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 up.)

So here came November and the movement across the country called "No Shave November" or "Movember." The original concept was for men to stop shaving for the month of November to call attention to men's health issues. Again, something not on my radar. (Don't judge me.)

Eric already has a goatee. For Jonathan, I think it was more of a case of the I-can-finally-grow-a-beard-without-much-effort time in his life. So he was all in.

But, of course, I'm the mom. The Cuban mom. So there are rules:

1. You can grow your beard, but keep it neat.
2. Keep it out of your mouth. (Ew. I know, right?)
3. Please shave your cheeks so you don't end up going all "Wolfman." (You know what I'm talking about.)

Jonathan decided he could probably do a fair goatee just like his dad.

He was right. Exhibit A:

But every now and then he would start getting lazy. (I guess face-maintenance is a big deal and can be time-consuming, as all personal grooming tends to be, but that's not important right now.)

This is about a 2 day growth and he started looking a little homeless. I wasn't having it.

Around the beginning of November I got an email from Braun. Would we like to test and review one of their products? Specifically the Braun Cruzer Face?

YES, PLEASE! Pronto!

It couldn't have come at a better time.

Jonathan spent the month of November trimming and cleaning up his cheeks, while he grew out his goatee with this little marvel. Mami was happy, he got to keep his man-card and he looked great. Win!

I had to just keep reminding him to use it so we could do a comprehensive product review, of course. *wink, wink*

And so, November has come and gone (almost) without too much can-you-please-shave-that-scruff-or-so-help-me drama. In fact, it was quite enjoyable to see my son looking forward to the ease and comfort of using the Cruzer Face.

He cleaned up that neat little goatee and his skin was baby soft. Thanks, Braun!

Here comes the fun part...

Braun has offered to sponsor a giveaway for My big, fat, Cuban family readers. (Yay!)

Braun CruZer Face and Braun CruZer Beard & Head Shaver Giveaway

I'll be giving away one of each.

The CruZer Face Shaver

and the CruZer Beard & Head Trimmer

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post for a chance to win either the Braun CruZer Face shaver or the Braun CruZer Beard & Head shaver. Please answer one or all of the following questions:

• Did any of the men in your family participate in the No-Shave November thing?
• Do you like beards/facial hair on guys?
• Do you have a hairy guy in your life who might enjoy either one of these products?
• Are you a good-looking hairy guy? ;-)

Only U.S. entries, please. I'll choose a winner on Wednesday, November 28th, 2012 at 11 am.

Happy Movember!

MBFCF Giveaway Week is over - And the Winners are...

Thank you.

I'm so grateful that so many of you joined in my 6th Blogiversary Celebration Week. I am humbled by your wonderful response and good wishes. I so love when you play along with me, but that's not important right now.

Sometimes I think I've told all the stories I have to tell and that I don't have one creative bone left in my body. Sometimes I stare at the blank screen and find it impossible to string two words together to attempt to make a sentence. But then...you leave a comment telling me about your life, or how you found my blog and that it makes you happy, or you tell me about how you love Cuban stuff like I do. This gives me the energy and vision to keep moving forward.

So, once again...Thank you.

Without further ado (drum roll please) here are the winners of last week's giveaways.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

1) The My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Cookbook

The MBFCF Cookbook goes to:

Dyana B said...

Oh dear, I have no idea when I found you but I'm so happy that I did. It's been at least four years, for sure!

I love EVERYTHING about your blog! I also live far, far away from anything Cuban and just reading your recipes motivates me to cook at home as well!

If the question of "How long have you been here?" is about the U.S.? Then my whole life. I'm a 1st generation American and very proud of my Cuban heritage! <3

Reply October 01, 2012 at 03:35 AM

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2) Santayana Jewelers Habana Bead Collection Bracelet with 4 charms

If you would like to order your own Habana Collection Charm Bracelet, Santayana Jewelers is very graciously offering an online promotion for My big, fat, Cuban family readers. If you buy 4 beads, the fourth is free when you enter the promo code MARTA at checkout. Go to Santayana Jewelers online.

The beautiful bracelet from Santayana Jewelers goes to:

Jcass0912 said...

What a touching story!!!! How can you pick a favorite?! Each one is so meaningful! I have to say I do love el corazon de meon and la cafetera! Reminds me of my grandmother she used to call us her corazones de melon! This charm would be perfect for my Mom!!!!

Reply October 02, 2012 at 10:59 AM

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3) Juan of the Dead DVD

Juan of the Dead, is available to rent or download on iTunes at http://bit.ly/ZombieRevolution and on DVD at http://bit.ly/zombieRevolution.

