During my training into American traditions, I learned that when February had an extra day it was not only a leap year but it was also Sadie Hawkins Day. Sadie Hawkins was not an actual person; she first appeared in the comic strip Li’l Abner by Al Capp in 1937 in the fictional hillbilly village […]
Ferdinand Forever
I saw on the front page of this past Sunday’s The New York Times that, after months of controversy, Mexico City opened its bullring, the largest in the world, for a bullfight. It surprised me to see so much coverage to this issue, with all the world conflicts taking place. I thought about bullfighting in […]
American Non-Fiction
Let me start by saying that my favorite film this year is American Fiction, directed and written by Cord Jefferson with a smart, funny screenplay. Jeffrey Wright plays a “normal” Black man: a college professor and author who has to deal with love issues, irascible academics, prickly siblings, a sick mother who needs help in […]
The Three Wise Men
With some of the holidays—Halloween, Thanksgiving—which have made it across the Atlantic to Spain, I wish that my favorite, the Three Wise Men, would be celebrated in the United States. Yes, here we have the Epiphany on the same day, January 6th, but it’s mostly a religious festivity. What is even sadder is that, since […]
Is Spain Collapsing?
When I go to Spain now, I keep thinking about all the strange things that are happening over there. We already know that Halloween is now in vogue and Thanksgiving has already started to show its head. I saw several restaurants that were advertising it in their menus. I hear words I don’t recognize or […]
Halloween Spanish Style
Dear Readers, I’m sorry this post has been delayed due to technical difficulties… Belated happy Halloween to all of you! Let me know when you receive it. Thanks, I’ve missed you, Concha Come to find out during my latest trip to Spain that Halloween is now in vogue there. How this came about, I […]