Latest news with #Paquita
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
This wildly popular singalong cantina from Mexico opens first U.S. location in Wynwood
Why, you may ask, would anyone in Miami willingly enter an establishment called Room of Heartbreak? Isn't there enough of that sort of pain in evidence every day in the Magic City, on the roads, in the weather, waiting in line at the DMV? As it turns out, there are plenty of reasons to visit Sala de Despecho, the new nightlife spot from Mexico. Tacos. Cocktails. Music. And spirited group sing-alongs to some of the most potent and melancholy songs you can remember. A hospitality collaboration between The Dirty Rabbit Group and Mexico's Mandala Group from Guadalajara, Sala de Despecho is now open in Wynwood, the first permanent location for the brand in the United States, which also had a temporary pop-up at Barsecco in Brickell. There are also locations in Mexico, Spain, Venezuela and Colombia. Raul Vargas, director of operations for Mandala Group, has high hopes for the Miami location. 'We want this to be a signature experience, where people feel immersed in the essence of Mexican and Latin culture while they eat, drink and let go,' he said. 'Partnering with The Dirty Rabbit Group was a natural choice — they're true experts in Wynwood's nightlife and have an unmatched ability to create spaces that resonate with the local energy and culture.' The atmosphere is that of an upscale cantina, the menu highlighting different types of tacos from Mexico City's famous taqueria Tacos Atarantados, plus a tequila-heavy cocktail menu that features drinks like the Paquita with tequila Maestro Blanco, raspberry, lychee syrup, cranberry and lemon juice or the Tamarindo, with mezcal, grilled pineapple, tamarind mix, grapefruit and pineapple juice. The real draw, though, is what happens after at Tamarindo or two: the music, which ranges from DJs to sad song singalongs, where customers belt out their favorites and encourage the crowd to join in. Luis Ginestra, CEO and executive director of The Dirty Rabbit Group, called the experience 'fresh' and 'authentic,' adding that it 'emotionally resonates to Miami.' 'It's a blend of party and passion that we know will strike a chord with locals and visitors alike,' he said. Sala de Despecho Where: 218 NW 25th St., Miami Hours: 4-11 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 4 p.m.-3 a.m. Wednesday; noon-3 a.m. Thursday-Saturday; noon-11 p.m. Sunday. Happy hour 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; lunch served noon-4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday More information:
New York Times
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
At City Ballet, a Swan Is Born and a Firebird Flies Into the Sunset
'It was pandemonium,' Maria Tallchief wrote in her memoir about her 'Firebird' debut, in 1949. 'The theater had turned itself into a football stadium, and the audience was in a frenzy.' The only thing that went wrong was that they hadn't rehearsed the curtain calls. Tallchief was New York City Ballet's first star, a thrilling dancer and a part of why the company rose to become the most important in the country. This season, City Ballet paid tribute to Tallchief's centennial with a program of ballets that George Balanchine created for her: 'Scotch Symphony' (1952),'Sylvia: Pas de Deux' (1950) and 'Firebird.' Tallchief, of Osage descent, was a force, a testament to what American ballet could be. As the company's associate artistic director, Wendy Whelan, said in a curtain speech, 'Her discipline, musicality, power and integrity will forever be our north star.' Throughout City Ballet's winter season, there were performances that inspired real celebration, if not quite pandemonium — especially Alexei Ratmansky's 'Paquita,' a valiant experiment pairing Balanchine's 1951 'Minkus Pas de Trois' with his own restaging of the Grand Pas Classique, the final act of 'Paquita.' Ratmansky rejuvenated ballet while pushing his dancers to become better versions of themselves. To witness each cast, especially the formidable Mira Nadon in the ballerina role, was enlightening because the dancing was so alive — a fresh take on how a ballet, even a historical one, could be progressive. The season's other new offering, Justin Peck's 'Mystic Familiar,' was hardly that — its quest for innovation landed it in a place as earnest as its title. I could have lived without the photographer Elizaveta Porodina's banners and prints, presented as part of the company's Art Series, which turn dancers into blurry, interchangeable beings. But the range and beauty of City Ballet comes from the individuals that make up its ranks, including two glamorous talents who were promoted to principal dancer this season: Miriam Miller, a towering, willowy blond; and