Travelogue… with Bob Nicolaides

 

MedCruise general assembly held in Spain

 

The latest developments in the sea cruise industry and its prospects were examined in the 44th MedCruise (Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports) General Assembly in Castellon, Spain. Among the issues discussed were sustainable development, creation of “green ports”, implementation of innovative solutions and practices and the strengthening of international cooperation.

MedCruise president & Piraeus Port Authority SA (PPA SA) general director Stavros Hatzakos stated that “cooperation can be more effective when the ports of the Mediterranean and neighbouring adjoining seas act collectively”.  MedCruise represents over 100 ports in the Mediterranean and adjoining seas, namely, the Black Sea and Red Sea.

Hatzakos has been elected MedCruise president in 2012 and the association's HQ has been moved from Barcelona to Piraeus.  The MedCruise General Assembly launched on May 21 welcomed three new members, the ports of  Istanbul, Taranto and Trabzon, as well as two new associate members, the port of Allegra, Montenegro and the Association of Danish Ports.

 

 

The World’s Best Ocean treasure for nature lovers

 

Besides its massive size, the oceanic sanctuary in the South Pacific is home to a vast array of marine life, hosting 48 different shark species, 25 mammal species, 19 nesting bird species and five sea turtle species, including the endangered green turtle.

Its ocean floors are illuminated with more than 1.1 million acres of the vibrant coral reefs that give the sea its name, and its waters provide 3,000 tons of fish to New Caledonia’s inhabitants.

New Caledonia is no stranger to record-breaking sites. Located about 3,000km east of Australia, the remote French territory is home to the Grand Lagon Sud, the world’s biggest lagoon and a Unesco World Heritage Site, as well as to the world’s second largest double-barrier reef, after the one in Australia.

But besides these awe-inspiring locations, New Caledonia also has some of the richest biodiversity on Earth, which is why its government and conservation experts are taking measures to protect the natural treasure before there is a serious threat.

Currently, illegal fishing is the only concern, but potential increases in ship traffic from Queensland, Australia, and the continuance of deep-sea oil mining could harm the aquatic park in the future. Over the next three years, the park will be separated into zones, some of which will be open to economic activities like fishing and tourist activities like snorkeling and swimming.

The park’s preservation marks a historic moment in marine conservation and adds another wondrous site to New Caledonia, making this the perfect time to plan your next South Pacific adventure.

 

European tourist visits to Iran up 240%

 

The entry of European tourists to Iran has risen 240 percent between April 9 and May 10 compared to the same period last year, Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization Director Masoud Soltanifar said on Saturday. Most of the 4- and 5-star hotels in the cities of Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, and Kashan have been fully reserved by European tourists for the next six months, the IRNA news agency quoted Soltanifar as saying. Iran may be set to return to the top of “must-visit” lists for 2014, the Financial Times said in a report in January.

 Its attractions have never been in doubt -- from ski resorts to beaches, stunning Islamic architecture, ancient archaeological sites, and superb food. Now, tour operators are hoping the thawing of political relations with the west following the election of Hassan Rouhani as president will give travelers the reassurance they need to return. Rouhani’s administration has announced plans to ease visa requirements to increase visitor numbers and increase annual income from tourism from $2 billion today to $10 billion. 

On Thursday, May 15, Iranian Intelligence Minister Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Mahmoud Alavi said that development of the tourism industry should be taken seriously, since it can be one of the cornerstones of the “resistance economy” proposed by the Supreme Leader. “Serious attention should be paid to the issue of tourism, and as one of the pillars of the resistance economy… it can be a matter of special attention,” Alavi told a meeting of people active in the tourism industry. He went on to say that tourism is one of the many apparatuses for familiarizing the world with “our revolution”, a reference to the Islamic Revolution of 1979. “Our view and the direction in the Ministry of Intelligence is to remove problems and hurdles for the promotion of tourism,” he added.

 

Greece projects 21.2 million tourist arrivals in 2014

 

Foreign tourists visiting Greece this year are expected to add up to a record 21.2 million, including cruise visitors, Andreas Andreadis, the president of the Association of Hellenic Tourism Enterprises (SETE), said.

