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rockislandadultreads · 4 years ago

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Young Adult titles by Latinx authors, a reading list:

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.

When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.

She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princess, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.

This Train Is Being Held by Ismée Amiel Williams

When private school student Isabelle Warren first meets Dominican-American Alex Rosario on the downtown 1 train, she remembers his green eyes and his gentlemanly behavior. He remembers her untroubled happiness, something he feels all rich kids must possess. That, and her long dancer legs. Over the course of multiple subway encounters spanning the next three years, Isabelle learns of Alex’s struggle with his father, who is hell-bent on Alex being a contender for the major leagues, despite Alex’s desire to go to college and become a poet. Alex learns about Isabelle’s unstable mother, a woman with a prejudice against Latino men. But fate—and the 1 train—throw them together when Isabelle needs Alex most. Heartfelt and evocative, this romantic drama will appeal to readers of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen.

Fiebre Tropical by Juliana Delgado Lopera

Lit by the hormonal neon glow of Miami, this heady, multilingual debut novel follows a Colombian teenager’s coming-of-age and coming out as she plunges headfirst into lust and evangelism.

But there, Francisca also meets the magnetic Carmen: opinionated and charismatic, head of the youth group, and the pastor’s daughter. As her mother’s mental health deteriorates and her grandmother descends into alcoholism, Francisca falls more and more intensely in love with Carmen. To get closer to her, Francisca turns to Jesus to be saved, even as their relationship hurtles toward a shattering conclusion.

Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry

The Torres sisters dream of escape. Escape from their needy and despotic widowed father, and from their San Antonio neighborhood, full of old San Antonio families and all the traditions and expectations that go along with them. In the summer after her senior year of high school, Ana, the oldest sister, falls to her death from her bedroom window. A year later, her three younger sisters, Jessica, Iridian, and Rosa, are still consumed by grief and haunted by their sister’s memory. Their dream of leaving Southtown now seems out of reach. But then strange things start happening around the house: mysterious laughter, mysterious shadows, mysterious writing on the walls. The sisters begin to wonder if Ana really is haunting them, trying to send them a message—and what exactly she’s trying to say.

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wildwcmen · 4 years ago

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PINTEREST + PLAYLIST

basic information

Full Name: Carolina Reyes

Nickname(s): Lina (family nickname)

Age: 21-28

Date of Birth: July 5

Hometown: Miami, FL

Ethnicity: Latina (Colombian & Mexican)

Nationality: American

Gender: Cis Woman

Pronouns: She/Her

Religion: Catholic. Very bad at being Catholic, but tries her best. Will use the cheesy line “but I’m a good Catholic girl!” before immediately committing sins. Goes to church hungover.

Occupation: Unemployed brat, singer/dancer but rarely makes money from it

Language(s) Spoken: English, Spanish

Voice: Loud, excited, raspy. Occasionally very whiny.

physical appearance

Face Claim: Carolina Reyes

Hair Colour: Brunette

Eye Colour: Dark brown

Height: 5′0

Weight: 99 lbs

Build: Petite, curvy

Tattoos: Anchor tattoo on her elbow area

Piercings: Ears, belly button, clit

Clothing Style: Loves bright colors, always dressed for a rave or beach ready

Usual Expression: Smiling, laughing, pouting, glaring, very dependent on her moods

Distinguishing Characteristics: Short stature, full lips

health

Conditions: Undiagnosed mental health conditions

Sleeping Habits: Loves to sleep, will leave a party early just to nap.

Eating Habits: Eats often and frequently, usually home cooked meals that her dad and brother taught her when she was younger.

Exercise Habits: Running on the beach daily, hitting the gym whenever she can, swimming and surfing.

Emotional Stability: 4/10

Sociability: Very social! How else is she going to get attention?

Drug Use: Yes. Marijuana and mdma mostly.

Alcohol Use: Yes.

personality

Label: The Siren

Positive Traits: creative, poetic, emotional, fun loving

Negative Traits: overly emotional, jealous, posessive, annoying, whiny, spoiled

Fears: not getting attention, not making her mark

Hobbies: Surfing, swimming, singing, dancing, acting, clubbing, partying

favourites

Weather: Sunny days, hot weather, slight wind

Colour: Red, coral, orange

Music: Kali Uchis, Sza, Cuco, Girl In Red

Sport: Swimming, soccer

Beverage: bloody mary, vodka cranberry

Food: ceviche

Animal: sea turtles

family

Father: Oscar Reyes

Mother: Monica Fonseca

Sibling(s): Mateo Reyes

Children: N/A

Pet(s): N/A

extra

Zodiac Sign: Cancer sun, Cancer moon, Cancer rising

MBTI: ESFJ

Enneagram: The Individualist

Temperament: Melancholic/Choleric

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor

Moral Alignment: Chaotic Chaotic (this is not a typo)

Primary Vice: Envy/Lust

Primary Virtue: Charity

Element: Water

flaws

strengths

skills & hobbies

human verse

Carolina has always been a spoiled baby. Her mother wasn't very active in her life, but her father did her best to make up for it when he wasn't working. Her older brother and father both spoiled her to pieces, doing anything that they could to make sure that Carolina felt loved and happy. This led to her being a bit of a spoiled brat even as she grew older. she's a talented singer and dancer, but with no drive and her family still spoiling her, she rarely gets anything done. she's jealous, clingy, and highly emotional.

supernatural verse (mermaid/siren)

Carolina’s father was a human man with a terrible habit of falling in love with mermaids. This left him raising Carolina and Mateo alone, with the family traveling often. Carolina was never in one place for too long, which gave her major attachment issues. Her father and brother spoiled her in an attempt to make up for her loneliness, but this was more to the detriment of her personality than anything else.

#but real talk do not call her lina because that's one of my FRIEND"S NAMES OSIDJFOISJDOF #♡ carolina reyes ♡ sunny daze #carolina stats #her playlist slaps tbh

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midrashic · 4 years ago

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12 | A BOOK YOU LOVE BUT HATE AT THE SAME TIME | FIEBRE TROPICAL | JULIANA DELGADO LOPERA

spoilers ahoy! i actually have real-life entanglements with this book that i won’t go into for Internet Anonymity reasons, but solely as a reader, i flip-flop back and forth on whether to recommend this book all the time. the good: it’s written entirely in spanglish, mostly english thoroughly intertwined with untranslated spanish phrases & dialogue. it’s a queer romance about a recently immigrated colombian teenager. the weird: it’s also not a romance at all--there’s no evidence that carmen ever reciprocates; she might be using francisca’s passion for her to string her along, or she might be too wrapped up in religion to even realize that there’s something homoerotic about their relationship. as far as i remember, they don’t kiss & francisca never confesses, and the fact that i’m not totally sure ought to emphasize the way that this is a queer character portrait, a window into francisca’s life and how carmen changed her, instead of a romance per se.

the complicated: it’s a queer novel that eschews cliche & brings the inner world of a queer brown girl to heaving, gasping life, and at the same time it is heavily invested into the disaffection & physicality of queer literature. lambda lit review raves: “dripping with sweat, hating, and loving the experience of being alive, feeling a heartbeat and another heartbeat and a rhythm in the world that pulses through your own blood and bones: this is the stuff of a great queer novel.” and yeah, that’s an excellent summary of this novel, and it’s why most great queer novels are not for me. i’ve written before how easy it is for me to overdose on alienated relationships in contemporary literary fiction, and there is definitely no beauty in the humanity here. if you like a little life & the line of beauty, this is for you! if your tastes run toward the song of achilles and on earth we’re briefly gorgeous--both very sad but at the same time gesturing toward wide, humanist themes--maybe not.

Uprooted from her comfortable life in Bogotá, Colombia, into an ant-infested Miami townhouse, fifteen-year-old Francisca is miserable and friendless in her strange new city. Her alienation grows when her mother is swept up into an evangelical church, replete with Christian salsa, abstinent young dancers, and baptisms for the dead. But there, Francisca also meets the magnetic Carmen: opinionated and charismatic, head of the youth group, and the pastor’s daughter. As her mother’s mental health deteriorates and her grandmother descends into alcoholism, Francisca falls more and more intensely in love with Carmen. To get closer to her, Francisca turns to Jesus to be saved, even as their relationship hurtles toward a shattering conclusion.

