Monday, February 28, 2011

...And the Oscar goes to Greek Film Dogtooth... Well...not Quite, But Thanks Anyway, Yahoo!


 We know you have probably overdosed on the Oscars by now, but  we couldn't resist the temptation...

This report  from Yahoo! had us running to the official Oscar site to make sure we hadn't got  our facts wrong, just in case... but alas, the official Oscar site simply confirmed what we already knew...   

the Oscar did NOT go to Greek Film Dogtooth!

We at Global Greek World, and surely Yorgos Lanthimos and his crew, along with all the folks at LAGFF and the rest of the Greek speaking-world, we would all have loved it  if Yahoo! was right... 

Now what happened here and this report sneaked through is anyone's guess, but nevermind! Unless we hear something different, we'll just assume that Yahoo! like all good boy scouts, were trying to be prepared for all eventualities!

Our thanks to Yahoo!- we should enjoy the taste of victory while it is still up - it will probably be withdrawn as soon as the word spreads...

(Thanks to Vera L, New Zealand, for passing it on, in response to our facebook page status this morning. Reading this anyone can be forgiven for thinking Greece had triumphed!)

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Yorgos Lanthimos' Dogtooth, Mary Zophres, Alexandre Desplat - THREE Global Greek Nominations at Tonight's 83rd Academy Awards

How many of these can our Global Greeks take home tonight?

The Nominations for the 2011 Oscars were announced a few weeks ago. When we heard that we have not just one, not just two but at least three Global Greeks nominated for an Oscar this year, we must say we were thrilled!

The Greek presence in Hollywood has always been particularly strong, right from the days of the legendary Skouras Brothers,  and tonight is no exception as the countdown begins for the 83rd Academy Awards, which will take place in just a few hours in Los Angeles. 

After last year's win by Louie Psyhoyos for the Best Documentary Film, the tremendous 'The Cove' (incidentally he was on Greece's Skai TV today),  this year the Global Greek World's eyes will be on our three Global Greek nominees!  


Greek American  Mary Zophres, born Areti-Maria Zafeiropoulou in Florida, has been nominated for the Best Costume Design Award for her great creations in 'True Grit' by Joel and Ethan Coen - her first Oscar nomination.

 
 Source: LAGFF

Greek Director Yorgos Lanthimos whose film Dogtooth has been nominated for best foreign film, in the photo with fellow Global Greek Twentieth century Fox's Jim Gianopulos at the meet and greet function given for the film crew by the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival team on Tskinopempti, last Thursday, 24 February!

A great deal has been written about Yorgos Lanthimos and this excellent film which is one of the best contemporary films to come out of Greece recently and one of the favourites tonight.  The prestigious New York Times had this to say... 




Greek French composer Alexandre Desplat was nominated for the Best Original Score in The King's Speech...   

Born to a Greek mother and a French father who met at Berkeley in the USA, Alexandre Desplat has already won the BAFTA for Best Original Music for The King's Speech, and collected it from none other than Sir Paul Mc Cartney! If he wins the Oscar tonight he will be in great company - Vangelis Papathanassiou also won the Oscar for this category, for his magnificent Chariots of Fire score! You can read more about the very talented Alexandre Desplat here
 
By the way, we loved what Mary Zophres said to Christos Iereidis in Friday's Ta Nea newspaper If she wins the Best Costume Design Award tonight, she's going to try to say Thank you in Greek... We hope you do, Mary!  With  a bit of luck, and since this year is a great year for Greek films, we really hope we'll be hearing that  Ευχαριστώ πολύ - Efharisto poly -  a few times! 

Whatever the result, however, just landing the nomination was a major achievement and our congratulations go to ALL our Global Greek nominees tonight!

Καλή Επιτυχία, Good Luck, Bonne Chance!!!  

Watch the Oscars Red Carpet livestream here

PS If you are in LA, the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival and Hollywood Greek Reporter invite you to Watch the Oscars® with members of the cast and crew of DOGTOOTH, TODAY AT 4:30 p.m.at ISLA Cantina, 8788 W. Sunset Boulevard. Go have a drink,mingle with the guests and guess who will be taking home the gold statues!

