For many Greeks living outside of Greece, Greek Independence Day takes on a special meaning. It is a celebration commemorating the start of the Greek War of Independence and reminds us of what our ancestors fought and died for.

On March 25, 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese. The cry “Freedom or death” became the motto of the revolution.

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By Eleni Sakellis

NEW YORK – The Greek Independence Day Parade took place on Sunday, March 26, and brought crowds of Greeks from all over the tri-state area and the world to celebrate Greek heritage, history, and the contributions of so many accomplished Greeks and Greek-Americans to society at large, and also show the wholehearted support for Greece during these difficult times.

(See Videos & Photos)

Cold temperatures did not deter the participants or the spectators gathered along Fifth Avenue. Under cloudy skies, the marchers assembled in their designated side streets and waited patiently for their turn to march. One young marcher in traditional costume noted that waiting was the hardest part of the parade.

Among the dignitaries present were parade Grand Marshals Greek-Russian businessman Ioannis Savvidis and Dr. George Yancopoulos, honorary parade chairman His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of America who welcomed all to the parade and offered his blessing, and President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies Petros Galatoulas, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Senator Charles Schumer, New York State Senator Michael Gianaris, New York State Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, and New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides.

Parade chairman emeritus John Catsimatidis and Philip Christopher, parade chairmen Vasilios Gournelos and George Kalergios, and parade co-chairs Aris Kourkoumelis, Anthony Mihailidis, and Paul Kotronus along with representatives of the governments of the United States, the Republic of Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus were also in attendance at the parade.

The parade began with the singing of the national anthems of the United States and Greece. With flags waving in the breeze, the enthusiastic crowd cheered Zeto i Ellas, Long Live Greece, and the marching up Fifth Avenue began in earnest with the procession of the Evzones, the Presidential Guard of the Republic of Greece, who year after year impress and inspire us with their presence, strength, and dignity. This year’s parade was honored with the participation of 36 Evzones, the most ever in the New York parade.

Among them Australian-Greek Evzone Jason Robertson who was one of two Evzones wearing the traditional Pontian uniform to commemorate the Genocide perpetrated on the Greeks of Pontus. The Evzones are a potent symbol of our homeland whether we were born in Greece or not, and their appearance in the parade, their intricate uniform, the rhythmic marching step, brings to life the history of the struggle for Greek Independence, connecting us vividly with the past and also with the struggles that continue today.

Gus Lambropoulos, Deputy Treasurer for the Federation of Hellenic Societies and Executive Board Member of the Hellenic Medical Society of New York said, “We love the parade, the spirit, unity, how we all got together to make it all possible.” Lambropoulos also noted the increased turnout of young people, as did Aris Kourkoumelis, Parade Co-Chair, who said, “The younger generation has done their best and we owe the success of the parade to all who came out to support us and keep traditions alive.”

The history and culture of Greece and Cyprus were celebrated in the festive spirit of the parade, with the participants dressed in intricately embroidered, traditionally-costumed dancers, marching bands, and the music performed live with traditional instruments like the bouzouki, lyre, and lute.

Many of the elaborately decorated floats making their way up Fifth Avenue incorporated live music and dancing, including the Federation of Sterea Hellas Unites States and Canada, the Pan-Icarian, and the Cretan Societies of New York and New Jersey floats which were received with great cheers and applause from the appreciative crowd.

The celebration also reflected the political issues and concerns of the participants and spectators, many demanding the withdrawal of Turkey from the occupied region of Cyprus, the 42 years of illegal occupation is enough, while others expressed support for the recognition of the Armenian and Pontian Genocide.

A parade-goer originally from Kos remarked on the excellent turnout in spite of the cold temperatures. From start to finish, the Greek Independence Day Parade was a great success in celebrating and demonstrating pride in our Greek history, culture, language, religion, and traditions.

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SPARTANBURG, SC – Gina Trakas, 55, of Spartanburg, SC, fell asleep in the Lord on March 24, 2017, surrounded by her family. Born April 29, 1961 in Spartanburg, SC, and was the daughter of Sophia Leventis Trakas and the late Dr. Perry Nicholas Trakas, DDS.
Gina touched the lives of so many with her beautiful smile, laugh, love, and joy. She excelled in many areas of the arts and service to the community. She studied piano at Converse Pre-College, won awards for piano competitions, and gave a private recital. She was a member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, where she loved singing in the choir, in both the English and Greek languages, Floyd Mortuary reports

Gina lived at home until graduating in the first ceremony at the Charles Lea Center. She then went on to live at Cannon Manor, as well as other group homes on Clemson Street, Gordon Drive and most recently at Inman Estates.

Gina was President of the People First program at Charles Lea, speaking publicly about the rights of the disabled. She enjoyed the Special Education Sunday School program at Bethel Methodist Church, participated in Girl Scouts and looked forward to spending 2 weeks at Camp Hope in Clemson every summer. She won many trophies and medals at Special Olympics events, including the 1995 World Summer Games in New Haven, Connecticut. She also graduated from a special program offered at the University of South Carolina Upstate.

In addition to her devoted mother, Sophia L. Trakas, she is survived by her brother, Nicholas D. ‘Dean’ Trakas and wife, Kelly of Tryon, NC; sister, Maria T. Barry and husband, Patrick of Spartanburg, SC; nieces and nephews, Anna Trakas and William Trakas of Tryon, NC; Sophia Frances Barry and John Patrick Barry of Spartanburg, SC.

Source: http://www.floydmortuary.com/

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SARASOTA, FL – On Friday, March 17, for the second consecutive year, the Angelos family and the Baltimore Orioles hosted “Nashville’s Music Row Comes to the Ballpark” – an exclusive, on-field performance at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, the team’s Spring Training home.

Every dollar raised at the charity event will benefit the Library Foundation for Sarasota County’s early childhood literacy programs and the Music Health Alliance.

The event began with a meet and greet reception with Nashville songwriters and Orioles players. A country-style songwriter round performance followed – a concept made famous in Nashville and seen on the hit television show Nashville. Performers included Liz Rose- Grammy Award and American Country Music Award- winning songwriter; Laura Veltz- Grammy nominated co-writer, and one of the top songwriters in Nashville; Jimmy Robbins- award-winning country radio hit songwriter, Ryan Beaver- one of the “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know” according to Rolling Stone; and emerging Nashville writer Margaret Valentine. Country singer and songwriter, Jenae Cherry, whose husband is Orioles pitcher Brad Brach, performed a special guest.

“At the intersection of Sarasota’s community values and the Orioles’ organizational mission is a shared passion for supporting music and the arts, youth education, and affordable health care to those most in need,” said John P. Angelos, COO and Executive Vice President of the Baltimore Orioles. He is also the President of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and the eldest son of Orioles owner, Peter G. Angelos.

Angelos also added that “Through the special relationship shared by the Orioles Baseball and Nashville Music Row communities, we are proud to annually bring together world-class artists and athletes playing for their community through our ‘Nashville’s Music Row Comes to the Ballpark’ charity cocktail and concert event.

This intimate evening on the diamond, hosted by Orioles players and hit Nashville songwriters performing and telling stories about their radio hits and newly-created hits of tomorrow, capitalizes on America’s love affair with country music and the game of baseball and unites our many friends in the Sarasota, Baltimore, and Nashville civic, arts and culture, and charitable communities in raising awareness and financial support for local charities and those they serve.”