[ april in books ]

#how's my driving #she blinded me with literature!

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regalmadness · 5 years ago

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50 questions you've never been asked

Tagged by @love-hope-faith-feels-like-a-lie thanks love!

1. What is the colour of your hairbrush?

Pink

2. A food you never eat

There is something in my country called Auyama... yup that just

3. Are you typically too warm or too cold

Too cold, like I be cuddling and people will get scared that im as cold as ice and so to ease their worries I just burry my hands and feet into their coat or clothes 🤣

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?

Studying

5. What is your favourite candy bar?

The ring pop. I love it! It brings back memories. Either that or any white chocolate.

6. Have you ever been to a professional sports event?

Yes I once had the oportunity to go to a basketball match between the Miami Heat and the Rockets

7. What is the last thing you said outloud?

Take your time its fine, I'll wait

8. What is your favourite icecream?

Bubblegum

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?

Water

10. Do you like your wallet?

Well it keeps my money safe and its got a cool design I guess

11. What was the last thing you ate?

Carrots

12. Did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

🤣🤣🤣🤣 living out of my pj collection lately

13. Last sporting event you watched?

The superball (Go 9ners!)

14. What is your favourite flavour of popcorn?

Butter ir cheese

15. Who is the last person you sent a text?

My best friend

16. Ever go camping?

Never have, but Im game all the way!

17. Do you take vitamins?

In case this is ever leaked outside of tumblr and out of the internet I just wanna say from the bottom of my truthfull heart... Mom if you are reading this, yes I am definitelly taking my vitamins every single day without fail. I definitely dont forget and take them daily and not just sometimes.

18. Do you go to church every sunday?

Not every sunday but whenever I can sure

19. Do you have a tan?

In this economy?

20. Do you prefer chinese food or pizza?

Pizza pizza pizza pizzaaaa

21. Do you drink your soda with straw?

I dont have an issue drinking it either with or without a straw but I prefer without since you know *Poison Ivy's voice* gotta do enviroment

22. What colour socks do you usually wear?

Bold of you to assume I only use 1 pair of the same colour and not go all harley quinn on my feet.

23. Do you ever drive above the speed limit?

When its an urgency type of thing. (Always being caferul) *Insert panic voices in the backround, followed by the 'but did you die' meme* Otherwise I drive as fast as the speed limit lets me.

24. What terrifies you?

Well they dont terrify me but like big bugs are a HUGE NO from me (if it has wings make it an ULTRA NO)

25. Look to your left what do you see?

These handsome boys

26. What chore do you hate?

Cleaning the bathroom

27. What do you think of when you hear an ausie accent?

HOT!

28. Whats your favourite soda?

Its a Colombian brand its called cola y pola

29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?

Depends on the mood of the day

30. Whos the last person you talked to?

My best friend

31. Favourite cut of beef?

I like beef I dont have a preference as long as it tastes good

32. Last song you listened to?

Westworld theme (lmao Im just learning piano so I kinda wanna learn how to play it... not because Im still NOT okay with what happened and want to remember Dolores anyway I can, nope Im totally fine with that, Im handling it like a normal grown adult, Im A OK)

33. Last book you read?

Oh wow. Uhhh I think it was a greek mythology one, cant remember the name 😭 its been so long since I've read anything other than the 1000 manuals and documents for work

34. Favourite day of the week?

Kinda varies from season to season, it depends on which tv shows are airing and their schedulle. It used to be sunday bc westworld but now *sighs*

35. Can you say the alphabet backwards?

I can do it midly fast in spanish but in english? 🤣 Im like (how do you sing the song backwards again?)

36. How do you like your coffee?

Sweet! And I prefer Ice coffee to regular.

37. Favourite pair of shoes?

Captain marvel addidas sneakers

38. At what time do you normally go to bed?

That depends, are you refering to actually sleaping? Or at what time I tuck in and either spend till sunrise scrolling through this godforsaken website looking at memes or remembering all the emabasing moments of my life in movie secuence in my brain

39. At what time do you normally get up?

8-9am

40. What do you prefer sunrise or sunsets?

Sunsets

41. How many blankets are on your bed?

I know sometimes bitches be sleeping under 3 blankets, 4 pairs of pillows and butt ass naked because you know life. But you know... its me im bitches.

42. Describe your kitchen plates

Round and white

43. Do you have a favourite alcoholic beverage?

Absolutely love cocktails! Anything with blue curaçao or tequila in it Im asfkkshsk! And if I had to choose a plain? Tequila for sure.

44. Do you play cards?

I do like card games and sometimes we play went we get together (family) but im not really good at it I just have fun lol

45. What colour is your car?

Dont currently own one. But my sub card is green if that counts

46. Can you change a tire?

Im a lesbian

47. What is your favourite providence?

Theres a city at the north east of the country called Bucaramanga. Its really nice the weather the people everything!

48. Favourite job you've ever had?

That would be my current job. Flying is my life! (I miss it so much 😞)

49. How did you get your biggest scar?

Long story short my mother was fixing some metal stuff and told me not to come into the house running (I was 5) so ofc I listen to the very wise advise my dear moma gave me and definitely didnt run, hence I definitely dont have a scar on my left cheek (its very tiny now)

50. What did you do today that made someone else happy

Gave my mom a letter and a beautiful everlasting rose.

Thank you, this was fun!

Tagging: @fandommember @dino-hoodie @mccdimples @hipesque @duranza @awhitefairytale @dfincher @giffing

#ask #me

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copaairlinesreservationsblog · 3 years ago

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Copa Airlines Reservations +1-855-653-0624

Copa Airlines Flights reservations | Cheap Tickets & Booking

Copa Panama de AviaciÓn, S.A. (popularly known as Copa and labeled easily as "Copa Airlines") is Panama's flag bearer. Its headquarters are located in Panama City, Panama, with Tocumen Multinational Airport serving as its primary center. The airline is also the primary manager and proprietor of Colombian airline AeroRepblica, presently recognized as Copa Airlines Colombia. Copa Airlines Reservations makes travelers work easier to book cheap flight tickets for the whole American continent.

Copa was established in 1947, and it quickly expanded its domestic operational activities to 3 towns in Panama. In 1980, the airline discontinued domestic flights in favor of worldwide flights. Copa and Continental Airlines created a partnership in 1998, taking on a unique brand logo and the OnePass frequent flyer scheme that MileagePlus later displaced; connectives displaced that in July 2015.

To know more about this airline, visit the official Copa Airlines Flight Booking portal. Copa offers the best-in-class service experiences at affordable flight ticket rates.

Here's a list of all the Copa Airlines Flights

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Copa Airlines flies to several attractions in Central and Southern America. Its connectivity includes towns such as Caracas, Santiago, Valencia, Havana, Punta Cana, Cancun, Port of Spain, Lima, and Mexico City. It flies to Miami, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orlando in the United States. It offers flights to 71 attractions in 30 states.

Book a flight Copa Airlines and you will be offered excellent travel opportunities at affordable ticket rates. The Airlines provides two travel classes:

Economic Class: Copa Airlines offers travelers comfy seats and three ticket price rates that vary in hand baggage. When reserving economy class tickets, partners can obtain Connect Miles.