The head of tourism professionals in the country explained that demand is growing far above the original estimates, and that the figures to be recorded this year had been set as the targets for the next four years. He added that in this context investments for the creation of more top-category hotel units need to be accelerated while the infrastructure of regional airports needs upgrading.

Good News Tourism for Greece

Andreadis expects cruise passenger arrivals to remain at last year’s levels – 2.2 million – and even considers SETE’s latest estimate for 19 million international tourists as “rather conservative,” having recently revised the figure from the previous forecast for 18.5 million. Athens alone is set to receive some 750,000 more visitors than last year, which is indicative of the momentum that the Greek capital is enjoying.

Demand from Russia is expected to drop by no more than 5 percent, while visitors to Greece from the Ukraine are expected to decline by 50 percent. Cruise companies have reduced their schedules for the Eastern Mediterranean but are operating larger vessels, while they are already preparing to increase the number of cruise liners sailing in the region next year.

In order to satisfy future demand for beds in Greece, SETE has set a target for the creation of an additional 250,000 by 2021 at high-category hotels (four- or five-star), of which some 150,000 will be new and 100,000 will come from the upgrade of the existing capacity. This will require the implementation of investment programs adding up to 24 billion euros. Some 3 billion of that is expected to come from the state and the rest from the private sector. Another key point is the creation of new installations at regional airports, some of which are easily saturated during peak times in the summer season in terms of handling flights.

Travelogue… with Bob Nicolaides

 

 

1Q Figures Encouraging for Greece’s Tourism

 



The Parthenon

The economic crisis in Greece had an enormous negative impact on the Greek hospitality industry between 2010 and 2013, with an estimated loss of €2.5 billion across the board, €820M loss felt by the hotels in Athens alone. The country however is seeing both a primary fiscal surplus which was unexpected, and a rebound tourist movement towards the end of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014. Hotels are experiencing a surge in occupancy rates with business tourism showing impressive gains.

 

Athens has been showing signs of recovery since May 2013 and the first quarter of this year shows the trend continuing. Occupancy levels reflect a 32% rise and the RevPAR for this period is up 20.6%. In addition, there appears a realization of 30% increase in conferences taking place in the country. These improvements in key areas offer hope for the Greek hospitality industry across the entire current year.

 

Guinness World Record: Amazing base jump from Burj Khalifa

 

Skydive Dubai has set a new Guinness World Record after Soul Flyers World Champions Fred Fugen and Vince Reffet took an 828 metre leap off the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

The pair set Dubai's latest record-breaking title when they performed the feat on Monday, setting off orange flares on the way down.

Jumping high.

Skydive Dubai said the jump was only possible with the construction of a 3x1m platform at the very top of the pinnacle, which it described an immense task in itself. The structure, which was spotted by residents and tourists last week, took three days to install, with challenges faced due to weather constrictions limiting the time available for construction, the company said.

It said measures were in place to ensure the Dubai pinnacle did not get damaged. “On behalf of the entire team and myself, I would like to thank HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of Dubai Sports Council for giving us the opportunity in making this project a reality,” said Nasser Al Neyadi, president of the Aero Sport Federation and chairman of Skydive Dubai. “Skydive Dubai has become a pioneer in regards to aerial sports and will continue to strive in setting more new world records.”

As part of preparations for the base jump, Fugen and Reffet completed a series of training jumps off Lauterbeunnen Mountain in Switzerland over a week, which is almost the same height as Burj Khalifa. This was followed by base jumping out of helicopters in Dubai to ensure they were ready for the leap off of the world’s tallest building. “This was the jump of a lifetime and an achievement of three years of hard training. I am glad we landed successfully, accomplishing a lifelong dream,” Fugen said. Reffet added: “This was my best jump by far. It was a dream come true.”

In April, Skydive Dubai, which opened in 2010, broke the Guinness World Record for the smallest parachute jump. “As always, Skydive Dubai prides itself on the 100 percent safety record and the Burj Khalifa jump is no exception”,said Alan Gayton, general manager, Skydive Dubai, The Palm Drop Zone. “This success is due to the ‘practice make perfect’ method of training that we always follow and the 100% dedication of everyone working on this project.”

