By Nicolas Simon, Belgium
Switzerland
By Simon Gygli, Switzerland
Switzerland is a small country in the middle of Europe. I was born there and, actually, when I’m not in the USA, I live there. So I will tell you something about this beautiful country.
In Switzerland, you can do a lot of activities. We don’t have an ocean, but in summer you can swim in our rivers or lakes. Most of the time in the summer we have sun and more than 25 degrees (77 Fahrenheit). If you don’t like to swim, you can go hike in the mountains or rent a bike to visit a city.
In the winter, most of the time the weather is very cold, but the good thing is we have snow. So you can go skiing in the mountains. It’s very fun! If you cannot ski, you can rent a sled and go down the hill.
If you like sports, you can go to see a match of ice hockey or soccer. These are two of the most popular sports in Switzerland. When you go to the stadium, there is usually a full house and it is a great atmosphere.
The specialty food in Switzerland is fondue. For a “fondue” you take a big pan, full it with cheese and cook it. When the cheese is hot, you put the pan on the table. Now everybody can put a piece of bread on his fork and put it in the pan. You can also eat fondue with potatoes.
Top 3 Recommended Japanese Dishes
By Takumi Osawa, From Japan
I’m going to recommend Japanese food and drink. There are many kinds of Japanese food. I chose the three dishes. You should try to eat and drink it, when you come to Japan.
First, Ramen.
Ramen is very popular in Japan. When you eat ramen in winter, it will make your body warm. Most Japanese people like ramen.
In Japan, there are so many ramen restaurants so that it shouldn’t be very hard to find a ramen you like. In other words, you can try so many types of ramen.
But I think it’s very hard to find a ramen which suits your taste, so I’m going to give you special information. I really recommend “miso-ramen.” “Miso-ramen” is the most popular of many kinds of ramen in Japan. Of course, “Miso-ramen” is my favorite ramen. If you can’t decide which kinds of ramen to eat, you should try to eat “miso- ramen.”
Second, Sushi.
I know you’ve already known “sushi”. “Sushi” is also very popular food in Japan. I can say that Sushi is traditional Japanese food. Sushi has a history of over 1,300 years.
There are many sushi restaurants in all of the world so that you can try to eat sushi easily. I think many people have eaten sushi ever. But original Japanese sushi is different from sushi you’ve eaten it outside of Japan. I can’t explain how different its taste is. But If you try to eat sushi in Japan, you can recognize the difference between original Japanese sushi and sushi you’ve eaten ever.
I’m going to give you special information. I recommend drinking Japanese-sake with sushi. The combination between Japanese-sake and sushi is very good. If you are more than 20 years old, you should try it. But Japanese-sake is very strong alcohol, so be careful not to drink too much.
If you have a chance to come to Japan, you should try to eat sushi and enjoy original Japanese sushi.
Third, Japanese tea.
Japanese tea is a very healthy drink. It helps for your health. Japanese tea is called “ocha” by Japanese people. I want you to remember “ocha” and want to you use “ocha” when you visit Japan.
Japanese tea is loved by most of Japanese people. Japanese tea goes well with many Japanese food. I recommend drinking Japanese tea with sushi. The combination between Japanese sushi and Japanese tea is very good.
There are two types of Japanese tea. One is cold Japanese tea, another is hot Japanese tea. Both of them is very good teste. You should drink cold Japanese tea in hot season. It makes your body cooler. Also, you should drink hot Japanese tea in cold season. It makes your body warm.
You can get a Japanese tea easily at supermarket, convenience store or vending machine in Japan. You should get a Japanese tea when you visit Japan. Enjoy drinking Japanese tea.
Takumi Osawa
November 16, 2020
A2 / B1 English Communication M / W
Pineapple Pizza, the BIGGEST Social Issue.
Gianluca Vecchi (Italy) and Benoit Stroobants (Belgium)
History of pizza,
The history of pizza has begun with the focaccia in the Antiquity.
Even in the beginning this dish has had an Italian background because it has been invented by Romans. Later, in the 18th century toppings have been added in Naples and that’s how modern pizza was born.
Pizza those days,
Now, pizza has evolved a lot and has completely changed from its past form. In the beginning the real pizza was what we now call the Margherita. Those days Margherita is not the norm anymore, people have started making pizza in many different ways.
The varieties of pizza,
Nowadays, pizza is made in many different ways. There’s no longer only tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil. A lot of strange toppings have been added on it, going from ham, salami, sausage, fish, mushrooms, eggs, vegetables, … and even PINEAPPLE.
Can pineapple coexist with regular pizza?
