You can’t get farther from New York City than Montauk on Long Island’s Eastern tip but developer George Filopoulos and his partner bet the wealthy are willing to pay to live there.

While the rich and famous like to summer in Hamptons in the island, quieter money has been seeking out the budget-priced fishing village. But with laws preventing building on the water, there’s been sparse accommodation for those who can afford it.

Filopoulos, owner of Metrovest Equities, and Lloyd Goldman, a developer and founder of BLDG Management, have renovated the former Gurney’s Inn into Gurney’s Montauk Resort with room rates of $1,800 a month, and offering 15 oceanfront homes with prices from $5-$12 million.

The homebuyers will have access to all the services of the resort, including spa, seawater pool, and beach club. The residences were carved out of the former Panoramic View, a 117-room 1950s hotel on a green hillside next to Gurney’s.

The Wall Street Journal’s Josh Barbanel detailed how Filopoulos and Goldman came to acquire the resort and hotel after its former owners were forced to put it up for sale eight years after the bought it and then ran into the 2008 financial crisis and being accused by the government of using unrelated investor funds to funnel money into the Panoramic.

Last December, in a court-ordered sale, Filopoulos and Goldman bought the controlling interest in the Panoramic for $63.9 million. It was more than just business though: Filopoulos knew what he was getting into.

Filopoulos has summered in Montauk for many years and told The Journal it’s a place where “a billionaire can have a beer with the local fisherman and local surfer at the local bar.”

He and his partner bought Gurney’s in 2013 and started renovations while bringing in a restaurant group to open a branch of the Scarpetta restaurant in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

They are now re-gutting and re-renovating. The largest home is a five-bedroom unit totaling about 4,300 square feet, including an outdoor deck and a patio.

Montauk has a number of famous summer and year-round residents already, including Robert DeNiro, playwright Edward Albee and fashion designer Ralph Lauren. Prices are soaring with a white-shingled cottage once owned by Andy Warhol going for $48.7 million in December, 2015, eight years after it set a then previous-record in Montauk of $27.5 million.

The residences are part of the old Panoramic, duplexes and triplexes that come with glass walls opening onto terraces facing dunes and the beach. They are designed to look like Hamptons oceanfront homes: wide plank floors, white walls and white marble interiors.

Jennifer Brew, a broker at Brown Harris Stevens, who spends her summers in Montauk, told The Journal the community was attracting wealthy buyers who reject the “cashmere” of Southampton and East Hampton and the bohemian vibe of nearby Amagansett.

“I find that there is a particular set, an age group, a financial group that is paying for nostalgia”, she said, even as boutiques pop up in Montauk, taking away from the authenticity.

The buyers for the homes will pay more than what they cost: because the Panoramic was converted to a co-op back in the 1980s, the homes being offered are co-ops and come with steep maintenance and other fees of about $2,200 a month for a typical three-bedroom.

Filopoulos and Goldman are betting the view’s worth it.

On May 19, the Alexiad Chorale with director and composer Eleni Traganas performed at historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan along with St. Patrick’s Choir under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Pascual in a unique concert entitled An Evening of Eastern and Western Sacred Music.

The Chorale began with Traganas conducting her own compositions inspired by the sacred music of the Divine Liturgy of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Father Dennis Strouzas, Protoprsebyter of the Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church of Port Washington, NY gave a blessing to start the concert. Traganas spoke briefly about the history of the organ, an original Greek instrument, and how thrilled and inspired she was to write for the solo organ, especially the one in St. Patrick’s and have her work performed in the magnificent space of the cathedral. The rarity of new Byzantine sacred music compositions made the evening even more special, and the achievement of Traganas even more extraordinary. To hear the familiar hymns and prayers accompanied by wonderfully composed music on the organ played with tremendous skill by organist Michael Hey was a singular experience for the music fans present at the concert.

The closing event of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral concert series was well-attended by the season-ticket holders and members of the public. The first piece, “The Litany of Peace (Kyrie),” from the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom set to music is Traganas’ most recent composition, dating from this year. The first soloist, Stephan Kirchgraber impressed the audience with his powerful bass voice. The Alexiad Chorale’s entire performance can only be described as angelic, their voices in harmony with the spiritual quality of the music. Costa Tsourakis, bass-baritone and Associate Music Director at the Archdiocesan Cathedral, sang beautifully, bringing depth and a clear tone to the performance. After the concert, he spoke to TNH about performing at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, noting the excellent acoustics of the space. The organ seemed to fill the vast space of the cathedral with the vibrant sound of the sacred music.

Chorale soloists sopranos Roseanne Ackerley, Olga Xanthopoulou, and Maria Zollo, and bass-baritone Alessio Farina dazzled the audience with their technique and the lyrical quality of their voices. The St. Patrick’s Choir joined the Chorale for “Potirion Sotiriou,” the Communion Anthem of the Theotokos, and “Your Mystical Supper” from the Chrysostomian Liturgy, with music composed by Traganas.

The two groups representing the Eastern and the Western tradition in sacred music performed harmoniously, their blended talents magnified by the setting and the quality of the music. The audience, told at the beginning of the concert to hold their applause until the end of the performance of Traganas’ work, were enthusiastic in their appreciation of the new Byzantine sacred music.

Daniel Brondel took over on the organ for the second half of the concert, accompanying the Cathedral Choir under the direction of Dr. Pascual. The “Veni Sancti Spiritus” was sung as a chant and then in an arrangement demonstrating the splendor of each in its own way. Reverend Monsignor Hilary Franco, Advisor of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, was one of the honored guests in the audience and at the end of the performance told the Chorale and the Choir that “John Chrysostom would be very proud of you.” He also quoted St. Augustine in Latin, translating into English, “He who sings prays twice,” adding “whoe

NEW YORK— On May 26, multitalented Greek actor Panos Vlahos made his New York, and US, debut in Mistero Buffo a play by Dario Fo based on the mystery plays of the Middle Ages. The play, presented by the Orpheus Foundation for Greek Music and the Arts, and directed by Lyto Triantafylidou, runs in an exclusive three-day engagement through Sunday at the Balcony Theater of West-Park Presbyterian Church, 165 West 86th St., on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

The play is a remarkable tour de force for the gifted Vlahos who demonstrates extraordinary range as a performer as he portrays several dramatically different characters throughout the play. He plays a fool, a peasant, a player, a soldier, various villagers, the Pope, and Jesus Christ in a non-stop performance. With roots in the medieval jugglers and commedia dell’ arte, the protagonist of the play is the fool in the traditional sense, challenging the way we look at the world and subverting the political status quo. The play is at once historical and modern, and like the medieval mystery plays, it revels in its anachronism, becoming eternal in the sense of being out of time and relevant to audiences of any time period.

Mistero Buffo was originally written in 1969 and in the spirit of the time, it is a politically-charged play, commenting on society and on the rigid social structure and institutions that restrict the freedom of the common man. The oppressive powers that be include the wealthy elites and the religious establishment that crush hope for the downtrodden. The play cuts through the surface, however, bringing the audience back to a more visceral experience of religion, the witnessing of miracles, the living proof of God’s presence among us. As director Triantafylidou said, “Our Mistero Buffo is a social interpretation of the Passion Stories from the point of view of the Guillare, a clown who explores and reconstructs the meaning of miracles.” The play opens with the invitation of the protagonist to come and see him “turn words into razorblades.” Guillare welcomes the audience and breaks the forth wall repeatedly, interacting with the audience, offering them wine and chocolates which he serves to the bemused audience members who often don’t know how to react to this gregarious figure. The uncertainty is part of the charm of the play. He is only joking after all, isn’t he?