In the seven years since the Orioles moved Major League Spring Training to Sarasota, more than 765,000 fans have enjoyed Orioles games at Ed Smith Stadium. A recent independent analysis commissioned by Sarasota County Government concluded that the Orioles generate approximately $89 million in annual economic impact back to taxpayers and residents.

By marketing Sarasota to fans in the Mid-Atlantic region, operating a year-round athletic training facility, producing entertainment and sporting events, partnering with charitable causes, and hosting and often subsidizing youth sports tournaments and activities, the Orioles demonstrate an abiding commitment to their Florida home that goes far beyond baseball.

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By Vasilis Papoutsis

LOS ANGELES, CA – Dr. Alain Touwaide is a historian of Greek Medicine and has been teaching a course of Greek Medicine history and its traditions at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) since the academic year 2015-16.

Dr. Touwaide’s love affair with the Greek culture started when he was a middle school student in Belgium, where he studied Greek and he developed a fascination for the Greek language. “By the time I finished high school I was able to read the Greek classics fluently with the occasional help of a dictionary,” Dr. Touwaide said.

He went on to study Classics, Oriental studies(Byzantium and the Arabic World), linguistics, and pedagogy at the University of Louvain in Belgium. His main research area is medical plants of the antiquity and in 2005 he received a grant from the National Institutes of Health for a four year project to create the “Medicinal plants of Antiquity: A Computerized Database.” The task would be to analyze, index, digitize, and translate Ancient Greek therapeutic texts.

His book A Census of Greek Medical Manuscripts from Byzantium to the Renaissance is according to the Washington Post “an inventory of all known surviving Byzantine medical manuscripts and it is a primary tool for other researchers.”Touwaide said that “the compilation of all those manuscripts were a monumental task as it took place mostly prior the internet era. It was a 30 year research project during which I researched hundreds of libraries, going over each library’s manuscript catalog and searching each one page by page.”

In 2015-16 he received one of ten “Foreign Fellowships” awarded by the Onassis Foundation and for six months was resident of the National Hellenic Research Foundation in Athens. The project was to survey manuscripts with medical content preserved in libraries across Greece that cover the period from 16th to 19th century. When asked why the Onassis foundation would want to focus on that era Dr. Touwaide said that “ The ancient manuscripts were far better documented as oppose to the manuscripts of the Tourkokratia timewhich were less known and surveyed.”

The manuscripts also known as iatrosofia, produced among the Greek populations during the Ottoman occupation and were considered as lacking scientific value a hypothesis that Dr. Touwaide did not agree with as they carry medical wisdom “that was transferred from grandmothers, to mothers, to daughters and they had to be preserved as botanical usage was becoming extinct.”

Touwaide,along with his anthropologist wife Emanuela Appetiti, are the co-founders of the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions based in Washington, DC. The Institute’s focus is to address the need for new medicines and new strategies to discover those medicines by exploring ancient books in libraries across the globe. Deciphering their texts would hopefully lead toacquisition of new knowledge and new discoveries.

The Institute has signed scientific collaborations with the General State Archives, the Institute of Historical Research in Athens, Greece and the Institute of Medieval Studies in Barcelona, Spain. Among its funding partners are the Department of Botany, National Museum of National History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. and the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.The institute is a young organization and it has been the result of the enthusiasm of its founders and their research over the past decades.

However “we are at a point now where the institution needs to have a more permanent structure and become financially sustainable in moving forward” Dr. Touwaide told TNH. “It is very important that the institution is embraced by the Greek diaspora in several different aspects. We need Greek students who know the language, computer scientists to manage the database, storeimages on the Internet and perform optical character recognition. We hope an heir apparent could come through the ranks. Financial investment of course in necessary to sustain the long term mission.”

The Institute’s library has temporarily found a home at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens and the Institute’s book collection is for onsite usage only and available to researchers on certain days and by appointments . You can attain information by visiting the web site at www.medicaltraditions.org/institute.

The Huntington Library is located in the picturesque enclave of San Marino, CA and features one of the finest research libraries in the world along with an exquisite art collection and botanical gardens. “We hope that The Huntington Library will be the world center for Greek medicine, but at the moment no decision has been made” Touwaide said.Currently, he is a visiting professor at UCLA teaching a history of medicine class and a frequent lecturer around the world. He said that his Institution’s intellectual odyssey will continue for years to come.

The post Dr. Alain Touwaide’s Census of Greek Medical Manuscripts appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Viacom Inc. announced on Monday the appointment of Greek-American Jim Gianopulos as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures, effective April 3, 2017.

Gianopulos will report directly to Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom.

In his role as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount, Gianopulos will oversee the studio’s film and television operations worldwide, including production, marketing, distribution and all other facets. He also will be charged with setting a new strategy for Paramount, including developing new content, strengthening Paramount’s slate with co-branded releases from Viacom flagship brands, and expanding the studio’s global footprint.

Jim Gianopulos said, “Paramount is one of Hollywood’s truly iconic studios, and the role it has played in shaping the entertainment industry cannot be overstated. Looking ahead, I see a strong opportunity to position the studio for success by creating valuable franchise opportunities, developing fresh creative ventures, and mining Viacom’s deep brand portfolio to bring exciting new narratives to life. I am eager to get to work with Bob and the rest of the Viacom and Paramount teams to ensure Paramount continues to deliver rich, powerful films and television programming for all audiences.”

Bob Bakish, said, “Jim is a remarkably talented executive with all the tools – strategic vision, strong business expertise, deep industry and creative relationships – to bring films to life that resonate throughout culture and deliver commercial results. I’m thrilled we will have the benefit of his experience, savvy and global expertise as we lay out a clear path forward and begin the next chapter in Paramount’s storied history.”

GREEK ROOTS

The Gianopulos family story is one of survival and success. His father, Nikos, came to the United States as an illegal alien right after the end of WWII and the Greek Civil War.

But for Nikos even to arrive here, he had first to miraculously survive the sinking of the Greek Navy cruiser Elli that was hit by an Italian submarine in August 1940 while anchored on the island of Tinos.

His survival was solely a matter of luck and timing, as he was on a higher part of the vessel when the torpedo hit the Elli’s bottom. A few months later, Italy invaded Greece after Ioannis Metaxas refused to surrender.

When Nikos Gianopulos arrived in the United States in 1951, he created the American Ship Repair Co. that provided replacement parts to international commercial fleets. The company has remained a family owned business ever since.

HELLENISM AND THE HERALD

Nikos created the company even though he did not speak English at the time. He received all his news, in Greek, from this newspaper’s sister publication Ethnikos Kyrix-National Herald.

”My father anxiously awaited for the evening edition of the National Herald, every day,” Jim Gianopulos said. He remembers that they always spoke Greek in the house.

”It was not until I went to Kindergarten that I spoke English on a regular basis.” His father had an interesting approach. He told Gianopulos that “you will always be an American but you have to be Greek first.” Gianopulos’ mother, Maria, hailed from Constantinople.

Gianopulos went to law school and his first inclination was to specialize in admiralty law, relevant to the family business. But he did not find it exciting and turned his attention to entertainment law, as he had great interest in music and film.

Gianopulos has been a leading figure in the global entertainment industry for more than 30 years. For 16 years, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment, overseeing Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios. During his tenure, he oversaw numerous box office hits, ranging from “Avatar” and the “X-Men” series, to “The Descendants” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” and most recently “Deadpool” and “Hidden Figures.”

