Cuban Food Poster - Winners

I went through and read each and every one of your posts and I can't even tell you how happy you made me. So many of you I've had the pleasure to meet in person and I recall those times from reading your sweet comments. 

Thank you so much for your loyalty and love.

I chose 3 winners for the poster giveaway. In case you don't know how I decide who wins, I go over to Random.org and plug in the number of entries into their True Random Number Generator. It's much quicker than putting all the names into a hat, but the end result is the same. 

These are today's winners, but stay tuned - I have another cool giveaway happening this coming weekend. (I'm a giver like that.) Also, if you want your own poster, ordering information is included below.

My-big-fat-cuban-family-cuban-poster

Congratulations to the 3 winners:

Screen Shot 2014-10-03 at 10.58.59 AM

Screen Shot 2014-10-03 at 10.58.29 AM

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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. Include your mailing address so I can ship out your 16x20 posters right away. 

For those of you who didn't win but are still interested in purchasing the Cuban Food Poster, both sizes (20x30 and 16x20) of the poster are still available for purchase.

Here are the links:

Comida Cubana 20"x 30" Subway Style Cuban Poster by Marta

$38.00 (+shipping & handling)

Choose Quantity

 

Comida Cubana 16"x 20"  Subway Style Cuban Poster by Marta.

$24.00 (+shipping & handling). Order below.

Choose Quantity

 

My Big, Fat, Cuban Family is 8 Years Old

I sat down at my computer 8 years ago today and started crafting my very first blog post. I wasn't quite sure exactly who I was writing for, but I tentatively introduced myself and my family to cyber-space.

I crossed my fingers and hoped that maybe somehow, some way, someone out there would read the stories about my extraordinarily ordinary life and maybe enjoy what I had to say.

I was homeschooling both Lucy and Jonathan at the time and started over sharing about what our days were like. I reminisced about my childhood in Cuba. I posted photos. I told my tales of growing up Cuban and wondered if they were just going out into the ether. 

I decided early on to write to please myself. Not trying to sound self-serving here, but writing about my life and the things I care about is a very personal and vulnerable process. Also, I have a tendency to crack myself up, but that's not important right now.

To date I've written over 1400 posts and have had almost 2 million visitors. (GUAT?) Obviously, someone out there has indeed found me (or they just keep forgetting to write down my picadillo recipe).

And oh-so-much has happened in my life these past 8 years. I'm so glad to have had a place to document the little things and the Very Big Ones. And I'm grateful to all of you for following along. This has been such a cathartic experience for me. Would you believe me if I told you that at first I was very much afraid? (Obviously, I'm over it now.)

My family has been truly amazing these past years for putting up with me as their lives have been so publicly showcased, without a word of complaint. And of course, you know that I now have a grandson, so the over sharing will very likely reach stratospheric levels. Be prepared.  

Please join me today as I celebrate 8 Years in the Blogosphere. (<--is that a word?)

Marta-darby-my-big-fat-cuban-family

There are times I do better at self-disclosure than others. There are times when my real life gets so busy that my cyber-life has to take a back seat. But I have always enjoyed the process of sitting down to the empty page and hoping what I have to over share amuses, entertains, enriches, inspires, or just makes you think.

I'm grateful to those of you who have been faithful readers for these many years. I'm delighted to have found an audience, who, like me, are lovers-of-all-things-Cuban or you're just my friends and are gracious enough to read my stuff. Thanks, guys!

I hope to be over sharing (si Dios quiere) for many more years.

Hey! According to Dictionary.com, "blogosphere" is totally a word. So there's that.

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Here's a quick photo recap of the cyber-celebrations of previous years. Also, I really want you to appreciate the whole I-made-a-custom-magazine-cover thing I do every year.

October 1, 2007 - Thank YOU.

My-big-fat-cuban-family-1

October 1, 2008 - In my dreams...

My-big-fat-cuban-family-2

October 1, 2009 - ... is a Magic Number

My-big-fat-cuban-family-3

October 1, 2010 - Cada Dia Con Marta Maria

My-big-fat-cuban-family-4

October 1, 2011 - Five.

My-big-fat-cuban-family-5

October 1, 2012 - Celebrating Six Years in the Blogosphere

My-big-fat-cuban-family-6

October 1, 2013 - Seven Years.

My-big-fat-cuban-family-7

Last year I even managed to create a celebratory video. And, okay, so I didn't do one this year, but I totally wanted to. (Shut up. I know.)