Friday, February 25, 2011

Patriotism - it's in our DNA...It Must be the Ouzo!

 Source:  Gatos Patriotis

For all those who ever doubted how patriotic we Greeks are... the jury is in!

Patriotism - defined as love and devotion to one's country -  is so strong in Greece and so embedded in the Greek DNA that it has even been passed on to our cats - probably via the drinking water or maybe the ouzo? :) 

Enjoy this Gato Patrioti - he's a gem! (Thanks Ourania M for passing it on)

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Happy Tsiknopempti - Καλή Τσικνοπέμπτη - Happy Smokey Thursday!!!!

Doing Tsiknopempti justice... 
Souvlakia, loukanika, pita bread, paidakia and some salad - straight from the grill!

Today is Tsiknopempti - literally, smokey Thursday - and as this week is traditionally the last meat-eating week before Lent, it has been named as the Thursday when everybody goes out on the town to eat traditionally grilled meat ...tsikna is the smell associated with meat being grilled!

Tavernas around Greece are generally jam packed on this day as most people go out and celebrate the carnival in style, whether they are in masquerade or not! Be sure to book wherever you may be going or you may be disappointed! 

For those who aren't going out, and this year there will be a few and not just for economic reasons! In Athens it's one of those stay-home-and-get-cosy nights. It's been raining since noon, the roads are wet and you can easily fall into a man-sized puddle, so get together with family and friends, throw some souvlakia, steaks, chops and sausages on the grill-psistaria - Bar BQ, pour everyone a glass of wine or tsikoudia/raki, and enjoy the night!!!

Kai tou hronou!
Και του χρόνου!!!

:) 
🇬🇷💙🇬🇷

At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!
© GlobalGreekWorld 2009-2022 All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A Distinction with a Difference - First Place at San Remo Music Festival for Two of our Global Greeks!


We were delighted to hear the totally unexpected but great news that came from the San Remo Music Festival last week!

Two of our Global Greeks, popular singer / performer Yiannis Ploutarchos and Soprano Dimitra Theodossiou combined their musical talent with well-known Italian singer Al Bano (who has brought up several generations of Greeks and Italians and is a household name in Europe) in an unusual but pretty powerful rendition of Giuseppe Verdi's Va Pensiero from Nabucco to clinch first place! The 2nd place winners were a mere 650 000 votes behind!

What was particularly amazing was that Ploutarchos and Al Bano were singing classical music, something we are not used to them singing and we were pleasantly surprised!

Bravo Gianni, bravo Dimitra and of course bravo to Al Bano!




Giannis Ploutarchos and Al Bano Carrisi recently collaborated on an album that was released with the title«Δύο φωνές –μια ψυχή» (Two voices - One Soul)  in Greece and has become immensely popular, already selling over 160,000 copies.

Here is our favourite from the album - Me Mia sou Matia - Felicita - Happiness!



This post is dedicated to one of our most faithful supporters, Lizzy K, who just loves Ploutarcho and whose birthday it happens to be today! Xronia Polla kai Kala! Happy Birthday Lizzy!  :) 

Monday, February 21, 2011

Τη Γλώσσα μου Εδωσαν Ελληνική - The Language Given to me was Greek...Odysseas Elytis


Athens Academy - one of the beautiful AthenianTrilogy Buildings

Give me a word, any word, and I'll show you how the root of that word is Greek....

Mr Gus Portokalos - My Big fat Greek Wedding

International Mother Language Day  and we have used this quote from everybody's favourite Greek Mr Portokalos, simply because it is so true...

No, we don't insist that Greeks invented everything, although our ancestors did invent a lot of the very essence that Western culture and civilisation are based on, but they certainly did invent Greek - the language whose very existence has contributed so much to the existence of many of the world's mother languages and on that basis alone could be classed as the Mother of all languages, the greatest Mother Language in the world...

Much has been written about the contribution of Greek to the world... but as our tribute to OUR Mother Language today we want to share with you two historic speeches given, ironically enough, to sessions of the IMF, by Mr Xenofon Zolotas, Director of the Bank of Greece and later  Prime Minister of Greece. 


