Monday, December 20, 2021
Cuenca Perspectives by Jim: EL DIA DE HOMBRE Y FELIZ DÍA DE ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS ...
Cuenca Perspectives by Jim: EL DIA DE HOMBRE Y FELIZ DÍA DE ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS ...: FELIZ DIA DEL HOMBRE, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Esteban Rios calls me one evening while he is at his mother's home for the weekend. Es...
Sunday, December 19, 2021
EL DIA DE HOMBRE Y FELIZ DÍA DE ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS 2021 Y ESTEBAN RIO'S AND JIM MOLA'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
FELIZ DIA DEL HOMBRE, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
Esteban Rios calls me one evening while he is at his mother's home for the weekend. Esteban and his mother, Maria Rosa, wanted to know if I with the entire family wanted to go to a Mexican restaurant to celebrate the El Dia de Hombre or the Day of the Man, which was that day of November 19th. What a surprise to me, a culture that actually celebrates men! Of course, without hesitation I said yes, and we spent the evening at the Mexican Restaurant, El Rey del Burrito (translated the King of Burrito), which is located across from El Vergel Mall on Calle, Alfonso Cordero .
It was my first visit, and the food was very good, not very spicy as is typical of authentic Mexican food, if that is how one likes it. I had an exceptional soup of thick, creamy broth of vegetables and meat called Sopa de Azteca that I will return for often, and it was a meal in itself. A waitress asked me if I wanted it more picante, and I said yes. However, the type of very picante spice Mexicans enjoy is neither a big attraction to most of the Caribbean islanders other than possibly Jamaicans, nor to folks in Central and South America. At my age, I can no longer handle muy picante like I could even a couple of years ago, so the picante for me was just right.
Although on the cool side, it was a beautiful evening. We had the opportunity to eat out on the patio, and be entertained by four Mariachi players and singers. El Rey del Burrito is an attractive restaurant and offers a very nice patio, friendly service, as well as good food and drinks, and among ourselves we had a great deal of fun.
Left to right Cameron Neely, Mathias Rios, Esteban Rios, Andres Rios, Maria Rosa, and Jim Mola
Just click on for the video:
If you want to watch and listen to some good mariachi music we enjoyed that evening, click on the link below:
Below, Andres Rios and me. I'm the one on the left.
Sopa de Azteca
These photographs above are of famous Mexican comedians over the years.
THANKSGIVING NOVEMBER 25th, 2021
This year's Thanksgiving was a low-key affair with the immediate Rios family, and family friends, Sherry Nadeau and Cameron Neely visiting from Connecticut. Ivan Patricio, a professor of Mathias when he was attending the collegio at the Salesian High School was also in attendance.
Maria Rosa outdid herself in the cooking department, as she roasted the two large chickens and turkey breasts and thighs and legs. Usually Ecuatorianos fry their meats or use a rotisserie in the cooking of chicken. Meats are also grilled over open fires, which may be called Asado or Parrillada. It was the first time Maria Rosa roasted, and she did a splendid job with the cooking of the meats, the American style dressing, and the sweet potatoes with honey, brown sugar, and marshmallow topping. Besides the typical chicken gravy sauce, Maria also prepared a cherry based sauce that was very good and would be especially great on duck. The ambrosia salad was my responsibility, and it came out delicious, which I owe to friend, Nancy Kuehne, who made the best Ambrosia salad last Thanksgiving I have ever tasted. Everybody liked the salad, and it was quite good, but still not to the zenith of perfection as Nancy's salad, maybe next year I will reach a higher pinnacle of success. Cameron Neely handle the preparation of the guacamole and chips, which in Ecuador is called Aguacate. Mathias was his mother's right hand assistant, and Esteban had classes most of the day, and evening but helped when he could.
TORTA CATASTROPHE I
The dessert was a chocolate/white combination cake with whip cream frosting, and was shaped in a log and enclosed in a plastic container. The cake or torta suffered, when the handle of the shopping bag that Monty Bianco ice cream employees had placed the cake, broke on my way home. I was trying to use my umbrella during the almost endless afternoon and evening rains we have been having this season, while carry two liters of ice cream as well as the cake. The log flipped over, but stayed in its plastic container as it hit the sidewalk. It wasn't too badly damaged, but when I attempted to use the bag again, and hold the bag close to my body, the bag ripped open and the cake took another tumble with two amazing somersaults. Incredibly, that plastic container was steadfast in remaining close, but the cake was a mess. It was still really delicious. Monty Bianco, one of the major ice cream shoppes in the city makes deliciously glorious cakes. If I had remembered that bad luck comes in threes, I would have taken a photo of the cake to present in comparison with the later torta accidentes.