And because I can't just celebrate and not give you anything (I think that's a Cuban thing), in celebration of my 8 years here in this space, I'd like to do a few giveaways in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

Today, I'd like to do a giveaway for 3 (three!) of my Comida Cubana (Cuban Food) Posters. I have one hanging in my kitchen and it makes me super happy (and super motivated to cook) every single day. 

It's a beautiful 16x20 poster with all of my favorite Cuban foods, suitable for framing. Fabulous, no?

Cuban Poster 16x20

To enter the drawing for a chance to win one of three Comida Cubana Posters, please leave a comment on this post and answer the following question:

  • When and how did you find My big, fat, Cuban family?

I'll choose a winner on Friday, October 3rd, 2014 at 11 am PST.

Thanks for reading and for putting up with my over sharing and being so willing to engage in my "relajo" 

Cuban Picadillo Pies® Recipe

I have a recipe today that was kind of a happy accident.

Ever since I went up to San Francisco a few months ago to cook my Picadillo, my family has been clamoring for it. Yes, there's been clamoring. For the past few years I've been making my picadillo with ground turkey. It's just become a thing.

When I cooked for the Blurb Food Fair, I used fresh ground beef. And here's what I found: it definitely tastes different. Better. In fact, I'm so sorry, ground turkey, but ground beef totally wins.

I mentioned this tidbit to my family and immediately they started asking for it. Clamoring. I had already sung the praises of the ground beef vs the ground turkey. I couldn't just leave them hanging.

Fine, I said. I'll do it, I said. And I did. And there was much rejoicing in the land.

Last week Eric's family was having a Christmas party and we were asked to bring appetizers for the buffet.

Eric: "Why don't you just make the picadillo? With the beef, of course."

Me: "Because it's a main dish, not an appetizer. That would be weird."

Then the brainstorming began and the result was the making of individual personal meat-filled pies. Cuban Picadillo Pies®. Not empanadas, but muffin-tin sized pies. Enough that you get a good portion of picadillo and the perfect proportion of crust. In fact, a couple of these beauties and a salad is practically a complete meal.

They were the hit of the party, by the way. But I sort of knew that would probably be the case. Hello? Cuban. Picadillo. Pies. It's genius, right?

After some experimentation, I decided the picadillo filling needed to have a little more substance and not be too runny, so I added more tomato paste. I added an envelope of Golla seasoning with saffron. I just love the taste it adds, but it can be made without it.

Also, I came to the cataclysmic decision to not use the olives. I know. Call me a rebel. The pie filling is therefore thicker and sweeter than regular picadillo, which works with the slight saltiness of the crust.

Picadillo pies
Picadillo pies

You love me now, don't you?

Cuban Picadillo Pie Recipe
Cuban Picadillo Pie Recipe

Cuban Picadillo Pies

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • ½ green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
  • 1 ½ lbs. Ground beef
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Pepper
  • ½ tsp. Cumin
  • ½ tsp. Oregano
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 2 small cans tomato paste
  • 1 small envelope Sazón Golla (with saffron)
  • ¼ cup dry white wine (the cheaper, the better!)
  • 1 small box of dark raisins
  • 2 packages Refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crust
  • A small amount of butter to grease the muffin tin

1) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, green pepper and garlic until the onion is transluscent.

2) Add the ground beef and brown over medium heat.

3) Add the rest of the ingredients and continue cooking until meat is tender and completely cooked through. About 25 minutes.

4) Let picadillo cool completely.

5) Grease muffin tin slightly with butter. Mostly just around the bottom.

Muffin tin
Muffin tin

6) Cut approximately 5" round circles from pie crust. (I used what I had handy in my kitchen. I'm going to run out and get proper circle cookie cutters for next time, but that's not important right now.) You can get about four 5 inch crusts out of the pie crust and then I combine and roll out the remainder for the tops.

Picadillo pie dough
Picadillo pie dough

7) Stuff these into the greased muffin tin.

Picadillo pie dough in tin
Picadillo pie dough in tin

8) Spoon cooled picadillo into the pie crust.

Picadillo pie filling
Picadillo pie filling

9) Using the leftover dough, roll it out to seal and Cut 3" circles from the scraps of the pie crust.

Cutting dough
Cutting dough

10) Stretch these out just slightly to make tops of the pies.