Gilbert Bolden III, whose exceptional partnering and exuberant dancing make him indispensable. He is an artist who always gives his all. The winter season wrapped up Sunday with 'Swan Lake.' Here are some highlights. Indiana Woodward and Jovani Furlan Indiana Woodward, as a soft, floating sylph, and Jovani Furlan, the man she encounters in a misty Scottish forest, had a sweet lavishness in 'Scotch Symphony.' Woodward, with exquisite detail and musicality, shone from her beautiful, open face to her finely etched arabesques and traveling bourrées, in which she drifted across the floor untethered by gravity. Mira Nadon and Miriam Miller The pairing of Mira Nadon and Miriam Miller in Balanchine's 1941 classic set to Bach's Double Violin Concerto in D minor — the lead women, in a display of vivid syncopation, illustrate the violins — was a ray of sunshine. The two dancers, with Miller making her debut, performed with shining ebullience. The smiles! The camaraderie! As dancers in the corps de ballet, Miller and Nadon always performed with a joyful warmth; here, together, they turned the heat on high. Megan Fairchild and Joseph Gordon This Balanchine gem, in the classical structure of a grand pas de deux, is 12 minutes of dazzling virtuosity made all the more piquant by the clean, effortless dancing of Megan Fairchild and Joseph Gordon. Fairchild, 40, who sometimes feels like City Ballet's gracious, unofficial host, has announced her plans to retire in 2026, which makes her performances — including her eloquent 'Divertimento No. 15' — treasured occasions. Mira Nadon This young principal dancer exists in a category all her own. In 'Concerto Barocco,' her sleek footwork mirrored the notes of the violin. In her star turn in 'Paquita,' above, dancing with Joseph Gordon, she imbued the ballerina role with sophistication along with a sassy sort of swing. And in her 'Swan Lake' debut, Nadon's rich dancing was full of details and imaginative nuance; straightening her arms overhead like raised wings, she seemed to grow taller. Falling backward into the arms of Peter Walker, her distinguished Prince Siegfried (so improved in his partnering), she seemed weightless, as if she were suspended, for a fearless moment, in the air. Never static, Nadon possessed a wildness, too — a mix of the seductive and the serious that made every moment gripping and new. Dancers to Watch The pleasure of City Ballet comes not just from the principals, but also from soloists and members of the corps de ballet who are always being tested. This season, there were many memorable standouts, including the lovely star-in-the-making Dominika Afanasenkov in 'Paquita' and the Pas de Trois in 'Swan Lake,' which also featured Allegra Inch, with her sparkling jump; Alexa Maxwell's exacting and eerie rendition of the Novice in Jerome Robbins's 'The Cage'; Charlie Klesa and Andres Zuniga, green yet striving to meet the challenges of Balanchine's 'Divertimento No. 15'; Rommie Tomasini, debuting in the role of the small Scottish dancer in 'Scotch Symphony' with pert sweetness; and the heaven-sent David Gabriel, whose detail and spirit in Balanchine's 'Minkus Pas de Trois' as part of 'Paquita' were tremendous. Debuts and a Radiant Veteran Peter Martins's 'Swan Lake' never completely flies — the garish, squiggly sets and costumes are an eyesore — but there is more dancing than milling around (as you see in some productions), and that's a good thing. And this year, there were five casts and an array of debuts to soak up, an experience that always feels like the thrill of the unknown. Of the Odette-Odiles, Nadon was like watching a dream, while Unity Phelan, so luxurious in 'Paquita' earlier in the season, seemed harried and rushed. Tiler Peck, dancing with Roman Mejia in a stylishly understated debut, was less enthralling as Odette than as Odile. Miriam Miller and Chun Wai Chan — both new in this production — had breathtaking moments and room to grow. And then there was Sara Mearns, a veteran Odette-Odile, whose rendition was so fragile, so heart-rending, and was tinged with maturity and melancholy that my breath was caught for days. She was unforgettable. Ashley Bouder Ashley Bouder, a crisp, virtuoso dancer of daring and taste who spent 25 years at City Ballet, retired after a final, startling performance of 'Firebird,' a ballet she was thrown into with little notice at 17. Vivacious and all the more splendid for it, she has never been the kind of dancer to take things slowly, but in this last 'Firebird' Bouder fixated on the details with a quiet focus that honored Balanchine and his choreography — in a way, more than herself. During her final, heartbreaking exit, Bouder, arched in a backbend with her gaze tilted up and with a spellbinding pause, she accomplished the unimaginable: She stopped time.
