What to see and do in Los Angeles.
As a kid, I remember watching the Rose Bowl Parade on our very non-HD, barely color and monstrously boxy television set. I could hardly hear the announcers’ color commentary over my mother’s “¡Mira pa’ eso!” “¡Que cosa más bella Dios mio! ” and “Como inventan los Americanos.” Now I get to send her text messages with crisp photos, inches … More Las rosas
Decades before Puff Daddy changed his name to Diddy, there was Diddy Riese. However, the rapper’s nickname and the cookie shop’s name are not pronounced the same way. Por supuesto que no because, you know, English. The cookie mogul Diddy is pronounced DEE-dee and Riese sounds like a singular version of Reese’s from Reese’s Pieces even though it’s … More Las galletas
In 1956, Nat King Cole traveled to Cuba to perform at Tropicana, but he couldn’t stay at el Hotel Nacional because of the color of his skin. That same year, 1956, the iconic Capitol Records building was completed. A thirteen-story, earthquake-resistant tower that was the world’s first circular office building. And its nickname became “The House That Nat Built,” because … More El capitolio
As the boat slowed on its approach toward the dock, I couldn’t help but hear El Beny sing, “Cuando a Varadero llegué, conocí la felicidad…” Only it wasn’t Varadero, it was Catalina and she was glistening. There’s nothing like leaving the crowd and noise of the city behind. Although its only 22 miles off of the coast, … More Isla de la juventud
Vegas baby! I can’t help but love everything about this silly town. Everything is so far-fetched and over the top, yet so perfect all at the same time. If I were to list the top ten meals of my life, two of them would be from this place. This place is also home to my most indulgent spa … More Carretera central: Las Vegas
Every Saturday at 5 p.m. at Hancock Park, you can enjoy incredible performances as part of the LACMA’s Latin Sounds series. Last weekend, tumbao and salsa enthusiasts were treated to a performance of the L.A.-based Afro-Cuban Jazz Project. The band is a who’s who of some of Cuba’s greatest jazz and dance bands. Founded by its former leader, the late, great … More Today in Cuban Music: Afro-Cuban Jazz Project
“Are you vegan?” “No.” “Are you vegetarian?” “No.” “You just like to eat?” “Yes.” That was a little bit of my conversation with Caro Lafaurie, who became a vegetarian at the young age of 13. Today she is the owner of Equelecuá Cuban Café in Inglewood, a vegan restaurant that takes our traditional Cuban dishes and … More Arroz sin pollo
I often tell people that Pitbull is my cousin. This isn’t true, of course. But I have a gift for bullshitting people with my dead-pan delivery and expressionless cara de mierda. It’s not entirely too far fetched that Armandito and I could be cousins, both being Cuban-Americans that grew up in Miami, both randomly screaming dale and both with an … More El primo
By birthright, I was told to pledge allegiance to Los Almendares – never the Habana baseball club. Later in my youth I was instructed to support our Cuban prince, José Canseco, and cheer on the Oakland A’s (even though he didn’t show up to his own street naming). Then, when Florida got a team it was all Marlins, all the time. … More Los Dodgers
Cubans get to have two of everything. Uno aquí y otro allá. La heladeria Coppelia en el Vedado, Coppelia ice cream in Miami Havana Club hecho en Cuba, Havana Club produced by Bacardí Tabacos Cohiba cosechados en Pinar del Río, Cohiba cigars rolled in the D.R. El Floridita Bar en Obispo, El Floridita Restaurant in Los Angeles El Floridita de allá: Ernest Hemingway … More Dos mojitos
A Cuban's Guide to L.A. 