Vida Hidro Calida

Full Circle

We have roots like memories that run deep though the land

Connecting guayaba trees the fragrant fruit that my mom would place in the kitchen window on a warm summer day

The breeze would fill the house with a smell pungent and sweet until she would put it back in the freezer til the next time

I would not know- what it meant to crave the smell of earth the scent of ripe sweet guayaba, hold dear something that had made the trip from the interior of the republic to our home- not until later

In the meantime I made faces at the lentils they ate with sliced banana
the white cheese with quince
Bolillo toasted on the comal with butter and dipped into thick chocolate
the Chocos at the corner and fresh squeezed orange juice I began to crave

Not understand truly all the stories I heard the tall tales that seemed larger than life magical realism, the western notion to explain enchantment

my western mind seeping into my families collective memory but there are places still a place called home that stands to show me, life really was that way

What was lost to me on the visits back when I was younger is keeping me from sleeping tonight, I can't wait to take it all in

The older I get the more I understand the Mexico that my family came from, has a name, a people, a face

It is like going to the old country in a state that never went away or got lost in time, finding my way back, with three generations still alive and connected that began as far back as the Great Great Grandparents on my Mothers side

Going to Aguascalientes to join my Abuelita and my Mami

I will be Lore the great granddaughter of Dolores y Luis, Lore the granddaughter of Amparo y Jesus, the daughter of Laurita, the goddaughter of Chachita...

Take it all in and hopefully return one day with a daughter of my own

Feria de San Marcos

Ni puedo creer que el viernes me voy a Aguascalientes! Hoy desperte con ganas de escuchar esta cancion, Pelea de Gallo...

A la féria de San Marcos, del merito Aguascalientes
Van llegando los valientes con su gallo copetón.
Y lo traen bajo del brazo al sonar de la partida
Pa' jugarse hasta la vida con la fé de un espolón.

Linda la pelea de gallos con su público bravero
Con sus chorros de dinero y los gritos del gritón.
Regosándonos el gusto no se sienten ni las horas
Con tequila y cantadoras que son puro corazón.

Ay! Fiesta bonita!
Y hasta el alma grita con todas sus fuerzas:
"VIVA AGUAS CALIENTES SU..!!"
<"QUE VIVA!!">
Que su féria es un primor.

Ya comienza la pelea, las apuestas ya casadas
Las navajas amarradas centellando bajo del sol.
Cuando sueltan a los gallos temblorosos de coraje
No hay ninguno que se raje para darse una agarrón.

Con sus plumas relucientes y aventando picotazos
Quieren hacerse pedazos, pués traen ganas de pelear
Y en el choque cae el giro sobre el suelo ensangrentado
Ha ganado el colorado que se pone ya a cantar.

Ay! Fiesta bonita!...

Ahora

The Tahoe weekend away was perfect for thinking about the month ahead. Unbelievable the end of March has arrived.

Mental list transfered to agenda and electronic calendars last night. Deadlines and wrting schedules set.

Will be buzzing through the month to make it to the Feria de San Marcos con mi familia linda. Al diablo con los feos, me voy a Agauscalientes el corazoncito de la republica, "Agua limpia, gente buena, tierra buena!"

bzzz....

My phone was buzzing and my mom was calling to tell me about the wedding we are invited to in Aguascalientes in February. She thought it would be difficult to attend now and in November for the 50th birthday we have already been invited to. I told her she and my dad should go! She thought I should go since some of my favorite primas would be attending. Agreed to talk about it when I am in town.

A lovely way to start my day. A call from mom and project Martinez Martinez in full effect. Aguascalientes has been on my mind for a while and now I have two invitations to visit.

In a fortunate coincidence I get to take a business trip to West LA. Really fun to go home and play traveler. Staying in Santa Monica and decided to spend the week between there and my parents. It made more sense than taking two full round trips since I have to be in town back to back...

Project Martinez Martinez

Back in Tijuana via el D.F. my prima-hermana Roque Mercado and family invited me to breakfast. We sat by the window over looking the pool and courtyard at the hotel Lucerna. It was a nice way to start the day. We told her husband and two sons about our great-grandparents and growing up with their home as the center of our family.

I had chocolate caliente, which I think is best when you float a little butter in which they had and mini-pan dulces. We talked about project Martinez Martinez. Our great-grandmother was De Silva Martinez and great-grandfather Gallegos Martinez, not related we have checked one has French lineage the other Spanish either way we are 100% Mexicanos. Aguascalientes, Mexico is where we are from.

We decided for project Martinez Martinez we would return for a pool party at the Lucerna, plan a trip to Ensenada, go further into Mexico as well, definitely a cookbook. When we told my Grandma Amparo about the cookbook she listed off recipes she learned from her mom, the only one I remember is chile verde. Either way we plan to compile this cookbook and share it with our Martinez Martinez relatives.

There we were about to lay to rest our Tio-abuelo Andres Martinez Martinez and yet our family was renewing. Back at the Buena Vista there was food and drinks, and birthday cakes too! Being in my great-grandparents home again with my Martinez Martinez family, was a celebration of life, of family, of the strength that emerges when we come together. Cuatro generaciones de amor, presente!

Quintana Roo, Mexico

Some of my new favorites in Mexico...

MEXICANA DE AVIACIÓN...direct to Mexico from SFO, with complimentary top shelf drinks, meals and premium hospitality on board. Made a new friend on the flight that is an Economist based in the D.F. and invited me to visit the Colonia Roma near the famed Condesa and Polanco.

El hotel New Gran Caribe Real Cancun...five star hospitality with a soul.

Chilango...es una revista irreverente, divertida y curiosa que refleja nuestro particular estilo de habitar la ciudad y sus espacios. Incluye además nuestra nueva guía Chill & Go la mejor guía de entretenimiento de la ciudad y con la calidad editorial de Chilango, nuestros especialistas en entretenimiento reseñan, mes a mes, los mejores restaurantes, eventos, cine, arte, teatro, y actividades de nuestra ciudad.






Por que soy como soy, puritito corazon, 100% mexicano mariachi banda tequila y sol Pepe Aguilar