There's so much that I love about the holidays. My earliest Christmas memories are all filled with abundance and magic. I think one of my favorites happened as we were learning the language and the customs of our new adopted country. Our default greeting was always "Feliz Navidad." But here in the U.S. things were a little ...
It’s beginning to look a lot like…
I often say that the best part of Christmas for me is being Cuban. Our traditional Nochebuena celebration begins with the fabulousness that is Lechón Asado. A roasted pig. Or, if you don't have 50 of your closest relatives coming for dinner on Christmas Eve, then a 20 lb. pork shoulder will do. If you're a cheater, like me, you can also ...
My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Cubiche Christmas Gift Guide
Christmas shopping. I am so not the get-up-at-the-crack-of-dawn-to-snap-up-deals-on-Black-Friday type of person. I am much more the online-shopper-in-my-pjs type. (However, if you tell anyone about the PJ thing, I'll most certainly deny it, but that's not important right now.) It's just a matter of covering more territory while ...
Bodies and Shadows – Getting to know Caravaggio at LACMA
I am often invited to see and experience so many interesting and fun exhibits and shows that are specific to my general geographic location. For those of you who are geographically challenged by Southern California (no judgement, since you don't really know our state), we live in Orange County (The O.C.) about an hour south of Los Angeles and ...
Nochebuena is coming and everyone’s invited!
We Cubans celebrate December the 24th. It's our BIG Christmas celebration with the extended family. And when I say celebrate, I mean we pull out all the stops. It's a PARTY. The meal is usually roast pork (lechón asado), white rice, black beans, plantains, yuca con mojo. And a great big flan (and assorted sweets) for dessert. It's ...
“The Hobbit Book” Family Giveaway – A Winner
Thanks to all of you who entered The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Giveaway over the weekend. The correct answer to the "How many dwarves?" question is "13."They are: Fili, Kili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur and Thorin Oakenshield. The two youngest are Fili and Kili. Thorin Oakenshield is ...
“The Hobbit Book” Family Giveaway
It's no secret that we are über-nerds here at my house. Serious über-nerds. When the kids were all little, I used to love to read aloud to them. They always preferred for me to read to them because "Mom does the voices." (But that's not important right now.) And because we have homeschooled for years, we all spent a lot of time ...
CruZer Face Shavers – And the winners are…
Thanks to all of you who participated in the comment giveaway for the Braun CruZer Face and the Beard&Head Trimmers. I chose the winners just now. I had to laugh because both of the winners were men. How cool is that? (This pleased me greatly.)Me with two of my hairy guys. So thank you to all the men who read My big, fat, Cuban Family and ...
Movember Madness – A Giveaway
I have a husband and two grown sons. Adam is 26 and Jonathan is 16. Facial hair removal is a constant around here, although I have to admit, it's something that's not really on my radar. They shave. Or they don't shave. I don't really notice...unless it gets too scruffy. Then I'm kind of a mental patient. (I know. Shut ...
Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving is obviously a very uniquely American holiday. Which is the perfect time for us to celebrate because we're a uniquely American family. Cuban-American, that is. I have the privilege of hosting my big, fat, Cuban family here in my home this year. It's going to be a smaller group than usual. Only about 20 of us, because not ...
