The only thing I have not yet figured out is if these things come with the lime and Valentina included or if they’re sold separately?
Via: Hypebeast
Your one-stop shop for all things Latin/Hispanic/Mexican
The only thing I have not yet figured out is if these things come with the lime and Valentina included or if they’re sold separately?
Via: Hypebeast
You may not know this but Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a very important religious holiday in Mexico, and among the many events that take place during the course of the week, the so-called passion play is one of the most popular — and well-attended. It consists of a representation of the via crucis, and involves everyone, from workers, students and housewives who become actors for one day to play the roles of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the Nazarenes, the apostles — and other characters (not all of them strictly Biblical) including a spy, a dog, and a wandering Jew.
In the play, when Christ gets captured, we see him carrying a cross a long way and until he reaches a location that represents Mount Calvary. In the most famous of these representations (the one that takes place in Iztapalapa) we see Christ carrying his cross from the town’s main square to the nearby Cerro de la Estrella in the heart of Mexico City.
Unfortunately, not all Mexican towns and cities have a mountain or even a hill around, so they resort to crucifix their Jesus on pretty much whatever location, including an electricity pole, which — as you may imagine — doesn’t always go smoothly.
JUST WATCH. ¡Pobre Jesús!
Filing under “Mexicans: How Can Anyone Not Like Us?”
Photo via Reddit
Thirteen years ago today, my mother, my best friend –and the funniest Mexican I’ve ever met– quietly passed away in a small hospital room in Mexico City.
While her (sudden and premature) death was the worst thing me and my siblings have had to endure, she left us the one thing no one will ever take away from us: A sense of humor that –she assured us– was the only way to go through life, no matter how tough the shit got going.
Cuquita told the dorkiest jokes and made the funniest remarks about being divorced, poor, underemployed, uneducated, hungover, drunk, uninsured, etc. etc. (“I have saved enough money to last me until the day I die … as long as I die tomorrow,” she used to say often –while cracking up….or “If I didn’t know this was a hangover… I’d rush to the nearest emergency room.” har har har.)
And then there’s my personal favorite. Once, during a heated discussion with us (her kids) giving her a hard time over something, she stops and yells at us: “DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW WHY I NEVER WENT TO HARVARD?” … Silence ensued, I mean, fuuuuuuck, we don’t know about that thing… Why? my sister asks almost embarrassed for not knowing.
“Because I didn’t finish elementary school! JA JA JA,” goes my mother….
Ok, you get the picture. I don’t exaggerate when I say Cuquita contributed to at least half all the Spanish slang and idiomatic expressions I used in Think Dirty Spanish. She would often call in the middle of the night with the great news that she had found –yet– another expression she’d love to see in the book. “¡Mosquita muerta!.. a ver ¿cómo dicen eso los gringos?”
We traveled the world together.
We went to shady tango joints in Buenos Aires; gigantic farmer markets in Los Angeles and colorful tavernas in Valparaíso, Chile. Once, on a trip between Santiago and Buenos Aires, right in the middle of the Andes, our plane had an engine failure and for a few, terrifying moments, we thought we would die right there. But then, as I hyperventilated and yelled in panic for a Valium or something, my mother started laughing out loud at our poor Argentine pilot, who was so distressed, he couldn’t even speak properly. Favor de no formor, he asked us, instead of Favor de no fumar.
BUAHAHAHAHAHA, my mom and I had a fit of hysterical, uncontrollable laughter.
Damn you, Cuquita! ¡Qué divertido era viajar juntas!
My favorite were her months-long visits to New York, when we’d roam the city in search of “real genuine stuff” to cook authentic Mexican things, but more often than not ended up in some fancy steakhouse drinking wine, cubas libres and eating meat like there was no tomorrow. (Oh, and did I mention the marathonic poker sessions?)
Cuquita spoke NO ENGLISH whatsoever, but none of that mattered, because in Nueva York, everyone knew her and spoke Spanish to her. My friends, my colleagues, my neighbors, the super, the bodega guy… todos.
To this day, no matter if I’m in CDMX or not, I know Cuquita will always have an altar in her home for Día de Muertos featuring some of her favorites: chocolates, pan de muerto, cigarettes and cubas libres (with flat Coke, which she seemed to favor –for some reason.) ¡Gracias, Catus!
I might be in Greece, but there’s an altar in Mexico for my beloved mom. (Cigarros & cuba libre, ¿qué más?). #Cuquita #DíaDeMuertos pic.twitter.com/DSEjqphium
— Laura Martínez ®️ (@miblogestublog) 31 de octubre de 2017
I’m not sure where she is right now. But if there’s anything going on UP THERE, in the so-called afterlife, I’m sure she’s serving the cubas libres, setting up the poker table, telling the jokes –and having a blast.
Te quiero, mami. ❤❤
Got extra $40 and no shame? I got the perfect thing for you!
The Nostalgia Taco Tuesday Heated Lazy Susan Topping Bar is a fun way to get together on Taco Tuesday and share hideous, non-taco tacos with your friends. The set costs “only” $39.99 (plus shipping) and promises to hold as much plasticky, fake Mexican food you can imagine!