Business Class: Business class travelers could relax and operate with the comfy recliner seats and wonderful recipe service that includes a huge variety of beer and liquor. On all long-distance flights, visitors are given amenity kits and warm towels as well as a duvet and pillows. Frequent Flyer Program

Copa Airlines offers a huge collection of films and songs for onboard leisure to all travelers. Visitors can use their private phones to obtain Copa's amusement by downloading the Copa Airlines app. Panorama of the Americas is an in-flight journal that is accessible to all cabin classes. All food is prepared with good focus to depth information, and alcoholic drinks to complement the food are also accessible on board. Good foods must be reserved 24 hours in advance of exit. Copa Airlines offers inflight support to visitors with special requirements infants, expectant mothers, unaccompanied teenagers, and any other pre-departure arrangements. Copa Airlines' in-flight leisure bundle includes streams in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. There are numerous choices for entertainment, including watching films, listening to the song, and playing video matches. The in-flight journal is called 'Panorama of the Americas.' It features 'inspiring editorial content' on science, literature, and tourist activities. Electronic gadgets such as MacBooks, cell phones, and pads can be used throughout the flight as long as they are in airplane mode. If you require special help, the airline will gladly provide it. Inform the airline as soon as possible. Service animals accompanying people with disabilities or specific necessities trip for free.

Throughout the flight, travelers who require mobility assistance will be given wheelchair facilities.

Travelers can cancel their reservations through Copa Airlines' sales offices or the company's webpage. There is a cancellation charge for all cancellations. Copa Airlines Flight cancelation policy provides much transparency to its customers with a hassle-free approach.

Before packing your bags, get yourself comfortable with the Copa Airlines baggage policy! Copa Airlines offers plenty of amazing flight deals to the customers. It gives flight tickets at comparable prices. By making affordable Copa Airlines flight reservations, a passenger enjoys a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Make a call to the Copa flights booking number and confirm your reservations as early as possible.

Each checked baggage piece can measure up to 62" (158 cm) (length + height + width).

Pieces with a combined linear measurement between 63" (159 cm) and 115" (294 cm) will be considered excess baggage.

Pieces whose combined linear measurements exceed 115" (294 cm) will not be accepted as baggage and must be transported as cargo.

Each item of carry-on may measure up to 46" (118 cm): 22" high + 14" long + 10" wide. Linear dimensions do not include wheels.

Items brought to the boarding gate in excess of your carry-on policy will be subjected to be checked and charged as additional baggage, per your ticketâ€™s baggage allowance policy.

If a passenger refuses or is not able to pay for the additional bags, Copa will not be responsible nor deliver bags left behind at gates, which will be returned to the concerned airport authorities.

Each item must be measured up to 36" (90 cm): 17" high + 10" long + 9" wide. Each passenger is allowed to bring one personal item onboard the Copa Airlines flights, in addition to the allowed carry-on luggage.

Personal items include:

Food to be eaten on board the aircraft

Products purchased at the airport

A handbag or purse

A backpack

A briefcase

A laptop case

A video game console (PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo)

For an oversized baggage with the dimensions of height + length + width= 63" (159 cm) â€“ 115" (294 cm), the baggage charges will be USD 150 for each bag.

For an overweight bag, the baggage charges will be USD 100 (24-32kg) and USD 200 (33-45kg) for each bag.

For Copa flights to/from Bahamas and Cuba, individual bags over 70 lbs (32 kg) are not allowed.

Anything weighing more than 100 lbs (45 kg) will be treated as cargo.

To know more about Copaâ€™s Baggage policy, reach out the Copa Airlines customer care by dialing this toll-free number: +1 800-359-2672.

The Copa Airlines customer support representative will get in touch with you and will solve all your queries related to refunds, booking, reporting lost/found items, managing reservations, complaints, special services, etc

Everything you need to know regarding verified hand luggage for your tour, including luggage allowance, costs that may implement if you bring an extra bag, are overloaded or are overstuffed, and luggage limitations during hand luggage embargo periods.

The amount of luggage allowed for your tour is determined by the date of trips, origin and attractions, fare class, and PreferMember status.

The mass and number of backpacks permitted are per traveler and cannot be transferred to other travelers

Luggage fees are subject to taxes levied by the nation of birth.

Booking flights with Copa Airlines Reservations has many attractive options that will provide you the essence of the best inflight experiences at less airfares. Regarding Copa Airlines check- in policy, keep a check on these things

Customers traveling on paper tickets cannot use the online system and must check-in at the airport.

Travelers with a booking that does not involve the necessary airport taxes cannot check-in online and should do so at the airport.

#copa airlines reservations #copa airlines manage booking #copa airlines book tickets #copa airlines reservations online

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ericfruits · 5 years ago

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Charco Press is bringing new Latin American fiction to British readers

Crossing the pond Charco Press is bringing new Latin American fiction to British readers

Literature from the region has long been overlooked in the UK

Books, arts and culture Prospero

“THE ADVENTURES of China Iron”, one of six translated works of fiction shortlisted for this year’s International Booker Prize, is an anarchic reformulation of “Martín Fierro”, a 19th-century Argentine gaucho poem. When Martín, the cutthroat cowboy, is conscripted, China, his adolescent wife, jumps aboard a wagon with a Scottish pioneer called Liz and embarks on her own journey of discovery. Liz lops off China’s golden tresses, puts her in male uniform and seduces her. She introduces her to the English language and to a globalising world of trade, railways and industry that promises to sweep aside the picaresque gaucho way of life.

More than a playful historical pastiche, in the hands of Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (pictured)—and through China’s eyes—Argentina’s pampas come alive. The landscape swarms with armadillos and rodents. Rivers burst their banks, sweeping herds of cattle away. As the numbness drilled into her by poverty and brutality gradually subsides, China comes to behold the power of the natural world and its native defenders. Fiona Mackintosh and Iona Macintyre, both academics at the University of Edinburgh, skilfully translate her transformation from camp-follower into shamanic, canoe-borne warrior. As her motley band slips upstream and out of Argentina’s official history, China’s chatty Spanglish narration becomes more languid, strewn with Guaraní terms for plants and riverine currents.

The subject matter—a Scottish-Argentine love affair, and the mind-altering power of translation—is the perfect fit for Charco Press. (Charco, meaning “puddle”, is slang in several Latin American countries for the Atlantic Ocean.) The Edinburgh-based publishing house was born four years ago “from passion but also a deep frustration,” says Carolina Orloff, its founder and editor. She grew up steeped in the flourishing literary scene of Buenos Aires; the bookshop her family ran counted Jorge Luis Borges among its regular customers. But on moving to Britain she was struck by how Latin American literature, beyond giants such as Gabriel García Márquez, was almost “terra incognita” to British readers. Assembling a formidable team of literary translators, Ms Orloff and her partner Samuel McDowell set out to bring outstanding voices from contemporary Latin American letters— usually already prize-winners in their original Spanish or Portuguese—to a wider audience.

Of their 20 books published since 2017, “The Adventures of China Iron”, with its hallucinatory passages, comes closest to magical realism. Other titles, each with a striking abstract cover by Pablo Font, an Argentine designer, defy easy categorisation. Margarita García Robayo’s “Holiday Heart” explores the estrangement (with each other and their homeland) of a Colombian couple in Miami and Connecticut. In “Trout, Belly Up”, Rodrigo Fuentes laces together short stories set in rural Guatemala (a relapsed alcoholic loses his dog, gunmen threaten a seaside village, a fish farm fails) with a sense of menace and tragedy. The narrator of “Loop”—the first work by Brenda Lozano, a Mexican author, to be translated into English—weaves in and out of subjects and styles as she waits for her boyfriend to return from overseas. “Resistance”, by Julián Fuks, portrays a family in exile in Brazil in the 1970s. “They’re literally worlds apart,” emphasises Ms Orloff. “I wanted to move away from the clichés and the generalisations that I think have been ingrained way too long.”

The only British publisher dedicated to authors from Latin America, Charco Press is the standard-bearer for a new, international wave of interest in the region’s literature. Also shortlisted for this year’s International Booker Prize is “Hurricane Season”, an unconventional detective story by Fernanda Melchor set in small-town Mexico. Its publisher, Fitzcarraldo Editions, which was founded in London in 2014, and translator, Sophie Hughes, also landed a spot on last year’s shortlist with “The Remainder” by Alia Trabucco Zerán, an examination of the ghosts of post-dictatorship Chile.

