Eat, Sleep, Breathe, Travel

It’s official: no more “mademoiselle” in France

Anyone going to France this summer? If so, you might find this news interesting. It turns out you should maybe think twice before calling a woman “mademoiselle” while you’re over there.

The French Prime Minister has ordered the removal of the word “mademoiselle” from all official government documents. The term is traditionally used for unmarried women and, as it turns out, it connotes a kind of youthful immaturity.

Interesting. I never knew this. I studied French in high school and college, and lived in Paris for a semester, but I didn’t know that "mademoiselle" had any negative connotations. I always just thought it meant a young woman. Good to know. That’s an interesting thing about speaking foreign languages—even when you think you know the meaning of a word, you can’t know the connotation unless you immerse yourself in the culture for a little while.

The official banning of “mademoiselle” from government documents came after a lot of lobbying from women's rights groups in France. They argued that the word was sexist and that on government forms it unnecessarily pried into a woman’s private life (asking if she’s married or not). Good points all.

Lesson of the day: when in doubt, say "madame."

Photo: Paul Beattie via Flickr (CC)

Mona Lisa’s double in Madrid

People are excited at the Prado Museum in Madrid. The world-famous museum is currently exhibiting a copy of the Mona Lisa, painted by one of Da Vinci’s apprentices in his workshop.

The art world is buzzing about this new find. They say it’s the oldest and most important copy of the Mona Lisa ever discovered. For years they thought this one was painted long after Da Vinci’s death, but recent restoration revealed it was straight out of his workshop. Pretty cool.

The painting will be on display at the Prado until March 13. Then it will move to the Louvre in Paris to be near its original.

The Prado, by the way, is one of the world’s most renowned art museums, Mona Lisa copy or no Mona Lisa copy. I actually haven’t been there (somehow Madrid has eluded me all these years), but I hear only good things. The museum has loads of European art, with a special focus on Spanish painters (Velázquez and Francisco de Goya are the headliners). The collection’s best-known work is Las Meninas by Velázquez.

If you’re going on an EF College Break trip to Madrid, and you like art, you’ll be happy. It includes a visit to the Prado. Though, if it’s a summer trip, you’ll still have to go to the Louvre in Paris if you want to see the newsworthy copy of the Mona Lisa (not to mention the original).

Photo: gushnu via Flickr (CC)

It’s always gelato time in Italy

A few weeks ago, Italy’s national gelato expo took place in Rimini (northern Italy). I can’t seem to find any details about it, other than this article that explains that even during these trying economic times in Europe, Italians have not cut back at all on their gelato intake. They can't do without their gelato.

Gelato is Italian ice cream. It’s creamier, denser, and more intensely flavored than most ice cream in the U.S. It comes in all kinds of interesting flavors. The most popular are chocolate, pistachio, and coffee, but you can also get any number of fruit flavors, nut flavors, and even some more experimental ones like red wine, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and basil.

I’ve done a little research, and I’ve learned that the key to making excellent gelato is finding the perfect balance between the fat (from the milk and cream) and the sugar (from the fruit, chocolate, etc.). You see, the fat hardens as it freezes, while the sugar does the opposite. You also want to make sure you have the right size ice crystals. The tinier the crystals, the smoother the gelato. Ideally you want your ice crystals about a micron in size, for ultimate smoothness.

Interesting. Interesting and delicious.

Photo: Samuraijohnny via Flickr (CC)

Crazy Valentine’s Day contest in Thailand

In case you haven’t gotten enough Valentine’s Day hype, I thought I’d direct you to this entertaining bit of Valentine’s Day news from Thailand.

Seven couples are competing in a kissing marathon to see who can stay kissing the longest. To win, couples must remain lip-locked continuously, no exceptions—that includes when going to the bathroom and while eating. They use straws to get food and drink into their mouths.

Incredibly, the current record for this contest is more than two days (set last year by a woman named Lakkana Tiranarat and her husband). 46 hours, 24 minutes and nine seconds to be exact. Now, I like kissing as much as anyone else, but I can think of a lot of other ways I’d rather spend two days. On the other hand, the winning couple gets a diamond ring worth $3,333 and a hotel gift voucher. On the other hand, they may never want to kiss each other again.

The contest started yesterday, and will presumably run through the big day tomorrow, when one lucky couple will be crowned champion. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Photo: rogoyski via Flickr (CC)

A Big Birthday in London

In case you missed it, Tuesday was Charles Dickens’s 200th birthday. Of course, Dickens is considered one of the greatest writers of all time, so there was quite a buzz about it online. Google even honored him by doing their thing with the thing.

I like Charles Dickens. I remember enjoying A Tale of Two Cities, and though I never read A Christmas Carol, the movie Scrooged is definitely a personal favorite. If you’re taking a trip to London this summer, you might soak in some of the Dickens bicentennial excitement.

This article talks about how London itself was the true inspiration for most of Dickens’s works. He grew up in the city after moving there as a child, working in a shoe polish factory from the age of 12. When Dickens was an adult, they say he would spend hours wandering the streets, observing, getting ideas from all he saw around him. One area that played a central role in many of his books was Covent Garden. Back in Dickens’s day it was a real working marketplace. Today it’s a popular shopping area. A different vibe sure, but the same footsteps.

If you really like your Dickens, you can check out the Museum of London’s temporary exhibition called “Dickens and London”. It’s about Dickens and London. The exhibit will be there until June 10. If you miss that, all is not lost. You can still see where he’s buried at Westminster Abbey, you can go on a guided Dickens Walk, and you can wash it all down with a pint at one of several historic Dickensian pubs.

Photos: pandrcutts via Flickr (CC)