El Niño

Okay, so I did a little more than visit Desi Arnaz Jr. *sigh* when we went to Las Vegas this past weekend.

Eric had to be in meetings for most of the time (except when his client wined him and dined him and took him to The Mirage to see Danny Gans, but that's not important right now).

Which is why I took Adam. So that he could keep me company. Adam is 22, which, if you know your Charada China, is SAPO (TOAD....eeeww!).  Now, being a SAPO could go either way - you're either super lucky or a jinx.

And with Adam, who is the most rambunctious and unpredictable of my four kids (and probably the most like me, which is why he's so crazy-making), I figured we'd either 1)have a fabulous time, or 2) I would end up wanting to bludgeon him with a blunt object.  It could go either way.  ;-)

I was worried, too, that he'd get carried away gambling - this being the first time he could legitimately play - and he would be sad about losing all his money.  You know how it is.  Or possibly you don't, but well...

You have these great big notions about Las Vegas! and really high expectations and well, I didn't want him to be disappointed.

So here's how Adam's first Vegas trip went down:

We laughed and told jokes on the four hour road trip. (Eric drove.)

We stayed at the fabulously ritzy Trump International Hotel. (thanks, Eric's client!)
Everything was gold and the beds were super comfy and there was a really deep bathtub where you could soak AND watch tv, and okay... maybe that was kind of an overshare....

We had dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy (chosen for it's Rat-Pack-Old-School-Vegas ambience) and walked over to the Venetian (my very, most favoritest place on Las Vegas Blvd.) because we were meeting Eric there for a late show to see....

Wayne Brady. Painfully funny Improv comedy, which you know we soooo love. We were still laughing at 1 am when we decided to order room service back in our fabulously ritzy hotel room. (Thanks again, Eric's client! =D)

Of course, you know we spent Saturday afternoon with the Arnaz's.  (Hi Desi *sigh* & Amy!)

Afterwards, I took him Downtown to the old-school casinos and we played Keno while having lunch at The Golden Nugget. Classic.

One of us took a break to soak in the fabulously ritzy tub while watching tv at our hotel while the other of us wandered up and down the strip for a few hours.  (Can you guess who did what? =D)

We met up later on at the beautiful Palazzo Hotel...

Where we saw The Jersey Boys.  So much fun!

Obviously, we had a wonderful time.

So... I would say that in Adam's case, judging by all the fun stuff we got to do and all the fun we had, that his SAPO-ness is the lucky kind. (phew!)

And I won't tell you specifically how he did with his first time gambling, but here he is comparing the wax figure of Ben Franklin at Madame Tussaud's to his newly aquired Ben Franklin Presidential Flash Cards.   ;-)

Beverly Hills Cuban

You know I live in a bubble, right?  A sweet little suburban bubble called Mission Viejo.  We are located halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego and our fair city is only about 20 years old.  Which isn't even old in dog years.

Eric and I spent the weekend in L.A. - our primary objective was to see Jim Gaffigan, the comedian, who, by the way, was phenomenally funny.  Of course, we knew that, hence the whole reason for attending the show.

We were staying in Beverly Hills, which was not too far from the venue,  The Wiltern Theater, and because, well, if I'm going to leave The Bubble and actually stay overnight in L.A., it should be someplace nice, you know? (At least this is what I tell my husband. =D)

The Wiltern is a fabulous little theater in the heart of the oldest part of the city.  It's been beautifully restored to all of its former glory.  As much as I dislike leaving The Bubble to venture out into L.A., I have to admit that once I'm there I get all captivated by the historicity of Los Angeles.

And I especially LOVE all the gorgeous old art deco architecture from the 30's.  We just had to go east on Wilshire - maybe about 10 minutes from our hotel, through the Miracle Mile, past LACMA and the La Brea Tar Pits. 

Hey! L.A. has some cool stuff (!) I realize once again now that I'm here, which I always forget when I'm in The Bubble - it must be that I suffer from a type of Geographical Amnesia, but that's not important right now either. =D

The Wiltern is iconic and so named because it sits right at the intersection of Wilshire and ...  something.

