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Published: December 15th 2023
tacos with English class
Just before leaving for the US, I wrapped up my English Conversation Classes. After the last class we all went out for tacos. What a great group!I had been gearing up for a visit to the US for a long time. Over six months ago American Airlines finally gave me the possibility of resetting my SkyMiles passcode, which allowed me to access my miles before they expired; exactly the amount I needed for a round-trip ticket to Baltimore. That sealed the deal - I would head up to the US in the fall! But first I had to wrap up my English classes that continued to meet twice a week in my dining room. We completed our sixth cycle of lessons and decided to take a pause until after the new year. The final class meeting culminated in a taco dinner at Mexico de Mis Sabores, the most authentic Mexican restaurant in town! I've been working with the same group of learners for almost all of 2023 and I'm proud of the progress they've made. It's challenging to have busy young people commit to regular attendance, and the students in this group have been great about encouraging one another!
Since I'd be driving up to Quito (3 hours) for my flight out, I went up a day early and met
Out the Plane Window
My flight took off at daybreak, affording me stunning views of the northern Andes. I believe this peak is Cotacachi, wearing a tutu of clouds. with my cardiologist. The same doctor has been treating me for hypertension (high blood pressure) for the last 6 or 7 years. On a previous visit he'd commented that he wanted to do an echocardiogram to visualize my heart function in real time. This is not the same thing as an electrocardiogram (EKG) which measures the heart's electrical impulses with spiky lines. The echo measures the ventricles and atria's size, shape and volume as well as the actual functioning of the valves. I had the echo the day before I flew out, and that very same evening, the doctor sent me a detailed six-page report from his personal WhatsApp. I wrote back thanking him and confirmed, from what I could understand of the report, that there was no problem with me travelling!
I stayed in a cozy cabin on the property of a friend of a friend, located just 10 minutes from the airport. María allowed me to leave my car there for $3/day and she drove me to the airport at 3:30 am for my 6:00 am flight. Taking off from Quito at daybreak is magical, and one reason that I always
High Tech Driving
In my brother Bob's Tesla, I didn't feel even the slightest bit carsick...even riding in the back seat. The glass roof made the space feel spacious and I appreciated the smooth, silent ride with not stench of gas fumes! book a window seat. Flying over the Andes at sunrise is a truly breathtaking experience. I also enjoyed the views over Miami as we landed for my connecting flight. When you fly into the US you have to claim your bags at your first place of entry. My layover was just over an hour and luckily my UIO-MIA flight was right on time. I arrived in DC mid-afternoon and my brother Bob was there to meet me. It's over an hour drive from Dulles airport to his home, but the ride went quickly as Bob pointed out various Washington DC monuments that we glimpsed from the highway. We chatted away, catching up on family news and plans.
My very first day in Baltimore my sister-in-law Kate took me shopping. I had arrived with one suitcase inside of another, the interior one mostly full of gifts and only a few outfits. Over the years so many of my clothes had become old, stained, torn, stretched-out -it was definitely time to update my wardrobe. First stop was Saver's -a huge thrift shop housed in a former grocery store. Alas, since COVID the fitting rooms had
Leaf Peeping
Mid-October was the peak of fall colors. Bob routed us through a stunning secondary parkway in Pennsylvania on the drive from Baltimore to New Jersey. not been reopened, so I stacked up possible items on a cart and then we wheeled back to a full-length mirror tucked away from the main aisle so I could strip down to my tank top and try on my finds. Kate offered valuable fashion input, and in the end even picked up the tab! We spent over 2 hours there and I got 4 pairs of pants, 6 blouses, 3 pairs of shoes and a backpack for a grand total of $120! Kate took me out to lunch and then we went bra shopping in the mall (ugh). The third place we looked I found the brand and style I used to wear in High School and realized that they were still the best for me. When we went to check out, my bras were on sale for 40% off...so I bought four!