 

The most expensive restaurant of the world- Ibiza Sublimotion

 

As well as world-class clubs and luxury villas, the party island of Ibiza is soon to be home to the most expensive restaurant on the planet. The new Hard Rock Hotel, opening in Playa d'en Bossa on May 18, will be launching Sublimotion - an ‘unparalleled gastro-sensory venture’ where a 20-course meal will set diners back £1,235 a head.

Expensive you say?

Michelin-starred chef Paco Roncero is behind the five-star resort’s exclusive concept, which aims to take 12 guests at a time ‘an experience for all the senses’. Combining food, art and technology, the menu, which is yet to be unveiled, promises to create a ‘complete and unprecedented emotional experience’ at the first Hard Rock Hotel to open in Europe.

A spokesman explained: ‘The dishes will cause a stir among the most neglected senses; from moments of humour, pleasure, fear, reflection and nostalgia, diners will be wandering through a world of sensations from the North Pole where they will enjoy a cold snack that they carve on their own iceberg or to the baroque Versailles where the elegance of a rose is sure to melt in their palate.’ Guests will dine in a unique space that will recreate a titillating atmosphere for all the senses, with‘state-of-the-art’ systems creating a ‘vivid setting transcending human senses’.

Roncero, Spain’s most famous chef, will also be launching the 3,00-seater Tapas restaurant Estado Puro at the Hard Rock– set to be the biggest luxury hotel in Ibiza - when it opens next month. He said: ‘We are very excited about the opening of Sublimotion and believe our guests will enjoy a culinary experience they’ve never previously encountered. ‘We are so delighted to be working with Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza in one of the most international islands in the world.’ Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza will include 493 rooms, boasting suites with private pools, ocean-front balconies and outdoor Jacuzzis. VIP services, including access to some of Ibiza's most exclusive clubs and restaurants, will also be offered to guests.

Abel Matutes Prats, CEO of Palladium Hotel Group, said: ‘This commitment to gastronomy, entertainment, technology and luxury fits perfectly with Hard Rock’s passion to keep music at the forefront of each initiative, as well as Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza’s standing as a music-inspired innovator in one of the world’s most renowned music capitals. ‘Catering to a new wave of modern travelers seeking unexpected, yet exceptional encounters, we’re thrilled to provide a journey of the sense that promotes music culture.’

Who wishes to visit the top cemetery tourism spots?

 

For ideas on planning a trip around this original concept, just follow the guide provided by Hotels.com. Cemetery tourism, though macabre by definition, certainly isn’t gloomy or dull. All the rage in Japan, the idea of travelling to cemeteries – whether to visit the grave of a favourite celebrity, artist or historical figure or simply to admire the tombstones – is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. For ideas on planning a trip around this original concept, just follow the guide provided by Hotels.com.

Frequently Visited Cemetary 

According to the website, which specializes in hotel price comparisons, one of the most affordable cemetery tourism destinations is Palm Springs, where Frank Sinatra is buried at the Desert Memorial Park. The average nightly rate for a double room is €81 (around $112).

Next on the list is Buenos Aires in Argentina, home to the Recoleta cemetery. Though not necessarily famous, most of the wealthy bodies buried here commissioned particularly elaborate tombstones which are definitely worth the trip. A hotel stay near the destination costs €84 ($116) per night on average.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Berlin is one of the most affordable destinations, with the average hotel room costing€85 ($118) per night. At the Dorotheenstädtisch-Friedrichswerderscher Friedhof cemetery, visitors can place flowers on the tomb of the playwright Bertolt Brecht and the sculptor Johann Gottfried Schadow, among others.

Finally, no list of the world’s most prestigious cemeteries would be complete without a mention of the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris. Edith Piaf, Maria Callas, Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde are just a few of the notable personalities laid to rest here. Tourists can expect to pay more for their stay, however, as a double room is priced at €131 ($181) per night on average.

Herod Atticus Odeon ranked 2^nd in list of world's leading theatres

 

OTTAWA (ANA-MPA/I. Frangouli) The Herod Atticus Odeon beneath the Acropolis is the second-best place in the world to watch live performances, according to a list appearing in a special supplement in Canada's "Globe and Mail" newspaper.

