Posts Tagged ‘Japan’

Ballet … Passion … Love … Life … Budapest

Just in front of the doorstep at the Italian Institution of Culture - Budapest

Just in front of the doorstep at the Italian Institution of Culture – Budapest

InternationBalLET

Monday, December, 5. 2016.

Italian Culture Institution  – Budapest

District, VIII. 8. Bródy Sándor  Street

6.30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

The InternationBalLET was established in the year 2016 by the Italian Cultural Institute and the Hungarian State Opera House in cooperation of foreign dancers. The beautiful art formation will bring a taste of somewhat a bridge between ballet and modern dance, giving the opportunity to locals and foreigners to be in the audience to enjoy the beauty artistic show.

InternationBalLET – Passion, Love, Life has previously been presented at two superb performances this year, during the summer at the Teatro Magnolia (Abano Terme, Padova) and at the Teatro Vascello (Rome). The “preview show” was on May, 23. 2016. at the Italian Institute of Culture and was a huge success with a full house and now coming back with its unaltered performance to its birth place to Hungary. On this evening first to be heard in the world: E-motion – Christian Calcatelli compositions.So for visitors who have passion, love for dance this will be their night enjoying the One Night artistic journey. 

InternationBalLET is getting ready to be dancing alongside with the Italian contingent dancers from Hungary, Croatia, Ukraine, Japan and Russia artists, namely:  Angela Mingardo, Nika Crnic, Yuka Asai, Kristina Starostina, Tatiana Melnik, Rosa Pierro, Umberto Aragno, Gergely Leblanc, Gaetano Cottonaro, Mario Genovese, Mark Biocca, Pierpaolo D’amico, Lurii Kekalo. Christian Calcatelli composer and choreographer, and co-founder of InternationBalLET – Mark Biocca.

“Passion … Love … Life” will follow the launch of the first photographic exhibition by dancer and photographer Dénes Darab. The blend of ballet, bodies, geometry and lighting comes to life in the images. The exhibition can be visited until December, 20. 2016.

Admission is free but registration is required …  iicbudapest@esteri.it

Update Aggie Reiter

The 4th “Vitéz” Chimney Cake .. a.k.a. Sekler Cake Festival – Budapest – 2016.

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October, 7 – 9. 2016.

Vajdahunyad Vár – Castle of Vajdahunyad – Budapest

To visit the festival is free of charge.

Hungary is heading to the Fall’s Season of Festivals and beside many events the gastronomy plays a huge part  in moving around the country. How time goes by and the Vitéz Chimney Cake Festival   a.k.a. Sekler Cake. is no longer a newcomer anymore, cause it will be holding its 4th Festival. So we were told at the Budapest Zoo terrace where the media was invited. The press gathering was held at the Budapest Zoo,  were the organizers announced their upcoming plans for the festival.  Owner – marketing manager  – Ms. Tünde András said, Q.  “First of all wish to introduce … if for anyone  has to be introduced … this year the visitors may join at dueling hosted by  chef Lázár. Added: Q.”There is so many festivals in Budapest, but the Fall is significant time to be inviting new and former visitors to the Chimney Cake Festival. Not only the wide variety regular, but new flavors of chimney cakes will be around.  throughout Hungary as well. The visitors who join the 3 days event may also learn how to prepare the traditional  chimney cake.  During the festival celebrities will be present baking and having competition with the visitors to bake chimney cakes.  Bálint Gáspár- owner – managing director just added, they have also invented the Bake-and-Roll Kit in preparing at home parties. Already had shipping orders to Japan and Australia.

Keeping up their tradition, this year they will  revenues in supporting the Disability Foundation.

Since the chimney cake made its way to be one of the favorite from Transylvanian in Hungary many tourist visiting the country are getting familiar with the taste these delights. They have launched a few new tasty products such as the gluten and lactose free chimney cake, the whole-wheat, durum wheat and the glucose made fitness chimney cakes, as well as a newcomer  the bearing Kürtős, Creamy Kürtös and the Kürtöske – mini chimney cake.

At the 1st year’s chimney festival they introduced the „Kürtőskalács” Chimney Cake …  Sekler Cake song written by the Indygo  group, and when you hear the notes of the song you’re gonna be rolling to the right place.

