All the way from Tijuana.

Today I went "wild" and bought the latest work of Tijuana native, Julieta Venegas, "Sal y Limón". I love the way she puts together her music and lyrics, she uses the accordion. That sound always liked me, maybe, because my elementary school music teacher used to played it, sounds melancholic to me and festive at the same time, I don't know, but Julieta plays it very well.

If you want to see the clip of my favorite song from the track, Me voy, I highly recommend it. Don't be afraid of not understanding what she says. In Mexico and many parts of the world where people don't speak English, still they listen to Madonna, Green Day, Morrisey, who ever!

La Frida-experiencia.

It's been a while that I do not put on this blog, something about Frida Kahlo, but considering our trip to Mexico happened two months ago, I think it is time to talk about it.

Just a brief story about my "passion" for Frida. All of it started when Bidane was a baby. I knew some of Frida's work and I had visited "La Casa Azul" before even my daughters were born, but at that time of my postpartum moments, something came to my mind, a question: What made Frida Kahlo dress with Mexican-ethnic clothes, why she liked to look that way?

Being honest I didn't even know that many of her clothes were part of the called Tehuanas, women from the state of Oaxaca. That I learned it after.


The interesting thing is that I thought on collect information and put together some-kind of a book, because I didn't know about a work talking about her clothes (indumentaria), but one thing that didn't came along was, what happened with all of her textiles, skirts, dresses, rebozos (chawls), huipiles (blouses). Every thing she owned, fabrics she got when she lived in San Francisco or New York. Where was all of that, I didn't see them in the museum when I visited the first time.

Of course I was unable to go further on my investigation of her clothes, but trying to do it, I had lots of fun reading books about her life, looking for pictures of her on the internet, and learning about ethnic textiles from my country.

Now I'm happy a book came out about her clothing, named "El Ropero de Frida". Couple of years ago, they found hidden in the bathroom of "La Casa Azul", the missing piece of the puzzle and the most important part, her clothes. Experts in textiles, and other experts made the investigation and edited this book. For another post I will tell about the exhibitions in Mexico city.

Bidane cumplió seis.

Bidane had her sixth birthday last Friday, but we celebrated with a party-fiesta Saturday.
Big thanks to all of you that join us for the celebration! We had fun and Bidane feels very special every time she is the center of the attention.
I made her wish and baked a cake that turn to be a almost- Jiggly-Puff pokémon. Really I made my biggest effort, but I'm a terrible cake-maker... Why? I do not know. I followed the recipe, I oiled the pan very carefully before I put the batter on. I made every thing that it is supposed to do, but yet the product is not what I want. I'm waiting for the God of the cakes talents to shower me with grace and cake skills.
It frustrates me more because from my Dad's side, I have a family of very good cake-makers, my aunt and cousins are just the best. Inside of me, I hope, some day the ideal cake comes out of my hands.
So far, Bidane was happy with her Jiggly-Puff and it is all about.

Felicidades mi niña bonita, muchas felicidades, contenta con el pastel que mamá le horneó, en forma del pokémon favorito. Aunque éste no sea exactamente el que haya tenido el mejor sabor o las mas linda decoración.

Cocinas kitchen.

I was posting my comment on Annie's blog, about our kitchens conversation. Since now SDCCS has one, there is an idea to make it work. I wrote and wrote, than I figure, maybe this could be a post, because is getting too long.
So, first. Wow Annie! you are amazing, I thought about the mexican-style-kitchen, as well (but have to confess that thinking came after my Jiggle-puff cake project), but you went beyond, finding a book!
They say one image talks more than 1000 words, and seeing those colors in the book she links, and if you click, and click more on the pages of the book, you find the pots and the wooden spoons, then really gets me enthusiastic about the idea.
So I think I can embark in the project... Yeah! But as Annie points: One obsession at a time.

I support Mexico.

September 16th, Mexico is celebrating Independence Day (it is not Cinco de Mayo). I left my country ten years ago to live away, first Canada, now U.S. But still now, I feel home-sickness for all the things I grew-up with in Mexico.

Every time I go back, at least to the bordering Tijuana or Mexico city, I try to breath in that atmosphere, get drunk of it and come back, although many of us (Mexican living out-side), complain about the forms in Mexico, we still, love deeply our beloved country.

A country made of different cultures, people, languages, mixtures, mountains, roads, desserts, volcanoes, forests, and oceans...

I'm so happy some of you (and people you know), have Mexico in mind to have your holidays, vacations or spare time. I'm sure Mexico would please you, either you think in pleasant beaches, exotic habitat, secluded places or big cities, ancient ruins, ethnic art-crafts or just for a humble "taco".

MUCHAS GRACIAS!!!!

How to define a person?

This morning I read something like this, people 30 years old and under, define themselves no longer by their jobs but by the hobbies they have, like if they do yoga or bike. -Lucky me, I'm at the door of the 4th decade-, because a hobby, according with a dictionary is an auxiliary activity, practiced during spare time... spare time, uh?
So, watching t.v doesn't count, because it is not an activity (no action involved, you know: movement), if I watch Nature every Sunday, that doesn't mean I'm a naturalist (of course).
Then I thought, well I cook, I make a little gardening as well, but it is not exactly my spare time, because I do it for the sake of my house. Running the household is my primary activity these days, gardening and cooking don't count as an auxiliary activity. Some times I sew, since it is not regular, then doesn't count too. We do yoga, but that is too, for our backs health, and after all, I just know a few poses, so... I think "nada" for yoga.
I still keep thinking, even if I wish, I'm not twenty-something. I'll put away the person definition young adults use, because for fellows like me it is something like this: Put your hobby to work and turn it into bucks. And.... that wouldn't be a hobby anymore, but a principal activity, by consequence more troublesome finding something else that defines my-self.
What do you think?