After just a few days in Baltimore, Bob and Kate and I drove up to New Jersey, enjoying the stunning fall colors as we passed through Pennsylvania. Bob's Tesla is a very comfortable ride. Ordinarily I'd get carsick riding in the back, but with the panoramic glass roof and
The Gang's All Here
It took some doing, but we managed to bring together all four siblings, their children, the first two grandkids and one in-utero! the silent, smooth ride (not to mention the absence of the smell of gas fumes) it was an incredibly pleasant journey! We stopped to charge the car in New Jersey since charging stations are limited and overcrowded in New York. Besides, we were to spend the afternoon in NJ before heading on to Brooklyn.
It took some doing, but we managed to get all four siblings together at niece Shara and her hubby Jon's cute house in Jersey. My sister Claire drove in from NY with her daughter Jenna, her son Sam (who was visiting from LA) and her two granddaughters, Natalie and Adrienne. Older brother Lee and his wife Pattie drove the half-hour from their NJ home with their son Griffith (Shara's brother). Only missing from the gathering were Patrick (Jenna's husband...no room in the car so he opted for a day alone!) and Lee's second daughter Tovah and her partner Max. Shara had prepared Halloween goodie bags for the grandkids and we joshed that she was in kid training, as she's expecting her first child in the spring. There has been some conflict and uncomfortableness among siblings through the years; this
Arriving in Brooklyn
My sister Claire and her granddaughters made this sweet sign which hung on the door of the room where I'd be staying felt like an important reunion, especially for the cousins to spend some time together and develop relationships of their own independent of their parents' history. We all shared a friendly, pleasant afternoon together.
Claire had the brilliant idea of having an early Thanksgiving dinner while Sam was still out east. Claire coordinated what each of us was to prepare and bring to the NY gathering at Jenna and Patrick's. Before leaving Baltimore, Kate and I baked desserts; I made a carrot cake and she made a pear crostini. yum! Claire roasted the turkey, Sam made the sides, all was yummy. As my Poppa would have said, the quality of the food was only exceeded by that of the company. I loved the idea of each person writing what they were thankful for on a paper feather to be taped on a construction paper turkey, creating a tail of gratitude. Read on to see how this inspired me for Thanksgiving #2. The following morning, before Sam had to fly back west we all enjoyed a picnic bagel brunch at Prospect Park - a beautiful old park just a few blocks from where they live!
Brownstone in Park Slope
My niece calls it, the house that Pinterest bought! Yes, she's a bigwig at Pinterest and I can understand why she and her hubby choose to raise their family in this awesome neighborhood We wandered upon a live Klezmer music concert on the boathose steps overlooking a small lake. It was sweet how the musicians let all the kids go up and touch and try their instruments.
I was so happy to finally visit my sister's new home in Brooklyn. Their neighborhood, Park Slope, is famous for its brownstone houses; most built in the mid- to late- 1800's during the industrial revolution. A few years ago Jenna and Patrick bought a four-story brownstone and their apartment occupies the top two floors. They rent out the street level apartment and Claire lives in the terrace apartment, a sort of half-basement level with a nice front bay window and a garden at the back. Next year they plan to do a huge renovation project, converting the top three floors into their home.
Claire's apartment is less than half the size of the condo she owned in California, but it's New York and it's a great place. There's even a basement area with laundry, storage and an art room/playroom for her granddaughters. They made me an adorable sign
Youthful Joy
Natalie walking down the street in front of her house on a gorgeous fall day. Her school is two blocks away. It's like a small town in the big city! to welcome me to my room - Claire's office space with a blow-up mattress! It's nice for her older granddaughter, Natalie, to have the freedom to go up and down the strairs between her parents´ and her LaLa´s (abuela / grandma). I went along with Claire most days for the after-school pick-up and playtime at the park. I was fascinated by the Caribbean nannies with their charges. I'd perch on a bench and listen to them speaking Haitian Creole with one another, never taking their eyes off the little ones they were responsible for. When Adrienne was first born Jenna hired a wonderful nanny named JoJo. Claire told me that JoJo was the boss of the playground; scolding other nannies for talking on their phones and not paying enough attention to the kids.