Here are two video taken just at the start, pre-press gathering to the 1st chimney cake arrival to Budapest by the Vitéz Kürtöskalacs .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvMpRKAgwis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDnMvLFVPoU

Update and snaps Aggie Reiter

Skiing opportunities in-and-around Hungary

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The press conference was opened by Ruszinkó Adam – Deputy State Secretary for Tourism – Economy Ministry saying, the Hungarian winter sports tourism aspects, especially in the domestic field in skiing opportunities are in-and-around the country. The Tourism in the current year pointed out that the data in all respects shows for the positive expectation to Hungary to be this year’s most successful year ever in tourism. Continued by saying, in the first three-quarter of the year 2015., 8.16 million visited Hungary and within this number was 20.75 million guest overnight spent at commercial accommodations. The number of guests by the number of guest nights was higher than the previous year’s. In particular, domestic tourism for almost half of all overnight stays represented the number in increasing. The Deputy State Secretary emphasised to be looking  forward to a great season by Hungarian skiers. Taking into account the figures of the previous year’s season five hundred thousand Hungarian skier, keeping up in staying domestically even for just one night. A new turn in the traveling tourism could be by locals and foreigners. For many enjoy to spend time at 2 to 4 nights as a short relaxing trip to the wellness spa resorts. He added, this time can be spent absolutely and worthwhile to go up to the mountain side for skiing for also that period. This performance would positively contribute to further strengthening of the domestic tourism in the off-season period. The domestic enterprises really are unto do as best of everything in their power so that in Hungary the ski lovers could have the option of staying in Hungary for skiing. The domestic ski resorts are close in distance and on the one hand are more affordable than slopping down in other European country. For the foreigners, who just spend a short time with small children or want to have a bit of ski teaching in advance is the right place to come to enjoy the available pre-ski training at good conditions and need not have to spend a day abroad in learning the first technical, physical steps in skiing. The Hungarian ski pistes in wintertime also welcomes the ski lovers and with the well-equipped plastic shells is perfect to gain the acquired knowledge of skiing for domestic smaller kids, young adult and adults.

Tamás Glázer –  Tourism deputy general manager at Tourism – Hungary outlined the following …  Their project is „Enjoy skiing at home”. The beginners and pros skiers can enjoy themselves on the ski slopes in Hungary. The priority of the winter season tourism in stimulating the domestic and ski-related accommodations, most restaurants are small or medium-sized enterprises that accept currency in the domestic. The goodies of the Tourism vacation cards were also emphasized. The quality of domestic services reached the level to beginner to pros, everyone can feel well on different tracks. Then Tourism general manager also confirmed that the enquiries indicate already to a good chance that 2015-2016 can be a record year for tourism in Hungary.  This year’s winter season has launched 10 times within the Budapest Winter Invitation promotion campaign by the Hungarian National Tourist Office. The collaboration was already made by the providers in the tourism service by the Hungarian Association of Hotels and Restaurants. The campaign’s goal is to popularize Budapest within the winter services in increasing tourist traffic and extend the time of staying by local and foreigners visitors.

At the press conference István Chernel – Ski and Tourism Cluster talked about the name itself of Cluster. Staring with first the connected to István Chernelházi Chernel (1865 – 1922) – Hungarian ornithologist, who in 1893 (Norway) introduced the ski and skiing. More than 1893 promotional articles have been published and in 1896 he wrote and published his book titled “The Footsledge Manual” This was the first edition in history that a Hungarian describe the sport. Up to this day his works hung in the domestic skiing basics with technical skills. Cluster is designed for sport, physical activity and domestic promotion of the culture of snow sports and winter sports. Just a quick  overview of ski facilities and in skiing around the world … there are  80 countries, 2,119 ski lifts are operating a total of 26,934. More than 6 million hotels are available around the globe for skiers. On Earth more than 100 million people ski regularly, most of them in Germany (14.6 million), the US (13.6 million) and Japan (11.5 million), while in Hungary, 0.5 million (497 thousand). The number of skiers world is highly significant, but he was happy to say there is a slight change in growth, and hopefully by the locals and foreigners it will continue to increase. According to the figures, the dynamic growth in China and Eastern Europe is expected to target the non-skiers groups by 2020. More and more people are traveling for winter vacation to places. In recent years, the general trend of increase in demand for shorter (three days) ski programs (several times, shorter duration). These three factors significantly assist in the development of domestic skiing. Summarising the “Skilands” in Hungary there 42 ski trails, 70 lifts, 30 lit up at night. During daylight and lit up as it darken  at 27 ski schools. A total of 46 ski lifts in operation at the snowy field. The Cluster has 26 members, of which 10 pieces of snow-covered ski resort at Dobogókő, Eplény, Kékestető, Lillafüred, Mátraszentistván, Nagy Hideg Hegy – Great Cold Mountain, Normafa  -Norma Wood, Sátoraljaújhely, Pécs, Visegrád.