 

The winners of the Juan of the Dead DVD are:

1)

Lilly Medina said...

I'm not really into the zombie fad but this movie was hilarious! One of my favorites for sure!

Reply October 03, 2012 at 07:59 AM

AND

2)

Rebeca Montalvan Del Sol Toth said...

I absolutely LOVE horror movies, especially Zombie ones! I must have a copy of Juan of the Dead it is so funny and absolutely Cuban! If there was a zombie outbreak in Havana I know our Cuban brothers and sisters could handle it! We are survivors!

Reply October 03, 2012 at 01:51 PM

AND

3)

Emilia Platas said...

I'm with you on the horror movie thing--even agree on the American Werewolf in London part. However, mi niña is another story! She LOVES Shaun of the Dead. It's like a cult classic with her and her friends! So how perfect would it be to give my USA-born girl some cubanismo in the form of her favorite genre? (Did I mention her b-day is coming up?)I always say one of the best ways to educate is with comedy. Plus, the girl has lots of friends so your friends at Focus World could be sure the film would be seen by other teens and young twenty-somethings. Heck, even I want to see it!

Reply October 03, 2012 at 11:45 AM

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4) The Red Umbrella and A Thunderous Whisper (autographed by the author)

The Red Umbrella and a Thunderous Whisper are both available at Amazon.com.

The books, The Red Umbrella and a Thunderous Whisper - both autographed by author, Christina Diaz Gonzalez go to:

Esther Avila-Young said...

I remember when I was in Cuba still in the early 60's some of our neighbors boys left as Pedro Pans, and I have also have met some Pedro Pans here in Southern California. What a sadness that must be to leave your parents behind to the unknown and uncertain, not knowing anyone, not knowing the language and hoping that you some day will see your parents again. My heart breaks just thinking about it. What a courage of those parents to send their children before them.
I do have a "Cuando sali de Cuba moment" and story that will share with you one of these days.

Reply October 04, 2012 at 11:14 AM

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5) A Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Basket, which includes their new Holiday Coffee Collection (!)

The fabulous Gaviña Gourmet Holiday Coffee Baskets go to:

1)

BBabushka said...

Which one of the coffees in this Holiday Collection (!) sounds the best to you?

Caramel Spiced Rum- Caramelo, especia- verbo, sazonar, Ron

Vamo mi gente, you can't get more Cuban than that!!

; ) Loving this series Marta- Congrats.

BB2U

Reply October 05, 2012 at 12:47 PM

AND

2)

Nancy Reed said...

My first cup in the morning...Well, honestly ANYthing as long as its strong. I even enjoy the FREE coffee at church on Sundays. My afternoon cup (yes usually I do have one)I enjoy my flavored k-cups and it feels like a treat. One of my favorite is the pumkin spice. As an October baby I love anything fall. Happy Anniversary MBFGF! time flies huh?

Reply October 05, 2012 at 07:38 AM

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6) Handpainted Varadero Sign

The hand-painted (by me!) Varadero sign goes to:

Jackie said...

Cute! I can't wait to see what you have in your Etsy shop!

Reply October 06, 2012 at 08:14 AM

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Again, thank you all for your very enthusiastic participation in my Blog-anniversary Giveaway Week and congratulations to all the winners. And a big thank you to all of my giveaway sponsors for their gracious generosity.

If you won, please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line so that I won't accidentally delete it. Also, send me your street addresss. I will forward to my giveaway sponsors so you can get your goodies ASAP.

You make me very happy.

Besos,

Marta

From Marta. With Love. (MBFCF Giveaway #6)

First, I want to thank you all for your extraordinary participation and engagement this past week as I celebrate my 6th year in the land of Blogging.

Today, I want to share some of my own memories of “Cuando Sali de Cuba.”

The times that I remember the most from my childhood, come to me in the form of grainy super-8 film and fading snapshots. They are mostly family and beloved objects; things that any five-year-old might keep in an old and slightly torn shoe box. They are old and oh-so-faded. Not much value outside of my own little life.

left to right: Miriam, Marta (me!), Alina. Varadero, 1957.

My most vivid memories of “aquel entonces,” which I've often written about in this space, are of our summers spent at the beach in Varadero, Cuba.

The summers in Havana, you see, were brutally hot. So we summered (<--is that a word?) in Varadero. The most beautiful beach in the world. According to my mom, Luza, it's where I took my very first steps in the summer of 1956.

