International Mayfest is a five-day celebration of the arts—performing, visual, and literary—held in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One of the largest festivals in the state, the event features a juried art fair and theatrical presentations. In the past, these varied works have been staged: Three Penny Opera, Our Town, and Revenge of the Space Pandas. There is also a variety of musical entertainment and ethnic foods from all corners of the globe. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Picts were the ancient inhabitants of central and northern Scotland. Of uncertain origins, they were first mentioned in 297 CE by Roman writer Eumenius as northern invaders of Roman Britain. By the 7th century, they had a unified kingdom—Pictland—but later merged with the Scots. Their language is lost, and little is definitively known about their way of life, but their elaborately carved stelae depicting crosses and other symbols remain. What practice possibly resulted in the name “Pict”? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To walk or perform another act while asleep or in a sleeplike condition.
Synonyms: sleepwalk.
Usage: We had to put special locks on the door to prevent me from unwittingly leaving the house when I somnambulate.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Florence May Festival was first held in 1933, and it wasn’t long before it had established itself as one of the most important international festivals in Italy. It offers chamber and symphonic music, ballet, and dance, and is recognized as a pioneer in its efforts to revive rare foreign and Italian operas. Most of the larger events are held in the Teatro della Pergola or the more modern Teatro Comunale, home of the festival’s resident opera company. The festival regularly commissions new opera and dance productions. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The fabled Necklace of Harmonia is a cursed object of Greek myth. It was made as a means of revenge by Hephaestus, god of fire and metalwork, after he discovered that his wife, Aphrodite, was having an affair with Ares. He gave the lovely necklace to Harmonia, Aphrodite’s daughter by Ares. The necklace was said to grant eternal beauty and youth, but it also cursed anyone who wore it. Generations later, it kept what widowed queen young and beautiful, allowing her to unwittingly marry her own son? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To waste time by puttering aimlessly; dawdle.
Synonyms: footle, hang around, mill about, tarry, loiter, lounge, lurk, linger, loaf.
Usage: I spent my vacation just lollygagging around my house, but now it is time to get back to work.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Paraguayans set aside two days to celebrate their independence from Spain, which they won on May 14, 1811, after a bloodless revolution led by Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez Francia (1766-1840). The most elaborate Independence Day parade is in the capital, Asunción. People may wear traditional clothes as they stroll down the streets, and Sopa Paraguay, a traditional Independence Day dish, is served on this day because it is only on special occasions that the poor can afford to buy the eggs and cheese that go into it. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
A public house—or pub—is a centuries-old type of drinking establishment, so named because early English common law declared inns and taverns to be public houses obligated to receive travelers willing to pay for food, drink, and lodging. However, pubs did not cater exclusively to travelers. They also served as communal centers where locals could meet and gossip, and so became an enduring part of British culture. How did an 18th-century crackdown on alcohol consumption actually create more pubs? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A sullen or angry stare.
Synonyms: glare.
Usage: His frown deepened into a glower of resentment.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Curzon (1859-1925) was a British statesman and champion of the colonial ideal. A member of the minor aristocracy, he was known for his intelligence as well as his ego. Viceroy of India when the Indian famine claimed up to 9 million lives, he instituted a number of reforms before eventually resigning in 1905 over a spat with a field marshal. He then served as chancellor of Oxford and became foreign secretary in 1919. What was the one thing he desperately wanted, and did not get, before he died?
Source: The Free Dictionary