June and me
It’s been so long since I’ve posted, I feel like I’ve almost forgotten how! In the past few weeks, I’ve had a ton of deadlines and events, and in June, we made a visit to California. It was my 30th high school reunion, and we had a book signing in my home town of Lompoc on the Central Coast. Life has been a whirlwind and now I am catching up!
Air travel and the time difference makes life so surreal… It was hard to believe that the same day we left Brooklyn, we later found ourselves driving around in sunny Los Angeles in a rented car. After a lunch of the requisite In-n-Out burgers (which are nowhere to be found in New York), we hopped on the 405 and headed north to Lompoc. On the way there,we made a quick visit to a Barnes and Noble store in Westlake Village where we met June Sobel, the author of B is for Bulldozer, and the two of us signed books there. I illustrated this book over ten years ago, and June’s son, to whom the book is dedicated and was inspired by, just graduate from Stanford this summer! We had just met in person finally this year in NYC, and it was great to see her again. :)
Then, the next thing we knew, we were in beautiful Santa Barbara at the wonderful Chaucer’s Bookstore where I got to sign more books!
Jamie and me with Truck Stop by Anne Rockwell
It was so great to finally make it to Lompoc after 15 hours of non-stop traveling!
I’m totally dating myself when I say it was my 30th reunion, but honestly it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long! Lol. Some of my classmates whom I haven’t seen in 30 years were in town and came to a book signing we had at The Bookstore–a wonderful independent book store in Lompoc. I don’t think we’ve changed THAT much. It was so great to see these lovely women again after so many years!
There were several reunion events during the weekend. What fun it was to see everyone again and reconnect. It was kind of weird to talk to people who remembered things that happened that were shared experiences that had no recollection about…! And so amazing to realize that we had all watched each other grow up and now here we were in the present so enmeshed in our respective adult lives and identities! It was also nice to be able to introduce Denis to everyone and meet my classmates’ significant others and tie the two worlds (past and present) together.
While in Lompoc, we stayed with my mom, of course. I hope I have her energy when I’m 84….
My mom tree trimming on her property.
The whole time we were there, I think every meal I ate except for maybe one was Mexican! I so miss the food I grew up with, and here in our part of Brooklyn, great, cheap Mexican food is not to be had…. My mom made her yummy enchiladas (I did a post on it here and again here!), and I literally ate a burrito I got in town and brought home (it was as big as my head) for about five meals. lol.
For breakfast, my mom introduced us to a delicious and so so easy to make Mexican Migas that a friend taught her to make recently. Basically it is scrambled eggs with salsa and leftover cut up corn tortilla. It is SO good! Total comfort food.
You start by frying the corn tortilla in a bit of oil:
Then you add beaten eggs:
Note the Japanese influence of cooking with wooden chopsticks…
Then you add salsa:
Serve and eat!
With refried beans, crema, and chopped scallions
I’ve seen other migas recipes made by sauteing onion and pepper first, but my mom’s recipe is easier– you could do it in your sleep – or at least before your first cup of tea or coffee!
I think it also tasted so good because my mom made it for me. :)
Hope you enjoy it!
Mexican Migas
2 corn tortillas
1 teaspoon oil
2 eggs, beaten
about 1/4 cup salsa or more to taste
1. Cut up corn tortillas. Heat oil in skillet. Saute tortillas until soft.
2. Add beaten eggs to skillet and stir. Cook until no longer translucent. Stir in salsa and cook until heated through.
3. Serve with shredded cheese, chopped onions, beans, sour cream if you wish.
Makes one to two servings.