WIL - TERN...

For the life of me I couldn't remember the name of the cross-street. The one from which this theater gets its name. And we're both all tense and reading street signs and worrying about getting to the venue on time to actually stop and THINK.  Which led to the following scene:

We're traveling the whole breadth of the 90210 area code and on into Koreatown ...

Wilshire and La Cienega?

No, duh, it's WIL - something - but what's the the name of the other street?

We're still going...

San Vicente?

Fairfax?

Where does the -TERN part come in?  I'm pretty sure it's the street name...

La Brea?

Highland?

Crenshaw?

We saw the theater name and read the street name at about the same moment we both slapped our foreheads:

"WesTERN!!  DU-OH!"

Eric: "You're not going to blog about this, are you?"
Me: "You're kidding, right?"   ;-)

The Double-Double deserves a standing ovation.

You know I love to cook.
And you know I love my Cuban food.

But you have to realize that I'm also just a Suburban Mom most days.

And sometimes I do get supremely tired of schlepping (in Spanish, I think "arrastrando" would be the comparable word) my kids to classes and practices and friend-outings and all that.

For someone who homeschools, lately it feels like I've been spending a lot of time in the minivan.

So what do we do in the Darby household when we're running late and Mami doesn't feel like cooking?
Fast food? McD's?  (A shudder just went through my entire body.)

Ah, but we here in the southwest have a not-so-secret-alternative to regular fast food:

The Legendary In-N-Out Burger.  (Insert angelic choir here.)

Available only in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah -  sorry, Rest of the Country!

Their fries are made with real potatoes. They use only the freshest produce. There is nothing (nothing!) like a freshly made In-N-Out Burger.  (Can I get an "Amen?")

If you're traveling anywhere in the Southwest, please do yourself a favor and just eat there. I mean it. Put it on your Bucket List as something to do at least once in your lifetime. At this point in my post I'm wishing I was somehow getting paid for this glowing endorsement, but that's not important right now.

And if you Know Stuff because, like me, you've been eating at In-N-Out these past 30 years, you will know what to order from their Not-So-Secret Menu.

You're wondering what this has to do with anything involving my big, fat, Cuban family, aren't you? Well, we always stop at the In-N-Out in Barstow whenever we drive to Vegas, it has seriously become part of our driving-to-Vegas tradition. (Barstow is at about the halfway point between Mission Viejo and Las Vegas, but that's not important right now, either.)

It turns out that In-N-Out is celebrating their 60th anniversary and no, they haven't lowered their prices - it turns out that that was just a rumor - but because we celebrate everything else, we're going to In-N-Out for dinner tonight to celebrate their 60 Years of Awesomeness.

Which means that not only is Mami not cooking... 

It further means that Eric can have his "Double-Double, Animal Style, with Extra Grilled Onions and Crispy Fries."
And we will actually clap, and possibly jump to our feet, when they bring out our food.

You know us... any chance to celebrate.  =D

Surreality bites.

So we had a wonderful weekend in Mexico celebrating our anniversary.  I didn't have my camera with me, so all I had was my phone for picture taking, and I was so glad because, seriously, you wouldn't believe half of the stuff we saw.

Baja is like another planet.

With the exception of the Rosarito Bed and Breakfast - emphasis on the BREAKFAST - where we stayed, which was absolutely fabulous!

When we weren't being spoiled rotten by our lovely hostess (thanks, Pam!), we were busy exploring Ensenada and enjoying the surrealism that is Baja California.

I know it's a foreign country, but come on! It's only 45 minutes south of the border...

but, I'm not kidding....

Surreal is the only word for it.

Those prices are in pesos, right?

Is this supposed to be a carpool?

This pharmacy had everything you could possibly need including fine musical instruments, so you could get Tylenol, M&M's, cd's and an electric guitar all in one convenient shop.

We found two wonderful beaches. 

One we had all to ourselves:

And the other was a locals-only beach. (which should have been our first clue that it was going to be An Experience, but that's not important right now...)