According to its creators, this thing’s Lazy Susan Design “makes it easy to share across the table” and features a “removable warming pot and topping trays.”
Heck, there’s even a video showing how a “timeless tradition has been made more convenient.”
Watch at your own peril; I’m done with Thursday.
Photo via: Amazon.com / Sombrero tip: @lechancle
Go ahead; wear green and go out get drunk or whatever it is you do this weekend. But don’t forget Saint Patrick’s Day is a celebration of the Batallón de San Patricio, which according to Wikipedia my extensive readings of history books, was a unit of hundreds of immigrants and expats who fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States.
Of course for Americans of the generation that fought the Mexican-American War, the San Patricios were considered traitors, while for Mexicans of that generation (and pretty much to this day) the San Patricios were heroes.
Now you know.
Now go get some green tequila and Irish tacos.
Multinational fashion chain Zara has done it again. The home products division of the Spanish giant has put some luffa sponges (known in Mexico as zacates) for sale at 299 pesos (about 9.60 U.S. dollars).
As any Mexican knows, these kinds of sponges can be found in any market around Mexico from less than a dollar a pack. The over 2,000% price difference was not lost on Mexican Twitter, which quickly activated the Zara Home Meme machine. The results are… hilarious.
Kit ecoshower de ZARA HOME.
$480.000 pic.twitter.com/IB2SidCteG
— Aninomante. (@dalopezl) March 4, 2021
Eco-“lunchbox” by @zarahome 😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/yqDI9Mzv8m
— Linulera 🇨🇴🇪🇸🇪🇺🇫🇷💉 (@linulera) March 5, 2021
ZARA HOME
Kit Eco-Shower
MNX 1,499 pic.twitter.com/JOUJwgiVNc
— Eivør (@Steppenwolf_528) March 4, 2021
Apparently, White King’s steamed white cake mix is very popular in South East Asia; and it can be yours for only $2.99 in Amazon.com. I can only guess how popular -or not- it will become among Spanish-speakers. Who will be the first to take the challenge?
It’s January 20, 2021 y’all, which means two very important things: Trump will no longer be president and Mexican Twitter is on fire. I will be posting here my favorite meme-moments of the day and updating throughout the morning so be sure to come back!
Adiós, Señor Trump…🥺 pic.twitter.com/ZqEaT1KzGg
— LuisValLe® Tu desconocido favorito. (@LuisValLeAnaya) January 20, 2021
Even on Inauguration Day mexican feisboo stays undefeated pic.twitter.com/GPEpDW4jzE
— Fidel Martinez (@fidmart85) January 20, 2021
— Augusto (@chidoguan) January 20, 2021
— Le Chanclé (@lechancle) January 20, 2021
Internet no te mueras nunca.
(Amo a Bernie por Grinch) 😂 pic.twitter.com/SsTAqcDbCz— Mauricio Martínez (@martinezmau) January 20, 2021
First order of business: make red hats cool again #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/QoGrXiHgiM
— Enrique Limón 🏳️🌈 (@EnriqueLimon) January 20, 2021
yo en cualquier evento #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/mwvkXEFtqX
— Óscar Gutiérrez (@oscargutiez) January 20, 2021
Family member sent me this pic.twitter.com/Zd64jyyDUN
— Lorenzo Cortes (@Hoyatexas) January 20, 2021
— Juan Pablo Villalobos (@VillalobosJPe) January 20, 2021
— Laura Pico (@hebertosinlao) January 20, 2021
Regálenme un like para mis abues los quiero mucho pic.twitter.com/6kNR57OONJ
— Adrián Chávez (@nochaveznada) January 20, 2021
From the one and only El Alteño on Twitter
It’s already that time of the year when –not content with punishing this blogger with a pandemic, a white supremacist attempted coup, frigid temperatures *and* plenty avocado-hipster nonsense– the people behind Avocados From Mexico are once again reminding me of the upcoming, pandemic Super Bowl –and all I need to know about gringo guacamole.
Enter the 2021 Avocados From Mexico’s Guac Bowl, a “digital experience” where people obsessed with avocados can learn all sorts of things, including how to keep their avocados fresh longer for game day, and get rewards from buying avocados and other weird stuff.
Hosted by Troy Aikman and sportscaster Erin Andrews, the Guac Bowl digital experience also offers participants the chance to win “limited-time only avocado gear and weekly prizes of $1,000, as well as the opportunity to enter to win the grand prize of $1 million.”
Avocado gear? Yes, you read that right: Avocado gear is a thing and it’s just as ridiculous as you can imagine.
And no, I’m not making any of this up. Go ahead, read all about it right here. Now if y’all excuse me, I’ll go get drunk.
The day after a pro-Trump mob assaulted the nation’s Capitol, Metro, a Mexico City tabloid, printed what this blogger declares the best headline ever on the whole messy situation.
Please also note the wonderful use of the word zafarrancho, a wonderful choice to describe Wednesday’s brawl.