Latin American writing enjoys a higher profile across the Atlantic. Valeria Luiselli’s novel of 2019, “Lost Children Archive”, her first in English, was shaped by her experiences working as a court translator for Central American children separated from their parents at the Mexican border. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. There is also an appetite for relatively unknown authors, regardless of their direct contemporary relevance. Major new translations of Antonio di Benedetto, a mid-century Argentine existentialist, the peculiarly endearing short stories of Juan Carlos Onetti (from Uruguay), and the 19th-century Brazilian satirist Machado de Assis have been published to wide acclaim in the United States since 2016.

The Edinburgh publishing house, which is supported by the Arts Council and Creative Scotland, nevertheless remains an underdog in a field of underdogs. While 15% of fiction sold in Europe is in translation, this proportion falls to scarcely 4% in Britain and is lower still in America. Charco Press titles often sell fewer than 3,000 copies. But Ms Orloff describes Charco’s inclusion on this year’s International Booker shortlist as an encouragement to take further gambles on unusual titles. Ms Cabezón Cámara has since sold the rights to “The Adventures of China Iron” in ten countries, including Egypt, Croatia and Greece. The book will also be available to readers in North America—where Charco signed a distribution deal in late 2019—from October 13th. The proverbial puddle seems to be shrinking.

https://ift.tt/30bJeTL

#IFTTT #Feedly

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effieworldwide · 5 years ago

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Winner Spotlight: “Amigos de Whatsapp” by Cerveza Poker (Bavaria) & DDB Colombia

November 28, 2019

GRAND EFFIE 2019 Effie Awards Colombia

Bavaria Brewery's Poker, a well-known Colombian beer brand, was up against a series of changes affecting the local beer category, not least that consumers were drinking less overall. To reverse a negative start to the year, Bavaria (owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev) & DDB Colombia set out to increase sales by 5% during March 2018. The brand was able to successfully re-engage its audience by creatively navigating around the no-advertising policy of what had become one of Colombia’s most popular social media apps: Whatsapp.

The result was “Amigos de Whatsapp.” The campaign, launched in March 2018, effectively differentiated Poker in a competitive beer category, achieved a 12.5% sales increase in two months time and went on to win the Grand Effie in the 2019 Effie Awards Colombia competition – the second Grand Effie win for the brand in four years. It also earned trophies in the Promotions (Gold), Beverages – Alcohol (Gold) and New Product or Service (Silver) categories.

We asked the DDB Colombia team for more insight on their winning work. Read on for our conversation with Borja de la Plaza, President & CEO, Jorge Becerra, VP Planning, Natalia Fuentes, Account Director and Miguel Bueno, Senior Planner.

Tell us about your Grande Effie-winning campaign, “Amigos de Whatsapp?” What were your objectives?

DDB: The last few years have been of great movement for the beer category in Colombia. The emergence of new competitors, the impacts of constant tax reforms, the regulations of the new police code, as well as various changes in consumer habits and preferences, have made Poker's leadership threatened from different fronts. Our consumer target are young people who drink less beer every day, which makes us play a game of stimulating their consumption of beer. It is a context in which we have to make them constantly fall in love with the category and with our brand.

Our objective was to reverse a negative start of the year, increasing the sales of the brand by 5% during the month of March 2018.

What was the strategic insight that led to your big idea?

DDB: For years, Poker has positioned itself as the beer of friendship: We have always said that where there are friends, there is Poker. However, due to advertising restrictions, by the beginning of 2018 no brand could be present in the new “habitat” of friendship: WhatsApp groups (82% of people in Colombia use this platform as the main means of talking with their friends).

Friendship is not only alive in bars and streets now. Friends are constantly engaging with each other on Whatsapp.

This leads to a decrease of meetings with each other. Therefore, as a brand that talks about doing whatever it takes for friendship, to encourage their gatherings we had to start where they were: engaging with them using their own language, memes, posts and videos, through the platforms where they are constantly talking to each other.

How did you bring “Amigos de Whatsapp” to life?

DDB: This was a campaign that didn’t give away cars, trips, or money with our beer bottle caps. Instead, our gift was friends who consumers would want to have within their Whatsapp groups.

During the month of March 2018, under the caps of 160 million bottles of our beer, we printed phone numbers that consumers could add to their Whatsapp contacts. Each number had one of 14 different bot-friends with whom people could interact and receive tailor-made content, and which gave them the chance to win different prizes.

We created over 6,000 pieces of content that were distributed throughout the month of the campaign.

How did you know the work worked? What was the most significant or surprising result of the effort?

DDB: By the end of the campaign, Poker reached a sales increase of 12.5%, achieving an increase of 1 point in their market share (that, in this category, translates to 9 million additional US dollars for the brand).

The campaign accomplished over 32 million interactions on one social network, Whatsapp. This is over 1 million daily interactions. This means that we increased our social media traffic by 110,000%, an unimaginable number, as this would have cost 3 million dollars in digital media if we wanted to achieve it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

We reached over 7 billion impressions during the month of the campaign, including 28 million views of all of our video content.

We exceeded the regional benchmark for video retention by 200%.

The organic view rate reached over 70%.

We earned over 1,313,000,000 Colombian pesos in free press.

And the most important KPI for Poker, “A beer that I like to share with my friends,” increased to 72.2% during the month of the campaign (from our average benchmark of 62%) -- not only overcoming the national average but establishing a new record for all Bavaria brands.

In the end, we also collected thousands of cellphone numbers from our consumers, strengthening our data base with more information from our clients -- data that we have started to employ in our loyalty and promotional platforms.

What were the biggest learnings you took away from this campaign?

DDB: In Colombia, the beer category has a large media investment. And it relies on creativity to differentiate brands from each other. This makes it more challenging every time we launch a new campaign.

We have a brand that is not only a leader in sales, but is also best positioned on a communication level. Therefore, any effort we make has to be bold, big, and has to impact the culture of our consumer to become outstanding.

For this campaign, what is most relevant is that we stepped out of the boundaries of communication and did something that was never done before: advertise through a medium that doesn’t allow advertising, Whatsapp, and have consumers become the ones who willingly add our number and start a conversation.

And this was our learning. We have to challenge the “status quo” and come up with different ways to engage with our ever-changing consumer.

This is your second Grand Effie win for Poker (congratulations!). What do you think has been the most significant contributor to this ongoing success?

DDB: We have challenged ourselves as a team of clients and agencies to look at a campaign not only as a business challenge but as something that constantly breaks everyday life for our consumers. This idea, which is talked about by hundreds of brands, really takes the form of action for us. Our campaigns are data-driven, and we constantly look for media innovations. These [Poker] campaigns are a sample of our actions going beyond the speech, and this is the “modus operandi” of our team.

As President & CEO, Borja de la Plaza leads the DDB agencies in Colombia, a group of more than 500 people which he took over in November 2016. During his tenure, the agency became a creative powerhouse, winning the “Agency of the Year” title two times. Prior to moving to Colombia, he was Chief Operating Officer at DDB Latina’s Miami HQ, responsible for Latin America, Spain and the US Hispanic market. Borja was born in Spain, lived in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States – he also holds American citizenship - before moving to Colombia where he lives now with his wife Connie and his dog Rocco.

Jorge Becerra, VP Planning, runs the strategy department at DDB in Colombia. At only 33 years old (13 working at Omnicom), he has been responsible for developing integrated communications strategies for some of the most valuable brands in Colombia and Latin America. Formerly Director of Planning at Sancho BBDO, Jorge is one of the youngest advertising executives in Colombia. In the last couple of years, he and his team have designed some of the most successful strategic platforms in his country (working for clients such as McDonald’s, ABInBev, Avianca Airlines, Quaker, Bayer, LG Electronics, Johnson & Johnson, Casino Group, Pepsi, Huawei, Claro and BBVA). In 2018, he was named by Scopen as one of the ten most admired professionals in the Colombian advertising industry, and he has also been recognized as one of the most influential advertising professionals in Latin America, according to Adlatina magazine. He has won more than 70 Effies, 3 Grand Effies, 2 Cannes Lions, and several other awards such as D&AD, One Show, Clio Awards, London Festival, Wave, El Sol, and El Ojo. He lives with his wife in Bogotá and is a frequent keynote speaker and panelist at private and public forums on best practices in marketing, consumer trends, and innovation.