Dear friends and family,
We hope you and yours had a Thanksgiving with friends and family as enjoyable and memorable as ours.
A special thanks to Maria Rosa, not only for her culinary skills that prepared such a wonderful meal, but also for her compilation of the photos and video for the Dia del Hombre in the above post.
ESTEBAN RIO'S DECEMBER 6TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Unlike last years extravaganza with Chef Michael Wagner's Paella demonstration and the decadent chocolate cake that he created, which I will never forget; this year, Esteban spent the day playing paint ball with his friends, which they really enjoyed. They went out then to eat pizza at Pizza House.
In the evening for Esteban's fifteenth birthday, we celebrated at El Rey del Burrito. Yes, we went back to the same Mexican restaurant, because we had such a good time there last month. Since Esteban was the guest of honor, he was given the the beautiful and colorful mariachi sombreo to wear during the evening.
Romeo serenaded us with a romantic Mexican love song.
Esteban's younger brother, Andres, enjoyed looking dapper as he tried out the sombreo as well.
Below is birthday joven Esteban, Maria, and Sherry. Sherry
was also celebrating her birthday, which is also on the 6th.
Below is a photo of Maria Rosa.
Sherry showing a little Mexican fashion style.
'Feliz Cumpleanos--Espanol Style
All of the above activities took place on
Saturday, since Esteban and his friends had no classes. We
kept his birthday cake for Monday evening,
December 6th, which was his actual birthday, after he
finished his English class on Zoom at 8:00 p.m.
Mothers especially will enjoy the video below:
Feliz🎊 CuMpLeAñOsSs🎉 Amor❤ Papacito.😘😍❤
Torta Catastrophe II
On the day of Esteban's birthday, Maria Rosa had a friend bake a very special cake for Esteban. The theme features El Lobo, the Wolf, which we nicknamed Esteban, from the Wolf and Vampire series we watched a year ago. As Maria, Cameron, and Andres made their way to my home by taxi. The taxi had stopped for a red light, when the car behind it plowed into the back of the taxi. Maria had the boxed cake on her lap, which then from being thrust forward wound up on the floor of the taxi. The box or carton did stay closed, but the cake was left in a not so attractive setting with it somewhat crushed on one side appearance, and it was left kind of slanted. Although Maria and Cameron suffered some whiplash to their necks, both were feeling better by the next day or two. Andres was like a flexible rag doll, who just naturally moved with the gyrations of the taxi. No one was seriously injured, and the damage to the taxi and car was left to be handle between the two drivers.
Below is El Lobo as he appeared on the cake.
This was not exactly a cake that was going to win any awards at this point for beauty, unless it was entered into a New York City Avant Gard exhibit, where anything bizarre will pass as art.
JIM MOLA'S DECEMBER 12th, 2021 BIRTHDAY
What can I say, this year's birthday is a milestone, as my 75th birthday, it was my diamond jubilee. I don't feel anywhere near 75 years of age, if only there were not mirrors and cameras to remind me of my delusions as far as appearance goes; I could go on blithely living with my illusions of youthfulness. As long as the Lord graces me with good health, I will continue to live at least as if I was a healthy young forty year old. Which is quite a concession from me, since I have been passing myself off as sixteen for quite a few years now, but nobody seems to be buying that anymore.
The Rios family invited me over for dinner and a birthday party, included in the group was Cameron Neely, who has been visiting from Connecticut. He lived in Monrovia for a year or two, which gave him a chance to practice his Russian, and now he has been in Cuenca for the last six months. Along with Cameron, his mother, Tricia, who arrived in Cuenca this past week to spend time with her son, enjoy Cuenca, and then travel with Cameron to Galapagos. Cameron absolutely loves the islands where he spent close to a month about a month ago. He can't wait to get back to the lush islands. Mom and son just before Christmas and through much of January will be in the Galapagos, and then return to Connecticut. Cameron most likely will begin his college career in August of next year in linguistics. For being only nineteen, Cameron has already had some great life experiences.
Below is Tricia Neely, her son Cameron, who happens to be one of Tricia's triplets at birth, and Maria Rosa.
Mathias, his girl friend, Nayeli Escobar, and Channel, who was too busy grubbing down to act like a lady and pay any attention to the camera.
After the dinner that Maria Rosa prepared, we had the traditional birthday cake and celebration, which is shown below: You don't want to miss these two videos after the photos.
Maria Rosa, Mathias, Esteban, and Andres wanted a cake figure that looked like me. The (as the Rios call it) yellow hair, the shades, which they are accustomed to seeing me wearing all the time. The jeans and sneakers, and they even came up with rose/red shirt similar to the one I am wearing that evening. The cake was chocolate with maracuyá filling.
