Simply must-have - n°3 / Concentrate - design for education

While watching Dragon's Den last night, my so and I almost fell over when we looked at the offerings of Mark Champkin of Concentrate.

To most people, especially Americans, what follows next, is going to probably be cause for laughter, but we have been racking our brains on how to keep the little one's lunchbox (especially the sliced meats inside) cool until lunch. Searches for a lunchbox with cooler in Belgian stores so far led to zip results. Nada, nothing, niente available.

So you will understand our glee at Mark's presentation and the fact that you can purchase online.

The neoprene cooler bag is a godsend. And although I like the actual lunchbox itself (which emphasizes fruit consumption), I am happy to report that the school regulations are quite strict at our kindergarten. Parents are requested to only provide fruit or a dry biscuit (i.e. no chocolate biscuits etc.) and fruit juices for children. There are no vending machines in the school itself and soft drinks are not allowed during lunch. Of course, what goes on outside the school, is one's own choice... but I hope that this approach will in the long term result in a healthy eating pattern.

Back to the subject at hand: this young entrepreneur has recently launched his products at John Lewis (major UK department store) and hopefully will soon take the rest of the world by storm.
He sure is a hit in this family. Kudos to Peter Jones for taking the leap and investing in his business. Pasta salads for lunch, finally!

Mombian? Dumbledore is gay? Gaybours?

I had a good laugh this morning. I had already heard of such interesting terms as guestbian, hasbian, but now apparently someone has coined the term mombian.
Love it, although I wouldn't think of myself in those terms.

I was reminded of my situation a little yesterday while watching the latest episode of Desperate Housewives and their gaybours (language is such a versatile and plastic thing). Ironically enough, when we found our house, we were reassured by its former owners that we certainly wouldn't feel out of place, given that there already were two other (male) gay couples on the street.
What a gay place to be. And of course, we've all been properly and duly assimilated.

On the subject of assimilation, my 3-year old is currently dealing with the mysteries of 'dad'. The other children in her school all have standard mum/dad families, and of course the lack of men (high male mortality rate in this family + inlaws live abroad) is glaringly obvious. As she pays more attention to books and sees kids being dropped off by their dads, she is curious but realizes that she herself has two mums (although not the Heather has two mommies' variety).


A good book for kids that age, I think, is Emma and Meesha My Boy by Kaitlyn Considine, although our little one would argue that the book is about us (since the characters resemble us and we also have a cat).

And finally speaking of gay characters and children, what do we make of the news that Albus Dumbledore, the esteemed head of Hogwarts School of Magic, was gay? I think the jury's still out on that one in this household.

Antwerp mayor says 'sorry' to Jewish community - has anything really changed?

Interesting news item:

Yesterday our mayor, socialist Patrick Janssens, apologized to the Jewish community for the municipal government's role during World War II in a video message to a congress on the Nazi extermination of Jews during WWII.
Recent research seems to indicate that Antwerp officials and police were actively collaborating with the German occupying forces at the time. With more than 1,200 Jews rounded up for subsequent deportation to various concentration camps in Europe, it would seem that the Antwerp police assisted the Germans during the summer of 1942 in tracking down Jewish people in Antwerp and later actively rounding them up.
The Brussels municipal council and police apparently refused any collaboration.
About 65 percent of Antwerp's Jewish community were deported during the Nazi occupation.

All this during the same weekend that thousands of members of the white supremacy organization Blood and Honour converged on Wolfsdonk in Aarschot for a concert featuring neo-nazi bands... There is currently no ban on such meetings and organizations in Belgium, which is why this meet could take place.

Sometimes I think this country just doesn't get it and is unable to looks its war past in the face.
I should probably say something here about communitaurian differences (Walloon vs. Flemish) and link it to the current problems that the various parties are having trying to form a coalition and subsequently a government, but frankly, I am so exasperated and ashamed about the lack of unity at political level that I don't want to talk about it.

Oh she was gorgeous!: Catherine Deneuve

Ladies (and gentlemen): I give you Cathérine Fabienne Dorléac. An inveterate smoker, Yves St Laurent muse and the star of Belle De Jour and that lesser lesbian classic The Hunger.

I could expound on the many other marvellous films that the erstwhile Marianne of France made. Some of excellent quality (the films by André Téchiné among others, but also Lars von Trier's output with Bjork, 8 Femmes by Ozon)... And let's not forget about her latest endeavour: Persepolis, a film based on the beautiful book by Marjane Satrapi, for which Deneuve did the voiceover with her daughter, Chiara Mastroianni.