Furthermore  detailed information in English language concerning Cluster visit: http://rudar.ruc.dk/bitstream/1800/1263/1/Final-version.pdf

Update and snaps by Aggie Reiter

Japanese Film Week in Budapest … June, 8 – 13. 2015.

szamuraj-a-konyhabansmall

Toldi Cinema – District, V., 36-38 Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road

All the films start at 7 p.m.  … the entry ticket is 500HUF

The six films are all Hungarian premiers.

The Japanese Film Week is here again showcasing a selection of interesting films in-and-around the theme of Japanese cuisine. The films are in the native language, having English subtitles and interpretation by Hungarian voice-over. For those who wish to hear only the Japanese version better take some earplugs along.

Monday, June, 8. 2015. – Rinco’s Restaurant

Director: Mai Tominaga

So devastated is Rinco (Kou Shibasaki) by a broken relationship that she loses the ability to speak, and returns to the bosom of her native home and free-spirited mother, Ruriko.

Tuesday, June, 9. 2015. – A Tale of Samurai Cooking: A True Love Story

Haru has an excellent sense of taste and surpassing skill in the kitchen, but she has been divorced from her first husband after only a year of marriage because of her impetuous character

Wednesday, June 10, 2015. – Mourning Recipe

Director: Yuki Tanada

Heartbroken Yuriko comes back to her parents’ house after deciding to divorce from her husband, only to find a recipe book for life, left by her late mother Otomi who just passed away.

Thursday, June, 11. 2015. – The God of Ramen – Documentary

A ramen shop named “Taishoken” and has 50 years history and is known for its endless lines.

Friday, June, 12. 2015. – Ramen Samurai

Director: Naoki Segi

Hikaru is working as a designer at a mid-level Tokyo ad agency. Years ago he left home hoping to make a career as a designer in far-off Tokyo.

Saturday, June, 13, 2015. – Kamome Diner  

Director: Naoko Ogigami

Sachie is a Japanese woman living alone in Helsinki, who is trying single-handedly to establish a new cafe serving Japanese-style food.

Update by Aggie Reiter

3D Printing … Showcasing the Future of the Future – Budapest – 2015.

 

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The 3D exhibition  will only be displayed until  8 p.m. on Saturday, May, 15. … So for those individuals who are interested in the future’s technology roll over to see at the …

District, V.,  Akvárium Club – Elizabeth Square.

Entry free of charge.

Many exhibitors will be pleased to share their experiences … here is a couple, beside others to be worthwhile to stop by and see:

At the Dental Reality 3D System  was  shown, introduced the high level of professional experience in the field of digital dental technology. It is a unique opportunity to manufacture medical implants, primarily bone and dental implant using products like cobalt chrome, titanium or metal systems, Also use the 3D at body and face scanning, digitization. A new age for not only keeping   „flat” photos or saved shots. Deals with 3D body and face digitization and on request for  loved pets, digital image and print can be made for eternal memory. During the exhibition the visitors may stop for a free face scanning.

The Magma Sys offers a wide selection products , as for creative artist,  dental technician, orthopaedic prosthesis makers interior designers, graphic animators designers jewellers, as well as for moulding solutions and creative purposes  with  the new solution in the use of the 3D.

A must see stand and should not to be missed is „Enabling the Future”

The revolution devices are introduced in the 21st. century in healthcare which is access to life changing worldwide.

The team members are a Global Network of Passionate Volunteers … artists, designers, engineers, educators, students, therapists, world-wide community of creative people who are using the 3D printing technology. These volunteers are from Australia, Botswana, Europe, India, Japan, New Zealand, North and South America making the world a place for many different enable individuals by using 3D Printing

E-Nable’s – volunteer, device and designer  Peregrine says .. “When you think about updating part of yourself, you start to look at your entire self as something that is worthy of being upgraded and you see yourself as a work in progress. Anything you can’t do to-day is not because you cannot do it, it is because you cannot do it … YET! A future version of you could do that … if you work at upgrading and improving yourself.”

Update and snaps by Aggie Reiter

DAY3 – BOCUSE D’OR – PRE-OLYMPICS OF CHEFS – SIRHA EXHIBITION – HUNGEXPO – METRO CO. LTD. – BUDAPEST – 2014.

