Club Glee
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. Scroll down for English translation!
Hoy quiero introducirles a mi nueva causa favorita en El Salvador. Glasswing International es una organización independiente, y tienen muchas valiosas iniciativas que estoy planeando apoyar con mi dinero – y ojalá un día cuando regresamas a El Salvador, con mi tiempo. De las iniciativas que tienen, Club Glee es una de mis favoritas. En Club Glee, los jovenes aprenden como cantar y bailar – pero es mucho más que esto. Los jovenes que participaron aprenden cooperación, se sienten aceptados, hacen amigos, y ganan confianza. Al final, programas así no sólo ayudan a los niños, pero también el futuro del pais porque está creando mejores ciudadanos.
Aquí hay un video que realmente me llegó al corazón. Chécalo.
Si quieres apoyar a programas como Club Glee, aprender de sus otras programs, (incluyendo programas en Guatemala y Honduras), o seguir sus perfiles de medios de comunicación social – dale una visita a Glasswing.org [en inglés], o en español AQUÍ.
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
Today I want to introduce you to my new favorite cause in El Salvador. Glasswing International is an independent organization, and they have many worthwhile initiatives that I’m planning to support with my money – and hopefully one day when we return to El Salvador, with my time. Of the initiatives they have, Club Glee is one of my favorites. In Club Glee, the youth learn how to sing and dance – but it’s much more than that. The young people who participate in the program learn cooperation, feel accepted, make friends, and gain confidence. In the end, programs such as this not only help the children but also help the future of the country because it’s creating better citizens.
Here is a video that really touched my heart. Check it out.
If you want to support programs like Club Glee, learn about their other programs (including programs in Guatemala and Honduras), or follow them in social media – give them a visit at Glasswing.org [English] or in Spanish HERE.
Helado y La Lambada
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. Scroll down for English translation!
Image source: Flickr user .imelda
Yo estaba trabajando en la yarda cuando escuché el camión de helados en la calle. Paré y escuché. La canción me sonaba muy familiar y no fue “Pop Goes the Weasel” – (una canción común utilizado por los camiones de helados en los Estados Unidos.)
Empecé a cantar a mí misma … “Llorando se fue la que un día me hizo llorar…” – Qué qué?! Pero, estos son las letras de la canción de “Taboo” por Don Omar! … Cuando me di cuenta de que el camión estaba tocando La Lambada, (que Don Omar utilizó en su canción), agarré mi teléfono celular y tomé vídeo cuando el camión se fue saliendo de mi barrio. Chécalo!
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Ice Cream and The Lambada
I was outside working in the yard when I heard the ice cream truck in the street. I stopped and listened. The song sounded familiar but it wasn’t “Pop Goes the Weasel” – (a common song used by ice cream trucks in the United States.)
I started to sing to myself… “Llorando se fue la que un día me hizo llorar…” – What in the world?! But these were the lyrics to the song “Taboo” by Don Omar!… When I realized the truck was playing The Lambada, (which Don Omar sampled in his song), I grabbed my cellphone and took video as the ice cream truck was leaving the neighborhood. Check it out!
How To Make Your Own Fútbolito (Table Top Soccer Game)
I’m excited to show you the project I made for May as part of my partnership with the Lowe’s Creative Ideas Network and I think you guys are going to love this one, too.
Remember a couple years ago when I went to El Salvador and one of the souvenirs I came back with was a “fútbolito” (little table top soccer game)? … I mentioned in that post that we had actually always wanted to make our own “fútbolito” and so that’s what I decided to do for May’s project.
For the month of May, the challenge was to use the PANTONE Universe’s Color of the Year, Emerald Green, (available exclusively at Lowe’s in Valspar Signature Paint.) … The color kind of reminded me of a soccer pitch and with my older son trying out for the soccer team again this summer, fútbolito is what came to mind!
To make your own, check out the directions below!
Make Your Own Fútbolito (Table Top Soccer Game)
You Need:
green paint (I used PANTONE Universe in Emerald, satin finish)
white paint (I just used craft paint)
a wooden board – 10 inches wide x 14 inches long x 3/4 inch deep
1 1/4 inch nails (I used white-colored nails but you can use nails of any color)
coffee straws (optional: Use different colored straws for each team)
hammer
pencil with eraser
scissors
medium flat paint brush
fine tip paint brush
ruler
protractor
drinking glass
white mason line (string)
Directions:
1. With medium flat paint brush, paint the wood board green, allow to dry.
2. Measure and mark lines in pencil. (Refer to or print the diagram I made below!) Use the protractor for the half-moon at the front of the goal box. If you don’t have a protractor, you can use a drinking glass. Also use the drinking glass, (or a drafting compass if you want to be technical), to draw the circle in the center of the field.