Things to like about her: feminist, against the death penalty, passionate about AIDS and cancer causes, etc.

Feast your eyes, I say, because at 64 she still looks pretty amazing, I think.

Little Philosophers - time for some fun

Too good to ignore.

Many years ago, one dark November evening in Provincetown, while shopping in a now defunct store on Main Street, I fell in love with a Virginia Woolf doll. She still takes pride of place on our bookcase.

I recently looked up the site of the Unemployed Philosophers Guild again and lo behold, they've revamped her (she's got a new frock).

If you're already looking for a cute Christmas prezzie, then maybe you need to shop with these kind people.

Sunday evening quick fix - Rice pilaf à la Lula

Ingredients: 300 g rice
1 onion, chopped
1 tin of tomatoes, cubes or other, 400 g
1 tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 eggplant, diced
8 dried apricots, chopped up
500 cl of vegetable stock

Dice the eggplant. Cover in salt, let sit until all liquid absorbed.
Chop onion, fry in some sunflower oil for 1 minute.
Add rice, stir until glazed.
Add tomatoes.
Add cumin, cinnamon, apricots and vegetable stock.
Let simmer for 15 mins.

Don't forget about the eggplant. Heat some sunflower oil and stir-fry the diced eggplant.

Serve with lamb or chicken.

PS - as I am writing this, I am pondering whether I should add some pistachios next time.

Damages?

Thanks to the delectable Dorothy Snarker, I have discovered that there is a series on American TV named Damages with Glenn Close as a headliner.

For the moment, all I have to go by are the screen caps and promo shots of course. But hey, tailored suits, Glenn Close, what more does a girl need to get through the weekend? Looking at the photos, she reminded of the character of Joyce Wischnia in the L Word for a nanosecond. But better-looking?

That said, I can only assume that we will have to wait another four years before it hits Belgium. Grmmmbl. Must talk to my so about relocating back to the US. Unfortunately, that would also mean having to deal with seven thousand ads being fired at your retina every hour. I don't know if I can handle that much non-information.

Anyway, off I go to find out more about this series... (from the same people who gave us Nip/Tuck so there is hope yet, girls.).

UPDATE - I've been catching up on this series and I love it!

The L word, the next season and some Bette Porter loveliness

So what is going on in the world of the L Word, I ask myself?
As I am not a dedicated follower of the girls on mediaboulevard and twop, I wouldn't know.

My eyes have detected a spoilerish trailer, which is weaving its way through the internet, raising the hopes in hearts of many a fangirl.

What can I say? Initially, during season 1, I was captivated by the whole concept. Women who looked like women, a couple considering a baby, both holding an interesting a job, a circle of friends that was witty and fun to hang around with... and then everything derailed and went horribly black, as we all watched, appalled how Shane left her wife to be standing all alone in snowy Canada at the altar, how Bette drove away into the night with Baby Angelica, etc.
I looked at the lesbians around me and thought: surely, this is not the way that we live, and looooooove?

Anyway, I look forward to the horror, the horror of next season. In the meantime, I tend to look at spoilers from behind my interlaced fingers and click on new trailers on youtube.

Let the countdown begin.

--- In the meantime, to keep you dreaming, here is some Bette Porter loveliness (courtesy of the Fabulous Jennifer Beals Yahoo Group via FeroForum).

Simply must-have part deux

Today, a squeal finally erupted from my lips after weeks of anticipation. It is finally mine, all MINE (insert manic laughter here).

Since spending some time at my uncle's, I have coveted that hugely expensive but streamlined polished steel Dualit toaster.
And now finally, it is mine.

Doesn't it remind you of one of those other design classics, the Airstream caravan?

Ah, mornings and more mornings of toast with delicious quince jam await me.

Life is heaven, admit it, when you can enjoy such frivolous and small pleasures.

Oh she was gorgeous!*: Sophia Loren

Might as well catch up while I'm at it.
Sorry for depriving you of your dose of weekly gorgeousness.

Today's candidate for the gallery is La Bella Sofia! Do you remember when she yelled out 'Robertooo' at the Oscars... I died and went to heaven at that precise moment. There is a certain way and inflection that Italians have when speaking Italian which gives rise to instant delirium in me.

The photo was taken from the Pirelli calendar (such an honourable institution) and Sofia Villani Scicolone, to use her given name, was 73 at the time.

We can only hope that we can display such dazzling beauteousness and cleavage when we reach that age. She says it's all due to pasta...
OK, hand me the passata, I'm game.