Celebration
So this past weekend had a cause for celebration and a very big one. What might that be, you ask…well if you want to scroll and look through the pictures brought forth, you can make some easy conclusions that there was food, food, and more food. Nicole’s sweet sixteen brought together tables upon tables of the most delicious traditional Portuguese dishes known to man, but also the culture that comes with it. Now you may be asking what does this western european culture consist of?
It’s actually not that complicated: Loud obnoxious immigrant stories, beer and lots of it, and an abundance of roasted pig. (Warning veggie readers, the next couple sentences may be offensive, but I really don’t care.) That’s right ladies and gents, that beautiful animal you see ready to be served in the first picture is the mantel to which us “chops” raise our praises when it comes to dinner celebrations. Served alongside juicy oranges and just simply a piece of bread, this bad boy gets taste buds all over the portuguese community going every time. Wether it be the crackling of the skin when being munched upon, or the tender meat soaked in zesty brown sauce that nestles between two pieces of a portuguese roll or…both, it really doesn’t matter. As long as you enjoy the unique taste accompanied by a cold one, you’ll quickly feel like a honorary portuguese soul for the remainder of dinner time.
Anyhoo, back to business, as the birthday girl started to circle her cake table, we couldn’t help but to entertain ourselves in another classic european fashion: foosball. You think it’s not competitive? Watch a game of 3 different generations of a family go at it in a 4 x 7 ft table made form wood and steel and you’ll quickly find out 9 of the 10 most common portuguese curse words. Not joking, count. Everyone and their mother is insulted as you attempt to score as many balls as you can before someone needs to insert another quarter. Good thing for me and everyone involved at this fiesta, Gabriella was not trigger shy with the camera. Much thanks goes to her and her coverage of this event, because without her, you wouldn’t be able to put the appropriate pictures to these words.
The pretty much wraps the evening up, now throw in a table packed with every dessert known to man and complimentary expressos around the room and you’ve successfully completed yet another immigrant family event. Sure you might end up driving home in a food coma, but I guarantee you that you’ll have a smile on your face amidst the pain. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade that for anything else in the world.
4 Years In The Making
Tomorrow culminates a four year wait for the greatest sporting event in the world. Not only does it fall under the greatest sporting event in the world, but also as a almost surreal point in time where unity and joy come hand in hand across every country in the world. The World Cup can do this and so much more all in a span of a month, where 32 teams will be fighting to come back to their homeland as not only heroes, but legends. Can you tell I’m excited?
This weekend also entails celebration here in the states, revolving around my Portuguese background, as Portugal Day Weekend will be in full effect these coming days. What does this mean you ask? Well most certainly some delicious food, and that my friends is as big of an understatement as it going to get - lots of food, meat, meat and more meat. Throw in pots and pots of endless sangria and it sets the tone for what’s looking like a great three days.
It will definitely feel different this time around going into Newark rather than just walking down to Ferry Street, but now I bring newcomers. Some celebrating their birthday, some looking to chow down some delicious traditional Portuguese sandwiches, and others will just be enjoying themselves with everything around them that encompasses this weekend.
As for me, the excitement is practically written all over my face. I will look like a child waiting for christmas for the first match tomorrow, and when the anthems start playing for each respective country, you can bet the emotions will be high. So when you turn on your televisions this weekend and see those stadiums full to capacity cheering on the teams, remember this: Those aren’t the only fans, there are nations, on the edge of their seats, at countless bars and restaurants, on their sofas at home, listening to their radios at work. Waiting for that moment where you will hear the entire country celebrate and yell at the top of their voices. Believe it or not, these games will shape the way in which we interact with one another, the way in which a nation carries itself and just plain in simple, how big can your smile get in the next thirty or so days. Let’s just put it this way, when its all said and done, we’ll have to wait another 4 years for this to come again. Where will you be?
