Category Archives: Familia

Comida, Familia

V-day dinner by Chef Danny

Lori's balloons were the centerpiece

My brother, Danny, invited Sean and I to a Valentine’s dinner over the weekend. I know V-Day isn’t a family oriented holiday, but Danny’s a trained chef and it’s kinda rare that I get to eat anything he makes. Whenever I see him he’s usually exhausted from work. Sean liked the idea of a home-cooked gourmet meal rather than going out to a restaurant.

Traffic from LA to Hacienda Heights was horrible, but it was worth it. Danny made a delicious dinner with a little help from me, Lori and Costco. I like helping him out, it actually makes me feel like I know something about cooking.

We sat down to dinner a little late, but it was fine with me and accommodated my parents’ schedule.

Green salad

Green salad

Shrimp in a cayenne butter sauce with garlic asparagus

Shrimp in a delicious cayenne sauce

Filet mignon with a mushroom sauce, shrimp, roasted potatoes, asparagus and carrots (not pictured: garlic bread from the grocery store)

The main course

Apple pie a la mode (from Costco)

Apple pie & vanilla bean ice cream

I was so stuffed.

My favorites were definitely the cayenne shrimp and the mushroom sauce.

V.R. breaks out the sad puppy dog eyes for a chance at some steak

As or VR, he was really working the puppy dog eyes angle to get some steak.

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Familia

Love and other L words

My grandparents are adorable too

My celebration of love typically comes two weeks before February 14 when my extended family gathers to celebrate Papá Chepe and Mamá Toni’s wedding anniversary.

Ureño Saldivar family, 1968

I believe the Ureño Saldivar family has been throwing anniversary parties since 1968, the 25th anniversary.

Ureño Saldivar grandkids, 1983

I don’t remember the party for 40th anniversary, but I was there in a frilly dress.

50th Wedding Anniversary

I do recall the huge party for 50 and the whole family dressed in forest green and gold. I thought it was so cool that my grandparents had reached such a milestone. A year later, my fathers’ parents, Grandpa Bartolo and Grandma Juana, also celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Most of the celebrations are low-key, save for the numbers divisible by 5. Since the 60th anniversary, we’ve gathered annually on the last weekend of January to share a meal and celebrate the beginning of our little* extended family.

Celebrating the grandparents' 69th wedding anniversary

This January, the 69th anniversary, we celebrated love, luck, longevity and loyalty. After all, love isn’t all you need to stay together for nearly seven decades.

*The Saldivar family had a big reunion in 2003 (or 04?). After studying a huge family tree, I realized that Mamá Toni’s branch of the family is much smaller than most of her brothers’ and sisters’ families. I have a few cousins compared to my mom.

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Familia

The red hat: Who wore it best?

Years ago, my mom complimented a woman on her hat as she walked out of Sunday Mass. I watched as the woman accepted the compliment and said something like, “Oh, you can have it!”

Mom tried to protest, but the woman insisted and placed the red hat on mom’s head. Mom got a new hat and a story to tell with it.

Anyway, I didn’t think she still had the hat until Sunday when she brought it out. I still don’t know why she brought it out, but it quickly became a photo prop. First Adrian tried it on, then Valerie, then me, Sean, Josie and mom.

Who do you think wore it best? Clockwise from top left: Sean, Adrian, Josie, Mom, Valerie.

Who wore it best?

The Diptic app only has room for 5 photos, so I left myself out of the collage.

Profiling in the red hat

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Familia

In which I get sappy on my sister’s birthday

Happy birthday, GP!

Dear GP,

Happy birthday!

When I look back at these photos, I’m reminded of a great year in which our bond as sisters grew stronger. It also reminds me of what I already know: you’re a beautiful bad-ass. They’re not so good at showing that you’re smart, kind, hardworking, generous, talented, funny and an excellent cupcake/cookie/brownie baker. Nor do they capture how lucky I feel to have you in my life.

Here’s to another year of getting all dolled up, being goofy when appropriate (or not), exploring new places and admiring nature, running a race or two, and keeping stress in check for that little event in September.

Love you more than Lilo loves Stitch,
C

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Boda, Familia

Tía Ana’s workshop

Last year, I wrote that I never fantasized about my wedding. I lied. I thought about dresses and honeymoon locations a lot as a kid.

My family used to visit my mom’s brother and his family in San Diego a few times a year. I loved the visits to tío Beto and tía Ana’s house mainly for the pool and hot tub in the back yard. 

When I wasn’t in the pool or watching TV, I was in the waiting/dressing room outside tía Ana’s workshop. The garage had been converted to a workspace where tía Ana constructed beautiful wedding gowns and other formal dresses. I didn’t spend too much time in garage. It was crowded with the large worktable, bolts of shiny white fabric and lace, 2 or 3 sewing machine work stations, and an ironing board and steamer. Plus, I was likely to get a spare pin in my foot or get my grubby hands on some expensive fabric.

The waiting/dressing room was a safe space. There was a couch, plenty of space and dozens of bridal magazines. I’d flip through these stacks admiring the lovely gowns and baffled by the advice sections. I never knew addressing wedding invitations could be so complicated. I don’t recall any longterm impressions from the gowns or what I thought of them aside from “oooh, pretty!” I do recall the honeymoon and travel sections. I adored the photos of white beaches and blue oceans in tropical locales. They reminded me of the beaches I saw in my parents’ photos from their anniversary trip to Cancún. It was through Brides or Modern Bride that I learned of the Poconos and the champagne-shaped hot tubs in honeymoon suites. They looked cool, but I was confused as to how people actually got in them. (I’m still not really sure where the Poconos are.)

Dresses by tía Ana

Tía Ana made the flower girl dress I wore for another aunt’s wedding; she also made the dresses for the bride and the bridal party. That flower girl dress was reused twice as a First Communion dress and as a Halloween costume. She also made the poofy pink and white dress I wore for my quinceañera.

She gave up the business a while ago, so I can’t go to her to make my wedding dress. I’m not sure she’d want me as a client anyway. I’m too indecisive about these things.  

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