My Big Fat Cuban Family: A Cuban-American Blog

Summer Movies and The A/V Cart

When I was in school (back in the day), one of the highlights of our young school lives was the arrival of the A/V Cart. 

If you're not old enough to remember this from your own school days, A/V is shorthand for Audio/Visual (you're welcome) and the cart would usually hold a movie projector and possibly a record player. Eventually the A/V cart held a TV. I know. Mind blown.

Something wonderful was sure to happen when the A/V Cart arrived.

Also, there was always one impossibly nerdy kid who got to be the A/V Cart Monitor and wheel the wonderful promise of fun into the classroom. He was usually the smartest kid, who usually happened to also be the teacher's pet.

For the record, that was never me, but that's not important right now.

So, let's talk Summer. And movie nights. Specifically Darby Summer Movies which, in case you cared, is also an Instagram Hashtag - #DarbySummerMovies. So there's that.

But back to the A/V Cart. Last summer, Lucy's boyfriend Marc - who was instrumental in the building of my awesome farm table - built us our very own A/V Cart. Because we're not nerdy enough without having our own A/V Cart. Right?

He painted it black and put wheels on it, because A/V carts should just roll in, blend in and do their job without calling attention to themselves. I'm in love with it.

Isn't it a beautiful thing? The Optoma projector usually sits on top of that big black receiver thing. The 2nd shelf is for the dvd player and the speakers travel in the cart as well. 

In fact, now that we have the A/V Cart, setting up for an outdoor movie is relatively painless, which is awesome because there are nights where we decide to do the movie thing about an hour before the sun goes down and we send out a text...

"Hey guys! Movie tonight? Be here at 8:30."

And we usually manage to get a pretty full house. Outdoor Movie Nights are very much a part of our own personal summer celebrations.

Most movie nights we have concessions - that's movie talk for "snacks." Candy and sodas and water bottles and chocolate bars and the brown paper bags hold popcorn. We usually include some fresh strawberries because they're super abundant around here in the summer.

 

We bought 3 dozen plastic stacking adirondack chairs from Lowe's to use as theater seating and we roll out a carpet under them which dissuades crawly things from biting bare feet. See how thoughtful we are?

Some Darby Movie Nights (#DarbySummerMovies. If you don't already, you should totally follow me on Instagram. I'm @Smrtqbn) we manage to come up with a theme and serve food accordingly. 

Hot dogs for a screening of '42' - The Jackie Robinson Story

Sometimes we are really super organized and can get everyone here in costume. Yes. You read that right. Like we did for our Hercules Sing-Along. 

I know. We would totally be winning the Gold in the Nerd Olympics here. It was a fabulous BYOT* night.

*Bring Your Own Toga

Other nights it's just us and our hard-working A/V Cart and that's okay, too.

I'm so glad Summer is finally here. The weather has warmed up to where we can comfortably do our movie nights. (#DarbySummerMovies) In fact, this coming weekend we're having a Summer Celebration kickoff which will include the movie, 'Chef,' which we seriously love, and a food truck type menu, which I'm super excited about. (I'll write about that next week in delicious detail.)

For now, I wanted to share about how awesome our summers are and how much #DarbySummerMovies (our own hashtag, people!) and how much we've come to count on our trusty A/V Cart. 

We recently had the following conversation (about A/V Carts) around the dinner table:

Me: "There was always that one impossibly nerdy kid who got to be the A/V Cart Monitor. He was usually the smartest kid, who usually happened to also be the teacher's pet."

Eric: "Yeah. That would be me."

Guess who's still in charge of the A/V Cart? 

Hello, Darby Summer Movies. 

Hi Mom.

For those of you loyal readers, by know you've figured out that almost every Mother's Day, we (the children of MBFCF) have proudly hijacked our mom's blog with some adorable photos and commentary about how much we love and adore our mom.

The first year, we wrote THIS.

The following, THIS. 

You get the idea.

This year, we decided we were tired of writing about it… but that’s not important right now.

(Happy Mother’s Day. We love you!)

There is so much more we have to say... but maybe we'll save that for next year. 

;-)

 

What's Important Right Now - April

I can't very well let the month of April go without stopping to celebrate the things that I'm grateful for in my very extraordinarily ordinary life.

What's important right now?

DRIVING a brand new car. So new, in fact, that I don't quite recognize it yet. I told Eric that I felt like I needed an ESCAPE. He took me literally. I am pleased.

LISTENING to a wonderful collection of inherited old records from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. I'm so glad Jonathan appreciates vinyl, big bands, and crooners. We've been having a great time sitting around just listening to records. It's become a thing around here. 

CELEBRATING Eric's 50th birthday. We kidnapped him and took the train up to LA and spent a day at the California Science Center exploring the Dead Sea Scrolls. A dream field trip for us nerdy types.

BABYSITTING as often as possible for our grandson, Asher.  We set aside an entire day and just give him attention. It's good medicine for all of us.

BAKING fresh bread in a new bread machine. I know. I suppose I could easily let things rise and punch out and shape and bake, but I'm kind of enjoying the dump and go method. My favorite is fresh hot bread with real butter and honey. That's heaven to me.

SHARING the moon. My BFF, Pam and I send each other photos of the moon from wherever we happen to be. There's a comfort in knowing that no matter where our travels take us and how different our lives may be, we are looking up at the same moon each night. It brings comfort in an I'm-thinking-of-you way.

APPRECIATING the little things. Eric makes extra boiled eggs in the morning which I find when I get up a little later than he does once he's off to work. I appreciate that I was on his mind and that he's taking care of me with this small gesture. Also, I'm on a fresh raspberry jam kick. Don't try to stop me.

READING Chip Chip by Rusty Jaquays. Sent to me by one of my blog readers, it's a novel based on the events of the Mariel boatlift in 1980. So far I'm enjoying it immensely and am intrigued by the plot.

THINKING a lot about the coming summer months. Fixing up my garden, making notes for outdoor entertaining, collecting movies for outdoor movie nights. Come on, summer!

PLANNING Cuban Night at Dodger Stadium in a few weeks and Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium in July. Looking forward to seeing all my cubiches and hoping for a Dodger win.

If you don't already have your shirts for the July game, be sure to order them early from my friends at Habana Brand Clothing.

 

RELISHING the days we can spend time with the kids. We're having fun negotiating our growing and changing relationships.

GOING out of our way to cultivate gratitude in our simple lives. I'm so glad that we are stopping to make time to celebrate the good stuff. It takes just a moment for me to look at these photos from this past month and reflect and thank God. We are indeed blessed.

What about you? What's important right now? Feel free to share.

What's Important Right Now - March

I really am so very grateful that I have so many wonderful opportunities come my way. I seriously get to go to some fun places and do really fun things. Like that time I went to Pixar and Skywalker Ranch. (I told you. Insufferable.)

