As The World Churns

By Bob Nicolaides

Every child knows the ready-made spaghetti brand Chef Boy-ar-dee, but how many know that is now owned by C. Dean Metropoulos?...Egyptiot-Greek .John Lartides who now lives in London, Canada, and who spent most of his life owning restaurants has turned to painting now that he is a pensioner…

Tom Hanks and his Greek wife Rita Wilson are the proud grandparents to son Colin and daughter-in-law Samantha Bryant’s new baby girl, Charlotte. Hanks, who has just finished a successful run in Broadway’s “Lucky Guy” and is playing Walt Disney in his next movie, posted a sweet picture of the baby, born last week, with her feet poking out from under goldfish-print sheets. He captioned the image, “Less than a month old. New Granddaughter, Will rule world @ year 2033. Hanx.” Charlotte is their second grandchild….. According to RadarOnline, Aniston and Justin Theroux were not talking about wedding plans. Aniston reportedly wanted to remain in Los Angeles, while Theroux badly wanted to move to New York City. At last report, the two had a meeting of the mind and will have their nuptials the end of this year in LA, which looks like a clear victory for her. In fact, Justin wants her to forget her mother’s past indiscretions about the actress and invite her to their wedding. What caused Theroux to give in? Maybe the fact that Jen has developed a baby bump in the last few months which becomes more visible every day as she’s filming in NYC Squirrels to the Nuts, a movie whose title has been uttered by Charles Boyer in a movie quite old for Jen to remember. By the way, did you notice her short tress? Oh, it’s just a wig…..…Actress Sofia Vergara celebrated Bastille Day (July 14) on the beach in Mykonos with her beau, Nick Loeb…..

“It makes me happy to know “told me Adam Grimanis “that other Greeks are listening to the show I work on every morning, and they appreciate it when I speak about my Greek heritage and customs.  The best part is when they also can relate to what I am describing on air!” Grimanis is part of the team that airs on the Chris & The Crew morning program on WPST  94.5, a Philadelphia/So Jersey Radio station in which he’s known as Adam…..Discussing her ‘no restrictions’ artistic approach to her latest album Artpop Lady Gaga uttered: ‘I’m not one icon. I’m every icon.’ The album’s first single, Applause came out August 19^th. What more, Russia’s severe new anti-gay laws have earned the outrage of human rights groups, American vodka-drinkers and now, appropriately, pop star and part-time LGBT activist Lady Gaga. Gaga took to Twitter to slam the laws and the “criminal” Russian government after news that authorities are investigating the visas both she and Madonna used to play concerts in St. Petersburg last year…..The 100@100 survey examined attitudes between other issues about pop culture. It found that Favorite Singing groups for the past are the Andrews Sisters for centenarians and the Beatles for boomers…. Tickets are on sale for Scorpions, the German heavy metal band that decided to give a series of three concerts in Greece at the Lycabettus Theatre in Athens on September 11, 12 and 14 despite a recent decision to stop large-scale touring...The Comedy show of Angelo Tsarouchas is coming to Chicago on Wednesday, September 25^rd, at Rivers Casino’s Cube at 9:30 pm. Tsarouchas, a nice guy making friends everywhere, has been seen with the Vince Vaughn Roadshow and has appeared in the movie Fred & Vinnie. 

Annapolis Mayoral Candidate Mike Pantelides held a special Greek Breakfast on Thursday, August 1 with food prepared by Master Chef Sotos Christoforou at Chris' Charcoal Pit….And candidate Van Argyrakis is running in next year’s Nebraska Attorney General race…A thematic Exhibition on the Greek gastronomy entitled "Greece, a variety of tastes" will be organised for the first time in the framework of the 78th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) from 7 to 15 September. The exhibition that will be hosted in a special pavillion will include food, beverages and wines aims to bring together Greek and foreign visitors. The exhibition will be organised by "Butterfly Communication" company in cooperation with TIF-Helexpo. "This exhibition which is an innovation of Helexpo-TIF will offer the opportunity to Greek producers to promote and to sell directly their products to over 200,000 visitors from Greece and abroad that are expected to visit TIF" said the organizers announcement...……My good friend Josh Ozersky writes in the New York Eater: A greasy spoon, in my mind, is neither defined by the fact that it has spoons (although it usually does) or even grease (which it also does, and in abundance.) For me, the greasy spoon is a place with low ambition, low standards, and an absence of pretense or even self-awareness. A Greek diner doesn't seem to fit that description; its Hellenic references and vast menus preclude spoonitude. You shouldn't be able to order surf and turf, even a bad one, in a greasy spoon. Likewise, a coffee shop or luncheonette that traffics in wraps, salads, and other modern contrivances, isn't a greasy spoon. Greasy spoons are dirty. Greasy spoons are dark. Greasy spoons are run by unkempt men in spotted white cook shirts and checkered pants, who generally look like they just came off a bender. Greasy spoons serve watery coffee and are open all night. Greasy spoons are for nighthawks. Greasy spoons are refuges for the sad and the defeated, who slump in chairs in the corner, shuddering at painful dreams….Maria Loi’s .Manhattan Loi Restaurant celebrates summer with a $49.00 special that includes a salad called Dakos, Solomos Marinatos, Lavraki, topping it off with Yaourti Me Meli…..New York Magazine recently featured Café Boulis’ Loukoumades, the Astoria place which sells that commodity ring-shaped instead of ball-like…

Word of the Month: Pseudonym-Pen name, from pseudo and onymon meaning fake name, ψευδόνυμον.

