You can use the verb ’soler’ instead of saying ‘normalmente’ or ‘generalmente’ – it means that you tend to do something, but remember to include another verb in the infinitive to make a full sentence.

Nicole and I landed on Gertrude St. one night for a Book for Cooks event. Luke Nguyen was in town and he was promoting his new book (the Songs of Sapa) and Little Lantern Foundation. We originally thought we should probably hit a pho joint or something Vietnamese but Nicole didn’t want to be too far from the book shop and rush there last minute (so we went outlet shopping on Brunswick St. first, figures).

We went past Anada and I remember about this place being recommended highly by @redvespa so we decided we would go in. It was literally 5.55 and we were waiting for it to open at 6pm (we had to be at Books for Cooks before 7). They did, right on time and graciously let us in without a reservation. Despite it being Tuesday, the place filled up around 7. So make sure you get a reservation in.

As hungry as we were, we wanted to have a light meal and tapas seem perfect. We both ordered a few different dishes to try. I ordered a glass of sherry (you gotta have sherry, surely) and Nicole ended up with a glass of rose.

We were served some bread to start with some nice olive oil and funky black salt. It tasted like normal salt. Yes I did nibble at the salt crystals. I do that.

The bread was fabulously chewy and flavourful. I would love to be able to buy this sort of bread at home. The first serve was free and subsequent serves were a couple of dollars (I think) but as much as we enjoyed it, we didn’t order extras.

(Fried zucchini flower with Le Celestina cheese & Iberico jamon – $5.50 each)

The special of the day was zucchini flower stuffed with goat’s cheese and sprinkled with crunch jamon bits. Nicole and I had one each (as opposed to sharing one of each tapa) and they were definitely winner.  It was warm and crunchy and cheesy and generally very more-ish dish. Yum.

(Crumbed lambs brain with pork belly & red lentils – $4)

I had decided that today would be a good day to try a lamb’s brain. So I ordered it. The sauce was sort mushy bits of pork and lentils and it was good. The brain itself was crumbed and well-fried. I didn’t attempt to take a picture after it had been halved but it was kind of cool. It didn’t taste like what I expect it to taste (i.e. more offal-ish) it was sort of soft, creamy texture but didn’t taste much of anything. So now I can say I have had brains. Ta da.

(Rabbit empanadilla – $4.50)

Nicole ordered the rabbit empanadilla. It didn’t stand out as something worth remembering in either good or bad way so I regret to say that I just can’t remember what it tasted like.

(Salt cod & garlic shoot croqueta – $3.50)

I ordered the salt cod croqueta as I figured croqueta is just one of those tapa things that you have to have and I never tried it before. It was soft and creamy and flavourful – just like a croqueta should. I thought anyway – I have had other croqueta since and I can concur that this was a good one.

(Western Plains pork belly with fennelseed & smoky aubergine – $17.50)

Our star of the night was the pork belly. Like any diva, she appeared much later than every dish (each dish was served as it was ready) but she was definitely worth it. The pork was beautifully, meltingly tender with crispy skin (I love pork belly, I can eat it day and night). The smokey eggplant dip type thing that it was served with complimented it perfectly.

(churros with chocolate – $10.00)

By now it was 6.35. And Nicole demanded that we have desserts. I personally was getting nervous because I really didn’t want to keep Luke Nguyen waiting! Let’s face it, he’s such an awesomely nice guy. But we crossed our fingers and ordered the churros anyway. They turned up only 5 minutes later (thank you!) and we were treated to warm, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside churros and rich chocolate sauce. I’m glad we ordered it. So well done, Nicole. We were both stoked with the food and service at Anada and are making plans to return. Eventually. We have wide bases to cover, you know!

We then headed off to Books for Cooks and met Luke Nguyen. He talked about his trips to Vietnam, his passion for cooking and of course his new book, the Songs of Sapa. It was an awesome night. He was lovely and down to earth and a great conversationlist. And he concurred that pho with dried rice sticks is just not that great (told you!) I loved him.

Rilsta of My Food Trail was also at the event – she covered the event in her blog post. Swing over there to read about it. She also took a fabulous photo of me and Luke (I didn’t have my camera), which I’m so stoked about as it’s my proper ‘celebrity & me’ photo ever (yes, the one with Brad Pitt was fake. I can’t believe people actually believed it).