But my real life moves at a much slower and more reasonable pace. I still make dinner every night (mostly) and have mountains of laundry to do each week, but that's not important right now.

What is important right now is the following. 

Discovering lots of places in and around our own area code. It's amazing sometimes the things I take for granted.  This is at The LAB - AntiMall. 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. Hands down the coolest hipster place to do a photo shoot in our area. (It took Lucy no time at all to move those cubes around while I just clicked the shutter.)

Watching our grandson, Asher grow and change from month to month. He is the happiest, smiliest little human ever.

Appreciating that Eric can juggle. Seriously. He will come home from work and we then sit outside and discuss our day while he expertly throws those pins around. I love that.

Shopping at the local Farmers Market every week. We like eating fresh anyway, but it's super fun to grab some local produce and plan new menus each week. (Of course I made flan. Why do you ask?) 

Practicing using my camera in manual mode. I usually shoot in auto and I finally decided to have some fun with all the bells and whistles that my Canon Rebel T3i has to offer. This is Poseidon Darby. Our blue-eyed-cross-eyed cat.

Playing with my new Extendable Monopod Phone Mount Holder. Also known as a "selfie stick." (I know. Shut up.)

Cherishing so many tender moments at this very fragile time of life. 

Applauding my son, Jonathan for taking risks. He was one of the guards in the American Ballet Theatre production of The Sleeping Beauty Ballet. He stood around a lot and helped carry Princess Aurora off the stage. It was glorious.

Planning Cuban Night and Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium with a team of fabulous Cubans. This has been a delight because of the people I get to hang with and because I get to be privy to the fun. (Get up to date details on Facebook by liking and following the Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium page.)

Extra perk - having our meetings at Porto's Bakery. (Thank you, God.)

Keeping busy with my Etsy shop. I'm really loving the rhythm of my days and am working on some fun new designs for friends. If you don't have one already, you should order one of my Cuban Food Posters from my shop. Also, I just really like to say, "My shop."

Enjoying my new studio/office space. It used to be Lucy's room. This is the upside of empty-nesting. (Yes. The toys are mine.)

Finding that switching up my regular old routine and stopping to be grateful for all the good in my life keeps me finding inspiration in the craziest places.

So, what's important in your world right now? Tell me.

Also, in case you missed it, here's my list of What's Important Right Now for January.

"That's No Moon."

The New LEGO Star Wars™ Miniland Death Star Model Display

You know that I'm a self-professed über-nerd about all things Star Wars. Need I remind you about my recent visit to Skywalker Ranch? (<--there she goes again.)

Imagine my surprise and delight when I received an invitation from LEGOLAND^® California to witness the unveiling of the LEGO^® Star Wars^TM Miniland Death Star Model Display. 

Yes, please! 

I brought my Lego-loving husband, Eric along for the fun, which really didn't take much arm-twisting.

"Legoland? DEATH STAR? I'm in!"

The LEGO® Star Wars^TM Miniland Death Star Model was quite an impressive thing. 

At 8-feet wide, 13-feet high, weighing more than 1900 pounds and made out of more than 500,000 LEGO bricks, the LEGO Death Star model is the largest addition to LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland.

 

The new model display features iconic film scenes made of LEGO® bricks that were filmed inside the Galactic Empire’s space station including the famous trench run scene where Luke Skywalker maneuvered his X-wing fighter through the combat zone to destroy the Death Star.  

Look at the detail in this model! 

"It's not impossible. I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back home, they're not much bigger than two meters." ~Luke Skywalker

Adjacent to the planet-shaped LEGO model, guests are invited to use their imaginations to construct their own LEGO starships at building stations. In other words, it's a Lego Star Wars über-nerd's dream come true. *sigh*

Stormtroopers and Lord Vader himself were on hand during the opening ceremony. Of course, the Force was as strong as ever, but that's not important right now.

The LEGO Star Wars™ Miniland Death Star is designed from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. It includes six animated Turbo Laser Turrets and LEGO starship models built out of more than 20,000 LEGO bricks.

“Since opening in 2011 and making the first major addition in 2012, LEGO Star Wars™ Miniland has become one of the most popular areas for children and their parents, because....Star Wars, people!

Every beloved scene recreated in Lego brick perfection.

 

For those of us who are lovers of all-things-LEGO-and-Star-Wars, this spot in Miniland is where dreams come true. I'm sure you'll recognize some old friends.

And possibly make some new ones.

May the force be with you. 

The unveiling of the new LEGO Star Wars™ Miniland Death Star Model Display kicks-off the fan favorite, LEGO Star Wars™ Days event on March 7 and 8, where guests can spend the day participating in Star Wars™ related activities.

What's Important Right Now - January

I have lately been so caught up in telling all about my latest travel experiences (Skywalker Ranch, anyone?) that I have not stopped to write about the things that are happening in my real life and taking up space in my heart and mind. 

And I know I always tell you that some things are "not important right now," so I decided to share things that are important to me right now. 

With that in mind, here's what's happening in The Present Participle World of Marta for January 2015. (I know you care.)

Loving our brand new mattress. Yes. It was time and we finally bit the bullet and now our bed is The Most Comfortable Bed Ever. We painted our bedroom yellow months ago and all of this is making me super happy. Mostly because I'm sleeping better, but that's not important right now.

Working on some custom orders and some new designs to add to my Etsy shop, Marta Darby Designs. You have one of my Cuban Food Posters already, right?

Delighting in the beauty and fun (and work!) that is our 5 month old grandson, Asher. Grateful to Adam and Alysha for so graciously sharing him with us.

Reading Yes Please by Amy Poehler. Getting inspired, laughing out loud and hating her potty-mouth all at once.

Trying lots of new Pinterest recipes which is making my family love me oh, so much. Lots of keepers. Follow my I *Heart* Food or Cuban Food boards if you're so inclined.

Watching the old Batman TV series with Eric and Jonathan and seriously loving the cheesiness of the acting and dialog. Also, yes, as a matter of fact, we do keep those lights in here all year round.

Supporting our son, Jonathan as he continues to pursue his acting career. 

photo credit: DanShalaby.com

Missing my daughter, Amy who is still doing life in Miami. She hilariously shares photos of the Cuban food that she's enjoying in order to entice me to visit soon. (It might just work.)

Celebrating a day off together with my husband and kids at Disneyland. Those days are few and far between lately which makes them that much more delicious.

 

Procrastinating on making dinner tonight because I may or may not be spending too much time on Pinterest pinning some Really Really Fabulous Dinner Ideas That I Must Try Immediately, but that's not important right now. 

What about you? What are you doing that's important right now?

Changes.

My four kids have always been in super different places in life, which has always kept our lives interesting.

I remember when Amy Kikita started college. It was the same year Jonathan started Kindergarten. Yeah. Kindergarten and college. With Lucy in grammar school and Adam in high school there was never a dull moment around here. 