 

As The World Churns

By Bob Nicolaides

An alleged plan to assassinate Phanar Greek Orthodox Patriarchate Vartholomeos is being investigated by an Ankara public prosecutor, private broadcaster NTV reported on May 10. The investigation was launched after a letter was sent from the Central Anatolia province of Kayseri, claiming that the Istanbul-based patriarch would be the target of an assassination attempt on May 29, the 560th anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest by Mehmet the Conqueror, a testy time for Greeks and Turks. A man was detained and police forces were searching for two others. The suspects recently arrived in Istanbul from Kayseri, police sources said. One of the detained suspects, identified only as S.A., denied the charges and said he was in Istanbul to visit his relatives and he had no intention or plan of murdering Vartholomeos......Ted Sarandos, at 48 is helping create the future of entertainment in his field by virtue of his position as the Netflix Chief Content Officer...

Rita Wilson can't wait for her pal Jennifer Aniston's wedding to Justin Theroux. Wilson, who is married to Tom Hanks and a close pal of Jennifer, is extremely excited to dance the night away when the 'Friends' star ties the knot. The couple are said to have reportedly moved their wedding date to August in order to not clash with Aniston's ex-husband Brad Pitt's nuptials to Angelina Jolie who recently made worldwide boobs... I mean news with her mastectomy. ANI also reports that Jennifer Aniston will be stripping off on the big screen. The stunning actress plays a lap-dancer in new comedy 'We're The Millers', the Daily Star reported. And film fans will see Jennifer shed her clothes on the big screen. The 44-year-old actress revealed that filming the scenes forced her out of her comfort zone. The 'Friends' star insisted that she danced in high school and in her 20s, but she has never done stripping. "This fabulous dance instructor just pulled the inner stripper out of me," Aniston added. In the film, which is due out in August, her character poses as the wife of a dope dealer, played by funny-man Jason Sudeikis, 37, on a road trip to Mexico. Now don't panic, the couple are still happy as Larry and are merely pushing the wedding back a few months because they can't agree on the size of their nuptials, according to the Daily Mail. Apparently the former Friends star wants a big ceremony while Justin is holding out for a more intimate do. On the other hand, in his new cover story with Esquire magazine,  49-year-old thespian Brad Pitt discussed being on drugs and a lesser version of himself while with Aniston. "For a long time I thought I did too much damage – drug damage. I was a bit of a drifter," he said.  But then I got burnt out and felt that I was wasting my opportunity. It was a conscious change.” Now the same guy admits having a sickness of a sort-maybe a remnant of that period in his life, which makes him forget any one he meets after he’s done with that conversation. He uses a Greek word to describe that, which is Prosopagnosia. Now, could it be that he learned that word from his first spouse?  Very doubtful. I don’t think she knows what it means herself.....

Actor Billy Zane with his girlfriend, model Candice Neil. He says they'll tie the knot in Greece this year, perhaps on an island, to honor the heritage of his Greek parents…If anyone has recollections of movies of the 30s then they must remember the Orson Wells picture Citizen Kane in which George Coulouris plays a role. Or the 1939 movie Swing Times in which Greek actor George Metaxa participates….. Zach Galifianakis is aided by real 'Game of Thrones' star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in the spoof of the drama series, on SNL and is beaten by Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms in a Jennifer Aniston look-alike contest. But the real surprise is that the Hollywood funnyman is taking a woman he rescued from homelessness to the premiere of “The Hangover Part III.” There’s no joke in his surprising act of generosity. He often stops by her flat he pays rent for to take her to lunch and reportedly he has taken her to premieres before...Olympia Dukakis was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Pantages Theater for her amazing work on stage. The ceremony coincided with Greek America Foundation’s Gabby Awards of which Dukakis is a supporter and board member……

Another step in Charlie Crist’s political evolution is complete. The former Florida governor endorsed gay marriage. “I most certainly support marriage equality in Florida and look forward to the day it happens here,” the Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat wrote on his Facebook page. Crist is considered a potential candidate against Gov. Rick Scott (R) in 2014.. But questions have lingered about his record on gay rights; in 2006 he signed a petition in favor of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and adoption in the state. He reaffirmed his support for the ban in 2008. In his Facebook post, Crist did not discuss when or why his personal views on the issue have changed.