Anada Bar & Restaurant, 197 Gertrude St., Fitzroy

Mantente callado, mira hacia adentro y disfruta el poder sanador del silencio. Deja ir tus apegos y pesares.

Tu núcleo interno y tu corazón de sabiduría se mantienen intactos a pesar de los insultos o las alabanzas. Así que ten fe en tu corazón y confía en ti. Siéntete libre de preocupaciones y miedos.

Pon tu más sincero, tu verdadero corazón en tu meditación. Pon atención y concéntrate en tu respiración.

Deja que la paz y la felicidad prevalezcan y te inunden. Recuerda que tu propia vida está íntimamente conectada con toda la vida.

Que todos los seres se beneficien de tu presencia como la encarnación de la paz y la felicidad !.

Leído en http:// www. facebook.com/home.php?#/inbox/?folder=[fb]messages&page=1&tid=1158897808686

Well I’m actually already home.  And already ready to go back to school haha.  The hardest part of being at college is going home for breaks.  I just feel so out of place.

Luckily I have my running to center me as well as my friends.

Last night I did end up finishing my exam with minimal stress and watched my movie.  If you haven’t checked it out yet it’s awesome! Sure, it’s in Spanish but there are subtitles.  Definitely a movie I could watch over and over and over.  In case you forgot it’s El Laberinto del Fauno and it’s WICKED good.

Also last night I think I had a fever because I woke up so many times and sweated through THREE outfits.  Gross.  My heat was off and my window was open so I have no idea what other explanation those sweats could be.  I felt fine though last night and felt fine when I got up.  Ugh and despite my complaining about my age I am not menopausal yet.  Heh.

My run this morning (my constant) kind of failed me.  There was no rain so I decided to take advantage of clear skies.  Kind of regretting that choice as I need to inject some speed into my running but hey, it was a decent run and when I finally calculated my pace it wasn’t soooo terrible. I had a case of the Mondays though.  My legs still felt a little fatigue which I’m sure is a result of me piling on the miles (POTM).  I know I need a rest day but it will have to be after the 26th haha.

I did 10.1 today.  And I felt every single mile plus the extra .1 that got injected.  Luckily I made the decision to do 2 longer routes rather than my main route plus lots of additionals.  I think my grit would have been tested otherwise! But the weather made things a bit more pleasant: 45* with cloudy skies.  I thought that there might be rain but there was only a bit of mist which felt great by the end.

Today being the last day of classes before break campus was absolutely dead.  My Spanish lab class only had 3 ppl in it! Which was nice because it was with Hot-Spanish-TA and that means the class was convo based and we did lots of talking.  I could listen to him talk foreverrrrrrr.  We also did culture stuff like listening to real Spanish music which I need to download now.  Like this. Oh man I can’t get it out of my head.  We listened to it at 0900 and it’s still stuck in my head.  LOVE.  After Spanish I handed in my geophysics exam (I’m a physics major btw to those who asked) and then hit the road.

And like I said, I’m ready to go back haha.  Luckily I called up a few high school friends who are around and we’re chilling now watching T.V. and such.  Definitely what I need as I want to get some quality sleep over break and make some sort of dent in my HUGE sleep debt.  So I’m going to start paying attention to the show.  Just wanted to let everyone know that I’m safe and sound.  And that I’m still truckin’ along in my miles.  And I’m still trying to find a good marathon plan for Boston.  Like Jess suggested I’ll likely take all the plans you’ve said and mold them into my own.  I’m also pretty excited to do some of my “home” routes this week.  It’s been a very long time — the summer? — since I’ve done them and I’m looking forward to the “newness” that they’ll bring me!

Not quite sure what my posting will be like this week as my schedule is muy different than normal but I’ll likely pop in everyday and do a quick post like this

Enjoy your Tuesday.  As I was told today it’s the humpday this week as we have a threeday week.  Although for me it’s Friday because I’m already on break

It’s come to bewareconsumer’s attention that Stacey Tipton uses Guru freelancers to put together curriculum, her sites and more… her own blog posts state so!

Say it isn’t so? Another person taking advantage of parents and children?

