Word: communale
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Welcome to the communal table. Except for the occasional dim sum pig-out, Americans have traditionally liked their public dining experiences to be private, favoring booths, banquettes and sometimes even whole rooms that separate them from others. But lately, whether out of a modern need for community or an ancient urge to break bread in company, sharing dining space with strangers is appealing to a growing number of diners at all levels of the food chain. "I eat so many meals rushed, in front of the TV," says James Wheeler, 28. "It's sometimes nice to share a meal with...
Restaurateur Stephen Starr, owner of Buddakan, says he has made communal tables part of many of his restaurants because "they provide a great core of energy." Buddakan evokes the roots of such dining with a space reminiscent of Versailles. "When people descend the stairs, it's as if they're watching a movie," says Starr. "People like to feel they're part of a group or party, and our tables achieve that." The shared table is so popular that even Drew Barrymore, whose celebrity status would surely merit more discreet VIP seating, has been spotted there...
...Smart money was against India in 1947. Independence celebrations were quickly marred by communal violence, fierce territorial disputes with new neighbor Pakistan over the control of Kashmir, and the death of the country's founding father, Mahatma Gandhi, in January 1948. But, as Guha points out, the fledgling state was blessed with a generation of gifted leaders who had fought with Gandhi against the British, believed in his liberal values, and were determined to keep his nation in one piece. Some of these early leaders, like Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister, became world celebrities, but readers will discover other...
...road to this requirement was astoundingly rocky, characterized by internal politics and turf wars rather than a communal quest for the best curriculum. Discussions were put on hold for months at a time during the winters of 2005 and 2006, while the Faculty lambasted Summers and his leadership style. When the review—and in particular its centerpiece, the General Education requirement—was on the agenda, discussion was characterized both in committee and among the full Faculty by a striking inability to work together and agree on any meaningful proposals...
...when over 400 faculty members showed up to attend a vote of no confidence in Summers. The lack of enthusiasm evidenced by Curricular Review votes that barely reached a Faculty quorum, and professors’ certitude and inability to cooperate, must give way to a newly concerted communal effort. That did not happen in the past four years, but it needs to start happening if the new curriculum is to work for professors—and most importantly, for students...