As we celebrate the New Year, we have two French women to thank — Marie Antoinette for the champagne glass and the Widow Clicquot for the bubbles.
The champagne glass itself is said to be modeled from the breast of Marie Antoinette. While today we seem to prefer tall fluted champagne glasses, the traditional ones are open and shaped more like, well, a breast – Marie Antoinette’s.
In fact the glasses were said to be porcelain milk bowls which are at the Musée National de Céramique de Sèvres in Paris. The Smartset.com
Champagne: I like anything that sparkles, but my favorite champagne is Veuve Clicquot – which in the days of high living was served generously in first class to Paris. But in addition to taste, I loved the story told to us by one of the stewardesses. Read about this remarkable widow and how she held onto her vineyards and became a legend.
At the Rhode Island School of Design: In thinking about the museum collections for Marie Antoinette and crystal champagne glasses, I was reminded of the exquisite glass collection at RISD’s new Chace Center. http://www.risdmuseum.org/ . From the futuristic glassworks of Dale Chihuly to Beth Lipman’s After Your Gone crystal still-life imagery – this is a place to trigger imaginative ideas for the New Year.
Love and Lovers 2009: As an incurable romantic, I am presenting in “Love and Lovers” just my simple formula for the New Year. It is aimed at helping to rekindle love or strengthen a relationship. Upon awakening each morning make a promise to yourself that you will:
- Laugh often,
- Express gratitude,
- Embrace forgiveness, and
- Wish blessings.
Whether you are married or single, Scott Haltzman, M.D., a psychiatrist and assistant professor at Brown University, shares what may seem like controversial ideas in his two books: Secrets of Happily Married Women and Secrets of Happily Married Men. Hormones, spring fever and sex In depicting love and forgiveness, he presents us with a blueprint for joy.
Providence Love and Marriage Examiner — ce’est moi!
The above were adapted from postings I wrote yesterday — and there you can leave comments! So sign in.
Copyright 2009 Rita Watson