French dimpled rolls, receta para bolillitos.

3 1/2 cups white bread flour.
1 1/2 teaspoon salt.
1 teaspoon sugar.
1/2 ounce fresh yeast.
1/2 cup lukerwarm.
milk.
3/4 cup lukerwarm water.

1. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the center.
2. Mix the yeast with the milk until dissolved, then pour into the center of the flour mixture. Sprinkle on a little of the flour from around the edge. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble.
3. Add the water and gradually mix in the flour to form a fairly moist, soft dough. Turn out onto a highly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise, at room temperature, for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down. Re-cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 10 pieces. Shape into balls by rolling the dough under a cupped hand, then roll until oval. Lightly flour the tops. Space apart on the baking sheets, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise, at room temperature, for about 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
5. Lightly oil the side or your hand and press the center of each roll to make a deep split. Re-cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place a roasting pan in the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 F. Pour 1 cup water into the pan and bake the rolls for 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes:
Baking is an exact science, but I had to modify some procedures, to adapt the ingredients I had.
I didn't use bread flour, but white "normal" flour.
I used one envelope of dry-yeast, instead of the natural one.
Punching down the dough means: knocking it, after this knead again lightly for 1-2 minutes.
ENJOY IT!

Pokémon in Hogwarts (Just for fans of both)

Imagination, what a good thing to have, at every age, day dreaming, creativity, ideas. Part of this, is the game that Bidane is inventing now. Pokémons go to Hogwarts.

My house is invaded with Harry Potter books and audiobooks about the same, since summer started. Aitana wasn't very interested on the story, until she decided it was time to start reading the books, she is finishing the third now, and since then, everything is about Harry Potter, but being Pokémon another high ranking topic in this household, well, what a good idea to combine them!

Now, Jigglypuff is a distinctive member of the house of Hufflepuff, along with Bidane; Mew is part of Gryffindor and Mewtwo will be friends with Cho and Luna in Ravenclaw. Dark Charizard would intrigue with MalFoy in Slytherin.

I have to confess that thanks to Lauren (yes, I know she is being saying that the series of Harry Potter is so good) and that we went to watch the last movie, I'm hooked too!, now I read the profiles of the characters in Wikkipedia and so far, it is been a good strategy to skip the books, it is not I don't like to read, but I need to catch every body else, at least until the fifth book.

Is wonderful how one solely person, invented a universe of characters, personalities, backgrounds, stories, good and evil battle, HOW IMPRESSIVE!, That is imagination.

Thumb down for this.

Dios mío!!!!! what a movie... is very bad. As we say in Mexico, es un churro! which means worths nothing or stinks. Any way, mi marido, a.k.a as Pepe, suggested me to watch it, I said it was o.k since it is based in a Spartan battle that was actually true. I urged the girls to go to bed in order we had time to put our attention in "the movie".
Despite the presence of male casting with decent bodies, the "macho" hormones thirsty for blood, is an issue that disliked me. -Of course what could I expect with a movie about a war-. But really, the enemies are so much cliché combined with a fantasy derived from a bad dream of the producer or director. The worst is, that maybe they thought it was a great idea to have such characters.

Pan... rico pan...

Today I was in the mood of trying something home-made. Since it is not so hot like the past days, using the oven is kind of a pleasure. So we decided to make rolls or "bolillos"as we call this kind of bread in Mexico, it was fun, I looked for an easy recipe, since I'm not a very good baker, (but still I try to practice).


Aitana helped mixing the ingredients and kneading the dough.

We let it rise. Here is the step that is frustrating for me, usually the dough do not rise properly, but this time I took care of the yeast I used and the way to make it rise.


After resting for one hour or so, we shaped the rolls. More rest.

Then, to the oven. 15 minutes after, cool them a little bit and eat them, mmmmmmmm, ¡Rico pan!

Sorpresa!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday evening, Bidane was part of her teachers for this coming year, Miss Kate and Mr. V. tour around student's homes. I didn't tell anything to her, until she saw them standing in our front door. She was so surprised, she couldn't even say a thing.
Bidane usually welcomes people in our house with no problem, but this time her face was pale, she confessed to them and me, that she was scared.
I wasn't expecting such reaction, fortunately, as time passed, Bidane started to be more relaxed and showed them her favorites toys, her bedroom and the mural she made as summer project. She talked a little bit about our trip to Mexico and her "little fear"about meeting new classmates and the new environment of the school.

Las últimas horas de las vacaciones.

Nothing is more fun for the end of summer vacations, that a nice combination of friends, water and sun.

Indi, Aida, Pablo, Aitana & Bidane having fun at our house.

Soak City with McLean.

Mission Beach with Blake, Benjamin, Chloe and Isabel (back in the water).