Previously, Gianopulos served as President of 20th Century Fox International. Prior to joining the company, he held senior positions at Columbia Pictures and Paramount. He began his career as an attorney specializing in entertainment law. Gianopulos is Treasurer of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Chairman of the Motion Picture & Television Fund, and a Trustee of Carnegie Melon University and the American Film Institute. He also serves on the USC School of Cinematic Arts Board of Councilors.

Gianopulos attended the LLM program at the New York University School of Law and received his JD from Fordham University School of Law. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston University.

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By Dimitra Pontoporou

YELLOW

It is not difficult to learn the Greek adjectives’ endings. Like the article, the adjective agrees in gender, number and case with the noun it modifies, and has similar endings as well. Let’s make it easy and learn the adjective yellow, ο κίτρινος, -η, -ο together with nouns it may modify.

VOCABULARY

Greek word    Pronunciation          Meaning

Ο κίτρινος      O KEEtrinos  yellow (masc.)

Η κίτρινη        EE KEEtrini   yellow (fem.)

Το κίτρινο       TO KEEtrino  yellow (neut.)

Ο κατακίτρινος,-η, -ο            O kataKEEtrinos, -i, -o         vibrant yellow

Ο ήλιος           O EElios        sun

Η γραμμή       EE graMEE   line

Η μαργαρίτα  EE margaREEta daisy

Το αυγό          TO avYO        egg

Το λεμόνι       TO leMOni     lemon

Το πεπόνι      TO pePOni    melon

Το μέλι            TO MEli          honey

Η αχτίδα         EE ahTEEda sunbeam

Η φέτα            EE Feta          slice, feta cheese

Η φλούδα       EE FLOOda  peel

Βλέπω            VLEpo            I see

The Greek word for the daisy, μαργαρίτα, is found in the English names Margaret, Margarita.

The masculine adjectives’ endings in the cases are the same as those of the masculine nouns ending in -ος: ο κίτρινος ήλιος. The feminine adjectives’ endings are the same as those of the feminine nouns ending in -η: η κίτριν-η γραμμ-ή. The neuter adjectives’ endings are the same as those of the neuter nouns endings in -o: το κίτρινο αυγ-ό, το κίτριν-ο σύκ-ο.

Note that, when the stem ends in a consonant, the feminine adjective ends in -η: ο κίτριν-ος, η κίτριν-η.

Singular: Masculine            Feminine       Neuter

Nom.: ο κίτριν-ος ήλι-ος                  η κίτριν-η γραμμ-ή                το κίτριν-ο αυγ-ό

Gen.: του κίτριν-ου ήλι-ου   της κίτριν-ης γραμμ-ής         του κίτριν-ου αυγ-ού

Acc.: τον κίτριν-ο ήλι-ο         την κίτριν-η γραμμ-ή             το κίτριν-ο αυγ-ό

Voc.: κίτριν-ε ήλι-ε    κίτριν-η γραμμ-ή       κίτριν-ο αυγ-ό

Plural: Masculine     Feminine       Neuter

Nom.: οι κίτρινοι ήλι-οι         οι κίτριν-ες γραμμ-ές            τα κίτριν-α αυγ-ά

Gen.: των κίτριν-ων ήλι-ων             των κίτριν-ων γραμμ-ών      των κίτριν-ων αυγ-ών

Acc.: τους κίτριν-ους ήλι-ους          τις κίτριν-ες γραμμ-ές           τα κίτριν-α αυγ-ά

Voc.: κίτριν-οι ήλι-οι κίτριν-ες γραμμ-ές    κίτριν-α αυγ-ά

EXERCISES

1. The word color, το χρώμα, is neuter in Greek. Therefore, when we talk about the color, we put the adjective in the neuter gender, singular, κίτρινο:

Το χρώμα του ήλιου είναι κίτρινο.

Τα χρώμα των σύκων είναι κίτρινο.

Note that though the figs are in the plural the adjective yellow is in the singular, because it modifies the word το χρώμα, which is in the singular number.

1.1 Το χρώμα αυτής της γραμμής είναι …..

1.2. Το χρώμα του αυγού είναι …..

1.3. Το χρώμα του λεμονιού είναι …..

1.4. Το χρώμα του πεπονιού είναι …..

1.5. Το χρώμα του ήλιου είναι κατα…..

2. Put the adjective ο κίτρινος, -η, -ο in the correct gender, nominative case, singular number, like in the given example:

Το μέλι είναι …..

Το μέλι είναι κίτρινο.

2.1. Το αυγό είναι …..

2.2. H μαργαρίτα είναι …..

2.3. Το πεπόνι είναι …..

2.4. Ο ήλιος είναι …..

2.5. Το σύκο είναι …..

3. Put the adjective ο κίτρινος, -η, -ο in the correct gender, nominative case, and plural number (οι κίτρινοι, οι κίτρινες, τα κίτρινα).

3.1. Οι φλούδες του πεπονιού είναι …..

3.2. Οι μαργαρίτες είναι …..

3.3. Οι φέτες του λεμονιού είναι …..

4. Put the adjective yellow in the nominative case, singular or plural together with the correct article.

4.1. Μου αρέσουν .. ….. σύκα.

4.2. Μου αρέσουν .. ….. αχτίδες του ήλιου.

4.3. Μου αρέσουν .. ….. λεμόνια.

4.4. Μου αρέσουν .. ….. μαργαρίτες.

4.5. Μου αρέσει .. ….. μέλι.

5. Put the adjective ο κίτρινος, -η, -ο in the correct gender, number and case.

5.1. Βλέπω τον …… ήλιο.

5.2. Βλέπω τις …… μαργαρίτες.

5.3. Τρώω τα ….. πεπόνια.

PRONUNCIATION KEY

i (i-diom), ee (n-ee-dle), e (e-nergy), o (o-rganism), oo (b-oo-t), y (y-es), h (h-elium), th (th-eory), d (th-e), gh (w-olf). The capitalized syllables are accented.

The post Our Everyday Greek: Yellow, Κίτρινος, is the Sun and Κίτρινη is the Daisy appeared first on The National Herald.

STATEN ISLAND –Republican Assemblywoman for Brooklyn and Staten Island Nicole Malliotakis on March 27 again proposed her years-old plan to expand the state’s existing Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) as an alternative to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to make tuition free for middle class students at public colleges which excludes private schools.

Cuomo’s plan would give free tuition to New York’s public colleges for families earning up to $100,000 beginning in the fall, increasing the threshold to $110,000 in 2018 and $125,000 in 2019. Other college expenses including room and board, books and transportation are not covered by Cuomo’s proposal.

Opponents note the proposal has many problems, especially the fact that students at private universities are left out of the free tuition plan.

As reported in the Staten Island Advance, the governor’s budget proposal would offer TAP only to students who attend colleges with tuition increases below $500 or the annual increase in the Higher Education Price Index, whichever is greater.

Cuomo plans to cut off direct institutional or Bundy Aid, to colleges that exceed the increase maximum which could hurt private colleges that are often the main employer and drivers of their local communities.

Private colleges could see serious decreases in enrollment while public colleges would face increases they may not be able to handle, opponents of the proposal, including private college administrators, point out.

Choices could be limited for students and private colleges could suffer from unfair competition with the public colleges. TAP funding would still be available, though the governor’s plan calls for an extra $163 million for the remaining costs of public college tuition.