I was sitting contentedly reading my book when I was approached by this guy with a wheelbarrow full of sweets. I was sitting close to the shore, too.  So he had to push that wheelbarrow quite a long way hoping I'd be tempted by his wares. 

I was completely shocked into silence.  (I know!)

Really, dude? A wheelbarrow?? What is UP with that?

When I finally recovered from that surreal moment, I chased him down and gave him 50 cents just to let me take this picture...

Umm..... excuse me, sir, but is that umm... JESUS on your back??

 

I know.
If we hadn't taken the pictures, we wouldn't believe it ourselves.

Well, maybe there was one thing that was for real... ;-)

My Big, fat, Cuban Family Party (together) before the Wedding

Today's the wedding day. We've been anxiously awaiting this chance to have a big, fat, Cuban family wedding in Miami. Today is that day. People, we're out of our skin excited!

To be together, to be a family, to welcome more family, to poke fun at each other, to laugh together, to dance together, to tell jokes and family stories.

To celebrate being a family and NOT have to wait until Christmas.

Needless to say, we've been soooo looking forward to this wedding (to be together).

But wait.... we all flew in from somewhere this week.... and there's no time like the present, so last night we all got together in South Beach.....

And, of course, I had my camera.....

So after the buzz of "where are you?" phone calls, we managed to meet in some posh bar....

And we got the chance to be together, to be a family, to welcome more family, to poke fun at each other, to laugh together, to dance together, to tell jokes and family stories.

We agreed that it would be fun if we all dressed up and got together to do it again the next night.
Oh wait.... that's the wedding. Then how about Saturday night? Ummm.... Family Reunion at Cousin Ileana's?

Seriously, this is going to be a LOOOONNGG (and REALLY FUN!!) weekend (together).

(good thing we're all stocked up on Red Lipstick! =D)

Code Red

Prepare yourself South Florida.....

The last few days have been a flurry of texts and phone calls between my mom and my sisters and my cousins and my nieces and myself.
My big, fat, Cuban family is preparing to invade Miami. (Ay Dios mio!)

Michael and Kimberly are getting married on Friday. (Yay!)

And because of the nature of weddings and all the wedding business that has to happen during the reception and all that, well, there just won't be enough face-to-face time, so... we're all getting together again on Saturday. (Ay Dios mio!)

So, see, we're not just going to the wedding (which I'm sure will be just fabulous, but that's not important right now) we're TRAVELING. And as you well know, traveling involves PREPARATIONS.

And so the phone lines are burning with the questions:

"What are you wearing to the wedding?"
"Can I borrow your (fill in the blank)?"
"It's pouring rain in Miami, bring an umbrella."
"Are you having your hair done here or there?"
"What time is your pedicure?"

And so we carry on, as typical Cuban girls/sisters/cousins/nieces do.

So, world-class list maker that I am, I've got my checklist and realize that I completely forgot to get a new red lipstick! I know! Serious Makeup Emergency!!  (you can tell by all the exclamation points I'm using that this is SERIOUS!!!)

My current red is down to the embarrassing scraping-with-the-lip-brush stage and I have been meaning to get myself to Nordstrom, but that would involve actually getting dressed up just to go buy lipstick and well, darn it, it's summer! And I just haven't been feeling it and blah, blah, blah.... All that to say that I never got my new lipstick.  =(

Panicking here. Yes, I know it's my own fault for procrastinating and it's late in the game here. My flight leaves in a few hours....

So, I call my sister, Ofelia (who actually works at the Lancome counter at Nordstrom, which is why I get my makeup there in the first place, because I am being supportive, but I digress.....)

Me: "Ofie, Makeup Emergency! I need a red lipstick for the wedding!"

Ofie (in a completely calm, I-live-for-moments-like-this voice:
"Come over to my house. I think I might have one."

One hundred and fifty lipsticks later, I found seventeen reds.
(God, I love my family!)

Ay Dios Mio!  ;-)

See you in Miami!! 
(I'll be the one in the fabulous Red Lipstick. =D)

Island girls blog, too.