One and a half year-old Adrienne now attends the same child care center where Natalie spent a year before she started school. Natalie's school is less than two blocks from their home, and Adrienne's day care is just a block further. So nice to be able to walk everywhere on wide, shady sidewalks. It is such a lovely
My Grand-nieces
Natalie and Adrienne in the sunny, bay window play area of the spacious living room. Lovely, lucky girls! street - neighbors know and greet one another, organize block parties and cookie exchanges; kids on bikes and scooters all out playing on the street, parents hanging out on the stoops. So much daily life happens out of the street; so many families with young kids. It feels like a small town in the big city. I loved taking pics of the beautiful doorways - carved stone and wrought iron, fun and funky Halloween decorations.
Claire and Jenna usually take turns preparing dinner. On the day that Claire was preparing a seafood salad, I took the girls out to the back garden to blow bubbles and keep them busy. Natalie has limited patience with her younger sister...I'm told this has been an ongoing challenge. Natalie definitely has a strong personality. Jenna tells the story of one tantrum when she declared, "I never wanted a little sister, or a little brother, or a little THEY!" My five year-old grand niece is woke! Actually, she has a classmate who was a boy last year in pre-school but has started kindergarten dressed as a girl. Her classmates and their parents accept this as a
Uteri
Anmazing art exhibit at The New Museum. Curated by Judy Chicago, there were seven floors of artwork, all by female artists and expressed in every kind of media. matter of course. Both of my great-nieces are extremely bright. I was blown away at one and a half year old Adrienne's vocabulary - even able to string together three word sentences at her tender young age (I see shoes - I want shumai - we clean up!)
Claire took time out from her busy schedule to take me on some interesting excursions in the mornings before after-school pick-up time. I must confess, all the up and down stairs and running to catch subways wore me out! I am definitely not in good enough shape to live in New York! I was amazed that I could just tap my debit card on the reader to enter the turnstyle and pay my subway fare ($2.90 per ride - in Ecuador that's the cost of an almuerzo - a set menu lunch). One day Claire and I went to a 'small spaces' display in a cool area of exhibition buildings down near the waterfront. We oohed and ahhed over the various interior design ideas. Another day she and I went to an exhibit of provocative work by all female artists at the New Museum, down
Famous Katz's Deli
Since one niece was unable to come to the reunion, I met Tovah and Max at katz's. Here we are toasting with new kosher dill pickles! Five years ago they came to visit me in Ecuador, so lots of reminiscing! on the Bowery. The exhibition was curated by Judy Chicago and included artwork in every kind of media - from weavings to videos to painted car hoods and anything else you can imagine.
After our museum visit Claire walked me over to Katz's Deli so I could find the place where I'd be meeting niece Tovah and her partner Max that evening. Claire had to hurry back to pick up the girls, but I hung around, wandering the neighborhood to kill a few hours until the kids could arrive from New Jersey. At one point I fell in step behind a walking tour and listened as guide explained how Katz's became famous during WWII with their slogan, ´Send a salami, to your boy in the Army´. I popped into secondhand clothing store...way out of my league! T-shirts for $50, shoes $250...I wonder what this stuff cost new!? I went into a Marshall's discount clothing store, located in a sub-basement. I cruised the discount racks and found two pairs of great leggings, two yoga braaq tops, and a fabulous cardigan - $60 total for all!
Parking in the City
Tovah and Max used an app to pre-book a space right around the corner from Katz's. Since they weren't staying long, they got a bottom spot. Only $15/hr - a real steal! More time to kill so I tried some amazing sorbets at the Ice Cream Laboratory, right across from Katz's. Honeydew and blueberry were my fave flavor choices. Divine! They shared their WiFi with me so I hung out and people-watched there for a good hour or so (my feet were killing me!) Tovah kept me posted on WhatsApp with their departure and projected arrival times. When I went across to Katz's I saw hundreds of people lined up at the counter waiting to order. Was this how it worked? When I made my way back to the restrooms I realized there was a section with waiter service in the back, but I was informed that they could not seat me until my whole party was there. I went back across to the ice cream lab corner and used their WiFi thru the window to let Tovah know where they should meet me! I hung out under the photo of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal at the table where she famously faked an orgasm.
