the Hemingway
How one family accidentally found the Hemigway approach to San Fermin in Pamplona. Continue reading the Hemingway
frita
It’s been more than a hot minute since Capo and I had any kind of free time. Like the kind of free time that doesn’t involve changing diapers, wiping tears, and vending snacks. We were fried. So when friends of ours asked us to join them for the weekend on the Costa del Sol… it was a no-brainer. VIP train tickets? Oh, yes! Please! We … Continue reading frita
Holy
It happened once last year… wandering the streets in Bilbao during Semana Santa – Holy Week. The week proceeding Easter Sunday. We heard a bit of music. Drumming. And then… a small costumed procession. With tall white pointy hats. Eyes blinking below. My heart skips a beat. In a fight-or-flight kind of way- senses confounded. Friends or foe? And then, of course, I snap out … Continue reading Holy
faint
Trigger WARNING.Animals being killed in a traditional ceremony for the purpose of being eaten. NOT for the faint of heart… As capo tenses up next to me, I think… something important is happening… We have been invited… to a matanza. Game on. Although I am not exactly sure what this will entail – the concept of slaughtering an animal, festival or not – seems a dubious cause … Continue reading faint
navi-realidad
After a year-and-a-half here in Madrid (yes, really), I have noticed a distinct split in my personality. There is actual me, reality me, and romantic, ideal me. I hope that we can continue to live together copacetically, but I’m not sure. I want to show up to the girls’ school as the Spanish do – sparkling to the nines, donning high heels, perfectly dressed for … Continue reading navi-realidad
schooled
As the summer rushes past, we attempt to keep up with the locals… Where are you going on vacation? They ask. Of course, with the new baby’s arrival, we were trying to play things by ear. That sort of works… although there are many raised eyebrows from friends during the planning process. We pick Asturias as our destination. We had previously toured Cantabria (to the … Continue reading schooled
oh Porto
We have a good friend back in San Diego who is Portuguese. He’s told us a million little things about life in his home country – so we have loved the country from afar before we ever stepped foot there. Our first journey was to Lisbon in 2011 when I delivered a paper titled, “Scoping Theatre’s 3rd Space” to the International Society of Ethnology and … Continue reading oh Porto
ides
The Ides of March brings sunshine and cherry blossoms… A deep sigh of Spring landing right down the street in our good friend Retiro… With promises of new beginnings… But tricky March pulls the rug out – cold snapping right into a swirling snowstorm. The littles rejoice and scramble outside to catch snowflakes with mouths wide open… But even a dip back into winter can’t … Continue reading ides
gris
Winter rolls in, and everything is gray. The sky, the mood… we’ve been out of the states for months now – long enough for everyone to feel a bit out of sorts… We stave off the gloomies by distracting ourselves… splashing in leftover puddles… Carpet picnics are created with old friends… And we dream of greener pastures… Soon we become restless and upgrade to cafe treats … Continue reading gris
cookin
Growing up in the midwest of the US there were foods I just had no exposure to – avacados for example. But krautburgers you could get in spades. Or my great-grandmother’s pickled beets. You are what you eat, it is said. If that is the case, I’m going to be quite the amalgamation when we are finished moving around. A dose of sangria, a leg of Napolitan … Continue reading cookin
I Think I'm Going to Like it Here 