Summary: Since Miguel de Cervantes, an old soldier wrote down the adventures of Don Quijote and his squire Sancho they have both became famous. After finding out that ‘el Turco’ is sailing down the cost with a dangerous navy in tow, Don Alonso Quijano, and the gentleman Don Alonso Quijano will once more leave, against the wishes of his niece and her nurse, to start a new battle that will start in la Mancha and end at sea.

Resumen: Después de que un viejo soldado llamado Miguel de Cervantes recogiera las aventuras de Don Quijote y su escudero Sancho, éstos se han hecho famosos. Tras saber que el Turco baja por la costa con una peligrosa armada, Don Alonso Quijano, el caballero don Quijote de la Mancha, saldrá, una vez más, y con la oposición de su sobrina y de su ama, a una nueva batalla que empezará en la Mancha y terminará en la costa. Vestido con su armadura de estilo renacentista, bastante anticuada para la época, 1615, el “loco” caballero andante del que todos se burlan emprenderá sus aventuras con su fiel escudero.

Shelf location: 1 CAB

Summary: In a small Andalucian town a wedding is being celebrated. But the bride is still in love with an old flame, Leonardo. Once the ceremony is over, she surrenders herself entirely to him, and that night they elope together. The abandoned husband pursues them, and when he finds his wife´s lover, challenges him to a knife fight, in which they both die. Lorca´s poetic tragedy, the futility of life, the death and the violence that accompany men throughout their lives is demonstrated by they pain and the omens of a mother, who has lost her husband to one crime and one of her sons to another.

Resumen: En un pueblo andaluz se celebra una boda. La novia sigue enamorada de su antiguo novio, Leonardo. Una vez celebrada la ceremonia, se entrega pasionalmente a él, y esa misma noche huyen juntos. El esposo abandonado los persigue y, cuando encuentra al amante de su mujer, le reta a una pelea con navajas en la que mueren ambos. La tragedia poética de Lorca, el sentido trágico de la vida, la muerte y la violencia que acompaña a los hombres durante toda su vida, se va manifestando a través de los presagios y el dolor de la madre, que ha perdido a su marido por un crimen y a uno de sus hijos por otro.

Shelf location: 1 BOD

Summary: In the summer of ’94 a team of television reporters filmed and interviewed seven Cubans and their families in the days before they set off on a risky adventure to cross the sea and reach the coast of the United States, fleeing from the economic difficulties ravaging the island. Some time later those of them who had been rescued on the high sea were found in the refugee camp at the North American base of Guantánamo. Their families remained in Cuba without news of any of them except for one woman who had been wrecked and been forced to return to the island.

Resumen: En el verano del 94, un equipo de reporteros de Televisió de Catalunya filmó y entrevistó a siete cubanos y a sus familias durante los días en que preparaban la arriesgada aventura de lanzarse al mar para alcanzar la costa de los Estados Unidos huyendo de las dificultades económicas que asolaban su país. Algún tiempo después, en el campamento de refugiados de la base norteamericana de Guantánamo, los reporteros pudieron localizar a los que habían sido rescatados en alta mar. Producto de ello es este documental.

Shelf location: 6 BAL – Documentary

Summary: The 20th March 2003, in Bagdad. That was the day that the entire world watched astonished, indignant, and moved whilst watching the beginning of a war which to many seemed senseless, and at the very least, illigitamate. A group of brigaders arrived in Bagdad in the days preceeding the start of the war, and some stayed their throughout the bombing.

Resumen: 20 de marzo del 2003, Bagdad. Ese día el mundo miraba atónito, indignado y conmocionado la televisión mientras comenzaba una guerra para muchos sin sentido y, en cualquier caso, ilegítima. Pero no todo lo que ocurrió  en Irak lo vimos por televisión. Un grupo de brigadistas llegaron a Bagdad los días previos al comienzo de la guerra y algunos permanecieron allí durante los bombardeos.

6 BAG – Documentary

Summary: Anita has watched, in the three decades she has been working in the local cinema’s box office, the cinema literally go under: the building is knocked down to give may to a new multi-screen cinema and she is given early retirement with the reason that she doesn’t fit in with the new company’s image.

Resumen: Anita ve como en las más de tres décadas en las que ha estado haciendo de taquillera en un cine de barrio, se hunden literalmente: el local es derribado para dar paso a unas multisalas y ella es prejubilada porque no liga con la nueva imagen de la empresa.

