Charo has always been larger than life.
From her dazzling fluorescent-colored outfits to her signature sky-high ponytail, the multi-faceted entertainer has always married the flashy sparkle of Las Vegas showgirls with a sense of humor.
“I choose to be like this: a stupid beach with attitude,” he joked on our call. “During the day I'm stupider. But the night belongs to me, it has magic for me. “I feel free, I don't feel any problems.”
In Sunday Funday, the people of Los Angeles tell us step by step their ideal Sunday in the city. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
Even her full name, María Del Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza Rasten, attracts a certain level of attention, although she is known monoonymously, like some of the world's greatest artists: Beyoncé, Madonna, Cher, Charo. (Your next chance to see Charo live is September 16 in Rancho Cucamonga.)
Famous as a world-class flamenco guitarist and the person who coined the term “cuchi-cuchi,” she moves through the world with unassuming kindness and enthusiasm.
So when he tours Beverly Hills, it's no surprise that he treats everyone with the openness and reverence of a good friend. From entertaining friends to attending Catholic mass, this is how Charo would spend a perfect Sunday in Los Angeles
10am Rise and shine (when I'm good and ready)
If I have a choice, I will wake up at noon. but I haven't done it [been] wake up at 12: For the past year, I woke up around 10 in the morning, even on Sundays. I never drink coffee because if I drink caffeinated coffee, my neighbor will have to call 911. So little by little I wake up, I take a shower, I put on slippers, I put on a very tight bra, because without it your maracas won't work. I fall to the ground in two or three weeks, so I run in two tight bras.
10:30 am Go for a run in Beverly Hills.
I put on a leotard and then run for my life, just feeling the wind to make sure I can rule the world. Although I have a gym in my house, there is a great feeling when you are riding the wind and can float. Just feel the wind and stretch your body and your legs and everything.
I'm full of bull poop. I'd like to tell you I can run three miles, but I don't think I can run a mile and a half. Then afterwards I look like a cockroach.
11:30 am Take a long shower.
I go home, take as long a shower as I can, and dry my hair. Then I start thinking “Okay, it's Sunday. Fun Sunday is a no-cook day.” It's a rule, don't cook at home. It doesn't matter if it's a happy day or a busy Sunday, it's a day without cooking, and God bless the restaurants that are available for us to sit, relax, order some food, and not wash dishes.
2 pm Enjoy brunch at tThe Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel
A few days ago I was entertaining some guests and since it is very close to where I live, I took them to the polo hall. It's very entertaining because there are a lot of celebrities there. They took me by surprise because I don't drink coffee, but they insisted, “Would you like to try our coffee?” I said, “No.” “Would you like to try our coffee?” and I said “Okay, bring the coffee,” and they put your face in the coffee!
I think they go online, probably find you on social media and then choose the photo. And somehow, they didn't tell me how they did it, but when they send you the coffee, you realize, “This is me!” A very clear, clear, clear, clear image. It was the worst photo anyone could choose, but I look pretty on top of the coffee.
5 pm Go to METERass (she is catholic)
I go to church; I live not far from Church of the Good Shepherd, a small and beautiful church. One of the priests is called Father Ed and he is very real. And he'll tell you things that actually make a lot of sense. When I'm in Los Angeles I do that, but when I'm on tour it's almost impossible. It would be beautiful if you grabbed 12 o'clock. [Mass]But if there isn't another one for people like me at 5 o'clock.
18:30 Dinner at Il Fornaio
I am a vegetarian, because I raised a bull, Manolo Martínez, and if people spent time raising cows or any type of animal (a turkey, a chicken), you will never eat it again. You discover that they feel pain, happiness, emotion, loneliness.
I have many favorite restaurants near where I live, and you just have to walk, you don't have to park. Many of the waiters and chefs are Latino, and they are my friends and my sister's friends, so let's El Fornaio, and the building looks like a restaurant in Sorrento, Italy. It is very friendly, most speak Spanish and you can enter without a reservation. I know all the workers at Il Fornaio and it's fun because my sister and I talk to them about: “What are you cooking today? What's your cuchi-cuchi life like?”
8 pm Go for a walk in the garden or house.
On a good day, I eat what I'm forbidden to eat: sugar, sugar, ice cream, chocolate. I love everything that's bad for you. So if I feel like I ate too much, I'll move my feet and jump a little to get it down. Maybe run away if no one is around.
8:30 pm Watch television or a movie.
If I was with my boyfriend, or my partner, or when I was married, of course you want to go see them and enjoy a perfect evening on a perfect day. But in my case, since I lost my husband, after dinner I try to relax.
We have a phrase, full belly happy heart, which means full stomach, happy heart. So I relax and watch TV or download a movie.
10:00 p.m. Practice guitar and write some jokes.
If possible, I have a moment of meditation on what I did today and prepare for Monday. I write my thoughts because I think I'm a genius. Since I think I'm brilliant, I'll write something (some jokes or anything) because I think I know everything at night. That's how I got the song.”hot”, came to me at night.
Then I practice guitar for an hour or two. Every night I have to practice, no matter how tired I am. No pretty melody, because that will make me sleep, just scales. I don't play with a pick, I never play the guitar string with a pick, I play it with my nails. That's a very, very, very serious routine that I have to do every night. Otherwise, I feel so empty that something in my brain won't know I've completed the day.
So it's already 1 or 2 in the morning. And then the next day when I wake up, I read what I wrote and it's a piece of s– I'm not a genius.
