Monday, April 29, 2013

The Best Restaurants in the World

Organised by Restaurant magazine, The World's 50 Best Restaurants list is an annual snapshot of the opinions and experiences of over 900 international restaurant industry experts. What constitutes "best" is left to the judgement of these trusted and well-travelled gourmets. (...)

Given that this well-constructed list is based on personal experiences it can never be definitive, but we believe it is an honourable survey of current tastes and a credible indicator of the best places to eat around the globe. (...)

Number 1: El Celler de Can Roca: "Striking food from Spain's band of gastronomic brothers"
The passion for cooking and hospitality shared by the three Roca brothers is palpable, but the food is playful rather than serious — caramelised olives are brought to the table on bonsai trees — and Catalan ingredients are given centre-stage billing on the menu. Clever techniques complement simple flavour combinations designed to titillate the palate and the memory rather than confuse the mind. It's clever stuff — but thankfully it is also utterly delicious.
http://www.theworlds50best.com/

http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2013/04/29/actualidad/1367251909_458440.html


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Books Books Books

23 April is a symbolic date for world literature, since 23 April 1616 was the date of death of Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. 23 April is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

This is why UNESCO chose this date to pay a worldwide tribute to books and their authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and to gain a renewed respect for the extraordinary contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.
The idea for this celebration originated in Catalonia (Spain) where it has become a tradition to give a rose as a gift for each book purchased.

Translation is the first step towards the rapprochement of peoples, and is also a decentralizing experience, teaching diversity and dialogue. Translation is one of the driving principles of our creative diversity, which enriches each language through contact with all the others. 
Irina Bokova, Director General
Message for World Book and Copyright Day 2012
 
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-book-and-copyright-day-2012/
http://www.diadellibro.eu/
http://www.bookcrossing.com/articles/1725

Friday, April 19, 2013

Monuments

In 2013, the theme is Heritage of Education (schools, universities, libraries, academies, etc.) in its expressions in different geo-cultural contexts. 
 
Throughout history and in different geo-cultural contexts, education was practised in a wide range of places or buildings.
 
Open spaces, agora or the protective shadow of a tree could be useful for the transmission of knowledge, but also specific institutional buildings such as schools, universities, madrasas, academies, libraries, monasteries, etc.
Many of those buildings, groups of buildings or sites are recognised as bearing not only social or institutional values but also historic or artistic ones, and have therefore become a significant part of our cultural heritage.
 
The protection and conservation of the heritage of education not only implies preserving cultural assets but also, at the same time, celebrating education as one of the fundamental human tasks. 
 
 
 

Saturday, April 13, 2013

We Are Young - Are We Free?

“Enjoy your youth. You'll never be younger tan you are at this very moment.”
Chad Sugg
“So wise so young, they say, do never live long.”
William Shakespeare, Richard III
“Youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness.”
F. Scott FitzGerald
“I was not a hypocrite, with one real face and several false ones. I had several faces because I was young and didn't know who I was or wanted to be.”
Milan Kundera, The Joke
“Adolescence is like having only enough light to see the step directly in front of you.”
Sarah Addison Allen, The Girl Who Chased the Moon
“The problem with growing up," Quentin said, "is that once you're grown up, people who aren't grown up aren't fun anymore.”
Lev Grossman, The Magicians
“What we want to see is the child in pursuit of the knowledge not the knowledge in pursuit of the child.”
George Bernard Shaw
 “The great blessing and great cruelty of youth is that there seems to be time enough.”
Catherynne M. Valente
“Think, speak, and act. With age comes self-reproach: I might have done more. Therefore now do!”
Théophile Thoré
“I had no idea how free we were. That's how free I was.”
Brendan Cowell, How It Feels

Ballet's Sergei Poluninhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17362051