It was wonderful to see Tovah and Max and we joyously relived many of the memories
At the Brooklyn Public Library
I was less interested in the Jay-Z exchibit which dominated the public space but loved the art naif paintings depicting, My Mother Was a Nanny by a Haitian artist. from their visit to Ecuador while we gorged ourselves on corned beef and pastrami on rye bread. Using an app on their phone, they had pre-booked a parking spot right around the corner from the restaurant. The wonders of technology! Parking is at such a premium in New York! On a tiny piece of land there was a four-level elevator system installed. Since they weren't staying long they had an easy in-and-out spot so they dropped me at the subway station and I made my way back to Brooklyn. On the three block walk back to my sister's, my dogs were barking (sore tootsies) !!
I went for brunch one day with Claire and two of her friends and she had to hurry back for an online meeting so I spend the next few hours at the Brooklyn Public Library. It's an amazing building and it's been re-imagined as a public art space. The ongoing exhibit was all about JayZ, a famous rapper. There were dozens of groups of high school aged students, enthralled by the displays of rapper memorabilia. I liked the art naif paintings in the children's room; an exhibit entitled
My Mother Was a Nanny. At Marshall's in the shoe department I had gotten to chatting with two Haitian nannies pushing strollers. They told me about what it was like for them (one lived with a Jewish family, the other with an Italian family) and how they spend their days off. In front of the library I had a nice conversation with an Ethiopian hot dog vendor. His main goal was to earn enough to travel back to his country once a year.
I was glad to be able to spend some quality time with my niece Jenna. One morning we took a walk in Prospect Park together - she knows the off-the-beaten-path trails. We enjoyed a gorgeous fall morning among the colorful falling leaves, walking and chatting and catching up! She made time another morning to drive us down to Chinatown for DimSum at their favorite place, Golden Unicorn. It was a big deal, not only because she took the morning off work but also because she gave up her street parking spot. but meanwhile they find street parking where they can. If they don't have to drive anywhere, instead
Bridge Between Brooklyn and Manhattan
Can you read what's written on the red truck? Moishe's Self-Storage! Yep, we're in New Yowk! of moving the car for street cleaning they just pay the $60 ticket which ends up way cheaper than guaranteed parking would cost! They are on a waiting list for a permanent spot in nearby lot (over $500/mo!!). They were also considering a spot for sale that became available in a covered lot...$250,000 - can you imagine? a quarter of a million dollars for a square of cement!?!
What a treat to get to glimpse the city from a car window. Fabulous views as we crossed bridges from Brooklyn into the city and back again. My old friend Eddie came the next day in his fancy car to pick me up in Brooklyn, take me out to dinner in Prospect Heights and then drive me to his home in Queens to spend the night. He gave me his comfy bed and slept on the sofa. What a guy! We figured out that we've known each other almost 45 years! We first met in France in summer of 1989 - I was studying at the University of Grenoble and he was backpacking around Europe. We have since met up in so many
The Oculus
As part of the revitalization of World Trade Center area, Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was contracted to create this stunning shopping mall atop the twin towers subway station. different places around the globe! He had a fabulous tourist day planned for my last full day in New York!
After catching up over a leisurely breakfast, we met up with his friend Robert and after driving around and around looking for parking in Robert's neighborhood, we bit the bullet and paid heftily to leave his car in a garage for the day. Eddie and Robert met when they were both working at Air France. While we were waiting for subway they saw a tourist carrying a vintage Air France shoulder bag. Of course they had to ask him about it; he said he'd bought it at a flea Market in Paris! We all boarded the subway and got off at the Oculus, a jazzy new shopping mall built where the World Trade Center used to stand. Along with hundred of other tourists, we solemnly strolled around the 9/11 memorial fountains covering the footprints of the former twin towers, the edges engraved with the names of all who died that day.
We went across the street to a stunning new Performing Arts Center with
Little Island
Fun and funky public spaces to explore! movable walls to create a variety of sizes and shapes of theatre spaces. There was a rapper performing in the lobby, encouraging visitors to rap along with him. We all made good use of the elegant restrooms and marvelled at the sheet agate walls with the sun shining through them. We walked to the High Line Park which was packed with people on this beautiful fall day...the last weekend before Halloween so there were more than a few people in costume. The High Line follows the railway line that was formerly used to deliver animal carcasses to the meat packing district. The old rail line is now home to a mile and a half of walking paths with lush gardens and funky sculptures all along the way; created and maintained by a public consortium called Friends of the High Line.