Herod Atticus Theater; On Canadian List is #2

Dealing more specifically with the use of privileges from credit cards under the headline "Top venues for live theatre," the list presents the best venues in the world for live theatre, dance and music.

As regards the Herod Atticus, there is a reference to its history, while it is termed the best example of an authentic Greek amphitheatre and is described as "the perfect location where modern music meets with the ancient atmosphere." It is the ideal of all artists, the report says.

Topping the list is England's Minack Theatre, Porthcurno and it is followed by the Herod Atticus Odeon in Athens, the Sydney Opera House, Milan's La Scala, New York's Carnegie Hall, Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre and other famous venues around the world.

 

Cyprus keeps itself away from Eurovision rant     Cyprus tourism chiefs have distanced themselves from an "offensive" rant on social media by a director of one of the island's leading travel companies following last Saturday's Eurovision song contest. Joelle Watkins, a senior manager in global marketing at Travelport, wrote to the Cyprus Tourism Organization to complain after seeing the post on her Facebook feed on Saturday night. Louis Loizou, an executive director of the Louis Group which has interests in hotels and cruise ships, allegedly wrote that it was "offensive and a disgrace" that Austrian drag queen Conchita had won the contest. He ranted: "Returning home last night I saw who won and that is when I said "the world as we know it has come to its end"." Eurovision tiff Loizou, a Cypriot who apologized to his Greek-speaking friends for writing in English, added: "I know Eurovision is supposed to be getting funnier and more peculiar each year but this is offensive and a disgrace….The way it is going there will be murderers crooks & pedophiles taking part! Shame, shame, shame to all involved in choosing [sic] these performers and for those who voted and those who accepted them. He later updated his Facebook status, saying: "It seems that my status on the winning performance at this year's Eurovision was largely misunderstood. I have many gay people in my circle of friends and I am very proud to have them as close friends. "Therefore, in no way should that status be interpreted as homophobic. I do apologize if, in the spur of the moment, I chose some very inappropriate words when writing it. In no way did I intend to offend anyone. I merely wanted to express that taste wise, and in particular the beard element, was for me over the top." But his apology came after complaints from colleagues in the industry and after Watkins had written to the CTO to complain about the "deeply shocking, offensive and discriminatory" comments. She added: "Please can you advise whether or not these deeply shocking, offensive and discriminatory comments reflect Cyprus's policy towards the LGBT community and whether you endorse them? "As the national tourist board of the Republic of Cyprus we welcome all visitors, from all walks of life, and it is our media communications policy to continue to promote Cyprus as a desirable holiday destination. "The friendliness of Cypriots is legendary. Our tourism partners continually provide distinguished and professional levels of service year on year. Cyprus respects gender differences and preferences and complies fully with all related European laws and regulations." Watkins has also written to Hilton Hotels& Resorts as the Louis Group owns the Hilton Cyprus and is the managing agent for the Hilton Park Nicosia.



As the worl Churns0714

By Bob Nicolaides

The Minoan Antiquities Collection at Iraklio Museum on the island of Crete will again open to the public after more than seven years, the museum announced on Tuesday. The public will be able to visit the collection, which has been closed since November 2006, from 8:00 in the morning until 20:00 at night. The collection is the largest and most significant section in the museum, reflecting the important civilisation of the Cretan palaces and occupying 55 percent of the total gallery space. It includes several famous ancient works of art and artifacts, including idols depicting the snake and poppy goddesses of Minoan civilization, the Phaestus Disc, the ivory bull leaper and the iconic bull-leaping murals and a host of other items made of gold, precious gems, pottery and elaborate stonework.