The feeling of dislocation works well in the space of the church/theater, drawing on the Brechtian alienation effect, or as it now more commonly known, the estrangement effect. The audience knows this is a play, we see the lights and the metal bars that make up the set, but the interaction between audience and actor is very real. Vlahos is drenched in sweat from the effort of portraying so many characters, and he is so skilled at his work that we believe there are dozens of people there on the stage, some of them hilarious, others poignant, but all distinctly human. The humanity is the key to this play and to the medieval mystery plays which helped the people of that time period engage with their religion in a more vital way and on a more human level than they could experience in the often intimidating setting of a medieval cathedral. The play and the dynamic performance of Panos Vlahos, expecially, are not to be missed. More information on the play is available online.

Panos Vlahos is a Greek singer, songwriter, and musician with extensive theater, feature film and TV credits to his name. He studied acting at the New Hellenic Theater under George Armenis. Most recently he appeared in National Theater of Greece productions at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus. Children’s Games, his first album was released in 2014.

Lyto Triantafylidou is a theater director based in New York, and co-founder of Second Circle Theater Company. Interested in developing theater to create a new dialogue with reality, she researches and revitalizes under-represented works from world theater, adapts classical works, and collaborates with playwrights on new plays. Her work has been presented in New York and Greece.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — On his first trip to a European Union country this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday sharply criticized western policy toward Moscow, describing a newly expanded U.S. missile defense system as a threat to his country’s security — and vowing to retaliate.

The eyewitness testimony of two American Near East Relief workers, Dr. Mark Ward and Frank D. Yowell became known in Constantinople, as the Pontian Greeks demanded the intervention of the United States to get the Turkish Nationalists (also known as the Kemalists)  to stop the deportations and massacres of their fellow compatriots who lived along the shores of the Black Sea.

The Central Committee of the Greek Dioceses of Pontus demanded justice for its people.

The Central Committee of the Greek Dioceses of Pontus based in Constantinople appealed to President Warren Harding on May 20, 1922.

They offered 10 conditions that should have been imposed on Turkey to stop the massacres and to save the Greek race in Pontus from complete destruction. These important terms follow:

1. Immediate cessation of the massacres
2. Urgent liberation and repatriation of all deportees and civil prisoners
3. Release of all those who are serving in the regiments “Amele Tabourou” (labor battalions)
4. Release of all political prisoners and annulment of all decisions given by the fatal ” Courts of Independence” against the life and property of the Christians.
5. Free return to Pontus of all the Greeks, natives of his district, whatever reasons and dates of their removal maybe
6. To oblige the Mussulman immigrants, who were taken there from other places and established in the country by the Turkish Government, with a view to change its ethnological character to leave Pontus
7. Reparations of all damages and injuries inflicted to the Christians by the Turks since 1914 up to the enforcement of the present claims
8. General cancelling of all the official and private acts of violence such as seizure, confiscation, spoliation transfer of Greek movable and immovable property, under whatever denomination it may be, to names of the Turks
9. Arrest and punishment of the principal authors of massacres and devastation
10. Formation of Pontus to an autonomous country under the suzerainty of H.M the Sultan, and under the effective and efficacious protectorate of one or all the Allied Powers together, with all rights for all the native populations enjoying a proportional participation to the legislative and administrative authority, as well as to the public security and other employment. This proportion is to be based on the respective pre-war lists, so as not to let go the immense human losses which were the result of the Turkish massacres since eight consecutive years.”

This Pontian organization hoped that its appeal to President Harding would have been favorably received and the conditions that they demanded would be imposed on Turkey.

The Greeks employed in the labor battalions were treated harshly, faced starvation, slept outdoors and worked in extreme temperatures. Working in a labor battalion was akin to a death sentence.

The Courts of Independence created by the Kemalists summarily tried and executed many of the Pontian Greek elite in Amassia in August-September 1921 accusing them of seeking to establish an independent Pontic state. Destroying this elite would make it easier for the Kemalists to kill the surviving Greek population.

Topal Osman and his henchmen looted and burned many Greek villages and massacred Greeks in Pontus. Some Pontian Greeks took to the mountains where they waged a guerilla war against the Kemalists during late 1921-early 1922. In the end, they succumbed to the superior force of the Turkish nationalists.

Those responsible for ordering the deportation and massacres of the Greek population should have been arrested, tried and sentenced by a tribunal created perhaps by the Ottoman Government with the support of the allied powers in Constantinople.

In 1919, the Ottoman State tried members of the Committee of Union and Progress (Young Turks) for the Armenian massacres during the First World War.

Some received long prison sentences, others were sentenced to death in absentia (for example, wartime leaders Enver, Talaat and Djemal Pashas escaped to Germany) and a few were executed.

The Pontian Greeks demanded an autonomous territory under the rule of the Sultan in Constantinople and also having the protection of the major powers.

The allied powers (Britain, France and Italy) already occupied Constantinople and were in a position to impose its power upon the Sultan’s Government.

At this time, Turkey had two rival governments with the official one under the control of  the Sultan whereas the rebel one under Mustapha Kemal was located in Angora (Ankara) in Asia Minor.

The rejection of the Treaty of Sevres by the Kemalists and its non-ratification by the allies would make it difficult for the Pontians to achieve any of their demands from a legal standpoint.

The allies tried unsuccessfully in 1921 and 1922 to modify the Treaty of Sevres. Even if they had shown sympathy for the plight of the Greeks but couldn’t intervene as they had adopted a neutral stance in the second phase of the Greek-Turkish war. Mustapha Kemal regarded this treaty as a mere “scrap of paper.”

Another demand was the Greeks who fled should have been permitted to return to their homes and the Muslims population who replaced them to leave Pontus. This raised the issue of an exchange of populations but such a condition would have been unacceptable to the Turks.

On the other hand, the great powers lacked the political will to do anything to assist the Pontian Greeks. The Greek state couldn’t assist their compatriots in Pontus as the Greek army had failed to defeat the Kemalists in October 1921.

Obviously, demands sought by the Pontians were just but the U.S and European powers were not really interested in going to war with Kemalist Turkey.

They had their own agendas in Asia Minor, as each of them competed for economic concessions from the Kemalists.

There were prospects for railway construction, oil exploration, trade and commercial opportunities.

The ten demands outlined above were never fulfilled by the United States or the European powers. The cry for justice went unheeded , as the Pontian Greeks were left to fend for themselves.

(STAVROS T. STAVRIDIS)

All across the United States one can find historical monuments, statues, public buildings, pools, athletic fields, gardens, fountains, rooms, homes, plaques, public artwork, public parks, historical markers, and other commemorative sites specifically dedicated to the memories of local Greek-Americans.

The Cassimus House of Montgomery, Alabama is yet another of these preserved historical sites. Situated on less than one acre of land this two-story frame house is a historic Queen Anne style structure which was completed in 1893. The Cassimus House is distinctive for its classical Greek revival style.

It was erected by Speridon Cassimus, the younger of two Greek brothers who, with their father, moved to Montgomery sometime around 1878, the first documented Greek immigrants to settle in that city. Curiously, historical information about the Cassimus family is sketchy at best. Initially, the family ran a wholesale fruit business on Bibb Street.