British pop veterans Depeche Mode blew Greek fans away Friday, May 10th  with a gutsy performance at Attica's Terra Vibe Park venue in Malakasa, Attica, in what was one of the season's first great open-air summer gigs near the Greek capital. With support bands 'Space Blanket' and Essex-based F.O.X. warming up the packed audience, Depeche Mode hit the stage to riotous applause and kept the crowds electrified for more than two and a half hours with favorites from their 1993 album 'Songs of Faith and Devotion' and tracks from the more recent 'Delta Machine', ending with "Never Let Me Down Again."There’s a few more European cities on tap before the band crosses the Atlantic for its North American tour….The lead singer of the metal band As I Lay Dying was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempting to hire a hit man, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said. Authorities said Tim Lambesis tried to contract an undercover detective to kill his estranged wife. He is charged with solicitation of another to commit murder, reported CNN. As I Lay Dying was nominated in 2008 for a Grammy Award for best metal performance. They have released seven studio albums and a live CD, according to their website….Among the highlights of the entertainment and shows taking place this summer in Athens are the 36th Book Festival at Pedion tou Areos from May 24 to June 9, an international jazz festival at Technolopolis on May 31- June 2, the Athens Garden Festival on June 15-18 at the National Gardens, the 2nd World Music festival on July 15-19, and a month-long street theatre festival taking place in Athens' squares and pedestrian roads starting on September 7.

Michelin Two-star French Chef Jacques Divellec was welcoming guests and presenting his prize-winning gastronomic preparations through May 11 at the Première restaurant of the Athenaeum InterContinental in Athens suggesting the outstanding items on the menu degustation, in full view of the Acropolis and Lycabettus…. On video, Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas owners of Alinea, Next and the Aviary talk about everything, from renewing a 10-year lease for Alinea's space, to their thoughts on the Michelin Stars and 50 Best restaurant list,

Heralding the Truth: Preview ""

Heralding the Truth: Preview ""

As the World Churns

 
By Bob Nicolaides

 

Did you know that we Hellenes are the second in the world as far as bank deposits in Switzerlad? It’s a bad thing, naturally, but the fact is that ‘money isn’t scarce!’ It’s hard to convince this money of repatriation since they’re afraid they’ll be eaten by the ‘chickens’ (need explain which are the chickens? Just refer to the Greek proverb that ‘whoever gets mixed up with the chicken feed is eaten by the chickens’

Anniston the stripper





Jennifer Aniston shows off her stripper skills in the new red band trailer for her upcoming movie We’re the Millers. The 40-something actress portrays a hooker in the kooky drug-running scheme and Jason Sudeikis co-stars as a small-time pot dealer who cooks up a plan to smuggle drugs from Mexico, so he hires a fake family composed of Anniston’s character, one of his young neighbors  (Will Poulter) and a ‘gutter punk ‘ (Emma Roberts.) The faux dysfunctional family then crosses the border in an RV to pick up what turns out to be a mas

A ceremony of Sumo Wrestlers?

sive amount of marijuana….A Special Screening of "What If..."was held May 25^th during the Gabby Awards weekend celebration in Hollywood, CA with Greece’s highly acclaimed actor-director Christoforos Papakaliatis personally presented his flick and spoke about it, taking questions from the audience on his ‘love story developing against obstacles and upsets caused by life itself and not by other people.  The screening was sponsored by Nikos Fillas of NYC’s Hellas FM. The movie has so far grossed $4.5 M since its debut in Greece half a year ago and is considered one of the top box office hits to date….Someone over at Time Magazine worries about punctuation in movie titles. One of the examples he gives in his article is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. “Without the comma, he explains, we can’t tell if it’s a wedding that’s larger than life or a ceremony of Hellenic sumo wrestlers.”Suggested fix: A comma-My Big, Fat Greek Wedding….The Cinema Village presented from May 31 to June 6 New York City Greek Festival’s Run It, by Evangelos and George Giovanis. The raw and often abrasive drama is about a boy who’s chased away from home by his mother’s violent lover and decides to play hooky from school and try the streets to score a quick fix for all his problems. Unfortunately everything goes wrong and the boy finds himself in more trouble that when he started. Louis Zorich, Sam Coppola and Evangelos Giovanis star in the movie, of an R rating…