Change is inevitable. Kids grow. They go out into the world to find their fortunes. They meet other people. They make new friends. They have adventures. They find their way in the world and add different kinds of cares (good and bad) into our lives as parents. 

So I mark the passage of time as I always have, by the ages and activities of my children. Eric and I find ourselves navigating some challenges that we hadn't experienced before. But that's what keeps life exciting, right?

And, yes, our kids have always been in different places, but this season totally wins as far as the most diverse changes for all of them. Read on.

Amy has moved to South Florida. Specifically to Hialeah. With nothing to hold her here in Southern California, she has struck out to find adventure in Hialeah to get her Cubanity on. She has a job, an apartment, and a car. We text multiple times a day, but even at those times, I'm acutely aware of the distance between us. I miss her desperately. (Shh! Don't tell her.)

Adam has ventured into marriage and fatherhood. He and his wife, Alysha live near us and we have the good fortune to see them on different occasions.

As you can see, our dinner table is still quite full. (Also, I'm trying to master the art of picnicking, but that's not important right now.) The faces around the table are changing. And I'm not just talking about the extra wrinkles that are adding *ahem* character to our faces.

Eric and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary on August 8th. We had a lovely, quiet dinner and recapped all of our adventures. We agreed we would say, "I do" all over again. We also decided that quiet and calm may be over-rated. We have also categorically reserved the right to change our minds.

I took Lucy to San Francisco to celebrate her 21st birthday. We saw all the cool spots in the city and even had a cable car adventure. All the while, I kept hyperventilating when I remembered that my daughter was now 21. "Deep, slow breaths, Mom."

Jonathan started his first week at the local community college (where Lucy is employed, by the way). He is taking theater classes and also going out on lots of auditions in Los Angeles. I'd tell you what exactly he's been doing, but then I'd have to kill you. 

Jon's first day of school photo

Last week, Adam and Alysha were blessed with the birth of their baby. A beautiful boy. My son has a son. Making me an abuela. (I had a dream in which the baby called me, "Wella." I'm going to go ahead and go with that.)

People, meet my grandson, Asher. I think this guy has changed my life forever.

So many changes. 

In between all these milestones, I've made dinners, and done loads and loads of laundry. I've visited my 100 year old mom, and gone swimming in pools and at the beach. We've hosted lots of outdoor movie nights and have attended concerts and baseball games. 

I know this post sounds like somebody's annual Christmas newsletter, but guys, this only encompasses the last 6 weeks of my life. 

A few months ago I might have said, "I hate change." But now I embrace the many and varied happenings and simply say, "Bring it." 

Life is in session. Amen.

We Did the Conga at the Hollywood Bowl. Thank you, Gloria.

Eric and I went to see Gloria Estefan perform at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday night.

Let me just tell you how beautifully our Southern California weather performed as well.

It was that magical kind of summer night - Not too hot. Not too cold. A slight Summer breeze. Seriously, So Cal. You sooo won.

Of course, you know how much I love the Hollywood Bowl. In case you don't, read this. And especially this.

The Parking Thing

We live in South Orange County, which, when measured by So Cal distances, means at least an hour drive to get to Hollywood on a perfect day. The concert started at 8:00 pm, which meant we left our house at 5:00 pm. (I know the math doesn't add up, but then, neither does measuring distances by time.)

The most stressful part of the evening for us is the drive - the 1 hour drive took us an hour and a half - and then we had to park. The parking at the Bowl is stacked. That means that you park behind the first guy, and the next person parks behind you. Or next to you. Like an elaborate, real-life, 3D game of Tetris. At the end of the night, you have to wait until everyone in front of you and next to you and all around you gets to their car.

It's amazing how civil we all are when faced with this situation. Kudos to us concert-goers for not killing each other.

It's truly as frustrating as it sounds unless you're prepared for it (which we are), in which case you manage your expectations and just hang in your car until everyone is ready to go. 

The Picnic Thing

The most important part of the Hollywood Bowl experience (and my favorite) is the Picnicking. Ask anyone. It's not like going to a regular concert venue where you grab a bite before the show. The Picnic is The Reason the Hollywood Bowl is so awesome. 

There are lots of areas around the Bowl to lay out your blanket and serve your picnic feast. If you get there early enough, you can even stake out a table. (For the record: We've never gotten there early enough. See The Parking Thing above.) There are also lots of restaurants and food service on the premises. On this particular night, because it was just the two of us and we got there early enough, Eric and I decided to just find our seats and enjoy our dinner there.

Note: If we left SUPER early enough, we could go to Porto's Bakery for Cuban Sandwiches and Pastelitos, but obviously, that would have meant we'd need to leave at noon to make that happen, so that didn't happen.

Also, I suppose I could have made my own Cuban sandwiches and pastelitos, of course. But I've been spending waaayy too much time on Pinterest looking for inspiration, and I was - in a word - inspired.

1) Cobb Salad in a jar

I got a couple of jars in which I put simple Cobb Salad ingredients. Have you heard of this? You start with a Mason jar or any jar with a lid. Then fill the jar in this order:

• Blue Cheese salad dressing
• Chopped tomatoes
• Scallions
• Cooked, chopped bacon
• Lettuce

The dressing stays at the bottom, keeping the lettuce dry. The ingredients stay fresh in the sealed jar. When you're ready to eat, you just shake it up and it's all dressed and ready to party. Seriously genius.

2) Sliced baguette & 3) Creamy Brie

Just exactly as it sounds. The baguette slices were just right for spreading the creamy brie and were perfect with a bit of red wine.

4) Chips & 5) Ham/Roast Beef & Cheese Sandwiches

Wrapped in parchment and string (because Pinterest!), they were the perfect main course for our picnic.

6) Cheesecake with Strawberries

For our Picnic's grand finale , I made individual cheesecakes in small Mason jars. Which, I'll confess to you, were super easy but added a big Wow! factor to the dessert.

I used a Jell-O No Bake Cheesecake and just followed the recipe on the box and pressing the graham cracker crust tightly into the base of the jars. The strawberries were sliced and packed into a ziplock so it was easy enough to add to the cheesecake before eating.

My husband was both impressed and delighted, as were the people around us.

People Around Us: "Where did you get that great picnic?"

Me (looking demure and blushing slightly): "I made it."  (Win.)

The Music

Gloria sang a mix of traditional standards and some of the old-school Miami Sound Machine favorites. She did not disappoint. The crowd was predominantly bilingual and sang along with her when she went into her Spanish mix.

She also sang a lovely medley: Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar (Portugese) - Here We Are - Con los Años Que Me Quedan (which completely slayed me, but that's not important right now) - and she snuck in a little Conga (see if you can catch it).

I always try to take a moment and take in my surroundings when I'm at the Bowl. The open air. The beautiful music under the stars. My very satisfied belly. My sweet husband by my side. I stopped and thought, "It just doesn't get any better than this."

