Feb 28

Departing Texas

Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 in travel

On the airport shuttle this morning in Houston.

Feb 27

Painted Tortillas and Capilla San Isdidro in Cruz del Palmar

Posted on Monday, February 27, 2012 in antiques, art, beauty, cooking, Mexico, travel

Yesterday our friend Judith Roberts drove us out into the San Miguel countryside to the village of Cruz del Palmar. We visited the newly resorted 18th century Capilla San Isdidro, which is one of six chapels on the Ruta de  Capillas de Indios. On the church ceiling, there’s an “orchestra of angels” mural. I only half-understood the guide…the history involves Otomí and Chichimeca tribes, a lightning strike, something about witches hopping from mesquite tree to mesquite tree, a river, and a guy who stole silver.There’s a little restaurant set up at the chapel, where they served “painted tortillas” with lunch. Judy explained that the charming tortillas are a specialty of this village, made for fiestas with vegetable dyes and woodblock presses.

Feb 22

Kids Smashing Eggs as Part of Carnival in San Miguel

Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 in beauty, Mexico, rituals, travel


Kids smashing eggs filled with confetti and silver and gold powder in San Miguel de Allende’s Jardin yesterday afternoon.

Feb 21

New Paint Jobs in the ‘Hood

Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 in beauty, Mexico, travel

Houses with new paint jobs near my family’s home in San Miguel’s Colonia Guadalupe.

Neighbors painted their house a pleasure-pain shade of yellow.

I'm guessing a gringa lives here.

 

Feb 20

San Miguel Wall

Posted on Monday, February 20, 2012 in art, beauty, Mexico, travel

After all these years, San Miguel walls still make my heart beat fast.

Feb 19

Buenos Días, San Miguel de Allende

Posted on Sunday, February 19, 2012 in family, Mexico, restaurants, travel

Mom and me at Café Yénatu Panza in San Miguel

Feb 16

$6 Boot Shine at Eddie’s in Grand Central Terminal

Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2012 in travel

Eddie’s shoe shine booth in Grand Central Terminal is an old fashioned NYC pleasure and a bargain, to boot, so to speak.

Feb 6

Chili Cook-off in a Box Mention in Women’s World

Posted on Monday, February 6, 2012 in chili, contest, cooking, publishing

It’s exciting to see Chili Cook-off in a Box start making its way into the world. My husband is amused by the ambiguous grammar of the magazine deeming me an “entertaining expert.”

 

 

Feb 4

Out of the Mouths of Babes: An Evening of Mothers Reading to Others

Posted on Saturday, February 4, 2012 in Berkshires, parenting, writing

I’m looking forward to participating in the Out of the Mouths of Babes reading and panel discussion at Bard College at Simon’s Rock Blodgett Hall on Friday, March 2 at 7:00pm. This event is part of the month-long Berkshire Festival of Women Writers.  Please check out the websites for lots more info.

Feb 4

C is for Cookie, That’s Good Enough for Me

Posted on Saturday, February 4, 2012 in Christmas Cookies, music

Cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C. It may be February, but I’m deep in Christmas cookie land writing the Christmas Cookie Contest in a Box Handbook. Yesterday I posted a query for 26 volunteer cookie recipe testers on Facebook and within three hours all the spots were filled. I’m super excited about the quality and diversity of Christmas cookie experts who are contributing recipes to the project. Stay tuned for the sweet details…