Mikis: Honorary member of Acedemy

World-renowned music composer Mikis Theodorakis was elected honorary member of the Academy of Athens in its May 30th plenary session. A distinguished personality of modern Greece, Theodorakis, originally from Crete, was born on the east Aegean island of Chios in 1925 and studied music at the Athens Conservatory under Filoktitis Economidis. He was awarded a Paris Conservatoire scholarship where he studied under Olivier Messiaen and Eugene Bizot. He is regarded as Greece's best-known living composer. He wrote and composed numerous works  including the music for the films "Zorba the Greek" (1964), "Z" (1969), and "Serpico" (1973).……Here’s a recap of events taking place in Athens and surrounding area in the month of July. As announced by the mayor of Athens There were none listed for August but I wouldn’t bet there weren’t any happening. For June 20 to July 7, there are play and dance performances by young artists at Kolonos open-air and Koumoundourou Sq. theaters.-June 29 to July 20, there will be concerts and plays at Attiko Alsos theater.-July 12 to July 14 there will be performances at the Open Air theater in Technopolis.-July 15 to 19. Performers from the PIIGS nations hit the hardest by the financial crisis (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain) will hold the Second Festival of International Music…. There was a concert called One Armful of Songs held at the Stathakion Center on Saturday, the 1 of June with the participation of Tasso Papaioannou and Elias Makrinos (vocals, guitar,) Eleni Andreou and Makaria Psiliteli, (vocals,) Costa Psaros (bouzouki) Glafkos Kontemeniotis (piano,) and George Maniatis (piano.) It was organized by the Ionian Federation of America in cooperation with the Federation of Hellenic Societies of New York… The nation’s capital was graced with two cultural events of great interest. Both events occurred on June 8, the first being Mario Frangoulis in Concert, at GW Lisner Auditorium. The other was The Opera Camerata of Washington which presented Pagliacci the same day.   Greek American superstar Anastasia Jamieson and Metropolitan Opera's Gregory Buchalter as Conductor were featured. The event was hosted by the Ambassador of Greece to the U.S. Christos P. Panagopoulos and was followed by a cocktail reception, held at the Fairfax Embassy Row Hotel……Also on June 6^th, Aktina Productions presented the Greek Music Journey 2013 celebrating 20 years of Excellence in programming by presenting Melina Aslanidou Unplugged and featuring the bouzouki of Andreas Karantinis at the The Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College, in NYC. …

 For those who want to enjoy a week in South Jersey’s ocean-side, and taste the difference from Lake Michigan beaches, here’s what free entertainment you’ll get: Every Monday from June 24 to August 26 you can ogle-and hear-the Irish Piper Brigade on the boardwalk and 16^th Avenue in Wildwood between 7 and 9 pm.  Also there will be musical events on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2^nd and Surf Avenues in nearby North Wildwood at 8 pm. Also fireworks from June 28 to August 30 you can enjoy fireworks every Friday night at 10:30 pm. Now where would you like to stay? One place in North Wildwood is the Florentine Family Hotel where there are more surprises than you can fathom …..

 Chicago's Greek Media Club hosted Summer kickoff 2013 in a continuation of their 10th year celebration on Thursday, June 20th at Upper Crust…. An event of utmost importance took place at the Dream Downtown Hotel in New York City, and it was the Grand Tasting of the eternally Modern Wines of Greece. Over 50 wineries from Greece participated in this bacchanal event that this year featured regional tables focusing on individual varieties including older vintages…What came first, the chicken or the egg? The question here is which Artopolis came first? The one in Chicago or the one in New York? They’re both bakeries but if I’m correct, Artopolis in Chicago has bigger Café facilities than its namesake in New York which is limited to just a few tables…Another Pastry Shop or Patisserie if you wish is Zorba’s owned by the Panagiotopoulos brothers..Speaking of bakeries, one to visit is the Bay Ridge Bakery in Brooklyn, NY, which besides Greek products it features everything that Europe has to offer. It is owned by John Nikolopoulos, a recognizable name in the pastry circles….The Pegasus restaurant and the Pegasus On The Fly at the O’Hare airport, both feature Mediterranean menus….In Chicago you also must visit Nia restaurant’s summer terrace. You’ll also like its live entertainment and other seasonal events. Nia Asimis is the owner of this establishment in the West loop…Have you been to Dengeo’s Restaurant in Skokie, IL? If you haven’t, you must know that it is one of the most frequented establishments in the area….Authentic Greek Cuisine is what is served at Melanthios Greek Char House on Broadway Avenue in Chicago. The restaurant is open seven days a week… The latest Greek restaurant in the Manhattan scene belongs to Nikos Karvelas and is located at 200 East 60^th Street. It’s name: Anassa (Breath) Taverna.

Word of The Month: Prosopagnosia; Not recognizing people you’ve met. Word coined after a condition of Brad Pitt. Composed of  the Hellenic Words Προσωπον and Άγνοια.

 

 

 

Heralding the Truth

Did you know that we Hellenes are the second in the world as far as bank deposits in Switzerlad? It’s a bad thing, naturally, but the fact is that ‘money isn’t scarce!’ It’s hard to convince this money of repatriation since they’re afraid they’ll be eaten by the ‘chickens’ (need explain which are the chickens? Just refer to the Greek proverb that ‘whoever gets mixed up with the chicken feed is eaten by the chickens’

