Long Island Wine Country

My husband, brother and I took a little trip to the Hamptons a few weekends ago, but not to visit the beach and clubs, to experience the beauty of LI Wine Country!

I have to admit, it was one of the most relaxing experiences. We stopped in Jamesport, did a wine tasting, then spent the next five hours relaxing on their lawn with live jazz music surrounded by the grapes and vines. The wine was delicious, and so was the flat bread veggie pizza we had to accompany it. It was such a relaxing time that my husband took a two hour nap on the lounge chair!

Amazing experience. I'd like to go again with a larger group this time!

Easter in Spring Hill, Florida

This year we had no choice but to celebrate Easter the traditional way because theres not many alternatives, actually, as I'm typing this, I'm thinking, we DID do lots of traditional Easter activities, BUT we also did non traditional activities too!

Like FLYING A KITE! This idea came about because I was reading my blog from two (or three) years  ago in April and I saw that I was flying a kite in Spain, and that my next kite would be BIGGER and a RAINBOW Kite. It made me sad that I never got to do that, so my family and I packed into the car and went to Walmart (of course, lol) and bought a HUGE kite!

After we ate, we went to the beach, flew kites and watched the sunset. I LOVED it and was smiling the whole time!

Kite flying on Pine Island

Flying a kite with my husband, FLORIDA, 2013

my big RAINBOW kite, three years coming.

A splash from the rest of the day:

cooking, veggies, of course!

Diva-esque during the backyard easter egg hunt!

dying and glittering easter eggs

I still have a few more days in Florida, tomorrow will be the most exciting day, no more kite flying, but we have other things on the exciting/unique agenda... Happy Easter everyone!

Christmas Morning and Christmas Day, a NYC Family

I felt like a child this christmas morning! On Christmas Eve I went to bed at 3am, and on Christmas morning I woke up at 9am, I couldn't sleep... it was CHRISTMAS! So Spanish Guy and I jumped out of bed, made breakfast and then ripped open our presents. I LOVED his gift, it was so thoughtful and right on point! He got me waterproof Geox-Tex knee-height leather boots! I've wanted tall boots for years and never got them. He knew!

Christmas Morning, 2012

Christmas Morning, 2012

After breakfast we went out for a walk and grabbed a coffee-- its a christmas tradition that we have (along with a game of ping pong-- long story). It was a nice morning.

All afternoon I was prepping dinner and the house for my family's visit. I planned well because I had enough time to sneak out for a run in Central Park. That was nice because everyone who was in the park was so happy and calm, it was a cheerful beautiful environment.

Christmas with my family was crazy and fun as always. This year I was happy that ALL my brothers were together! love LOVE LOVE it!

family visiting

I went from living alone to having four people in my little apartment in one week!

When family visits from Florida, interesting things happen. 

More soon.

The cuzos and I at the statue of Liberty!! KWEL!!

my mother

a few things I appreciate about my mother:

her jokes-- always silly, just like me!

she supports me in whatever decisions I make.

she's always on my side, but tells me like it is.

she struggled to raise me, but did the best she could with what she had.

she gave me two brothers :)

she accepted that I wanted to be a vegetarian when I was 13 and always cooked separate food for me.

she's proud of me.

she's strong, mentally and physically.

she's friendly and happy.

she always stays positive, even through tough times like the one we are living now.

I love my mother and I pray for her.

the future step family

I met my future step mom and step sister on Sunday during our fathers day celebrations. I have to admit, it was a bit awkward, especially considering that they announced that they are getting married on Thursday, four days after I met her. She really doesn't speak much English, (but who am I to talk, right, I married a European too)

My new step sister and my ex-step sister:

 my new step mother:

weird. 

but I wish them the best.

Niagara Falls

I've been a tourist/traveler/adventurer in my own country this past year and it's been great. I've been in NYC for a year now and I've seen and been to so many places since then, including, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, The Keys, California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and my latest trip was to Niagara Falls with my cousins that were visiting from Florida. The journey up there was LONG! BUT... once we got there, it was amazing! We took a boat right under the falls, through the mist that was created by the power of the water dropping. The mist on our faces and the movement of the rapids brought so many emotions to me, I wanted to stay there forever! ah... one can only wish.

It was fantastic. I throughly enjoyed myself! Here are a few moments captured by my family and I. Niagara Falls by day and night:

Family visits Malaga

I'm the saddest girl in the world so I cooked a lot of food. Guacamole, home made pizza, and now chocolate chip cookies. It makes me feel better.

My dad left today-- I brought him to the airport, him and my brotha from anotha motha, I watched them go through the medal detectors and thought, well, here I am again, alone in Malaga with no family... my soul was sad.

BUT we had GREAT times this week. It was my dads first time leaving the country since he came to the USA from Cuba after the Cuban Revolution, so it was a special trip! Plus, my 12-year-old bro came too, he loved it!

Spanish guys family and my family met! I thought it would never happen cause they are an ocean apart, but we all met for lunch in the mountains and everyone LOVED my dad, it was great! It was a HIT!
My father found out that we have cousins that we didn't even know existed, which live in Spain. We were so EXCITED and CURIOUS to meet them, so we drove 6-7 hours to Valencia which is in the North East of the country to meet the Cubans. They came to Spain 8 years ago and have been here ever since. I cant believe I've been living in this country and didn't even know that there were more Mendoza's around! :) Here we are standing under Mendoza STREET/WAY, hahahaha!!! What a koinky dink! (PS what a handsome cousin I have!)
Some pictures of Valencia. To me it resembled Seville, then again, I didn't get to see too much of the city, we were only there for one night.

We also went to Nerja to relax near the beach and explore caves!!! I felt like I was walking on the moon in the cave! It was an awesome time, I was flipping out the whole time I was in there! CRAZY!!


Lets see, what else? We went to Antonio Banderas' Restaurant (he's from Malaga), we went to an old fishing town, El Palo, near Malaga Centro to eat sea food (not me, I'm a veggie), we walked around the city, the beach...

Now daddy is gone and I miss him dearly. It was nice to spend so much time with my dad and brother, it must have been about 10 years since I spent a complete week with them, usually I see them one day here and one day there during the summer only. I realized everything we have in common and how similar we all are, like my lil bro with the camera, he's just like me, loves to snap photos!
I heart them. and I LOVED to share my Spanish life with them. I thought this day would never come. Now it has come and it's passed as well... a part of me went back to NYC with my family.