We have home movies of those precious times. And photographs. I am guessing that because it was such a carefree era in our lives, there was plenty of time to stop and capture the everyday. My dad and uncle with their cameras following us little girls in our Catalina swimsuits as we splashed around in the azure surf eating mamoncillos.

The cousins would spend the summers with us. We all got to choose our “salvavidas,” (translation: “lifesavers”) which in retrospect is some sort of cruel joke. People, I had an inflatable duck that was supposed to be a life-saving device. What delicious innocence.

left to right: Alina, Ferdy, Maria-Elvira, Ileana, Miriam, Marta (me!). Varadero 1960.

I can still taste the warm salt water. I remember chasing the bright red crabs along the beach. I remember the agony of having to follow The 3-Hour Rule, which stated that you could not go swimming after eating until you had waited 3 hours for your digestion to be completed. (Cuban child abuse.)

The nostalgia of these sweet moments is vivid. My sisters and I disagree on the memories at times. We will argue, as only Cuban sisters can. They insist I was too young to remember anything. I describe something from that time that I can recall with great detail. They act surprised. It's a complicated and familiar dance we do, tripping through the recollections of what was once an idylic childhood.

I write down what I can remember here on this blog. I write about yesterday and today and my hopes for tomorrow. I share my stories. I share your stories. And I've been doing it in this space, with your encouragement, for 6 years now. (And today just happens to be the 6th. Coincidence? I think not.)

Speaking of 6 years...I celebrated my 6th birthday here in the U.S. - No more Varadero summers for us. The remembrances of holidays spent at the most beautiful beach in the world have all but faded, but they have never completely diminished.

Life was good. Then we lost everything. Then we found the good again. It's the circle of life.

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MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway #6:  

A Varadero Sign (handpainted by yours truly)

That's right. A hand-painted-by-me (shut up. I know!) Varadero Sign. (It's wooden. About 18 inches long and suitable for hanging. I have a plan to open an Etsy shop very soon. Today is not that day, but that's not important right now.)

Painted in aqua with the name of The Most Beautiful Beach in the World: Varadero.

Please leave a comment on this post for a chance to win this beautiful hand-painted Varadero sign (by me, people!). Answer one or all of the following questions:  

• Is there a particular place that dominates your childhood memories?
• Do any of you have memories of Varadero?
• Were you forced to follow The 3 Hour Rule?
  

I'll choose a winner at the end of MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway Week on Monday, October 8th, 2012 at 11 am.

Freshly Ground Heaven (MBFCF Giveaway #5)

Last month I was privileged to visit the Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Roasters in Vernon, California. The occasion was the introduction of the new Gaviña Holiday Collection. That's right, people. A COLLECTION. Of COFFEE. *swoon*

The Gaviña Holiday Collection (!) is a selection of seasonal coffees especially curated to “warm the hearts of coffee lovers during the holidays while brewing support for local Children's Hospitals.”

I was pleased to be able to sample the holiday collection (a Collection, people!) of coffees prepared by former U.S. Barista Champion Bronwen Serna. Gaviña has joined forces with her, local restaurants and coffee shops to brew support (get it?) for local Children's Hospitals. Five percent of the Holiday Collection (!) coffee sales will be donated to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals on behalf of each participating customer.   

Available September 1st through December 31st exclusively at participating restaurants and coffee shops throughout Southern California, the Gaviña Holiday Coffee Collection (!) features:

• Pumpkin Spice - Homemade pumpkin pie with fragrant spices.
• Eggnog - Rich and creamy, perfect for the holiday season.
• Candy Cane Cream - Smooth and crisp peppermint in a swirl of rich cream.
• Caramel Spiced Rum - Caramel and butterscotch with a hint of rum. (They had me at “a hint of rum.”)

We got to sample every one of the new brews in the Holiday Collection (!) and I decided that my personal favorite was the Caramel Spiced Rum. (By the way, that's my trademark red lipstick on each cup in the taste-fest, but that's not important right now.)

If you look closely, you can find me yakking away at around the 0.32 mark. (I know. Shut up.)

Also, I was delighted that we were treated to a tour of the Gaviña Roasting facility which was informative, amazing, and fragrant! Something that only mountains of bags of fresh coffee beans can provide.

That's me. In a hairnet. With mountains of coffee beans behind me. Which means I can actually use the word, “redecilla” - my favorite word in Spanish - in a blog post. And it's applicable! “¡Mira que comica se ve Marta en su redecilla!”

I'm so grateful to the Gaviña family for their most gracious hospitality. Read their history here.  

L to R: Pedro Gaviña, me, Leonor Gaviña-Valls

Theirs is a wonderful American success story with rich and deep Cuban roots.