Los Angeles Times
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Fans, drag queens remember Paquita la del Barrio
Periodically, the Latinx Files will feature a guest writer. This week, we've asked De Los contributing columnist Alex Zaragoza to fill in. If you have not subscribed to our weekly newsletter, you can do so here. The world has lost its greatest soldier against machistas, malagradecidos and inútiles. Música Mexicana legend Paquita la del Barrio died in her home in Veracruz, Mexico, announced in a heartfelt statement released via her official Instagram page on Feb. 17. She was 77. 'A unique and inimitable artist who leaves an indelible mark in the hearts of all those who knew her and enjoyed her music … Rest in peace,' the statement reads. 'Your music and legacy will live on forever in our hearts.' Born Francisca Viveros Barradas in 1947 in Alto Lucero, Veracruz, Paquita became an icon across Latin America — particularly in her native Mexico — with anthemic rancheras and boleros delivered with an impassioned venom that became her trademark, along with her electric blond coif and darkened chin mole. She became a beacon to women who have been wronged, telling it like it was with ferocity. With 'Rata de Dos Patas,' she gifted scorned women the ultimate spite jam to be sung loudly, lately and with breath thickened by tequila. On 'Tres Veces te Engañe,' she confronts a useless partner with a guttural '¿Me estás oyendo, inútil? ' and lets him know he's deserving to be cheated on. It's no wonder why her music was a constant in the kitchens of generations of women tired of cleaning up after ungrateful men. But it's not just señoras who felt a kinship with Paquita. Drag queens and Latinx celebrity impersonators have long brought their version of the late singer to the stage, mimicking her slow, creaky walk, elegant posture and rage-filled vocal delivery with affection. 'If you do somebody like Paquita, you have to understand her mannerisms and her way of standing there commanding a stage,' explained drag queen Torta Jugosa, who performs as Paquita at the Long Beach location of the famed drag restaurant Hamburger Mary's. She hosts a drag show called Mujeres Chingonas, where she and other queens honor Latinx divas like Paquita, Jenni Rivera and Selena. 'And the mole is a staple. When you think of Paquita, you think of the mole.' 'For me, impersonating Paquita, you have to get yourself in that position mentally, like 'I'm heartbroken. I just want to unleash on someone,'' added Carlos Friel, who performs as Carla and has been doing Paquita drag in L.A. for the last year. 'It's kind of limited because she didn't dance. There was not a lot of choreo. You have to perform with your face, with your hands, and you have to really feel the song. You have to believe it. 'I hate you right now, you are the one who hurt me.'' Despite Paquita's death, the impersonators and drag queens I spoke to doubled down on their commitment to honor her moves, music and, of course, the mole, keeping her alive for fans and introducing her for generations to come. 'I received a lot of calls the day that she died, sending me condolences as if she were my family,' said Rubén Cerros, a professional imitator of 14 years who is widely considered one of the best Paquita la del Barrio impersonators in the industry, having shown off his talent on the Colombian reality competition series 'Yo Me Llamo,' winning the grand prize in 2012. 'In reality, I did see her as family because I got to meet her personally,' he added. 'Without Paquita, without having imitated her, I wouldn't have been known to so many people. I've always done my imitation with respect to the lady and, because of that, her death has already changed life for me with more work and more blessings.' In body and scowl, Paquita radiated like the Disney villain Ursula — a character also inspired by a drag queen, famed actor and performer Divine — but in spirit and heart was far from the sea-dwelling witch who stole an innocent mermaid's voice. Quite the opposite, actually. For many women, particularly those who have been mistreated and disrespected by the men in their lives, Paquita gave them a voice to dress down a man who deserved their righteous ire. That's something important impersonators and drag queens have always wanted to channel. 