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Billy
New Orleans, LA
Recent Activity
"I like IMUSA USA!"
It's the Little Things (A Giveaway from IMUSA)
Growing up Cuban has always meant turning normal size things into the diminutive form. When there were Everest-sized mountains of sandwiches, they were called "bocaditos." Or "just a mouthful." Lies. It took more than "just a bite" to consume these particular delicacies. We don't just drink caf...
Did I miss the cut-off??? No worries if I did but I've been a grading fool all night. All these Spanish tests!!! I completely lost track of time.
I'm going to give it a shot anyway. I would probably never use them. My dad would and what he would make I can't say, but I can definitely say that it would be delicious.
I am partial to the Chili Pepper Red.
Right now, my favorite word to add -ito to is sobrino.
It's the Little Things (A Giveaway from IMUSA)
Growing up Cuban has always meant turning normal size things into the diminutive form. When there were Everest-sized mountains of sandwiches, they were called "bocaditos." Or "just a mouthful." Lies. It took more than "just a bite" to consume these particular delicacies. We don't just drink caf...
A very happy 17th to Lucy!!!!!
Seventeen
She is completely present when she speaks to you. That is, unless she's spacing out. She has lots of great ideas. But isn't always willing to share them. She is beautifully feminine. And yet, she holds her own with the big boys. She wants to do everything, go everywhere, experience it all! Excep...
It's so hard to pick just one. There were so many!! I guess I'll have to pick the first one that came to me. I LOVED "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls. Definitely one of my favorites (And yes, the main character's name was Billy, but that's not important right now).
:)
Reading in the 21st Century - A Very Cool Giveaway
We are voracious readers in our family. Seriously voracious. As I write this, four out of five of the people living in this house right now have a book in hand. I am personally in love with the Kindle for iPhone app, but that's not important right now. So I was delighted when the makers of the n...
I'm going with Jon on the left and Eric on the right.
Who's Who?
The other day, Eric (my husband) and Jonathan (my 14 year old) were going to our local YMCA to go play racquetball. (P.E. in our homeschool usually means a trip to the Y, but that's not important right now.) They came downstairs and got their racquets. I was aware of their presence, but was into...
Happy Birthday to Jon!
Fourteen.
14 years ago today my doctor spoke those magical words, "it's a boy." And asked The Question: "What will you be naming him?" Me: "Jonathan Edward Darby." Jonathan after his paternal grandfather, John. (Eric's dad.) Plus it means something. It means God's gift. Or God is gracious to give. So ...
Happy Blogoversary!
... is a Magic Number
Three years ago today I started this blog. I started writing about the people I love and the things we do and the places we go. Along the way I found out three things: I love blogging. I didn't know that I would. But I do. I'm Cuban and a storyteller at heart. Blogging is a great fit for ...
Jonathan was right. His hair was totally epic. I miss the days when all I needed was bedhead or something similar. Now I have to spend an hour washing that grey right out of my hair. Epic hair now takes too much work.
The Taming of the Do - Part 1
DISCLAIMER: The following post may sound like a commercial for different hair products, but it's not really. I just added the photos and links because I'm a giver. ;-) Hair products are a big thing at our house. We have to have different kinds of shampoos and things because all of our hair type...
My dad made the best picadillo just the other day...oh so good. We'll have to try it with the Bacardi. For the record I have no interest in how much sodium it has in it - wine, rum or otherwise.
You mentioned in an earlier post that you're never brave enough to order even the simple Cuban dishes in a restaurant. If you're ever in Baltimore, check out Babalu's:
http://babalugrill.com/
My uncle (and Godfather) Esteban de Castro owns it. It is AUTHENTIC Cuban food. The first time I ate there it brought me to tears - like I had my great-grandmother cooking for me again. Have faith.
As far as being a bad mother...please, One of the best things in the world is a mother's cooking ;)
Besos,
Bilito
P.S. Thanks for quoting one of my all time favorite movie lines. I've made it my facebook status.
Yo ho ho and a bottle of...
So, I made a big ol' batch of my favorite picadillo over the weekend. Seriously. A lot. (And white rice and black beans and plantains, too...but that's not important right now.) We had our neighbors and friends, and of course, my mom coming for dinner and I generally don't exactly follow my o...
Have you found her yet? I let her know her picture was on a milk carton.
Have you seen me?
If you've seen this beautiful blond recently, please tell her to call her mother. Last seen on Facebook. ;-)
I must try out this Cha Cha.
How to Cha-Cha
You know those uber-dorky people who have a dictionary and an atlas sitting near the dinner table so that they can look stuff up when they start arguing during dinner about ways to pronounce words, or the capital of someplace, or what exactly a rhombus is? We are those people. By the way... ...
Happy Birthday to Natalie!!!!!
Marta - thanks for reminding me what today was. I almost completely forgot!!! I am slipping in my geekness. I'll have to read those chapters before bed tonight.
How the Uber-geek calendar works
You know... with a big, fat, Cuban family like mine, there's bound to be a birthday every month. And I'm bound to forget some birthdays, too. (Sue me. I'm human. =D) But I remembered that today is my niece, Natalie's birthday. Happy Birthday, Natzinhimer! NOTE: I remember this date because, ...
Lucy, I loved math but I totally relate to feeling of brain-death. I also totally love the calculators with the big, clanking buttons. Reminds me of typing away on my old Commodore 64.
And Amy is right, you're adorable. SUUUUURRRRGGGEEE!! (I don't know what that means but what the heck).