Sometime in 1935, the house was altered converting it into two individual apartments with the addition of a modern rear entrance. It is the last residential structure remaining on Jackson Street. On August 13, 1976, the House was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The House underwent extensive restoration in 1976, and ever since has been occupied by the Alabama State Employees Association. The obelisk on its right is a war memorial erected by the American Legion to honor “Alabama Veterans of all wars.”

A Nomination Form for the National Register of Historic Places that must be submitted to the Department of the Interior for every location.

The Nomination Form for the House can be readily found on the Internet. There is a page provided in all such application forms for a short account of the significance of the structure being considered for inclusion.

One would think such accounts are objective historic vignettes. Here is the first paragraph of the “Statement of Significance:”

“The Cassimus House is one of the few remaining examples of eccentric late Victorian architecture in Montgomery. Constructed in what was one of the finer residential areas in late 19th century Montgomery, the house not only reflects the newly–acquired prosperity of its Greek immigrant builder, but is one of the earliest landmarks associated with the Greek community in Alabama.

When Speridon Cassimus built his home at 110 Jackson Street in 1893, he was a newly successful businessman and he wanted his neighbors to know it.

Yet there is a curious reticence about the overall design of his house since, except for the front porch he rejected ornate, Gothic-inspired detailing for the dentil molding and egg-and-dart associated with the more classical styles of architecture.”

First, how does the unidentified writer know Cassimus built his house expressly because he “wanted his neighbors to know it?” Also, and I am making this observation as an person who has worked as a professional carpenter, I never learned to nail or add any trim to a building knowing that by doing so would make that structure either “curious” or “reticent.”

It could just be that Cassimus didn’t like the kind of Gothic-inspired molding this writer seems so enamored with.

This nomination statement does have important historic information:
“Speridon Cassimus came to the United States on December 28, 1888. Funds for his trip were provided by money saved by his father and brother both named Alexander M. Cassimus. Alexander and his oldest son had arrived in Mobile, Alabama on October 23, 1873, where they opened a fruit store.

After about a year, for unknown reasons, they moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where they lived until 1878 when they moved to Montgomery.
“Speridon Cassimus, a married man with two children, left his native home of Othonior, Corfu, and his family with the promise that once enough money was earned, he would return to bring them to America.

From the profits of the successful wholesale fruit business which he operated on Bibb Street he accomplished this goal in 1892 and was successful enough to have purchased the lot and begun construction of the home.

When he returned from Greece with his family, he brought with him fig trees, flowering Sparta bushes and many other garden variety plumb to use around the home.”

The last paragraph of this statement notes that Alex Cassimus was “one of the first Greek immigrants in the state.”

And given that “the Greek communities in the state have little or no physical heritage dating much earlier than the early 20th century, when their churches were built; and the Cassimus House, currently under restoration…is possibly the oldest remaining; landmark associated with the early history of Greeks in Alabama.”

Now let us step back a minute here and review what we have been told. First it took Speridon Cassimus four to five years to earn the money to fulfill his promise. Maybe, but I find that hard to believe.

Let’s do some rough calculations. Speridon Cassimus buys an acre lot in the most expensive neighborhood in town. Added to the expensive of the land Cassimus hires local workmen to build a large new finely appointed house from the ground up.

Next he travels to Greece and brings back his wife and two children. All those expenses not counting the monies needed to ship and plant an unspecified number of fig trees and assorted plumbs.

I don’t care how good a fruit stand merchant Speridon Cassimus might have been something must be missing from the historical account we have been provided with.

While I am not sure what that might be the case since his father Alex lived with him and his family I think it is safe to assume some money was contributed by Alex Cassimus in this whole process.

But what about the Cassimus family? What happened to them? And why do we not hear more about them in the description of the house that Speridon Cassimus commissioned to be built?

Newspaper articles, cemetery records and other accounts can provide us with some answers to these questions.

Rather than worry that we do not have the whole story let us see what is readily known. Cemetery records report that Speridon and Mary Cassimus buried four infant children between 1895 and 1913, two boys and two girls.

While members of the extended Cassimus family arrived in Montgomery around 1878 I only managed to find newspaper accounts, for various members of the Cassimus family, starting in 1904 – a full 46 years after the family’s arrival.

On October 12, 1904, Christopher J. Cassimus (b 1847) was killed by a trolley car in a horrific accident. Identified in one newspaper account as “Colonel C. J. Cassimus” we must assume that this member of the extended Cassimus kindred had received this honorary title –at least in this one news account – as an indication of the broader community’s respect for this man (Augusta Chronicle October 13, 1904).

In the Montgomery Advertiser we learn that: “Mr. Cassimus was extremely popular in Montgomery. Mr. Cassimus being constantly at the stand, he was known to a large number of people.

The fact that he was preparing to return to the home of his boyhood, solicited no little sympathy for the deceased and his family. On account of his large family connection around Montgomery, many fruit stands throughout the city closed yesterday evening (October 13, 1904).”

The wider history of Greeks in the United States can only be enriched by learning more about the Cassimus family, the Greek immigrants of Montgomery and the state of Alabama in general.

(STEVE FRANGOS)

May 29 marked 563 years since the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Since then, countless books have been written about the siege and the fall of the city. Recent books have focused on the military history, as well as the cultural and religious implications. The historiography is also a feature of more recent studies, examining the history of the historical writings on the subject. Two recent books offer excellent insights into the historical, cultural, and military history of the fall of Constantinople.

The Siege and Fall of Constantinople: Historiography, Topography, and Military Studies by Marios Philippides, Chair and Senior Professor of Classics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA and Walter K. Hanak, Professor of History, Emeritus, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV is a definitive study and at 816 pages, it is a hefty volume. The book is insightful and the years of research that went into it are evident in the extraordinary attention to detail. All the original sources available were consulted and critically evaluated with the authors examining texts in all the languages relevant to the event. Some of the sources used remain in manuscript form only. The authors also included folk history from popular Greek myths and folktales to medieval Russian, Italian, and Turkish folktales. Literature and secondary sources provide insight and a depth of understanding to the event that was a pivotal moment in world history.

1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West by Roger Crowley is another well-written history exploring the fall of Constantinople. The book considers the implications of history for the present day in a dramatic way. The graphic descriptions of atrocities are not for the faint of heart, but it gives a vivid picture of what the people suffered at the time and the inhumanity to man that we often associate with modern times is actually rooted in the past and proves the constancy of human nature. The author gives both sides of the conflict, and some readers may bristle at the idea of aiming for an unbiased account, but the author manages to bring out the human toll on both sides in a moving way. The book follows the siege day by day, culminating in the fall of the city and examines the results of the conquest and the ways the Constantinople managed to survive the harrowing experience and remain a multicultural and religiously tolerant city even after the fall.

The Fall of Constantinople 1453 by Steven Runciman is a classic history first published in 1965. The book is elegantly written and explores the bitter shock of the fall for Western Christendom. The implications of the fall for both sides are considered, the Ottoman Turks gaining a capital city for their empire while the Greeks confronted with the end of civilization as they knew led many to move West, the expansion of Greek studies inspiring the Renaissance in Western Europe. Available in paperback and online, the book is a must read of narrative history on the subject.

This is the story of how former San Francisco Mayor George Christopher, of Greek descent, came to rescue from misery Nick Reckas, a former wrestler who had once been his masseur.

It was told on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle in the May 31, 1975 morning paper, a piece by Peter Stack as tender and revealing as a fable, called Return Match.

