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The Cuban Love Doctor Is In
Why do Cuban men cheat? Are Cuban women faithful? Steer clear of Cuban men? Someone save me from my Cuban husband! People look to me as some kind of authority when it comes to their Cuban lovers –...
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Calling the Cuban Fashion Police, Urgente!
Along with the fidelity conundrum, questionable Cuban fashion has proven rich and popular fodder at Here is Havana. Lamentably, the fury of dubious style has only quickened with new access to...
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Loco Libs: The Cuban Party Game
When I was a kid (and later, when boredom and the bobería of teenage existence gave rise to silly drinking games), we used to play something called Mad Libs. If you’re reading this up north in Los...
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Crystal Balling Cuba
Get your mind out of the gutter: this isn’t a pornographic post – which I know will be a great disappointment to some of you (I see every naughty and downright nasty search term used to find Here is...
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Do You Have the Cojones?
If I had a peso for every email I get from someone saying they want to live in Cuba, I could take the six month sabbatical I need to finish my book. Hard as it may be for some of you to believe (or...
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La Bola en la Calle: Crime in Cuba
“He killed it! And I love this venue,” the young Cuban American says leaving the Jardines de la Tropical where Carlos Varela has just played a rare Havana concert. “Yeah, way better than when we saw...
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Havana’s Happy Ending Massage
Next to a full-blown orgasm, there’s nothing more relaxing than a full-body massage in my book. A good massage even beats out great masturbation if you ask me, and while I’ve had massages in places as...
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Adventures of the Cuban Virgins: Part I
Honeyed, late-afternoon rays streak down Línea illuminating two men, each carrying a conga in one hand, a cajón in the other. An old Dodge, Ford, then Buick rumble past a tattooed youth helping a...
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Adventures of the Cuban Virgins: Part II
We last left our protagonists – American musicians on the island for the first time – as they were figuratively deflowered by the temptress that is Cuba and literally robbed by her inhabitants. With...
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Birth of a Biker Bitch
Fifteen or so years ago I was living above a taquería and across the street from one of San Francisco’s largest thrift stores. Community Thrift wasn’t the hippest or most swank, but it stocked the...
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Series #1: Cuba, A Visitor’s Practicum
With this quartet of posts, I’m initiating a novel concept at Here is Havana: a series of old and new writing, linked by theme. While reading every post in the entire series is only for the anal/OCD...
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Just When You Think You Know Cubans
Loud, machista, brand-loco, bossy, gold medal (but loose and slippery) lovers: one – or several – of these stereotypes applies to most of the Cubans I know. Judging by the search terms used to land...
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Havana: The Land of Big Ideas
Dear friends, family, readers new and not, informants, and detractors: I’ve been (too) quiet here lately and for this, I apologize. It’s for worthy, horizon-broadening reasons however, and for that,...
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Havana Mantras
Cubans like their dichos. For just about any hairball situation life coughs up, they’ve got a palliative or folksy saying. As you may imagine, the general difficulties of modern existence are fertile...
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Conner’s Letra del Año
I’m back in the swing of things here in Havana and if I’m reading the signs/between the lines correctly, it promises to be a memorable year. Already some unpredictable ($200,000 cars?!) and unexpected...
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CUBAN DISPATCHES: Rock ‘n Roll!
Life has become way too complicated (and trying, truth be told) lately – something I predicted would happen. I chose to pointedly ignore the trying part here in that ‘hey, it’s a new year, maybe the...
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Havana for Careful Readers
Surrounded by punchy bright flowers, relaxing, windows thrown wide. The breeze and verdant hour and laughter of passersby intoxicate. Inventing parties, creating drama, swapping art and clothes and...
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Rock ‘n Roll Resurrection: Dead Daisies in Havana
I knew it was going to be a different kind of night when the heavy at the door started scrutinizing my press pass. It was from last year, true, but I’ve been accredited here for a decade plus and I...
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Getting Screwed in Cuba’s New Economy
It will take a bit for me to create the physical time and psychic space to write a long form piece on private businesses here – but trust, me: I’ve got plenty to say on the subject. In the meantime,...
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That Time of the Month in Havana (AKA Periodo Especial)
So the KKK deigned us with a visit. Not the white hooded racists, but the Prada-clad Kardashian clan. By all accounts, they hated Havana. They are not alone. Reasons to dislike my adopted city abound –...
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