Atlantica - 01.11.2001, Page 14

12 A T L A N T I C A
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Funny Old Word: CREAM
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We all know the varied meanings of cream. Caffeine addicts ask for it as
they pop in and out of Starbucks. Gorgeous models push tube after tube
of it in adverts that promise soft, silky skin. Sports fans have witnessed
their teams either cream an opponent or be creamed. And yes, if you
skim through all the definitions in the Oxford English Dictionary, you’ll
come to one that says, to “be sexually aroused, especially to the point of
producing sexual...”, stop right there! This is a family magazine.
It’s odd that cream could come to mean such a thing, especially when
one considers that the word originated from Old French cresme, which
came from a blend of late Latin cramum and ecclesiastical Latin chrisma.
See ‘chrism’, the Dictionary advises.
Okay, let’s take a look at chrism: “a mixture of oil and balsam, conse-
crated and used for anointing at baptism and in other rites of Catholic,
Orthodox and Anglican Churches”.
So cream derived from a substance used in sacred rituals and was trans-
formed into a word with a sexually driven connotation used in an erotic
Prince song? Ain’t language grand? EW
Theme bars are the latest fad in Paris fashion circles. First, Paris’ empire of chic, Colette,
opened a trendy water bar, now there’s Bubbles, devoted to that French nectar of the
gods, champagne. With an orange interior to match the label of a bottle of Veuve Cliquot,
Bubbles is a ‘70s-style homage to luxury living. Situated in the posh ninth district right
next to the Edouard VII Theatre, this champagne bar plays host to the capital’s cool
crowd and offers an extensive choice of 250 champagnes, including 40 bottles for less than
350 francs (USD 49) for those craving for more than just a glass. Illuminated by a constellation
of light bulbs, the second floor restaurant is the domain of resident chef Nicolas Houlbert, who conjures up
refined dishes. The lunch and dinner menus are at surprisingly modest prices and always accompanied by a glass
of bubbly, of course. With light concoctions such as caviar with blinis, langoustines, seared foie gras and mixed salad
with parmesan shavings, the cuisine is a happy marriage between traditional and modern French cook-
ing. Float away in the smoking room, a cosy corner complete with fashion magazines and literature
for champagne connoisseurs. Speaking of which, the bar comes complete with a boutique entire-
ly dedicated to the art of drinking champagne. AMB
Bubbles Bar Restaurant Boutique, 6 rue Edouard VII, ninth district, metro Opera or Madeleine.
Tel: (+33) 01 47 42 77 95, www.bubbles-paris.com
Bubblicious
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