Shelf location: 1 ANI

Summary: Candela’s marriage to José was fixed by their parents in accordance to their gypsy ancient customs when they were children; soon after the marriage he is stabbed to death in a brawl over another woman. Every night, Candela is compelled to arise from her bed and dance with the ghost of Jose. Candela eventually marries Carmelo, who has loved her since they were children, but she is not yet free of her dead husband.

Resumen: Amor, baile y muerte. Estas son las tres claves de “El amor brujo”. Carmelo está enamorado de Candela, cuyo padre le ha arreglado el matrimonio con José, siguiendo la ley gitana. José, que sigue viendo a su amante Lucía aún después de casado, muere apuñalado poco después, de lo que es acusado Carmelo, quien pasa cuatro años en la cárcel. Al regresar al poblado, Carmelo ve aterrado cómo Candela baila cada noche con el espíritu de José en el lugar en que fue asesinado. Una hechicera recomienda a Carmelo que baile con Candela la danza del fuego, para apartar de ellos al espectro que les separa

Shelf location: 1 AMO

Before I start this story I must say that I called my sister yesterday to confirm that my memory of this incident was on target. After all, we laughed about this only last year. Well, it seems Peggy is suffering from CRS and now has no recollection at all. (Maybe this will jog her memory!) Anyway, I thought hmmmm…this is the chance that I can make it up anyway I want. But I know my sister and she probably remembers and is testing my character, you know seeing how bad I make her sound. So, instead of really pepping up the tale, I am going to tell is exactly as I remember.

Growing up, I more or less drove my sister crazy. And vice versa. While we loved one another, we also lived to torment each other. She openly and relentlessly teased me. I was a bit sneakier. I hid and got the goods on her and her best friend. And I was a horrible tattletale.

We often got off the school bus at a local store which was about a mile from our house. We’d then walk home the back way which consisted of a dirt/rock road and a stretch straight up a hill and through the woods.

My sister is five years older than me. At this time, she was probably fifteen which put me at ten.

This particular day, my sister’s best friend came home with her. They proceeded a few feet ahead of me. They turned around and yelled “cinco” at me and commenced to laugh their heads off.

I immediately flushed because I had no idea what the word they were calling me meant. But I knew it had to be horrible. They continued chanting, “Cinco! Cinco! Cinco!”

“You guys better shut up or I’m gonna tell Mama on you!”

“Go right ahead you big crybaby! My sister yelled and then added “cinco” with a laugh. Just for good measure. By then I was crying my eyeballs out.

They continued their calling me cinco when we got home. We fought back and forth for the full hour before Mama got home.

I ran out to the driveway to meet her when she got there. I wanted to tell my side of the story first. And I wanted my sister to get what she deserved. How dare she call me such a nasty name!

Me: Peggy’s calling me bad names! Make her stop!

Mama storms in the house.

Mama: Damn it! How many times do I have to tell you to stop picking on your sister?

Peggy: Did she tell you what I called her?

Mama: I don’t care what you called her. Just stop it!

I gave Peggy the smug – ha ha-I got you I in trouble-look. I was sweetly satisfied.

Peggy: Mama I called her cinco.

Peggy laughed. I cried.

Me: See, there she goes. She’s still doing it!

Mama: I told you to stop calling her bad names.

Peggy: Ha, you don’t even know what it means. It’s not bad. It’s the number five in Spanish. Cinco!

Mama: Damn it! I told you to stop calling her names.

Peggy: Cinco. It means five.

Mama: The hell it does!

Peggy: Cinco! Cinco!

Mama: I told you I didn’t want to hear that word in this house again.

Peggy: Well, it’s going to be a little hard to do my Spanish homework if I can’t count in Spanish!

Mama: Enough already. I know you’re just trying to get away with something, so just stop lying!

Peggy: Uno. Dos. Tres. Cuatro. Cinco. (shoves Spanish book in front of Mama) See, it’s numbers in Spanish.

Mama: (Pushing the book away) You heard me. I don’t want to hear that word again. I told you to leave your sister alone. And I mean it.

Peggy: Well, if you don’t believe me, you can call my teacher.

Mama: Just don’t call your sister that or any other name again.

