A Little Miami

I was laughed at for ordering this for dinner at a Cuban restaurant in Miami last month:

It did seem strange, but it was my third Cuban meal in one and a half days, and I was ready for some good ole cafe con leche and pan con mantequilla (Cuban cappuccino and bread and butter, but oh, so good!). I've been spoiled eating Cuban food all my life, and I really miss it. I had stuffed myself with more bistecito, platanitos, and congri than I eat in practically a year. When I saw this meal on the menu (which, by the way, included scrambled eggs!), I knew it would hit the spot. I was served a cup of frothy milk with the coffee where creamer usually is, and that bread was so crunchy and buttery, I know the others wished they'd ordered it, too. 

My mom, my 96-year-old Abue, and I had journeyed to Miami for my aunt's surprise 70th birthday party. I hadn't visited my family there in thirteen years, but the feeling came right back. The sad part was the absence of many aunts and uncles who have passed away, who were fixtures there my whole life. I now make up the generation that was my mom's thirty years ago, and her generation now has become what all those beloved grandparents, great-aunts, and uncles were. Time marches on, but the good times still rolled. 

Someone dear to our family is Jose. He is married to my mom's cousin, Maggie, who we call Cusi. Cusi and Jose have shown hospitality to us more times than I can count, and they are special to me. They enjoy meeting all kinds of people, and appreciate food and culture. Here is a photo I snapped of Jose holding a Cuban beer, something you don't see in the Ingles in North Carolina:

I miss my grandfather, Papi, tremendously, as well as one of his buddies, Cusi's father. Antonio Genova, known to us as "Chi Chi," was married to Abue's sister, Nilda. He and Papi were the salt of the earth and two peas in a pod: they lived simple, rich lives, quietly enjoying the little things and making others feel comfortable. I pointed out something I realized on this Miami trip: Papi and Chi Chi may be gone, but Jose has taken their place: a gentle, caring man who puts others before himself. He will drive anywhere for anyone, always wants to pay the bill, and never (ever) accepts praise for his actions. It's just how he is: humble, happy to serve others. 

There's a special reason I took this photo of Jose:

It completely captures the essence of this man! By the time others in the house awaken in the morning, Jose has already been out and purchased savory breakfast treats. He enjoys laying a smorgasbord of goodies before guests; it's his ministry. Another reason I had to take this photo is that I have memories of being eight years old and even back then, Jose was doing the same thing. 

When I was twelve, my friend Jennie and I spent several weeks in south Florida, and part of our time was with Cusi and Jose. In those days, I had no idea what a bagel was; only people in places like New York and Miami ate them. I recall that during our entire stay, at every lunch and dinner, Jose set two bags of bagel chips on the table...and no one touched them. Meal after meal, we'd sit down, and there came Jose, bags in hand, slightly grinning. This is classic Jose: the nice guy who wants to feed everyone well. Thanks for taking care of us, Primo.

Incidentally, Jose has always enjoyed food and celebration. As I've stated before, Cubans love to pose with food! Here he is, celebrating a boyhood birthday with his family:

Cusi, too, has the gift of hospitality, and a vibrant flair for whatever's fun. She loves to take tourists around Miami, and have a cafecito to "recharge her batteries," as she once put it. Cusi and Jose remind me why being Cuban is such a thrill!  If you ever have a chance to view the artwork of Maggie Cordovi (or, if I may brag...actually own a piece of it), don't miss out! I just had to pose with two of Cusi's lovelies, named "Esther" and "Nilda" for Abue and her sister, Cusi's mother:

Ahem...I must say, these beauties would look outstanding in my dining room. Can't you tell I'm about to burst just from standing beside them?

Here I am with my mom and Tia at the grand event:

Can you believe that we hid with Cusi and Jose for an entire weekend? What's harder to believe is that Tia had no clue at all about the party; she was so surprised! Cousin Silvia came farther than we did, all the way from New York! Tia's friends did a fabulous job of organizing everything. We partied in true Cuban style...for six hours! By the time we arrived back to Cusi and Jose's neighborhood, all the Cuban restaurants were closed, so we settled for Wendy's.

I was surprised to discover what I think is a "century plant" at Cusi's house. The girls and I had just read a story about one! They grow and grow for about thirty years, finally becoming about eight feet tall. When a century plant blooms, it soon dies. I think this is one (at least, it looks like one):

Where else but Miami would you find this regularly growing in a yard? It's so different from the mountains of North Carolina, but I grew up exposed to the Miami flair, and it's still special to me. 

Speaking of that, Cusi's house is very "Miami." Check out these photos!

How about these chairs, this lamp, that floor...and Cusi's artwork? It's so mod, so Cusi, so Miami! And here she and I are in front of this lovely, comfortable residence:

This short chronicle of my trip wouldn't be complete without showing you what I read on airplane fold-out table: 

"Whilst"...how can you not love it?! This was not wasted on me (obviously...probably no one else saw it and took a picture, thinking, "I just have  to put this on the blog!"). I had just been immersed in three days of all things Cuban, and it was funny to board a plane in south Florida and see this. 

Until next time...Hasta la proxima!