According to my friend, Amy Arnaz, the day that her husband was born, the news of his birth knocked the inauguration of President Eisenhower off of the front page of all the newspapers across America. Can you imagine?That was on Monday, January 19, 1953. This same baby who created such a stir on Inauguration Day, 1953, was also on the very first ...
Welcome To My Blog!
Focusing on the Important Stuff
I started this new year with great hopes just like everyone else. I don't usually make resolutions, but I do choose one word that I think helps me clarify my intentions for the year. For this new year, I've chosen the word, FOCUS. I can sometimes be Felony A.D.D.* (*So easily distracted that it should be against the law. ...
Murder at the Deadwood Saloon
The town of Deadwood, specifically the Deadwood Saloon was the place to be on New Year's Eve. After weeks of play, the biggest poker tournament west of the Mississippi had concluded and it was time to celebrate and the prize money was going to be awarded at a party at the famed Deadwood Saloon.In attendance were all sorts of visitors to ...
The Best of MBFCF in 2010
I started this tradition last year. I reviewed my posts for the entire year (which was kind of interesting in a wow-is-that-a-train-wreck? kinda way, but that's not important right now) and picked a mix of some of my favorites. These links are a pretty good representation of what it's like Living the Vida Loca, MBFCF-style. If you've ...
Almost 50 years.
My dad passed away on December 11th, 1999. He and my mom would have celebrated their 60th anniversary just 3 weeks later on December 31st. To this day, when asked how long they were married, my mom will always answer, "Casi 60 años." Translation: "Almost 60 years." It's as if she feels like she's lying to just say 60 ...
The Look
When he was little, he would give me a Look. The Look could melt my heart in an instant. The Look would wonder, "Am I in trouble?" Or the Look would happily say, "Yes!" in answer to my silent offer of food or a gift. He had a Look of Absolute Joy. And a Look of Abject Terror. The Look began the day he was born. I remember the ...
The “Pamagranate”
I love edible gifts. I do. Lucky for me, I have lots of friends and family who bake many wonderful things at Christmastime. My friend, Debbie makes the most delicious and beautiful pizelle (Italian waffle) cookies as gifts. Eric's grandmother makes incredible peanut butter balls. And we can always count on Eric's Aunt Rita for her famous ...
Nochebuena. Cubans. Photo Booth. (Pachanga!)
My home, as I've told you before, is freakishly small cottage-like. Accomodating my big, fat, Cuban family for Nochebuena takes quite a bit of planning and hard work and a little bit of creativity. Actually, a LOT of creativity. My family is full of extroverted, noisy people. (Hello? Cubans!) They are easy conversationalists and will most ...
Welcome, Christmas!
The tables are already set. The smell of roast pork is intoxicating. The gifts are wrapped and tagged. The creme de vie is already flowing. The girls made a run to Porto's Bakery this morning for some REAL CUBAN BREAD (Thank you, God!), croquetas, pastelitos and Cuban tamales. We are ready for Nochebuena. Everyone is working hard around here, ...
Cheaters Lechón Asado (don’t judge me.)
It's raining like mad here in So Cal. And we live in The Bubble (aka. The O.C.). And Nochebuena falls on a Friday. And the men-folk are all working. What does this mean? It means that there will be no Cuban Caja China Pig Roasting for us. (*insert sad face here*) Of course, this does not mean that we won't have our lechóncito. We are, ...