Jennifer Aniston shows off her stripper skills in the new red band trailer for her upcoming movie We’re the Millers. The 40-something actress portrays a hooker in the kooky drug-running scheme and Jason Sudeikis co-stars as a small-time pot dealer who cooks up a plan to smuggle drugs from Mexico, so he hires a fake family composed of Anniston’s character, one of his young neighbors  (Will Poulter) and a ‘gutter punk ‘ (Emma Roberts.) The faux dysfunctional family then crosses the border in an RV to pick up what turns out to be a massive amount of marijuana….A Special Screening of "What If..."was held May 25^th during the Gabby Awards weekend celebration in Hollywood, CA with Greece’s highly acclaimed actor-director Christoforos Papakaliatis personally presented his flick and spoke about it, taking questions from the audience on his ‘love story developing against obstacles and upsets caused by life itself and not by other people.  The screening was sponsored by Nikos Fillas of NYC’s Hellas FM. The movie has so far grossed $4.5 M since its debut in Greece half a year ago and is considered one of the top box office hits to date….Someone over at Time Magazine worries about punctuation in movie titles. One of the examples he gives in his article is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. “Without the comma, he explains, we can’t tell if it’s a wedding that’s larger than life or a ceremony of Hellenic sumo wrestlers.”Suggested fix: A comma-My Big, Fat Greek Wedding….The Cinema Village presented from May 31 to June 6 New York City Greek Festival’s Run It, by Evangelos and George Giovanis. The raw and often abrasive drama is about a boy who’s chased away from home by his mother’s violent lover and decides to play hooky from school and try the streets to score a quick fix for all his problems. Unfortunately everything goes wrong and the boy finds himself in more trouble that when he started. Louis Zorich, Sam Coppola and Evangelos Giovanis star in the movie, of an R rating…

World-renowned music composer Mikis Theodorakis was elected honorary member of the Academy of Athens in its May 30th plenary session. A distinguished personality of modern Greece, Theodorakis, originally from Crete, was born on the east Aegean island of Chios in 1925 and studied music at the Athens Conservatory under Filoktitis Economidis. He was awarded a Paris Conservatoire scholarship where he studied under Olivier Messiaen and Eugene Bizot. He is regarded as Greece's best-known living composer. He wrote and composed numerous works  including the music for the films "Zorba the Greek" (1964), "Z" (1969), and "Serpico" (1973).……Here’s a recap of events taking place in Athens and surrounding area in the month of July. As announced by the mayor of Athens There were none listed for August but I wouldn’t bet there weren’t any happening. For June 20 to July 7, there are play and dance performances by young artists at Kolonos open-air and Koumoundourou Sq. theaters.-June 29 to July 20, there will be concerts and plays at Attiko Alsos theater.-July 12 to July 14 there will be performances at the Open Air theater in Technopolis.-July 15 to 19. Performers from the PIIGS nations hit the hardest by the financial crisis (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain) will hold the Second Festival of International Music…. There was a concert called One Armful of Songs held at the Stathakion Center on Saturday, the 1 of June with the participation of Tasso Papaioannou and Elias Makrinos (vocals, guitar,) Eleni Andreou and Makaria Psiliteli, (vocals,) Costa Psaros (bouzouki) Glafkos Kontemeniotis (piano,) and George Maniatis (piano.) It was organized by the Ionian Federation of America in cooperation with the Federation of Hellenic Societies of New York… The nation’s capital was graced with two cultural events of great interest. Both events occurred on June 8, the first being Mario Frangoulis in Concert, at GW Lisner Auditorium. The other was The Opera Camerata of Washington which presented Pagliacci the same day.   Greek American superstar Anastasia Jamieson and Metropolitan Opera's Gregory Buchalter as Conductor were featured. The event was hosted by the Ambassador of Greece to the U.S. Christos P. Panagopoulos and was followed by a cocktail reception, held at the Fairfax Embassy Row Hotel……Also on June 6^th, Aktina Productions presented the Greek Music Journey 2013 celebrating 20 years of Excellence in programming by presenting Melina Aslanidou Unplugged and featuring the bouzouki of Andreas Karantinis at the The Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College, in NYC. …

 For those who want to enjoy a week in South Jersey’s ocean-side, and taste the difference from Lake Michigan beaches, here’s what free entertainment you’ll get: Every Monday from June 24 to August 26 you can ogle-and hear-the Irish Piper Brigade on the boardwalk and 16^th Avenue in Wildwood between 7 and 9 pm.  Also there will be musical events on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2^nd and Surf Avenues in nearby North Wildwood at 8 pm. Also fireworks from June 28 to August 30 you can enjoy fireworks every Friday night at 10:30 pm. Now where would you like to stay? One place in North Wildwood is the Florentine Family Hotel where there are more surprises than you can fathom …..

