Sandía con chile piquín 🍉

NOTE: This has been sitting in my drafts since 2024. I never really continued working on it.

Like Water for Chocolate (1992) 10/10, excellent.

I came across a couple of posts mentioning some similarities between The Bear and the Mexican film "Como agua para chocolate" (Like Water for Chocolate). I remember watching it years ago, however, I didn't remember it 100%. HBO recently added it to their platform, so I rewatched it, and I totally agree: there are similarities, starting with the most obvious one, food.

I'd like to share some parallels between Tita, the protagonist, and Carmy. I should mention that other people have already pointed out some of these, but I wanted to add a few more.

Spoilers ahead.

Three siblings.

Tita and Carmy are the youngest children.

A difficult birth. Both Tita and Carmy are their mothers' last child and the most difficult delivery (this observation comes from @freedelusionshere ).

A family with an absent/dead father. Tita's father died when she was a child; Carmy's father disappeared.

A mother who, in the father's absence, has to take over the family business. Mamá Elena takes charge of the family hacienda, while Donna takes charge of The Beef.

A protagonist who expresses their frustrations and desires through food.

A mother who takes out her frustrations on her children, especially the youngest one (other blogs have already pointed this out as well).

Pedro, Tita's love interest, has to redirect the feelings he has for her toward her sister Rosaura; however, he does this in order to stay close to Tita. This reminded me of the metas that suggest Carmy redirects what he feels for Syd toward Claire.

An absent/deceased sibling. Mike on one side; Gertrudis on the other. The middle sister runs away, and Mamá Elena forbids anyone from mentioning her name again. To her, Gertrudis is dead—or at least that's what she says in public, while privately she mourns her absence. Later, it's revealed that Gertrudis is the daughter of Mamá Elena's one true love (who is not her husband), which explains the depth of her grief. As a result, we could infer that Gertrudis was Mamá Elena's favorite child.

Tita reaches a mental breaking point and withdraws into herself for a time. It's worth mentioning that a bowl of beef broth helps restore her sanity. This part of the story reminds me of posts suggesting that a dessert or dish might become the catalyst for Carmy and Syd's relationship. Likewise, others have suggested that when the dish is finally ready, the relationship will be ready too.

Tita lives under her mother's shadow even after her death. It isn't until she confronts Mamá Elena's ghost that she fully frees herself. I've seen posts suggesting that Carmy, by confronting Donna, will begin his path toward peace.

That's as far as I got with this draft. I saw that @otherworldlyfatevoyage was looking for a post connecting The Bear and Like Water for Chocolate, so I decided to post it now.

Another note:

By the way, Like Water for Chocolate (Como agua para chocolate) is a Mexican expression. According to the internet:

"The phrase comes from traditional kitchens when preparing hot chocolate. For the chocolate to turn out perfectly frothy, the water must reach its exact boiling point and be actively boiling. The metaphor compares that state of the water—hot, turbulent, and about to overflow—to a person who is 'boiling' with anger or passion."

In Mexico, hot chocolate is traditionally made with water and cinnamon.

A few days ago, YouTube recommended me a video by Agus Greco called How to Write Chemistry. It’s around 30 minutes long. This was the first video I watched from the YouTuber, and I found the information she gives about how chemistry should be written in a story very interesting, whether it’s between two characters or within an entire ensemble cast. It gives a notion of what chemistry is, its different types, and its rhythm.

The video begins with the following questions:

“Why do some characters seem perfect for each other in theory and still have no chemistry on the page? Why do some characters feel electric from the second they meet, while others remain flat no matter how much development or plot they’re given? Why do some character interactions feel magnetic even when nothing dramatic is happening on the surface? Sometimes all it takes is a few lines, a pause, or a look to create palpable tension. The exchange can be minimal, but the sense of friction and pull is unmistakable. Sometimes simply placing two characters in a room talking can feel more full of tension, energy, and momentum than pages of visible action.”

What the author points out at the beginning immediately reminded me of Syd/Carmy vs. Carmy/Claire. Comparing both dynamics, Syd and Carmy are by far the more interesting one to me. I care much more about seeing what happens between them and their interactions than I do about Claire Bear’s storyline. That’s why I want to believe that the way Claire and Carmy are presented serves a different purpose than being the show’s main chemistry.

Every point brought up throughout the video reinforces for me that SydCarmy is the central interaction. Here are some fragments from the video:

“Chemistry is charged interaction. It’s the feeling that every time two or more characters share a scene, something is happening underneath the surface: attraction, friction, fascination, mismatch, need, pattern, play.”

