RIP J.D. Salinger…

 

What I like best is a book that’s at least funny once in a while…What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though.
The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield

J. D. Salinger

I was in the 8th Grade at Our Lady Of Guadalupe Academy when I first read The Catcher in the Rye and it was the first book that I remember made me feel like a “grown-up”.  A friend had lent it to me, it wasn’t required reading or anything (I suppose the nuns would not have approved) and finished it in days.  

So I’m sorry to hear the news that J.D. Salinger passed away today at 91 years old. He never wanted to be seen, nor gave inteviews, and we never really knew much about him, which added to the intrigue. It must be a sad day for his fans.

I think I’ll pick up a copy in the library to read it again.

Yo soy del “Team Coco”

As the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien comes to a close, I’m beginning to miss the funny skits and humor. I didn’t know how much I really liked him until this whole late night mess started. It’s been fun and entertaining, and way more interesting than anything on television right now. Yes, NBC screwed up big time, so we’ll see how this ends up.

Here’s a clip from the “soon to be a classic” Tonight Show. And Conando speaks Spanish yet again! Enjoy.

Aqui hay otro buenísimo. Sale mi amigo José Arroyo, one of the writers for the show…

A whole new meaning to barbacoa.

This is NOT your Mexican hometown's barbacoa.

For a few weeks now, I’ve been watching the new Subway ads introducing their new “barbacoa” sandwich. And they’re saying it in Spanglish!

I’m curious to try it, even though I am not a fan of the traditional mexican dish, pero quiero averiguar si esto es un “gringo interpretation,” as with most Mexican cuisine available to the masses in the US. Taco Hell anyone?

It’s likely that people who have never tasted it before would be kind of shocked to find out that barbacoa is actually goat, or cow’s head, or sheep meat, prepared with a unique marinade and spices. Note: the barbacoa flavor does not resemble the traditional BBQ sauce that is popular here in the States. AND most importantly, the secret to good barbacoa is in the preparation, because in Mexico everything is cooked the right way (and the hard way!)…starting with getting the poor chivito (sheep) or cabrito(goat) drunk to the point of collapse, then killing it, boiling it, shredding it…uhmmm, I think you get the picture. Hey, at least it’s organic and you know where your food is coming from. (Presumably, vegetarians and animal lovers are not amused.)

¡Que Pink Floyd ni que nada! Mejor COMISARIO en el Hussongs.

If I weren’t scared to death to cross the border into TJ and down to Ensenada, Mexico (maybe I shouldn’t look at the LA Times and their non-stop “Mexico Under Seige” series)  I’d spend my next holiday weekend down in Baja.

If you should be braver than I, you better make a stop at Hussong’s Cantina, the original and first cantina (at least for me) still standing in Ensenada. It’s the stuff of legends. And if you’re there, be sure to catch COMISARIO, from now on my most favorite live band. EVER!

Díganme si no está padrisimo su cover the Pink Floyd. Agregénle sabor a cantina mexicana, and you’ve got yourself a party, my friends. Nothing like it in the world.

Enjoy the youtube video here and let’s hope things get better down there for everybody, so we can go down there safely again.

Saludos a la bella Ensenada!!

New Year, same vice

“When I get a little money, I buy books; if any is left, I buy food and clothes.” – Erasmus, humanist and scholar.

Libros para todos los gustos.

Aqui su segura servilleta had a little money left over from the holidays and in the spirit of gift giving- to myself- I headed over to my favorite Barnes and Noble. I LOVE THIS PLACE. I can, and have on occasion, spent many afternoons just browsing the beautiful and wonderful books and different sections.

This year I gave myself a few goodies, all to fit with my resolution to read more.

Clockwise from left: a Vargas Llosa classic, a life planner for 5 years, a mag to inspire to run more, and book to read when I need faith and motivation from my friend Joel.

What did you give yourself this year? I highly recommend self gifts, preferably by January 6, so you can say “me lo trajeron los Reyes Magos.”  Not that we need any excuses!

Cena Sábado

Primer fin de semana 2010… Me estoy dando tiempo para disfrutar antes del regreso a la realidad el lunes. Y eso incluye una pasta deliciosa en el Pomodoro, un restaurantito bueno, bonito y barato en Laguna Beach. Sólo para compartir, aqui les pongo dos fotos de un lindo día.

Un perrito muy obediente le hace caso al letrero de "seat yourself."

y sólo hasta el lunes.

Hola 2010

Hello and Happy New Year…just getting up from the festivities of last night and trying to make my resolutions happen. One of them being keeping up with the blog, of course.

My sister Romy was visiting from Mexico DF this week, y me dejó este recuerdito, un billete de cien pesos, that looks and feels like play money because it’s made out of really thin plastic, but nevertheless has beautiful art. So I thought I’d share, porque también es la edición especial del centenario de la revolución mexicana, que tal?

May you have muchos pesos, dollars, euros and love and kisses this 2010… yes, “Love is all you need” como cantan los Beatles, but money makes the world go round. Después de este año pasado, ahora sí ya es hora de  que venga la abundancia para todos. Feliz Año Nuevo!

Both sides of a beautiful billete de 100 pesos, shiny and new, and it's made out of plastic, not paper. ¡Qué modernos!