(Click for full size version)
3. With fine tip paint brush, paint lines white, allow to dry.
4. Mark spots for players, goal posts, and border in pencil as shown on the diagram.
5. Gently hammer nails into spots marked for goal posts and border. Note: Be careful not to crack the wood. This is more likely to happen when you’re close to the edge.)
6. Cut coffee straws into 3/4 inch sections. Slide a piece of coffee straw on each nail for players before hammering into place. Optional: If you can find two different colors of coffee straws, make one team one color and the other team another color.
7. Wrap string around nails on the outside line and around goal posts. I don’t have an exact method for this. Just tie the string on one corner nail and start going nail to nail, keeping the string taut, wrapping the string once around, before going to the next nail. Go around the entire perimeter and goal posts 4 times before tying off. Note: On your last pass over the goal posts, criss-cross at a diagonal as seen in the photos.
8. Erase stray pencil marks.
9. To play with your “fútbolito” (table top soccer game), you can use 2 popsicle sticks and a marble or other small round ball that will fit inside the goals. Another option is to use a penny or other coin and take turns flicking it.
10. Feeling extra creative? Paint or decorate wide “jumbo” popsicle sticks with brand names to make it look like the advertisements you see along the sides of real stadium soccer fields!
Check out more from Lowe’s Creative Ideas Network by subscribing to their Creative Ideas Magazine and E-Newsletter, liking them on Facebook, following them on Twitter, (Hashtag: #LowesCreator), watching their videos on YouTube, re-pinning them on Pinterest, and by seeing what the other Lowe’s Creative Ideas Network members are up to.
Disclosure: This is not a paid or sponsored post. As a member of Lowe’s Creative Ideas Network I received gift cards from Lowe’s to purchase products to complete projects. All opinions are my own.
Tu mamá
Día de la Madre (Mother’s Day) – is fast approaching in the United States. (In Latin America, as many of you know. it’s on a different day.) Are you ready to show your love to your mami on Sunday, May 12th? If you need a little help brainstorming gift ideas, here are some great guides, crafts, and recipes other blogueras have put together.
Image source: craftingeek.me
Craftingeek has dozens of crafts you can make para tu mamá. My favorite is the album scrapbook pictured above.
Check out latinamom.me for their Mother’s Day Gift Guide and their gallery of Stylish Accessories Para Mamá.
Coffeecake con Frambuesas – Almuerzo con Mamá // Image source: Ericka Sanchez
Almuerzo con Mamá is a beautiful, bilingual collaboration of free recipes to make for Mother’s Day from several of my favorite foodie blogueras, like the Coffeecake con Frambuesas pictured above.
The “3 Amigas” strike again with another gift guide bien bella just in time for Día de la Madre. Check it out HERE.
These Tissue Paper Flowers by guest contributor Lisa Renata on ModernMami.com almost look like the real thing. So pretty!
Online photo/image editor, PicMonkey, has some really creative ideas for gifts you can make with the help of a good printer. Check those out here on the PicMonkey blog.
How are you remembering your mami this Mother’s Day?
Aquí y Allá
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. Scroll down for English translation!
Image source: Antonio Méndez Esparza – All Rights Reserved
A veces veo una película o un documental, que me deja sin palabras – Aquí y Allá es una de ellas. Es difícil decir lo que pienso o siento por esta película. Es devastador, inquietantemente bella, me dolía el alma. Siendo muy honesta, la noche que vi la película, yo lloré hasta que me quede dormida, pensando en ella.
Aquí y Allá es parte ficción, parte realidad. Es la historia de inmigración contada desde el otro lado, cuando un mexicano regresa a México, a su familia. Pedro de los Santos, la estrella de la película, interpreta a sí mismo, y muchas de las cosas que le pasaron a él, fueron reales. La mujer que interpreta a su esposa, es en realidad su esposa. La música que canta, es música que él escribió. (Y aparte de la película, su música, su voz, son realmente muy hermosas.)
Siento que mis palabras no pueden hacer justicia a esta película. Sólo mírala, si tienes la oportunidad. (Averigüe dónde puede verla aquí.)
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
Sometimes I see a film or a documentary that leaves me without words – Aquí y Allá is one of them. It’s hard to say what I think or feel about this film. It’s devastating, hauntingly beautiful, it hurt my soul. To be perfectly honest, I cried myself to sleep thinking of the film the night that I saw it.
