Santayana Jewelers. They are a mainstay of the Cuban exile community in Miami. I'm delighted that Elena Santayana has graciously agreed to share her family's stories. Her memories of growing up Santayana are both hilarious and poignant. (Translations to her Cubanisms are marked with a red * and are at the ...
Celebrating Six Years in the Blogosphere (MBFCF Giveaway WEEK!)
If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know that I love any occasion to celebrate. So, you're probably asking, "What are we celebrating today, Marta?" Let me tell you. Today marks the 6th Blogiversary of My big, fat, Cuban family on the Web. GUAT? I know. Shut up. That's right, people! SIX. ...