 

Chicago's Greek Media Club hosted Summer Kickoff 2013 in a constinuation of their 10th year celebration on Thursday, June 20th at Upper Crust...…. An event of utmost importance took place at the Dream Downtown Hotel in New York City, and it was the Grand Tasting of the eternally Modern Wines of Greece. Over 50 wineries from Greece participated in this bacchanal event that this year featured regional tables focusing on individual varieties including older vintages…What came first, the chicken or the egg? The question here is which Artopolis came first? The one in Chicago or the one in New York? They’re both bakeries but if I’m correct, Artopolis in Chicago has bigger Café facilities than its namesake in New York which is limited to just a few tables…Another Pastry Shop or Patisserie if you wish is Zorba’s owned by the Panagiotopoulos brothers..Speaking of bakeries, one to visit is the Bay Ridge Bakery in Brooklyn, NY, which besides Greek products it features everything that Europe has to offer. It is owned by John Nikolopoulos, a recognizable name in the pastry circles….The Pegasus restaurant and the Pegasus On The Fly at the O’Hare airport, both feature Mediterranean menus….In Chicago you also must visit Nia restaurant’s summer terrace. You’ll also like its live entertainment and other seasonal events. Nia Asimis is the owner of this establishment in the West loop…Have you been to Dengeo’s Restaurant in Skokie, IL? If you haven’t, you must know that it is one of the most frequented establishments in the area….Authentic Greek Cuisine is what is served at Melanthios Greek Char House on Broadway Avenue in Chicago. The restaurant is open seven days a week… The latest Greek restaurant in the Manhattan scene belongs to Nikos Karvelas and is located at 200 East 60^th Street. It’s name: Anassa (Breath) Taverna.

Word of The Month: Prosopagnosia; Not recognizing people you’ve met. Word coined after a condition of Brad Pitt. Composed of  the Hellenic Words Προσωπον and Άγνοια.

 

 

As The World Churns

By Bob Nicolaides

Is there a connection between sleuth Valerie Plame and Greece? If you read her book, Plame-gate you’ll know that there is. A big connection at that! The bombshell CIA agent whose identity uncovering caused ripples in the Bush White House was just 26 when she arrived in Greece, according to chapter 2 of her much-discussed tome. That second chapter of her very interesting book is in its entirety devoted to her life-and deeds-in Athens the Spring of 1989 when she rented an apartment in the northern suburbs as she assumed her first mission outside the US-officially as a simple clerk of the Embassy of her country-until 1992 when she was sent packing after the November 17 organization got her identity straight. To be sure, what with the business people, the foreign diplomats, the offices of Palestinian and Middle Eastern organizations, what with her ties with Egyptian and other Arab characters, the easy targets of terrorists and Greece’s extensive coastal lines, that nation was a significant first assignment for the beautiful spy. What the, was Valerie Plame doing in Athens? Her assignment in plain words was to “find sources of information, to recruit agents who would aid the US Government to digest, to foresee and to influence in a more comprehensive way the political developments in Greece.”… The late and former NYC mayor Edward Koch practiced his own brand of Judaism that was, mixed with a deep, abiding respect for Christianity.” “He attended Mass. He believes that God hears prayers if they are in Greek, Latin or Hebrew.

The Esperia Palace is just one of the 41 hotels in Attica that have shut down over the last three years, according to data presented early February by the chief of the local hoteliers’ association, Alexandros Vassilikos, reflecting the extent of the problems being suffered by the capital’s tourism industry. The data showed that the decline in occupancy at Attica hotels amounted to 13.4 percent last year compared with 2011, while prices have dropped by 7.8 percent year-on-year.

Crain's New York Business held a discussion panel on February 6^th at the JW Marriott Essex House, NY, comprised of New York State Senators Dean G. Skelos and Jeffrey D. Klein to hear them discuss details of how the Senate's Republican-Democrat power-sharing agreement will be executed and what happens when the two Senate presidents disagree…..The international food and wine exhibitions DETROP and OENOS, respectively, will be hosted by exhibition organizer HELEXPO in Thessaloniki on March 7-10. DETROP is a food, beverages, machinery and equipment exhibition and OENOS is wine exhibition and both are aimed at promoting the sectors' private companies in foreign markets.....HSBC Bank, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, said it has reached an agreement to sell its 73 pct equity stake in HSBC Mutual Funds Asset Management to Ioannis Vezanis, current chief executive of HSBC Mutual Funds Asset Management, owner over the remaining 27 pct in the company... Senator Michael Gianaris said, “Constant service disruptions, a lack of service change notifications and increased commuter expenses due to limited free transfers make clear that the MTA treats the G train like the ugly duckling of its system. As the only train that directly connects Queens and Brooklyn, the G is a lifeline for those New Yorkers who travel between the two boroughs. It should provide commuters with direct, convenient access between Queens and Brooklyn, rather than forcing travel through Manhattan to get from one borough to the other.” ….Dimitris Panagiotopoulos is the name of the Vice Chairman of Procter & Gamble, born in Tanzania, Africa, and who speaks perfect Swahili….An AHI Dinner  on March 9^th in the nation’s capital honored, Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, Philip Christopher and others while HAC is honoring the same ambassador–among others-in LA on March 30^th with the Aristeio Award . Needless to say that AHI stands for American Hellenic Institute, while HAC stands for Hellenic American Council. The only comment I wish to make here is adding to what the reason given for the honor, which is saving the Olympics in Greece. Or on second thought, not adding at all…

The Libra Group is a global conglomerate, which has 23 offices across four continents and operating subsidiaries focused principally on aviation, shipping, real estate, hospitality and renewable energy. Students will be placed with one of Libra Group's subsidiaries around the world. Students in four-year degree programs in North America are encouraged to apply by submitting a completed application, two letters of recommendation, and official college transcripts to the Greek America Foundation at www.greekamerica.org/libra-internship. Internships are also available to students at the American College of Greece, Athens. The "cousins" are back! Chicago's Greek Media Club hosted a private, invitation-only event Thursday February 28, 2013 at Chicago's premiere art gallery, Hilligoss Galleries, located on the world famous "Magnificent Mile."  . Wine, cheese and  light appetizers were served. Sneak preview of Chicago landscapes by internationally recognized portrait artist Nikolai Blokhin Also, current exhibit of the works of Matt Lamb!