But Gloria knows me. (I mean that metaphorically, of course.) She chose that moment to bring out Andy Garcia to play the bongos. Andy. My Andy. Gracias, Gloria. *sigh* 

 The Fireworks

If you ever get the chance to go to the Hollywood Bowl, try to pick a night when they're having fireworks, because believe me when I tell you, you've never seen a real fireworks show (sorry, Disney) until you've experienced the fireworks at the Bowl. 

When Gloria launched into Conga, everything exploded in a riot of lights and sounds and color and the entire crowd jumped to their feet and began to do the Conga.

"Feel the rhythm of the music getting stronger
Don't you fight it 'til you tried it, do the conga beat."

She gave the instructions for the Cuban way to conga from the stage: "To the right...two...three. To the left...two...three."

And we did.

WOW. Just wow.

It was a perfect, magical, iconic Southern California Summer night. I don't know if Andy will be making another appearance at the Bowl. I'd like to believe that was a treat Gloria brought out just for me.

I can dream, can't I?

There's still a lot of summer season left at the Hollywood Bowl. Tickets are very affordable and I've already shown you how to pack your picnic and warned you explained about parking. 

Some tickets are even as low as $20! Order today by calling (323) 850-2000 or visit HollywoodBowl.com. You're welcome.

A Big, Fat, Cuban Family Gracias! to Al Punto Advertising for your sponsorship.

Tearing Down Fences

The fence separating our property from our next door neighbors was falling down. Too many years of watering and the daily wear and tear of life was making it wobble and it had started taking on a slight I've-had-one-drink-too-many look. 

Looking down at the wobbly fence from my screened bedroom window.

But you know how you look at something every day and it makes you slightly crazy every time and yet you choose to ignore it because there's no time to deal with it right now? That was us and The Fence. 

"That fence is really wobbly." 

"I know."

And we would go on with our lives until the next time we were outdoors, which was usually the next day as we watered the few plants that were still hanging on to life support in our sadly neglected backyard. 

"That fence..."

"I know."

And so it went, until the day, about a month ago when we got together with our neighbors (whom we dearly love, by the way) and actually talked about the fence. 

"We need to do something about the fence."

"We know."

Then it was time for high school graduation and we decided to throw a huge party to celebrate. Not only was Jon graduating, but their daughter, Tori, and Jon's best friend, Nathan were too. So we had 3 graduates to celebrate and 3 families who were on board. 

It was the kids who first made The Suggestion.

"Let's tear down the fence. It's an eyesore."

"WE KNOW!"

"But let's just leave the space open."

"Wait. What?"

They convinced us to tear down The Fence and open up the space between our yards for the summer, at least. And maybe for good. 

Radical!

We hadn't managed to muster up enough energy to plant fresh flowers or pull up the dying plants. (I know. Shut up.) How embarrasing to tear down the fence and have our neighbors have to daily look upon our eyesore-of-the-neighborhood backyard. 

Not only that, but we were now making plans for The *Biggest Graduation Party of The Year (Or the *BGPOTY) to be held in our corporate backyard space. 

Revolutionary!

So we had a Party Summit in which we discussed ground rules and what to do with our respective yards to pull off the *BGPOTY. There were sketches and discussions and many, many trips to the nursery.

Then the day came. We were going to tear down the fence. We were making the cataclysmic and counter-cultural decision to live our lives in a type of community that is rare in this age. 

We recruited all the able-bodies who were willing and able. 

And down it came. 

By this point, our wonderful neighbors, much to my everlasting delight, had already planted some beautiful butterfly garden beds and seriously, from the moment that fence came down, we have had some gorgeous Monarch butterflies dancing back and forth between our two (now one) yard(s). 

It felt so magical and like somehow we had broken not just the physical barrier between our respective property lines, but like we had dismantled a cultural norm. 

We are choosing to be counter-cultural and live in community. It feels freeing and magical. The dancing Monarchs feel representative of the magic that we have created between us and how our lives are intertwined.

I took this next photo this morning. The *BGPOTY was absolutely amazing and deserves a post of its own (coming later this week). But here is what the space looks like and we couldn't be more delighted.

The day after the party, we pooled our collective resources and shared a family meal.

This, ladies and gentleman is how we are now doing life. And we couldn't be more content.

The Fence that used to separate our lives? We found a much more appropriate use for it.

I can't stop smiling.

59 Wonderful Truths About Getting Older

I'm 59 today. 

There's so much I want to tell you about how this feels. And because this is all about me, here are My 59 Wonderful Truths:

1. I feel the same inside as I did when I was 17. (Nobody tells you this.)

2. I still have moments of insecurity about: my hair, my hips, my gut (pick a feature). I just don't care enough to let it paralyze me.

3. I don't have to get the last word in anymore. (I like to. But I don't have to.)

4. I don't love how my body looks at 59, but I'm still amazed by all it does for me.

5. I have a tremendous capacity for love. (Much more so than when I was 20, or 30, or even 40.)

6. A good belly laugh is worth as much as a spa day.

7. Regarding make-up, less is more at my age. (That's so freeing.)

8. Tending to my garden and my soul is much more important these days.

9. I can't begin my day well unless I talk to God about it first.

10. Forgiving completely is the most important thing I've ever learned to do.

11. I don't know everything. But I do know a lot.

12. I still love learning new things. Every day.

13. Routines are precious to me.

14. I laugh at myself much easier than I ever did when I was younger. 

15. Food must taste delicious or why bother? Seriously.

16. I value my time alone much more than I ever have.

17. I love a book that makes me cry.

18. I have not outgrown my nerdiness.

19. I'm no longer self-conscious about how round my face is. It just is.

20. I know what I'm worth now. 

21. I care less about what people think.

22. Some days I don't want to interact with people at all, and that's okay.

23. I'm much more of an introvert than I ever knew. 

24. I am finally comfortable in my own skin.

25. I feel things deeply.

26. I don't mind the wrinkles around my eyes as much as I thought I would.

27. I'm deeply grateful every day.

28. I've finally found my voice.

29. I am wise.

30. I am strong.

31. I'm happy to share my wisdom and my strength.

32. Anti-aging really means death.

33. I have no problem with re-invention. (Or maybe it's re-discovery?)

34. I know I have authority.

35. My internal editor just doesn't show up for work anymore.

36. I have the most wonderful friends.

37. I know that I am loved.

38. I married well.

39. I refuse to quiet down or fade away as I get older.

40. I am finally embracing my curly hair. It's symbolic of so much more.

41. I feel things much more deeply than I ever did.

42. Pushing myself is not very kind. I finally stopped.

43. I am much more conscious of beauty.

44. Gratitude takes practice.

45. My happiness doesn't depend on anything I own or anything I've accomplished.

46. I can be a pain in the butt sometimes.

47. I am a big fan of making mistakes. It shows I'm still trying.

48. I don't live in the past or in the future. God is in today.

49. I am okay with asking for help.

50. It's important to me to tell the truth.

51. Saying no is easier.

52. I'm still very curious about many things. I am a learner.

53. Life experience is worth a lot.

54. I am much more fragile than I let on.

55. I have a large capacity for pain.

56. I have a large capacity for courage.

57. Breathing deeply does help.

58. Telling stories is my secret weapon.

59. 59 is not the new 39. 59 is wonderful on its own.

