Today I visited El Museo Latino in South Omaha to see an exhibit of letters by Frida Kahlo to her friend/doctor Leo Eloesser dating from 1931-1950.
The letters were very interesting and have been available to the public only since 2007. Here is Frida’s portrait of Eloesser:
A couple of months ago I submitted a proposal for a volume on Latina/Chicana motherhood. My contribution would look at Frida’s ambivalence towards motherhood. I found my idea to be supported by one letter in the collection. Biographers have focussed on one incident in particular as crucial in Frida’s life – a miscarriage while she and Diego were in Detroit. Interestingly, letters from Frida to Eleosser indicate that she had decided on an abortion, but the doctor in Detroit convinced her to carry the pregnancy to term (after a failed attempt at inducing miscarriage). Letters before and after the event reveal Frida’s fears, desires, hopes, and concerns. Here is her interpretation of the final miscarriage:
So, this was a fruitful venture to the museum! I’ve been to this area once before for shopping and food . . . but driving ALL THE WAY TO OMAHA always seems like such a chore (and it’s only 50 miles away!).
South Omaha is an interesting area with a significant concentration of Latinos. Along 25th Street there are numerous restaurants, businesses, and organizations that cater to the community. It’s nice to see a vibrant Latino community; it reminds me a lot of Santa Ana’s downtown area (California).
I stopped for lunch at a Salvadoran restaurant and had yucca con chicharon — a rare treat! This is a cardiologist’s dream! Deep fried yucca (manioc, a root), deep fried porkskin/fat, with pickled cabbage on the side. Good thing my health care provide put me on a statin! Here’s a view:
Yum, yum, doesn’t that just look tasty? There’s so much fat in this dish that I can only stand to eat it about once a year!
After literally pigging out, I returned back to Lincoln. On the way back I saw two deer on the side of the road and repeated the mantra . . . “don’t swerve, hit the deer, hit the deer, hit the deer.” I know, that’s a terrible thing to think. But, a former student was very badly injured when the driver swerved to miss the deer and drove off the road (turning over several times). There are so many deer between Lincoln and Omaha that it is pretty common for them to get hit on the highway. A friend of Mister Man hit one on his motorcycle! So, remember, don’t swerve, just keep on going as if you are going to hit the deer. Most likely it will jump out of the way and both will be safe. Sorry, that was random! Anyway, that was my adventure of the day. TTFN.
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