Malliotakis calls Cuomo’s plan “socialism” in a press conference at Wagner College. She opposes the government paying for college tuition and proposes expansion of the TAP program to help more students afford college. Dr. Richard Guarasci, president of Wagner College, and Dr. James O’Keefe, vice provost of St. John’s University, Staten Island campus, agreed with Malliotakis.

Malliotakis’ bill was first introduced in 2014 to increase the income cap from $80,000 to $100,000 for TAP, and noted that up to $125,000 would also be acceptable. The maximum award is currently $5,165 and would go up to $6,470 which matches the current cost of tuition at the State University of New York (SUNY). For those who qualify, the Malliotakis proposal would provide free tuition at SUNY and City University of New York (CUNY) schools, with students at private colleges also allowed to receive state aid. Malliotakis would also like to see the return of funding for graduate students through TAP which ended in 2010.

In previous discussion of her proposal, Malliotakis often notes that legal New York residents should receive the expanded TAP funding before undocumented students. She also noted that the income cap has not increased since 2000 which she said, “is shocking because everything else has increased, cost of living, tuition [and] TAP is so important to so many middle class families.”

The state budget is currently being negotiated leading up to its Friday deadline. Malliotakis hopes her proposal is included.Though she is a member of the minority party in the house, Malliotakis has support from Staten Island’s two state senators, Andrew Lanza, a member of the Republican majority, and Diane Savino, a member of the Independent Democratic Conference.Assembly Republican Minority Leader Brian Kolb also supports a GOP alternative to the governor’s plan.

“This is the final push,” Malliotakis observed, as the Advance reported.

At press time, the governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

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By Eleni Sakellis

NEW YORK – Christos Marinos, Greek pianist, vocal coach, music researcher, and Staff Accompanist at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, was recently the music director for two operas produced by the NYU Classical Voice Collective. Le Portrait de Manon by Jules Massenet and Riders to the Sea by Ralph Vaughan Williams- based on the iconic play of the same name by John Millington Synge- played to a full house over three performances. Mr. Marinos took time out of his busy schedule to speak with The National Herald about music, inspiration, and his upcoming projects.

TNH: Where in Greece are you from originally?

CM: I was born in Athens. My family from my mother’s side, and partially from my father’s, comes from the island of Andros.

TNH: Did you always want to be a musician?

CM: It is something that came naturally over the years. Music has always been part of my family’s life: there was music playing in our home, my parents would take me to concerts, and I would listen to music on the radio with my grandfather from a very young age. In the meantime, we moved to New York and, thanks to my mother, I started taking piano lessons.

So, playing the piano is something I do every day for nearly 30 years now. When I was 16, I “invited” my parents to a family meeting. I remember how serious and determined I was about what I had to tell them. “I won’t be pursuing a career in science, so stop paying for the extra private math, chemistry, and physics lessons. I want to study music and become a professional musician.” That was one of the most important decisions of my life.

TNH: What inspires you as an artist?

CM: Life and real pedagogues, with the Greek definition of the word. A teacher must make you think, must make you question yourself, and must teach you to search for answers rather than provide you with them. I have been very fortunate in my life to have had inspiring teachers, who not only taught me music, but also gave me life lessons. One of them was George Hadjinikos, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 92. He was a pianist, conductor, pedagogue, author, and a music philosopher.

Hadjinikos experienced the most crucial sociopolitical and artistic changes in 20th century Europe, and it was unbelievably interesting to hear him talk about his cosmopolitan life, not to mention hearing him perform. He knew Richter, Rostropovich, Orff, Boulanger, Hindemith, Xenakis, Seferis, Hadjidakis, and so many other historical personas. I studied privately with him for ten years. I would visit him almost daily at his apartment and stay there for about 12-14 hours. We would discuss, write, play for each other, listen to recordings, and go for walks. He was my mentor. We traveled in Greece and abroad, and spent much time together. George really taught me about critical thinking. He was a true inspiration!

Most of what I have achieved is owed to him and his sister, Pia Hadjinikou-Angelini. Although I can name many other inspiring teachers, I would like to mention my professor during my graduate studies at NYU, who is a great friend now, Grant Wenaus. He, too, is a pedagogue who makes you think. He would never demonstrate anything on the piano for me or give me an answer to a problem. Just like Hadjinikos, he would simply ask me, “Why?”

TNH: What are the challenges of working on an opera as opposed to other types of performance?

CM: From a music director’s point of view, the challenges usually vary depending on the opera itself, the cast, and the number of rehearsals one has. In general, I would say the greatest challenge is to make the text and the music “work” for every performer vocally, musically and dramatically; to help them connect with the character they are portraying and with the rest of the cast. Just the music itself might be difficult to learn and memorize.

Last month, the NYU Classical Voice Collective produced two operas and I was invited to music direct. We had five full weeks of rehearsals and had the time to study both operas in depth. One of the two, Riders to the Sea, was musically challenging. In the end, everyone did a superb job. We had a full house for all 3 performances.

The singer-pianist combination is quite special and cannot be compared with any other. Singers have a unique relationship with their instrument and because of this their psychology has an essential impact on their performance. An important aspect of the vocal coach’s job is to know how to handle different types of personalities, foresee their thoughts and reactions, and use the appropriate directions which will make each singer reach the peak of his potential.

TNH: What upcoming projects can we look forward to?

CM: In April and May, I am playing five graduation voice recitals at NYU. In June, I will be in Thessaloniki, at the University of Macedonia, where I am curating and participating in a day dedicated to the memory of George Hadjinikos. Following that, I will be in Alexandroupoli, where I will give a lecture on Greek Art Song, a masterclass and a recital with my wife, Antigoni Gaitana. In July and August, I will be in Pelion where I participate in the Horto Summer Festival, this year as a curator, music director, and performer.

More information about Christos Marinos and his music is available online at www.christosmarinos.com.

The post Christos Marinos Talks to TNH about Music and Inspiration appeared first on The National Herald.

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MARCH 30-APRIL 2

LYNN, MA –The St. George Greek Community of Lynn presents the Harry Agganis Basketball Tournament on Mar. 30-Apr. 2. Celebrating Harry’s ideals since 1956 – Leadership, Sportsmanship, Scholarship. High School Division games begin on Thursday, Mar. 30, College Division games begin on Friday, Mar. 31. Tournament Spiritual Advisor and Honorary Chairman: Rev. Fr. George D. Tsoukalas, St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 54 South Common Street, Lynn, MA. More information is available via at email:agganisbasketballtournament@yahoo.comand by phone: 781-593-6162.

MARCH 30-APRIL 6

MANHATTAN – The American Sephardi Federation’s 20th New York Sephardic Film Festival at the Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street in Manhattan begins on Thursday Mar. 30 and runs through Thursday, Apr. 6. Cloudy Sunday by Manoussos Manoussakis (Greece, 2016, 118 minutes) will be screened on Sunday, Apr. 2, at 6:30 PM. On Wednesday, Apr. 5, the festival presents A Greek Odyssey- an evening dedicated to Greek Sephardic culture with two documentary film screenings- Trezoros: The Lost Jews of Kastoria directed by Lawrence Russo and Larry Confino, (Greece, USA, 2016, 93 minutes) at 6 PM, and The Queen of Rebetiko: My Sweet Canary directed by Roy Sher, (Greece, 2011, 90 minutes) at 8 PM. Tickets and more information about the films and the festival are available online at www.nysephardifilmfestival.org.

