Who is Cristobal Colon?
‘He had reached one of those minutes which he called the “superior moments of his existence”, those which alone give a value and a price to life. --Maurice Leblanc, THE CRYSTAL STOPPER I’m on the phone a lot speaking to cousins Linda Tafoya-Korenke (Idaho Falls, ID) and MaryAnn Gehling (Colorado Springs, CO) as we are focused on this GARCIA DESCENDANTS family reunion in Denver at the end of this month. I’m excited to meet all of these relatives I know by name but have never met in person.
Alan wrote a very naughty postcard dated 8/8/1998. I will have to “x” out some of the comments but if you use your imagination, you may figure it out:
Dear Michael, I couldn’t resist this card for you. It reminds me of what xxx... The motorcycle by the pool, the facial expression and xxx... So, my advice is to look at the card, then go upstairs, take a shower and xxx... Then, you’ll xxx. This card was photographed in 1977 when I was 25, so when xxx...
Love You,
Alan
Meanwhile, a day later I gathered five artsy photo postcards in my unique boxed collection and wrote to Paloma. The first card was a Paloma Picasso portrait taken in 1990. Yes, she is Pablo Picasso’s daughter.
8-9-98 Hi Paloma!
How are you? Here’s another PALOMA. You probably recognized her right away.
I just came from a Sunday Morning Breakfast at NATE N’ AL’s and the commentator/radio and TV personality, Larry King, was there. Do you know who he is? He’s internationally known from CNN as the guy who interviews everyone who’s anyone. Although he has not interviewed me yet. Haha.
About two weeks ago I had one of my best celebrity sightings ever: AL PACINO in Santa Monica, California.
I loved the photos you sent me of the celebrity homes. I know the Nicolas Cage and Patricia Arquette house very well, yet, I had no idea it was theirs. Jeez, I could do a tour with the information you sent me. Haha
And you are SO, SO RIGHT! How can anyone NOT like movies? Hello?
I have a Family Reunion on August 29th in Denver, Colorado. I’m one of the people organizing it, so it’s keeping me very, very busy.
I will give my mom and Gloria your telephone number and the information about that restaurant. I know they will have some free time. So, maybe they can see you. I don’t know. They’ll be on a Walking Tour, etc. They won’t have a car, so that might be limiting.
You made my mouth water when you described LE CABRO D’OR. Yummy!
Alan and I are just now getting the details done on our trip over the first two weeks of October. We are going to Amsterdam, Holland, then to Rome, Florence and Venice, ITALY. Have you taken all your vacations for the year? Maybe we can meet you in one of those places...for dinner or something?
We are two busy people, but we do a good job keeping in touch.
I was very happy to hear France win The World Soccer Championship, too. I did also hear about the bicyclists. What a shame that it ruined the whole mood of the race this year. And very funny...as the extent of my drug intake is solely an aspirin every now and then. Haha. How do you like this card? It’s ME after a weekend. Thank God I don’t have to shave for 2-3 days.
I saw this third card and I’ve never heard of the movie (A BOUT DE SOUFFLE from 1959). It looks like it came out when we were babies. I thought you would appreciate it.
I might go see the new Nicolas Cage movie called SNAKE EYES tonight that Nicolas himself directed. Oh yeah! Alan told me to ask you if you know of any good restaurants in Amsterdam, Rome, Firenze or Venice. Please let us know!
Yes, I wish they’d stop picking on Bill Clinton. And what about those bombs in Africa? How terrible is that!
Oh, Wolfgang Puck, the chef, is very famous here for his restaurants, so that one in Provence must be good. When you come to the States again you can maybe stay with us for a few days. We will take you to SPAGO in Beverly Hills (the new one). We ate there a few months ago and Tony Curtis and his daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, were there.
I hope you like this collection of five postcards. Alan found this one for me in France when he took his daughters, Lauren and Carrie, there last month. I wish I could have gone. I had to work. Guess what? On January 15, 1999, I am quitting my job at CHARLES SCHWAB & CO. I will become an Independent Investment Manager and spend more time doing my ARTWORK I love to do. My goal is to do 1000 pieces of ART (original works on canvas). I will have to mail you an ARMIJO original. Ha-ha Oh, speaking of ARMIJO. I learned that in my family research that ARMIJO originated i a village called Laredo, Spain (near Santander). At least that is where the earliest known Armijo can be traced (in a cemetery there). Then, many ARMIJO’s moved to Southern Spain, near Andalucia.
