Word: piquant
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Piquant truths about consumerism or the human condition, and inspiration drawn from ancient iconography or found objects, unite the displays. Iranian artist Nazgol Ansarinia inscribes sofreh (traditional tablecloths) with the fluctuating prices of daily foodstuffs sold by Tehran street peddlers, making a trenchant comment about Iran's punishing inflation. Egyptian artist Huda Lutfi applies images of Egyptian pop divas to a triptych of female torsos, reminiscent of Gaultier perfume bottles, raising issues of gender politics and societal roles. "Being trapped in certain roles is a universal cultural phenomenon," she says. But how wonderful to have it expressed in such fresh...
...another cyborg epic from the writers and director of Terminator 3: Judgment Day, and based on a graphic novel. The movie imagines that, in day-to-day activity, lifelike robots have mostly replaced humans, who sit at home speaking for the droids and controlling their actions. It's a piquant premise for those of us who see Americans retreating to near-stasis in front of their computers, enjoying (or condemned to) a life no more than virtual. But the main story, in which humans and robots do battle for the future of the collective soul, is familiar from many...
...Flow: There's an unmistakably nutty, fruity aroma at the ultra-contemporary, climate-controlled cheese room at Flow restaurant within the riverside Millennium Hilton Bangkok, www1.hilton. com. Some of the world's best varieties are flaunted, including Colston Bassett Stilton, Brie Royale with black truffle, and piquant Pecorino di Fossa from Italy. Guests are encouraged to taste before making their selection, which is served with a stylish range of condiments including celery jelly. A cheese-and-wine butler advises on pairings and there's a dedicated cheese table for guests to sit at and convivially share their newfound cheese knowledge...
Ever since Barbie and her reality-defying curves stepped into the playhouse, parents have complained that dolls promote an unattainable image of beauty. It's a particularly piquant point for Lexington, South Carolina mother Mary Ann Perry, whose 23-year-old daughter Valerie lives with Down Syndrome. "Dolls represent real people in the imagination of a young person," Perry says. "I don't want Valerie to think she has to be conventionally beautiful to be loved." So when Valerie asked for a doll at Christmas, her mother bypassed buxom Barbie and purchased Elizabeth (retail price: $175) from S.C.-based retailer...
...Aviator Sling: gin, parfait amour, cranberry and lime juice), while the Brasserie is all cream-leather seating and walnut finishes. It's here that chef Allan Pickett (formerly at Galvin Bistrot de Luxe in London) makes use of local produce to create a tempting take-off menu: the piquant steak tartare is already proving a runaway success. And on the walls, black-and-white photos of Hollywood stars getting on or disembarking from airplanes add a touch of nostalgic air-travel glamour. As airport hotels go, Aviator is a real departure...