Picadillo pies before baking
Picadillo pies before baking

11) Press the top and bottom edges of pies together to seal. With a knife, make some slits on the top to vent. You can also just poke a hole in the middle. That works, too, but isn't as cute.

12) Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until crusts are brown. Allow to cool for a bit before serving. Makes 12 pies.

Baked Cuban Picadillo pies
Baked Cuban Picadillo pies

Now they're clamoring for my Cuban Picadillo Pies.®

I totally called it.

Cubamerican the Movie on DVD - Giveaway

I so love celebrating Cuban (!) Hispanic Heritage Month with you guys because...

  • Our stories need to be told.
  • Cubans are amazing people.

Speaking of great "Cuando sali de Cuba" stories, I know many of you have already seen the documentary, Cubamerican. If you haven't yet, you will be amazed at how beautifully and poignantly it depicts the struggles and triumphs of Cubans who were exiled here and eventually made America their home. Get a copy! STAT!

Here's a list of the highly accomplished Cubans who were interviewed for the film. 

  • Carlos Eire
  • Lorena Feijóo
  • Pedro José Greer, Jr.
  • Mirta Ojito
  • Andy Garcia (be still my foolish heart)
  • Gonzalo Rubalcaba
  • Pedro A. Sanchez
  • Achy Obejas
  • Orlando Diaz-Azcuy
  • Felix S. Sabates, Jr.
  • Alvaro de Molina
  • Tony Pérez
  • Gustavo Pérez-Firmat (friend and lover of the MBFCF cookbook)
  • José Orlando Padron
  • Steven Bauer
  • Raoul G. Cantero III
  • Roberto González Echevarría
  • Eduardo J. Padrón
  • Jorge Pardo
  • Lorna Feijóo
  • Francisco "Pipin" Ferreras

The fabulous news is that this gorgeous film is now available on DVD.

Cubamerican-my-big-fat-cuban-family.com

The 2nd piece of fabulous news is that I have a couple of copies to give away today, plus a promotion you will totally be excited about. 

The 3rd piece of fabulous news is that I received the very first copy of the DVD as a gift from Director, Jose Enrique Pardo and Producer, Daniel Bellas. Okay, that's not truly fabulous news, it just makes me feel sooo accidentally cool. (But that's not important right now.)

Jose-enrique-pardo-marta-darby-daniel-bellas

First of all, I'm giving away, not one, but two (2) copies of the Cubamerican DVD. 

To enter this drawing for a chance to win a DVD of the documentary, Cubamerican, please leave a comment on this post and tell me:

  • When did you arrive here in the U.S. 
  • Where was your first stop?

My answer: February 14, 1961. Miami, Florida.

Please leave your comment on this post and I'll choose TWO winners on Monday, September 22nd, 2014 at 11 am PST. 

The 2nd piece of fabulous news is for those of you who just don't want to wait (I know how you guys get), the generous folks at Cubamerican have a BOGO* offer for the first ten buyers. (*Buy One. Get One.)

The first 10 people to buy a Cubamerican DVD and put MBFCF after their name, will win an additional DVD. Here's the link: Cubamerican DVD.

Also, I think every Cuban should own and share this film. It tells our stories so beautifully. A very important reminder: Don't forget the tissues!

Cuban Poster: Comida Cubana Subway Art

Words + Cuban Food = Comida Cubana on a subway style Cuban poster! 

I know. The whole thing kind of blows your mind, right?

I've designed a beautiful Cuban poster in a "subway art" style in 2 popular sizes. 

Cuban poster: Cuban food subway art

(Note: The red water mark at the bottom is not on the finished Cuban poster.) 

I have 2 poster sizes available. 

• Large - 20" x 30" Comida Cubana Subway Art Poster $38.00 + tax, shipping and handling.

Choose Quantity

 

• Small - 16" x 20" Comida Cubana Subway Art Poster $24.00 + tax, shipping and handling.

Choose Quantity

Los Angeles Cuban Festival - A Winner

Marta and Pitbull
Me and Amy with Pitbull

I love doing giveaways here on my blog. I seriously love hearing from you folks and I appreciate that you take the time to write out some thoughtful responses to my questions. Thanks for all your input.

I'm delighted that I can now add to my growing list of "Best Cuban Restaurants in the LA Area." Thanks, guys!

