Cafe y Chisme Corner

Stories, cultura, and gift guides rooted in real Latino family life. Read, share, and find something that feels like home.

Cafe y Chisme Corner

Día del Niño: The Kids' Day Celebration the U.S...

My cousin in Guadalajara sent a photo last April 30th of her son's classroom: a table full of dulces, a piñata already half-destroyed, and a note home saying there'd be...

Día del Niño: The Kids' Day Celebration the U.S...

My cousin in Guadalajara sent a photo last April 30th of her son's classroom: a table full of dulces, a piñata already half-destroyed, and a note home saying there'd be...

First Day of School Photos: Why Latino Families...

My tía still has the photo taped inside her kitchen cabinet: me at six years old, uniform ironed with a crease sharp enough to cut paper, one hand holding up...

First Day of School Photos: Why Latino Families...

My tía still has the photo taped inside her kitchen cabinet: me at six years old, uniform ironed with a crease sharp enough to cut paper, one hand holding up...

Back-to-School, Latino Style: Teaching Your Kid...

On the first day of kindergarten, my daughter's teacher looked at the name tag I'd carefully written out — "Ximena," with a little pronunciation guide in parentheses underneath — and...

Back-to-School, Latino Style: Teaching Your Kid...

On the first day of kindergarten, my daughter's teacher looked at the name tag I'd carefully written out — "Ximena," with a little pronunciation guide in parentheses underneath — and...

Año Viejo: Why Some Families Burn an Effigy on ...

My tío in Guayaquil spends the last week of every December building a life-sized dummy out of old clothes stuffed with newspaper, sawdust, and firecrackers, then props it up in...

Año Viejo: Why Some Families Burn an Effigy on ...

My tío in Guayaquil spends the last week of every December building a life-sized dummy out of old clothes stuffed with newspaper, sawdust, and firecrackers, then props it up in...

Yellow Underwear on New Year's Eve: The Traditi...

The first time my college roommate saw me digging through my suitcase on December 30th looking specifically for anything yellow, she asked if I was color-blind or just having a...

Yellow Underwear on New Year's Eve: The Traditi...

The first time my college roommate saw me digging through my suitcase on December 30th looking specifically for anything yellow, she asked if I was color-blind or just having a...

The 12 Grapes: Why Latino Families Eat Fruit at...

My grandmother used to portion out grapes on a little saucer for each of us an hour before midnight, counting them out loud like she was checking her math twice....

The 12 Grapes: Why Latino Families Eat Fruit at...

My grandmother used to portion out grapes on a little saucer for each of us an hour before midnight, counting them out loud like she was checking her math twice....