'She wasn't afraid at all,' Jugosa said. 'With Paquita, she represented a lot of women and gave courage to them. Like, you can be who you want to be without having to have a man by your side. You can, as they say, wear the pants in the relationship. She was an advocate to women who didn't have a voice and gave courage to them to speak up and live their own lives the way they want to.' It's that fearlessness and unshakable sense of self that is inspirational to so many and now in death, bringing Paquita la del Barrio to life carries more weight. 'Now you have to honor her legacy,' said Friel. 'If you are performing Paquita now, you have to bring the best memories of her to people.' Years back, I went to a queer bar in Tijuana with my mom and her friend, Richi, a gay santero who after a reading in my mom's kitchen insisted we take in a drag show. Amid a thick cloud of cigarette smoke, we knocked back a cold Pacifico and watched the stage light up as a Paquita la del Barrio drag queen stepped onto the stage. She moved in her same slow, measured manner, as if weighed down by the aches of dealing with a-holes for too damn long. But behind the arthritic movements was the same fierceness emblematic of Paquita. If there were any rats in that room — four-legged or two — they didn't stand a chance. Venezuelans sue Trump administration for ending temporary legal protections A group of seven Venezuelans, along with advocacy group National TPS Alliance, are suing the Trump administration, accusing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of illegally revoking an 18-month extension of the protections for Venezuelans that was granted by President Biden before he left office. Puerto Rican artist iLe: 'I feel motivated to rescue our cultural history' In between recording her fourth solo studio album, Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar — better known by her artistic name iLe — has scheduled a handful of international tour dates, including Friday's show at the Wallis in Beverly Hills. 'The concerts help me to escape whenever the seclusion of working on an album becomes too much,' she tells contributor Ernesto Lechner. 'I'm working on the new record in small increments, trying to decipher a couple of things that I can't quite verbalize at this point. It's a process that requires a lot of energy, time and dedication. The challenge remains to continue learning and exploring, to get to know myself a little better through my own songs.' Column: Republican Latinos are rising in California. Now there's a caucus for them For his latest column, Gustavo Arellano spoke to State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares and Assemblymember Kate Sanchez, founding co-chairs of the California Hispanic Legislative Caucus, a group created for Latino GOP legislators. TikTok's top artist Yeri Mua gets real on immigration, Bellakath beef De Los contributor Lucas Villa spoke to Yeri Mua, the fiery, red-haired reggaeton mexa star who recently became the No. 1 global artist on TikTok, about being a woman in a male-dominated space, collaborating with Rich the Kid, ending her feud with fellow musician Bellakath and her personal experience of being deported from the U.S. with her family at age 13. Comedy star Keyla Monterroso Mejia is only shining brighter Inland Empire native Keyla Monterroso Mejia has come a long way from living in her aunt's back house with her family. Her big break came after she was cast in the final two seasons of HBO's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' in 2021. She has since appeared on 'Abbott Elementary,' comedy films 'One of Them Days' and 'You're Cordially Invited,' and will be featured in Mindy Kaling's Netflix comedy series 'Running Point' (out Feb. 27), Seth Rogen's upcoming Apple TV show 'The Studio' (March 26) and the Season 4 cast of 'Acapulco,' a bilingual comedy series led by Mexican star Eugenio Derbez. ' Life surprises me every time with things that I didn't even think were possible for myself,' Monterroso Mejia told De Los staff writer Andrea Flores. 'So I feel like in that sense, I'm going to keep going. I'm ready to receive whatever you want to throw my way.'