Christopher, who was San Francisco’s Mayor from 1956-64, was born in Arcadia, Greece, and came to the US in 1910 with his family settling in the neighborhood known as Greektown.

He left school at 14 when his father died so he could support his family. He sold newspapers then talked his way into a job at the San Francisco Examiner as a copy boy.

As Mayor he brought the New York Giants to San Francisco in 1958 and was active in many building projects and was a strong supporter of civil rights, citing the discrimination many Greeks felt.

He gained worldwide headlines offering his home to baseball star Willie Mays after it was reported that a Forest Hill realtor had refused to sell to Mays.

He lost the 1966 Republican primary for Governor of California to former B-movie actor and conservative icon Ronald Reagan.

“They know him as Nick in the Tenderloin, a stooped old man who shuffles along Eddy Street in layers of ragged clothes, pockets stuffed with tattered papers. He lived in cheap hotel rooms where cockroaches rule the roost.

Stack’s story laid out the saga:

“Little did anyone know that Nick was once strong and famous — a big-league wrestler with a menacing scowl who traveled the United States and thrilled thousands in vaudeville grappling contests.

“Little did anyone know that Nick, 72 years old, forlorn and street-worn, has more than $30,000 in the bank.

“Even Nick didn’t know that.

“Nick Reckas, who wrestled under the name Al Stecker, was rescued yesterday from sad obscurity in a grim Eddy Street hotel room where he has lived for a year now.

“To compound the curious tale, his rescuer was a former San Francisco mayor — George Christopher.

“The poignant story began recently when the robust ex-mayor was in a downtown bank and a friend told him that an old pal had died. Nobody could remember the name, except that they guy was a wrestler long ago.

“Nagging curiosity prompted Christopher — a Greek American — to check out the rumor. He remembered that Nick Reckas (also a Greek American) had befriended him long ago and used to come to the mayor’s office in the old days and give him rubdowns.

“‘I started calling around, checking hotels in the Tenderloin and South of Market,’ Christopher said. ‘Finally I went back over some old Christmas cards and found one from Nick with an Eddy Street address.’

“Christopher went to visit his old pal and was relieved to find him alive.

“‘But what a shock when I got there,’ the former mayor said.

“‘He was half the man — no, one-third the man he once was,’ Christopher said.

“On Social Security, the formerly husky wrestler was living on Kentucky Fried Chicken because his legs are weak and the Colonel Sanders shop is close by at Eddy and Polk streets.

“After a long, nostalgic talk, Christopher said he checked around and found Nick had some old bonds in a bank, bonds that matured more than a decade ago. There was also cash in bank accounts.

“Christopher said he named himself conservator of his old friend’s estate, and yesterday the former mayor moved the old wrestler to a sunny San Rafael convalescent hospital.

“‘It’s gonna be good, George,’ the old man said.

“‘You’ll be back in shape before you know it,’ Christopher said.

Los Angeles. On their third season with the USC women water polo team sisters Stephania and Ioanna Haralabidis contributed greatly to one of the most remarkable seasons in USC’s water polo history, as the team completed an undefeated season earning their fifth NCAA national championship. In a thrilling match that was a 7-7 tie, it was Stephania Haralabidis’ rocket-shot that gave the Trojans an 8-7 lead with six seconds left.

That ended up been the winning goal that defeated defending national champions Stanford. That was Stephania’s fifth goal of the match and she was named the NCAA Tournament MVP, while sister Ioanna joined her on the NCAA All-Tournament First Team along with fellow Trojan Brigitta Games. Their road to championship started a long time ago when the two sisters began their water polo career in Greece. Their first sport was swimming but after a while they started searching for a more exciting sport.

Their father Babis Haralabidis, a water polo player with the Greek national team, took them to the pool one day to pass the ball around. That was it, the sisters fell in love with it and they switched their focus to water polo. It might had been their father who introduced them to the game, but it was their American mother Janet Scott who helped the girls make their dreams come true. The girls signed up on the youth division of the professional team Tritonas Amarousiou as there was no water polo available at the high school level. The long drive from their small town of Pikermi became a regular routine.

Speaking to TNH in the Heritage Hall at the USC campus the sisters said ”our mother was incredible. She drove us daily to the practices and waited for the long sessions to be over so she can take us back home to finish our homework. Many times we found her asleep in the cafeteria waiting for us. She never missed a practice or a game.” They progressed quickly and were invited to the Junior and Senior National Teams for Greece where they excelled. They won a bronze medal at the 2012 FINA World Championships in China, and two gold medals at the 2011 and 2012 Junior European Championships. Despite the successes at home, the sisters always felt that they wanted to experience playing for an established university program and in order to do that they had to go abroad.

”Unfortunately collegiate sports in Greece are very limited and do not have water polo.” The first step was to transfer for their senior high school year to Corona Del Mar High in Newport Beach and in 2013 helped them win the CIF Championship for the first time . When it was time to search for colleges their mother again anchored the effort, ”she made a highlight reel of our games and sent them to all the major college programs in the US.” And that is how USC Water Polo Coach Jovan Vavic found out about the sisters. ”I received an email from their mother and a few days later I received a reel with their highlights and I liked it. I inquired about them with other European coaches who had seen the girls compete with the Greek National Team.” Shortly the Haralabidis sisters received several offers most notably from world famous UC Berkeley and a full scholarship.

The girls however choose to challenge themselves and decided to go to USC, that has a championship caliber water polo team and one of the most decorated coaches in the country. Coach Jovan Vavic who leads both the men and women teams has won 13 national championships and has been selected the MPSF Women’s Water Polo Coach of the Year award five times. “We wanted to be coached by the best coach and to be the best players that we can be. When we attended the team practice we were blown away, we knew this is where we wanted to be” the sisters said. Coach Vavic was equally impressed with the girls ”they have good speed, quick movement, and they are strong. They are great competitors and approach the game aggressively, they don’t like to lose.”

The move has paid off in multiple ways. Not only did USC win a national championship, Stephania has also earned honors as the MPSF Player of the Year and she is nominated for the Peter J. Cutino Award, the most prestigious individual award in American collegiate water polo. Most importantly the girls said that ”we found a family at USC. Everyone does their best to assist us and include us, we couldn’t be any happier.”

When they are not competing they turn their attentions to their studies. ”We have not decided yet if we want to continue a water polo career after college or choose the corporate world. We are enjoying our academic and athletic lives at USC.” For now the sky is the limit for the sister champions from Pikermi, Greece.

NEW YORK – The Archdiocesan Cathedral School proudly announced another successful year with the achievements of the graduating class of 2016.

The students of the eighth grade class had excellent results in their high school placement process. High school admissions director, Juliana Fazzone, and their families guided the students through the competitive high school placement process with great results.

Every student received admission to their first choice high school. Horace Mann, United Nations International School, Loyola, Marymount, and Columbia Prep are among the highly competitive New York City independent schools that accepted Cathedral students.

In the public school application process, Cathedral students were equally successful, with applicants to specialized high schools qualifying with high scores for admission to Bronx Science and Lehman College School for American Studies.

Three Cathedral students were admitted to Eleanor Roosevelt High School and to Beacon, also their first choice schools.

The tradition of excellence continues with Cathedral’s class of 2016 and their high school placements.

In previous years, students have been accepted at an impressive list of top high schools including Bard, Brooklyn Tech, Dalton, Ethical Culture, Fordham Prep, LaGuardia, Sacred Heart, Trinity, and Stuyvesant.

