French Food Rituals: Eating with my French Husband Part 1
For my husband and I, being in an inter-cultural marriage (him being French and I, Indian) opened up a world of tastes and experiences. It has also made us confront some of our own cultural hang-ups around food, food-combinations and habits. Join me as I talk about some of my adventures in adjusting to my French husband’s food rituals.
Do you rub statues for luck? 3 Parisian statues to visit if you do!
Here are 3 statues in Paris if you believe in the delightful arcane myth of rubbing statues for luck! They are also very good examples of the combination of myth-making as well as cultural fixation on body-parts of statues as sources of good luck, virility, intelligence or whatever.
Chartres: A Weekend Getaway from Paris
Chartres is an ideal weekend or even day-trip destination from Paris.
The piece de resistance of Chartres is of course, the Chartres Cathedral. Find out all the info for this superb getaway destination from Paris.
The 1000 Silhouettes of Les Secrets de l’Opéra
This piece is about art that unlike the Opéra, quite understated, but quiet a fitting tribute to it nevertheless. It is called ‘Les Secrets de l’Opéra’. This piece of art is spread over the whole of Opéra metro station and consists of tiny silhouettes depicting scenes from within the Opéra Garnier.
Explore Paris’s Le Marais: A Different Side of Paris
Much of what we know as Paris’ architecture and style, was the result of the 17 long years of urban renewal project, led by Georges-Eugène Haussmann.This means that a lot of what we recognise as Parisienne style dates back to the 1800s. All except for Le Marais! This place miraculously managed to evade the massive renovations. Thus, it still has some beautifully preserved buildings and roads from medieval Paris.
Monsoon and Memories: Mangoes with a Pinch of Salt and Chillie
My mother left me a whole assortment of food: mutton with potatoes the way I like, a small piece of fish with mustard, a side of sticky rice that smelled like heaven, a crispy brinjal, lentils and lemon. And then a bit disjointed from the overall theme of the meal, was a bowl of raw mangoes grated fine and tempered with salt and chillies. Was it in lieu of dessert? It smelled of childhood memories.
Paris Secrets: Salvador Dali’s Sundial
Dali took the inspiration for this sundial from scallops! I mean, are we surprised? As you can see in the attached image, it is indeed scallop-y with bright blue eyes which are aflame, as an homage to the sun. The last detail is definitely my favourite: the hair cascading down is in the shape of the signature moustache twirl of Dali! Isn’t that a classic Dali twist at its best?
Short Stories to Read : A Sad Days List
When I am sad, there is nothing more comforting than reading some great author who not only writes about emotions that I am feeling, sometimes giving me the words to express them myself, but also produces a certain kind of melancholia that is essential to sooth the heart of the lonely and sad. It like being extended an embrace, that invites commiserating without wallowing.
5 Book about France for the Curious Francophile
These books would help unravel some of the anthropological conundrums of the French culture and people. And who knows, they might even inspire some of you out there to open your horizons and seek discovery and delight . If consuming only an external idea of French aesthetic is not your cup of tea, this list is for you.
Geeli Pucchi( Ajeeb Dastaans 2021) and Women at the Workplace
Though Kavita and Priya seemingly inhabit the same space, it is clear that the way in which these spaces themselves accommodate them, is completely different. In the end, the two women are left vying for the same spot. It is this very fight that exposes the grimness of this patriarchal system: where a tiny bit of sky appears to be all women are entitled to. Not just that, we have to fight each other for it.
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The Shuffle 