Cristobal Colon (Colombus)





For those who believe that Christopher Columbus was a Greek sailor by the name of Christophoros Kolovos, here’s a story that might interest you. His flagship the Santa Maria on which he made the Atlantic crossing, which capsized while all his crew onboard was asleep with one kid at the wheel, has finally been found off the coast of Haiti at Cap Haitien after 500 years. It is now up to salvagers to salivate about the fortunes the ship carried when it went down…

 



Loizides & Oedipus

Director Leonida Loizides says: “We're delighted to invite actors to audition on Tuesday, June 3, for the upcoming off-Broadway production of 'Oedipus King' by Sophocles, to be directed by Eftychia Loizides and produced by the Leonidas and Eftychia Loizides Theatre Group. “Those interested in any of the main parts in 'Oedipus Rex', as the chorus parts both male and female to send their resumes to his theater group… as the Chorus (men and women) should send their resumes to lloizidis@hotmail.com. We look forward to receiving them.

Kind regards,
Leonidas Lohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCunAfBkUlc



Conchita-povrecita



The Austrian capital was already popular with gay travelers but now tourism bosses are expecting the city’s appeal to continue rising. The reason is Austrian Conchita Wurst, a transvestite singer with mustache, beard and a g

Cirque de Soleil

own, who won the Eurovision contest this year instead of a straight crooner or thrush as it has been the norm in past years. I guess the world’s standards have been altered the last few decades, ,for the better or the but can we define whether it did  for  br for ‘Wurst.’…….

The Cirque du Soleil is returning to Greece with a new production in September, following the "Alegria" and "Dralion" performances here, on the occasion of the 30^th anniversary  from the founding of the famous spectacle. Called "Quidam", the Cirque's new production is coming to Greece in September for 19 performances in Athens and, for the first time, in Thessaloniki.

The Bow Valley's most distinctive wine and food event is celebrating another decadent weekend in the Rockies. The Banff Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival invites guests to sample from an extensive array of wine, scotch, beer and other offerings, paired with delicious food samples. The Grand Tasting Hall will feature delectable cuisine from Banff and area restaurants and eateries including samples from many restaurants, including the Balkan Greek Restaurant, which is a fun place with belly-dancers and all……Syros is the latest taverna to bow in the New York scene, expected to open its doors the first weeks in June. Only it isn’t located within the city itself but across the Hudson, in Englewood, NJ….

Word of The Month: Diatribe: Διατριβή.





Zapantis, Master Chef, Cited For

Excellence on Eastern Seaboard

The image of the Hellenic Cuisine in the United States has improved drastically in the last fifteen years thanks to the emergence of star chefs the magnitude of Diane Kochilas, Michael Psilakis, Gregory Zapantis, George Kyrtatas and Maria Loi who do justice to a cuisine as ancient as history and as current as a fresh-cut rose. Going a tad further, we can say with great assurance that they are responsible for the obvious prominence of this cuisine among endless cuisines available in the United States.

 Since we’re concentrating today on Gregory Zapantis, executive chef and partner of both establishments called Kellari, one in New York and one in Washington, DC, we must start by highlighting some of his distinctions, namely the fact that Hillary Clinton prefers to eat at the Washington establishments, the fact that a posh banquet was extended there during Patriarch Vartholomeos’ visit there two years ago, and that fellow Hellene legislators, past and present such as Senator Olympia Snow, the Sarbanes, both Senator Paul and son Congressman John as well as Rep Gus Billirakis and father, former Congressman Michael always are regular guests there. He has his personalities in New York too, such as former city mayor Michael Bloomberg  and designer-entrepreneur Michael Kors.

 Zapantis who has worked in the kitchens of Milos and Trata and Thalassa before coming to Kellari, credits the advancement of the Hellenic Cuisine in the fact that the new generation of chefs treat this cuisine as is treated the French, Italian and Oriental. Also Gregory insists that the word ‘tastes’ does not clarify the gastronomic interpretation of the Greek work ‘ghefsis’ which is far more versatile in describing the new techniques that ‘ghefsis’ assumes with very old ingredients. Remarkable as well is the speed with which recipes can be turned into dishes because of new techniques, a long shot from the grueling days of the past.

“Today’s chefs,” Zapantis asserts, “have all the tools to create perfection, particularly when ‘seasonal’ has been reintroduced to the products used in preparing a meal. What it translates to is that ingredients used in today’s dishes haven’t grown somewhere on the other side of the world and arrived here after a nominal period. It means that everything is produced here locally which explains their freshness as in the early years: From the Farm to the Table sort of a thing,” he concludes.