The Cathedral School offers its students a “classical education for a modern world” and prepares its students for the most competitive high schools in the city which in turn prepare them for the future with all its challenges.

From early learning through middle school, the culturally diverse, coeducational school inspires its students with a lifelong love of learning.

The classical disciplines of Greek language and technology, science, mathematics, English, history, humanities, and religious studies provide a solid foundation for Cathedral students.

Values such as teamwork, integrity, and respect for one another in the nurturing, stimulating environment of the school promote achievement.

With all their accomplishments, the dedicated faculty and staff prepare the students for the challenging academic rigors of high school.

A student-teacher ratio of ten to one ensures a level of attention and accountability for individual students that few other institutions can offer.

The neighborhood feeling of the school, located on the Upper East Side, along with the most up to date teaching methods creates a unique educational experience for students and their families.

Founded in 1949 by the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, to serve Greek families in New York City, providing them a solid foundation in the Greek language, culture and history, the school gradually developed into the exemplary private school it is today.

The Cathedral School continues to honor its Greek Orthodox Christian and Hellenic heritage while welcoming cultural and religious diversity.

Students from as far away as India, China, and New Zealand now join Greek-American students from New York City to experience the dynamic academic experience at the Cathedral School.

Under the leadership of principal Theodore P. Kusulas, the school continues to flourish. As Mr. K, noted, “Our high standards, our nurturing community spirit, and our commitment to the overall development of our students are what our TCS families value.”

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2016-2017 school year for nursery through 8th grade.

Photo by Michele Haberland.

LOS ANGELES – A special outdoor concert of classical and modern jazz music titled the Pythiad, was hosted on the Getty Villa’s Outer Peristyle garden on a beautiful California spring evening.

Inspired by Ancient Greek mythological figures, it was performed by composer and saxophonist Jim Gailloreto and his ensemble Jazz String Quintet.

The Pythiad was written for voice, string quartet, soprano saxophone and string bass. The music is a blend of classical and modern jazz.

Gailloreto, who has performed on numerous occasions with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, first appeared at the Getty Villa in 2006 as a member of composer Patricia Barber’s group when she performed her album Mythologies, her own interpretation of Greek mythology.

That rendition inspired Gailloreto to compose his own creation of themes and characters from the Ancient Greek literature.

Beautifully sung by vocalist Cheryl Wilson whose recording of ”America the Beautiful” can be heard every evening at the foothills of Mt. Rushmore and who, according to Gailloreto, “is a singer who can do anything you ask of her.”

The task of crafting the lyrics was assigned to his son Coleman Gailloreto, while the father focused on melodic ideas that would best exploit Wilson’s vocal talents. Jill Kaeding, a cellist and Gailloreto’s wife, has been part of the ensemble since the inception.

There are nine mythological stories that are featured in this concert. Composer Jim Gailloreto told TNH that during the selection process “I was interested in lesser-known characters of Greek mythology who gravitated towards and seemed to have connections to modern culture. My son Coleman helped with the research of the stories and presented me with options to pair with the musical sketches I was working on.”

The first story was the Oracle of Delphi. In this interpretation the high priestess of Apollo Pythia takes on the role of a psychologist, who transfers her listeners into a hypnotic state in order for them to relive the past and understand their future.

Asclepius, son of Apollo, who became the greatest healer in Ancient Greece, was struck down by Zeus with a thunderbolt in order to preserve the cycle of life and death.

Atalanta, a mortal who outpaced the children of gods to become an athlete and a hunter, was the first one to wound the Calydonian Boar.

Philemon and Baucis were a poor but loving and generous couple who welcomed two weary travelers into their home giving them the little food they had.

The grateful travelers revealed themselves to be Zeus and Hermes in disguise and they granted the couples wish to grow old and die together.

The gods transformed them into oak and linden trees, their branches as their love, intertwined forever together.

This story resembles the stories we hear on the news currently with Greek families welcoming weary refugees into their homes and sharing their food, proving once again that Greek hospitality has ancient roots.

In a tale of brotherly love Pollux gave Castor half of his immortality so they can remain together in the afterlife becoming the constellation Gemini.

Gailloreto said that “we would like to perform the concert in Chicago, New York, Greece and possibly return to Los Angeles.”

Adventurer, author, motivational speaker, philanthropist, and TV host Leon Logothetis found himself feeling disconnected and uninspired by his life as a broker in London, so he quit.

Inspired by the movie The Motorcycle Diaries, the 2004 biopic based on the young Che Guevara’s memoir of his travels in South America, Logothetis found his “inner rebel” and left his job, home, and even his cell phone for the open road. With $5 in his pocket, he set out reconnect and renew his faith in people and their kindness. Visiting over 90 countries and all the continents, Logothetis chronicled his experiences on the road as the host of the TV show Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, which aired in 100 countries, and is licensed by National Geographic International.

The book Amazing Adventures of a Nobody: A Life Changing Journey Across America Relying on the Kindness of Strangers, released in 2011, recounts in its charming pages that human connection and kindness still exist even if on the surface we may seem isolated and cynical.

The global journey in search of kindness and face to face connections between people is a profound one today when people interact with their mobile devices on a daily basis more regularly than they speak to another person. The simple interaction between human beings helped Logothetis discover true kindness and allowed him to help others as well. Born in London of Greek descent, Logothetis told The National Herald about his family roots from Chios and how he felt he was living someone else’s life in his former career. When asked what surprised him most on his travels, he noted the similarities stood out most of all. “People are people wherever you are,” he said. When asked about his writing process, he said he always outlines then writes the entire rough draft all the way through, to get it all out, and then goes back and edits his work.

Logothetis remarked that in the past his perfectionism kept him from writing anything at all. Now, getting the message out about kindness and the important lessons traveling the world can teach us about ourselves and the people around us takes precedence over perfectionism. His writing style is engaging and thoughtful. Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, The Mojo Diaries: How a Dangerous and Hilarious Journey Changed Everything, a short ebook about his participation in the Mongol Rally, and The Kindness Diaries: One Man’s Quest to Ignite Goodwill and Transform Lives Around the World are all now available to inspire readers to perform acts of kindness. Logothetis is also involved in projects to inspire kindness and help others achieve their dreams.

Big Dreams from LittleThings with Leon Logothetis helps those in need share their stories and connect to online viewers who can then click to support GoFundMe projects. The #GoBeKind project seeks to “spark a contagious chain reaction of acts of kindness” across the country and to share the kind acts online to inspire others.

When asked whether or not he read reviews of his work, Logothetis said he used to and then he would be pleased about the good reviews, that those people got his message, but then with negative reviews he would wonder why they didn’t like his book. Eventually, he realized “you can’t please everyone” and some people simply do not get the message. His next book, Live, Love, Explore: Discover the Way of the Traveler- a Roadmap to the Life You Were Meant to Live, a compilation of his previous experiences and lessons learned traveling all around the world will be released later this year.

Attorney Nicholas G. Karambelas has recently published a Comparative Guide to Business Entities in Greece for United States Business Persons as a free e-book. Karambelas, a founding partner of Sfikas & Karambelas LLP, based in Washington DC, has published the guide in cooperation with Tribonian Publishing.

