MAY — ¡Livin’ La Vida Loca!
Hello Dear Reader,
¡Bienvenido! If you don’t follow me on my Instagram page, then my hint for this month’s newsletter must still be keeping you on the edge of my seat. My husband and I traveled to Spain for our 3-year anniversary! We toured many parts of the beautiful landscape and cities; from Barcelona, to Granada, Marbella, Sevilla, Cordoba, Madrid, and other cities we stopped at along the way. Let me just say, it was gorgeous. Spain has been on our travel list since we started dating almost 6 years ago and holding a spot for one of the top three places that we were dying to visit, so to finally be able to check it off our list was amazing.
One thing that I noticed that the Spanish people really know how to do is party, or in Spanish, fiesta! While not everyone has made their own trip to Spain just yet, I thought about bringing a small piece of Spain to you. Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, a summer hangout, or some type of bachelorette/bridal shower, here is your firsthand guide on how to throw an authentic (and tasty) Spanish fiesta!
KNEE SLAPPER THURSDAY
In honor of Father’s Day coming up in a few weeks, here’s a list of some of my favorite dad jokes:
– My neighbor gave me a new roof for free. He said it was on the house.
– What has a spine but no bones? A book.
– Did you hear about the nurse who didn’t want to become a doctor? She didn’t have the patients.
– How did Vikings communicate with one another? By Norse code.
– How did the pirate get his ship for so cheap? It was on sail.
– Why don’t seagulls fly over the bay? Because then they’d be bagels (bay gulls).
– “I bought the world’s worst thesaurus yesterday. Not only is it terrible, it’s terrible.”
– When does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent.
Verse of the Month
“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”
James 4:11-12 ESV
Servina
Here are some of Servina’s top 3 this month…
Been Loving — These special beef dog bones I treat her to.
Been Hating — The neighbor’s bird that likes to squawk at all hours of the night.
Looking Most Forward To — Our nighttime runs. But let’s just say, it’s more her running fun and fancy free while I try my best not to have a cardiac arrest.
A Spanish Inspired Fiesta
Food
One of the best things that Spain is recognized for is their delicious foods, specifically tapas. Tapas are small dishes or appetizers that can be shared. Notorious in the Spanish society, it’s something that can’t be missed or excluded. Here are some of my favorites and some of the most famous tapas served and how to make them:
Patatas Bravas – Who doesn’t love a good potato and a tasty sauce.
Croquettes – Fried food? Sign me up!
Calamares Fritos – This one might be a little more difficult, but it’s something I got almost every night while in Spain. Being on the sea made showed the freshness, tastiness, and quality.
Honorable mentions:
Jamón – The ham in Spain is absolutely to die for
Anything beef – Out of all the countries I’ve traveled to, Spain by far had the best beef I have ever tasted. On top of the quality, it was cooked to perfection.
Empanadas – Need I say more?
Dessert
You can’t have such a filling meal without leaving a little room for dessert. While also common in the United States at fairs, or even Costco, churros are a staple in Spain. Served usually with a dark chocolate pudding and light-to-no sugar, this is the best thing to answer your sweet tooth.
→ Churros Recipe
Drinks
Spain is known for their Sangria, but what isn’t as common knowledge is the secret drink that the locals have. Tinto de Verano is a low sugar, yet still sweet, fruit drink that is perfect for a summer’s hot day. While traditionally made with alcohol, here’s the perfect alcohol-free recipe for you to enjoy!
→ Tinto de Verano
Entertainment
One of the things Spain, especially the south, is known for is the traditional Flamenco dance. Originating in the 14th century, flamenco is a key piece of the Spanish culture. While it’s entertaining to watch the passionate dance, entertain your guests by taking a flamenco class. Staying in? No problem, Rina Orellana makes perfect introduction and tutorials videos for you to try.
→ Learn Here
Want to make it a night in? These films/shows are great options:
Zorro (1998) – embraces the Spanish heritage in 1800s California.
Casa de Papel (2017) – set in Madrid, this is a modern day take of the Spanish culture.
Star Wars Episode II – while the film itself is set in outer space, many of the shots were filmed in Sevilla, specifically the planet of Naboo.
Decorations / Aesthetics
Personally, I believe that food alone can sometimes be all the decorations you need, assuming you went with a traditional meal. But if your space is still lacking something, then here are a handful of suggestions to bring Spain into your home.
More festive / buoyant:
For a color scheme, do red, white, and black is your go-to theme as they’re traditional colors in the south of Spain due to their connection with flamenco dancers.
Fans, lace, black brimmed felt hats, and paper wall ornaments are also a perfect fix.
More classic:
One word — simple. Simple lace, woods, clays, and other stones.
“Anne of Green Gables” Book Review
For April, our book was “Anne of Green Gables” by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
My Overall Opinion:
What I think I liked most about this book was how simple of a read it was. Of course, the target audience is a younger demographic, but I don’t think that hindered it for making it an entertaining read for someone older.
My Favorite Character:
In all the literature I have read thus far, Anne is definitely one of the characters that I feel I connect to the most. But Montgomery does an excellent job bringing out the uniqueness of each character that she has written, making it difficult to narrow down my favorite to just one. A top contender, besides Anne herself, would most definitely be Diana Berry. Being a true friend to Anne, she is a perfect example of what friendship in its purest form should be and something each of us should aspire to imitate in sincerity.
Things I Didn’t Like / Would Change:
I have only one single complaint – I don’t think 11 books to tell Anne’s story is enough!
Ranking:
5/5 — Maybe it’s due to the nostalgia or my excitement in reading the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to all looking for a light, interesting, and endearing read.
Other Comments:
One of my all-time favorite movies is the 1985 trilogy adaption, starring Megan Follows. Every other adaption fails in comparison to this masterpiece. The simplicity and the beauty of the landscape, the humor and complexity of the characters, the reminiscence of days gone by are, to put it simply, superb.
COMING NEXT MONTH
Next month is the 2-year anniversary of “The Abditory!” Keep your eyes peeled for what’s in store.
See You Next Month!
