How could you possibly sing to los santos without a Batá drum? Not a single tumbadora. Not even un chekere perdido made it on the stage during Daymé Arocena’s performance at the Skirball Center. And she didn’t need it. Her voice was more than enough. Nonetheless, she was accompanied by three equally talented Cuban musicians, a pianist, a bassist and a drummer … More Today in Cuban music: Cubafonía
“Niña/o saluda.” Say these words to a Cuban kid and watch as they forget their stranger-danger sensibilities and reluctantly give you an awkward and messy kiss on the cheek. I’m pretty sure besito is the third word we learn as babies, after mamá and bistec. Then it’s kisses on the cheek for the rest of your life – and for … More Un besito
Generally speaking, Cubans aren’t big on soccer – unless they have a Colombian friend that convinces them to watch the World Cup…but that’s only every four years. However, as a Cuban in L.A., you don’t need much persuading to catch the Galaxy fever. I mean, what is there not to like? The L.A. Galaxy have … More Mal de ojo
Cuban-American actor, writer and producer Nairoby Otero just finished a month-long run of her one-woman play ‘Til Sunday, as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. In this incredibly poignant 75-minute performance, she seamlessly transitioned between three characters – Claridad, Claridad’s mother and their neighbor Pepe – and in the process brought to life the story of a … More Meet a Cuban: Nairoby Otero
I love bananas. Yellow Chiquita bananas precisely cut into rounds on my plate of arroz blanco y picadillo. Green plantains fried and flattened with the bottom of a coffee mug, then salted, especially if it’s the side dish to camarones enchilados. And, my favorite, ripe plantains, strange in color and frightening in texture, fried into a burnt sack of … More Tres maduros
An hour from Los Angeles, you’ll “leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy” for about two hundred bucks and a mean sunburn. Before I get any further, I should say I don’t have kids or a strong affinity for the Disney brand or even particularly enjoy large crowds. However, this should … More La cenicienta
The city of Temecula is a little under two hours away from LA, which is also the exact amount of time you’ll need to exhaust all of the culo jokes you can come up with. Go directly to Old Town because, first, it’s absolutely charming with array of specialty stores, boutiques, art galleries, and antiques stores. And … More Un cortadito
I finally found the west’s version of Hialeah/Miami Lakes. It turns out that the majority of Cubans left Echo Park and ended up in two neighboring towns, one named Bell and the other named after a fabric softener. Downey, as in ¿Le echaste ‘dauni’ a la lavadora?, is in many ways fancier than Bell. And in true … More El barrio
How far would you travel for a good flan de leche? Five miles. Maybe 10. How far would you go for the best flan de leche in Southern California? The answer to that is 30 miles, because it’s the distance between the city of angels and the city of Orange. Located on an adorable roundabout facing a small park is … More Un flan
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
A Cuban's Guide to L.A. 