In 1957 and 1959, Mr Zolotas took the opportunity to show the world the power and the beauty of the Greek language, his Mother tongue, by giving these addresses. unique in that they contain only words of Greek origin...the Greek 'translation' follows each speech for those who want it...


26 September 1957

Kyrie,
      I eulogize the archons of the Panethnic Numismatic Thesaurus and the Ecumenical Trapeza for the orthodoxy of their axioms methods and policies, although there is an episode of cacophony of the Trapeza with Hellas. 
With enthusiasm we dialogue and synagonize at the synods of our didymous Organizations in which polymorphous economic ideas and dogmas are analyzed and synthesized. Our critical problems such as the nomismatic plethora generate some agony and melancholy. This phenomenon is characteristic of our epoch. 
But, to my thesis we have the dynamism to program therapeutic practices as a prophylaxis from chaos and catastrophe. In parallel a panethnic unhypocritical economic synergy and harmonization in a democratic climate is basic. 

I apologize for my eccentric monologue. I emphasize my eucharistiria to you Kyrie, to the eugenic and generous American Ethnos and to the organizations and protagonists of the Amphictyony and the gastronomic symposia.

     

      Κύριοι,
      Ευλογώ τους άρχοντες του Διεθνούς Νομισματικού Ταμείου και την Οικουμενική Τράπεζα για την ορθοδοξία των αξιωμάτων, μεθόδων και πολιτικών, παρά το γεγονός ότι υπάρχει ένα επεισόδιο κακοφωνίας της Τράπεζας με την Ελλάδα.
      Με ενθουσιασμό διαλεγόμαστε και συναγωνιζόμαστε στις συνόδους των διδίμων Οργανισμών των οποίων τις πολύμορφες οικονομικές ιδέες και δόγματα αναλύουμε και συνθέτουμε. Τα κρίσιμα προβλήματά μας όπως η νομισματική πληθώρα παράγουν κάποια αγωνία και μελαγχολία. Αυτό το φαινόμενο είναι χαρακτηριστικό της εποχής μας.
      Αλλά, η θέση μου είναι ότι έχουμε τον δυναμισμό να προγραμματίσουμε θεραπευτικές πρακτικές σαν μέτρο προφύλαξης από το χάος και την καταστροφή. Παράλληλα μια παγκόσμια ανυπόκριτως οικονομική συνέργεια και εναρμόνιση σε ένα δημοκρατικό κλίμα είναι βασική. Απολογούμαι για τον εκκεντρικό μου μονόλογο. Εκφράζω με έμφαση την ευχαριστία μου σε εσένα Κύριε, στο ευγενικό και γενναιόδωρο Αμερικανικό Έθνος και στους οργανισμούς και πρωταγωνιστές της Αμφυκτιωνίας και του γαστρονομικού Συμποσίου.»


October 2, 1959

Kyrie,
      
It is Zeus' anathema on our epoch and the heresy of our economic method and policies that we should agonize the Skylla of nomismatic plethora and the Charybdis of economic anaemia. It is not my idiosyncrasy to be ironic or sarcastic but my diagnosis would be that politicians are rather cryptoplethorists. 

Although they emphatically stigmatize nomismatic plethora, they energize it through their tactics and practices. Our policies should be based more on economic and less on political criteria. Our gnomon has to be a metron between economic strategic and philanthropic scopes. In an epoch characterized by monopolies, oligopolies, monopolistic antagonism and polymorphous inelasticities, our policies have to be more orthological, but this should not be metamorphosed into plethorophobia, which is endemic among academic economists. 

Nomismatic symmetry should not antagonize economic acme. A greater harmonization between the practices of the economic and nomismatic archons is basic. Parallel to this we have to synchronize and harmonize more and more our economic and nomismatic policies panethnically. These scopes are more practicable now, when the prognostics of the political end economic barometer are halcyonic. 