Even if in the food chain you can find really strange food, it is incredible that a lot of people like to eat that dish with pineapple that they are used to call “pizza”. That is harmful for the Italian culture and is usually called culture approbation. Have you ever seen pineapple growing in Italy? We both know the answer and that’s why I guess you all agree that this kind of pizza can’t coexist with real Neapolitan pizza.
So remember that: “Margherita” is the real and the one with pineapple can’t be called pizza!”.
The Delicious Place Called PizzaRev
But what is special about PizzaRev? And why is it better than every other Italian restaurant?
It’s because the deliciously simple and satisfying concept, that you can choose everything for the pizza. You pick out your dough, sauce, cheese and toppings and the pizza crafters are working with you to make your own pizza right before your eyes. It’s like an adventure – A food adventure!
- You can choose your Crust: Roman thin or gluten-free dough, traditional or cauliflower.
- Sauce it up with savory organic marinara, creamy white Alfredo, spicy-sweet BBQ or olive oil. And for the crazy ones, they have the opportunity to make a mix of sauces.
- Now it’s time to put some toppings on your pizza. You can choose between more than 30 artisan cheeses and fresh ingredients. And the craziest thing is, that you can pick as many pizza toppings as you would like to, because PizzaRev doesn’t charge by the toppings.
- They put your pizza in a oven which is fired-up at 900-degrees. Your masterpiece will have a crispy perfection in less than 3 minutes.
And you only have to pay $8.99 for your own created pizza! Or you can have a half pizza and a slide salad for only $6. Isn’t that amazing? This is what we call the PizzaRev-olution!
But where can your get the pizza? PizzaRev has a lot of locations in the USA and South America. You can find them on a map on their website.
If you like pizza, you should definitely try it! I’m pretty sure that you will love it. Check out their website, click through the topics and allow yourself to be inspired!
You Want To Be a Cool Parisian Guy ? Follow my Advice
Rudy FRANÇOIS-MÜLLER, France
1- The Style
- A lot of big luxuous companys come from France, like Louis Vuitton, Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent. Parisian guys are inspired a lot by the street mode. For exemple, when people wait at the pedestrian crossing, it’s time to find your inspiration.
Paris fashion week 2018.
2- Good Place to Be!
- Paris is a big city, but not so big when you want to discover beautiful areas without a lot of tourist. The district of Saint Germain des Pres is a really good place to be! I really like to seat in the “Cafe de Flore”. This is an really expensive coffee, but I can see a lot of celebrities (from France or Internationnal) and thst can inspire some people!
3- Are You Really Already Going to Paris?
You can’t say that you are going to Paris if you have not made these trips:
- The Eiffel Tower is one of those must sees! I don’t recommend it to anyone who is afraid of emptiness but when you are in the Tower, we can see a beautiful view of Paris! And for the richest you can even eat in a starred restaurant in the first floor.
- The Champs-Elysees is the most beautiful street in the world. They are many shops for all budgets. In the winter, all the trees are illuminated and this makes the street even more beautiful!
- Montmartre is a very old district in Paris. Hilltop Montmartre district is a former artists village once habited by Picasso and Dali, and home to the domed Sacre-Coeur basilica. There are sweeping views of the city from its steep, winding streets, while the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret below draws tourists and night clubbers.
4- The French Food
During your trip you should try the beef Bourguignon in a restaurant! It’s a beef stew braised in red wince, often red Burgundy (very delicious), and beef stock, generally flavoured with carrots, onions, garlic and a bouquet garni, and garnished with pearl onions, mushrooms and bacon.
I hope you will soon discover the city of Paris and share your experience :).
How to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Luna, Belgium
Having a healthy lifestyle starts with a healthy mindset. You need to be in peace with yourself to be able to have access to that stable lifestyle you want. It’s all about finding that balance between self-care and allowing yourself to have a treat. It is important to know how your body works and how to improve your way of living.
The motivation and will to become healthy comes from within and you are the only person controlling your body. If you really want it, go and get it. It is as simple as that. You have to find certain sources of motivation to keep track of that lifestyle you want to achieve. As long as your mindset is in a good place, you will be, too !
One of the first things that is crucial to know and that you’ve probably heard a billion of times is drinking water. It makes you feel cleansed 24/7 and it is recommended to drink 180 ml per day. It will keep your system going and your skin clear!
Eating healthy always sounds so boring and like it’s something you have to endure, but it is way more easy and delicious than it sounds. You can find tons of easy recipes online that are so healthy and really tasty. Another way to achieve health in general is finding healthier options for things like butter, sugar and other harmfull products we might use a little too much. Coconut oil, Agave syrup are way better options for those two examples. Try to include plant-based products as much as you can in your diet because those are the most beneficial food sources you can eat. Vegetables and fruits are really important but, they’re not the only ones out there ; quinoa, all kinds of rice, grains, beans, lentils … are fibers and protein sources that are so easy to make, way healthier and better for the environment than meat or fish.
