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best of cafebabel.com
Sunday in Paris with Chopin and Steve Villa-Massone, street pianist
After trailing the streets of Europe with his piano - literally carrying it around - for ten years, the dedicated French pianist and composer from Nice is now bringing smiles to Parisian passers-by. We tag along with him in the streets of the French capital - the more of us around to push this heavy instrument, the better
best of cafebabel.com, paris, brunch, crise financière, poland, music, europe
Birthday gift ideas for Maastricht treaty, 20 years today
The Maastricht treaty, signed on 7 February 1992, came into force in November 1993, when most of cafebabel.com's editorial team were children. The treaty heralded both the creation of the European union, formerly the 'European economic community', and the euro as a single currency. Two decades on, it’s attracting the wrath of crisis-struck Europeans
best of cafebabel.com, european economic community, maastricht, lisbon treaty, anniversary, european union, politics
Italian spritz aperol: the future’s orange
The Italian-born spritz aperol has gained official international recognition, being classed as a ‘new drink’ by the international bartenders’ association. We took this as an excuse to try out the sparkling brew, which the Italians will tell us is anything but new
best of cafebabel.com, paris, wine, united states, society, aperitif, beverages
Euro 2012 Warsaw stadium: once a bazaar hosting pop star popes
With its roof looking like a waving Polish flag, the national stadium became the newest addition to the Polish capital's fantastic skyline on 29 January. It opened seven months later than planned on the historic banks of the Vistula river but still in time for the 2012 European football championships this summer
best of cafebabel.com, football, solidarnosc, poland, travel, society, city planning
Nightlife in Vilnius: ethnic minority benders
6.7% Polish, 6.3% Russian, 1.2% Belarusian, 0.7% Ukrainian, 0.1% Yiddish, 0.09% Tartar…approximately 115 communities of ethnic minorities were listed in this vein in a 2001 census in Lithuania. How integrated are these groups in local society? One way of finding out is by hitting the tiles
best of cafebabel.com, integration, union of soviet socialist republic, multikulti on the ground, discrimination, lithuania, vilnius
Pesetas, liras, franks and drachmas: euro is living on borrowed time
Multiple defaults, a return to the lira, pesetas and francs, the break-up of the monetary union and Europe comes crashing down. Sounds like an endless chain of unreal events? Perhaps not: the end of the common currency is no longer a taboo for European press and economists
best of cafebabel.com, italy, germany, euro, economy, economical crisis, euweek
University of Love questionnaire for EU
The prevailing lovelessness on the old continent might cost the good old European Union dearly. That’s why the last days of the year seem like a good time to sign up for a seminar at a real-life university of love
2011: God Bless Relativised Europe
'Happy' was our EU in 2011 – not ‘blissful’, in accordance with the Danish bible society's dumbed down translations of its revised new testament, released this year. The EU is still about ‘unity in diversity’, its guiding motto, but has also become about unity in losing faith
best of cafebabel.com, divorce, geert wilders, madrid, tony blair, egypt, catherine ashton
My beautiful camp: Italy's Roma success stories
Between a Roma camp claiming to be an example of social integration and a laundrette which is a supposed symbol of multiculturalism, profound problems linger at the heart of Rome’s gypsy communities
best of cafebabel.com, italy, racism, bosnia and herzegovina, association, multikulti on the ground, discrimination
Hope in 2011: Tahrir and Puerta del Sol utopias
This time it’s for real. Bad luck for Greece. Thomas has made up his mind: he’s leaving tonight. He climbs into the boat – and goodbye. Between Thomas More’s Utopia and Charles Fourier’s concept of the phalanstery, a literary look back at 2011
best of cafebabel.com, madrid, egypt, arab spring, jasmine revolution, 'indignant citizens' movement, egypt
Voina: 'As a Russian activist, I'm not sure that I will live long'
With organisers saying that almost 100, 000 people protested in Russia's biggest anti-governmental rally on 10 December - accusing the kremlin of 'fraud' in 4 December parliamentary elections - we hear from the Moscow-based self-styled 'street art gang' in part two of an exclusive interview, where they describe their role in this Russia
best of cafebabel.com, protest, russian federation, media, ideology, elections, voina
Hipster director, Quebecer, who cares? Welcome to Xavier Dolan's world
European cinema nourishes a certain ignorance towards the seventh art, cinema - particularly when this cinema comes from Canada. One director is in the process of taking all philistines of Canadian cinema down a peg at the age of 22
best of cafebabel.com, cinema, homosexuality, quebec, canada, culture, mélanie laurent
Is Poland Europe’s El Dorado?
In less than two decades the current holder of the EU council presidency has gone from being communist to the sixth biggest economic power in the EU. Poland was also the only country to not suffer from the recession. Experts say this is the country’s golden era; a Polish expat and student share their views
best of cafebabel.com, economic growth, jobs, euro, poland, europe, economy
Sexist grammar: the French and German cases
Poor adjectives need take their husband's name no more. Sort of. Whilst one French association has attacked a centuries-old 'oversight', the Germans (or at least their moderate feminists) have taken plural forms to task. In all, the debate succeeds in desexualising our common language
best of cafebabel.com, feminism, germany, men and women, languages, society, language
Russian art collective Voina: 'Zhlobs are in power in today's Russia'
The Moscow-based self-styled 'street art gang' formed in 2005. Its four main members consist of president Leonid Nikolaev - who was arrested at an 'election fraud protest rally' on 5 December - ideologist Oleg Vorotnikov, coordinator Natalia Sokol and her son and Voina's youngest activist, two-year-old Kasper Can't-Take-Our-Eyes-Off-Him Sokol. Part one of an exclusive interview marks their brief history
best of cafebabel.com, university, moscow, protest, culture, russian federation, society
Reforms and Russians: mapping young people’s stalled futures
On 27 November Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin officially became a presidential candidate for 2012 elections in Russia. Whilst official surveys praise Papa Putin for what he has done for the country, where do the living conditions of young Russians count in the statistics?
best of cafebabel.com, russian federation, vladimir putin, society, politics
GPS: taking directions from a woman
Most satellite navigation devices predominantly use female voices – and German BMW drivers can’t cope with them. Is this sexism or science fiction?
best of cafebabel.com, feminism, germany, gps, techno-media, men and women, consumers
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