Party Like a Cuban!

Little Havana Visitor's Guide

Long the heart of Cuban culture in Miami, Little Havana is enjoying a new renaissance.  For the adventurous traveler, there are several little gems up and down the avenue that are definitely worth exploring.  There are plenty of places to pick up souvenirs, buy artworks from contemporary artists, eat and enjoy Cuban food, and experience Cuban music and dance.  And if you're into cigars, Little Havana is the place to go for hand-rolled cigars.

There is a way to get a real taste of Cuban culture all under one roof. Imagine a place with live Cuban music, traditional Cuban foods, performers, and street vendors. To get a more authentic Cuban experience, you'd have to travel all the way to Havana!  And we really don't want you to do that!

For Cubans, New Year's Eve is more of a dance party than a feast like Christmas.  It is a night of music and dancing, eating great foods, and having a great time. New Year's Eve is part of the long celebration of the Christmas Season that begins with the preparations for Noche Buena – Christmas Eve and ends on Three Kings Day.  Learn about the fun traditions and rituals that make a Cuban New Years Eve unique.

Now you can organize an old-fashioned Cuban Christmas celebration of your own! We'll tell you everything you need to know about celebrating a traditional Cuban Christmas!  We share some Cuban Christmas memories. We give you a comprehensive Cuban Christmas Eve Party Menu – complete with recipes and cooking instructions.

Cubilete is an old and very traditional game in Cuba that is second in popularity only to Cuban dominoes. Everyone plays it – from young school children to old grandmothers. Similar cubilete games are played in other Latin American countries, but the rules vary all over the map, with many cultures playing a version that is very much like the card game Poker. The Cuban game however is unique!

The game of dominoes is the national game of Cuba. For many, the game is a daily social event that combines competition with camaraderie. You frequently see people playing games in parks and other public areas. In the United States this tradition is kept alive at Maximo Gomez Domino Park on Calle Ocho in Miami. There must be a hundred different ways to play dominoes. We show you how to play the Cuban version of this classic game.

In 2005 we kicked off our holiday season with a cooking demonstration and Cuban cookbook signing at one of the premier shopping destinations in the United States: the Mall of America. On November 19 we did a presentation to show how anyone can add a little Latin touch to their own holiday celebrations.