I have to confess I've been feeling guilty.Guilty in that really deliciously tragic Cuban-martyr way. I haven't spent much time with my mom and visiting aunt. (Say it ain't so!!!) Because . . .I've only been shuttling my cousin and her husband All Over Southern California.And homeschooling my kids.And cooking gourmet meals.And running my ...
Afro-Cuban after all . . .
I thought I knew my mom inside and out, but she is still able to surprise and amaze me. (Hi everyone, it's me, Amy) Let me give you some background . . . One of my very dear and very beautiful friends, Sheila (Not the blond. That's my other friend, Ashli, but that's not important right now), works for her mother's non-profit organization ...
Giving thanks
When people come into my home I have a very high value for them to feel welcome and relaxed. I want them to feel like they are special and that they "belong" here. I don't know if I always achieve that goal, but I always try. This is one of the ways I show hospitality. I make and send invitations. For ...
My sweet lort
My Cuban cousins first met Eric about five years ago. They loved him immediately and, of course, gave him a nickname. (I think it's some sort of ancient mandate originally written into our constitution that all Cubans should have a nickname, but that's not important right now.) When they learned he was of English ancestry, that did it. ...
Felony Blond
Amy was deeply involved telling my cousin a story as we walked down Hollywood Blvd. I tried to get their attention to point out the real-life Spiderman wannabe squatting on the trashcan (just four feet away!), so I called out to them. Nope. They missed him completely. Later. . . Me: "Did you see Spiderman?" Amy: "No. ...
All funned out.
Oh yes, I did. I had that beautiful pastelito refugiado (that I picked up yesterday at Porto's , she said proudly). For breakfast! With a hot cup of coffee. In front of that delicious crackling fire. And I sat. And didn't speak. And just decadently read my book. And when the kids woke up they joined me. With their books. And there we sat. ...
Stuff I only do when I have out-of-town guests and then remember how much cool stuff there is to do around here.
Okay, so I could be thinking of really cool stuff I can blog about, except for I have other responsibilities this week. There's nothing like having out-of-town guests who want to see everything they possibly can in the few days they're here. So, I'm obviously not blogging,I'm being the quintessential Tour Guide. "Prima ...
I’ve been busy.
You're probably wondering where I've been the past few days. I've . . . Traveled from Balboa Island to The Fun Zone on a ferry with my cousins.Left footprints in the sand of beautiful Laguna Beach.Visited the World's Largest Thermometer in Baker, CA. (Gateway to Death Valley - what a great touristic selling point!)Posed for a picture in the ...
It starts. . .
I have creative kids and I'm always proud to share their exploits. This particular film was made by Amy, but the song was written and performed by Adam. It was the highlight of our family reunion. I've told you before about our big, fat family reunion which I held here in my home in 2002. It was in that post that I explained about what ...
“Que es chutney?” – a rant.
There is a (faux) "Cuban" restaurant in a city one area code away from us. I won't even mention it's name because it was so awful. I suppose an unbiased person (which, when it comes to Cuban food, I am so NOT) would have been taken in by the lovely patio ambiance and the "soft" salsa floating out of the concealed ...
