I've had a special request for another translation: veevaporoo. Some clues: abuela swore by it; it usually included slimy tissues on the chest; and you reeked of a toxic menthol plant. Best veevaporoo story in comments gets posted on the blog.
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Please do not forget the infamous Cuban grandmas also put the Veevaporoo in the little space on the vaporizador. Oh, and they weren't above putting it up your nose when you were sleeping, either...
Posted by: a thought.... | April 26, 2006 at 03:23 PM
Veevaporoo=Vick's Vapor Rub, my very white husband says his grandma swore by camphophenique.
But I got one...Does any one here use "El Geereebo" to do any work? And also why are all Cuban refridgerators only by Frigidaire????
Posted by: Lucrecia Diaz Hudson | April 26, 2006 at 06:57 PM
What is "El Geereebo"?
I'm 40 and US born, so I'd never actually seen a Frigidaire. I've only seen GE, Maytag, etc. I was in my 30's before I figured out that "frigidaire" was not the spanish word for refrigerator. And my Cuban born and raised husband thinks I'm weird!
Posted by: Mercy A. | April 27, 2006 at 09:34 AM
VEEVAPORUU-you smear it on your chest, then take a dry washcloth, heat it up on the lightbulb on your night table lamp, and apply very warm on your chest for best results.
We all smelled like little old ladies the next day at school.
Hey, lets do LA VAQUITA next!!
Posted by: lulu losa | April 27, 2006 at 09:50 AM
geereebo is a small orbital sander, translation jitterbug because of the movement it makes...
Posted by: nonee moose | April 27, 2006 at 10:30 AM
Lets not forget about the Cheepiehama. This was always one of my grandfathers favorite tools.
Posted by: Manny O. | April 27, 2006 at 11:13 AM
La Vaquita.....a.k.a. Farm Stores. Fondly named after the big neon cow sign out front. Very convenient for an emergency gallon of milk. The ice cream from La Vaquita is still my favorite. As kids, we always wanted one of those "scratch" lotto tickets.
Posted by: amp | April 27, 2006 at 05:49 PM
I miss going to "Say-re" (Zayre's) and "Jota Birons"....and,as cheesy as they may sound, I will cry the day that the Westchester Mall is no more...that and Midway Mall (with the butterflies in the floor) were the only malls I went to for a verrrry long time....My husband and I want to go to Lila's one more time before they move...Oscar, how about a tribute to the "stuff I miss from the 70s and 80s Miami?" Stuff I personally miss: the putt-putt golf that had that big orange dinosaur, Castle Park, Polar Palace in Hialeah, Westchester Cinema, Plitt Gables, Dadeland Triple, Charlie's Pizza (super-greasy, but awesome) and (I know this is far from politically correct, so I apologize) Sambo's in Coral Gables....anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Posted by: A thought.... | April 27, 2006 at 06:21 PM
my peruvian relatives (by marriage) got an especially big kick of "le ronca el mango". I never could provide a suitable translation. Any takers? ps they also roared at my machine-gun spanglish and my "oye chica" hialeah spanish.
Posted by: lulu losa | April 27, 2006 at 08:27 PM
Lets not also forget the ever popular "aguacero" or literally translated "the water zero"
Posted by: Manny O. | April 27, 2006 at 09:03 PM
a favorite....sang the peanut vendor...
Posted by: a thought... | April 28, 2006 at 06:04 AM
Lets not forget the ever dangerous Patatu
Posted by: Manny O. | May 01, 2006 at 06:12 PM