See what I mean?

I'm pleased and proud to announce that Gaviña Gourmet Coffee is sponsoring today's giveaway.

MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway #5:  

A Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Basket, which includes their new Holiday Coffee Collection (!)

This beautiful Gaviña Gourmet Coffee basket includes the following:

• 2 Gaviña travel mugs
• 1 - 8 cup French Press
• 3 -  2.5 oz ground bags of Pumpkin Spice
• 3 - 2.5 oz ground bags of Candy Cane Cream
• 3 - 2.5 oz ground bags of Eggnog
• 5 - 2.5 oz ground bags of 100% Organic Guatemala Dark
• 4 - 2.5 oz ground bags of 100% Organic Mexico

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Basket - they have generously provided two (!) for this giveaway, (valued at $75 each) - please answer one or both of the following questions:

• What is your first cup in the morning? - Espresso? Cortadito? Americano?
• Do you have an afternoon cup?
• Which one of the coffees in this Holiday Collection (!) sounds the best to you?

Full disclosure: My first cup of the day is brewed Don Francisco Gourmet Coffee by Gaviña. Freshly. Ground. Heaven.

I'll choose the winners at the end of MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway Week on Monday, October 8th, 2012 at 11 am.

“I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” ~Flash Rosenberg

Cuando Sali de Cuba (or not) - Christina's Story (MBFCF Giveaway #4)

Marta here: I first met Christina, author of The Red Umbrella, a couple of years ago at Cuba Nostalgia in Miami. My first impression of her was that she was "the real deal." She cares deeply about her subject matter because, in the case of The Red Umbrella, it is very close to her family's story. She has been gracious enough to share her inspiration for writing this beautiful novel.

by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Technically, I can’t say or write about “Cuando Sali de Cuba” as I have never been to the island. However, since I was a little girl, I have been hearing stories of how my parents left Cuba through Operation Pedro Pan.

The heartbreak of saying goodbye at the airport’s pecera, the pain of leaving everything behind and the fear of an unknown future in a foreign country was repeated countless times.  Yet, the magnitude of this exodus of children was lost on me.  Growing up I would roll my eyes whenever the topic was brought up.  To me, it was old news.  In fact, we all have those family stories that we so often take for granted until those who tell the tales are no longer with us.  Thankfully, I had a wake-up call before it was too late.

I was an aspiring writer searching for inspiration to write my first novel. It wasn’t until I heard another author talking about her book (Erika’s Story written by Ruth Vander Zee) that I realized the powerful story that I had within my own family which was being lost to the sands of time. 

I saw that if my own kids didn’t grasp this important part of American history (over 14,000 Cuban children being sent to the U.S.,  by themselves, is a HUGE part of American history… not just Cuban-American history), how could I expect others, who didn’t have a family connection, to even know about Operation Pedro Pan?

That’s when I decided to write The Red Umbrella.  I guess this was, in a way, my “Cuando Sali de Cuba” moment because I gained a deeper understanding of what it was like for these children of Operation Pedro Pan to leave their home, their parents, their friends. I tried to imagine myself being placed into those circumstances and then I put my main character, Lucia, into similar situations. 

It has been with great joy that I have received countless emails and comments from many Operation Pedro Pan kids saying that they are grateful that their story is finally being shared with a new generation. I am so very proud to have had a small part in sharing their “Cuando Sali de Cuba” story.

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MBFCF Readers, please say hello to Christina Diaz Gonzalez. I was personally floored when I read her debut, The Red Umbrella. She so perfectly captured the conflicts and fears of what it must have been like for an unaccompanied minor to come to a new country and how they might react in that frightening and difficult situation. She is as talented as she is lovely.

Christina has recently completed her 2nd novel, A Thunderous Whisper, set in the sleepy Spanish town of Guernica during World War II.

MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway #4:  

The Red Umbrella and A Thunderous Whisper (both autographed by the author)

One person will win both books, autographed by Christina. Please leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the books. Answer one or both of the following questions:  

• Do you know (or are you related to) any Pedro Pans?
• Did you ever have your own "Cuando Sali de Cuba" moment? (The realization of what an enormous thing had happened to your family.)
  

I'll choose a winner at the end of MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway Week on Monday, October 8th, 2012 at 11 am.

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 you tell anybody.)

But, when I was contacted by Focus World to get the word out about their latest film: “a zombie comedy made in Cuba,” I was intrigued. When I read the synopsis, I laughed out loud. When I saw the trailer, I knew it was something I wanted to share.