After Mama was out of hearing, Peggy told her friend that we were just a bunch of idiots. We didn’t even know Spanish. Then she added that I was a brat. And I was.

She showed me the numbers and words in her book. So, I believed she wasn’t calling me anything nasty. She was just being mean. But not as mean as when she and her friend rolled me in a quilt and stuck me in a closet. I’m sure I deserved that, too. I truly was a brat!

The rest of the night and for a long time afterwards, Peggy would mouth under her breath “cinco”. I ignored her.

After all, I was an idiot. I didn’t even know Spanish.

And how fitting is it that I grew up to have a child born on Cinco de Mayo?

Squanto, the beloved hero of Thanksgiving, was the Native American man who mediated between the Puritan Pilgrims and the Native Americans.

Squanto had been enslaved by the English but he was freed by Spanish Franciscans. Squanto thus received baptism and became a Catholic.

So it was a baptized Catholic Native American who orchestrated what became known as Thanksgiving.

Read more …

“Desde hace mucho tiempo la tierra te conoce…” de Pablo Neruda perteneciente a “100 Sonetos de Amor “

Pueden leer, escuchar y descargar esta poesía visitando (Parallel Text included Spanish-English):

http://albalearning.com/audiolibros/neruda/soneto015-sp-en.html

TODOS los audiolibros y libros (audio y texto) en:

http://albalearning.com

No olvide consultar las últimas incorporaciones a Audiolibros y Libros: http://albalearning.com/#ultimos

New!

You can now learn Spanish, French and English by doing online quizzes and following the vocabulary with sound files. It’s free! .No registration needed!

Ahora usted puede aprender Francés, Español e Inglés haciendo ejercicios interactivos en línea con vocabulario y sonido. Es gratis. C’est gratuit.

Visit http://albalearning.com/ejercicios

Vocabulario Básico:Vocabulary page- Página de vocabulario – Page de vocabulaire : http://albalearning.com/ejercicios/voc

Noticias en Español (News in Spanish with Quizzes Online to test your understanding): http://albalearning.com/ejercicios/noticias

Todos los ejercicios (All online quizzes): http://albalearning.com/ejercicios/index-ejercicios.html

Nelly Furtado has been around awhile and I’ve been dying to here a full album from her that was completely in Spanish. With the arrival of Mi Plan my prayers were answered. Now, I’m not usually a fan of albums that are fully in a different language but Nelly Furtado has convinced me.

Nelly says:

“‘Mi Plan’ is my first full collection of Spanish-language pop songs,” Nelly says of the new album. “The songs explore themes of love and the rhythm of everyday life. The featured special guests will also add aunique touch to the album’s sound. And I am delighted to be working with the entire Universal Latin team on this new project.”

Those special guests she mentioned are none other than, Julieta Vengas, La Mala Rodriguez, and Alejandro Fernandez.  Julieta an La Mala can be heard featured on “Bajo Otra Luz,” and Alejandro on the song “Suenos (Dreams), ” which is one of my favorite songs on the cd besides “Mas.” My top picks off this album are:

• “Mas”
• “Manos Al Aire”
• “Suenos (Dreams)” feat. Alejandro Fernandez

“Mas” is my favorite song on the album for the simple fact that it’s probably the most pop song on the album and definitely takes on a theme of moodiness mixed in with some guitar and synth. In this song Nelly is begging for “Mas”, meaning more in Spanish, love, attention, and appreciation.

Nelly says:

“This song is about love and wanting more out of a relationship, and not feeling like you’re an equal half. And, I believe in relationship you need to be equal halves.”

Overall, I think the album is a success in my book and is worthy of being downloaded, and if you don’t want the whole album just download the songs I listed and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Below is the video for her second single off the album, “Mas.”

Centro de Equipamiento para Latinos
(LEC) Latin’s Equipping Center
Orlando House of Prayer- OHOP y nuestro Pastor Carlos Sarmiento

Presenta : Despertando la Novia de Cristo

Somos los amigos de la Novia preparando el camino para la Segunda venida de Cristo.

Te invitamos a un Seminario que cambiara tu vida espiritual.

Nuestra invitada la Evangelista Maida Surillo ha estado preparandose

en IHOP, Kansas City por los ultimos 9 años.

