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 ...
Celebrate
I'm Cuban. I throw lots of parties. You shouldn't be surprised.
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
October 31st.
I've been saying from the beginning of this month that I was too tired to "do" Halloween this year. I insisted that they were getting too old for this. (Notice I didn't say the "I" on that one? I know. Shut up.) Let's just shut off all the lights and sit upstairs in the dark and watch movies and ignore the ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Edilia’s Story
Marta here: My heart was aching as I first read Edilia's story. Imagine being a newlywed in Castro's Cuba and looking for a chance to get out and start a new life. By Edilia Beltran Pinero My full name is Josefa Edilia Beltran Bermudez de Pinero. I was 13 years old when Castro came into power. I did not understand much ...
When the Zombie Apocalypse Happens, Havana Will Be Ready
And now for something completely different.... I don't usually enjoy horror movies. Wait. Let me rephrase. I don't like horror movies. At all. In fact, I hate them. They're usually so... well, horrific. (But I did enjoy An American Werewolf in London back in the day, mostly because of the comedic elements, but I'll deny it if ...
Cuando Sali de Cuba – Elena’s Story
Marta here: Most Cubans are familiar with Santayana Jewelers. They are a mainstay of the Cuban exile community in Miami. I'm delighted that Elena Santayana has graciously agreed to share her family's stories. Her memories of growing up Santayana are both hilarious and poignant. (Translations to her Cubanisms are marked with a red * and are at the ...
My (Super) Hero
A few months ago, my son, Jonathan (16) breathlessly runs in. "Mom, you've got to see this!" He then proceeds to show me the following movie trailer:Explosions! People in peril! ! MARVEL SUPERHEROES ! ! (Win.Win.WIN!) He knows (because I've told him repeatedly, as I have all four of my kids) that I was a nerdy ...