Aquí y Allá is part fiction, part reality. It’s the immigration story told from the other side, when a Mexican returns to Mexico, to his family. Pedro de los Santos, the star of the movie, plays himself, and many of the things that happen to him, happened for real. The woman who plays his wife, is actually his wife. The music he sings, is music that he wrote. (And apart from the film, his music, his voice, are really very beautiful.)
I feel that my words can not do justice to this film. Just watch it, if you get the chance. (Find out where you can see it here.)
Goodbye Vuvuzela, Hello Caxirola
Image source: SecultBA
If the sound of buzzing vuvuzelas drove you to distraction, (or up the wall), during South Africa’s World Cup, then the sound of Brazil’s caxirola may be a welcome change.
The hand-held instrument made of recycled plastic which sounds a bit like a rainstick, is based on the caxixi, a woven instrument filled with dried beans that can be found in various regions including Brazil. The caxirola can be played in a number of ways as demonstrated by its Brazilian inventor, musician, Carlinhos Brown. Chécalo!
Unfortunately this story doesn’t end with a “happily ever after” just yet. The caxirola is not being embraced as perhaps Brazil and FIFA had hoped. Just last week, hundreds of the caxirolas which were given out at a game, were chucked onto the pitch. (Now that I think about it, they are a great size, shape and weight to be tossed a considerable distance… they even kind of resemble grenades.)
Still others complain that the sound of the caxirola simply isn’t characteristic of a traditional Brazilian football game – that it’s being forced on them when they much rather prefer the usual chants.
What do you think? Is this better than the vuvuzelas or should we just enjoy the game sans musical instruments?
Read more about the caxirola on CNN.com.
NOT the Latino Justin Bieber
Image source: Matt Hunter/Mi Señorita video
“Justin Bieber can sing in Spanish?” was my confused reaction upon hearing Matt Hunter for the first time this morning. Apparently I’m not the only one who has made this comparison, as I found in this People en Español interview with the Latino American singer (who turns out to be of Colombian and Italian descent):
Y como los medios lo han identificado como el “Justin Bieber latino”, Matt responde: “Yo admiro a Justin Bieber; la música de él es bien cool, pero yo soy mi propia persona; tengo mi propia musica, mi propio estilo. A veces no me gusta que me comparen, pero me gusta mucho la música de Justin Bieber”.
Por eso prefiere que no lo presenten como el Justin Bieber latino: “No. Yo soy el Matt Hunter latino”.
- source: People en Español
So, out of respect for Matt’s wishes, I will refrain from calling him the Latino Justin Bieber even though I’m completely behind on new music right now, (as Matt has been making news since at least last year), and I seriously did think it was Justin Bieber singing in Spanish. I just want to say I love this video and this song is probably going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the week.
Fun Fact: Matt Hunter was the voice of Diego on Nickelodeon’s animated children’s show, Go, Diego, Go!
Pan, Queso Crema y Jalapeño
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. Scroll down for English translation!
El año pasado, mientras buscaba la cantidad de calorías en pan dulce, (la ignorancia es felicidad), encontré un foro de internet donde alguien mencionaba una comida que nunca había oído. La mujer dijo, (parafraseando de inglés):
Hoy un compañero trajo algunas golosinas al trabajo de la panadería mexicana. Comí algo que era como un pan francés chiquito con queso crema y jalapeños adentro. ¿Cualquiera tiene idea de cuántas calorías tiene?
En ese momento perdí el interés en calorías. Yo quería saber el nombre del bolillo con queso crema y jalapeños!
Investigué más y descubrí que es un tema popular en las panaderías mexicanas en Texas y California. Tal vez son populares en otros estados también, pero nunca los han visto en la costa este. Me decidí por hacer mi propio pan con queso y jalapeños. Aquí hay un par de metodos.
Metodo #1: En pan francés o en un bolillo que ha sido cortado a la mitad, untar queso crema. Cubra con chile jalapeño encurtido picado. Comer frío o calentarlo, si lo deseas.
Metodo #2: Compra un rollo de masa media luna. En cada triángulo de masa, untar una cucharada de queso crema y una cucharada de chile jalapeño encurtido picado. Enrolle y hornear en 375 F unos minutos hasta que quedan dorados.
Nota: Philadelphia Cream Cheese recientemente salió con un nuevo sabor, “Spicy Jalapeño.” Lo he probado y el sabor es muy bueno, pero creo que necesitaría más trozos de jalapeño antes de que yo consideraría usarlo en esta receta.
Buen Provecho!