The book is available for download online, for anyone interested in the Greek business entity laws which were revised in 2012. The revisions were the first since the business entity laws in Greece were enacted in1920 and is a promising development in for the economic situation, demonstrating the move to reform a system that was antiquated and perhaps even hindering the opportunities for investment in Greece by interested parties including many businesspeople in the US. The author spoke to TNH about this unique guide that will undoubtedly help countless individuals in their business dealings in Greece, and possibly increase investment in Greece and aid its economic recovery.

Why did he write the book and make it available for free? “I practice in the area of company law,” Karambelas told TNH. The pre-2012 Greek business entity law was antiquated and virtually incomprehensible to American attorneys and businesspersons. The current law is modern and easy to describe to Americans. I believe that efforts to develop the economy and encourage investment begin with effective and comprehensible business entity laws. Greece has made that beginning. We offer the ebook free of charge because we want it to be widely available.”

The book “has been a work in progress for the last two years. Because it is in ebook format, we will be updating it so that, in a sense, it will always be a work in progress.”

Regarding the book’s potential impact in both Greece and the United States, Karambelas said “the ebook is designed for American attorneys and businesspersons. We know from experience that persons interested in investing or doing business in any country first consider the business entity laws of the country. The purpose of the ebook is to enable potential American business persons to ask informed questions when they consult their Greek attorney.”

Feedback is already being generated, “and the preliminary response has been encouraging. We are looking forward to comments that will advise us as to ways in which we can improve the ebook,” Karambelas said.

Karambelas practices law in Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, and New York City, and has affiliated offices in Athens and Nicosia. He is a graduate of the American Community Schools, Inc. in Athens, Class of 1971. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Union College, a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law, and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University School of Public and International Affairs. His three-volume treatise, Limited Liability Companies: Law, Practice and Forms is in its second edition, published by Thomson West Company, and is updated twice a year. Karambelas has also written several articles on business entity law, Greek and Cypriot company law, securities and federal elections law, and international law and politics.

WASHINGTON, DC— On May 29, Tango on the Balcony, the latest short film from independent filmmaker and internationally acclaimed producer/director Minos Papas, had its world premiere at the 10th Annual G.I. Film Festival in Washington, DC, receiving major recognition from the veteran community.

The film was part of the short film program screened at the Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District. Tango on the Balcony follows Johnny, an Iraq war veteran who wrestles with PTSD and the transition to civilian life. Haunted by his experiences in the war, he suffers from hyper vigilance, insomnia, and the eerie presence of Abdullah, an Iraqi teenager he killed in combat. Struggling with memory and anxiety, combat footage offers the accuracy his memory lacks, but still provides little comfort. The film features Aristotle Stamat as Johnny, Giuseppe Bausilio as Abdullah, the boy on the balcony, and Hakan Tolga Polat as Naseem, the coffee cart owner. Tao Zervas composed the film’s music.

Papas said, “Unlike other films of the war fatigue genre, Tango on the Balcony seeks to avoid cliché representations of veterans and portray some of the real issues faced by those transitioning to civilian life. The goal was to create a film that would be an authentic portrayal of the veteran experience of transition as possible in order to raise awareness about PTSD. This is a non-political agenda, being neither for nor against the wars, but more of a call for awareness of the epidemic of PTSD challenges faced by veterans that civilians need to become aware of. The film also touches on the losses of the Iraqi people. This is one of the most important stories of our time.”

The combat scenes included in the film are real footage, and extensive research was conducted by Papas and producer, military consultant, and Marine veteran Michael Day to ensure the film’s authenticity. Garnering the support of ten veterans organizations, Tango on the Balcony also participated in the Cannes Short Film Corner (SFC) from May 15-22, alongside the Cannes Film Festival and the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes, with Papas and Line Producer Constantinos Nikiforou in attendance at the event. The SFC is a market of short films showcased to distribution companies, festival programmers, TV stations and VOD platforms from around the world. Tango on the Balcony’s New York premiere will take place on June 12 at the SOHO International Film Festival, tickets are available online. Papas’ upcoming feature film, Ares Dreaming, will also delve into PTSD and the struggle to adjust to civilian life, though fragmented time and the dreams of veterans and their spouses and families will expand the exploration of the issue even further than the short film.

Writer/producer/director Minos Papas is an independent filmmaker based in New York City. His most recent documentary “A Short Film About Guns” (2013) won best online short at the Tribeca Film Festival, and his latest feature film, “Behind The Mirror” (2015) won Best Thriller at the Manhattan and the Mexico International Film Festivals. Papas is a member of the Director’s Guild of Cyprus, a creative member of Studio-AVA a boutique video production house, and the founder of the film and commercial production company Cyprian Films, New York.

The former Apple Tag & Label building in Long Island City is nearing completion on its redevelopment by Alma Realty. Located at 30-30 Northern Boulevard, the eight story, 213,000 square foot building has been redeveloped to appeal to technology, media, and other creative industries. A diverse range of businesses and office configurations can be accommodated by the floor plates with their range of 26,000 to 30,000 square feet and 12 to 15 foot high ceilings. Mostly vacant for decades, the Queens Plaza South building, will have 7,200 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, helping to reinvigorate the block and connect it to the surrounding neighborhood, which has recently undergone significant residential and commercial development.

Peter Kosteas, Commercial Property Manager of Queens-based Alma Realty, said, “We are investing in this community because Queens is our home and we believe strongly in the neighborhood.”

Kosteas went on to say, “In a matter of months, the building will become home to what we envision as a world-class group of tenants who will enliven and enrich the community as well as provide further economic development to positively impact the whole area.”

He observed, “Long Island City is definitely on the march. The once great and glorified heritage of the Queens Plaza corridor and greater Long Island City as a home to top tier businesses is being restored and Alma Realty is proud to play a role in that effort.”

The iconic neon Apple Tab & Label sign and logo which topped a tower of the building has been a fixture of the area for years. A refurbished version of the original neon sign will illuminate the top of the redeveloped TAMI (technology, advertising, media, information)-friendly building, echoing the charm of the old sign and recalling the history of the building and the area.

Expected to receive LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design), the development, will offer bicycle racks to encourage employees to cycle to work, a full-service free fitness center for the exclusive use of tenants, LED motion sensor lighting, and office terraces on the sixth and seventh floors. Only a two-minute bike ride and five-minute walk from the Ed Koch 59th Street Bridge pedestrian walkway connecting Queens and Manhattan, the property is conveniently located for those living and/or working in either borough. The building is also close to public transportation, and is just a short walk from the 39th Avenue N/Q station. Features including benches, landscaping, and views of the Manhattan skyline will offer a park-like setting from the roof deck. The $60 million project is expected to open in the fall of 2016.

BOSTON. The Greek-American organization Alpha Omega Council of Boston honored Andrew Manatos with the Lifetime Achievement Award at its 33rd Annual Lifetime Achievement Award Banquet which was held on Saturday June 4^th at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in Boston. The banquet was attended by 300 people, members and friends of the Alpha Omega Council, which is comprised of Greek-American businessmen, scientists, as well as professionals in other fields.

The award was handed to Manatos by Alpha Omega Council President John Anton. Andrew Manatos is a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce of the Jimmy Carter administration, has been the owner of a government relations and public policy company in Washington D.C. for over thirty years and has provided crucial aid to Greece, Cyprus and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Former Governor of Massachusetts and 1988 Democratic nominee for President Michael Dukakis spoke highly of the honoree and listed his contributions to the expatriate community in both Greece and Cyprus.