We walked and walked (I only whined a little and begged to sit and rest a few times! my aching feet!). We passed a winding tower that sadly was closed to the public soon after it was completed as it unfortunately became a popular spot for suicide jumpers. We visited a
Times Square, Manhattan
A magical day with Eddie and Robert! They walked my ´tuchus´ off, ending with dinner at Havana Central and a Broadway Show (Some Like It Hot) cool waterfront park called Little Island with raised planters that I thought looked like high-heeled shoes. I'm told they're supposed to resemble champagne glasses. The park was filled with families and the children especially enjoyed the numerous interactive installations; by jumping on squares or spinning a mobile, kids & adults created musical sounds.
We were pretty far from a subway station so we bit the bullet and hopped a taxi to Times Square. Of course the driver was West African so we all amazed him by speaking fluent French together as he wove through increasingly dense traffic. When the cab could move no further, we hopped out and walked the last few blocks to Havana Central, a hip and happening Cuban restaurant where we met up with a young, new Air France employee - a gal from South Carolina who is an event planner. She's loving her New York City adventure and making the most of living in the Big Apple! After a delicious dinner where the quality of the food was only exceeded by that of the company (that was one of my Dad's favorite sayings!) we waddled around the
Meow!
Kate turned me into a cat! corner to the theatre where Eddie had booked us tickets to see Some Like It Hot. The music, the costumes, the dancing -- a fabulous Broadway show to complete my New York City perfect day! Thanks so much Eddie, and thanks especially for driving me all the way back to Brooklyn at midnight!!
The following morning after a deli brunch with the Brooklyn family I took the subway to the railway station and caught a train to Baltimore (less than three hours). The train was not very crowded at all on a Sunday morning and I enjoyed lunching on the corned beef sandwich Claire had packed for me as I watched the countryside speed by out my window. The fall leaves had mostly fallen and I could sense that winter was definitely on the way. With all the great Jewish deli food (lox n bagels for breakfast, salami and pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, sinful desserts, etc) of course I put on weight while in the US, but the good news is that I lost 8 lbs within the first two weeks I was back in Ecuador. Some of that weight
Kitty and Clown
My 'little' brother Bob volunteers at the Book Bank and goes out with the Bookmobile to elementary schools in underserved neighborhoods. My mitten 'paws' kept my hands warm! loss can be attributed to living on the equator (we actually do weigh a few pounds less since we're further from the earth's gravitational core because of the planet's bulge) but also because I just naturally eat healthier when I'm at home.
Bob was there to meet me at the train station and I enjoyed the next week in Baltimore again with Bob and Kate in their beautiful, comfortable home. Since his recent retirement, Bob has taken on several volunteer activities, one of which involves sorting donations at the book bank. Once a week he goes out on the Bookmobile to visit schools in underpriveleged neighborhoods; they bring books for the kids to keep forever. The bookmobile was donated by the city's pro football team, the Baltimore Ravens. Bob helps stock it weekly with wonderful books, from early readers to chapter books. The day I went with him we received kids from over a dozen different classes: 3K, 4K, Kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade. All the kids and their teachers were in costume and so were we. Bob was a clown and I was a kitty cat. Many thanks to
Princesses and Fairies
So much fun to see all the kids in their Halloween costumes and such joy to help them find books that they can take home and keep forever! my sister-in-law for loaning me the costume and painting my nose and whiskers. It was a chilly day so I especially appreciated the kitten paw mittens!
Bob commented that at this school the teachers were doing an excellent job of wrangling their classes. Each kid was given a brown paper carrying bag with their name printed on it. The littlest students each got to choose 5 books; they mostly just pulled them off the shelves, mostly going for the biggest and most brightly colored one. The 1st & 2nd graders, students who had already begun learning to read, took their time choosing the 10 books they were permitted to take home. There was a shelf with Spanish and bilingual books and I identified the kids who might be interested in them; perhaps some of their parents didn't know English so they could share the reading experience this way. Many of these kids come from homes where there is little or no print material available; their excitement at getting to choose books for their very own was truly touching.