Natalia Fuentes, Account Director

Miguel Bueno, Senior Planner

Read more posts about Effie Colombia >

#Winner Spotlight #Marketing Effectiveness Playbook #Grand Effie #DDB #DDB Colombia #Bavaria #AB Inbev #Effie Colombia #Effie Awards Colombia

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cumbespirits01 · 5 years ago

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Our music, culture, traditions all inspire living life to the fullest. Best Aguardiente Colombia - Aguardiente is more than a spirit for Colombians (Guaro)!

#how to enjoy colombian aguardiente #colombian alcohol miami #aguardiente delivery Miami #colombian alcohol new york #colombian LIQUOR STORES in New york

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cynthiajayusa · 6 years ago

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Top 10 of the Week

BROADWAY – The Phantom of The Opera

Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera will make a triumphant return to Fort Lauderdale. Critics are raving that this breathtaking production is “bigger and better than ever before” and boasts many exciting special effects including the show’s legendary chandelier. The beloved story and thrilling score – with songs like “Music of the Night,” “All I Ask Of You,” and “Masquerade” – will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this Phantom one of the largest productions now on tour.

Wed October 10 – Sunday, Oct 21; Broward Center for the Performing Arts (201 Southwest 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale) Tix: tart at $35; BrowardCenter.org.

TASK FORCE – Miami Gala

The National LGBTQ Task Force presents an evening to celebrate being you at their annual gala honoring heroes and advancing equality. This year they honor Sam Champion and Robin Roberts with the National Leadership Award and Charles Million and Tim Nardi with the Eddy McIntyre Community Service Award. The MC for the night will be Jai Rodriguez (Queer Eye) and American Idols Kimberley Locke will entertain the crowd with her sultry voice.

Sat, October 6; 6:30pm; Fontainebleau Miami Beach (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach); Tix: $450: TheTaskForceGala.org.

COMEDIAN – Bruce Vilanch

One of the most sought-after joke smiths in the entertainment industry, Bruce Vilanch has become a recognizable face in his own right, thanks to the feature-length documentary “Get Bruce!” and his one-time stint as a regular on “Hollywood Squares”, for which he also served as head writer. This event may include adult language and content.

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Aventura Arts and Cultural Center (3385 NE 188th St, Aventura); Tix: $36.50 – $46.50; Aventuracenter.org.

DIRE STRAITS – Legacy

This event reunites original band members Phil Palmer, Alan Clark, Danny Cummings, Mel Collins, Trevor Horn, Steve Ferrrone and Marco Caviglia along with friends live on stage in a celebration of their iconic music. Experience the magic of their unforgettable classics like Money for Nothing, So Far Away, Sultans of Swing, Walk of Life and more.

Thurs, October 4; 8pm; Parker Playhouse (707 Northeast 8th Street Fort Lauderdale); Tix: $47.50 – $67.50; ParkerPlayhouse.com.

CONCERT – Phil Collins

Phil will be kicking off his Not Dead Yet, Live! tour right here in South Florida. This limited engagement by the legendary performer will feature Phil Collins accompanied by longtime guitarist Daryl Stuermer, keyboardist Brad Cole, bassist Leland Sklar, percussionist Luis Conte & his 16 year old son Nicolas on drums along with a horn section and backup singers.

Fri, October 5; 8pm; BB&T Center (1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise); Tix: start at $200; TheBBTcenter.org.

COMEDY – The Off Color Tour

Featuring Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Tommy Davidson and David Alan Grier, a quartet of comedy stars from the Emmy Award-winning series “In Living Color.”

Sat, October 06; 8pm; Hard Rock Event Center (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood) Tix: $50-$90): Seminolehardrockhollywood.com.

CONCERT – Olga Tanon

Over the course of a long career, the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter has won two Grammy and three Latin Grammy awards for her merengue-tinged Latin pop. She is joined by Colombian vallenato singer Jorge Celedon.

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Hard Rock Event Center (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood) Tix: $50 to $150; Seminolehardrockhollywood.com.

VISUALS – SIRO-A

This Techno Circus comes to Miami directly from Japan for 1 performance only! The group fuses mime, ground-breaking visual effects, and a techno soundtrack to create a whole new entertainment. Don’t miss this America’s Got Talent Season 10 Golder Buzzer Winner & semi-finalist!

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami) Tix: start at $35; ArshtCenter.org

OKTOBERFEST – Oakland Park

The City in conjunction with Funky Buddha Brewery, presents this 14th annual celebration featuring music and dancing, field activities including barrel and stein races, the Central Bark Dachshund Dash and the always entertaining apple strudel eating contest. Biergarten guests can select from a variety of authentic German-style and craft beers to accompany the fine Bavarian cuisine, or you may wish to visit their vendor area for some Oktoberfest trinkets and crafts.

Fri, October 5 through Sun, October 7; Jaco Pastorius Park (4000 N. Dixie Highway); Tix: $5 and children under 12 free; oaklandparkfl.gov.

MOVIES – A Star Is Born

This remake tell the story of a musician who helps a young singer and actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral. Directed by Bradley Cooper, and Stars Lady Gaga, Bradley, Sam Elliott, and Greg Grunberg.

Premieres Fri, October 5; Rated R; 135 min.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/10/03/top-10-of-the-week-6/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2018/10/top-10-of-week.html

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demitgibbs · 6 years ago

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Top 10 of the Week

BROADWAY – The Phantom of The Opera

Wed October 10 – Sunday, Oct 21; Broward Center for the Performing Arts (201 Southwest 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale) Tix: tart at $35; BrowardCenter.org.

TASK FORCE – Miami Gala

Sat, October 6; 6:30pm; Fontainebleau Miami Beach (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach); Tix: $450: TheTaskForceGala.org.

COMEDIAN – Bruce Vilanch

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Aventura Arts and Cultural Center (3385 NE 188th St, Aventura); Tix: $36.50 – $46.50; Aventuracenter.org.

DIRE STRAITS – Legacy

Thurs, October 4; 8pm; Parker Playhouse (707 Northeast 8th Street Fort Lauderdale); Tix: $47.50 – $67.50; ParkerPlayhouse.com.

CONCERT – Phil Collins

Fri, October 5; 8pm; BB&T Center (1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise); Tix: start at $200; TheBBTcenter.org.

COMEDY – The Off Color Tour

Featuring Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Tommy Davidson and David Alan Grier, a quartet of comedy stars from the Emmy Award-winning series “In Living Color.”

Sat, October 06; 8pm; Hard Rock Event Center (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood) Tix: $50-$90): Seminolehardrockhollywood.com.

CONCERT – Olga Tanon

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Hard Rock Event Center (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood) Tix: $50 to $150; Seminolehardrockhollywood.com.

VISUALS – SIRO-A

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami) Tix: start at $35; ArshtCenter.org

OKTOBERFEST – Oakland Park

Fri, October 5 through Sun, October 7; Jaco Pastorius Park (4000 N. Dixie Highway); Tix: $5 and children under 12 free; oaklandparkfl.gov.

MOVIES – A Star Is Born

Premieres Fri, October 5; Rated R; 135 min.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/10/03/top-10-of-the-week-6/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/178703526730

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hotspotsmagazine · 6 years ago

Text

Top 10 of the Week

BROADWAY – The Phantom of The Opera

Wed October 10 – Sunday, Oct 21; Broward Center for the Performing Arts (201 Southwest 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale) Tix: tart at $35; BrowardCenter.org.

TASK FORCE – Miami Gala

Sat, October 6; 6:30pm; Fontainebleau Miami Beach (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach); Tix: $450: TheTaskForceGala.org.

COMEDIAN – Bruce Vilanch

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Aventura Arts and Cultural Center (3385 NE 188th St, Aventura); Tix: $36.50 – $46.50; Aventuracenter.org.

