SPAIN | CUBA | PUERTO RICO
A fresh and authentic gastronomic journey in the heart of Mammoth Lakes.
Cristi Quesada-Costa
This island girl was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she grew up blocks from the beach. In 1980, she moved to Boca Raton, FL for college (close to home for dad's peace of mind), but in 1986, she packed her bags, and drove her little BMW 2002 to Los Angeles, where she resided for most of her life in Brentwood, Hermosa Beach & South Redondo Beach a.k.a. "The Hollywood Riviera." Mammoth Lakes became her 2nd home as of 1998, when she and her Cuban, raised in Puerto Rico boyfriend, now husband, started buying properties in town. They fell in love with Mammoth Lakes, and even skied down Mammoth Mountain for their destination wedding. Friends and family still say, it was the best and most memorable wedding they have ever attended.
Cristi spent twenty-five years in Corporate America, working in the fast-paced Advertising | Marketing | Event Production industry, from an Y&R to owning her own Agency with a business partner in Long Beach, CA. In between, she also served as the 1st Managing | Membership Director of The Latin Recording Academy during the 1st Latin GRAMMY Awards, and corresponding events, to include the Latin GRAMMY After Party, Latin GRAMMY Person Of The Year, Latin GRAMMY In The Schools, etc.
When she visited Cuba in 2013, the locals recognized she was Caribbean, but from where they wondered, as the Puerto Rican accent had faded throughout the years (except when she gets together with her Puerto Rican friends and family!). When she responded "Puerto Rico," they all had the same reaction: "Ayyy, las dos alas" (Awww, the two wings...). Sweet smiles took over their faces, and many became emotional, as they hugged and kissed her. Some even cried, as did Cristi, not knowing why... Upon returning to the U.S., she immediately researched "dos alas," and learned about the poem written by the Puerto Rican (Revolutionary) poet who moved to Cuba, Lola Rodriguez de Tió, about Cuba and Puerto Rico (sister islands) being "dos alas de un pajaro con un mismo corazón" (two wings of a bird with one heart). In Cuba they think it was written by their famous poet, José Martí; however, it was actually dedicated to him, as he was Lola's mentor. Having "opening a restaurant" on her bucket list for many years, Cristi was determined to name her future restaurant "Dos Alas." The menu would offer a unique combination of homemade Puerto Rican, Cuban and Spanish (la madre patria) slow food.
In 2015, Cristi and Alfredo decided to bite the bullet, and move from the beach to the mountains. This is the first time Cristi has EVER lived away from the beach.