More thrift shopping with
Back to Ecuador
Arriving in Quito in the mid-afternoon was a special treat, flying over the patchwork hillsides in every shade of green! my sister-in-law...it was so tantalizing to find good quality clothing in my size for $4-$5-$6 !! One day we hit three different Goodwill stores. I dubbed them: Goodwill, Betterwill, and Bestwill ! Bob took me to DSW shoes where I love to cruise the discount racks for bargains. I got some Merrills for $24 and picked out shoes for my goddaughter's three children. So happy to be able to go back home with new clothes and shoes...enough to last me at least the next decade!! One morning I went to Costco with Bob - now that was an experience! WoW! We opened the place up but still the checkout lines stretched all the way to the back of the store.
I came down with a yukky cold the last week I was in Baltimore. Two home COVID tests both came back negative, but I laid low for a few days. I finally felt better to take a few walks around their gorgeous neighborhood and to go to dinner with them at the home of their neighbors - a retired cardiologist and his wife, Duncan and Heidi, who are avid world travellers
Potato Peelers
Getting ready for the baptism party -- over a hundred guests were expected! Alas, I only stayed for the mass since I prefer not to drive at night. and fellow polyglots! Lively conversation and a delicious meal. Duncan had grown up in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish so he graciously offered to look at the ecocardiogram report that had been sent to me the day before I left Quito. What are the chances I would meet someone who could interpret the results that were written in Spanish? He told me basically what my cardiologist also said when I saw him again in Quito - I have nothing to worry about unless I'm planning to live to be 120 !!
So glad I was no longer snotty and coughing for my day of air travel. Thank you, Bob for driving me to the airport at the butt crack of dawn! Fortunately, Baltimore airport is closer than DC! American Airlines had booked me with a 57 minute connection in Miami which should have been ok since I didn't have to reclaim and recheck my bags upon leaving the US. BUT, there was an airflow problem on my first flight and we sat on the ground for 45 minutes while they pulled up some kind of boiler vehicle which blasted air
Cakes Galore!
Maricarmen oversaw the cake table arrangement, all the while chasing away flies and dogs! through huge hoses. Needless to say, during the entire flight I became more and more certain that I'd miss my connection and perhaps even have to stay the night in Miami (only one American Airlines flight into Quito each day). The pilot made up some time in the air, and I was not the only passenger stressing an impossibly tight connection.
When we finally landed I had exactly 13 minutes before my next flight was scheduled to take off. Fortunately I was seated near the front of the plane, and the flight attendants had made an announcement pleading with passengers to stay seated and let the connecting travellers off first (somewhat helpful). The scheduled departure gate was way at the other end of the terminal but as I flew past the gate attendants they informed me that the new gate was just three gates over. As I sprinted to the new gate the door was already closed and the gate attendants were starting to walk away. WAIT! I shouted! OH! they replied, you must be seat 8F. They opened the door for me and I hustled down the jetway, grateful for
Baptism Boy
Carlitos arrived at church with his godfather, all scrubbed and shiny in his little nautical suit! the two wheelchair passengers who were still waiting to board. And here's the best part of this story -- against all odds, my luggage ALSO made it to Quito on that flight. No idea how they managed that one!!
I was so relieved to finally be in Quito and was distracted chatting with my seatmate and as I was approaching immigration I realized I'd left my brand new sweater in my seat (something I've never done before!) I hurried back and the gate agent said I couldn't go back in, but she went back on board and found it for me (Gracias!!) I sailed through immigration and my suitcases were the first ones off the conveyer belt - clearly they had been the last ones loaded! I hopped a taxi to the cabins and found my car exactly where I'd left it. It started right up (hooray!) and aside from some kitty paw prints all over the hood and windshield, it was in perfect condition! I made it up into the city in time to stop at the Iñaquito market for 10 lbs of orange sweet potatoes (available in very few
Mother and Son
I met Jeaneth when she was 12 and was caring for her three younger siblings. She had her first child of her own when she was just 16. Carlitos is her third child. places in Ecuador!) My friend Jan visits Ecuador twice a year and I arrived at Posada de Maple in time to meet him for dinner.