Next year, Alan and I plan to visit Spain, bringing our mothers with us. I want to see those parts of Sapin. What part of Sapin was you dad from? I also learned that ARMIJO is a Castilian name. This was all very interesting to me. There’s more to tell.
Here, on this fifth postcard, is another cool photo of a model, wearing Gianni Versace clothes. Isn’t it terrible what happened to him (being killed just outside his Miami home last year, July 15, 1997)?
Thanks for your recent letter, Paloma. I love hearing from you.
THE PERFECT MURDER film was good. You must see GREAT EXPECTAIONS too starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Ethan Hawke, Anne Bancroft and Robert DeNiro. I loved that one!
I wish I was there, but we are having great sunny weather now, too. Lots of tourists are here in town.
The HOT restaurant in Santa Monica right now is LAVANDE. The Chef had his training near you in Provence. The restaurant is attached to the Lowes Hotel.
More Later,
Love,
Michael
Say HI to Alex and Jonathan!
After proofreading my cards to Paloma I had to laugh. What? Do I think I can become the new Pablo Picasso. I can’t imagine completing 1000 masterpieces; however, one never knows. Perhaps I can become committed to the project.
I might have mentioned to her about my most famous ARMIJO descendant. Drum roll please...it is CRISTOBAL COLON, b. 1451, d. 1506. He was married to Felipa Moniz Perestrella. One of his descendants, born around 1860 was Jesusita Armijo, is related to me.
Now, you may be wondering ‘Who is Cristobal Colon’? Well, in the United States he is known as Christopher Columbus. He left Castile, Spain in August 1492 at the age of 41 with his three ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria (and Armijo’s were known to be on board). He made landfall in the Americas on October 12, 1492, discovering what is now known as the United States of America. I don’t need to brag. Why be obnoxious? Just the same, learning this is still a kind of superior moment of my existence.
Photo: Cristobal Colon, aka Christopher Columbus
One thing you can count on is a letter from an inmate in prison. They have time on their hands. And so, my cousin Sandra Donald (aka Rita Sandra Cordova-Donald) wrote me again August 10, 1998
Pearl, Mississippi
Dear Michael,
How are you today? I did receive a card from NY, telling me what a wonderful time you were having! We have had a very difficult summer. The heat index has been as high as 115 degrees. I don’t believe we have had any summer quite this HOT before. I won’t mention our living quarters are not air-conditioned.
My son, Harmon, is presently in Africa on a job assignment with his company. We finally heard from him last week. They arrived safely and will be there for ten weeks or more.
My grandson, Blake Harmon, had his first birthday on July 1st and he is walking now. I am frustrated because I can’t seem to get out and see my family. Please Lord, give me the strength and patience to hold on.
Thinking of You,
Love,
Sandy
Cousin Marie-Antoinette sent an invitation to her granddaughter’s 2nd birthday party in Pueblo, Colorado at the FURR’s BANQUET ROOM that is scheduled for September 5th. I wish I could be in two places at once but it’s not possible yet (maybe someday):
August 17, 1998 Dearest Cousin,
Our granddaughter, Destyne, will be ‘2’ shortly. It would be nice if you could be here but I’m sure time and distance do not allow you to...
You’ll be present in our hearts; just thought we’d share this special celebration with you!
Love Your Cousin,
Marie Antoinette
What will tomorrow hold? It made me wonder after knowing the name Destyne. What will be her destiny? What’s in store for me next month? There’s no point in dwelling on it. Focus on the present moment. Do the very best you can do.
‘Walter Benjamin said he was still not sure what the purpose of philosophy was, as there was no need to discover ‘the meaning of the world’.’--as read in the book by Gershom Scholem, WALTER BENJAMIN, THE STORY OF A FRIENDSHIP