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A little summary of the past three days adventure in the culinary world. The HUNGEXPO held the SIRHA Exhibition out on 20 thousand square meters. A total of 300 exhibitors participated and nearly sixty lectures and conferences were held. This was perfect in timing to arrange the SIRHA, previously to the forthcoming international event of the Bocuse d’Or, to be held in every two years in Lyon – France. Other parts of the world also have pre-competition for chefs, such as in Istanbul, Shanghai and Geneva as well.

The Hungarian team in terms of preparation is extremely important to have a professional partner(s) in supporting to have the training period of the European Final of fish raw materials. The METRO  Co. Ltd., supplied the Sea-Food to the Bocuse d’Or competition from  France three products, the Belon oysters. From Scotland the Bouchot shell, and from Japan’s deep Sea arrived the coal-fish in a high pressure traveling 9,000 kms. from Japan to Budapest.

Last fall, at the Tradition and Evolution  has been selected the six candidates, who on March,12., enter  the “chefs-in-kitchen-world” with the ingredient materials provided by the Metro Co. Ltd. The Hungarian Bocuse d’Or finals each year tries to surprise and cook off the jury and this time they surely did. The preparation and training have begun several months ago. The last run was at the Metro Court Academy with Serge Vieira French chef, the Bocuse d’Or winner in 2005, who  spent a couple of days training the competitors, and most probably the lads had to experience blood, sweat and tears. For the  Hungarian team in terms of preparation is extremely important to have a professional partner in supporting in also having during the  training period and at the European Final  fresh fish raw materials. The grand partner in this case was the Metro Co. Ltd.

Although the Hungarian gastronomy experienced chefs can prepare fish in many ways, but a particular challenge for them was not really Hungarian cuisine made which was  cooking ​ oysters, cod and muscles. However, seeing the eye-catching bowls, does not seem to have caught them on the job .

Bocuse d’Or chefs is an unofficial Olympics Game, but in this sence a Olympics of Chefs, whereas the same job goes for all the participants.

The winner of the Hungarian Bocuse d’Or was recognised by professional chefs received the award statue along with a cash prize given by the METRO Co. Ltd.

Many visitors made it to the Bocuse d’ Or day’s competition to be a part in  following the chef’s cooking day and  last but not least to find out who will be the winner to  represent Hungary by attending at the European Bocuse d’Or competition to be held this year in May at Stockholm.

The Bocuse d’Or is undoubtedly the world’s most prestigious chef competition. In 1987. Mr. Paul Bocuse  had a dream and when he woke-up   he turned his dream into reality by selecting 24 chefs from 24 countries to measure their imagination in creating spectacular culinary dishes. That wasn’t all, i.e.  … not enough to be the best, but must also ensure compliance with the strict rules, as preparing the dishes in the given time, with the amount of predetermined ingredients and having two dishes made: a meat and a fish, within the length of time of five and a half hours.

The competition hold his name: „Bocuse d’Or” and is arranged once every two years in Lyon – France.

The Hungarian Bocuse d’Or Academy was founded in 2009, being responsible for (in addition to domestic and international representation) the Hungarian gastronomy, also organization and management and preparation of selecting students to the Hungarian competition in Europe, Stockholm, and to the Lyon final.

The six selected young man in the finals cook  and gave the peak of the Hungarian gastronomy. Here are the first three winner chefs: Award winner Gábor Molnár’s. He is currently working in Hungary, but  is the chef at the Munich Geisel’s Vinothek.  His dish won the award as „The Best Fish” : Confit of cod, mussels tartar, fish avocado cream. Grilled oyster ravioli and jelly brown butter – sabayon. Organic field crops on the plate: yarrow, nettle, chickweed, violets, wild garlic stems, Eiskraut. Filled blood sausage, apple puree jelly. Fried bacon, herded potato cream hog. Foot-knuckle ravioli, salad seasoning. Beetroot. Other elements on the plate: pork leg chips, pickled melon, green herb oil. Rank the Second was  Daniel O’Shea, in „Best of serving” winning a special prize. He is an Irish-Hungarian man, chef at the  Alabárdos restaurant’s Budapest, Daniel’s dish looked as a still life painted on canvas. Well done! His dish was: Black cod with algae, fresh garden herbs and forest. Nettles Veloutee shell, black shell, black pudding cigar. Apple and onion in shell, oysters. Hufton pig, Mangalitsa bacon, leg, shank stuffed pasta. Blood ginger, tofu, Beetroot, cranberry, plum. Rank the Third: Árpád Győrffy, chef at the Café Pierrotin Budapest. His dish was: Black cod, oysters and zucchini. Marinated vegetables (asparagus, cucumber, shallots, carved radish) different textures. Green mussel stew with asparagus, citrus fruits, shellfish espuma. Pork Frikando bear with onion, thyme, truffle mousselinnel. Blood pudding beetroot and apple green, nail and knuckle stew. Braised cabbage apple compote. Cognac jelly.