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
Last year, while looking for calorie estimates of Mexican sweet breads (ignorance is bliss), I found an internet forum where someone mentioned a food that I had never heard of. The woman said, (paraphrasing):
Today a co-worker brought some goodies to work from the Mexican bakery. I ate something that was like a tiny French bread with cream cheese and jalapeños inside. Does anybody have any idea how many calories would be in it?
At that point I lost interest in calories. I wanted to know the name of the roll with cream cheese and jalapeños was called!
I researched and found that these rolls are a popular item in Mexican bakeries in Texas and California. Maybe they are popular in other states as well, but I’ve never seen them on the east coast. I decided to make my own bread with cheese and jalapeños. Here are a couple of methods.
Method #1: On a slice of French bread or in a bolillo that has been cut open, spread cream cheese. Top with chopped pickled jalapeño. Eat cold or warm up if you wish.
Method #2: Buy a roll of crescent dough. In each triangle of dough, spread a tablespoon of cream cheese and a tablespoon of chopped pickled jalapeno. Roll and bake at 375 F a few minutes until they are golden brown.
Note: Philadelphia Cream Cheese recently came out with a new flavor, “Spicy Jalapeño.” I tried it and it’s really good, but I think it needs more jalapeño pieces in it before I would use it in this recipe.
Enjoy!
Ensalada Rusa
As the name suggests, Ensalada Rusa, (Russian Salad), really does have roots in Russia. The popular potato salad is made with varying ingredients in countries across Latin America – this one is my own version of El Salvador’s Ensalada Rusa which features the bright color of beets. My suegra used to make a simpler version of the recipe below, (I added green onions and cilantro for flavor and color – I also leave the skin on the potatoes and use light instead of full fat mayonnaise to make it healthier.)
Serve this alongside carne asada or grilled hamburgers and you’ve got yourself a tasty summer side dish. Going to a potluck? Bring along a pretty pink batch of Ensalada Rusa and watch it stand out from all the white and yellow potato salads on the table!
Ensalada Rusa
Ingredients:
4 large potatoes – washed, boiled until tender, cooled and diced
3 large eggs – boiled, cooled, shelled, and diced
1 can of beets, diced
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
small handful green onions, washed and diced
small handful of cilantro, washed and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. For a more authentic version of Ensalada Rusa, you can remove the potato skin, I leave it on because it’s healthy and you won’t really notice it once mixed into the salad. Some people will also say you should boil your own beets instead of using canned but Carlos and I love canned beets and that’s what my suegra used to use when preparing Ensalada Rusa in the United States.
2. In a large bowl, add the mayonnaise. (You can substitute Salvadoran crema if you wish.)
3. Add the potatoes, eggs, beets, green onions and cilantro and toss gently until combined.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Refrigerate covered for an hour until chilled.
6. Serves 6.
Xenophobia and The Boston Bombings
The Boston marathon bombings – I didn’t think I would be writing about this, but here I am. Like most of you, I’ve been watching way too much TV, reading too many articles on the internet, and when torn away from those, listening to the radio in my car. Like most of you, I’ve had a lot of feelings the past few days on many different angles of this tragedy.
Tonight, the second suspect has been captured and it’s “over” … and yet it isn’t. I hear my fellow Americans chanting, “USA! USA! USA!” … and it seems somehow inappropriate. I understand relief. I understand pride in our first responders. I understand feeling some sense of justice or closure – but the all-out celebration, taking to the streets like revelers on New Year’s Eve? I can’t connect with it.
Those who died, are still dead; those who are mourning, are still mourning; those who are injured, are still injured. Those innocent people who were mistakenly caught up in the investigation, are still dealing with the resulting emotional damage. The young suspect in custody, if he survives, will face a long trial, all of which we will once again watch as if it’s some sort of sick reality show/telenovela hybrid.
After everything is said and done, we are left with scars – and some of those scars were inflicted on our society by the media, by irresponsible journalists. The use of racial profiling and the xenophobic language exhibited by journalists of networks I once respected, has disgusted me. It’s as if the journalists salivated at the idea that the suspects might be Muslim, as if that explains everything, when that fact alone explains nothing. That is why I’m writing this – It’s why I created a video – because at first, I couldn’t find words.
Maybe you’re not Muslim – most people who read my blog are not. Maybe you’re saying, “What does this have to do with me?” – Believe me, it has everything to do with all of us. The sentiments stirred up by the media, intentionally or unintentionally, are not only anti-Muslim, they are anti-”foreigner”, anti-brown person, anti-accent, anti-bilingualism, anti-immigrant. They are sentiments that divide and quite frankly, we’re better than this as a people, as a nation, and we deserve better than this from our news agencies.
If you agree with me, please consider sharing this video far and wide.