After you get your diet down and decide which kinds of food are working for you and your inner body, you need to focus on your body image. That is where exercise will become part of your routine. Try to find ways you like to exercise because going to the gym is not always a pleasure for everyone. Dancing, hiking, yoga, swimming sounds like fun to me and are really nice activities you can do with other people.
Finally, you need to see this as a better way of living and not a restrictive way of living. You need to enjoy it in order to maintain it. That’s why balance is the most important thing. You should be able to treat yourself, but have a healthy lifestyle in general.
Spanish Food
Victor Potenciano, Spain
A lot of people in the world think that in Spain we only eat Paella and that is not true. We eat paella, but Spain is big and every region of Spain has its own food, and that is one of the best things that we have.
I am going to talk aboput the most famous foods in Spain and where they are from.
The first thing that I am going to talk about is one of my favourites foods, which is the Cocido madrileño. The Cocido madrileño can be prepare in many ways and depends on what part you are from and the person who makes it, one style or another, but what is clear is that everyone makes it very well and it is one of the most famous meals in Madrid. It is made of chickpeas, carrots, potatoes, Iberian chorizo and meat.
Another very famous meal is the Salmorejo, which is made of tomato, bread, oil, vinegar and salt. It is very easy to make, you only need to put all the ingredients together in a blender and mix all and then you have the Salmorejo. It is from Cordoba, Andalucia, but all people of Spain make it.
Another very good meal is the Asturian fabada, often simply known as fabada, which is a rich Spanish bean stew, originally from and most commonly found in Asturias, but widely available throughout the whole of Spain and in Spanish restaurants worldwide.
Fabada is a hot and heavy dish and for that reason it is most commonly eaten during winter and at the largest meal of the day, lunch. It is usually served as a starter, but may also be the main course of the meal. It is typically served with Asturian cider or a red wine.
The next meal that I am going to talk is one of the most famous meals in Spain and all the people of the world know it,which is the Tortilla de patatas. It is made of potatoes and eggs and sometimes you can put onions, but that is if you like the onions. It is very easy to make and you can eat it at lunch as well as dinner. The tortilla de patatas doesn’t have one unique place where the people make it. In every part of Spain the people cook it.
The last meal I’m going to talk about is Pulpo a la gallega. As its name very well says, its origin comes from Galica. It is often seen served hot, freshly boiled, put the slices on a wooden board while on the pile is sprinkled with plenty of olive oil, paprika, sweet or spicy, but never smoked.
The Perfect Thanksgiving in San Francisco (on a budget)
Luna, Belgium
Thanksgiving is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. It has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863, when, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens,” to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Together with Christmas and the New Year, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader fall/winter holiday season in the U.S. This year I’m going to celebrate Thanksgiving in San Francisco, so let’s see what activities I could do during this little trip!
WEDNESDAY 11/21/2018
Arriving on Wednesday evening, the best thing to do first is to check into the Airbnb : cheaper option than a hotel. A nice and free evening activity in San Francisco is walking to the Golden Gate Bridge and see it completely lit up with a beautiful sunset. Enjoy the breathtaking view with a nice hot chocolate or coffee to take away from Philz Coffee!
THURSDAY 11/22/2018
Thanksgiving is already here! To make the most out of this celebration you need to make sure to wake up a little early. This way you can enjoy the city when it’s calm and empty. In the morning you can visit the Japanese Tea Garden which is a really peaceful environment. For lunch, enjoy a nice picnic in the park in front of the Painted Ladies. In the afternoon a nice and not too pricey activity is the cinema ! This year, Disney made a movie based on the Nutcracker story and this certainly is a must see during the wintertime. If you’re not into musicals you can always go see another movie in the winter sphere. Ice skating is also something on your To Do list especially in front of the Macy’s Christmas tree, it’s a magical sphere.
FRIDAY 11/23/2018
BLACK FRIDAY! This is a day you want to wake up super early to be in front of the stores cause this happens only once a year. Black Friday is an informal name for the day following Thanks Giving in the unites states, which has been regarded as the beginning of the country’s Christmas shopping season since 1952. Essentially, it’s a huge event where all the stores open early, close really late and have a lot of sales and deals. If you don’t feel like being in a really crowded mall they also have plenty of deals and sales on their websites. There have been some scary stories in the past from people fighting about products and especially electronics but I still think it’s something you need to experience when you’re in the USA.
