As autumn, naturally, makes us crave richer foods, and, contrary to popular stereotypes, autumn is THE seafood season, the choice of the dish we’ll be talking about today is obvious: Seafood Paella!

Just a short history note, the people of Moorish Spain often made casseroles of rice, fish and spices for family gatherings and religious feasts, which made rice a staple food by the 15th century, and the tradition of family gatherings over a huge rice dish is still well and alive –with Paella!

Naturally, on the Mediterranean coast of Valencia, the locals used seafood instead of meat and beans to make Paella. This created the true Spanish Treasure: Valencian Seafood Paella!

With lots of recipe variations being out there, go ahead, get creative and come up with your perfect Seafood Paella!

Before you do that, you will probably need to go grocery shopping. And when you do, imagine that you aren’t in your local food chain store, but in a real Spanish market somewhere in a cozy Valencian village. You would probably find these 10 Palabras useful:

Rice – Arroz
Shrimp – Camarones
Mussels – Mejillones
Lobster – La langosta
Onion – La cebolla
Garlic – El ajo
Tomato – Tomate
Salt – Sal
Paprika – Pimentón
Seasonings – Condimentos
Thailand – Tailandia
¡Buen provecho!

The day after Halloween can be a difficult day for many people. Parents have to deal with children who are all hopped up on sugar. Grocery stores and candy stores have to figure out how they are going to get rid of all the excess Halloween candy that they didn’t sell. Business managers and parents have to deal with candy wrappers everywhere. Everyone has to deal with the sugar highs and the eventual crash that comes when all the candy is gone. Many adults and children will deal with the sickness that comes from their bodies not being used to the consumption of such a large quantity of candy at one time. To say the least, it is a rough day for many people. I have prepared a list of Spanish vocabulary and phrases that you might use over the next few days.

I have a candy hangover. | Tengo una cruda de dulce.
My stomach hurts. | Me duele el estómago.
I’m very tired. | Estoy muy cansado/a.
hyper | hiperactivo
I’ve never eaten so much candy in my life. | No he comido tantos dulces en toda mi vida.
How many days until the next Halloween? | ¿Cuántos días hasta el próximo Halloween?
My kids have enough candy to last a year. | Mis hijos tienen bastante dulces para el año.
I’ll never give my kids candy again. | No voy a dar a mis hijos dulces de nuevo.
I’ve made a terrible mistake. | He cometido un terrible error.
My make up won’t come off. | El maquillaje se me ha quedado.
My fake blood won’t come off. | El sangre fingida se me ha quedado.

This list could go on and on. The possibilities are endless. Be sure to have fun and make fun of yourself for yesterday’s day of indulgence. You could also learn how to make The Day After Halloween Cookies. Are there any more phrases you’d like to add to the list?

It can be a lot of fun to eat at a restaurant and practice your Spanish. More than likely there will be some sort of Central American, South American, or Spanish restaurant that you can visit. Your server will appreciate your efforts to speak in his/her native language. Here is some vocabulary to get you started:

cook – cocinero
waitress – mesera
waiter – mesero
menu – menú
booth – caseta/casilla
straw – popote/sorbeto
soft drink – refresco
tea – té
sugar packet – paquetito de azúcar
check (bill) – cuenta
to eat – comer
to drink – beber/tomar
to order – ordenar
to pay – pagar
Could you give us the check please? – ¿Podría darnos la cuenta, por favor?
We would like to order. – Nos gustaría ordenar.
I would like… – Me gustaría…

Challenge: Go visit a restaurant where you can practice your Spanish, practice your Spanish, and tell me about your experience.

Parks seem to be universal. Wherever you go, whatever city you visit, there will probably be some sort of park within a reasonable distance. With that in mind, you better learn some Spanish park vocabulary.

bench | banca
duck pond | estanque de patos
horseback rider | caballista
playground | área de juego/parque
seesaw | subibaja
swings | columpios
slide | resbaladilla/chorrera
trash can | basurero/zafacón
park | parque
water fountain | bebedero/fuente
I want to go the park. | Quiero ir al parque.
Be careful. | Ten cuidado.

Challenge: Visit a local park, do your best to only speak in Spanish, and tell me about your experience.