At the Olympics of Chef’s, the Hungarian Tamás Széll achieved to finish the contest in the tenth place at the previous Bocuse d’ Or in Lyon.

Let’s have high hopes for the Hungarian Gábor Molnár to get even closer to the first place!

The chef’s dishes in the competition can be seen in the slide show.

Update and snaps by Aggie Reiter

3RD. DIPLOMATIC CHARITY FAIR IN BUDAPEST 2013.

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Intercontinental Hotel – Budapest

Sunday, November, 24.

The Association of Diplomatic Spouses Budapest DSB (Diplomatic Spouses Budapest) organized for the third time this year the Diplomatic Charity Fair. The family fair was opened to  everybody who wished to join this event. The main purpose is to raise money for charities was also supported by the Hungarian DSB.

Organizations supported by the DSB: Special Educational and Development Institute (SOFI). The Brothers of the Good Shepherd (victims of violence for women and kids).  The Esztergom Our House (the community center for disadvantaged children and families in need of services). The entry ticket fee was 500HUF which as a donation also was offered  to the organizations  supporters.

The official opening and welcoming words were given by  Biljana Griovska, President of the DSB club, deputy mayor of Budapest and H.E. Mr. Alberto Bottari de Castello, Apostolic Nuncio. 

Mrs Anita Herczegh, the spouse of the President of Hungary was the guest of honor.

During the fair the national stalls of different countries presented their yummies, folk art, music and dances but souvenirs can buy small gifts for visitors. Was alike as having a trip in a wink abroad in just minutes away from one nation to the other. There was a „kids corner”, crafts, self-made silver and art jewelry, rainbow colors of pashmina stoles, hand-made painted silk exotic food/spices, gifts, cloths, home furnishing and ayurveda products from India. Thai and Indonesian food and spices, wooden gifts, exotic fresh veggie and fruit drinks, hand-made sweeties, Dolce Vita Beauty supplies, organic drinks … far from knowing the existence of these drinks by the Hungarians.

The entertainment programs of the day were awesome, having the present the preformances of the ExperiDance show, the splendid Korean and Indian dance shows, Children music group from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Music performance represented by Andre Goodfriend and Karen Posner Mullen from the U.S.A. Embassy in Budapest, brought the eye-catching Iberoamerican artists on the  stage, grand show with 16 dancers show by the Folk group from Serbia, Hungarian Opera singers, Italian musicians. Second-hand cloths … mostly brand new and various accessories all in good condition. The event was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Budapest.

The charity fair have had become so popular compared to the previous two years, there was no question to hold again the third diplomatic charity fair this year with the participation of the representative embassies. The countries were: Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, UK, Belgium, Slovenia, Macedonia, Moldova, Georgia, Lithuania, Qatar, Jordan, Thailand, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt,Serbia, Latvia, Angola, Philippines, China, Russia, Turkey, Switzerland, Ecuador, USA, Mexico, Pakistan, Palestine, Albania, Kosovo.

During the late afternoon hours, the giant raffle draw took place with sophisticated prizes awaiting the lucky ones … Just to mention the most wanted ones … trips offered by the participating countries to their homeland was the most popular beside the 28 prizes.

Even though the program started at 10 a.m. and officially ended at 4 p.m., seemed like nobody wished to leave the place, feeling good and enjoying the each others companies.

This international gathering absolutely proved  peace and harmony is in everyone’s heart.  This good vibration should be propagated around the world. Happy people filled with warm hearts.

Thumbs-up to the organizers …  Even though on a day called Sunday, the Sun was missing, raining throughout the day … for many it was a bright and sunny day at the Diplomatic Charity Fair!

Last but not least, here goes two videos to show the brilliant preformances:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kUXfjRbGvk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CJxwKeSGcc

Updated, snaps, video by Aggie Reiter