DIRE STRAITS – Legacy

Thurs, October 4; 8pm; Parker Playhouse (707 Northeast 8th Street Fort Lauderdale); Tix: $47.50 – $67.50; ParkerPlayhouse.com.

CONCERT – Phil Collins

Fri, October 5; 8pm; BB&T Center (1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise); Tix: start at $200; TheBBTcenter.org.

COMEDY – The Off Color Tour

Featuring Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Tommy Davidson and David Alan Grier, a quartet of comedy stars from the Emmy Award-winning series “In Living Color.”

Sat, October 06; 8pm; Hard Rock Event Center (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood) Tix: $50-$90): Seminolehardrockhollywood.com.

CONCERT – Olga Tanon

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Hard Rock Event Center (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood) Tix: $50 to $150; Seminolehardrockhollywood.com.

VISUALS – SIRO-A

Fri, October 5; 8pm; Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami) Tix: start at $35; ArshtCenter.org

OKTOBERFEST – Oakland Park

Fri, October 5 through Sun, October 7; Jaco Pastorius Park (4000 N. Dixie Highway); Tix: $5 and children under 12 free; oaklandparkfl.gov.

MOVIES – A Star Is Born

Premieres Fri, October 5; Rated R; 135 min.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/10/03/top-10-of-the-week-6/

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stormyvixen · 6 years ago

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Blog Tour with Excerpt! Wheels Up: A Novel of Drug, Cartels and Survival by Jeanine Kitchel!

Title: WHEELS UP: A NOVEL OF DRUGS, CARTELS, AND SURVIVAL

Author: Jeanine Kitchel Publisher: Independent Pages: 294 Genre: Thriller

BOOK BLURB:

Layla always wanted to run the family business. But is she willing to kill for it?

When her notorious drug lord uncle is recaptured, Layla Navarro catapults to the top of Mexico’s most powerful cartel. Groomed as his successor, Layla knows where the bodies are buried. But not all the enemies. She strikes her first deal to prove her mettle by accepting an offer to move two tons of cocaine from Colombia to Cancun by jet. Things go sideways during a stopover in Guatemala whe Layla unexpectedly uncovers a human trafficking ring. Plagued by self-doubt, she must fight off gangsters, outsmart corrupt officials, and navigate the minefield of Mexican machismo. Even worse, she realizes she’s become a target for every rival cartel seeking to undermine her new standing. From her lush base in the tropics, she’s determined to retain her dominant position in Mexico’s criminal world. If she can stay alive.

AVAILABLE in print or ebook at:

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Wheels-Up-Novel-Cartels-Survival/dp/0692064699/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1531070072&sr=8-1&dpID=51WOvdpfbqL&preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