Plus it's October and I'm kind of more tolerant of gore and silliness the closer it gets to Halloween. (Don't judge me.)

I totally understand that this is a departure from my usual fare, but I think you will enjoy it (or at least your teenage kids will). It's a zombie relajo set in the land of my birth.

From the studio that brought you Shaun of the Dead, meet Juan of the Dead. (He's Havana Killer Day. <--Best tagline ever. Am I right?) In Spanish, with English subtitles.

Synopsis:

Juan is 40 years old, most of which he spent in Cuba doing absolutely nothing. It’s his way of life, and he’s prepare to defend it at any cost, along with his pal Lázaro, as lazy as Juan but twice as dumb. Juan’s only emotional tie is his daughter, Camila, a beautiful young girl that doesn’t want anything to do with her father because the only thing he’s good at is getting into trouble.

Suddenly some strange things start to happen, people are turning violent attacking one to the other. Juan was first convinced it’s just another stage of the Revolution. Official media refer to the attacks as isolated incidents provoked by Cuban dissidents paid by the US government. Little by little Juan and his friends start to realize that the attackers are not normal human beings and that killing them is quite a difficult task. They’re not vampires, they’re not possesed, but they’re definitely not dissidents; a simple bite turns the victim into other violent killing machine and the only way to beat them is destroying their brains.
Juan decides that the best way of facing the situation is making some money out of it…..

“Juan of the Dead, we kill your beloved ones” becomes his slogan. Lázaro, along with his son Vladi, and Camila (who had no other choice but joining her father after he rescued her from grandma´s killing desires) are Juan´s army, and their mission is to help people get rid of the infected ones around… at a reasonable price.

But this plague of bloodthirsty attackers is out of control. The population is helpless. There comes a moment in which the only way out people found is throwing into the sea and try to run away from an island that became a real carnage, and Juan has no choice but to do what he avoided all his life: take some responsibility assuming a hero role, to guide his beloved ones with the hope of getting them safe out of the madness in which Havana, full of flesh eating zombies has turned.

I especially loved that so much of it was true to Cuban life today. In fact, all the actors are Cuban.  And the premise that the state media blames the zombie attacks on dissidents who have been hired by the U.S. government? Classic.

It's not Shakespeare, but it's So. Very. Cuban. And I didn't love the gory parts (duh), but listening to the dialog with the hilarious deadpan (pun intended) Cuban delivery was just awesome.

The story was told creatively and in a very, very Cuban way. Juan of the Dead mocks everything that the Cuban government has sold for 50 years as “The Triumph of the Revolution,” and that's where its value lies.

For me, personally, I can barely stand the over-the-top slasher-oh-holy-hell-there's-blood-everywhere scenes even though they were way too campy to be genuinely scary. But there were a lot of moments of surprise, so I had to keep covering my eyes. Also, the zombies were really, really slow, which I totally appreciated because that gave me time to cover my eyes, but that's not important right now.

But my favorite part of the entire bloody-undead-Havana-zombie-slash-fest was that Cuba's salvation comes in the form of Capitalism. Isn't that just too delicious? 

{Disclaimer: This is not what you will usually find here on MBFCF, and I get that Cubans are already living their own horror movie, but I think there's an audience for this sort of thing out there somewhere. Also, my 16 year old, Jonathan loved it in that way that 16 year old guys do.}

MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway #3:

Juan of the Dead (DVD)

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a DVD copy of Juan of the Dead and please answer one or all of the following questions:

• Do you like horror movies? (Is there someone you know who is into this stuff?)
  
• Zombie Apocalypse in Havana...your thoughts?

I'll choose the winners at the end of MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway Week on Monday, October 8th, 2012 at 11 am.

Havana killer day. LOL!

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 bottom of the story.)

Gracias, Elena. You humble me.

Cuando

I was born en la saguesera. That’s the southwest area of Miami, on June 8, 1978. I have three sisters, Marisa, Miriam and Patty and a twin brother, Rudy. We grew up in a split plan home in the beautiful Westchester area of Miami, Florida.

Totem pole pic

Santayana loved taking totem-pole pictures.

Both of my parents came to this country alone. My dad, known as Santayana, was Peter Pan (pronounced with rolling r’s). I thought that meant he wore green tights and fought pirates. Later, I learned it meant he came to this country without his parents and stayed at a home for boys until a cousin or uncle picked him and his brother up. But I never really “got it” until quite recently. When I was 17 years old and in high school, I never took a moment to imagine, “What if right now, I was sent away to live in another country, indefinitely, with little money and alone?”