I'm celebrating my 59th birthday today surrounded by good friends and good food and my beautiful family. I am richer than all the dreams of avarice.

Happy Birthday to me. 

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?

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. 

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!

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!)

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.

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? 

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. 

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.

What I Love About Summer Concerts at the Hollywood Bowl

ATTENTION: Today I have a Public Service Announcement from the Hollywood Bowl and the LA Phil. Because I love you. Also, you can just call it 'The Bowl' like us cool kids do, but that's not important right now.

Summer is rapidly approaching (yay!) and that means it's time to start making Summer Bucket List plans. Read about how we do that here:

Summer Manifesto.

As you know, t's a big deal to us to squeeze out every last drop of fun out of our summers. For me, one of the coolest things about living in Southern California is visiting The Hollywood Bowl. Read about my love for the Bowl here:

On the Stage of the Hollywood Bowl (Pinch Me.)

I'm particularly excited for this coming season at the bowl, particularly the end of July. The Americas & Americans concerts on July 23, 25-26, 29, 31 includes an eclectic mix of cultures and traditions from across North and South America.

• Gilberto Santa Rosa & Sheila E - Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014 - 8:00 pm 
• Gloria Estefan with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra - Friday & SAturday, July 25th & 26th, 2014 - 8:00pm
• Rubén Blades and the LA Phil - Tuesday, July 29th, 2014
• Noche de Cine with the LA Phil - Thursday, July 31st, 2014 - 8:00 pm

And people, there's so much more! The Family Concerts and Weekend Spectacular (involves fireworks) are a ridiculously good time. 

• July 4th Fireworks Spectuacular with Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell - July 2nd - 4th
• Grease Sing-along July 13th
• DreamWorks Animation in Concert - Celebrating 20 Years - July 18th and 19th
• The Beatles' 50th at the Bowl - August 22nd - 24th (YOU KNOW I WILL BE THERE!)
• Fireworks Finale - The Simpsons' 25th Anniversary

Believe me when I tell you that nothing compares to experiencing a live show at The Bowl. 

Here are some my personal tips for making your evening at the bowl that much more magical:

1. Pack a Picnic! There are lots of restaurants in the area that will pack a gourmet picnic for your Night at the Bowl or just do it yourself. (We usually make a stop at Porto's, but that's not important right now.) Click here for more info on Picnicking at the Bowl.
2. Get there early! People watching is totally part of the fun. (The Sound of Music sing-along included lots of nuns and people in lederhosen...you had to be there to appreciate.)
3. Take the Mandatory crappy potato camera Selfie with the Bowl in the background. Absolutely a must.
4. Send those fabulous Bowl photos to the 'It Happened Last Night' section of the Hollywood Bowl website for posterity. Click here for more information: It Happend Last Night at the Bowl.

Lucy & me & friend, Haylee at the Sound of Music Sing-along at the Hollywood Bowl

Some tickets are even as low as $20! Order today by calling (323) 850-2000 or visit HollywoodBowl.com.

Now you're all set to have a fabulous summer. My work here is done.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Al Punto Advervitising. My love for the Bowl is my own. Gracias, guys!

I Have A Kleenex Tissue Style. Who Knew?

We always have people in our home. I mean other than the ones who actually live here. When I say always, I promise I'm not exaggerating.

Even if we're not formally entertaining, we always (<--I said it again!) seem to have extra guests. Whether it be our neighbors or friends who just happen to pop by, there are always extra people guests in the Darby home.

Of course, as you know, I happen to love having people here and I totally want them to feel at home, which is where today's topic comes in. Kleenex tissues. Or if you Cubanized it, you would say (in a heavy Spanish accent) "Los Klee-nes." 

Come to think of it, there are no other brands of tissues, right? At least in my world, it's only ever been Kleenex, but that's not important right now.

To celebrate Kleenex’s 90th anniversary (Hey! That's almost as old as my mom!), they’re bringing you an innovative first: The Kleenex® Style Studio. It’s a fun, inspiring way to discover more of the Kleenex® Brand designs and products you love. And maybe even a few that’ll take you by surprise.

I didn't know I had a Kleenex Style, people. That is, until I was asked to write about it and went shopping - like with serious intent - to get stylish Kleenex for my home. 

Now I'm totally hooked. I confess that I'm now officially a Kleenex Snob. I must have the designer Kleenex, specifically Isaac Mizrahi, because...hello...do you see how perfectly this fits into my decor?

Kleenex is sooo winning. This gives a whole new meaning to the term, "Decorative Tissue." 

Look closely and tell me if you even spotted the Kleenex box. I know. Shut up. How cute is this?

Here's a link to the Kleenex Style Studio. You should totally go there and see what your Kleenex Tissue Style is. You don't even know you have one, do you? Do it. You will be delightfully surprised to find you're kind of a Kleenex Snob like me. Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what your style is. The one you didn't know you had. Do you feel sooo accidentally cool now?

Now I'm all about the stylish Kleenex Tissues in every room. It's just one more thing to make my friends who are always here guests feel more comfortable.

Because, seriously? Holy cute!

What's so awesome is that they have over 100 designs. Color me happy!

Now I'm on a mission to help the world find their Kleenex style. They just don't know it yet. 

Mi casa es su casa!

Thank you, Kleenex for sponsoring this post and for making my home sooo accidentally cool.

Also, I got my Kleenex Designer Tissues at Target, but you can also find them at pretty much your local retailer, including Publix, Walmart, Kroger, Staples, Sam's Club.

Eating Your Feelings. Good or Bad? Discuss.

Today I want to talk about using food as comfort. I know we all do it. Let's just discuss this openly, shall we?

I have a friend who, when struggling through personal difficulties, pulls out a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Not the gourmet kind of mac and cheese. (By the way, I have a fabulous recipe for Mac and Cheese in a Flat Pan right here, but that's not important right now.) But the powdered orange cheese-food stuff that comes in a BOX, like no cheese ever should. It comforts her in a childlike way. I get that. 

Although my tastes in comfort food tend to run in a different direction.

So, this past week you may have noticed if you tried to visit this site, that My Big, Fat, Cuban Family was MIA. Gone. Disappeared into the ether. Nothing but a white page and a sinister "site not found" notice. Wait. What?

It turns out that my lovely cyber-hosts, SAY Media and Typepad were the targets of cyber-terrorism and hundreds of other Typepad sites were down as well. If you're curious as to exactly what happened, you can read the entire article here at Tech-Crunch. 

