Monthly Archives: August 2008

Preguntas

Question of the week: El Verano

A few weeks ago I was hanging out with a good friend who is having an amazing summer. Still, she confided that something was missing: the summer romance.

I smiled to myself and didn’t say anything, but it made me think of this list written in the big loopy handwriting of a young woman. The summer romance is on there too. Making out on the beach at night. Falling love. Champagne trick? I’m not sure…

I didn’t make my own list or tried to fulfill that list. If I did, a trip to Salamanca, Guanajuato would be on there. I’m missing Salamanca more than usual, mainly because I usually visit around this time of year (except for 2005, I visited in December). My summer just doesn’t feel right without a visit to Guanajuato and looking through pictures won’t suffice.

La Pregunta: What do you need to make your summer feel complete? Or, what’s your quintessential summer activity?

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Familia

Cincuenta y cinco

Dear Dad,

You know me. I’m not a morning person, which is a bit ironic because one of my favorite things to do is sing Las Mañanitas on the birthdays of my loved ones. So, being the tech-savvy girl that I am I made a recording using Garage Band and the built in microphone on my laptop. I hope it’s not too complicated to download the MP3 (audio file).

Here it is: Las Mañanitas

Just right click with the mouse, and choose “save as” on the menu that pops up. The file should begin downloading. Now that you finally have a DSL connection, it should be pretty quick. I think you can also begin playing it if you just click on the file. You can call me too if you need help.

I hope you like my version. It would’ve been better with you on guitar. It always is.

Happy 55th Birthday!

Love you lots!

Cindy

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Cultura, Familia

When an apple pie is more than an apple pie

I called Papá Chepe today* to wish him a happy 88th birthday. He didn’t answer. I left a hasty message in my pocha Spanish.

“Hola Papá Chepe, es Cindy. Estoy llamando para felictarlo hoy en el día de su santo. Feliz cumpleaños. Espero que usted y Mamá Toni esten bien. Ojalá que los veo… soon.”

I’d forgotten the word for soon. I still can’t remember it. Would “un ratito” work? Probably.

Fortunately, he called me back two minutes later.

We talked for a few minutes. He thanked me for calling and told me he and Mamá Toni would be leaving El Cargadero soon to have lunch in el jardín in Jerez. He was looking forward to getting a roaming band to play for him.

“¿Cuándo regresan?” I asked, already missing them after two short weeks.

“Este Domingo,” he reassured me.

“Adios,” I said and asked him to give Mamá Toni a hug and a kiss for me.

***
Continue reading →

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Cuentos, Cultura

El Gusto del Zapateado

I first saw her in one of the galleries. She was the assistant to the woman performing as “Not Allowed to be Nude” or “Misplaced Madonna.” She was tall and lanky with short hair. She work a skinny black suit and dark sunglasses. She was the butch version of the proper museum docent.

At the reception following la Pocha Nostra’s The New Barbarians, Rio, Mariela and I sipped chilled white wine and munched on veggies and chicken kebabs while waiting for the performers to make their entrance. Soon after, the four main members of La Pocha Nostra — out of makeup and fully dressed — joined the San Francisco art crowd. The organizer of the show, a short dark-haired Latina, thanked the performers. Everyone clapped except for the alt-docent. She stomped hard on the wooden floor.

She had a good stomp. Like the stomps of a jaranero in the middle of a fandango. Or the zapateado of kids in a ballet folklórico troupe dancing to el Canelo or el Gusto.

In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to be 13 years old again, at the height of my short-lived dance career. Continue reading →

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