APRIL 1

EAST MEADOW, NY – Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Avenue in East Meadow will host a Lenten Retreat, “Prayer and Mysticism in the Orthodox Church” on Saturday, Apr. 1. The Very Rev. Vasilios Bassakyros will speak on the power of prayer and his experience living with the monks at Saint Catherine’s Monastery located on Mount Sinai in Egypt. The retreat will be held from 12 PM (lunch) to 5 PM. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.htocem.org or contact us at 516-483-3649 or info@htocem.org.

WORCESTER, MA – Epirotic Dinner Dance on Saturday, Apr. 1 at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral,102 Russell Street in Worcester, at 7:30-11PM. The event is dedicated to Paidia Xenitemena and features live music and dancing. Tickets are $75. Phone: 508-791-7326.

APRIL 2

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Show your Hellenic pride at the 2017 Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia, featuring the Evzones, the Presidential Guard of Greece, on Sunday, Apr. 2.Formation Time: 1 PM. Starting Time: 2 PM. Starting Point: 17th and Parkway. Reviewing Stand: On Parkway prior to Art Museum Drive. Inclement Weather Number: 856-665-2085, a decision will be made by 10 AM on the day of the parade in case of inclement weather. More information is available online at www.hellenicfed.org.

ANDOVER, MA –Family Lenten Lunch at Saints Constantine and Helen Church, 71 Chandler Road in Andover, immediately Following Divine Liturgy on Sunday, Apr. 2: Fish Dinner $15 per person, Pizza Dinner $10 per person. Reserve your tickets early – last year was a sell-out! All reservations this year must be paid for in advance. Please contact the church office to make your reservation,phone: 978-470-0919. Kindly note how many guests in your party and their dinner choices. Make sure to pick up your tickets at any coffee hour. Honoring the memory of our beloved Father George Karahalios, for his dedicated ministry to our parish, his love for the tradition of the Lenten Luncheon, and his special lima beans recipe. All proceeds benefit the Mortgage Elimination Fund.

APRIL 3

CHESTNUT HILL, MA– The Hellenic Society of Boston College presents its first everGreek America Lecture Series at Boston College,Gasson Hall, 140 Commonwealth Avenue in Chestnut Hill, 6-7PM on Monday, Apr. 3. Renowned author Nicholas Gage will discuss A Writer’s Odyssey from war refugee to star NY Times reporter to acclaimed author and Oscar-nominated producer. More information is available by contacting Stavros Piperis, email: piperiss@bc.edu.

APRIL 4

SOMERVILLE, MA – Swing Away Greek Movie Screening at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square in Somerville, on Tuesday, Apr. 4 at 7 PM. Swing Away is a unique inspirational sports comedy set in Greece. Following a meltdown that leads to a suspension, professional golfer Zoe Papadopoulos travels to her grandparents’ village in Greece to escape the harsh spotlight of the international sports world. Between baking bread and eating baklava, she meets and mentors a ten-year-old girl who is determined – against all odds – to become the next golf sensation. Along the way, Zoe rediscovers her Greek heritage, her love of the game, and the hidden strength within herself as she inspires the townspeople in an epic showdown against a greedy American developer. More information is available online www.swingawaymovie.com and by phone: 617-625-5700.

APRIL 8

MANHATTAN – The Greek-American Writers Association will celebrate spring with a blockbuster program of poetry and song on Saturday, Apr. 8. Among the highlights: International performer and author Lili Bita will present a scene from her one-woman show, Euripides’ Medea. Poet Dr. Robert Zaller will read from his Islands, inspired by Greece, as well as Speaking to Power. Nektarios Antoniou, a graduate of Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music and founder of the renowned group Schola Cantorum, will perform a program of Greek poetry set to music. Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street at 6-8 PM. $10 includes admission and a drink of your choice. Subways A, C, D, M to West 4th Street or 1 to Christopher Street.

APRIL 9

EAST MEADOW – The Divine Liturgy with an outdoor procession for Orthodox Palm Sunday will be celebrated on Sunday, April 9 at 9:30 AM at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Avenue, East Meadow. The service will be conducted in English. A Lenten coffee hour with will follow the service. The full schedule for Holy Week can be found on the parish website’s calendar at www.htocem.org. For more information, call 516-483-3649 or emailinfo@htocem.org.

APRIL 15- 16
EAST MEADOW – The midnight Vigil and Divine Liturgy for Orthodox Easter will be held on Saturday, April 15 at 11:15 PM at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Avenue, East Meadow. A festive Paschal meal will follow the service. The Paschal Vespers for Orthodox Easter will be held on Sunday, April 16 at 12 noon. The outdoor children’s procession and Easter egg hunt will follow the service. All services will be conducted in English. The full schedule for Holy Week can be found on the parish website’s calendar at www.htocem.org. For more information, call 516-483-3649 or email info@htocem.org.

APRIL 19

MANHATTAN – The Hellenic-American Cultural Foundation, the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, and American Friends of the Jewish Museum of Greece present Jews of Greece: 25 Centuries of Continuous Presence on Wednesday, Apr. 19 at 7 PM at the offices of Norton Rose Fulbright, 1301 6th Ave. in New York City. Dr. Mimis Cohen a founding member of the American Friends of the Jewish Museum of Greece and a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago will give a presentation on the early interaction of the Greek and “Romaniote” Jewish communities around the Eastern Mediterranean. The program and reception are free of charge, but please note, due to building security requirements, only registered attendees will be admitted to this event. No walk-ins will be permitted. RSVP to info@hacfoundation.org.

APRIL 30

BOSTON –Come join us on Sunday, Apr. 30, at 1PM for the annual Boston Greek Independence Day Parade commemorating Greece’s march to freedom which began on March 25th, 1821. The parade route is Boylston Street to Charles Street and ending at Boston Common where there will be a celebration of Greek music, Greek traditional dances, and Greek food. The Grand Marshals will be His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston; Honorable Mayor of Boston Martin Walsh.More information is available by contacting the organizers of the Boston Greek parade, the Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of New England by phone at:  617-930-1518 or by email to: fhasne@gmail.com.

CHICAGO – Hellenic Heritage Parade, Chicago’s Greek Independence Day Parade,steps-off at 2:30 PM, Halsted Street, between Randolph and Van Buren on Sunday, Apr. 30. Since 1964, the Greek American community has made this event a fun time for all to enjoy colorful traditional costumes, a sense of community, and genuine Hellenic spirit. More information is available online at www.opachicago.com/events/chicagos-greek-independence-day-parade-2017.

MAY 4

MANHATTAN – The A.S. Onassis Program in Hellenic Studies at NYU presents Greek Cinema Today Spring 2017 Film Series on Thursdays through May 4 at 6:30 PM at 12 Waverly Place, Room G-08, in Manhattan. Curated by Visiting Prof. Eleftheris Astrinaki, the series includes unique films such as 4.1 Miles by Daphne Matziaraki and 722 TMX Engineer Battalion by Yannis Koufounikos on April 6, Spring Awakening on April 13, Golden Dawn: A Personal Affair on April 20, and Park on May 4. The film screenings are free and open to the public and include appearances by the filmmakers. More information is available at vt507@nyu.edu or 212-998-3979.