Because I'm Cuban, I blamed the communists. They were responsible for all the grief we ever knew when I was growing up. I've just continued that time-honored tradition. "Comunistas de mierda!"

Back to the comfort food thing...

We have been doing some interior painting and remodeling and our home is completely chaotic. You can read about all that here:

Where There is Life, There Will Be a Mess.

Last week, we celebrated Eric's birthday and then Easter weekend was coming and even though our house is still getting worked on and we didn't have our act together, we had so many plans!

We were going to be attending church and then my family was having a pool party/brunch thing at my niece's house. I was so looking forward to that. Celebrating and visiting and relaxing. All the things I excel at.

But then...I woke up achy, and feverish, and unfit to be with humans. Wait. What?

And then my site was down. Gone. Vanished. Wait. What? Nooooooo! 

 

And my house is a crazy mess. (I can feel you weeping with me. Thank you.)

I was down for the count over Easter weekend, which I spent in my pj's moving from bed to couch to bed and back and barely able to pick up the remote. Did I mention we had tons of plans? I was not a happy camper.

I had no appetite, which is unusual for me, but once this achy, flu thing took hold, I was done.

My site was down. And I still felt so sick. And there was nothing I could do except follow Typepad's progress (a little obsessively) on Twitter. And wring my hands. And take my temperature. And feel sorry for myself. And complain impotently about the cyber-terrorists. Say it with me, louder this time, and with feeling:

"Comunistas de mierda!"

I despaired. 

 

But of course, as some brilliant, but cheesy sage used to say, "Tough times don't last; Tough people do."

I fancy myself as a tough Cuban cookie.

It was right around the time I started feeling better that I also started craving Comfort Food. And no, I did not feel like cooking, thankyouverymuch. 

So as soon as I was able, I managed to find a way to eat my feelings, Cuban-style. 

(I'm not proud of this, and I totally shared, okay?) *ahem* A taste of yuca frita, croquetas, tamales, masitas de puerco, and papa rellena. And for the main event:  Bistec de palomilla, black beans and white rice, and plantains. For dessert: cascos de guayaba with cream cheese.

I'm going to assume you all can relate to this whole "eating your feelings" thing, even if your comfort food is a bit different from mine. I admit my cravings tend to be much more elaborate than a bowl of Captain Crunch, but I can't help it. Black beans and plantains are part of my Cuban DNA.

Also, I don't usually eat cascos de guayaba con queso crema (guava shells with cream cheese) unless there's a serious disturbance in the force. And trust me, my force was disturbed.

My house is still a work in progress, but the mess is so much easier to deal with now that I'm feeling better and I ate dealt with my feelings.

So, what's your comfort food of choice? (It doesn't have to be Cuban.) What are your triggers?

Also, suck it, hackers! My Big, Fat, Cuban Family is BACK!

See? I'm feeling better already.

Where There is Life, There Will Be a Mess

My preference, when I'm blogging or sharing anything online is to show you the fun aspects of my life. (Thankfully, there are many.) But, of course, my life is not clean and shiny and perfect all the time.

Especially right now.

We are in the throes of fixing up our sweet little home. We've torn down the rotting wooden beams from the front of our built-in-the-1970s freakishly small cottage-like house. The you're-taking-your-life-in-your-hands-if-you-step-out-there crumbling balcony is completely gone. It has been replaced by a beautiful (and safe!) paned window.

Our construction crew, led by our good friend, Cuco is hard at work doing the re-stuccoing on the back of the house, while a couple of the other guys are bricking the front pillars. Also, wouldn't 'Cuco and the Guys' make a great hipsters band name? (Welcome to my crazy.)

So I'm sitting here, patiently (and impotently) "Pinning" house painting and window trim ideas on Pinterest, (Where you're welcome to follow me, of course) all the while fighting a losing battle against clouds of dust that are quickly settling on every surface. My bedroom has fresh new drywall and everything but our bed is covered with plastic. What a mess!

As all this crazy messiness is swirling around me, I'm reminded of something I often say to my family:

"Where there is life, there will be a mess."

I say this to my kids all the time. Usually in an effort to dissuade them (and myself) from perfectionism. Believe me, with all the stuff I do, there's always the temptation to channel my Inner Perfectionist. She likes everythihg in its place and clean. In fact, she would prefer it if the people who live here would not actually, you know...live. (I promise you, she's not very pleasant to be around.)

But here's the truth - As long as there are people living here, there will always be piles of dirty dishes and laundry. There will always be unmade beds and things left out of place. There will be kicked off shoes in the living room and towels hung on doorknobs.

I have learned to embrace those things because the messes we live with declare loudly: THERE IS LIFE HERE!

When my home is pretty and painted I'll post some fun look-at-my-pretty-house pictures. But until then I am embracing the messy and the crazy that is my life today and living my sweet, messy, charmed life without pretending.

And I'm thanking God for every messy-crazy-awesome minute of life.

"To LIFE!" ~Tevye. Fiddler on the Roof

I Have Naturally Curly Hair

I'm the youngest of six, five of whom are female. Hair is a big thing when you're growing up Cuban. I was born with a big, unruly mop of natural curls.

Here I am at 6 years old in all my newly-arrived-from-Cuba glory with my freshly-coifed-by-Mirta-de-Perales-herself afro. My mom seriously did not know how to parent a curly haired child. (Not blaming. Just stating fact.)

My perception, when I started the first grade in Miami was that I was different. My language, my family's customs, my food - all different. My naturally curly hair made those differences more pronounced. Even as I wrote that last sentence, I still experience a twinge of pain as I remember the feeling of "otherness," but that's not important right now.

I came of age in the late sixties and early seventies. In my early high school years, the flip was the hairdo of choice and I had learned from my older sisters how to "set" my hair. In Spanish, we called the curlers, moños. And Saturdays would find all of us in our curlers and hairnets. The word for hairnet is "redesilla."

My sister, Miriam rocking those giant hair curlers and her "redesilla." Circa 1967

You know what Spanish word is fun to say? Redesilla. You're welcome.

Here I am when I first started high school. There was a way to comb out your rolled hair into a perfect flip if you had enough body. We curly-haired people had all the body. Be jealous.

But notice how the rest of the hair had to be perfectly smooth? We used to buy Dippity-Do by the gallon. (I know. Shut up.) 

The flips of the early sixties soon gave way to the perfectly-straight-parted-down-the-middle Flower Child look. I remember reading a teen magazine that gave the dubious summer beach advice: "If your hair is curly, live in your room." Seriously. I'm sure it was a tongue-in-cheek piece, but those words burned deeply into my very tormented 15-year-old soul.

So I spent years (years, people!) hating my hair for not playing nice and getting along with the other kids.

I wrote (and made a video) about getting a Brazilian Blowout here: The Taming of the Do. (Don't judge.)

