From Thomas Jefferson's Monticello to Ronald Reagan's Rancho del Cielo to Bilbo Baggins' Bag End, I have always been fascinated by homes with names. I have always liked the idea of a home being so deliciously different from all others that it needs a name of its own. But how does one go about deciding on a name for a home? And ...
Kikita and La Casa de la Loma
Kikita wrote this post about her recent trip to Cuba; depending on the kind of person you are you may or may not need tissues.Have you ever had one of those moments where you thought, "Dang it! I should have taken more pictures!"? I am having one of those moments. At the time, I was worried about running out of battery power or ...
Feliz Pascua!
My garden is fragrant and full of new life. I am crazy-happy with all of the beautiful colors and of course, torn by the usual dilemma: Do I leave the flowers on their bushes to bloom and grow and fade naturally? (And therefore let my neighbors enjoy the beauty that is Marta's Garden in the spring?) Or do I trim off some of the ...
The Sound of Silence
The following post was written by Kikita. The Damas en Blanco (Ladies in White) held their demonstration in Havana one week after my abuela, Luza, and I had returned from our trip. Most of the members of my big, fat, Cuban family have all expressed the relief they feel that Luza and I were not in Havana when everything happened. As one who likes to ...
Ready to Roll
My 96 year old mom, Luza, has been glued to her tv watching the coverage of all the Cubans marching in solidarity with the Damas de Blanco. (See Amy's post below.) I have so many posts that begin, "my mom will be with us this weekend...." Well, this is one of those weekends. In preparation, I called her the other day and she told ...
Kikita and The Most Beautiful Beach in the World
The following post was written by Kikita. My trip to Cuba was many things and I saw all kinds of things. I guess it was sort of magical. Some of the things I saw were as legendary to me as the Sphinx or Stonehenge or the Eiffel Tower. I knew the video of my mother being dragged into the water of Varadero by heart. I knew the games they used to ...
The Most Beautiful Beach in the World
Most of the decor in my home is bright and colorful and Cuban-esque. My "theme"? I was originally going for Cuban Beach Cottage. (Our home is small.) And so, I have collected posters and art and maps and things that are a throwback to the simple days of my Cuban childhood. These three framed postcards, for example, are of 3 places that ...
Cubans in L.A. Hunger for Change
Kikita here. I'm still working on getting used to being back in sunny SoCal. I STILL wake-up everyday and have to remind myself I am no longer in Cuba. I hear the silence of my house and miss the sounds of my great aunts and uncles starting their day. When my phone rings it usually surprises me, if I hear it at all. And when I'm ...
Kikita and The Unseen Cuba
The following post was written by Kikita; who has recently returned from a trip to Cuba with her 96 year old grandmother.Every day that I was in Cuba, I would get home to Tio Timbiriche's after a long day of adventuring and the question "Los Viejos" would ask me was always the same, "What did you see?" And every day I ...
Speaking of Cuban Dissidents . . .
The following post was written by Kikita.My whole life I've grown up hearing the songs about how beautiful Cuba is. I've seen the paintings. I know Cuba is beautiful. I've always known. "Pearl of the Antilles" "La Reina de la Mar Caribe" "Cuba Linda de mi vida" Despite constantly hearing it growing up, ...