So, the LA Cuban Festival is coming up in about 10 days, people! I'm hoping to see some of you there. I wish I could give you all free tickets, but The People In Charge Of These Things have limited me to giving away a set of two tickets. (For which I'm totally grateful.)

For those of you that are wondering how this is done, here's how I chose the winner. 

1) I took the number of entries and entered that number in the True Random Number Generator over at Random.org. 

2) I took a screen shot of the result so you could see how it works.

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3) I gave each one of your entries a number and I did a screen shot of the winner.

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4) I then write this post and congratulate the winner. 

The winner of the Two Free Tickets to the LA Cuban Festival on July 13th is Ed Nuhfer. Congratulations! I'll forward your email to the generous folks at Fiestalegre Promotions who will provide your tickets to this year's fabulous LA Cuban Festival.

For those of you who didn't win, please be sure to buy your tickets soon. I still hope to see you there! 

Again, here are the details...

LA Cuban Festival

Date: Sunday, July 13, 2014
Time: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Place: Rainbow Lagoon Park, Long Beach (Across street from Shoreline Village)

Performing

  • Issac Delgado
  • Timbalive
  • Charanga Cubana
  • MC Paloma Morales
  • Super DJ Robby
  • DJ Warapo
  • y mas ...

TICKET INFORMATION

Also, the photo of me and my daughter, Amy Kikita with Pitbull at the top of the post has nothing to do with the LA Cuban Festival. It's just to get your attention. No, Pitbull is not going to be at the LA Cuban Festival, but I am!

I just think it's a cute photo. And I like to randomly talk about That Time I Met Pitbull. There's an equally cute story about that photo. (This is a few years ago when I was still straightening my hair. Now I'm all-curls-all-the-time, but that's not important right now.)

Why do I even bring up Pitbull? Because if you come to the Festival (which I totally hope you do, because hello! Cuban music and food and dancing!), you must stop by and say hello to me. Then we'll have our picture taken together and you will be just one degree away from Pitbull. 

As you can see, my Cuban logic is completely intact. 

Making My Summer Bright with Pier 1

It's 90 degrees here in our little corner of Southern California and I know it's only May, but this weather is making me sooo ready for summer. 

As I mentioned before, we have been in serious remodel mode around here. Read about that here:

Where There Is Life, There Will Be a Mess

And now that the painting is complete, everything else that we had outside is looking a little old and shabby. Not in a cool, shabby-chic way, either. See what I mean?

Casa-de-la-loma

I started with the question: What do we actually do on our front porch? 

Actually, we spend a lot of time there.

It only gets a tiny bit of setting sunlight because of it's north facing position, so we can sit out there comfortably pretty much any time of the day. Eric sits out there when he's working from home and catching up on phone calls.

We love to sit out there together in the late afternoon and do the recap of our day together with some iced tea. (Or maybe some Cuban Materva or a cafecito, but that's not important right now.)

Also, my next door neighbor and dear friend, Debbie comes over just to chat and catch up on the events of the week. This usually happens on a Saturday morning, with a cup of coffee. We call it our "Porch Time." It feels very comfortably Cuban in an old-school "portál" way.

So, now that the old wooden beams are torn down and the house is painted a sunny yellow, I felt like we needed to give some love to our Front Porch/Patio area.

Enter Pier 1 Imports. I had already been thinking and looking for inspiration for how to make our paito more colorful, which in 2014 means pinning ideas to Pinterest, of course.

I know. I know. Pinterest World has a wonderful element of perfection to it, which is both overwhelming and wonderful. I've always been the tear-stuff-I-like-out-of-magazines-for-inspiration type, so I like to spend time really thinking about what it is I want to do and what feeling I'm trying to evoke and then I start pinning away. 

(Also, if you don't already follow me, please consider this your official invitation to follow me on Pinterest. Thank you.)

I knew I wanted lots of color. Bright, happy, vivid, summer colors. Like there's always a party going on out on my porch. You're already catching my vision, aren't you?

I've been pinning my bright, happy, vivid, summer color on the following Pinterest board: Pier 1 Outdoor Oasis

Allow me to share a bit of that inspiration:

I fell in love with this beautiful wicker collection called Coco Cove. I like that it's a dark, chocolate brown, which will make the super bright pillows and cushions I plan to add pop just that much more. 

Coco-Cove-Collection-Pier_1

I loved that little ceramic end table thing. I found this one at Pier 1 in red and also in green. Once I decide on the cushions for the furniture, I can make a better decision about the color, I think. Although...hello...RED!