MAY 11-13

MANHATTAN – The first Greek Panorama exhibition focused on Tourism, Culture and Gastronomy exclusively for Greece is organized by Hellas North American Events Inc. in collaboration with the company North Events and will be held in the iconic Grand Central Terminal, 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue, one of the most important historic buildings in Manhattan, on Thursday, May 11 through Saturday, May 13. The exhibition will take place in Vanderbilt Hall and will include presentations on each tourist destination in Greece and on luxury tourism, Greek gastronomy, real estate, shopping, yachting and cruises, etc. On Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13 the exhibition will be open to the public for free. More information is available online at www.greekpanorama.com

MAY 18

MANHATTAN – On Thursday, May 18 at 6 PM HABA invites you to save the date for our 35th Anniversary and our Executive of the Year Award Dinner 2017, honoring Alexander Navab, Partner and Head of Americas Private Equity, KKR & Co. LP, at the Union League Club of New York. Details forthcoming at haba.org.

The post Going On appeared first on The National Herald.

AUSTIN, Texas – Achieving a 4.6-star rating on Yelp and 4.9 stars on Facebook out of 5 after being open just 18 months means one thing for Sami Alasi, 183 Grill chef and general manager, Community Impact reports.

The Greek-American fusion restaurant serves traditional Mediterranean gyros, hummus, falafel and baklava. However, Alasi said he also wanted to serve American dishes, such as fresh burgers, salads and mozzarella sticks. “That’s hard work,” he said.

“A truly unique family owned and operated restaurant. Deeply involved in our community making it a better place for all of us to live in. Chef Sami is self-thaught, has owned and managed over 5 restaurants in the past 17 years and the menus throughout his restaurants have been highly recommended by Texas Monthly and other media outlets. Our team’s philosophy is to serve you a tasty and affordable meal and provide you an outstanding service,” 183 Grill describes in its webpage.

Alasi has owned numerous restaurants, including locations in Austin, San Antonio and Laredo. He most recently sold Pita House, his restaurant on Parmer Lane, to focus on his newest venture, 183 Grill, which opened in August 2015 on US 183.

Alasi said he orders his halal meat from Chicago for the gyros, which are available in beef, lamb or chicken. Meat is sliced from a vertical rotisserie.

“The Mediterranean diet is pretty healthy and popular right now,” he said. “We also infuse American dishes [into the menu]. “It’s more of an accommodation so we don’t lose customers.”

183 Grill
13729 N. US 183, Ste. 890, Austin
512-250-3663

Read more here: http://bit.ly/2nM2c1s

The post 183 Grill, a New American Restaurant in Austin appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Michael Psilakis, a Michelin-starred Greek-American chef, just released his second cookbook, Live to Eat: Cooking the Mediterranean Way, and it’s filled with quick and easy ways to adopt the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, Parade reports.

The book is anchored in what Psilakis calls his ‘Magnificent 7’ ingredients, aka Greek yogurt, garlic confit, roasted cherry tomatoes, garden vegetables and fruit, sweet and sour peppers and onions, tomato sauce and red wine vinaigrette, staples of myriad Mediterranean dishes.

Psilakis, the father of two young sons, is also committed to getting American families to sit down to dinner together. Read on as he explains to Lambeth Hochwald of parade why that’s so important to him and his wife, Anna:

Early in my career I think that people thought Mediterranean food was very ethnic food, that they couldn’t identity with it because it wasn’t recognizable in the way that it was written about in recipes or some of the ingredients might have been unfamiliar. To me, Mediterranean food is the original farm-to-table cuisine. It’s as simple as you can get—just add olive oil, salt and pepper!

There has been a big movement toward Mediterranean diets recently.

Even the last five years has shown huge leaps. Ten years ago I don’t think anyone knew how good octopus was. Now it’s the No. 1 seller in all of my restaurants. It’s the chicken of the Mediterranean.

Are people gravitating to these foods because of the proven health benefits?

Yes and we’re seeing a proliferation of people writing about it, reading about it and seeing the food. Once they taste the food, they can have their cake and eat it, too.

(Read the rest of the interview here.)

In 2008 alone, Psilakis was awarded Food & Wine’s Best New Chef and Bon Appetit’s Chef of the Year distinctions; nominated for A-List Chef by Bravo TV; and had his upscale Greek restaurant, Anthos, nominated for a James Beard Award in the category of Best New Restaurant. He was also named “Chef of the Year” by Esquire Magazine and his restaurant Anthos was awarded a Michelin star and named the third of ten best new restaurants by The New York Times restaurant reviewer, Frank Bruni.

A tremendous cook, the chef’s mother taught him everything about the flavors and techniques of classic Greek cooking and remains his greatest influence in the kitchen. “Even today, the flavors of my dishes are my mother’s flavors,” says Psilakis. “And my instincts for taking Greek cuisine in new directions—these I’ve inherited from her.”

Sources: Parade, Amazon, Psilakis’ webpage

The post Greek-American Chef Michael Psilakis Busts Myths About Mediterranean Cooking appeared first on The National Herald.

BOSTON (AP) — Convenience store magnate Christy Mihos, who built and sold a chain of markets bearing his name, twice ran unsuccessfully for governor and endured a nasty divorce and bankruptcy, has died at age 67.

He died Saturday in hospice care in Stuart, Florida, after a battle with cancer, his sister, Marlene Bucuvalas, told the Cape Cod Times. His death was confirmed Tuesday by the Haisley Funeral Home in Fort Pierce, Florida, which is handling arrangements.

Mihos, who was born in Brockton, turned his father’s grocery store into a chain of nearly 150 stores across New England called Christy’s Markets. He and his brother eventually sold the chain for millions of dollars.

He was appointed to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board in 1999 and crusaded against mismanagement and cost overruns in the multibillion-dollar Big Dig highway project.

He and another board member, Jordan Levy, were fired by acting Republican Gov. Jane Swift but took their case all the way to the state’s highest court and were reinstated.

Mihos, who lived in a waterfront home in Yarmouth, later wrote a book about the Big Dig.

He mounted failed runs for governor as an independent in 2006 and as a Republican in 2010.

His later life was marred by a sordid divorce and bankruptcy. His wife, Andrea Mihos, accused him of assaulting her and squandering millions of dollars on his political ambitions and on prostitutes. He even spent a week in jail for failing to pay her nearly $80,000.

He is survived by two children, his sister and a brother.

A funeral is scheduled at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox church in Fort Pierce, Florida, on Thursday, followed by burial.

The post Greek-American Convenience Store Magnate, Governor Candidate Mihos Dies appeared first on The National Herald.

REGINA, Canada – Parishioners in Regina were celebrating Greek Independence Day at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church when thieves allegedly entered the building and stole car keys and other items from people’s coats, CJME reports.

Chris Perentes, church president, said two women apparently entered under the guise of needing to use the washroom.

“The worst thing that happened was one parishioner had his car stolen,” he alleged. “The car was recovered later in the afternoon on Sunday and I guess he does have it back, but none of the other items that were in the car.”

Perentes added that no one thought twice about the women who entered during the celebration.

“It’s very unfortunate because it just makes us more curious anytime we don’t know someone and we have to be a little more vigilant about it in the future.”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — In the behind-the-scenes drama of who’s up and who’s down in Donald Trump’s White House, chief of staff Reince Priebus is playing a starring role.

Priebus, a genial Midwesterner with deep ties to the Republican establishment that Trump toppled, has faced questions about his future since the day he set foot in the West Wing. And the focus on him is intensifying following Trump’s failure to get enough GOP lawmakers to support a White House-backed health care bill, an embarrassing blow for the new president.