He pointed out that he has a longstanding cooperation with Manatos and added that he was “sorry that I didn’t succeed in welcoming you to the White House.”

With regard to the scholarships the Alpha Omega Council awards to journalism students, Dukakis sang the praises of journalists and stressed that “your role is especially significant today.”

The prayer was said by the Chancellor of the Metropolis of Boston, Rev. Fr. Theodore Barbas, who announced that Metropolitan Methodios of Boston was absent due to a wedding in Rhode Island.

Consul General Ifigenia Kanara thanked the Alpha Omega Council for their excellent cooperation during the three years she has been in Boston and referred to the systematic efforts which are made to promote Hellenism and philhellenism in the New England area. In addition, she congratulated Manatos for the services he has provided over time which aim at promoting and advocating for the positions of Greece and Cyprus in Washington D.C.

In his speech, the honoree Manatos spoke about the achievements of the Greek-American community, analyzing how it has reached the highest financial and educational ranks of the United States. He pointed out the infinite strengths and capabilities of Hellenism and highlighted the size and the timeless values and principles of Hellenism and Orthodoxy.

He referred to the Greeks’ demonstration of solidarity for the salvation of the Jews living in Greece from the Nazi fury of extermination, with particular reference to the work and positions of the late Archbishop of Greece Damaskinos and Metropolitan of Zakynthos Chrysostomos, who saved the lives of thousands of Jews by adding them to the church files under Christian names.

Congratulatory letters from former Prime Minister of Greece Konstantinos Mitsotakis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew were read.

A video of Manatos’ life course and achievements was shown, which included a total of 90 kind messages of love, respect and appreciation from former American presidents, senators, government Ministers, leaders of the Greek-American community, Geron Archbishop of America Demetrios, Publisher-Editor of the National Herald Antonis H. Diamataris, Protopresbyter Alexander Karloutsos, and businessmen John Catsimatidis and George Marcus.

The scene by his grandchildren, his son Mike’s children, who ran and hugged Manatos as soon as he received the award saying “Congratulations grandpa” was especially moving.

In his message, his son Mike Manatos said that everything the individuals said in the video is correct, but what characterizes his father, Andrew Manatos, is “love. His love for his family, his Faith, his legacy, for others and the country.”

In his statements to the National Herald, the honoree said “I feel touched, the Alpha Omega Council is an organization which I have been observing for many years, has done amazing things for our Community both on a national level and in Boston. He sets the example, and if there were similar organizations in other areas, our Community would be at an even higher level.”

When asked about Washington D.C.’s opinion on the Greek-American Community, he said that “they have a great amount of respect and appreciation for it.” He pointed out that “we are doing very well as a Greek-American community. Only two nationalities have met with every president of the United States over the past thirty years, one is the Irish nationality which represents one in seven Americans, and our Greek nationality which represents one in 250 Americans.”

To the question on where Greece is headed, he answered that “this is a very difficult question, it is such a difficult case, I visit Greece often and personally I believe that there is new awareness among the people about what needs to be done in order for the country to take off.”

George Behrakis stressed that “we need people like Manatos in Washington to be our representatives to the government. We are exceptional people, with a high intellect but we don’t know how to work together as a team,” and he pointed out that “Manatos has contributed greatly to Hellenism and Orthdoxy.”

For his part, Michael Dukakis stated to TNH that “Andrew has done excellent work for the Greek community, he is our leader in Washington D.C.. Every time we have a problem with the Federal government, he is present. We have had years of cooperation, he is an exceptional man and I am very glad we are honoring him tonight.”

At 32, he’s too young to know the Playboy heyday when the magazine’s owner hosted lavish parties, but Daren Metropoulos is buying the famed Los Angeles mansion where Hugh Hefner hosted them.

The Playboy mansion, a stately 1927 home famous for exotic parties where movie stars, athletes and billionaires frolicked with scantily clad women, will now become the property of Metropoulos – who lives right next door.

He is a principal at private-equity firm Metropoulos & Co. who bought the adjacent property in 2009, is in contract to purchase the property, the Wall Street Journal said.

His father, C. Dean Metropoulos of Connecticut, is a billionaire businessman who resurrected iconic brands such as Twinkies and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, adored by hipsters.

Daren Metropoulos said in a statement he is less interested in the fame the mansion earned as a home for Playboy bunnies and romping stars and celebrities than restoring its architectural heritage and restoring its luster.

The home’s architect is Arthur Rolland Kelly, who designed hundreds of homes in the Los Angeles area.

“The heritage of this property transcends its celebrity, and to have the opportunity to serve as its steward would be a true privilege,” Metropoulos said.

He declined to disclose the purchase price but it was listed for $200 million by broker Mauricio Umansky of The Agency, as well as Gary Gold and Drew Fenton of Hilton & Hyland.

Jeffrey Hyland, the president of Hilton & Hyland, said the price was “nine digits” and would set a record for the highest-priced residential sale in Los Angeles. He said there were multiple offers for the property, the newspaper reported.

Hefner, who become rich and famous with a magazine that until recently showed nude centerfolds of young, nubile women, bought the property in 1971 at the height of his fame, for only $1.5 million, almost 200 times less than its current listing.

Curiously, while Metropoulos will own the home, Hefner, now 90, has the right to live there as long as he lives. After that, Metropoulos said he will connect it to his own estate to create a 7.3-acre compound.

Metropoulos bought the house next door, which had been used by Hefner’s former wife to raise their two children, from Mr. Hefner in 2009 for $18 million.

The roughly 20,000-square-foot Playboy mansion has 29 rooms, including 12 bedrooms, on 5 acres, according to the sales listing.

It is one of the few private residences in Los Angeles with a zoo license, the listing says. Hefner added a heated swimming pool and a grotto in the 1970s.

Among the famous names who appeared there were Tony Bennett, who sang for Hefner’s 56th birthday party 34 years ago, singer Sonny Bono and kidnapping victim Patty Hearst, although it was just as well known for Playboy bunnies serving drinks in skimpy outfits with little bunny tails.

ASTORIA— On June 6, the Academy of Hellenic Paideia’s TIMARETE Hellenic Art Festival opened its Children’s Art Exhibition at the Greek Cultural Center showing the fantastic artwork created by the children in the Drawing and Painting class offered by the Academy, taught by renowned artist and teacher Antonia Papatzanaki who curated the exhibition as well. Also featured in the exhibition, artwork by the students of the 8th Elementary School of Kordelio, Thessaloniki.

The remarkable creativity expressed by the children using various artistic media is impressive. Their imagination on display in acrylic on canvas, aquarelle on paper, fabric constructions, and collages is dynamic and colorful. The exhibition not only displays the creativity of the students, but also gives back. The students donated all the participating artworks which will be auctioned for the Festival ends.

In view of the current economic crisis, the proceeds from the sale of the students’ works of the 8th Elementary School of Kordelio, Thessaloniki will be donated to support students of that school who are in need. Bidding on the artwork began on June 6 and runs through Saturday June 11 when the last chance to bid on these wonderful artworks will be held at the Greek Cultural Center from 4:30-5pm.

Young artists proudly showed their artwork including Haroula Katsanevakis, Alexandria Giannopoulos, Eleni Sfakianos, and Iphigenia Petras. Also present at the opening along with other students, their parents, and teachers were Papatzanaki, Petros Pitsilos, Adamantia Mari, Andreas Michaelides, Marietta Pilarinos, Demetra Varsami, Athena Efter, Kostas Sfakianos, Paula Sfakianos, Dora Fiotodimitrakis, Konstantinos Doikos, and Nikos Katsanevakis. Varsami, principal of the Academy mentioned the importance of supporting the festival and Greek art while encouraging the children to express their creativity. Gifted artist and teacher Papatzanaki, also noted the importance of nurturing the creativity of the children.

