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 ...
Cooking for George
I cook Cuban at least a couple of times a week. More so lately, since I keep trying recipes to share at Babalú. The problem is that I cook "by ear." I just start throwing things into the mix and it's hard to explain exactly what I did. So now, I have been careful to write down ingredients and have Lucy take pictures while I'm ...
All you need is LOVE
Back in September, Eric had to go to Las Vegas on a business trip for 4 days. Yes, I know. That was my first thought, too.Vegas and business in the same sentence is totally oxymoronic. ;-) But they were putting him up at the Wynn, and I never say no to a chance to go to Vegas. Which is how I wound up having to "amuse" myself ...
The Man Cub
It is no longer safe for Mowgli, the Man-Cub to stay in the jungle. Bagheera, the panther has to take him back to the man-village. . . To Ben (my grand-nephew- almost 2), this scene from the movie, The Jungle Book is completely riveting. Every time. Every day. At least 6 times a day.How does this not get old?? We have a routine, actually.He ...
Take Your Place
I can be pretty rigid. I admit it.I would however, argue that I am just old enough to know what I want. Or maybe I'm just rigid. ;-) Last night Adam cooked dinner.He barbecued a beautiful tri-tip and made scalloped and garlic mashed potatoes. So we could choose. I guess it's kind of unusual for a 20 year old to be doing this for his family. ...
Happy Easter, My Peeps
My husband's birthday is this month.The 17th to be exact.And sometimes it falls on Easter Sunday. But not this year. In case you were burning with curiosity as to why Easter seems to bounce around each year, while Christmas gets to stay happily put on the 25th of December.... "Easter Sunday is the date of the annual celebration of Christ's ...
What do you wear to an intervention?
I used to go to confession on Good Friday. But, I think this will have to suffice . . . I took my kids to the local mall yesterday. If I actually have to step inside the place, it is usually with a Purpose. And an hour is really the most I can bear in the windowless, timeless world of retail.But not yesterday.Yesterday Jonathan and I were killing ...
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Luke: "Uncle Owen, this R2 Unit has a bad motivator. Look!" Uncle Owen: "Hey! What are you trying to push on us?" Threepio: "Excuse me, sir. But that R2 Unit is in perfect condition. A real bargain." Luke: "Uncle Owen! What about that one?" Uncle Owen: "What about that blue one? We'll take that ...
Where is the love?
How I got my grown kids to come home for dinner. . . I sent them this picture on their cell phones with the following message:"The food's brown, hot, and there's plenty of it."(from City Slickers) I'm cooking "Crockpot Ropa Vieja" today at Babalú. You're loving me now, aren't you? =D ...
L’chaim (“to life!”)
On a recent trip to Florida, I made Eric go with me to the bowels of southwest Miami to hunt down the places of my childhood. This is me in front of Silver Bluff Elementary where I went to school as a newly arrived Cuban refugee. It was here that I learned to read back in the See-Spot-Run days. And it was here in this public school ...