I'm shopping online for this one and having it delivered because, well, can you picture me wrapping my chubby little arms around this beauty? I thought not. Yay for online shopping. Thanks, Pier 1!

Ceramic outdoor stool

So I pinned photos of outdoor spaces and found they all had tons of color in them. "Hmm..." I said to myself. (because I often speak to myself in thoughtful tones, but that's not important right now) "I'm obviously on to something here."

I probably should have just said, "You're sooo predictable." (Of course, I'm attracted to color. Hello! Cuban!)

Wicker-furniture

Pier 1 Imports is totally speaking my language. They have tons of bright and colorful made-for-Marta items.

Not really sure where or how I'd hang these lanterns, but aren't they fabulous? I took a vow I'd find a way to work at least one into my decor.

Pier 1 lanterns and outdoor lights

Also, I'm thinking I need a table of some sort for our coffee cups or iced tea (or Materva). We don't really eat out there, but a table is a necessary thing for Porch Time, don't you agree? 

Bright-outdoor-furniture

I found that in the original Coco Cove Collection that I was first drawn to there was a small ottoman that could double as a table if I added a tray to the top. Win! (Can you just feel my creative wheels turning?)

I'm going with Bright (!), but there's something for every taste in the stores. 

Coco cover collection Pier 1

So, I'm pinning, and visiting my local Pier 1, and shopping online to create a beautfully bright summer place. I promise I'll share The Big Reveal next week. 

Hurry, Summer! 

Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign campaign in collaboration with Pier 1 Imports and Latina Bloggers Connect. The opinions are all my own.

Hospitality 101

Yesterday (Mother's Day) morning, I came downstairs and found this:

We-love-you-mom-sign

I'm glad they opted for the sit-down-in-the-dining-room breakfast because I'm so not the breakfast-in-bed type. Happily, my children learned this about me many, many Mother's Days ago. Don't get me wrong, I love breakfast. It's The Most Important Meal of the Day and all that. But in bed? Not so much. 

So my family made a Mother's Day Breakfast/Brunch for me yesterday. What I loved most (besides that they got up early and decorated and made that cool sign and set the table and that there were fresh flowers) was that when I saw all that they had done, I realized that they had learned it from me

Roses

I'm the one who has always insisted we use real plates and real napkins. That there be fresh flowers and serving dishes. That everyone has a place and that there be plenty of food.

Mother's-day-brunch

I learned all of this, of course, from my own mother. And from the other amazing women in my family who are so skilled at the Art of Hospitality. Truthfully, I think hospitality is part of our Cuban DNA. Which is why it makes me so happy that my family stepped up in this way.

Mom-sign

(The "hanging in space" letters, however, are mine. I used them to decorate back in December, see this post: Finding Joy. It was made with my Silhouette Machine, which was hijacked by Lucy to make this particular sign, but that's not important right now.)

I'm the one who usually does all these things. The Best Mother's Day Gift for me was that they had done it just like I would have. In this case, imitation truly was the best form of flattery.

Cafe-cubano

There was the Cuban coffee, perfectly brewed and served by Amy. (Here's her video: How to Make Cuban Coffee With Killer Espuma. You're Welcome.)

Monkey-bread

Lucy made The Monkey Bread, which was, as always, a big hit. Here's the recipe: About the Monkey Bread or Rule Breaking 101.

Coffee-cup

Which left me free to enjoy all their efforts and bask in their love and feeling like maybe this motherhood thing was something I'd done pretty well.

And the Cuban Hospitality? Well, I am understanding that, like most life lessons, is something more caught than taught.

Family

Good job, people. I think my job here is done.

Also, I love you, too.

My Big, Fat, Dodger Blue Cuban Family

I have amazing news! I'm proud and privileged to announce that I was invited to be on the planning committee for Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium this year! (I know. Shut up.)

Seriously, if I was going to add an item to my Bucket List, this would be it. Of course, I didn't know I would have added it until they actually asked me, but that's not important right now.

So our very first meeting was at Porto's Bakery. (If I was writing the script for the movie of my life and adding this chapter, I swear I couldn't have written it any better than this. Pinch me.)

Portos coffee & pastelito

And even though I was completely driven to distraction by the giant plate of pastelitos de guayaba (guava pastries) they placed in front of me, I think I was able to contribute something of value besides, "Can I please have another?"