My Brain is Dead Today
This is Lucy. And this is Official Blog-Hijacking Attempt #2. The following is a post I did on my own super-secret-double-probation blog. I haven't posted enough articles to share with you yet, but when I do, you'll be the first to hear about it. In the meantime, here ya go... - - - I have ...
No she did not. That is low down and dirty.
The highest form of flattery? or flat out stealing?
I'm not jealous or anything..... But in this month's EVERYDay with Rachael Ray magazine I found a one page "Latino" recipe by Daisy Martinez under the heading Tropical Treat. It was a recipe for pastelitos de guayaba. Made from MY GUAVALICIOUS RECIPE.(with some fufy additions by the food styl...
I LOVE IT! I won't give all my throws to the kids this year so I'll have lots of beads to send Sheila for next year's Carnival tree. Now she needs shamrocks, empty Guinness bottles, cabbages and potatoes to decorate it for the next holiday. I like ody's Lucky Charms idea too.
I wonder if I have any of the beads from last year's St. Patrick's Day parade...
Happy Arbor Mardi Gras?
Kikita posts again! You knew it was coming . . . Sheila still refuses to take down the tree. One of our devoted readers and Facebook friends, Billy, encouraged her madness and sent her decorations, New Orleans music, and King Cake! Obviously, "Tree Decorating" is a lovely excuse to have a party ...
*Sigh* Mario, she was supposed to share...but now she'll just have to order another one.
Kikita, while Randazzo's is my favorite (www.kingcakes.com), Haydel's is really good too (www.haydelbakery.com) and they have the best prices for what you get in the box. Have a party and take lots of pictures so I can blog about it!
And please, please put the beads on Sheila's tree to ward off the bad luck she is bringing upon you all!!!
;)
Fat Tuesday
Another fabulous post by Kikita A few days ago, a box arrived at my home. And abuela was instantly excited. From the outside of the box, she and I both knew the glorious heaven that lay inside. And she reminded me about the game. About how there is a baby Jesus somewhere in the cake and whoever ...
Laissez le bon temps rouler, Amy!!! You have found the baby and are Queen for the day. Live it up, Your Royal Highness. You're hosting the next King Cake party.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Fat Tuesday
Another fabulous post by Kikita A few days ago, a box arrived at my home. And abuela was instantly excited. From the outside of the box, she and I both knew the glorious heaven that lay inside. And she reminded me about the game. About how there is a baby Jesus somewhere in the cake and whoever ...
LOL. Keep the tree up all ready!! I'll send you some beads as gris gris against the bad luck you bring upon yourself!
O Christmas Tree?
The following post has been written for your reading pleasure by none other than Kikita. At this point, I expect you all know of my dear friend Sheila and have figured out that I spend a whole lot of time with her, which is why she is always in my blog stories, but that's not important right no...
Sheila,
I'm with Amy and Marta on this one. Twelfth night has passed. Regardless of when you put it up, you're only other option is to decorate it for Mardi Gras, but that might just confuse people on the West Coast. We put a tree up on Christmas Eve at my parents' house and then took it down on January 6th. Time to let it go before the bad luck sets in...
Love ya! :)
O Christmas Tree?
The following post has been written for your reading pleasure by none other than Kikita. At this point, I expect you all know of my dear friend Sheila and have figured out that I spend a whole lot of time with her, which is why she is always in my blog stories, but that's not important right no...
There's nothing to forgive. I know you'll write when you can. It's always worth the wait. I'll pester Amy to post something while your busy with other projects. :)
Guilt-free blogging
Okay, so I'm feeling a little bit guilty because I haven't been blogging lately. (shut up. I know.) But frankly, I haven't been near a computer and I'm still up to my (Royal Shakespearean!) eyeballs in costumes and sets. And there are still two more performances before I can breathe again (at l...
Yay! Kikita on facebook, Why can't I find you? Search for me (Billy de Castro) and add me as a friend. I'm like the 5th one down when you search my name. Be sure and include the space between the "de" and the "Castro."
I did it, I got a facebook. I am a facebooker. I am facebooking.
This is Kikita. For the past few weeks it seems I haven't been about to get through one day without being asked: "Do you facebook?" "Are you a facebooker?" "Are you on facebook?" And every now and then there is the snide (ok, they never go so far as snide, but there is a definite tone going on)...
Felicidades! Thanks for doing what you do.
In my dreams...
In my dreams, I never thought I'd be... a) Blogging. (seriously, who blogs? =D) b) Still going strong after 2 years. (2 whole years!!) To date I've written over 600 posts and you've responded with over 2300 comments. And I love that you follow me over to Babalú every other Thursday to try my la...
I have also chosen not to subscribe to cable. I would not get anything accomplished and I know it. At least in your neighborhood you can put an antennae outside without getting it stolen :)
It might have been easier to get cable...
I've mentioned before that we have chosen not to subscribe to cable tv in our area. And in our fair valley, that means No TV At All For The Darbys. It's a lifestyle choice we've made and we're okay with it, most of the time. But... Eric really, really, REALLY wanted to watch the Olympics......
Have a great trip! I can't wait to read about it.
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Kikita. It's been a great day spent with family and friends and I had a lot of Cubans yelling "La edad de Cristo!!!" That would be because I turned 33. I didn't realize what a special birthday it was.
Love from New Orleans!
08.08.08
Sixteen years ago today, I said that I would.... take him to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from that day forward until death did us part. Of course, those vows were easy to s...
Happy Anniversary!! 08-08-08. What a great day. Your anniversary...my birthday...parties all around!
08.08.08
Sixteen years ago today, I said that I would.... take him to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from that day forward until death did us part. Of course, those vows were easy to s...
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