In San Francisco the best places to go shopping are:
- Union Square
- Union Street
- Market Street
- Stonestown Galleria
- Pier 39
- Embarcadero Center
- Ghirardelli Square
SATURDAY 11/24/2018
Take a day off! Try to make this day as chill and cozy as possible. Wayfare Tavern is one of the cutest restaurants that is really going to put you in the winter sphere. It has a beautiful fireplace and delicious winter food. You can also just enjoy the city and visit the most popular places like the Alcatraz prison, the Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf and travel around the city with the cable cars.
https://sf.eater.com/maps/san-francisco-restaurants-with-fireplaces
SUNDAY 11/25/2018
Every Sunday morning at 10am, you can catch the two-hour Champagne and Mimosa cruise around the SF Bay. This relaxing ride offers amazing views of the SF Bay including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and Sausalito. You will also ride past the Palace of Fine Arts, Angel Island and Fort Point National Historic Site.
Farmer’s Markets are an important start to Sunday in San Francisco. Each week, you will find several throughout the city. Here are the details on the largest and most popular (all are year around unless noted):
- Heart of the City in the UN Plaza in Civic Center: 7 am to 5 pm
- Divisadero’s Farmer’s Market on Grove at Divisadero: 10 am to 2 pm
- Fort Mason Center Farmer’s Market: 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
- Inner Sunset Farmer’s Market in the parking lot between 8th and 9th Avenue south of Irving Street: 9 am to 1 pm
- Glen Park in the parking lot of the Glen Park BART Station: 10 am to 2 pm; Late March though late November
If you love live music, then you are in luck! Every Sunday night, you will find at least four of five live shows in San Francisco. Larger shows are at venues such as The Warfield, The Fillmore and The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. However, you will also find smaller shows at The Independent, Slim’s and The Great American Music Hall.
If you are planning on living this experience, which I highly recommend, enjoy it as much as you can whit your love ones. And be thankful !
Instagram Food Culture
Ramona Kramer, Switzerland
Instagram. There is basically no person in our generation who hasn’t heard that word yet or who even doesn’t use this app. In June 2018, there were nearly 1 billion monthly users and 500 million daily active users – with an upward tendency. Over half of the users are between 18-24 and on an average day, 80 million photos are shared.
Admittingly, I use Instagram every single day and I love to look at new profiles. Especially in the last few years, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of fitness accounts coming up, posting pictures of healthy food and promoting new weight loss products on a daily basis. This can be great for inspiration and motivation, but it can also put a lot of pressure on young, influenceable users that think they also have to eat perfectly healthy all the time in order to get the “perfect” body. Every Fitness Instagrammer pretends to know what’s best for everyone. For example one says only to eat vegan, the other one to cut out bread and gluten, the other one to eat 1,000 calories a day, etc. This can be confusing and lead people into a dangerous direction of a wrong self image and an obsessive lifestyle.
I’ve been influenced by this trend before and I know some other people who have changed their eating habits because of Instagram. So, I was wondering how many other young females have had that experience with Instagram or if and how they are affected by this trend, positively or negatively. To get more information, I created a survey with questions related to this topic and I sent it to females, all between the age of 17 to 19. The answers were quite interesting.
Out of 10, only one of the surveyed people doesn’t use Instagram. The rest are on this app multiple times daily. Only one person follows no account with posts related to healthy food, the others do, and half of them have already tried out a food recipe from one of these pages. Contrary to my expectations, no one has ever bought a weight loss product promoted on Instagram. Still, almost 70% feel pressured to eat healthy seeing these pictures and 30% even feel bad when they eat food that is considered “not clean”. One of the young women gave an interesting answer to the question of whether or not she sees these posts as an inspiration or bad influence. Her answer was: “As long as it is about healthy lifestyle, I see their posts as an inspiration. I don’t like posts about how to lose weight because I don’t feel like I have to lose weight, but the posts make me feel insecure about my body.” This is also where I see the biggest issue: This influence can make us suddenly feel bad about ourselves for things which seemed normal to us before.
Posting these pictures can’t be stopped and as long as Instagrammers want to be inspirational, it also shouldn’t be stopped. Still, there should be more focus on what makes you feel good and happy rather than what could lead you into an obsession with food and fitness. We forget so fast that the people who post these pictures are only human as well, and everyone can post his healthy salad and eat a cookie afterwards without sharing the dessert with the world. What you see on social media is never the whole truth, it is just segments of a life and everyone can decide what they want to share and what not to. So, in conclusion, try the healthy oatmeal for breakfast, but also enjoy your In n Out Burger without worrying about it.
efsantabarbaranews.com 