Anastasia

The Eurovision Song Contest 2012

I am an incurable Eurovision fan and have been watching the Eurovision Song Contest live on TV since 1978. Naturally, I was so glad - almost delirious - to see on Tuesday's first semi-final that Greece and Cyprus got the golden ticket to tomorrow's Grand Final. Congratulations to both of our amazing girls! Here they are at the first semi-final:

Ivi Adamou sings La La Love for Cyprus

 

And here is Eleftheria Eleftheriou also from Cyprus, who sings Aphrodisiac for Greece 

 

The Eurovision Song Contest is 56 years old today. Here's how all started half a century ago,  on May 24, 1956:

Already for 56 years, the Eurovision Song Contest is Europe's favourite TV show. After more than five decades featuring some 1,100 songs, the contest has become a modern classic, strongly embedded into Europe's collective mind. ..
In 1955, the EBU came up with the idea of an international song contest whereby countries, represeted by their respective public broadcasters, would participate in one television show, to be transmitted simultaneously in all represented nations.

This was conceived during a meeting in Monaco in 1955 by Marcel Bezençon, a Frenchman working for the EBU. The competition was based upon the Italian Festival di Sanremo, held for the first time in 1951, and was also seen as a technological experiment in live television: in those days, it was a very ambitious project to join many countries together in a wide-area international network.

Satellite television did not exist yet at that time, and the Eurovision Network comprised a terrestrial microwave network. Le Grand-Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne was born!
Without interruption, the Eurovision Song Contest has been broadcast every year since 1956, which makes it one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. In 2003, the first ever Junior Eurovision Song Contest took place, while the Eurovision Song Contest celebrated her 50th anniversity 2005. Viewers picked ABBA's Waterloo as best ever Eurovision Song Contest song.

2008 running saw a record of 43 represented countries, as Azerbaijan and San Marino joined the family.The competition has been broadcast throughout Europe, but also in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States, even though these countries do not participate.

(Information collected from Eurovision )

Eurovision 2005: Elena Paparizou gave Greece the victory for the first time with her amazing Number One. 

 

And this is the best Eurovision song ever picked by viewers all over Europe! Waterloo by ABBA - Eurovision winner  1974

 

Finally, here are the 26 finalists from all over Europe for Eurovision 2012

My Best Eurovision Song Ever! Johnny Logan and Hold Me Now for Ireland - Eurovision winner 1987

 

 

 

Monday's Greek Recipe - Kypriakes Ravioles- Cyprus Ravioli

For the dough

• 4 water glasses self-raising flour
• pinch of salt
• 1  1/3  water glasses lukewarm water

For the filling

• 3 water glasses halloumi cheese, grated
• dried mint
• 2-3 eggs
• 1 chicken stock cube

Directions

1. To make the dough, mix the flour and the salt, stir in as much water as needed and knead to make a rather firm dough.
2. To make the filling, combine the halloumi cheese, the mint and the eggs to make a rather firm mixture.
3. Divide the dough into small portions.
4. Flour each portion and roll it out into a thin sheet which you cut into strips  of 9-10 cm width.
5. Place each strip on a flat surface dusted with flour.
6. Put about half a teaspoon filling at intervals of 4 cm on the half length of the strip.
7. Fold the remaining part of the strip over the filling to cover it completely.
8. Cut ravioli in round shapes with a special round ravioli cutter, dipping the cutter in flour every time.
9. Place the ravioli on a flat floured dish and dust with flour on both sides to prevent them from sticking together. Continue until all the dough and filling are used. It makes about 130 ravioli.
10. In a large pan, boil plenty of water with the chicken stock cube, add the ravioli and cook for 10-15 minutes.
11. To serve, place the ravioli in a semi-deep serving dish and sprinkle with grated halloumi cheese.

Note: If you have a pasta machine, you can use it to roll out the dough into strips.

Recipe by Sandra Lysandrou

Guiness World Records - Daredevils

I'm not really a TV fan but ,the other day, the Greek show on Guiness World Records caught my eye. I was shocked at what people can do in order to gain a place in the Guiness World Records! I was so impressed that I surfed the Internet to find out more. Here's what I stumbled upon:

Sir Hugh Beaver - an Englishman - was the creator of the Guiness Book of Records.  In November 1951, Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Brewery, went on a shooting party in North Slob, by the River Slaney in County Wexford, Ireland. He became involved in an argument: which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the Golden Plover or the Grouse? That evening at Castlebridge House it was realised that it was not possible to confirm in reference books whether or not the Golden Plover was Europe's fastest game bird.

Beaver thought that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in the 81,400 pubs in Britain and in Ireland, but there was no book with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove popular. He happened to be correct.