First, the boys wanted me in a sombreo, but since we didn't have one, they gave me a Panama (Ecuadorian) hat to wear.
Then the hat had to go, so they could have a remembrance of my blond hair parted down the center.
Esteban with his favorite amigo.
Mathias expecting the worst, as his mother gets ready to open the champagne bottle.
I find a certain indignity to have one's face smashed into a birthday cake, but it is what it is.
There was no need for the motivation of Mistletoe between these two.
Torta Catastrophe III
Well, this one wasn't quite a torta catastrophe, but I've got to stay with bad luck comes in threes. The cake was fine, but my image made of total sugar sitting on the cake wasn't so lucky as Maria Rosa knocked my head off with her elbow, and my beheading was complete as my head rolled across the table. It was funny, but none of us caught it on camera or video.
Later in the evening, we stepped outside and continued conversing in the cool air. Eventually, we made our way down to the next block of homes, where the family of one home had taken two of the their rooms that faced the front of the house, and had them decorated for Navidad. We were invited into the home, and the grandmother said it took them a month to prepare the Christmas rooms. They did a meticulous, and splendid job that was for the family an act of faith, hope, and love. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
From our home in the Palermo to each and every one of your homes
Jim Mola
Friday, September 10, 2021
Cuenca Perspectives by Jim: SEMINARIO SAN LUIS PLAZA
Cuenca Perspectives by Jim: SEMINARIO SAN LUIS PLAZA: Today's post is the third and final post of the changing restaurant scene around Parque Calderon, the heart of El Centro and the city ...
SEMINARIO SAN LUIS PLAZA
Today's post is the third and final post of the changing restaurant scene around Parque Calderon, the heart of El Centro and the city of Cuenca. The Seminario San Luis Plaza is the oldest of the changes to the restaurant scene, which opened in 2018. The site lies to the west of Parque Calderon on Avenida Benigno Malo adjacent to the New Cathedral, which is the name everybody calls the church. The Cathedral was actually constructed in the 1800's and its official name is the Cathedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion. The seminary began in the early 1800's, but is no longer used as a seminary. Today, the main courtyard has been renovated into restaurants and eateries, and began the trend that would spread around the Calderon Park square.
The photo below is a view of the New Cathedral, the domes of the cathedral seen behind the trees, and the frontage area consists of two mainstays. Almost every tourist and Cuecano visits on the corner, Tutto Freddo, the ice cream and pastry emporium, which has outlets all over the city. To the left of Tutto Freddo is Ramipampa, and Ecuadorian restaurant with good food and reasonable prices, and is usually where many tourists get their first taste of Ecuadorian food when they visit Cuenca.
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in front of the restaurants.
The next four photos below are of Mayu Bar and Grill, which is more of a hamburger, nachos place that attracts primarily young people. I love the ceiling and the artwork behind the bar.
The photo above is another striking view of Casa del Parque building taken from Negroni, which was presented in my last two posts.
The photos below are photos of the clothing galeria, under different settings and lighting, and a couple of brief videos.
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To the left of Ramipampa Restaurant is the entrance way to the courtyard of San Luis Seminario Plaza. 
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Below, is a panoramic view of the
south and west side of the courtyard which
provides the best view of the domes.
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The renovation of the domes was completed last year, and they provide a spectacular view from any angle of the city. Their color lighting also changes dependent upon the festival season. |
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The plaza is resplendent with flowers and bougainvilleas. |
El Confesionario offers very good meals, and standout cakes, cappuccinos and mochachinos as well. It is only fitting that the name of the restaurant, located in a former seminary to train young men for the priesthood, would play off the Catholic theme of confession.
Below, the wait-staff is busy meeting the demands of
Confessionario patrons, in what was a very busy Friday evening
throughout the Seminario Plaza.
Below is an example of some of the art work along the walls of the terrace.
Below, these are just two examples along the terrace of art works that are made from coffee beans.
The terrace is wide, and while there is indoor restaurant spaces. It is the outdoor courtyard and terrace space which is valued for seating; and for gazing at the domes, the architecture, the shrubs, the flowers,
and the people.
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Courtyard seating is on the lower level, with a evening enjoyed by young people.
As we walk along the south side of the courtyard, we pass Felippe Italian Restaurant, which serves a variety of pasta dishes, pizza, and antipasti plates. The photo below shows Filippi located on the terrace, and immediately below it are the eateries in the courtyard for some of the restaurants and coffee shops.
Below at Felippe's are two photos of the Italian cheeses they also sell, while the pizza maker is busy at work.
