chic
sheek The term chic means fashionable or stylish; it also refers to an assertiveness and confidence in dress. Chic is both an adjective and a noun: you can be chic […]
French
plein air
plane-AIR´ (French, ‘open air’) The term plein air is used to describe paintings executed outdoors, as well as the practice of painting or sketching outside, known as painting en plein […]
piste
peest Piste is the French term for a downhill ski trail, run, or slope that is marked, maintained, and supervised by resort staff. The term is used in English to […]
hôtel particulier
oh-tell paw-teak-oo-LYAY´ An hôtel particulier is a large French townhouse, usually freestanding, set between an entrance court and a garden. Hôtels particuliers typically have at least three stories, with steep Mansard […]
Snobb Report: galette
guh-LET´ Galette is the French term for a round, flat pastry, cake, or pancake. Galettes can be made of flaky pastry, potatoes, or a mixture of wheat and buckwheat flour. […]
bon mot
bone MOH´ A bon mot is a clever or witty remark. Plural: bons mots Donald seemed to have a droll bon mot for every occasion, which led to his reputation […]
mot juste
moh ZHOOST´ A mot juste is the perfect word or phrase for a particular occasion. Plural: mots justes As he writes his novels, Barnaby searches for the mot juste, the […]
Bora Bora, French Polynesia
BOR´-uh BOR´-uh Forget Hawaii and forget the Caribbean—when true jet-setters want a sun and beach vacation, the current destination of choice is Bora Bora, a tiny island (six miles long […]
table d’hôte
tah´-bluh DOAT´ (literal French, ‘table of the host’) Table d’hôte refers to a set meal served to all guests at a stated hour and fixed price, as is the practice […]
prix fixe
pre´-feeks´ (‘fixed price’ in French) Prix fixe refers to a multi-course meal served for a set price. Specific courses are often pre-selected by the restaurant; in some cases diners are […]