USA Today
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Paquita la del Barrio's best heartbreak anthems, from 'Rata De Dos Patas' to 'Taco Placero'
Hear this story "¿Me estás oyendo inútil?" The now timeless and iconic phrase − pointed at useless men in Paquita la del Barrio's eyes − wasn't just her go-to line belted out in many of her rancheras. It became widely adopted by the tias, mamas, abuelitas and señoras in our lives as a way to reclaim their power over men who did nothing but hurt them. Through her songs − which comprised over 30 albums − Paquita was known for unmercifully calling out machismo through her music. She became a guiding light for many Mexican women wronged or slighted by their partners, or oppressed by a patriarchal world. Throughout her 50-year career, Paquita, who died at 77, gained the respect of fellow Mexican musicians and paved the way for more women to break into the world of rancheras and boleros, which were once predominately male. Paquita was to woman what Vicente Fernández was to men, if you will. Paquita herself had enough heartbreak for two lifetimes but turned that pain and sorrow into heartbreaking and empowering anthems other women could use to come out on the other side whole, anew − even if it meant downright ripping a man to shreds in song. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "I've suffered a lot. It's difficult because the heart goes where it wants. Those feelings are what guide people to my music," Paquita told USA TODAY in 2021. From her iconic "Ratas De Dos Patas" to her reflective "Que Se Cubra Mi Tumba," revisit some of Paquita's essential songs. Paquita la del Barrio's death:Famed Mexican songstress of feminist anthems dead at 77 'Rata De Dos Patas' "Rata de Dos Patas," released in 2000, is likely the most-requested Paquita song at karaoke. She holds no punches as she disintegrates an ex as she belts, "Rata inmunda/ Animal rastrero/ Escoria de la vida/ Adefesio mal hecho." ("Filthy rat/ Despicable animal/ Scum of lif / Monstrous looking man.") 'Tres Veces Te Engañe' Sure, nobody wants to be likened to a rat. But "Tres Veces Te Engañe" might be Paquita's fiercest song as she lets her cheating man know that two can play this game. As the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you," but in Paquita's world she won't let it go past that – she'll cheat on her former lover three times more. 'Las Mujeres Mandan' "Las mujeres mandan" is best listened to with your girlfriends and a tequila shot in Paquita's honor. The 2008 mariachi empowers women to be brave and speak up for themselves and also encourages sexual liberation: "No tengas miedo por grandotes que los veas/ Ponte valiente ya verás se amanza / Que aquí las mujeres mandan!" ("Don't be afraid no matter how big they might look/ Be brave and you'll see they'll give in/ Because here, women are in charge!") Celebrity tributes:Alejandro Sanz, Ana Bárbara honor 'iconic' ranchera singer 'Taco Placero' Paquita begins "Taco Placero" by demanding respect after an ex-lover was out and about kissing and telling. Not one to be passive, Paquita puts that man in her place and sings that he's one to talk – because she, too, wasn't satisfied in bed. "Eres un fiasco en la cama" (You were a failure in bed"), she sings. 'Azul Celeste' "Azul Celeste" is an anthem about the importance of self-love and self-worth. "No soy fácil y ya tú lo has comprobado/ Yo ni soy amor comprado/ Ni me entrego con cualquiera" ("I'm not easy and you've proven it / My love can't be bought / And I won't give myself away to just anyone"), she sings to an ex-lover who's begging to be let back into her life after betraying her trust. Our 2021 interview:Paquita la del Barrio has had enough heartbreak for two lifetimes. That's what guides people to her music 'Que Se Cubra Mi Tumba' In "Que Se Cubra Mi Tumba," released in 2000, Paquita sang about how she wishes to be remembered once she's transitioned into another life. She sorrowfully sings of not wanting to be sanctified or immortalized and simply letting her tomb be covered in foliage, because if loved ones can't give her her flowers while she's still alive, "Qué me puedo esperar al morir?" (What can I expect once I'm dead?) 'Me Saludas a La Tuya' Nobody was safe when it came to Paquita's wrath − not even an ex-lover's mother-in-law, and certainly not his mistress. In "Me Saludas a La Tuya," or "Say hi to yours for me," one can feel Paquita's disdain and side-eye for those who have wronged her after having opened up to them. She sings: "Mira que jugar conmigo/ Yo que tanto te adoraba" ("Look at you playing with me / I, who, adored you so much").