Chapter 1 Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico Present Day The Gulfstream jet, loaded with two tons of Colombian cocaine, careened over dense Yucatan jungle as Layla stared out the compact window, horrified. If they weren’t running on empty and destined to crash, it might have looked lush to her, even beautiful. Without fuel, the engines starved into silence, she heard only the whooshing sound of the aluminum plane as it cruised over mangrove swamps and fast-approaching mahogany trees. All thoughts of her hasty departure from Guatemala to escape Don Guillermo’s wrath had vanished along with any hopes of safely landing in Cancun. They were going down. Layla gripped the armrests, dropped her head between her knees, and prepared for the worst. # Three weeks earlier, Layla was sitting at the crowded bar in Bucanero’s Cantina in Ensenada, on Mexico’s west coast, while she waited for Clay Lasalle, Canada’s biggest pot dealer, to show up. Carlos, her bodyguard and sometime lover, was with her, but rather than relieving the stress, his overbearing presence just added to the pressure. With the recent recapture and imprisonment of El Patrón, her notorious uncle, Layla had catapulted to the top of the Culiacan Cartel as his replacement. Now she was facing her first deal without her uncle’s guiding hand. To calm her jitters she resorted to the one thing that never failed her: tequila shots. “Don Julio, por favor!” Layla called to the paunchy bartender over the clamor of the rowdy, alcohol-fueled crowd—mostly tourists in shorts and Hawaiian shirts. Above the polished mahogany bar a framed poster-sized photo showed a nude blonde being ushered out of the century-old watering hole by two Mexican policia. Of course it’s a gringa, Layla thought, Mexicans treaded more carefully in shark-infested waters. She waved a two-hundred-peso note as the bartender passed by with a tray of margaritas. “Momentito!” he promised. Carlos stepped away just as she downed her second shot. Though he’d given her his “cuidado” or “be careful” look before heading to the restroom, she ignored it. When a handsome gringo sat next to her and started talking, she was all in. By the time Carlos returned, Layla was too busy chatting with her neighbor to worry about her bodyguard’s glare. Carlos hated outsiders as much as seeing her drink, but she needed to chill. Tequila shots and flirting were a mindless diversion. The agave centered her, allowing her to distract herself without losing her edge before the meeting. “You’re from Chicago?” she asked. “I’ve been there.” The man gazed at the dark-haired Latina by his side. “What did you think?” She gave a dismissive shrug. “Too cold.” Her intelligent almond-shaped eyes were the color of charcoal. “I prefer Mexico.” A sardonic smile highlighted her cheekbones, making her face even more appealing. Layla turned back toward her bodyguard and focused on the shot glass the bartender placed in front of her. Poor Carlos. Coming to Baja always rattled him. It wasn’t only the jaw-breaking drive from Culiacan on dodgy Mexican roads. It was Ensenada—far from the safety of Sinaloa, well out of their comfort zone. But for Layla, Bucanero’s Cantina qualified as northern Baja’s one saving grace. The dive bar brought back memories of her wild, reckless early years. At thirty-five, Layla still had plenty of the right stuff. Her five-foot-six frame seemed mostly legs and Carlos’s rare compliments always focused on her tiny waist. She emphasized her striking physique by wearing low-cut tops but her most notable feature was the cascade of curly dark hair that spilled over her shoulders. She downed her last tequila shot, scooted off the wooden bar stool a step ahead of Carlos and moved towards the empty dining room. The cantina was not the best place for a meeting, but it suited their needs: an easy landmark near the border with a back room for business. Layla slipped into the barely lit room, accepted a menu from the waiter, and handed him a two-hundred-peso note. “Our associate arrives soon. We need privacy. Close the restaurant,” she ordered. “Your manager knows.” He nodded, pocketed the bill, and turned towards the kitchen. Layla walked across the worn wooden floor to a corner table in the back. She took a deep breath to steady herself before sitting down. Things would escalate into a full-scale argument once Carlos reached the table. She could already hear him scolding, “Bosses keep to themselves, especially in public.” When Carlos had a bad day, everyone had a bad day. He could easily vie for title of most miserable man on the planet. Too bad the sex was so good. Hijole! He had the body of a male model but two sizes larger, with café au lait skin. So handsome, but so disagreeable. Granted she shouldn’t have given that gringo the time of day, but tequila made her bold. Layla opened the menu, waiting for her bodyguard’s interrogation to begin. Carlos banged a cheap wooden chair against the table before sitting down. “What the hell do you care about Chicago? It’s not Madrid, not even Barcelona! That guy was boring! Are you so starved for conversation you have to talk to a gringo?” Layla silently perused the bill of fare. “I’ve had it,” he said, his voice rising. “I’m tired of my life. Am I just your bodyguard and nothing more? Everyone, everyone, told me to keep it strictly business, even your uncle. But I didn’t listen. I thought it would be that one drunken one night stand, and now I’m fucking chained to you because of this goddamn job!” His powerful hands clenched into fists as he rubbed them over his knees. “If only I could’ve left you in Guadalajara. But I’d have never made it out of the city before taking a bullet from your uncle.” That was accurate: You didn’t quit the cartel, the cartel quit you. She looked at the menu, avoiding eye contact, glad the waiter hadn’t yet returned. “Should we order?” He glared at her. “Are you acting like this conversation isn’t happening? Do you want me to walk out of here, meeting or no meeting?” Best not to test him. He’d do it, and then she’d be without a bodyguard. The drone of his voice, the bullying, started to sink in. Chinga! She had no trouble working the cartel mob, but Carlos ran her. He was as overbearing as her two brothers. Reynoldo who should have been running the cartel had died trying, and Martín, her other brother, wasn’t up to the task. Now with one brother and two cousins dead, Layla found herself atop the Culiacan Cartel. She looked up and said in as soothing a tone as possible, “Carlos, let’s not fight, okay? We’re here for business. I need you with me. You’re not only the man who protects me. I love you.” She did love him, though his bad attitude and barking complaints—usually aimed at her—were tiresome. He shifted his perfectly-proportioned body forward, staring at her with eyes she’d been lost in a hundred times. He surprised her by grabbing her hand, a little harder than necessary. They never touched in public. “After this meeting, we’ll talk about you and me.” He scowled. “I don’t know why you drink so much—and with strangers.” These macho men! “Okay, okay. I’ll let up on the shots. One last Pacifico while we wait.” The waiter came and they ordered. She checked her watch, 10 p.m. Lasalle would be showing up soon. She’d met him once before in Miami and sparks had flown—there was no denying they had chemistry. Layla changed topics. “So, what does he want?” “Chinga! Who cares?” She backpedaled. “Carlos…” He gave her a cold look but couldn’t hold back his opinion. “Routes for coke or pot.” The meal went smoothly. Layla pushed an enchilada around her plate and watched Carlos demolish an order of chilaquiles, three tamales, and a couple chicken enchiladas. As he piled it in, a rare calm settled over him. He was well into his second beer when Clay walked into the restaurant. Layla saw him first, but Carlos looked up the moment Clay crossed the threshold. As a bodyguard, Carlos’s instincts were flawless. The thirty-something Canadian smuggler was six feet two, a looker with brown shaggy hair and an easy smile. Though his frame was solid, almost hefty, he moved like a cat. Spotting Layla, he gave a nod as his long strides brought him across the room. He let his knuckles graze the table as he flashed her a warm smile. “Layla, it’s been a long time. Good to see you again. And this is…” “Carlos.” “Carlos, hola. Clay.” The Canadian extended a hand. Carlos rose from the booth. “A pleasure.” He spoke in Spanish. “I’ll be close by,” he said to Layla. “Have a seat.” Layla slid over to allow room for Clay. Not much had changed about the northern grower since she last saw him—still that laidback air even though he controlled the lion’s share of Canada’s pot sales. “Something to eat?” Layla continued in English, though she knew Clay spoke passable Spanish. He shook his head. “Just a Pacifico.” She gestured toward her beer and the hovering waiter sprung into action. “Long drive?” “Not bad. Been waiting long?” Clay asked. “No.” They silently watched the waiter set down the bottle of beer and retreat from the room. “Salud,” said Clay, raising his bottle. “Layla, I’m glad you could meet with me. I’ll get right to the point. I want a partner to move a couple tons of coke to Cancun by air—a regular run. I heard you lost a yacht recently, so a partnership could work out well for both of us.” How did Lasalle know about the navy seizing their yacht? “Cocaine…” “Boats are fine, but flying’s faster and we can carry more. Plus I’m dealing directly with FARC. Gotta hand it to ’em. For a guerrilla army in the Colombian jungle, they know how to run those cocaine fincas. And we can get better prices from them than anyone’s gotten before.” He took a swig of beer. “Interesting,” she said without emotion. “How will you manage those good prices?” “A combined order with you.” He paused and waited for her reaction. She said nothing. “The airport manager’s on board,” he said, “Already allowed some of my flights through.” She leaned back against the worn naugahyde booth, settling into the game of cat and mouse. “What kind of planes?” “A Gulfstream and a DC-9.” Layla raised an eyebrow. “Who owns them?” “A couple guys in Lauderdale run a shield for drug planes by providing American registration to the cartels. It’s complicated—big money down, more than what the plane’s worth. In return these guys maintain the plane registration, and hire Vietnam vets to do the cartel runs.” She nodded. “If the plane’s seized, the pilots deny responsibility. These hooked-up guys can reclaim the plane because their corporation holds the lien,” Clay said. Layla slid forward, placed her elbows on the table and picked at the label on the empty beer bottle in front of her. “How can they do that? Someone must hold the original papers.” “They disguise ownership by sheep-dipping it—you know, a fake identity—and pass it on to straw owners. It’s a slick process, an old scheme used by the CIA.” “The CIA? Come on, Clay,” she said with a slight frown. Do I look naïve? She flipped her dark hair over one shoulder. Clay’s gaze shifted to Layla’s long elegant neck. He caught himself, looked away, and readjusted his long legs under the table before speaking. “These vets couriered traffickers from Colombia to Miami for the CIA. Talk about walking the line. They did time for trafficking, but they’re back, and they’re hotshot pilots.” “Your shipments came in with no problem?” Layla asked. “Like I said, I have connections, and the players, they’ve worked it out.” “Does that include the Gulf Cartel?” He nodded. “Hmm. I’ve got to think things through,” Layla said. “When’s your next run?” “Got a few details to sort out. I hear you’re growing the European market—this’ll get you a lot closer to that trip across the pond.” Layla gave him a cool smile. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were spying on me.” “Layla,” Clay said with a chuckle. “I’m just trying to keep up with you.” She looked at him a second too long before she continued. “Can I get back to you?” “Sure.” Clay finished off his beer. “Let me know where and when.” # Layla and Carlos left Ensenada immediately after the meeting, heading out on the road to Culiacan. Carlos high-powered the black SUV through the moonless night while Layla closed her eyes and imagined the impact of bringing in new business on her own. In a four hundred billion dollar global industry, she could begin to stake out her territory. “By working with us, FARC will see Clay as a real player,” she confided to Carlos. “Basta! Always business!” Carlos said, still in a huff. Layla composed herself before responding. “Yes, it is. Business that allows you to drive a new Escalade, wear expensive suits and five thousand peso boots, and drink Don Julio and Dom Perignon. Let me remind you: My uncle’s in prison and he’s left me in charge. Get used to it!” She leaned against the window, pulling as far away from Carlos as possible. Always fighting. She turned her attention to the darkness outside. It was a lonely two-lane road, not used much even in the daytime. Though she couldn’t make out the mountains that surrounded them she knew they were there. They rode in silence, absorbed in separate thoughts. Carlos concentrated on dodging potholes. Layla contemplated moving powder with Clay. The rules were changing and in this game they all had to stay ahead of the curve. She was anxious to run the idea by El Patrón. But they had a long drive ahead.

About the Author

Jeanine Kitchel, a former journalist, escaped her hectic nine-to-five life in San Francisco, bought land, and built a house in a fishing village on the Mexican Caribbean coast. Shortly after settling in she opened a bookstore. By this time she had become a serious Mayaphile and her love of the Maya culture led her and her husband to nearby pyramid sites throughout southern Mexico and farther away to sites in Central America. In the bookstore she entertained a steady stream of customers with their own Maya tales to tell—from archeologists and explorers to tour guides and local experts. At the request of a publisher friend, she began writing travel articles about her adopted homeland for websites and newspapers. Her travel memoir, Where the Sky is Born: Living in the Land of the Maya, and Maya 2012 Revealed: Demystifying the Prophecy, are available on Amazon. She has since branched into writing fiction and her debut novel, Wheels Up—A Novel of Drugs, Cartels and Survival, launched May 2018. WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website - http://www.jeaninekitchel.com/

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/jeaninekitchel

Facebook (personal) - https://www.facebook.com/jeanine.kitchel

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Jeanine-Kitchel-255426494528083/

#blogtour #excerpt #bookboost #suspense #thriller #JeanineKitchel #WheelsUp #PUYB #StormyVixen

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alldayieat · 8 years ago

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The Walled City of Cartagena

I’ve been wanting to visit Cartagena for many years. I was a little worried that it might be really touristy, especially since I read that cruise ships dock there.