By the summer of 2012, I was burned out on the years of straightening and fighting and taming my hair. I serendipitously had two friends tell me I should go back to my natural curls. I made an appointment with a local salon called Curls on Top in Laguna Beach.

I wrote all about my friends and their intervention and the beginning of my Curl Recovery here: Jesus and My Hair.

It was just a few weeks ago, nearly 18 months since I started My Curly Hair Journey that my hairdresser finally cut those last few strands of straight pieces off forever. I suppose I could have cut all my hair off über-short and started from there, but we, People-of-The-Round-Face have to be careful about those kinds of spontaneously bad decisions.

I kept accountable to my friend, Carrie by taking "selfies" of my Curly Hair Recovery Process. Today I'm sharing the magic with you.

(Also, please appreciate that it's difficult for me to share my curly struggle so publicly. Be kind.)

This is me, totally embracing my Curly Awesome.

If you have any questions about going from straight back to your natural curls, please feel free to contact me. I'm totally a Curly Hair Evangelist now.

Finding Joy

There has been so much preparation leading up to this week. Of course, I'm sure it's been like that in every home that celebrates Christmas. And also, did it seem like December just vanished in a puff of smoke, or is that just me?

We're not the people who put up Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. We take our time and savor December. We slowly add decorations and touches as the month progresses. It makes it all feel so much more magical to me. I never want Christmas to be a thing that needs to just "get done." *shudder*

I was very deliberate this year about slowing down and taking care of myself and my family. I was determined to find joy in everything we did this year. Can I just tell you - slowing down is hard! Especially when the rest of the world is in full go! mode.

In fact, for about the first two weeks of December, all I had was this Merry Christmas pillow, which makes me totally happy, but that's not important right now.

This month I did manage to design, print and send out invitations to Nochebuena early in the month.

I've got 32 people coming on the 24th and there won't be any room for a Christmas tree, so I got a few smaller trees and put them in corners of our living room. So really, it's more like setting the stage than Christmas decorating.

I was happy we took our family photos back in September for our Christmas card. I don't know that we would have managed to get all of us in one area code otherwise. (See the photo in my blog header at the top of this page.)

Christmas around here happened slowly, deliberately. We took the time to watch Christmas movies and celebrated as we made Crema de Vie for our friends.

We got up early before the rest of the world and had coffee and shared dreams.

We went to parties and shared our food.

And we shopped a little. Mostly online. We made lists and shared ideas. And slowly added design elements to our "set."

I even got inspired (Thank you, Pinterest!) and made word garlands using my new Silhouette Portrait. (Still not done. I have a bunch more to hang today and tomorrow.)

What I have found is this: That I find no joy in perfection and in hurry. Perfection and hurry are way too demanding for me. But, without the tyranny of having to have everything up in one day, (who tapped, anyway?) I find that I'm enjoying the holidays more. There seems to be much more time for the fun and the celebration and all this makes me a nicer person.

We took time to really celebrate Advent and the coming of our Savior on Christmas day. And that just added to my personal joy. Seriously. There's something to be said for anticipation and preparation. It's as God intended.

After all the slow decorating and the taking time to enjoy the season, it turns out that my house is looking pretty darn festive for Nochebuena and Christmas. Now it's time to start preparing food and wrapping gifts. And I'm not stressed about this at all, because I took the time to take care of myself this season.

I found joy right on my doorstep. Who knew?

Feliz Navidad, my friends!

Saving Mr. Banks - a love story

The year was 1964 and my family had just moved from Florida to California. (Obviously, we've been here ever since, but that's not important right now.) I was nine years old.

One of the very first things we did was visit Disneyland. It had captured our imaginations from early on and we were so excited to visit the iconic park. Of course, as you know we fell in love with all things Disney at that point and pretty much never looked back. (Read about my mom's special Disney wish, made the year I was born.)

Another thing that happened in 1964, was the release of Walt Disney Pictures' Mary Poppins. My older sisters took me to see it in a theater in Westwood, as I recall. I can still even remember where I was sitting. The impact on my young imagination was immediate and visceral. I have never in my life had a theater experience like that one. I was completely captivated.

Immediately, I started begging for the long play album. In stereo. *sigh* The Disney magic is quite a force to be reckoned with. I played it and played it and memorized every song and practically wore out the grooves on that LP. Good times.

Recently, Lucy and I were invited to a pre-screening of the film, Saving Mr. Banks, which was being shown in the Frank G. Wells Screening Room on the Walt Disney Studios lot.

So, to clarify...we were going to see Saving Mr. Banks, which is about the relationship between Walt Disney and the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers and the making of Mary Poppins on the exact same lot that both pictures were filmed. If you've seen the trailers, you already know it's a beautiful thing. (Somebody pinch me.)

Having grown up during this specific time period, I can testify to the fact that Disney got the 60's look just right. Having been a lifelong Disneyphile (<--is that a word?) I was hardly surprised by how intensely I responded to the film. Almost the same reaction I had to seeing Mary Poppins back in 1964.

My favorite part of this clip is when songwriter Richard Sherman talks about how the film makers and designers did their job so well that he felt it was like watching a home movie.

Picture me and Lucy bouncing around the studio lot (seriously - there was bouncing) going from one spot to another. "Look at this! This is where that one scene was shot! Walt's office was up there!"

We had just seen the film and our emotions were still raw and the excitement was spilling out of us.

See what we did there?

A few days later, I was invited to the press junket for Saving Mr. Banks, which made me feel sooo accidentally cool and a bit stressed at the same time. Burning question: What does one do at a press junket? And where exactly did that word come from?

So I dragged Eric along with me to the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel where I would get to ask questions of the actors and film makers.

The List of People at the junket made my head spin.

• Tom Hanks ("Walt Disney")
• Emma Thompson ("PL Travers")
• Colin Farrell ("Robert Goff Travers")
• Jason Schwartzman ("Richard Sherman")
• BJ Novak ("Robert Sherman")
• Bradley Whitford ("Don DaGradi")
• John Lee Hancock (Director - he also directed The Blind Side.)
• Kelly Marcel (Writer)
• Alison Owen (Producer)

Seriously. Somebody pinch me.

I loved being a part of this day. The cast was brilliant as they patiently answered our questions. They were also were delightfully entertaining. I especially loved this moment when Tom Hanks describes the day he took his grandaughter to Disneyland. (Please excuse the herky-jerky, grainy, potato-phone video and enjoy the story.)

When the press event was over, some of us bloggers kind of rushed Tom Hanks for photos. He was very accomodating for a few minutes, but was being called to another appointment. We are all pushing to document the moment and get on camera with Tom Hanks.

Here's how this went down...

Me: "Tom! Selfie?"

Tom Hanks (starting to lean in)

Disembodied voice: "Mr. Hanks, we have to go now."

Tom Hanks look up to respond to the voice.

Marta snaps this shot.

I lead a charmed life, don't I?