Beaver’s idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended University friends Norris and Ross McWhirter, who had been running a fact-finding agency in London. The brothers were commissioned to compile what became The Guinness Book of Records in August 1954. A thousand copies were printed and given away

After founding the Guinness Book of Records at 107 Fleet Street, the first 198 page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British best seller lists by Christmas. "It was a marketing give away - it wasn't supposed to be a money maker" said Beaver. The following year it launched in the USA, and sold 70,000 copies. Since then, Guinness World Records has become a household name and the global leader in world records. The book has gone on to become a record breaker in its own right, with sales of more than 100 million copies in 100 different countries and 37 languages, Guinness World Records is the world’s best ever selling copyright book.

 

Having watched the video above I was simply amazed by all these crazy things people are willing to do for just a single moment of fleeting glory: driving a motorcycle through a tunnel of fire was described as "the raw courage of a man".  And here are some other recent records such as most bees on a human being, highest stackline walk (what a daredevil that man was!), world's smallest waist, world's biggest wave surfed. I'm not a daredevil as I don't think taking risks is doing something intelligent or great! But when I was 18, back in 1976 when I first met Alkis, he talked me into posing on the edge of a cliff in Fribourg , Switzerland, just to have our photograph taken!!

Alkis and me posing for a photograph at the edge of a cliff in Fribourg, Switzerland - Aug 1976

But Alkis had broken a kind of record a few days before. He had climbed Fribourg's tallest bare tree!  Such a pity it wasn't the world's tallest biggest bare tree!

Alkis climbing Fribourg's tallest bare tree - August 1976

What's the most dangerous or adventurous thing you have ever done? 

Archontiko Papadopoulou - Papadopoulou Mansion - Kornos, Cyprus

When the weather says so, Alkis and I enjoy a Sunday outing and lunch in the nearby countryside. Last Sunday, we visited the village of Kornos and had a memorable lunch at Archontiko Papadopoulou. That lunch was for us the best gastronomic experience of the Greek-Cypriot cuisine we've ever had.  We had never visited the village of Kornos before and ...shame on us,we got lost on our way there! The village of Kornos is situated at about 27 km west of the city of Larnaca. In the centre of the village, at about 100 metres from the church, you can't miss the preservable, old mansion - Archontiko Papadopoulou.

The impressive mansion dates back to 1897.

 

That was the house of Michalis and Peristera Papadopoulou- the great grand-parents of Peri Vronti Papadopoulou- the owner of Archontiko Papadopoulou who created it with so much love and care for tradition. The mansion bears the architectural and morphological features of the neoclassical style of a 19th century construction. It is one of the few houses of its kind and age which have survived in the area, defying the passage of time and dating back to 1897.

The mansion bears the architectural and morphological features of the neoclassical style

The coffee shop

The pottery studio

The elegant dining-room

 

 

It is a three-storey mansion of an impressive neoclassical character, ornate with deep carvings on the stone columns - a construction where stone prevails. consisting of various areas divided by mudstone. It could be described as a cluster of various old, traditional elements with the characteristic back yard in the middle. That was where we had lunch.

Chtapodi Kathisto me Kritharaki - Octopus with local pasta

Asprovlachos Psimenos sto Keramidi - Seabass cooked in the brick

Pestrofa - Trout

Moscharisio Fileto me Sikoti Kotopoulou-Beef Fillet with Chicken Liver

 

 

The renovation and refurbishment of Archontiko Papadopoulou into a cultural centre took place from September 2009 to May 2011. Every possible effort was made so that the floors, the windows, the doors, the door-handles and the wooden beams supporting the roof, which were carved out of tree trunks, were preserved and restored in line with traditional architecture.The philosophy of Archontiko Papadopoulou is to promote, display and make known the art of Cypriot wine and gastronomy as well as that of the pottery art of Kornos which has been greatly developed in the area since antiquity.

Commandaria Bar

The Back Yard

Mrs Theognosia - a pottery artist

Mrs Anna - pottery artist

 

 

Alkis and I had the pleasure to taste in the back yard some of their great dishes,  such as traditional Cyprus ravioli for starters - they reminded me those of my grandmother. Alkis had ofton kleftikon for main course and I really loved their stuffed baby chick! Such a pity there was no room for dessert!

Balcony

 

The coffee shop

 

The Pottery Shop

 

The Archontiko Papadopoulou constitutes unquestionably an upgraded, different and unique option of unparalleled pleasure in Cyprus wine and gastronomy while promoting, at the same time, our culture and tradition.

All photos are the courtesy of Peri and Demetris Vronti.

Free Time is a Luxury These Days

Here I am relaxing at home after a hectic week at work. It's that time of year again when esl exams are round the corner in addition to preparing school exams and organising the new school-year 2012-2013. I was a bit under the weather today and please pray I don't get that nasty virus which has been around recently. The weather has been playing up again! We had some warm, sunny days end of April which gave way to a cloudy and rainy early May while today temps went up to 26C! Honestly, I don't know what to wear! See why I hate spring? Wearing jeans and T-shirts plus a jacket seems to be the best  option while looking forward to our long, hot summer. My summer break starts on June 23 - not that far - so I can dream of my summer holiday in July and plan it with Alkis. I dream of unspoilt beaches and lazy days in the sun, secluded coves and ....astakomakaronada  (lobster pasta) by the sea. But right now,  I'll love you and leave you and go back to marking my students' IGCSE Mock Examination.