But after visiting for 3 days, I can happily say that it was a very enjoyable place!

Cartagena has a lot of old world charm with a distinctly laidback atmosphere and colorful colonial architecture.

The weather while we were there was perfect, roughly 90-95 degrees without too much humidity. (I like warm weather :)

The streets weren’t overrun with tourists like they were in Venice, Italy and the city is very walkable with plenty to see and do for several days.

We stayed outside the walled city at an Airbnb in the residential area of Manga.

It was a leisurely 20 minute walk to get into the center of the walled city from there.

Below are some pictures from our visit as well as a synopsis of each of the places we ate at. Scroll all the way down for the pictures

Scroll all the way down for the pictures

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Cartagena Restaurants and Food

La Mulata – not recommended

Although ranked #1 on Tripadvisor, this was the absolute worst meal I’ve eaten in a long time.

Things got off to a bad start when we ordered a green mango smoothie which was basically water flavored with a few drops of mango juice.

We then got our main course (we only ordered one since we weren’t that hungry and portions tend to be large). And it was terrible. The shrimp were definitely imported and probably frozen. The fish was some sort of white fish that also was probably frozen as it had no flavor with the texture of mush. And even the vegetables were frozen! We left our half-finished plate and set out to get another meal and dessert elsewhere.

Gelateria Tramonti – not recommended

We were in the mood for gelato after dinner one night and decided to try this place out. Unfortunately, it was pretty standard. Not good, not bad either. I actually prefer the popsicle place (La Paleteria) just next door. The flavors there are more unique e.g. (tropical fruits) and ice cream better in my opinion.

Se Volvio Prispri Coffee Shop – recommended

We ended up stopping at this bakery twice. The first time we were going to get juice but the line was too long and we ended up going elsewhere. The second time was after our failed dinner at La Mulata. We were still hungry after not finishing our food and decided to order a ‘Posta’ lasagna. A fusion of Colombian and Italian.

Posta Negra or Posta Cartagenera is one of the beef dishes cooked over a long period of time and is one of the specialties from Cartagena. I saw it on some menus in Bogota, but decided to hold off eating it until we arrived in Cartagena. The lasagna here was a delicious and rich dish with a beef sauce slightly sweeter than what we ate at Restaurante 1533. I think I like my lasagnas on the savory side, so would probably try a different dish next time I come back here.

The funny thing we noticed here was that everyone wore facemasks for food hygiene. And there was even a diagram posted on the wall demonstrating how to wear the masks. Yet, each and every one of the employees (6 or 7 of them) were wearing them incorrectly. Picture a surgeon wearing a face mask, then picture them pulling it down so it rests on their chin with their nose and mouth completely exposed. That’s how they wore them. :)

Pezetarian – recommended

Having been eating a good amount of meat on our trip we wanted to switch things up and eat some lighter fare with fish. We thought we’d give this Colombian sushi place a try and it was pretty good for non-traditional sushi.

We got two rolls and a ceviche and that was plenty for two people. The fish was fresh and the flavors were light.

Sierva Maria – recommended

This was our favorite place to get fresh fruit juice. The reviews say the service is bad and it’s absolutely true.

The two times we went in there the cashier and the juice maker were both on their phone talking as they took our orders. They also took their time and didn’t really seem to care about their job. I was worried the first time the juices might not taste good, but they did! We had guanabana, lulo, guava, and maracuya. Guanabana with milk was my favorite!

Refresqueria La Estrella de la India – recommended

This was the best meal of our visit in Cartagena. It’s a locals place that I found when searching on google maps for fish.

It’s like an open air liquor store with a tiny kitchen on the side. So you get a nice view of the street and fresh warm ocean breeze blowing through.

There are only about 10 small tables and they offer a small menu of 5-7 choices.

You get a 2 course set lunch which includes soup for 12,000-16,000 pesos ($3-4) and you will leave stuffed. The fish was fresh and food good! It came with coconut rice, a little salad and plantains. When I go back I will definitely make sure to eat here.

Restaurante 1533 – recommended

There are hundreds of restaurants to choose from in Cartagena and I read the reviews of the top 100. I was on the fence for this place, but what helped us to decide to eat here was the comments describing it on another blog – practicalwanderlust

We came here for a set lunch and made sure to try the Posta Negra. (We walked by the night before and asked when they serve it, and it turned out to be the next day for lunch!) So we made sure to return.

The lunch was similar to the Refresqueria above, with soup as a started and then rice/salad with the main.

The posta negra was good. Like any beef stew that has been cooked for a long time, the beef flavor will be rich, dense and concentrated. The flavor was slightly sweet and very savory. It reminded me of soy sauce almost. But I don’t think they use soy sauce.

I read one recipe uses Coca Cola. Maybe that’s it! Just kidding I really don’t know what they put in it. I just know it tasted good and I would go back here if I wanted to eat it again!

Oh La La Bistrot – recommended

This is a French owned cafe that we passed each day and seemed to be promising based on the reviews and menu. We stopped by one morning to have breakfast.

We started with two fresh juices -tamarind and guava. Both were very good and naturally sweet.

Then came the arepas with egg. They were deep fried and crunch on the outside. Inside the corn shell was the egg. Although kind of heavy, it was very tasty. I wanted to come back for lunch/dinner, but as it was our last day we didn’t have time. :(

Crepes and Waffles – recommended

This is one of the major chain restaurants in Colombia. They have locations outside too in Europe and Central America, but it was my first time eating there.

We ordered flambeed crepes (since I just made Crepes Suzette before leaving) and wanted to see how they tasted down here.

Well, they were quite different. In fact, they came with a thick 1/4 inch layer of caramelized sugar. The sugar wasn’t exactly brown, but hard and clear.

The crepes were tender and vanilla ice cream not too sweet.

The alcohol flavor was still noticeable and overall brought everything together. Without the alcohol it might have been too sweet. Plus, I think I still like my Crepes Suzette more:)

Cartagena in 3 days

Looking back I think 3 days was just enough time to explore the old city of Cartagena.

Overall, we had a great time in Colombia and look forward to going back sometime in the next few years!

click pictures to enlarge

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looking at the back of Bocagrande

walled city on the right

Gitsemani

street art

just outside the old city

entrance

inside the city

refresqueria – soup course

refresqueria -snapper

refresqueria -sharp teeth!

refresqueria -mackerel

looking through the wall

walking around…

‘green’ mango with salt from the street

soft serve

random that we saw Miss Colombia!

pezetarian – Colombian style sushi

pezetarian – ceviche

more popsicles

gelato

Cartagena sweets!

oh la la – fresh tamarind

oh la la – fresh guava

oh la la – arepa with egg

oh la la – arepa with egg inside

the fort

near La Matuna

restaurante 1533 – posta negra

near La Matuna

street empanada – carne was yum!

walking around on the walls

fruit like a grape, forgot the name tho :(

la mulata -watery mango smoothie

la mulata – worst meal of the year

cartagenera style lasagna!

crepes and waffles- flambeed crepe with ice cream

dancing in the square

sierva maria – maracuya and guanabana!

off to miami

airplane food. bleh!!

In case you missed it, here is the link to part 1 of my Colombia trip-

Colombia Trip March 2017 Part 1: Bogota Sights

Colombia Trip March 2017 Part 2: Bogota Food

Up next is Miami!

–Here’s another plug for my new online course–

If you are interested in traveling with points and miles, I am working on a paid online course that will guide you through the process start to finish.

If you’re interested, all you have to do is click for details and sign up for exclusive access to the pre-launch tomorrow May 1, 2017!

I am going to provide some consultative services with the course as a package and therefore, enrollment will be limited to the first 20 people.

Let me know if you have any questions and thanks for stopping by!

Colombia Trip March 2017 Part 3: Eating Cartagena The Walled City of Cartagena I've been wanting to visit Cartagena for many years. I was a little worried that it might be really touristy, especially since I read that cruise ships dock there.

#cartagena #colombia #travel

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