Mom arrived in the United States on the Freedom Flights. In 1961, the day before Halloween, she was supposed to board a plane with her brother and sisters but there was a problem with her visa and she was made to stay an extra couple of days in Havana. She was 17 years old and didn’t speak much english. She lived in a house with 12 other people in the northwest area of Miami or, as she says, “la casa del nor’wes’ ”.

The original hipster

Elena's mama. The original hipster.

My father, Santayana, was a hard working man. Every morning he would dress in a fine suit and take his maleta* of jewelry to visit clients at their homes. Before he opened the jewelry stores, my dad was known for his maleta. I still hear stories of people who remember my dad showing up at their house, opening his maleta and revealing tray after tray of sparkling jewelry.

In the 80’s my dad had three really cool things in his possession. Number one, Santayana owned a beeper. Not the beeping kind we know now, the kind doctors still use. Dad’s beeper was like the speaker at KMart. Here’s how it worked:

• Step 1: Call the beeper.
• Step 2: Wait for the tone.
• Step 3: Convey the message for all to hear over the speaker/beeper strapped to his belt. Twice.

The messages were to be coded at all times so that random strangers on the street wouldn’t suspect he was carrying a maleta of jewelry and give him the proverbial, “Palo por la cabeza.*” 

An example of an acceptable message would be: “Santayana, llama la tienda. Santayana, llama la tienda.*”

However, if you said, “Santayana llama la joyeria.*” - that got you in big time trouble. Similarly, if you said, “Papi llama a mami,*”  you would get banned from beeper detail. Singing Happy Birthday into the beeper was also not warmly received.

Second, Santayana had a car phone. His car phone was super cool, space-age stuff. Imagine a rotary phone bolted to the center consul of his wine colored Caprice Classic. The advanced car phone technology also required the Caprice to sport a subtle, 6 foot long antennae on its roof. Phone calls were ridiculously expensive but dad was a gadget man and had to have it. No one had a car phone.

Well, some people had carphones - drug dealers. In third grade some kid asked me, “Is your dad a drug dealer? Why does he have a car phone?”  We’re talking about Miami in the 80’s, this kid was not asking an illogical question. So I told him, “Noooo, my dad is not a drug dealer, he’s a jeweler.”

The third, neato thing Santayana had in the 80’s was a beautiful, brand-new, wine-colored Caprice Classic. On the rare occasion that Santayana took me and Rudy to school, he would pretend that his car was an airplane; he was the captain and we were his crew. I was the flight attendant offering peanuts and Rudy was the mechanic. There was always something wrong with the plane and we would have to rush, rush, rush to fix the problem. This game probably explains my fear of flying.

Although it had been over 20 years since our parents’ flight from Cuba, growing up in the 80’s, we were raised to believe that our residence in Miami was temporary. Every Christmas Eve someone proclaimed, “El año que viene en Cuba!*”  Then everyone would toast and cheer and give each other big hugs.

Santayana fam 1980

The Santayana Family. Circa 1980.

My uncle Marcelo, who exiled to the Canary Islands after serving 9 years in a Cuban prison, had a really short index finger. His index finger was literally shorter than his pinky. Don’t imagine that his finger didn’t have a nail. It totally did. The whole thing was intact, it was just short. Like a baby finger. As a kid, that finger was the freakiest thing I had ever seen.

He waved that finger around like there was nothing wrong with it. I once asked him about it, he loudly proclaimed, “Porque este año, este año cae Fidel!*” while slamming the tip of his freakishly short index finger on the table. I totally believed him. I mean, it made sense to me that slamming that finger down every day for the past 20 years would make it a whole phalanx shorter.

Every year was the year Fidel was going down. Every Christmas we were spending the next one in Camaguey. I worried about what I should pack in my luggage. Should I take a bathing suit, a sweater, boots? Should I start packing today? Was there going to be horseback riding? Whose house would we be staying at? How would Santa know where to leave the presents? It was all very confusing.

Mom (far left) with 8 of her 11 siblings

Elena's Mom (far left) with 8 of her 11 siblings. Tio Marcelo (not pictured) died this year, 2012, on her dad's birthday.

In 2007, my father was diagnosed with a horrible form of cancer. One night, as I was sitting with him at the hospital, it came over the TV that maybe Fidel Castro was dead. I wondered to myself, “Do I wish death on Castro now?” I wasn’t sure if I wanted Castro to be dead just then because my father was, at the time, on his own death bed. On this night, facing the uncertainty of my father’s life, I wasn’t sure I could wish death upon anyone. Not even on the person who had caused so much misery to thousands of people.