The history of our didimus organization on this sphere has been didactic and their gnostic practices will always be a tonic to the polyonymous and idiomorphous ethnical economies. The genesis of the programmed organization will dynamize these policies. Therefore, I sympathize, although not without criticism one or two themes with the apostles and the hierarchy of our organs in their zeal to program orthodox economic and nomismatic policies. 

I apologize for having tyranized you with my Hellenic phraseology. In my epilogue I emphasize my eulogy to the philoxenous aytochtons of this cosmopolitan metropolis and my encomium to you Kyrie, the stenographers'
     
Κύριοι,

είναι "Διός ανάθεμα" στην εποχή μας και αίρεση της οικονομικής μας μεθόδου και της οικονομικής μας πολιτικής το ότι θα φέρναμε σε αγωνία την Σκύλλα του νομισματικού πληθωρισμού και τη Χάρυβδη της οικονομικής μας αναιμίας. Δεν είναι στην ιδιοσυγκρασία μου να είμαι ειρωνικός ή σαρκαστικός αλλά η διάγνωσή μου θα ήταν ότι οι πολιτικοί είναι μάλλον κρυπτοπληθωριστές. Αν και με έμφαση στιγματίζουν τον νομισματικό πληθωρισμό, τον ενεργοποιούν μέσω της τακτικής τους και των πρακτικών τους.

Η πολιτική μας θα έπρεπε να βασίζεται περισσότερο σε οικονομικά και λιγότερο σε πολιτικά κριτήρια. Γνώμων μας πρέπει να είναι ένα μέτρο μεταξύ οικονομικής, στρατηγικής και φιλανθρωπικής σκοπιάς. Σε μια εποχή που χαρακτηρίζεται από μονοπώλια, ολιγοπώλια, μονοπωλιακό ανταγωνισμό και πολύμορφες ανελαστικότητες, οι πολιτικές μας πρέπει να είναι πιο ορθολογιστικές, αλλά αυτό δεν θα έπρεπε να μεταμορφώνεται σε πληθωροφοβία, η οποία είναι ενδημική στους ακαδημαϊκούς οικονομολόγους.

Η νομισματική συμμετρία δεν θα έπρεπε να ανταγωνίζεται την οικονομική ακμή. Μια μεγαλύτερη εναρμόνιση μεταξύ των πρακτικών των οικονομικών και νομισματικών αρχόντων είναι βασική. Παράλληλα με αυτό, πρέπει να εκσυγχρονίσουμε και να εναρμονίσουμε όλο και περισσότερο τις οικονομικές και νομισματικές μας πρακτικές πανεθνικώς. Αυτές οι θεωρήσεις είναι πιο εφαρμόσιμες τώρα, που τα προγνωστικά του πολιτικού και οικονομικού βαρομέτρου είναι χάλκινα.

Η ιστορία της δίδυμης οργάνωσης σε αυτήν την σφαίρα είναι διδακτική και οι γνωστικές τους εφαρμογές θα είναι πάντα ένα τονωτικό στις πολυώνυμες και ιδιόμορφες εθνικές οικονομίες. Η γένεση μιας προγραμματισμένης οργάνωσης θα ενισχύσει αυτές τις πολιτικές. Γι' αυτόν το λόγο αντιμετωπίζω με συμπάθεια, αλλά όχι χωρίς κριτική διάθεση, ένα ή δύο θέματα με τους αποστόλους της ιεραρχίας των οργάνων μας στον ζήλο τους να προγραμματίσουν ορθόδοξες οικονομικές και νομισματικές πολιτικές.

Απολογούμαι που σας τυράννησα με την ελληνική μου φρασεολογία.
Στον επίλογό μου δίνω έμφαση στην ευλογία μου, προς τους φιλόξενους αυτόχθονες αυτής της κοσμοπολίτικης μητρόπολης καθώς και το εγκώμιό μου προς εσάς, κύριοι στενογράφοι.'


In a discussion about these speeches, Mr Zolotas noted that Washington, Jefferson and Adams and others, when drawing up the US Constitution in 1787, had proposed that the Greek language be adopted as the national language in tribute to the Greek nation which gave birth to Democracy and bequeathed it to the world... apparently the proposal missed being  adopted by one vote...

