Q. Where does the phrase ‘last hurrah’ come from? . A. This well-used idiom is rooted in a 1956 Edwin O’Connor novel entitled, yup, The Last Hurrah. In it, 72-year old career politician Frank Skeffington decides he’s going to take one more run – one final attempt, a last ditch

Q. It’s chilly at night; we’re bundled up in our houses. If ever there was a time for hot chocolate.. or is it cocoa? What’s the difference? . A. While both can be deliciously warming, hot cocoa is made from ground, roasted cocoa beans with sugar, while hot chocolate is

Q. As our attention moves to the world of lifelike robots, we owe a nod back to those who spend their days and weeks crafting old school mannequin heads. Who does that? . A. Their eyes fix on nosy visitors. Given their torsoless state, some of these display heads look

Q. We English speakers say some strange things. Which of our expressions are most likely to get lost in translation? . A. As we prattle on, it’s easy to forget how many baffling idioms we use in our complicated language. What must those new to English think when we drop off-topic,

Q. What are some paintings specifically focused on the idea of hope? . A. Over centuries, artists have used the word ‘hope’ in titling their artworks. As you’ll see below, some of the works are more unabashedly hopeful than others. . . Piero del Pollaioio. Hope. 1470 . George Frederic

Q. What are some of the many superstitions people have that involve bread? . A. Well, I’ll start with a personal experience … If there was a theme to be put on our wedding troasts, it would be my lifetime of klutzy mishaps, and my mountain-biking husband’s extreme neatness. “Liz,”

Q. Neighbours can make the deepest of friends. But, what kind of things make those who live side by side jealous of each other? . A. We see it in The Simpsons and the Flintstones, Three’s Company and Mary Tyler Moore, from Friends to Seinfeld, Modern Family to Succession. In

Q. Which foods have bewitched well-known historical figures? . A. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s wrote mounds of  letters – to his wife ‘Stanzi’, to friends, to family. Amongst all the interesting details, we get a keen peek into appetites of the day. One meal that Mozart craved from a young age?

Q. What were the most borrowed library books in 2020? . A. Open or closed, the Vancouver Public Library was busy during Pandemic 2020. CBC News reports that digital book borrowing went up 50% over the year. Which were the most borrowed books? . Adult Fiction Print books The Testaments by

Q. Why is there a run on grapes in Spain on the days leading up to New Years Eve? . A. The grapes are for a tradition said to date back to the late 1800s. How to bring in a New Year of good fortune and health? Eat one grape