It was mid-afternoon as I walked west up Presidente Córdova under a mostly cloudy sky. Areas of blue opened on occasion, allowing some interesting light to filter through. I was with my ten mentorees, all successful applicants to an artists call earlier this spring. My exposition, “Decisive Moment,” has now been open in Cuenca’s Museo […]
The Taco Joint (Coronel Talbot 8-66 and Simon Bolivar), open since March, is already becoming an established feature of the San Sebastian neighborhood. It is a tiny place, with a single table for four and seating for a few more at the counter. A pass-through window to the street makes for a most convenient opportunity […]
By Robert Bradley In January of this year, I wrote a column for CuencaHighLife drawing attention to the difficulties facing senior expats who, for any number of reasons, find themselves alone — strangers in a strange land. My report detailed the plight of elderly singles in Cuenca unable, or unwilling, to ask for assistance when […]
By Brian Hitsky Goofy is good. Silly is fine. Fun is always appropriate and beneficial. But by combining all three attributes together, one begins to understand the makings of an idea hatched in the farthest reaches of Ned Flottman’s mind. A couple of beers are also credited with helping his thinking process along. Flottman, a […]
I love mornings like this; gray flannel clouds are barely muffling the sounds of yawns, creaking bones, and percolating coffee. Pretty soon, I will hear the gas sellers song rolling by; the crow-like caw of Allan pushing his cart. Car noise will increase like waves on an incoming tide. Doors in my apartment building will […]
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 Ashley Oswald, who brings us important news about how the foods you choose can keep your digestive system healthy. Ashley Oswald is a Registered […]
The 2018 Ecuador Jazz Festival kicks off tonight and mixes some of the top names in international jazz with local talent. Among those performing are Shai Golan, Charmaine Michelle, Alki Steriopoulas, Joan Sanchez. According to event coordinator Luis Ullauri, the festival will showcase a wide variety of “sound possibilities,” ranging from traditional to modern jazz […]
When our oldest son, Kevin, was visiting a couple of weeks ago, we decided to treat him to a working-class Ecuadorian vegetarian restaurant and took him to El Paraiso by the San Blas Plaza. It’s a deceptively delicious restaurant that looks unimpressive with no decorations other than posters advertising their products. The furniture is old, […]
By Louis Bourgeois I am on an extended trip in the U.S. This is a my first such visit in four years. The primary reason for the six weeks here in the U.S. is to spend some time with my 93-year old mother, to introduce her to my Ecuadorian wife and our baby, now 2 […]
A lot of us humans are like dogs: we really don’t know what size we are, how we’re shaped or what we look like. The most extreme example of this ignorance must be the people who design the seats on airplanes. At the other extreme, the people who have the most accurate, vivid sense of […]
By Liam Higgins Cuenca is changing before our eyes, becoming more multicultural and more cosmopolitan. That’s the assessment of University of Edinburgh researcher Calvin Evans, currently in town conducting interviews. “The changes are happening fairly rapidly due to the influx of Europeans and to Ecuadorians who are returning from Europe and the U.S.,” says Evans, […]
The major role of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus and keep them in balance to support and maintain healthy bones. Two new studies tested vitamin D at or above the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 600 IU daily up to age 70 and 800 IU daily over age […]
Every now and then I find a restaurant that is so exceptional I must return to assure myself of my first impression. Such was the case with Lola (Simon Bolivar 12-60 and Tarqui), a courtyard dining room decorated with banana trees, widely spaced white tables and comfortable chairs. The setting features clean lines with no […]