 

Exercising Early in the Morning: Top Ten Benefits

1. Exercising early in the morning "jump starts" your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours, sometimes for up to 24 hours! As a result, you’ll be burning more calories all day long—just because you exercised in the morning.
2. Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you. (Much better than a worm!)
3. Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing.
4. Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep. (If getting up 30 to 60 minutes earlier each day seems too daunting, you can ease into it with 10 to 20 minutes at first.)
5. When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes. That’s beneficial because:
   
   • Your body’s not “confused” by wildly changing wake-up times, which means waking up is much less painful. (You may even find that you don’t need an alarm clock most days.)
   • Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc.
   • Your metabolism, along with all the hormones involved in activity and exercise, begin to elevate while you're sleeping. As a result, you’ll feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake up.

 

1.  Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day. Not only do they eat less (since activity causes the release of endorphins, which in turn diminishes appetite), they also choose healthier portions of healthier foods.
2. People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to. Besides the satisfaction of taking care of themselves, they find it’s a great time to plan their day, pray, or just think more clearly—things most of us often don’t get to do otherwise.
3. Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life. (It’s so easy to wimp out in the evening, when we’re tired or faced with such tasks as rustling up dinner and helping with homework.)
4. More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine. If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.
5. Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? Do what I did—tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!  

via www.sparkpeople.com

I'm very keen on exercising and , generally, any kind of workout - especially aerobics, step, body pump, combat and pilates. I'm not very keen on machines , though. I've been exercising for almost 20 years now,  but I took a break from 2008 to 2011. In November 2011, I went back to gym. But this time, early in the morning as, due to work, I didn't have time to exercise later. In the past, I used to exercise after work, now I work out before work, from 8:00 to 9:00 am , three times a week. I'm not the morning type, though! I love sleeping in when I can. It was hard at the beginning, but now I am as fit as a fiddle and I don't even need an alarm clock any more! And, believe it or not, I feel so energetic at work even if I have to teach six hours in a row.

Last Goodbye To Dimitris Mitropanos ~ H E L L A S F R A P P E

"All of us will mourn for you... because you belonged to Greeks everywhere"

Genuine, a "magga" and a fan of the Olympiakos team, Dimitris Mitropanos will be buried today at the Athens First Cemetery at 14:00. His friends say that he was a man, with a capital "M," who stood by his principles and always focused on the family. So much so, that he was the one who usually did the grocery shopping for his three favorite women, or his wife Venia and his two loving daughters Mirsini and Anastasia.

 

 

His coffin was placed on public display a little before the funeral and tens of hundreds of people holding a simple rose, or carnation visited the small chapel to pay their last adieu. Aside from his family and close friends, tens of hundreds of common everyday people rushed to the cemetery to honor him. Because of this the family of the deceased asked that instead of wreaths, that a deposit be made to the Welcome Center and Solidarity Municipality of Athens for the Homeless, Account No. 064 / 48,000,015, at the Greek National Bank.

 

Dimitris Mitropanos died on Tuesday  morning, April 17, at the age of 64 after suffering a serious heart attack, exactly one year after the untimely death of Nikos Papazogloy. The popular singer whose deep voice spoke to our hearts with every breath, was born on April 2, 1948, is a beloved singer to millions of Greek people all over the world for his mastery in Laïkó music (a type of Greek music).

via hellasfrappe.blogspot.com

Alkis had known Dimitris Mitropanos in person while they were both in the army and long before Mitropanos became one of Greece's most famous singers. Alkis says he was kind, polite and down-to-earth. May he rest in peace.

Blogging in the Sunshine

Having spent a wonderful holiday in Serres and Thessaloniki, here I am relaxing at home on this last day of the Easter break. Since Alkis and I flew back home on Thursday, I've been looking at all the photos we took, bringing back so many wonderful moments of what was probably the best Easter holiday I've ever spent in recent years. 

I slept in today and missed most of the sunshine that flooded my terrace, but I did enjoy breakfast outside and blogging in the remaining sunshine of this bright Sunday in Larnaca.  Since we came back from Greece, I've been mostly sleeping or lazing around, unpacking and doing the laundry. It's funny how much laundry can pile up after a week away!  I don't have a tumble drier, so I was really thankful for the sunshine today which, apart from drying up laundry, also inspired this post!!

 

Χριστός Ανέστη! - Christ is Risen!

 

Transliteration

  Christos Anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas, kai tis en tis mnimasi zoin harisamenos.

English

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs, granting life.

via  Christianity 

 

Holy Saturday - Μεγάλο Σάββατο - Καλή Ανάσταση!