“Chemistry comes from dynamics, not similarity. One of the biggest mistakes writers make is assuming chemistry comes from characters having a lot in common. Sometimes it does, but far more often chemistry comes from contrast and movement. Not necessarily opposites. What matters is that when these two characters interact, they activate each other. One pushes, the other resists. One performs, the other sees through it. One wants closeness, the other fears it. One leads, the other refuses to follow. That’s where the spark lives.”

“These relationships work because each person pushes against the emotional temperature of the other, and no interaction is neutral.”

“Chemistry comes alive through tension. If you want chemistry, you need tension. And tension doesn’t only mean physical tension. Tension can be desire, distrust, status imbalance, emotional asymmetry, unfinished history, conflicting goals, or mutual fascination neither person knows how to handle. Chemistry thrives when something between the characters remains unresolved. That’s why flat relationships often feel flat even when the characters themselves are well written. Nothing presses. Nothing is charged. Nothing is at stake within the interaction itself.”

From my perspective, those fragments practically describe the chemistry between Syd and Carmy. Their interactions always generate a reaction in the other; as the author points out, they activate each other, there’s always something left unsaid, there’s unfinished history, and so on. In contrast, Carmy and Claire’s dynamic doesn’t feel that way.

On the other hand, the last part of the video talks about different types of chemistry; romantic chemistry is one of them, and I feel that Syd and Carmy fit, to varying degrees, into the categories the author describes: devotional chemistry, chaotic chemistry, yearning chemistry, combative chemistry, and soft intimacy chemistry. We have small gestures of care, irritation, friction, vulnerability; there are scenes of sacrifice, loyalty, and calm.

A few days ago I watched The Birdcage (1996). I have to say, the movie gave me a few good laughs, but what I enjoyed the most was, without a doubt, the interior design. I loved Armand and Albert’s apartment: a mix of colors, textures (patterns and wallpaper), furniture, and decorative objects from different styles that come together in an explosive and beautiful way.

I also really loved the transformation of the apartment into something more “traditional.” When the space is left almost bare, you can really start to notice certain details. The walls, for example, have an apparently worn texture that adds a lot of character to the space. In the same way, the lack of furniture makes the spatial composition easier to appreciate. One clear example is how the steps leading from the living room to Albert’s bedroom are integrated: instead of fragmented steps, they’re continuous, which creates a sense of flow and gives the space a sculptural feel. That same sculptural quality is repeated in the wall openings. I’m not sure who designed this set or whether it’s a real space, but it’s definitely a 10/10.

Another space I really liked was Val’s mother’s offices. The style here is much more formal, starting with the waiting area and that cylindrical sofa that looks like the “Pipeline” sofa designed in the 1980s. The chairs, which feel very Danish in style, also caught my attention, although I couldn’t find who designed them. The exterior spaces stood out as well: the bus stop is great, and interestingly, this and other exterior locations reminded me a bit of, Barbie by Greta Gerwig.

I recently started watching Percy Jackson. I finished the first season pretty quickly, just in time to start the second, which has only four episodes released so far. I’m on 2x03, and when I finished it, the platform suggested the show’s podcast, so I hit play to have something as background noise.

About halfway through the episode, Leah Jeffries (who plays Annabeth) is asked about the relationship between her character and Percy. In the books, they are the canon romantic couple, although at this point in the series they are still just friends. What caught my attention about Leah’s response is that she mentions that there is always something unfinished between them: every time a conversation between Percy and Annabeth seems to be heading somewhere else, they are interrupted or something happens that cuts the moment short.

Just as Leah is about to go deeper into this idea, the actor who plays Director D appears abruptly and completely changes the direction of the conversation, leaving the topic unfinished… exactly like what happens in the series. This reminded me of the posts about how Carmy and Syd are constantly interrupted throughout the seasons of The Bear.

While I was writing this, I thought of another parallel. In episode 1x05, Annabeth and Percy are on a mission to obtain Ares’ shield. At the end, one of them has to sacrifice themselves to get it: someone has to sit on a throne that turns whoever sits on it into a statue, since only in this way will the shield be released. Annabeth decides that it should be her who sacrifices herself, because Percy is the chosen one of the prophecy and she is not. However, Percy chooses to sacrifice himself; to convince her, he says:

“You’re better at this than me. You just are, and you know it. Believe me, I wish there was another way this quest succeeds. I just don’t see it.”

Annabeth ends up accepting, and Percy ends up turned into a golden statue. That speech reminded me a lot of the one Carmy gives in Goodbye. In both cases, Carmy and Percy consider that their co-protagonist is better than them at what they do: Percy believes Annabeth is better as a demigod, and Carmy believes Syd is better in the kitchen, in other words, they admire them

Gregory: It's just it'd be weird, You not being at Abbot

Janine: Yeah

Gregory : it's a fantastic opportunity, but i don't know. When i think of Abbot, i think of you. And when think of you, i think of Abbot

Janine: Yeah. No, i know ,and im gonna miss my students, i'm gonna miss my classroom

Gregory : Will miss knocking wall to chat

Janine: i'm gonna miss that too

Gregory: You really gonna leave us?