I also did not want my dad to live in a world where Castro was finally dead. The one reason he had not visited his childhood country after all these many years was the fact that Fidel Castro was alive, and finally, right when it was too late, the son-of-a-bitch up and dies? I didn’t know what to do. So I did the first thing that came to mind, I went to La Carreta.

I have celebrated many major life changing events at La Carreta. I sounded the horn of mom’s minivan from our house all the way to La Carreta both times the Florida Marlins won the World Series. I made sure to find parking far and early both times the Heat won the Playoffs because getting there late meant being stuck in traffic. Once, the day after Halloween, my friends and I dressed up in costumes and strutted our stuff carrying a boom box from the entrance, all the way to the back, then right out the front door. But this night, the night we thought Castro was dead was different. The energy in the air was celebratory, but nostalgic. It was both happy and sad. And I watched, completely covered in goosebumps, as a group of 20 or so teary individuals sang and danced in unison to Willy Chirino’s “Ya Viene Llegando” (video below) until the police came and broke up the entire party.

I don’t have to tell you, but I will anyway, Fidel Castro was not dead that night. Nor has he been dead any night since. My dad wasn’t happy I danced in the streets. He didn’t want me to go La Carreta to celebrate that man’s death. He didn’t want to be duped by the Castro regime. But I wanted to pass the joy in my heart to my dad. The joy I felt from being his daughter and the immense sense of pride I feel of being Cuban.

A few days or maybe weeks later my father passed away. He died in a world where Fidel Castro lived, his beloved Cuba, still existing under the foot of a tyrant. But, in the end, the only thing that ever truly mattered to him was his family. When my dad died I understood, for the first time ever, what Cuban nostalgia was really all about.

* Translation of terms used in Elena's story:

• Maleta - suitcase.
• Palo por la cabeza. - Blow to the head with a large blunt object.
• Santayana, llama la tienda. - Santayana, call the store.
•  
• Santayana llama la joyeria. Santayana, call the jewelry store
• Papi llama a mami. - Dad, call mom.
•  
• El año que viene en Cuba! - Next year in Cuba!
• Porque este año, este año caie Fidel! - Because this year, Fidel will fall!

Celebrating Six Years in the Blogosphere (MBFCF Giveaway WEEK!)

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know that I love any occasion to celebrate. So, you're probably asking, "What are we celebrating today, Marta?"

Let me tell you. Today marks the 6th Blogiversary of My big, fat, Cuban family on the Web.

GUAT? I know. Shut up.

That's right, people! SIX. YEARS.

I sat down in front of my computer screen on October 1st, 2006 and started over-sharing about being Cuban in the O.C. and how difficult it was to get decent Cuban food and so I just started cooking for myself and my family. And I took pictures every day anyway, so I started sharing my recipes.

And isn't it fitting that my October 1st Blogiversary is right smack dab in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month? Coincidence? I think not.

I was amazed when I hit the One Year in the Blogosphere mark in 2007. So I celebrated.

Encouraged by your great response to this little Cuban corner of cyberspace, I kept writing, and picture-taking, and documenting and before I knew it, two years had gone by. And so I celebrated again. And designed a faux magazine cover, and I gave stuff away.

Blown away by your support and because I apparently had a whole lot more to say, I continued to write and lo and behold, in October of 2009, I celebrated My 3 Year Blogiversary. (<--is that even a word?) By that time, I had gotten into a groove and I was totally loving the whole faux-magazine-cover thing and I really enjoyed giving stuff away, so I did it again.

I was having SO. MUCH. FUN! I did stuff. I took pictures. I wrote about it. This space had become a living, breathing, photo album of my life. And I just kept writing, and picture-taking, and over-sharing right up until it was time to celebrate Year Four of Blogginess.

To be perfectly honest, I was still amazed and surprised that anyone even wanted to read what I was writing about. I kept doing it because, well, it is my life. And it should at least be of interest to me, right? Plus, when I look back at the hundreds of posts that I've written, it tells a really nice story about a really nice life and that makes me really, really happy.

I had some health challenges in 2011 and the thought crossed my mind that I had probably told all my stories and said everything I wanted to say about my family and my kids and all that. And I actually toyed with the idea of stopping this whole documenting-my-life-for-the-world-to-see thing. I took a break for a while and went back and read some of what I'd written and decided that even if no one else was following, it was an excellent record of my life (or at least the last few years of my life). And it made me happy. So when I got to Year Five in the Blogosphere, I really felt like I had a lot to celebrate.