Now whether that is an urban myth or not we don't know but imagine how the world would be today if it hadn't...

Τη γλώσσα μου έδωσαν ελληνική.
το σπίτι φτωχικό στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου...

Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου...
            Αξιον Εστί - Οδυσσέας Ελύτης
The language given to me was Greek
My house poor on Homer's shores

My only care, my language on Homer's shores...
  Axion Esti - Odysseas Elytis
Nobel Prize Winner, Poetry 1979



At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 

© GlobalGreekWorld 2009-2018 All Rights Reserved

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Zorba the Greek - The Tap Dance Version - Global Greek Style!


This amazing tap dance version of Miki Theodorakis' Zorba the Greek was performed at Toronto's Annual Dancefest in 2004... we loved it and thought we would share it with you all! 

We don't know any more details, but by looking at those glittery Greek Galanolefki flags being worn so proudly by the young  dancers on their bodices, we can only guess that this was a Greek Tap Dancing Team's entry in the festival in the lead up to the Athens Olympics... 

If anyone knows anything more please email us and we will update gladly! 

Enjoy!


Monday, February 14, 2011

♥ Happy Valentine's Day♥ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ ΣΕ ΟΛΟΥΣ♥

The sweetest words in the world
Mum and Dad...I Love you 
.... with a little bit of help from Lacta and 
the lovely Lacta ladies at Athens' The Mall yesterday 
where we enjoyed a concert with Myronas Stratis courtesy of MTV!


 The delicious chocolate shown above and the tray of muffins below (healthy ones I might add - just ask for the recipe) which our daughter decided to make for us yesterday with a lot of love, but most of all the gift of bearer-entitled endless hugs and kisses, unlimited and unconditional love and affection which she gives us everyday of her young life, were our daughter's Valentine Day gift to us...



 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY Angel!!

14 February today and the calendar says Valentine's Day.

Officially, it is the day for celebrating with lovers, but we prefer to think of it as the day for celebrating with all those we love - not just sweethearts and spouses, but also siblings, parents, grandparents and children and of course wonderful friends - whoever we want to include in that special circle of loved ones. 

Officially it is the day we tell our loved ones we love them, but we shouldn't have to wait for Valentine's Day to do that...we should be telling them that every day, with words or with our actions!



We couldn't resist sharing these lovely photos from the display at one of our local florists - the Athenian store vitrines are full of exotic displays showing how much time and effort has been put into keeping up with the spirit of the day, despite the economic crisis,or maybe even because of it! 



Heaven for florists, jewellers, greeting card stores and pastry shops (zaharoplasteia) all over the world for many many years, in Greece Valentine's Day is a relatively recent 'import' and has only really been inducted into the national eortologio over the last 15 - 20 years. 

The celebration in Greece has an added 'religious' dimension to it - it is referred to as Aghiou Valentinou, Saint Valentine's Day, in keeping with all the rest of the eortes! 

In the rest of the world the day is referred to simply as Valentine's Day...

Most of you will know that Greece and Greek Mythology gave the world the God Eros, whose Latin counterpart was Cupid of course. What you may not know is that in Greece, and particularly in Anogia in Crete, they hold their own celebration of love and lovers on the 3rd July each year, the feast day of the Orthodox Saint Valentine, Agios Yakinthos, or Saint Hyacinth, the patron saint of love, youth and lovers, who was born in 98 AD in Caesaria in Ancient Cappadocia-the same place Aghios Vassilis came from - and was martyred at 20 for his Christian faith. 

Greek mythology also gives us  a Hyacinth, the young and handsome Prince of Sparta who lost his life because of jealousy. Legend has it that Hyacinth’s friendship was contested by Apollo, god of fire and music, and Zephyr, god of the West Wind. 

One day when Hyacinth was throwing the discus with Apollo, Zephyr became jealous because he preferred Apollo’s company, and made the west winds blow the discus back at Hyacinth, striking and killing him. 

From the blood of the young man sprang the beautiful flower we know as the hyacinth.


This song by Alkinoos Ioannides talks about Yakinthos and his special relationship with Crete... 