Later in the same episode, they use Gregory to bring back the old Ava.

Greg: all these rules are so hard and rigid

Ava: well, here's a rule, put your arms away, Jeremy Allen Black

My intention with this post was simply to share my opinion about how funny I found the moments where Chester seems jealous after Lucas shows up, and to compare that with Syd’s dialogue in Worms — the part where she talks about the older brother and his friends outside of the game (in that part, I thought I noticed a bit of jealousy from Syd too). The point of my reflection was just to highlight the jealousy in both cases; both characters understand that it’s healthy for their friends to have other friends, as Chester himself would say, but even so, those possessive feelings toward Carmy and Marcus still surface.

However, as I was writing this, I started wondering why Chester is even jealous. I thought: aren’t he and Marcus just friends? That led me to think about the posts that talk about the confusing labels around what Syd means to Carmy and vice versa. The same confusion Carmy experiences is what happened to me with Chester and Marcus, I couldn’t label Chester’s feelings. While you could say it's normal to get a little jealous when a new person shows up in a friendship, you could also interpret it as the presence of deeper feelings. There’s definitely some emotional ambiguity there.

Note: I’m not sure if I interpreted the Worms dialogue correctly, I watch the show with Spanish subtitles.

In episode 2x3, we see Syd’s boat ride where images of buildings are superimposed with dishes of food. It could be interpreted as the city and its architecture serving as inspiration for Syd’s cooking. In contrast, this season we have Carmy visiting one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s works (possibly looking for inspiration?). So while Syd moves through an open, exterior space, Carmy explores a closed, interior one. I'm not sure exactly what they’re trying to say with this, but I do see that contrast/parallel between them — and I just really like that both find inspiration in Chicago’s architecture.

By the way, I hope Carmy doesn’t switch to architecture, it’s just as stressful as cooking

Sydney's donut//fennel allergy

I love the magenta/red color on Syd's plates. Sprinkle it on, guys!

The other day I came across a post by @ago0112 where they compiled posters and their connections to The Bear universe. I had that in mind while watching episode 1 of season 2 — this is when the poster for Rounders appears, a 1998 film considered by many online to be one of the best of its genre. I rented it and watched it.

The original post already gives us some insight into how the movie ties into The Bear, but this one is meant to be a companion piece a few more details that stood out to me:

To contextualize a little, the plot focuses on Michael and his friend Worm, who go through various conflicts to pay a debt.

1. Michael is a driver

In the first few minutes of the film, we see him lose his entire tuition to a Russian mobster known as KGB. After that, he has to take a job driving a delivery truck to pay for school. This immediately reminded me of Syd and her job at UPS.

2. The magic theme

Michael shows up to a poker game where some of his professors are playing. He manages to read their hands, impressing them enough to land a possible internship. Later, at a bar, one of the professors invites him for a drink. Their conversation centers around the “magic”, Michael’s teacher questions him about how he knew everyone’s cards. The teacher asks if it’s some kind of magic. Michael denies that it is magic, he says: “I look at the cards, but I also watch the players' reactions...”

“Their faces tell you everything.”

The professor responds: “You look at the man. I never realized how much calculation was involved.”

This scene instantly reminded me of season 3 — the "magic montage", the card tricks, the idea that what’s hidden is in plain sight for those who know how to read the signs.

3. Inherited debt

Worm, Michael’s childhood friend (almost like a brother), gets out of prison but still owes money to KGB. Michael helps buy him time, but the only way to do that is by backing him. When they fail to pay the debt, Worm suggests running. Michael refuses.Worm disappears, and the debt automatically transfers to Michael — it’s the last we see of Worm.

4. Color palette

Rounders uses a strong red–blue tonal harmony, just like The Bear. You’ll also catch hints of purple, green, and yellow.Even the wardrobe has similar energy: sportswear, leather jackets, and printed shirts that reminded me of what Sweeps and Ebra wear.

5. The Bear

There’s a scene where Michael and Worm are at a poker game with a group of cops. Michael joins first, then Worm shows up. When Worm enters, one of the characters introduces him — and they call him "Bear." (The character says: "hey fellas," to which they respond, "hey Bear.")

Even more interesting: one of the cops at the table is played by the same actor who plays Tina’s husband.

6-“Baby, I'm a big star now” — as the movie ends and the credits begin to roll, “Baby, I’m a Big Star Now” by Counting Crows plays in the background. The same song is featured in The Bear 2x02 Pasta.