Papatzanaki who teaches art at the Academy for children and adults, was educated at the Athens School of Fine Arts (G. Nikolaidi’s Workshop), in the Vienna Hochschule für Angenwandte Kunst (W. Bertoni’s Workshop), and Pratt Institute in New York, where she acquired her Master’s degree in fine arts. She has received many prestigious awards: the Katonah Museum of Art, NY; Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Foundation for Hellenic Culture; Gerondelis Foundation, Lynn, MA; the Hellenic State Scholarship Foundation; and the F.V.S. zu Hamburg Foundation; and has gained first prizes from PanHellenic and International Competitions for public art work installations. Papatzanaki has also participated in more than fifty group exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and the United States, including most recently Whispers, Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete, Rethymnon, 2016; History-Irony at Vorres Museum, Paiania, Athens, 2015; and Harmony, 22nd Seoul International Art Festival, Chosunilbo Museum, South Korea, 2014.

The Hellenic Art Festival opened on June 5 with the Academy of Hellenic Paideia’s adult theater workshop presentation of The Heirs, a comedy inspired by old Greek cinema written by Konstantinos Doikos, taught and directed by Ioanna Katsarou. The festival continues with short film screenings from the International Film Festival of Drama, Greece, the first of which followed the opening of the art exhibition.

The Short Film Screening runs through June 11 at the Greek Cultural Center and features a variety of films representing the extraordinary work of Greek filmmakers. A screening of short films for children ages 10-13 will take place on June 11 at 12pm. Music, dance, and a book fair are also part of the Hellenic Arts Festival. The children’s theater piece With a Smile will conclude the festival on June 11 at 3pm at the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria.

—

The proud mayor pulls out his cellphone to show off a picture of his beautiful granddaughter. A tattoo on his wrist peeks out from underneath his tailored suit. An earring glistens under the lights of the room. He talks of Thessaloniki being a proud beacon of hope to the rest of the world, not just Greece. One immediately gets the sense that Yiannis Boutaris isn’t your average mayor.

While in the United States to pick up an award and meet with other Hellenic leaders and groups, Mayor Boutaris took a private tour of the Onassis Cultural Center hosted by the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) on May 31. The private tour included a look at Onassis Cultural Center’s newest exhibit: Gods and Mortals at Olympus: Ancient Dion, City of Zeus.

HALC member Bill Matsikoudis introduced Boutaris with words of praise for providing a positive image in the light of the economic turmoil happening currently in Greece and he reiterated that Boutaris “has broken the mold of the typical Greek politician.”

Whether this includes welcoming the LGBT community or recognizing the 50,000 Jews from Thessaloniki who were sent to the concentration camps, Boutaris is also at the same time trying to show the rest of the world just how valuable Thessaloniki is, and this trip to the United States was another way for him to remind Greeks and Americans alike of his mission.

“Our vision is that Thessaloniki will become a very important city for this area of the world,” he says as his eyes light up. Boutaris may be old enough to be a grandfather but he emits youthful energy and a thirst for business coming from his family’s expansive winery business. It’s that same business expertise he’s taken to the city he loves in hopes of bringing it to another greater level. He wants anyone listening to take his advice and “come to Thessaloniki and discover the city!”

Matsikoudis says that’s why they feel a “strong spiritual connection” to Boutaris. Matsikoudis, whose father is from Thessaloniki, is part of HALC in order to help promote Hellenic culture and believes the mayor is doing that while also not being afraid to speak his mind even when it is deemed controversial.

“Combine that with the fact that he’s done a good job for the city” is proof he feels that Thessaloniki should be highlighted as a way politics and business can come together for the good to accomplish great things in Greece.

The Onassis Center was proud to have the mayor in their presence, and Maria Galanou of the Executive Director’s Office noted Boutaris’ great ability to combine both powerful leadership with simple humility. “Hosting Mayor Boutaris is a great honor,” she said. “We congratulate him on his award. It is well-deserved and recognizes his valuable contributions to the city of Thessaloniki.”

NEW YORK— On June 4, Professor Russell Edward Jones of Harvard University’s Philosophy Department spoke at the Muses, Nicholas S. Zoullas Hellenic Center at the Kimisis tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons in Southampton about the School of Athens, and the wide-reaching influence of Plato and Aristotle. The School of Athens by Renaissance master Raphael is one of the most famous frescoes ever painted and is widely considered Raphael’s masterpiece. Painting began in 1509 and was completed in 1511 in the public part of the papal apartments of the Vatican Palace now known as the Raphael Rooms. The painting depicts Philosophy and the ancient Greek philosophers whose influence was so vital to the Renaissance and western thought. Plato and Aristotle are the figures at the center of the painting which inspired the mosaic outside of the Muses. Beautifully executed by artisans, the School of Athens mosaic creates a counterpoint to the striking mosaic on the front of the church depicting the Kimisis tis Theotokou.

Prof. Jones along with Father Alexander Karloutsos, Protopresbyter, and Presvytera Xanthi Karloutsos admired the brilliant work in stone before entering the building for a pre-lecture reception. Father Constantine Lazarakis, Presbyter, welcomed everyone to the lecture, one of a series of summer culture offerings, and then welcomed Dr. Peter Michalos who introduced Prof. Jones. The professor gave an engaging talk on Plato and Aristotle, inviting those attending to participate in a philosophical discussion and to suggest what components were necessary to live a good life. Prof. Jones gave some brief background information on the lives of the philosophers, since what we know about Socrates, for example, is through what is written about him by his students, Plato and Xenophon, and through Aristotle to some extent, who was Plato’s student. Some of the suggestions on the components of a good life included faith, education, health, friendship, coffee, Greek salad, being helpful, kind, cooperative, and just. Father Karloutsos suggested money. Businessman, former New York City mayoral candidate, and radio talk show host John Catsimatidis, in attendance with his wife Margo, noted the difference between teachers and mentors in the crucial role that knowledge plays in the good life, teachers offering scholarly experience while mentors impart more practical career knowledge. Prof. Jones went on to explain how some of the things mentioned were not good in and of themselves but only good depending on how they were used. Money could be used for bad purposes or for good, the professor explained. Health, too could be either good or bad, depending on how it is used. Prof. Jones mentioned Xenophon’s recollection of Socrates discussing health, noting that the healthy are sent off to war, putting their lives at risk and though they may do well and gain glory and riches, they might also lose their lives, while the unhealthy get to stay home, safe from the dangers of war. Friendship, too could either be good or bad, considering how bad friends may lead good children astray. One component considered entirely good was Sophia or Wisdom. Being engaged in thinking about the world around us and what constitutes a good life, helps us progress as individuals and as a society, connecting the often disparate aspects of life in a profound way.

Also among those attending, Father Ignatios Stavropoulos of the Brotherhood of the Holy Metamorfosis Sotiros Monastery of Nafpakto, and church benefactor and sponsor of the event Coula Johnides who expressed her love of philosophy that began, she said, as a young child. Johnides presented an icon of the Virgin Mary with an inscription on the back to commemorate the lecture to Prof. Jones at the conclusion of the event.