I have a lovely Facebook friend/MBFCF reader, whose name is Ed. He was following my Hey-I'm-on-the-Cuban-Heritage-Day-at-Dodger-Stadium-Committee excitement on Facebook (if you're not following the relajo on My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Facebook page, you totally should) and he sent me and my family an amazing gift.

Shirts! Beautiful Dodger Blue Shirts! Not only that, they say, "Los Doyers." Also, he sent them for the entire family. I was overwhelmed. (Again, I couldn't have written this part of the book better myself.)

Amy Kikita and I put ours on immediately and Instagrammed the awesome. (If you're not following me on Instagram, you totally should. I'm Smrtqbn. That is all.)

Marta and amy doyer selfie

How cute and happy do we look in our Los Doyers shirts? (Didn't I tell you they were awesome?)

Lucy and Jon decided they would rather do a "photo shoot." Of course.

 

Lucy darby dodgers

"Look at my shirt!"

Jon e darby doyers

I don't know which makes me happier - being on the Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium this year, or having such a thoughtful and generous reader bless our family in this way. (I'm thinking it may be a tie.)

Also, having my kids be so excited and proud to represent makes my cup runneth over.

Amy kikita

Jon e darby

Lucy darby

Eric got a shirt, too. But he was busy doing some work in the garden, so he missed the photo shoot. (Or did he?)

Lucy darby doyers

Thank you to the Dodgers ("Viva Los Doyers!") and the Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium Committee (if you're not following them on Facebook, you totally should) for including me in this awesome event.

Thank you to my friend, Ed for the beautiful and generous gifts.

Color me happy! (Of course, you realize that happy is now officially Dodger Blue, but that's not important right now.)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - a Review

I am pretty much the worst person to have with you in a movie theater when the film in question is an action/adventure type. It has to do with learning styles.

Let me explain...

Because I'm a visual learner and have a vivid imagination, I see things and feel them viscerally and then I react audibly. (Of course, you could chalk this up to the fact that I'm Cuban, but that's not important right now.)

Anyway, the "reacting audibly" (in a movie theater) part is where it becomes problematic for someone trying to quietly enjoy the film in question.

My daughter, Lucy came with me to the pre-screening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier a few weeks ago. Lucy is the type of learner who takes in all the information and digests it and then later discusses the conclusions she has come to.

Me? Not so much. I see it. I feel it. I. AM. RIGHT. THERE.

Captain america screening

Although I enjoyed the first Captain America film and am a big über-nerdy fan of the entire Marvel Universe, I was not prepared for how awesome this film was. Again, I'm a big fan of the franchise anyway.

I'd have to say that unless you've seen the original Captain America: The First Avenger and also The Avengers, you won't appreciate this film as much as we Marvel über-nerds will. You totally need Steve Rogers' back story, particularly when they do the reveal of The Winter Soldier. I may or may not have yelled loudly, "No way!" at that point in the film, but that's not important right now. Lucky for us, we happened to have seen it with a theaterful of equally über-nerdy Marvel fanboys, so there was no call for my removal from the theater. Also, everyone was thinking the same thing.

The Winter Solder is slightly different than the other films in that it has an element of being a political thriller, which I appreciated. And one of the best, most jaw-dropping, did-they-just-do-that car chases in any film ever. (I'm talking all the way back to The French Connection. Wait. Did I just date myself?)

Captainamerica252caf98c7a36c

What I appreciate most about Captain America is that Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans - *sigh*) is a true conservative hero. The old-school, moral, fight-for-what-is-right type.

"You hold a gun on everyone on Earth and call it protection," he says. "This isn't freedom, this is fear." I can't think of another film where they've ever discussed the moral implications of trading in freedom for security. I was impressed. Also, I may or may not have loudly yelled, "YES!" at that point, but again, that's not important right now.

Did I mention that I tend to react audibly when I get engrossed in a film? And believe me, I was completely engrossed in this film.

I don't want to spoil anything, but for all my fellow Marvel über-fans (and you know who you are), I just have three words for you:

The. Elevator. Scene.

Captain america elevator

I'm not going to give any more away. I'll just say that Lucy and I both enjoyed the film tremendously.

Lucy

Also, her arm is healing quite nicely from the bruises incurred while sitting next to her mother who enjoyed the film so much that she provided both action and adventure. Learning styles, people.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, April 4th, 2014.