 

American Airlines has announced that its planes will get new paint jobs and a fresh logo, and flight attendants will get brand-new uniforms as well. The new outfits will be designed by Kaufman Franco, which has dressed such celebrities as Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry. Now speaking of Aniston, you must know that she has signed on to be the new face for Aveeno skincare. There had been rumors that the former Friends star could become a model for the US brand, but the news has only just been confirmed. "We can confirm that Jennifer Aniston will be partnering with Aveeno for skincare," her spokesperson Stephen Huvane told E! News. "You can expect to see the results of this collaboration later this year," he added. Jennifer, who has appeared in campaigns for SmartWater, L'Oreal hair care and her own eponymous fragrance, would be the label's most famous face, following previous Aveeno spokesmodels including All My Children actress Daniella van Grass….. …..Every time you hear Snow Patrol’s ‘Chasing Cars’ theme in Grey’s Anatomy you can thank music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas who set the tone for countless shows, from including Scandal, Suburgatory, and Mad Men. Alexandra, 44, after finishing the soundtrack for Warm Bodies, which premiered February 1^st, has gone back to her early years to create the music for The Carrie Diaries and sampling electronic music for The CW’s Cult. “I/m one of those lucky individuals” says Patsavas “ who were able to turn their passion into a vocation.”….. A’ is a feature film by Stathis Athanasiou inspired by the myth of Antigone raises questions regarding the contemporary meaning of the terms democracy, freedom, authority, free will, state. The story takes place in the near future in an urban environment where a faceless authority executes publicly ‘offenders’ or sends them in exile at the ‘Forest’, located beyond the electric fence that surrounds the city. The main characters are Alpha, a woman conformed to the oppressive way of living because of fear to react, and the Fugitive, a man who crosses over to the opposite side and is declared a ‘Terrorist’ by the institutionalized terror of the ruling Regime.

30 Rock star Tina Fey, looked elegant in an Oscar de la Renta frock, and had reason to smile -- she picked up the award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series from the Screen Actors Guild awards on 1/27, very important now that her show is no longer producing new episodes….Jenni Pulos, the star of “Flipping Out,” one of the most popular shows on television has been tapped to host the 2013 Gabby Awards in Hollywood this Memorial Day weekend. Jenni is a shining example of exactly what the Gabby Awards are all about. At her core she is a Greek American actress, comedian, writer, songwriter and producer. She also won Showtime at the Apollo, the legendary New York amateur talent contest, rapping her way to the top prize and even designs jewelry in her spare time. Jenni Pulos absolutely refuses the concept of a label. She’s well-known best as Jeff Lewis’ Executive Assistant (and softer half) on the hit Bravo TV reality show "Flipping Out," which is now in its sixth season. And this year, she will star again (and co-executive produce) together with Lewis, Bravo's second season of "Interior Therapy," a spin-off of "Flipping Out."

 

Patty Andrews, the last surviving member of the singing Andrews Sisters whose hits such as the rollicking “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B” and the poignant “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” captured the home-front spirit of World War II, died Wednesday. She was 94.Patty was the Andrews in the middle, the lead singer and chief clown, whose raucous jitterbugging delighted American servicemen abroad and audiences at home. She could also deliver sentimental ballads like “I’ll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time” with a sincerity that caused hardened GIs far from home to weep. Together they also did a Coca-Cola commercial song in the Greek language, that’s besides the one in English….. HelenaMaria performed at Valentine's Day 2013 Grand Opening of My Big Fat Greek Restaurant in Burbank, CA that benefits Project Hope for Greece and Family Services Agency of Burbank

The Athenaeum Intercontinental Hotel featured a number of romantic one-night stays for Valentine Day, with dinner, champagne and special cocktails in a variety of deluxe or club rooms Love Me Do in the Première & Bistrot Vienna. All that was available on February 14..  Stix, which soft-opened in Flatiron, is the newest restaurant cooking ethnically sourced meat and serving it in a fast-casual setting. Owner Stathis Antonakopoulos put a roster of meat and fish kebabs at the center of the menu, which also includes a variety of salads made with whole grains, a Greek yogurt bar, and a juice menu that includes flavors like carrot and sea buckthorn, and cucumber-apple with pine. Elsewhere, an ample-sounding coffee menu features espresso piccolos and correttos. These detours, it turns out, indicate serious pedigrees at work: Executive chef Nikolaos Stavrakakis worked at Noma, and Stefanos Domatiotis, who designed the coffee menu, was this year's Greek Barista Champion.. Check out the menu…..Avlee is the name of a new Greek restaurant in Brooklyn, which can accommodate no more than 25 patrons at the time…… There’s a restaurant in Greenpoint, NY that’s called Achilles Heel. No, Greek food it doesn’t serve but I thought you want to know….