There’s blame to spare for the health care debacle at both the White House and on Capitol Hill. But Priebus is a particularly rich target, given that his value to Trump is tied to his relationships with GOP lawmakers, many of whom were elected during his six years as chairman of the Republican National Committee.

“Reince doesn’t have a magic wand,” said Henry Barbour, a friend and Republican national committeeman. “He doesn’t have an ability to make people do what they don’t want to do — and he doesn’t want to.”

Priebus’ standing in the White House has broad implications for Trump’s agenda. Beyond Vice President Mike Pence, he represents the president’s most direct link to the traditional underpinnings of the Republican Party and is the buffer between the fiery nationalists and the more liberal New Yorkers who also occupy top White House jobs.

Trump has voiced confidence in Priebus in recent conversations with associates, including after House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the health care bill off the floor Friday, and White House officials say the two men appear to have developed a comfortable relationship.

During the Republican primary, Priebus, 45, often remarked to colleagues that he spoke with Trump more than any of the other 17 GOP candidates. The president likes to make good-natured digs at Priebus in public remarks, joking about his “crazy name” and telling a meeting of auto industry executives that his chief of staff might end up running a car company someday.

For laughs, Trump will sometimes recount a tense exchange with Priebus at one of the campaign’s lowest moments: the release of a video in which Trump is heard making predatory comments about women. During an emergency campaign meeting, Priebus told Trump he should either drop out of the race or risk dragging down Republican candidates across the country.

Steve Bannon, Trump’s senior adviser, said it’s not Priebus’ grim — and ultimately inaccurate — warning that stuck with the president. It’s the fact that Priebus showed up at all, given the intense pressure at the time for Republican leaders to abandon the party’s nominee.

“Reince had the courage to get on a train in Washington, D.C., go to Penn Station, go to Trump Tower and come to the meeting,” Bannon said. “That’s courage.”

Bannon, who was also considered for the chief of staff job, has grown unexpectedly close to Priebus and has distanced himself from the criticism by Breitbart News, the far-right website Bannon ran before joining Trump’s campaign.

“They’ve got their heroes, they’ve got their villains, it’s never going to change,” Bannon said of Breitbart. He vouched for Priebus’ populist credentials, saying, “When left to his own devices, he’s not really that establishment.”

Priebus inspires intense loyalty among those who worked with him at the RNC, several of whom followed him to the White House, including press secretary Sean Spicer. They describe him as a workhorse who is determined to unite the disparate factions of Trump advisers.

“He wants input, he wants buy-in, he wants people to feel like they’re part of the process,” said Katie Walsh, who worked alongside Priebus at the RNC and is now deputy chief of staff at the White House.

But one White House official said Priebus’ approach backfired early in the administration, leaving the impression that he was a pushover who didn’t have full control of the staff. His style has also created uncertainty on Capitol Hill, where Republican lawmakers sometimes get conflicting messages from top White House officials, including during the health care debate and on a tax overhaul.

A GOP leadership aide said Priebus himself appears to be less involved in shaping the details of Trump’s agenda and more focused on trying to get White House officials on the same page. The aide was among about a dozen White House officials, Trump associates and congressional aides who spoke about Priebus, some on the condition of anonymity in order to disclose private conversations.

Priebus is said to be sensitive to the criticism that has sprouted up about him, particularly when it’s focused on his competency and management of the West Wing. That’s created a mild sense of paranoia among his allies, according to another White House official, leading them to respond in outsized ways, both privately and publicly.

“He’s somebody that always hears footsteps,” the official said of Priebus.

He’s had to adjust the traditional role of chief of staff to fit a highly unconventional president. Unlike many of his predecessors, Priebus spends much of his day by Trump’s side and typically sits in on his meetings with CEOs and other outside visitors.

Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s White House counselor, said that’s a function of a president who can make decisions in those meetings that the chief of staff needs to hear.

“This is a president that allows a lot of access,” Conway said. For Priebus, she said, “it requires a lot more physical presence.”

Priebus supporters say he has moved to tighten the reins in the West Wing in recent weeks, leading crisper discussions in his daily 8 a.m. staff meeting and taking a tougher line with those who veer from the day’s plans.

“Reince has been on a learning curve in the executive branch, he’s never been there,” said Chris Ruddy, a friend of Trump’s and among those who have been publicly critical of Priebus. “There’s a settling in that’s taken place.”

The post Reince Priebus a Central Figure in Trump’s White House Drama, AP Says appeared first on The National Herald.

By Eleni Sakellis

NEW YORK – A World of Emotions continues to draw visitors to the Onassis Cultural Center in Midtown Manhattan with fascinating talks and tours of the exhibition featuring such distinguished speakers as co-curator Dr. Angelos Chaniotis and Irish actress and director Fiona Shaw in conversation with philosopher Simon Critchley- the Hans Jonas Professor at the New School for Social Research.

The tour on Wednesday, March 29 offered insights into the ancient Greek art on display that only philosophers and a talented theatre professional could provide. Having trained with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Shaw had performed in several productions, playing Shakespeare’s female characters in the comedies. As her time at the RSC was coming to an end, she was asked to join a production of an ancient Greek tragedy.

The contrast between the female characters in the ancient play and the female characters in Shakespeare is profound. Shaw observed that the women in Greek drama are lost in the universe not only in relation to their husbands, pointing out that some of Shakespeare’s women simply stop talking once they get married.

Playing the role of Electra at a time after Shaw’s own brother was killed in a car accident brought her face to face with the incomprehensibility of death for the first time. She realized about ancient Greek drama that “this stuff is made of granite” and the plays and life are powerfully connected.

The understanding of the emotions, the psychology of the characters transcends time, and Shaw observed that the distance in time makes it easier to relate to the ancient emotions today.

The emotions are, in fact, clearer. Shaw said that in the present, we might not be sure how we feel about a certain politician from day to day, but the emotions in the ancient plays are clear.

In the discussion on the painting of Iphigenia being sacrificed by her father Agamemnon, Shaw noted that this moment sets off all the events of the Oresteia, the only extant ancient Greek trilogy.

First, there is the lie Agamemnon tells Clytemnestra (that Iphigenia is to marry Achilles) so she will bring their daughter to Aulis to be sacrificed so he can go off to the Trojan War, followed by the betrayal and horrific killing of their child which Clytemnestra cannot forgive. Her anger leads her to plot the murder of Agamemnon with her lover Aegisthus.

When Agamemnon returns, he is murdered, as is Cassandra, Orestes returns to avenge his father’s murder and must then commit the unnatural act of murdering his own mother, inciting the wrath of the Furies or Erinyes. The goddess Athena appears at the end to stop the madness. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth punishment is done away with, replaced by nominal punishment for murder, but as Shaw noted “it doesn’t quite work.”

Clytemnestra remains murdered, her death never avenged and in our violent world, Shaw pointed out that most murders are committed by men against women. She compared the appearance of Athena at the end of the Oresteia to the Good FridayAgreement in Northern Ireland, as both say “let’s stop this.” Having visited Northern Ireland recently, Shaw said that, “still, they’re all very cross with each other… In the end, politics is personal. Details matter.”

Shaw is directing an upcoming production of Medea at the Wexford Festival Opera and talked about the process and the fascinating things she discovered in her research on the ancient play and the Cherubini’s opera version of 1797.

The year is significant since the French Revolution was going on at the time, the violence, the guillotine, and the executions of so many people, including Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, along with the story of Medea, remind us that “the line between civilization and barbarism is so thin,” Shaw said. Callas’ Medea also defined the way the role is performed to this day. Shaw observed that now, everyone wants to make their entrance as Medea the way Callas did.