Chef Zapantis

 Zapantis’ career spans decades and he has been decorated with citations of every kind.  Two such citations are for Outstanding contributions to the James Beard Society in 2000 and 2006 (the one in 2000 was signed by founder Julia Child) and participated in a panel at Yale University as part of the Greek Food, Public Health & Policy II, moderated by food critic and master chef Diane Kochilas. Awarded three stars by Forbes, celebrated by Wine Spectator Magazine, the chef saw his efforts acknowledged , not only bu James Beard Society but also the Johnson & Wales University as well. Fund-raising events and celebrity dinners are aplenty throughout his years of service particularly during his tenure at Thalassa and Kellari. He has prepared seafood dishes at the Broadmoor Bistro, Overland Park, KS, for seafood aficionados in 2006,

He participated in the Culinary Institute of America in California at their 2008 Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival, a Mediterranean Flavor Odyssey, and in 2005 he was the subject of a excellent review for Thalassa Restaurant from Eric Asimov in the New York Times Diner’s Journal. He has also prepared dishes for many Greek Trade Center events throughout the years.

Gregory who was only 13 when he migrated to the US from his native Ionian island of Cephalonia, lives in Long Island with his wife Fotini, and has three children, Maria, Haroula and Panayotis. A proud father, he credits his wife for their proper upbringing, ethics, and knowledge of the Greek language, saying that it is the work of a ‘good wife.’

 

As The World Churns5-14

By Bob NIcolaides

An Exclusive find

The only existing gold coin with the portrait of Alexander the Great, circulated during his life, has been discovered in a bazaar in Peshawar, Pakistan during his adventurous forays there of Dr. Osmund Bopearachi, professor at the universities of Sorbonne and Berkeley, who runs the department of Archaeology ‘ Hellenism and Civilizations of the East’ at the French National Institute for Research. He is the same man who during his excursions in those lands he has discovered coins with portraits of heretofore unknown HindoHellene kings at localized Helleniccities, as well as the discovery of a treasure of coins weighing four tons. The good doctor has been in Greece for the inauguration of the exhibit under the bname of Hellenic kingdoms of Bactria and India at the Numismatic Museum which will run through June 16^th… The exhibition "Hadrian and Greece. Villa Adriana between Classical and Hellenistic Period" was inaugurated on Tuesday 4/8 evening in Rome. The exhbition that is dedicated to Roman Emperor Hadrian's very close relation to Greece, which is depicted on ancient objects from Greece hosted at Hadrian's villa in Tivoli, at the outskirts of Rome. The exhibition, organized by the Antiquities Ephorate of Rome in cooperation with the Greek Culture Ministry and the Italian Archaeological School of Athens, will run until November 2. Fifty works of art, twenty of them from Greece, which according to the Italian Culture Ministry are 'of great value", are displayed for the first time abroad. The director of the National Archaeological and Numismatic Museum Giorgos Kakavas noted that the 'most important piece of art is a portrait of Antinoos that travels outside Greece for the first time."..



Dimon:Must we be proud?

 Does anybody know which is the earliest recorded Greek association in the US? If you don’t, I’ll be glad to inform you! It is the Tsintzinian Heritage Society of America, Tsitzina being a village in Laconia, an organization formed in Jamestown, NY around the 1890s and meeting every year at the very site of its inception…A report from In the Markets reveals that JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Greek American Jamie Dimon was the highest-paid CEO of a major New York bank in 2013, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday (4/9). Dimon’s $20 million in compensation was double what he earned in 2012, and just ahead of the $19,928,813 that Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein pocketed. Now I ask: Must we be proud of this fellow?... There’s a professor of Economics at NYU’s Stern School of Business whose name is associated with economics. Is that a coincidence for Nicholas Economides who recently discussed Greece’s bond sale... Peter Nicolaides, (no relation) has a brand new job now. His new duty is being the coordinator of the Marine Protected Areas in the Aegean Sea at Cousteau Divers