Ah, but the spectacle of the evening is always the domes of the cathedral, located just above Mayu and Felippe restaurantes.
Above, the more dining type of restaurants are on the second floor. The first floor includes more coffee and pastry shoppes, an ice cream shoppe, restaurants that offer lighter fares like YAW, which includes a menu of sandwiches, various coffees and pastries, Las Cruces (The Crosses) offers Ecuadorian dishes, and a French Bistro named Le Bistro is also featured.
Through YAW, one can walk out to another inner courtyard that is a garden and owned, operated, and maintained by the Catholic Church, as seen in the two photos below:
One afternoon, my friend Jerry Ramos and I were having a tranquilo lunch in one of the lower courtyard restaurants. Jerry saw a young couple in the courtyard, who were attempting to take a photo of themselves. Jerry got up from his lunch, walked halfway across the courtyard and offered to take a photo of the couple together. When he returned, a reporter for one of the local papers witnessed Jerry's act of kindness. He walked over to our table, and talked about how in today's world more such acts of kindness are needed, and we continued in a brief conversation. Neither Jerry nor I anticipated that a photo of us would be in the local paper. I heard about it from another friend who had seen the photo and article, although neither Jerry nor I ever saw the photo or article.
It was a beautiful day. The type of day that makes me so thrilled that I live in Cuenca. However, as taxi drivers will sometimes say about the climate in Cuenca, "She has the changing moods of a woman". Before we could ever imagine a sudden change in weather, the sun gave way to an immediate heavy hailstorm. The two videos below show the storm. Cuencanos get excited about heavy hail storms, because they have to go much higher in the mountains then our 8,400 feet to see snow.
Adjacent to San Luis Seminario is the entrance to a narrow passageway, which the adjoining cathedral had walled off for years. A few years ago, the passageway was opened to the public. Some of the restaurants in the courtyard have entrances along the passageway, as well as an entrance to the courtyard itself.
The days of the $1.50 amuerzos (set lunches) when I arrived in my 2010 visit to Cuenca are gone. Most amuerzos are now now $2.50 to $3.50. Executive lunches can be more expensive. Oftentimes, the lesser expensive amuerzo is heavy on a huge pile of rice, a small piece of thinly cut meat, a sliver of ensalada, possibly a glass of juice, and a small dessert. When I first arrived, the dishes often included plantains and potatoes as well as rice. The amuerzo was a diet very heavy on carbs. So now the prices are higher with less variety offered, and rice is cheap.
However, Ecuador is not experiencing a rise in inflation. Gas, as government subsidies have been removed, has gone up considerably, and restaurant food prices in my opinion have seen the biggest increase over the last decade. As President Lasso, our new president, has been removing many tariffs on imports, prices like liquor, cell phones, computers are all falling into range more with the United States. Apartment rentals are very inexpensive, and we have been showing more signs of deflation than inflation.
The passageway has a number of black metal art works along the way, which silhouette the various churches in El Centro.
To the rear of the passageway is outside eating both along the lower terrace and straight ahead, plus further patio seating--all provided by the restaurant-lounge, Distrito,which is more of a lounge with limited seating.
One of the things I most enjoy about all of these new eateries is that they create many unique dishes or twists to familiar dishes, whether they are soups, salads, appetizers, main courses, or desserts.
This blog post would not be complete without a focus on the north side of the street across from Parque Calderon. There is a fabulous upscale clothing store named Vatex galleries of four stories. The interior is done in the colonial renaissance style. On the rooftop is the restaurant, Negroni, which has terraces on three sides, where diners can enjoy fantastic views of the city. There is an inner restaurant in the center. Along with great views and very good food; we are also blessed with the administrator, Giovanni Gonzalez, who is very personable, enjoyable with whom to talk, very attentive to the diner's needs, and holds his waitstaff to the same high standards of service.
In the photo below, looking to the background behind Mathias, who is enjoying his meal on the terrace; one can get a glimpse of the interior restaurant.
Esteban, Maria Rosa, Mathias, and Jim with a background from the Negroni Restaurant of the New
Cathedral domes.
All these spectacular changes of the last three years are centered around
the focal point of Parque Calderon, without the park such dramatic changes
would not have taken place in one locale. Just another feature, which makes
Cuenca not only a walking city, but also one which is very convenient for tourists.
The best way to end today's blog post is with a photo of a friendly St. Bernard. Considering all the Catholic churches in the immediate vicinity of Parque Calderon, the area can feel like a mini-Vatican City. Therefore, it is only fitting that the park should have its only living saint. St. Bernard is the patron saint of skiers and the Alps. We don't have the Alps in Ecuador, but the Cajas Mountains are just outside our city of Cuenca, minus the snow.
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