Friends - my blog is now at lifetranslated.net. I hope you continue to follow me, and thanks for your support thus far!
Mention Bakersfield, California, and most people will conjure up images of endless agricultural crops, sweltering summers, Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace, and of course oil drilling (Bakersfield High students are the Drillers!). What not everyone knows - but the locals sure do - is that amazing Basque food is to be had in town. This weekend I got to visit Noriega’s. Everyone eats family style and typical parts of the meal are salad, soup, fresh bread, tongue, cheese, fish, lamb, french fries and more. We sat with a local who comes for the fresh fish on Fridays and a couple up from LA who stop by Bakersfield specifically for a Basque dinner fix. I’ll be back! Here is a list of more Basque eats in town: http://www.visitbakersfield.com/visitors/eat/bakersfieldbasque/
For a history of Basque culture in Bakersfield, check out this link: http://bit.ly/S9vsIf
It’s official! The longtime traditional Real Academia Española has added the word “espanglish” to their Spanish dictionary. It may seem like a small step, but it is a large feat for those who feel that the use of both English and Spanish has become an important cultural identifier. This is always a controversial topic both in and outside of the U.S. An interesting quote from Gerardo Piña-Rosales, the director of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language: ”The future of the Spanish language is not in Spain, it’s not in Mexico, it’s not in any Latin American country, it’s in the United States.” You can listen to a discussion of all this at kalw.org.
San Francisco Magazine has an article out this month about new eateries for Mexican food in the Bay Area. It seems that the rule here is to keep your restaurant name to one word and to ideally start it with a “C”…..but I digress. Reviewed are Nopalito (they opened a second location recently), Copita, Comal - which has been getting excellent reviews - and Cosecha. Looking forward to having a bite at each one! One of my recent favorites is Tacolicious.…the wait can be long but it’s the perfect opportunity to try the amazing selection of mezcal at the bar.
Today I explored the city with this lovely lady and came across a new foodie shop on Haight Street. I can’t wait to make yummy hot chocolate with this chipotle chile concoction made by Taza Chocolate. This brand offers other flavors of the chocolate discs, such as coffee, orange, ginger, and vanilla bean. Here is a nice, straightforward recipe for frothy Mexican hot chocolate.
Valencia is one of my favorite Spanish cities. I know this because, despite the fact that I was on crutches (muletas, if you were wondering) the entire time, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I hobbled my way through museums, horchata cafes, through the market, in the park to the Ciudad de Artes y Ciencias…you get the picture. I was slow but, like a good American, I wanted to see the sights! Here are 36 Hours in Valencia from the New York Times.
Ojos de Brujo disbanded about two years ago, but that doesn’t mean that their fan base has weakened. Known for blending traditional Spanish flamenco with the modern sounds of hip-hop, pop, Indian music, and more, this group is beloved and has brought music to new levels through the years. Now there is a remix of their music out from Danish DJ Al Lindrum. Follow this link for a free download from the album: http://bit.ly/N2WZEP
Steep hillside streets in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato | Mexico (by korzh roman | via visitheworld)