My opinion of the film? Oscar worthy. Beautiful. Iconic. Magical. Not-Enough-Superlatives.

Emma Thompson is by turns electrifying and cringe-worthy as the fussy P.L.Travers. An amazing performance. Tom Hanks is the embodiment of Walt Disney himself. Jason Schwartzman and BJ Novak are phenomenal as the legendary songwriters, Richard and Robert Sherman. Colin Farrell breaks your heart.

Full disclosure: I cried. Not just a single tear escaping the corner of my eye, but I wept. Openly and loudly. I guess you could call it "ugly" crying. Having said that, I encourage you to go see this film. Much the same way that Mary Poppins affected me back in 1964, my imagination has been captured and so has my heart.

Also, guess what's playing on a constant loop at my house right now?

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

See the film. And take tissues. You've been warned.

Disney's Saving Mr. Banks opens everywhere on December 20th, 2013.

The Book of New Zealand - The Hobbit Event

You know how seriously nerdy my family is about Tokien, right? If not, let me direct you here, here, and here. I'm about to go seriously uber-Tolkien-geeky right here. You've been warned.

Last week Lucy and I got to participate in The Hobbit Event, much to our über-Tolkien-nerdy delight. 

In partnership with Tourism New Zealand, the filmmakers of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, created a larger-than-life pop up book depicting four of the phenomenal sets that were featured in this film. So, picture this...we physically got to walk through these fantastic sets. (Jealous yet?)

But first, they served us a delicious lunch and there were prizes. Very, very cool prizes. I won a fabulous gift basket which included a ton of this year's Warner Brothers DVD and Blue Ray releases, which made me a total hero to my kids. Big Mom-win here. Thanks, Warner Brothers!

They told us in the invitation that, besides, lunch and prizes there would be "...surprises."

Were we ever surprised and ridiculously delighted by the appearance of the Dwarves, Fili and Kili. I know. Shut up!

Actually, these are the actors who play them, but when you're as seriously nerdy about this stuff as we are, you just call them by their drawf names even though, duh, we know they're only actors, but that's not important right now. Aidan Turner on the left is Kili. DeanO'Gorman (on the right) plays Fili. Or as you are more likely to recognize them, in all their Dwarf-lord glory...

See what a great day we were having?

And then it was time for a tour of The Book of New Zealand, also known as The Giant Pop-up Book of Middle Earth. Which, if I wasn't thinking about it before made me totally want to vacation in New Zealand because....hello? New Zealand.

There was the head of Thror which stands guard at the entrance to the Lonely Mountain. (Anyone else geeking out over this yet?) In real life it's Turoa on Mount Ruapehu. (Look at me, learning NZ geography!)

Could it get any better than this?

Well, yes. The next stop was walking into Beorn's house. Beorn is the shape-changing-giant-bear-man who helps the dwarves and Bilbo on part of their quest for the Lonely Mountain, but of course, you already knew that (or at least, you would if you were a Hobbit über-geek, too, but that's not important right now). Everything was giant-bear-man size kind of awesome.

Then there was Laketown, where all the death and destruction will happen once the dragon Smaug, who lives in the Lonely Mountain is awakened by Bilbo (but you didn't hear it from me). Lucy was interviewed by the crew here.

For those of us (I'm looking at you, faithful homeschooling parents) who have read and loved all the Tolkien books, this was a Tolkien fan-girl's dream come true. Although, I have to confess, I'm  a bit disappointed that Peter Jackson decided to turn a 300 page book into a trilogy of movies, but I still don't care because we über-geeks could happily lose days (or at the very least 3 hours at a time) in all things Middle Earth.

Food, prizes, Fili, Kili, and Middle Earth. A perfect Tolkien über-geek holiday.

A few days later, Amy and I went to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in Real 3D. My kids were fighting over who got to see the movie with me. "But you already took Lucy to Middle Earth!" they protested. (That just sounded cool to say.)

This second part picks up where the last film left off. And not to spoil too much, but I thought the first half took a little too long and because I'm a Tolkien purist and I struggled with what was in the film and what wasn't. The question that remains, of course, is: Is there such a thing as too much Legolas? The answer, of course, is no.

So our company of Hobbit and dwarves arrives at the Lonely Mountain. (Just like we did!)

And Bilbo came face-to-face with the you-will-totally-believe-dragons-are-really-real Smaug. This part of the film captured our imaginations like nothing else and then it became difficult to sit still from all the nervous excitement. Added bonus: Smaug the dragon is voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. I practically wept.

I'm sincerely grateful to Warner Brothers for their generosity and for letting us be a part of The Hobbit Event. For this über-nerdy Tolkien fan-girl, it has been a very rewarding adventure.

 The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug opens everywhere on December 13, 2013.

It's Not About the Meal

There's a trend that happens in the month of November. People are sharing (on social media) something they're grateful for every day of the month.

I've heard the arguments that everyone should just be grateful all the time and not just as a "trendy meme" for the month that the Thanksgiving holiday falls on. I guess that's true. But I like it. I like anything that makes us stop and think of just how much we all have to be grateful for. As trendy memes go, I think this is a good one.

Around here we've had a bustle of activity because we're expecting 32 people for dinner tomorrow.

For me that means decorating and planning and making room in my freakishly small cottage-like home for all these friends and loved ones. That means Eric and Jonathan are moving furniture and hauling in tables and making sure there's a place for every single person.

My sisters, Ofie, Helen, and Alina are doing the cooking this year.

Lucy is my Stage Manager and Amy is my Set Designer as I take up the position of Creative Director. I have lists and sketches and a timeline. And we are all working shoulder to shoulder to make sure that we pull off this shindig with as few glitches as possible. (Of course, that's not always possible, see this post., but that's not important right now.)

I have been working on the creative touches (like the chalkboard menu) that I hope will surprise and delight my guests. We're setting up a photo booth as we do every year. This is what that will look like.

And our dinner, as you can see on the menu board will be pretty traditional, but it's not about the food.

I'm grateful for the creative time spent today and tomorrow with my people as we pull together to make this big gratitude party happen.

I'm grateful for the delicious gift of their enthusiasm and abilities.

I'm grateful that my extended family and close friends will be with us tomorrow to share the day.

I'm grateful that my mom will be here for her 99th Thanksgiving. Although, technically, we didn't really celebrate Thanksgiving until 1961, but you know what I mean.

Speaking of 1961, those were dark and difficult days for us. Our family, like many others had been separated by the growing threat of communism on our island home. My dad had left the country a few months before and we weren't sure we'd be reunited. See this post.

So my gratitude must always include the fact that we will be together. Like the Pilgrims before us, we are grateful for this great land that gave us a place to survive and thrive. The meal is secondary. The main event is the coming together to break bread and to share our home and our food and even our talents. The focus will be the laughter and the sharing and the warm smiles of those we love best.

That we get to eat an amazing turkey dinner as we do all this is just, well...gravy.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.