Sabado, December 5, 2009

Orlando House of Prayer – OHOP

Ven a llenarte de la presencia de Dios como

las novias sabias de Mateo 25: 1-13 que llenaron sus lamparas de aceite (Espiritu Santo)

Para recibir su Novio Jesucristo que

en cualquier momento, no sabemos la hora ni el dia vendra por su Novia.

For more information about the Spanish Ministry here at OHOP please email Sarah Caraballo at scaraballo@cfl.rr.com

No te lo pierdas!

It feels to me like NaNoWriMo is ending, even though I know that there is a full week left and I still have to write 14,000 words. I am just starting to feel a little bit nostalgic, as I often do towards the end of any significant time in my life. I spend the last fifth of most things focusing on the end and wondering what I am going to fill my time with once the thing is over, and I wish I would just stop it already. And enjoy the present. You know?

And with that, I shall leave you. I’m telling you, translating back and forth is an addictive practice. I wasted an hour on it today. And you know what? Totally worth it for that last one. xD

Hoy: Palabra monosílaba de tres letras, generalmente, estúpidamente, indica presente, lo que será mañana y lo que fue ayer…

Hoy tu cabello se veía hermoso, pero no estabas ahí para que te lo dijera.

Nunca estuviste ahí; y todo inició con palabras. Como el aleteo de una mariposa, estas, resonaban en mi cabeza y le daban vueltas a un ideal tan hermoso, ahora tan absurdo. Tan absurdo como el puñal que dispararon a mi pecho.
Tan lejano como una estrella, tan tácito como la sangre que vierte de mis venas, mas continuo ahí parado.
Como idiota, cegado por mi locura y por mi ferviente deseo de algo que nunca se completara.

Hoy tu cabello se veía hermoso, y no te lo pude decir.

Las palabras me atragantaron, cuando de pie, caí en la realidad, y me golpeo como toro en la cara;

Cuando te vi sonreír y sonrojarte, lejos de mis brazos… en el infierno de aquel demonio. ¿Qué hacer?

Sentar y esperar, contar las hormigas a tus pies.

Observar el bello cielo otoñal, aderezado con esos pigmentos carmín que llenan el corazón. Pero son placeres furtivos, perecederos, momentáneos; a tu lado.
pero es lo único que llena aquel vació tajante, que, con tu navaja, cortaste y dejaste sangrar.

Hoy tu cabello se veía hermoso, y no dije nada.

Hoy tu cabello se veía hermoso y no me importó, tal vez, el otro idiota se dio cuenta y lo mencionó.

Hoy… Otra crónica perdida… Estúpido estribillo de una disonante melodía…

Below is a paragraph in Spanish… very basic stuff, of course, but I’m sure I messed some things up. If your Spanish is better than mine (and odds are it is) then let me know what I goofed up on.

Hace ocho meses, mas o menos, he empezado estudiar español. A mí la lengua Español es muy bonita y tambien muy útil. Es útil porque vivo en los Estados Unidos y mucha gente aquí son de paises de latinoamerica y ellos hablan español solamente. Además, creo que en todo el mundo español es la tercera lengua más hablado y por lo tanto es un lengua muy importante aprender. Es bella porque no es íngles. Me aburre con la lengua íngles. Voy a mí clase de español cada lunes y trato de hablar y leer en español. Cada semana los otros alumnos y yo estudiamos gramática fundamental y conversamos un poco en español. Una alumna en la clase viene de Alemania y el resto de los otros alumnos vienen de algún lugar en los Estados Unidos, como yo. Estoy muy emocionado a conocer la alumna alemán porque estoy muy interesado en la lengua Alemán también pero no lo he estudiado mucho desde empezé ir a mi clase de español. Ojalá estaremos muy buen amigos y en esta manera mejoraré mí alemán. Ella me parece un poco raro, pero bastante amable.

