I’m sitting at one of my favorite coffee cafes, waiting for a friend to show up. I notice two of Cuenca’s finest arrive and walk towards my table. Policeman: “Stand up please” Me: “Is there a problem officer” Policeman: “You’re under arrest for trespassing” I’m then handcuffed, searched for weapons, and taken to the local […]
I’ve seen a lot lately about more brick-and-mortar stores closing in the United States. Today, The Bon-Ton Stores, after filing for bankruptcy in January, announced it is heading into liquidation. For those who don’t know, the 160 year-old company has 260 stores in 24 states. They will officially close the stores in 10 to 12 […]
My writing assignments often evoke in me a feeling of inadequacy and, at the same time, the recognition of great fortune. This is not a new sensation, it is a lasting collection of emotions that visit me often and reveal their intentions as I fidget in trepidation prior to writing. It is a state of […]
Text and photos by John Keeble An expat-supported soup kitchen to feed the poor opened Thursday in Cuenca’s historic district as concerns grow about the well-being of thousands fleeing instability in Venezuela and Colombia. The free eatery feeds 60 people in two sittings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and its organisers hope the generosity of donors […]
Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series on vegan and vegetarian dining in Cuenca. Here, Cuenca chefs Giovanni Cambizaca and Yasu Umet talk about their culinary development and their philosophy of food preparation and service. Although both serve fish, chicken and meat dishes in their restaurants, they take pride in their vegan […]
As a member of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, I’m privileged to have as colleagues some of the most accomplished Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs). Our guest columnist this week is an expert dietitian/nutritionist who is… “on a mission to serve the breast cancer community through education and inspiration to “Bite back” with nutrition, “Move […]
Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series on vegan and vegetarian dining in Cuenca. Tomorrow: Cuenca’s vegan super chefs. Text and photos by John Keeble It was not so long ago that the phrase “vegan fine dining” was an oxymoron – but no longer. Now, in Cuenca and around, vegan cuisine has […]
A few nights ago, my friend Tom went out to catch a taxi to go to dinner. The new tram line that is under construction runs along his street and he was aware of the narrow and deep concrete ditch but as he turned his head to hail a taxi he took another step and….oops!, […]
By Sara Chaca For any new (or possibly not so new) expat who has moved to Ecuador, the question that often arises is what to do with one’s time. Unless one plans to devote their energy, time and investment towards a preexisting organization (i.e. a charity or other not for profit organization), the idea of […]
Editor’s note: Writers on Writers in an on-going series in which Cuenca expat writers interview each other about their their work. Here, Lee Polevoi and Jean McCord talk about why they write and what they write. Writers’ Q&A (Part 1): Jean McCord asks Lee Polevoi about his writing Lee, what are you working on now? I’m writing […]
Have you ever seen something that caused your common sense to question your vision? I remember, while working in Baltimore, driving along a street near the downtown area. There was an old dilapidated building, something I’d seen countless times before. But to my amazement, I saw a large tree limb protruding from a second floor […]
By Gil Castle This is the second article in a two-part series. The first article posited that beautiful cities can be analyzed using 15 categories of civic beauty. The 15 categories — the 15 “Beautiful Facets” — emerge from research conducted by CitiesBeautiful.org [http://citiesbeautiful.org/] on “common threads” in theories of beauty from the ancient Greece […]
By Gil Castle While “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” (as Plato was the first to say), we can nonetheless answer the question fairly objectively. Beautiful cities can be analyzed using 15 categories of civic beauty. The 15 categories – hereafter, the 15 “Beautiful Facets” – emerge from research conducted by CitiesBeautiful.org [http://citiesbeautiful.org/] […]