The next morning I went for my blood tests and my EKG (electrocardiogram); before my trip I had paid these tests, together with the ecocardiogram ($39 total for all three tests...I do make good use of my insurance!) I met Lupe for breakfast after my tests and gave her the Glucosamine I'd brought from the US for her (it's wildly expensive here). Jan and I went for lunch in the old town with some expat friends and that evening he invited me out for dinner at an elegant Chinese restaurant (he's vegetarian so Chinese was a good option!) The following morning I dropped him at a museum and said farewell before heading to my doctor appt where the cardiologist interpreted all of the exams for me. I'm good for a few more decades, but would be even better if I exercised more and dropped at least 20 or 30 lbs. Interesting how those two things go together...
CiCi Enjoying Thanksgiving
Once the turkey was carved and the drippings made into gravy, CiCi got to lick the pan. Dog heaven!! Just a few days after I got back to Baños, I was on the road again - driving an hour and a half north to Latacunga for the baptism of my goddaughter's youngest son. I had a suitcase full of donated clothing, some kitchen utensils, and the new shoes I'd bought for her three children. Maricarmen came with me for this joyful excursion and we stopped at the Megamaxi grocery store in Ambato on the way to buy a big Thanksgiving turkey. We had loaded Shana's huge ice chest into the back of my car and the frozen turkey gently began defrosting as we attended the lovely baptismal ceremony. Mari had not been in a church in ages, and she appeared to truly enjoy the service.
Since I was arriving back in the US less than two weeks before Thanksgiving, I wasn't sure I'd have the oomph to host a gathering at my house this year, but my entire English class was so eager to experience this traditional U.S. holiday that I felt obligated to pull it together. I'd already enjoyed one turkey dinner a month earlier in Brooklyn, but I
The 'Seniors' Table
A downstairs table was set up for those with mobility issues and their care-givers. Joyful gathering! went all out again, inviting friends and coordinating who would bring what. I spent the whole week leading up to turkey day preparing everything little by little. I bought the bread for the stuffing from our wonderful new artisanal bakery and let it gently dry out a bit. I hunted down three different types of mushrooms and made a vegetarian stuffing in addition to the one that was cooked inside the bird and another pan of stuffing made with chicken broth, all three loaded with the delicious leaf sage I'd smuggled back from the states (it was sealed in a labelled bag so there was not issue).
Once the turkey was defrosted I brined it in ice water for three days in the same big cooler chest. Into the oven it went at 6 am so there'd be enough time for it to cook, rest, and be carved in time for me to shower, dress, and rest a bit before guests began to arrive at 4:00 pm. I had cubed and roasted with olive oil and rosemary at least 8 lbs of the sweet potatoes I'd brought down from Quito. The
Tables on the Terrace
It can get windy up on the roof, but even though it drizzled it was not too chilly. Paty and Ricky on the right won the green card lottery and will be celebrating their next Thanksgiving in the US! My most motivated English learners!! rosemary in my garden is growing like crazy and was begging to be used!
Since I had hosted large groups the past two Thanksgivings, I had down to an art. I again borrowed folding tables from Janis and plastic chairs from Mark and from Mari. I arranged a table for 10 diners downstairs, since my guests included three people who can no longer climb stairs. I set up seating for 18 more people up on the rooftop terrace. The tablecloths were clipped on at the edges to keep them from flapping in the wind, and they were held down with cutlery bundles - forks and knives wrapped in cloth napkins, each secured with a colored rubber band (collected from buying bunches of asparagus and flowers). I save everything, reuse whatever I can, recycle all that is possible, and try to minimize my weekly trash output.
The upstairs table was made up of students from my English and Spanish classes, my former renter (Agustina from Argentina) and my new yoga teacher (Arianna from Chicago). They saved me a seat at the end of
Piling Up the Plates
Most of my English class came, my former renter (Agustina from Argentina) and my new Yoga teacher (Arianna from Chicago). A delicious time was had by all. the table and all of my planning and organization paid off so I was actually able to sit for awhile and enjoy my meal and my guests! My guitarist friend, Armando, showed up and played for his supper and tips! A delicious and joyful time was had by all, especially CiCi! Of course everyone wants to feed my cute pooch...clearly she is starving and her mommy never feeds her at all -- hahaha (or jajaja as we say in Spanish).