Esta es una pregunta frecuente que me hacen mis alumnos de las clases de Español y Voseo, y los asistentes al “mate´s workshop” que deja traslucir una respuesta que sobrepasa las dos horas reloj de una intensa conversación.
Desde la fácil idea de que el mate es una bebida tradicional servida en diversos recipientes con una bombilla, a la imprescindible explicación de que el mate es sinónimo del encuentro de amigos y de la comunicación mas allá del tipo de mate que se tome y el tiempo que se pase juntos…

Mates modernos y coloridos

Desde la visita rápida de una hija a la casa de su mamá… hasta las calurosas tardes de verano con las vecinas y la ineludible “sacada de cuero”!!
El mate pasa el tiempo histórico en su primitiva versión de los primeros mates de los aborígenes y los gauchos al futurismo del mate con una base para el arte y el diseño.
El refinado tratamiento actual de la yerba mate presenta nuevos sabores, la versión despalada, la versión light para dietas, todo esto acompañado de la búsqueda de la perfección de la temperatura del agua para sacar el máximo sabor para dar placer al paladar y beneficiarse de la infusión saludable sin dejar el tradicional aroma de la tierra que le da origen.
Con el tiempo el mate dejó de ser una simple infusión para ser un encanto del gourmet llevado hasta el casi impensable helado de mate cocido!
Los versos de la literatura lo tienen como fuente de inspiración que refleja la cultura profundamente argentina.
Un turista explorador o conocedor del destino que quiere visitar no dejará el país sin una mínima colección de mates y bombillas mas una lista de direcciones en su lugar de procedencia donde encontrará yerba para reponer su nuevo vicio, entienden que ya no basta la sola exposición a los primeros sorbos de mate sino que en voz baja preguntan dónde y cuándo es el “Mate workshop” porque se sienten culpables de no haber probado ya la llamada “maravilla argentina”.
El mate, pues, es motivo de un intenso estudio y un motivo fuerte para venir al país de Chef y aficionados a los sabores exquisitos del mundo gastronómicos y a médicos o nutricionistas en busca de nuevas tendencias saludables.
Un punto a destacar es el fanatismo de los ” vegans o veganos del mundo que se adhieren al mate con un magnetismo religioso.
Este compañero diario va más allá de muchas costumbres argentinas, por ejemplo: a acompañado a mi abuelo a la tumba y no es solo una expresión literal, de hecho lo sepultamos con su mate y bombilla dentro del cajón para cumplir su deseo final!

Las máscaras no se distinguen
a mi vista.

Yo veo detrás,
adentro,
alrededor,
aparte
de la tapa
que te pones
encima de tu esencia.

Las apariencias engañan
pero yo no sé de ese juego.
Sólo sé de la verdad,
que se me expone
desde el interior
de ti
y de cada ser.

Y en tu ser
hay una luz que brilla,
una bondad sencilla,
que no me ha dejado
desde el momento en que la vi.

Y si tú quieres ocultar
tu pura belleza
de mi…
pues, mala suerte.
Que ya conozco
la divinidad
en ti.

Watchman, tell us of the night,
What its signs of promise are.
Traveler, o’er yon mountain’s height,
See that glory beaming star.
Watchman, does its beauteous ray
Aught of joy or hope foretell?
Traveler, yes—it brings the day,
Promised day of Israel.

Watchman, tell us of the night;
Higher yet that star ascends.
Traveler, blessedness and light,
Peace and truth its course portends.
Watchman, will its beams alone
Gild the spot that gave them birth?
Traveler, ages are its own;
See, it bursts o’er all the earth.

Watchman, tell us of the night,
For the morning seems to dawn.
Traveler, darkness takes its flight,
Doubt and terror are withdrawn.
Watchman, let thy wanderings cease;
Hie thee to thy quiet home.
Traveler, lo! the Prince of Peace,
Lo! the Son of God is come!

John Bowring [Sir] died this date, 11/23/1872, at Devon, England.  His trade/ manufacture was in woolen goods.  It was so extensive that it increased his natural abilities in languages.  One report has him flu­ent in over twenty (20) lan­guages and speaking eighty (80) more.  Another report would place his speaking skills as high as a hundred (100) languages with a limited knowledge of up to two hundred (200).  In either case he had a phenomenal God–given strength and seems could carry on business in following named tongues: Boheman, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish. 

He served twice in Parliament, held several high government positions to foreign countries including being the governor of Hong Kong, and was knight by Queen Victoria.  In addition to all the worldly fame he had a deep interest in God as the above hymn shows and as his additional twenty (20) some others show.  His more famous one is “In the Cross of Christ I Glory” – see 10/17/2009 of this blog.