Recordings of Maria Callas (1923-1977), the soprano who left an indelible mark in opera globally, will greet and accompany visitors at a museum dedicated to her life in downtown Athens expected to open in 2015. The plans for the Maria Callas Museum were presented at a press conference in the building that will house the museum, on 44 Mitropoleos. The building to house the museum is under historical preservation status and was purchased by the state in 2010....On Mother’s Day, the Greek School of Plato’s PTO presents the 17^th Annual Fashion Show featuring students and Alumni. It’s being held at the Rex Manor, Brooklyn, on Sunday, May 11^th... George Tsetsekos, director of Drexel’s LeBow Business school asks you to mark your calendar for the Greek Heritage night at the Phillies May 28th  game. “The Phyllie Phanatic will be dressed in Foustanella leading a Greek Dance Troupe on the field! For the record, the Phyllie Phanatic is a Drexel LeBow graduate and I will offer him Greek dance lessons so he cannot disappoint us! “

A Hercules that cost 200 jobs

It's not every actor who is willing (or able) to take on one of the world's most iconic roles, but Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is hardly your run-of-the-mill thespian. The 6-foot-five action star jumped at the chance to portray Greek mythology's most famous demigod — and based on the pictures he's shared on Twitter so far, he quite possibly embodies Hercules like no man has before. Whether he embodies Hercules is one issue, but this stunt that was pulled cost quite a few jobs to people that were involved or knew anything about it….

Gaga and company

Say what, big monster?! Lady Gaga has complete control on stage and on camera, but back home she's willing to let her man take charge. The "Applause" singer admitted during a radio interview on Sirius XM's The Morning Mash Up on Monday, March 24 that she's submissive to boyfriend Taylor Kinney. Should we believe her?. Meanwhile, the popular American singer will give a concert at the Olympic Stadium in Athens on September 19, as it was announced by the Greek company "Lavrys" and the "Live Nation Global Touring". Her Athens concert  will be one of the many on her world tour called "Lady Gaga's artRAVE: The Artpop Ball". She has confirmed her visit in Athens while her world tour is held up by the release of her multi-platinum new album ArtPop which climbed to the No 1 of the Billboard charts from the first week of its release. The songs of the new album will be included in the concert's program along with earlier hits.... Celebrating its 40 years of functionality, the greek Cultural Center holds a Tribute to Mikis Theodorakis on Sunday, May 4^th, at 7 pm, at Hunter College’s Assembly Hall in NYC,  (69^th St, bet Lexington & Park.) Partcipating in the Tribune to the great musician, are Vasilis Lekas, Gerasimos Andreatos, Giota Negga, Anna Linardou, Nikos Kouroupakis and the OCC Vocal Ensemble....   

The one episode we got this season devoted to the mother How I met your Mother(instead of the entire season I was hoping for) focused on how she was the perfect fit for Ted, how her entire life was basically built for her to be primed to meet him. Cristin Milioti was great, but the character was never one we could root for. Thankfully, instead of trying to force us to fall in love with a new character, the show did what it did best in its finale: called back earlier plots and storylines, rewarding longtime viewers for paying attention to the major details. And in the process, the Ted of the pilot was able to keep his romantic side, but to face reality, with a little help from his children, who kindly told him what we already knew: “This is the story of how you’re totally in love with Aunt Robin.”

The humanitarian and social dimensions of the economic crisis will be at the centre of the modern art exhibition “No Country for Young Men: Contemporary Greek Art in Times of Crisis” that opened to the public at the Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts) in Brussels on March 27 with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.   The exhibition is part of a series of events organized by BOZAR in Brussels, in the context of the Greek EU Presidency. Curated by art historian Katerina Gregou, the exhibition focuses on the dramatic changes that have occurred both in Greece and across Europe as a result of the economic crisis, internationally showcasing the creations of 32 contemporary Greek artists and art groups. The exhibition will be hosted at BOZAR until August 3 and admission is free..... After making history as the first non-Greek artist exhibitng in the National Archaeological Museum of Greece, fine art photographer J. Josh Garrick returned from a tour in Greece and Turkey to the Consulate General of Greece in New York for an exhibit of his Seeking the ancient ‘Kallos’ which was inaugurated April 10 and was exhibited through May 2….

Word of the Μοnth: Mix –Gr. Μιξη, Μίγμα