As was the tradition in my family (as I imagine it is in many others) before we began eating Thanksgiving dinner, we joined hands and went around the table to say what we were grateful for. Well, with over 25 people upstairs and downstairs it was going to be impossible to do this so I created a Gratitude Tree and used colorful origami sheets to create the 'leaves' on which we all wrote what we felt grateful for. Below you can read, in English and in Spanish, the beautiful messages that were left on our 'Arbol de Agradecimiento' - the Gracias Tree!
Gratitude Tree
What are you grateful for? Guests wrote on the colored 'leaves' - I've included some of my favorites in the text. There were too many of us to hold hands and go around the table!! Mensajes de gratitud - I am thankful for/Estoy agradecido por: Friends who feel like family / Los amigos que son como familia; Health, Work, My Partner, Life, God / Salud, Trabajo, Mi Pareja, La Vida, Diós; Friendship and Good Company / La amistad y la Buena Compañía; Being Able to Live in this Beautiful Place / Poder Vivir en Este Hermoso Lugar; This Life that Brings us Marvelous Things and All the Good that is Yet to Come / La Vida que Trae Cosas Maravillosas y Todo Lo Bueno que Vendrá; The Time and Place Where I Am / El Tiempo y el Lugar Donde Estoy; Retirement and Being Able to Live in this Wonderful Country / La Jubilación y Poder Vivir en Este País Fabuloso; My American Friends / Mis Amigos Americanos; Good Weather and So Much Beauty / Buen Clima y Tanta Belleza; The Ability to Laugh and Smile / La Abilidad de Reír y Sonreír / The Ability to LOVE and Explore the Senses Through this Feeling of LOVE / Por la Capacidad de AMAR y Explorar los Sentidos a traves de Este Sentimiento de AMOR; To be Grateful - Honor the Present Moment. Thank You for
Desserts Galore!
The Hotel Sangay pastry chef tried his hand at Pumpkin Pie (the zapallo squash here is not exactly pumpkin!) but his Pecan Pie was divine! Red Fruit cheesecake in the middle.Yum! Sharing the Magic of Being Together / Agradecer . Honra el Moment Present. Gracias por Compartir en la Mágia de Coincidir
Before leaving for the US I made a final push to complete work on my all glass mosaic backsplash project. I had started it several months earlier and had been working on it fits and starts, but now I had a goal to actually finish the work. Just a few days before I travelled Fabian came over to help me with the complicated grouting process. Since I'd used beach glass, pieces of crystal chandeliers, marbles, beads and all variety of objects of different sizes and forms, it was important to get the grout in every nook and cranny. Once the grout was partially dry we went to work with old toothbrushes to reveal each piece of glass. I'm absolutely thrilled with how it turned out! Scroll down to the very end to see pics of the process and the result! Thank you to Mark for helping me hang it behind my bathroom counter and sink!
Thanks for taking the time to
Mosaic Before Grout
Beach glass, marbles, glass bits, a perfume bottle stopper, a blue-green camera lens, a dismantled crystal chandelier - I used up almost all that I had! read my blog entry! I know I can sometimes get wordy and ramble on...partly because I want to try to make the text fit with the photos I've chosen to share. During the writing of this blog entry, two other major gatherings have occurred...but I will save those pics for my next missive. I helped serve at a holiday party for senior citizens (my second year doing this) and I invited a dozen friends over for the lighting of the candles on the last night of Hanukah. Next week I will have visitors - my dear friend Tamara who now lives in Vancouver, her partner Tomas and her goddaughter from the coast of Ecuador. The following week CiCi and I leave on an 8 day adventure with my Quito pal, Lupe. We'll be visiting lesser known hot springs to the north and west of Quito. So there will be lots to read about in my next blog...which will likely come out after my birthday in February!! Time keeps on slipping into the future...
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Bonnie Moreno
non-member comment
Thanksgivings
So glad you were able to get to USA for your first Thanksgiving with your family and that your second with all your friends was such a success. Best wishes for your 8-day trip and for the Xmas holidays. I always enjoy your blogs and pictures so much. Abrazos, Bonnie