 

Word of the Month: Ambivolent:From Gr. Aμφιβολία, Not sure, having reservations about an issue

Kali Parea, a Fun Group Made up

of Cherry Hill St. Thomas’ Seniors

by Bob Nicolaides

The group-appointed moderator Jerry Kαrapalidis indicated it was Nick Pappas’ turn to speak, so Nick peered over his writings. It was a poem he had scribbled the year before about the Kali Parea. He had implemented it with another he wrote recently on how to cure loneliness and he was now reading it to the old palikaria who gathered every Wednesday morning at the basement of the St. Thomas church in Cherry Hill, NJ to share a cup of coffee, cookies and an occasional liqueur. Strangely enough there were no interruptions when Nick was reading his stuff, which is not to say some of the old gents gave up the custom of this Greek trait called interruption.  

It isn’t anything bad however, the practice that is,  nothing beyond benevolent  impulse, for some of the Kali Parea members have so much to say within the two hour interval of the Wednesday gathering, that some even went as far as proposing that meetings were held twice a week so as to enjoy double the time. Why, at a recent meeting, celebrations went as far as listening to bouzouki music, compliments of bouzouki player Nicholas Hondros, and spirits got high enough for Thomas  Pousatis and Louie Choriatis for  the two seniors, that as if they were  youngsters got up and did a zeibekiko for the pleasure of the group.

At the same meeting even the history of Kali Parea’s inception was heard, as one of the pioneers of the group related  that it was by chance, after trying unsuccessfully to partake of an event, that two or three of them decided to go to the Moorestown Mall for a cup of coffee. It became tradition for them, being joined by another, then another and so on, until the group designated the church as the meeting place, since their number had ballooned to the point that one table for ten could no longer contain them. Today, Kali Parea is privileged to claim upward from forty members who religiously gather every Wednesday, as early as 10 am not only to share a cup of coffee with their peers, but to exchange stories, experiences, jokes that sometimes reach the limits of risqué, and to reminisce about the old times of their youth. 

There are times that this two hour gathering extends to a luncheon served by some of the resident cooks who prepare delicious sandwiches compliments of some of their Kali Parea colleagues, while other times, most members decide to make a group to visit a particular restaurant and break bread with their friends. There’s also an expert in the preparation of ghalaktoboureko who doesn’t miss an occasion to oblige his fellow members of the group. He is the Senior Citizen Organization of St. Thomas president  Pousatis. And often enough, the TV producer of the Greek Spirit TV show which now can be heard all the way to New York, George Burlotos, camera on hand, is there to record unforgettable moments of a lifetime.

Often members bring guests with them, young and old, who have something to say or is making a non-monetary contribution to the group, such as the son of George Kappatos who crafted a plaque immortalizing Kali Parea which was hung in the room where the group meets. He ended up with a citation plaque himself since he would think of accepting a pecuniary retribution.  There are occasional guests from other churches who come for ideas in the hope of fashioning their own Kali Parea.

Kali Parea is all about Camaraderie for some of the Senior Citizen organization members who want to remain active and close to their contemporaries, be they pals who worked with them helping the church or once colleagues in the place of employment.  One can surmise that seventy percent of the members are old hands in the dining industry who often had worked together creating special friendships. But there are retired-and some active- physicians among them, one psychologist to boot, two teachers, many WWII veterans, one of whom is an Okinawa campaign survivor and who now is a TV show producer. In addition  there is an editor, a former Superintendent Civil Engineer from California, a small craft pilot, an attorney, some skilled craftsmen as well as the group’s stand-up comic. This last one has earned this label for standing up every so often to tell a joke he just recalled in the midst of someone else’s time.

The make-up of the group is a swath representing most of the homeland, many of which come from the islands of Andros in the Aegean and Cephalonia in the Ionian, some from the island with the secret of longevity, Ikaria, but count in Cyprus in as well. Let’s not discount too, that philanthropy is in their bones, recently having donated $500 from their treasury to the St. Irene Philoptochos of this New Jersey church they belong to.

What does a regular session of Kali Parea sound like? Gathered around in close proximity to what would be considered as the Knights of the Square Table, the experts they are, take on the task of reviewing and analyzing the headlines of the National Herald, not to overlook poetry which is much part of the agenda, and the reading of essays authored by members, and that’s on top of the group’s sharing stories of nostalgia from the days of their youth, with a sprinkling of salty jokes to inject some laughter into the session. Regardless the interruptions, the meetings are structured and from the perspective of the seating arrangement, everyone gets their turn to speak, cued in by the group’s moderator.