I just finished an article about fairy tales in the works of Carmen Martín Gaite, one of my favorite novelists from Spain. She wrote a whimsical book, Little Red Riding Hood in Manhattan, where she deconstructed the fairy tale gender. Her protagonist, ten-year-old Sara Allen, takes a strawberry cake to her grandmother every week, but […]

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Flying to California has all the disadvantages of going to Europe: small seats, messy bathrooms, a six hours flight, and practically the same price—without any of the perks—three tasty meals (if you like airplane food like I do), with endless drinks and snacks, a little pillow and matching blanket, TV and film entertainment in front […]

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With all the excitement of the new pope being chosen today, it’s easy to think about the wonderful visit that Pope Francis made to Philadelphia in 2015. Coinciding with the World Meeting of Families, he spent the weekend of September 26-27 crisscrossing the city: from the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminar in the suburbs to the […]

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Writing in English is my passion, although there is an internal voice that wants to translate my words into Spanish, particularly when it’s a clever saying or expression. Take “Fair and Square,” for example. It could be the literal “Justo y Cuadrado” that makes no sense at all, or the adverbial “Justa y honradamente,” which […]

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There are commercials on TV for Progressive Insurance where Dr. Rick warns us about becoming like our parents. They are supposed to be humorous, but I find them frightening. I wouldn’t mind if I had my father’s intelligence and energy or my mother’s resourcefulness and some of her good looks. But I have the feeling […]

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Dear Readers, I hope you have missed me as much as I have missed you. Or maybe, just a little bit. I seem to have come through my knee surgery with flying colors. Well, walking colors at least. I’m so thankful to family and friends who have stopped by to lend a hand and kept […]

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