There is a land of the living and a land of
                                                  the dead and the bridge is love, the only            
                                                           survival, the only meaning.
                                                                  -- Thornton Wilder

PAN EL CHECO     

Bread. Real bread. Bread that you can chew wholeheartedly,
that tastes wholesome, not the ersatz version wrapped in trans-
parent plastic on supermarket shelves that dares to call itself
bread but is a pathetic tasteless
version laden with unknown artificial
ingredients designed to guarantee the
product's longevity and enhance its
spurious nutrition.

Is that too much to ask for in this day
and age that promises consumers the
realization of all their wishes?



Luckily, for residents of San Juan a
new bakery has opened ready to deliver the real goods:  bread
that is crusty, tasty, nutritious, and, best of all, comes in different
tantalizing varieties. The kind you can enjoy with jam and
butter while sipping tea or coffee at any time your heart desires.

The bakery bears a simple name -- El Checo -- but behind that
name is as sweet, romantic story of love between a young man
from Czechoslovakia and a Puerto Rican woman that led him
to leave Europe to begin a new life on the island at the side
of his innamorata.

As Radim Capek told a local daily, one of the things he missed
most from his country was eating good, wholesome bread so he
began baking his own. In time, he started selling it to friends
and acquaintances, then farmers markets and eventually, local
restaurants. Recently, he opened a tiny outlet on San Francisco
St., next door to Concalma, to sell directly to consumers.

 Inside the cozy store is a small
world of bread wonders: sour-
dough and multi-grain breads,
brioches, focaccia, scones,
wholewheat and rye rolls,
carrot muffins. They are display-
ed neatly in a glass case at the
main counter or stocked up
inside baskets hanging attrac-
tively on a side wall lighted
by jazzy light bulbs on black wires.

El Checo is open four days a week.
In addition to baking, Capek also works as a chemist for a paint
company. He is working hard to support his family that soon 
will welcome a baby.

EL CHECO, #207 San Francisco St.
787.631.9424

DAYBREAK ON EARTH

Life is a peephole, a single tiny entry onto a vastness.
                           
                                 Yann Martel, "Life of Pi"



  ☞ A SIMPLE TIP
WORN fabric can be recycled into scrap material for use around
the house in lieu of paper towels. Cut up material into pieces of
different sizes and store in one location for easy access when needed.

Puerta de San Juan, Old San Juan

photo by Denise Blasor

                   What matters is how well you 
                          walk through the fire.

                         -- Charles Bukowski

I want to taste and glory 
in each day,
and never be afraid
 to experience pain.

Sylvia Plath

Photography by Denise Blasor

              CURVVY SHAYPES

"Dog Hows" by Paula del Toro at Etsy.com

PUERTO RICAN ARTIST Paula del Toro's funky designs
are now emblazoned on the white T-shirts she sells on Etsy,
the popular internet site for handmade and vintage products.

Del Toro's virtual shop offers six bold graphic designs that
she says are part of a collection titled "Daily feels."
Printed on regular white T-shirts, the designs feature
people and animals rendered in del Toro's quirky style.
The result is a cool and eye catching top that reflects
the artist's wry sense of humor and colorful imagination.

"Slimmy," T-shirt by Paula del Toro

The T-shirts are available for $20 plus shipping. One caveat:
unless you know the name of Del Toro's virtual store
it will be difficult to locate it as Etsy's search engine does
not recognize her name. So here's the word to remember:
cvvyshypz. When asked what's behind the letters, del Toro
quickly dispelled the mystery. She said that in trying to find
the right name for her virtual shop she turned to an abstract line
of images she produces under the tag "curvvy shaypes."

It's all in the spelling!


cvvyshypz at Etsy.com

Photography by Denise Blasor

Life is a peephole,
a single tiny entry onto a vastness.

Yann Martel,

"Life of Pi"

☞ A SIMPLE TIP

  This simple tip comes courtesy of Matilsha Marxuach who runs the lovely "Concalma" 
   store in Old San Juan, purveyor of cotton totes, T-shirts and jewelry handmade by
   artists.

   In the absence of wrapping paper, a humble brown pape bag can be of service. All you 
   need is a hole puncher,  a short colored ribbon, and a small piece of brown paper folded
   in half that will serve as the card. Place the gift in the bag, fold the top, overlay the paper
   card, punch two holes on the top left side of the bag, thread the ribbon into a pretty bow.

   Dedicate the card and VOILA!

Photography by Adam Silcott

THE ONLY RECOGNIZABLE
FEATURE OF HOPE IS ACTION.

GRACE PALEY

THE RIGHT TUNA

A new brand of tuna
has turned up on the
shelves of the chain
Supermax and it is
so tasty that it merits
a mention.

This tuna sells under
the brand name of Ubago
and if one is to take the label at face value, it is wild caught
somewhere around Cape Verte, off the northwest coast of
Africa. The tuna, which comes packed in olive oil in a 4.2 oz
can, retails for $3.35.

A second product that has come to our attention is a
whole wheat past sold under the brand name pastaZara.
The manufacturer, located in the Veneto region in northern
Italy, has been producing pasta products since 1898.
This whole wheat pasta is tasty and at under $1.50
it is an excellent buy.

Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think
it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is growing
up.   -- James Baldwin




© 2016 Lorraine Blasor, all rights reserved★

Nothing in the world is permanent,
and we're foolish
when we ask anything to last,
but surely we're still more foolish
not to take delight in it
while we have it.

W. Somerset Maugham

"The Razor's Edge"

If it's December, it's time for Timbiriche

SAN JUAN -- Timbiriche Design Fair is back this week-
end at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico.

A yearly tradition by now, the activity gathers artists and
craftspeople working in all types of media and materials.
You'll find painting, photography, clothes and bag designs,
works on wood, paper and metal, handmade jewelry made
with beads as well as crafted with metals and stones, handmade
books, furniture, and more, including food.

This showcase of local talent runs for three consecutive days,
from Dec. 18 through the 20th.  The entrance to the activity is
free and prices fit all pocketbooks.

The fair is enhanced by free, nighttime performances by
Andanza, Puerto Rico's premier modern dance group. This
exciting ensemble of talented dancers always brings a high
level of professionalism and imaginative choreography to
its performances.

Timbiriche, in short, is an exciting display of talent and
creativity. Not to be missed!


Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico
Rafael M. de Labra Building at Stop 18
Ponce de Leon Ave.

HOURS:
FRIDAY 18,   6 pm - 10:30 pm
SATURDAY 19,  10 am - 10 pm
SUNDAY 20,  1 pm - 9:30 pm

I felt the intense pleasure of giving up,
the expansive freedom of 
utter defeat.

Aleksandar Hemon

                                        
                                       


                 LET THERE BE COLOR

Photo courtesy of Juanita Colombani

     Some colorful decorative stickers 

     of long stemmed red poppies and 

     a bold combination of simple but 

     brightly colored accessories is

     basically all it takes to turn a small 

     space into a vibrant guest room. 

     The stickers are available at Ikea 

     for $10.49 each and are sure 

     to liven up any wall.

That which sustains the universe
beyond thought and language, and that
which is at the core of us and struggles
for expression, is the same thing.
The finite within the infinite,
the infinite within the finite.

Yann Martel

"Life of Pi"

   

  ©   lblasor 2015 all rights reserved ☀