Filing under “Why I love Mexico” and “Mexicans: How Can Anyone Not Like Us?”
After urging people to stay home, wear a mask, keep a safe distance from others and avoid going on vacation, Mexico’s coronavirus czar, Hugo López-Gatell, decided to take a maskless beach vacation in Oaxaca, prompting a wave of criticisms among Mexicans and later becoming the nation’s butt of the joke.
A series of photos published this weekend show Dr. López-Gatell seated at an outdoor bar with a female companion in the tourist-friendly beach of Zipolite, Oaxaca. Neither is wearing a mask. Another photo, taken a few days earlier on a crowded flight from Mexico City to the beach resort, López-Gatell is seen talking on a cellphone — again not wearing a mask. The photos quickly went viral on social media.
While the politician’s beach escapade sparked anger, naturally, it also gave rise to some hilarious memes and images that continued to light the Internet well into the new year, because when it comes to quick, witty Internet humor, Mexico sigue siendo el rey.
Here are some of my favorite reactions to López-Gatell’s beach escapade.
— Museo Mexicano de Internet (@MuseoMexicano) January 5, 2021
Hoy, en la conferencia de Gatell: pic.twitter.com/VCLkO8khti
— LuisValLe® Tu desconocido favorito. (@LuisValLeAnaya) January 4, 2021
-¡Ya te vi HDLV! pic.twitter.com/8wdoINsClu
— LuisValLe® Tu desconocido favorito. (@LuisValLeAnaya) January 4, 2021
Three Kings Day (better known as Día de Reyes in Spanish-speaking countries) is celebrated on January 6 to honor the Three Wise Men (Los tres reyes magos) who went through great lenghts to visit baby Jesus and bring tons of presents to celebrate his birth.
In Mexico –and a few other countries– the festivity includes the cutting of a special, oval-shaped cake known as the rosca de reyes, which comes filled with tiny plastic dolls symbolizing the hiding of the infant Jesus from King Herod’s troops. But because we live in 2020 and Star Wars has become part of our daily lives, some very creative Mexicans are making Baby Yodas for you to stuff your 2021 rosca with instead.
Move over, Reyes Magos, here come los Magos Reyes!
Alguien está vendiendo Babies Yoda para Roscas de Reyes y no les voy a decir quién soy… 😅
Lleve, lleve, bara, bara… pic.twitter.com/e5Eyl0ob4K
— Luz_AdrianaK (@Luz_AdrianaK) December 20, 2020
I don’t know about you, I just think it’s adorbs!
I was going through my photo album of 2020 and found the above pic among the first ones I took in 2020. It was taken on January 7 from my hotel room in Las Vegas during a business trip. It was an intense week of work, but also filled with good memories and fun times with my colleagues, including a spectacular party to wrap up yet another CES. One could say the New Year was looking… peachy.
Barely nine months later, though, in the middle of an unprecedented pandemic, I found myself unemployed; unable to visit my family in Mexico or my partner’s family in France and pretty much uncertain about what the future might bring.
In 2020 I attended not one, but two Zoom funerals of friends who lost their fight to Covid-19. I wasn’t able to be with a friend when she lost a close relative to a non-Covid related illness.
Oh, and I wasn’t even able to say good-bye to my colleagues of 7 years. My office stuff was boxed and shipped to my home via FedEx, but the one thing I needed to recover in one piece –a beautiful Made in Toluca Darth Vader statue– arrived in a million pieces. (I really loved him. Look how great he was!)
I just paid a ton of pesos for a Made in Toluca #DarthVader He is el mejor! 🇲🇽 #TheForceAwakens pic.twitter.com/KGLjtnc8Z8
— Laura Martínez® (@miblogestublog) December 16, 2015
To put it bluntly, this year sucked. BIG TIME.
At the same time, while writing this I feel ashamed for even complaining. After all, I have my health and my family in Mexico is fine (a miracle, considering the mess the government has made in dealing with the pandemic.) I got a couple new gigs with people I truly admire and who –for some reason– really really want me to work with them. Yay!
So….in the spirit of the moment, and in an effort to not feel so depressed, I decided to write a sort of TOP TEN list of the “Not-So-Sucky” things that happen this year.
So, here goes.
I decided to leave this month open for now. There are still a few days left in 2020 and we can only wish for the best. Or something not so bad.
In the meantime…
What were the most wonderful things that happened to you in this Annus horribilis?
If you’ve ever visited Mexico, I’m sure you have noticed the ubiquitous organ grinders (known as organilleros,) that tend to gather around main plazas or outside churches to provide entertainment –and one of the most characteristic sounds of my country.
Nowadays, most of Mexico’s organilleros belong to a union (formed in the late 1970s) and wear their characteristic brown uniform and hats. But there are exceptions, of course, as this dude found by a friend in CDMX, who roams about the streets of the capital city dressed up as none other but The Grinch.
And this, my friends, is the most charming thing I’ve seen lately in this annus horribilis.
WATCH HIM IN ACTION: