I drove 2,761 miles from Miami to Los Angeles – to date my crowning achievement as an avid road tripper. Although I love any sort of mode of travel – planes, trains, ships, ferries, guaguas, bici-taxis – there’s nothing like getting behind the wheel and capitaneando your own vacation. Lucky for me, L.A. is a pretty great starting … More Carretera central: Napa Valley
I walked into Gigi’s Bakery with the sole intention of having a cortadito and a pastelito de guayaba. Instead, I left with an Ironbeer in hand and my pants unbuttoned. Walking in, my eyes were immediately drawn to the wide variety of pastries, I recognized the masa reales, but there were so many others that were … More Una completa
On a crisp night, as the masses head toward Santa Monica’s famed pier, a slightly smaller crowd of shoppers and dinner-goers head toward the 3rd Street Promenade. This outdoor mall is sure to overload your senses, with loud interactive street performances, bright storefronts and sweet and savory scents. On this night, however, I was on … More La comparsa
No other place in L.A. personifies the word chanchullo like Hollywood Boulevard. Half of the tourists are looking down at the names immortalized in thin gold letters, the other half are looking up for a glimpse at the world-famous Hollywood sign, meanwhile Batman and Elvis are desperately trying to get those distracted people to take a picture … More Algunos nacen estrellas
Heads up: Aquí no hay ventanitas. In L.A., restaurants do not have walk-up windows, which means there’s no such thing as having to elbow through a wall of viejos cagalitrosos who are arguing about politics to ask for a colada. Again, let that settle in your psyche for a moment: No ventanitas. No coladas. While driving down Ventura, I noticed a … More La ventanita
Tell an Angelino that you’re Cuban and they immediately send you to one of two places: Porto’s Bakery or Versailles Restaurant. But I already stood in line for 40 minutes on a Sunday morning for a Potato Ball™ (una papa rellena, meng). And I already discovered that the flan is more canela than leche. So now what? Well, now … More ¿Qué bola Los Angeles?
A Cuban's Guide to L.A. 