Now I'm six years into telling, not just my own stories, but sharing some of yours with the Cuando Sali de Cuba series. I'm very proud of my little cyber-home here at My big, fat, Cuban family. I've made some lovely relationships with some wonderful people and generous sponsors.

As of today, my 6th Blogiversary, I'm happy to report that I have 4,491 followers on the MBFCF Facebook Fan Page where I get to over-share every single day in real time, but that's not important right now.

I want to thank you all.

You read. You share. You come back. You write to me. You leave comments. You make me laugh out loud. I love writing about the "relajo" that is my life and I'm humbled that you keep responding so positively every time. I love that you get my Cubanisms.

{A very special Thank You and shout out to Val & the rest of the Intransigents over at Babalú Blog for their unfailing friendship and support and for putting MBFCF on the Blogging World Map. Gracias!}

So, about that whole celebration thing.....

I'm going to be celebrating ALL WEEK. That's right. For the next SIX days, I've lined up some fabulous Cuban sponsors and I'll be hosting a very cool giveaway every single day for the ENTIRE WEEK to celebrate each of my SIX Bloggywonderful years.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. ;-)

To kick things off - here's MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway #1:

My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Cookbook

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win my cookbook and please answer one or all of the following questions:

• How did you find My big, fat, Cuban family?
• What do you enjoy most about this blog?
• How long have you been here?

I'll choose a winner at the end of MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway Week on Monday, October 8th, 2012 at 11 am, so you have lots of time to enter.

Have I said, "thank you"? Seriously. Thank you.

Habana Brand Clothing - The Winners!

I hope you've been enjoying all the "Cuando Sali de Cuba" stories from the various contributors. I know I certainly have. I always tell people that there are as many amazing escape-from-the-island stories as there are Cubans in the U.S. Thanks for proving my point. I'll be sharing more stories in this space in the coming weeks.

A great big Thank You to Roland Vega for sharing his story and to Habana Brand Clothing for hosting the giveaway. Here he is rocking that classic Cuba men's design. Isn't it beautiful?

Thanks to all of you who entered the giveaway for the Habana Brand Clothing. I have looked through their entire catalog and have seriously fallen in love with their genius designs. 

Congratulations to the winner of the Men's tshirt in the size, color, and design of your choice.

And the winner of the Women's tshirt in the size, color, and design of your choice.

For those of you who did not win, but would still like a fabulous Habana Brand tshirt, please go to the Habana Brand Clothing site and when you purchase the tshirt of your choice, please mention My big, fat, Cuban family in the comments and they will send you a Habana Brand tote bag with your purchase. Isn't that a sweet deal? Go! And represent! And as usual, tell them Marta sent you. ;-)

Thank you for continuing to support Cuban-owned businesses and for all the Facebook "liking" you've done in the past few days. You guys seriously rock.

Congratulations, Ody and Rosalina, please send me an email to mdarby@cox.net with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line so I don't accidentally delete it. Send me your snail mail address so I can forward your information to my friends at Habana Brand Clothing. Yay!

90 Mile Marker Giveaway - A Winner

I know I can be pretty irreverent sometimes. Another Cuban recently called me out, saying that I obviously like the "jodienda.*"

*To mess with people. From the root word, "joder," which means to joke about something. However, I should warn you that even though it's accurate, it's not really a word you want to trot out to impress someone's Cuban grandmother with, but that's not important right now.

So I enjoy taking my little 90 Mile Marker when I travel and I like to photograph it in various random places because it's kind of kitschy and fun. And I crack myself up.

I'd like to mention right here that when this little baby is in your purse along with your phone charger cord, it presents a challenge for the TSA, and you may or may not have to do some fast talking to get out of airport jail, but that's a story for another day.

Having said that, I have to also say, that I love what it represents. I love that it reminds me of how near and yet how far my family has come. And that makes me smile.

When I started reading each and every comment, I was a bit overwhelmed. I wish I could send one to each one of you who took the time to tell a little bit of their "Coming to America" story. I encourage you to go back and read the comments left on the previous post. It's sobering to realize that every Cuban you meet here in the U.S. has a story. An amazing, heartbreaking, life-affirming story. Thank you all for sharing. I truly love you for that.

When I went to find my little 90 Miles Marker Souvenir, I saw that I had not one, but two (!) to give away.

So I went to Random.org and entered the number of entries (except for the doubles) and came up with these two.

Congratulations to the following readers:

So, Allyson and Yovani,

Please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line (so that I don't accidentally delete it). Please include your home address and I will send out your little 90 Miles to Cuba souvenir.

90 Miles. So near and yet so foreign.

Thank you all again for playing. You always make me smile.