Ο Άγιος Υάκινθος ξυπνάει τα μεσημέρια
παίρνει την Κρήτη στα φτερά, τον έρωτα στα χέρια
κατηφορίζει το βουνό το μονοπάτι παίρνει
και ο ήλιος μόλις τον κοιτά χαμογελά και γέρνει

Ο Άγιος Υάκινθος ανοίγει παραθύρια
σμίγει τα στήθια τα κορμιά και χτίζει τα γιοφύρια
ν' αγαπηθούν οι άνθρωποι να ομορφύνει ο κόσμος
ν' ανθίσει ο βασιλικός η ρίγανη κι ο δυόσμος

Ο Άγιος Υάκινθος ξυπνάει στον Ψηλορείτη
να 'ρχότανε να πέρναγε κι απ 'το δικό σου σπίτι
να σου'φερνε να σου'λεγε των δέντρων τον έρωτά του
να ξύπναγες απ'την αρχή να 'ρχόσουνα κοντά του...




Cynics say Valentine's Day is just an excuse for more commercialism...  maybe it is,
but does it really matter? It is up to each of us to celebrate as we want to.

Whichever day YOU decide to celebrate love, seize the moment, take the opportunity offered to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you!

 You don't have to go to extremes, you don't have to buy out the entire shop of roses or chocolates, just show them that they are important in your life -a smile, a kiss or a hug is usually more than enough!

We all need to feel we are loved, so do that everyday if you can...and if you can't, well,  today's the day! Our wish to you is simple, love and be loved! :)

  XRONIA POLLA KAI KALA!!! 
   HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!  
PS To read more about St Yakinthos, click here
PPS And because you asked...here is the recipe our daughter used for the Valentines Day Muffins... we had previously played around with a recipe I had from our primary school cooking class days to get to this, you can too...
2 cups wholemeal flour,2 tsp cinnamon powder,1 tsp nutmeg powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 2tsp vanilla powder,
1 cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, 1 cup olive oil, 
1 cup walnuts (roughly chopped), 1.5 cups grated granny smith apple, 1 cup coconut (shredded), 1.5 cups finely grated carrot, 1 cup sultanas/raisins
White chocolate pieces (stagones) to taste - we used 150 g
Beat oil in mixer for 15-20 mins with sugar, add eggs and continue beating for a few more minutes. During the beating phase, prepare the dry ingredients : sift flour, nutmeg,  cinnamon powder, vanilla and baking powder together, then add carrot, apple, sultanas, coconut and walnuts and mix together. Add the creamed mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly blended together. Add white chocolate pieces at the end and divide evenly into muffin cases or lined muffin pan. 
Bake in oven which has been preheated to 200 and then lowered to 180, for around 30 minutes or until muffins are a nice golden brown. Don't overcook, they come out beautifully moist and not too sweet...
You can decorate with a sprinkling of icing sugar or a chocolate heart... our princess decided that she is going to put them in heart shaped muffin pans next year...
Καλή Ορεξη! Bon appetit! Happy eating!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Vangelis Moss? Who is...........Vangelis Moss?


Who is he?

Could he be one of Greece's newest showbiz stars?

Could he be one of Greece's Rich and Famous?

Could he be one of our Golden Global Greeks getting 
ready to help Greece's economic turnaround?

Could he be one of our famous Global Greeks who will 
make us all proud of his scientific achievements?

No, none of these...

Vangelis Moss is.....

........




For those not familiar with the Athens Metro... Vangelis Moss is also known as Evangelismos, a stop between Syntagma and Megaron Moussikis! 

We received this by email , thanks Veatriki P, Athens! We don't know if it is for real but we liked it and thought we would share it with you today, the 3rd consecutive day of 24 hour rolling strikes by public transport workers in Athens, including the Metro...

Why haven't any of these workers thought of going on strike 'silently' and simply allow passengers to travel free of charge? 
That wouldn't inconvenience the vast majority of people who are trying to get to their jobs and would certainly ellicit an instant response from the powers-that-be, don't you think? 

Food for thought...

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