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Famed Mexican singer and actress Paquita la del Barrio has died at 77
Famed Mexican singer, actress and champion for women Paquita la del Barrio died at her home in Mexico. Paquita's marketing team took to X on Monday to announce the death of the 77-year-old best known for her songs 'Rata de Dos Patas,' 'Las Mujeres Mandan' and 'Tres Veces Te Engañé,' tunes that criticized misogyny and men who cheat. The social media post in Spanish said that with profound pain and sadness, they confirmed the death of the beloved Paquita la del Barrio at her home in Veracruz. Additionally, the post said Paquita was a one-of-a-kind and unmatched artist who left a permanent mark in the hearts of all who knew her and enjoyed her music. A representative of the singer in Mexico informed Billboard Español that she died of a heart attack while she was sleeping. Rolling Stone reported that earlier this year, Paquita battled health issues and had been seen using oxygen. She postponed a concert in Mexico earlier this year to recover. Paquita previously performed in the U.S., including concerts in California. She performed at the Toyota Arena in Ontario in 2023, according to Concert Archives. Many say Paquita was known best for her 'feminist anthems,' which were born from real-life experience. At 16, she married Miguel Gerardo, a man 28 years her senior. That marriage ended seven years later when she discovered he had another wife and family. Her second husband, Alfonso Martinez, died in 2000 after 31 years of marriage, USA Today reported. "Life happens, some good things and some bad – but we've got to move on, keep fighting," she told USA TODAY in 2021, ahead of receiving a special honor at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. "I got married for a second time and it was the same sacrilege and sacrifice of living with a man you know is being unfaithful," she added. Paquita, whose birth name was Francisca Viveros Barradas, was born in Veracruz and started her career as a performer in Mexico City, according to several news sources. 'Her powerful voice earned her a recording contract in the late 80s, and she quickly compiled a lengthy catalogue of more than 30 albums that extended into the late 2010s,' according to Rolling Stone. Paquita's 2013 album Romeo Y Su Nieta earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Regional Mexican Music Album. Victorville resident Ricardo Avila told the Daily Press that he and his late mother, Silvia, were big fans of Paquita. "When I was a kid, my mom would wake up and start the day listening to Paquita la del Barrio,' Avila said. 'After a while, that music started growing on me.' Avila said that he often plays Paquita's music, which 'overwhelms' him with 'happy memories' of his mother. With a career that spanned over five decades, Paquita received many awards, including the 2011 Billboard Regional Mexican Music Award 'La Voz.' Ten years later, the singer was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. As a child, Paquita showcased her powerful voice at school festivals. In the 1970s, the singer formed the duo Las Golondrinas with her sister Viola, and in 1984, she released her debut album, El Barrio de los Faroles, as Paquita la del Barrio, according to Billboard. The singer went on to record over 30 albums, which sold more than 30 million copies, with hits that also include 'Las Mujeres Mandan,' 'La Última Parada,' 'Me Saludas a la Tuya,' 'Soltero Maduro, Chiquito' and 'Hombres Malvados.' Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@ Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Famed Mexican singer and actress Paquita la del Barrio has died