The Balboa Island Ferry.
Just one of those local historically charming things we have here in South Orange County.
Since 1919 the auto ferry has been taking 3 cars at a time (plus pedestrian passengers) back and forth between Balboa Island and the Fun Zone at the Balboa Peninsula.

To my complete excitement and delight, my Cuban friend, Carrie, of the fabulous blog, Bilingual in the Boonies is visiting us here in Southern California, far from their Boonie Home in Tennessee, along with her enchanting husband (No, they're never going to build a bridge there, Tom - get over it. =D) and their delightfully animated and chatty daughter, Maria, who breathlessly told me this great story all about how she has a baby sister, Rebecca, and an older sister, Lilly, but they don't live in the same house as her, and yada, yada...

I knew Carrie and I had much to catch up on, but still....

Me: "You have two other daughters?? And they don't live with you?? You're holding out on me!" 

Carrie: "Marta,( she said in a voice of infinite patience, that she obviously uses to explain things to her 4 year old and her thick-headed-quasi-retarded friends) Maria is four and doesn't quite get the concept of COUSINS." 

And that was just the beginning of our evening.

I suppose you are still wondering what we were doing boarding the Balboa Island Ferry at 10 o'clock at night. I know the setting seems odd, but seriously, what could be more natural (or more fun???) than two Cuban girls on an island?  =D

(Stay tuned - I will have much to report!)  ;-)

TTFN (ta-ta for now)

It's officially SUMMER (!) for the Darbys and we're on vacation for the rest of the week. I will have the laptop and I may or may not be inspired to blog. See there? I have this total "Don't mess with me - I'm on vacation" vibe happening already (but that's not important right now).

I leave you (and my house and garden and cats) in the very capable hands of my first-born. (That's her cross to bear. =D)

Me? I'll be busy.
I have much to accomplish in a few short months and I'll need a head start... ;-)

And the number one reason why I could never live in Miami...

I admit it.
I have no willpower.
This place is open until all hours of the night.
And they serve Cuban food, people.
Fabulous Cuban food!
And pastries.
Amazing Cuban pastries!
And I have no willpower.
It's like the Cuban Mecca.
And I am a faithful pilgrim.
To go to Miami is to go to Versailles.
And seriously, if I lived in Miami, well....
you can imagine!
Cuban food!
At all hours!
I would certainly rise to that challenge.
Did I mention that I have no willpower?
I would find myself completely out of control.
So it's a very good thing that I don't live in Miami.
In fact, I was kind of relieved when we finally got to the airport last week to come home.
I could finally leave temptation behind me and breathe once again.

But when we arrived at the airport and to our departure gate, we found this:

Right next to our DEPARTURE GATE!
I took it as a sign from God.
(Thank you, God!)
That's Kikita and Adam making their "please, Mom, PLEASE!!" faces.
And it worked. Not much arm-twisting needed. ;-)

• Three Cuban sandwiches.
• Three bags of mariquitas.
• Three ice-cold Matervas.
• Ummm.. FOUR pastelitos de guayaba. (por si... =D)

I know my limits. Don't judge me.

Cuba Nostalgia, Day 1 - I'm already Nostalgic

I already have so many stories I can't wait to share . . .

I am so excited to be here in Miami and to re-connect with my friends from last year.

Here I am with my co-bloggers (is that a word?), the amazing Ziva, the wise-cracking Reinier, and the lovely Amanda.

It was crazy, everyone was hugging, talking, laughing, and (of course) blogging. Adam kept joking about how we were the uber-nerds of Cuba Nostalgia. "When there's all this amazing Cuban food and music, you people BLOG??"
There's Amy (exCUSE me - "Kikita") blogging alongside the focused Henry, and the brilliant Alberto.

I found a new best friend partner-in-crime. . . (Hi Claudia!)

And (can you believe it?)  I have a fan club!  (Okay, well, maybe just A Fan, but that's not important right now. =D) People were actually buying My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Cookbook and asking me to sign it!  This is my fan recipe reader:  Mario along with his beautiful wife.

I feel like such a celebrity (with a very little "c.") =D