Professor Chaniotis offered his insights into the vase painting depicting the story of Medea, pointing out the extraordinary attention to detail. He observed that the works included in the exhibition are not only beautiful objects but are also meant to be a point of departure, inspiring thought and conversation like that of Critchley and Shaw during the evening’s lively discussion.

More information on the exhibition A World of Emotions, and Let’s Walk, the public conversation series in the gallery at the Onassis Cultural Center, is available online at www.onassisusa.org.

The post Let’s Walk Offers Insights on Emotions at the Onassis Center appeared first on The National Herald.

A Belarusan-American businessman at the center of sensational claims about President Donald Trump – and his associates – having close ties to Russia and alleged hacking of the election have been linked to George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser.

The Washington Post, in a lengthy story, said Sergei Millian Millian told several people that during the campaign and Presidential transition he was in touch with George Papadopoulos, a campaign foreign policy adviser. Millian is among Papadopoulos’s nearly 240 Facebook friends.

The article though also indicated both men had dubious if not shadowy resumes and appeared to be exaggerating their ties to Trump.

Trump had a long-standing relationship with Russian officials, Millian told an associate during the campaign and also alleged they fed Trump damaging information about his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton that Millian said had been “very helpful.”

That’s at the heart of a story earlier that purported Russian had damaging information about Trump including that the candidate, while a businessman visiting Russia, had hired prostitutes at a hotel and that the Kremlin is keeping it to use against him if needed.

That was said to have come from a former British intelligence agent that Millian reportedly had confided in although Trump and his staff said it was “fake news” and a pack of lies.

While the story also said that critics of Millian had dismissed him as a blowhard with little credibility it also indicated that some of his claims had been taken seriously even as the FBI continues to probe whether Russia had essentially hacked the US election.

The Post said Papadopoulos received attention during the campaign largely because of reports that he had exaggerated his résumé and cited among his accomplishments that he had participated in a Model United Nations program for college and graduate students.

Earlier media reports said that Papadopoulos, said to be an energy expert based in London, portrayed himself last year as a Trump campaign representative who had met with a British Foreign Office envoy and had criticized US sanctions on Russia.

Papadopoulos did not respond to the Post’s request for a comment about contacts with Millian but in an email said that his public comments during the campaign reflected his own opinions and that some of his energy policy views run counter to Russian interests. “No one from the campaign ever directed me to discuss ‘talking points,’ ” he said. In a separate email, he accused The Post of relying on “innuendo” and “unsubstantiated claims by irrelevant sources.”

Neither Millian nor a White House spokeswoman responded to questions about Papadopoulos, who said he is the director of the Center for International Energy and Natural Resources Law and Security in London.

According to www.energystreamcmg.com “From March 2011 to September 2015, George Papadopoulos worked as an analyst and researcher at the Hudson Institute in Washington D.C. His research predominantly focused on the geopolitics and energy security changes of both the Caspian and Eastern Mediterranean and their impact on U.S. strategy. George designed the first ever project in Washington, D.C. think tank history on U.S., Greece, Cyprus and Israel relations at a symposium:

But in an earlier story, the Post said that people in energy policy circles in London, Washington and New York said they knew nothing of him.

Almost all his work appears to have revolved around the role of Greece, Cyprus and an Israeli natural gas discovery in the eastern Mediterranean.

Jonathan Stern, Director of Gas Research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, told the paper when asked about Papadopoulos: “He does ring a very faint bell but he’s not written anything very significant on East Mediterranean natural gas and pipelines that I can remember.”

The post Trump Adviser Papadopoulos Ensnared in Russia Contact Story appeared first on The National Herald.

MIAMI – The Original Greek operates from a mobile kitchen in a bright blue food truck that can be found in Wynwood and various locales two hours south or north.

The blue and white Greek flag flaps by the logo depicting a trio of Greek islands in a white sea done like a woodcut print, Miami Herald reports.

Order at the counter and take your food to go or stand and scarf your gyros at one of two high-top tables. The truck is out mostly in late afternoon and evening.

There are plans to move into a permanent location with an expanded menu before the end of the year, with the truck participating in events like the Wynwood art walk and roundups and available for on-site catering.

Greek-American owner Michael Kritikos served in the Greek army to honor his heritage. His parents are from a village on the island of Karpathos between Crete and Rhodes in the Aegean Sea. They emigrated to Cleveland in the early ’60s and both worked in factories until opening street food stalls around the city.

Michael had his own stand in the worst part of town when 13, so he learned street smarts (a family spy kept an eye on him).

He studied international marketing at the University of Akron and did some import export business but ended up helping a good friend open a Mediterranean restaurant in the Little Italy of Cleveland. In 2011 he came to Fort Lauderdale to run an exclusive restaurant and club.

When the food truck trend hit he invested in a custom-built truck with a kitchen he designed.

The post Michael Kritikos Sells Gyros in Wynwood on Original Greek Food Truck appeared first on The National Herald.

By Stephanie Nikolopoulos

In an intimate award gala at the 3 West Club on March 29, the officers and directors of the Association of the Greek American Professional Women (AGAPW) honored and awarded Dr. Miranda Kofinas as Greek American Woman of the Year.

Penelope Tsilas, the 2012 Woman of the Year winner, served as Emcee. Tsilas then invited Nancy Papaionnou, president of Atlantic Bank and chairman of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, to introduce Dr. Kofinas. Recalling how she first met Kofinas, Papaionnou said, “it was the first time I met with an outstanding doctor who became one of my best friends.”

Originally from Kiato, Greece, Kofinas graduated from Athens Medical School before moving with her husband to New York, where she trained in pediatrics at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital.

She then completed a two-year fellowship in neonatology at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, which led to her work caring for sick and premature newborns. Since retiring, Kofinas became involved in philanthropic work and currently serves as the president of the Archdiocesan Cathedral Philoptochos Society in New York.

AGAPW then turned its focus on the younger generation of emerging Greek-American talent. The founder and president of the not-for-profit corporation, Dr. Olga Alexakos, awarded an Excellence Tuition Scholarship of $3000 to Marina Elizabeth Grabda. “This scholarship will help me so much in my medical career,” said Grabda, who is currently studying nursing at New York University.

Alexakos revealed that the Syracuse, NY native seeks to go on to study “discrepancies in the Greek healthcare system in addressing mental healthcare.”

The event coincided with National Women’s History Month in the United States, and the accomplishments of the women awardedas well as those who provided entertainment – soprano Nikoleta Rallis and actress Anna Tsoukala – indicated the high level of achievement made by Greek women in this country. There is always room for improvement, though, and Tsilas noted, “Certainly we also know we still have a long way to go.”

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Some Utah restaurants are counting down the days until a new liquor law takes effect this summer, allowing them to take down walls and partitions that prevent customers from seeing their alcoholic drinks being mixed and poured.

The requirement that drinks be prepared behind a barrier, which are often glass walls or back rooms, has long been a sore spot for the hospitality industry in the heavily Mormon state.

At Salt Lake City’s upscale Greek eatery Manoli’s, several of the barstools at the counter leave customers staring at a colorful glass wall during their meal. Manoli Katsanevas, the chef and owner, said he’d like to take the wall down and instead reconfigure his relatively small dining room.

He doesn’t have room to set up a 10-foot buffer zone like Current Fish & Oyster does, but another option under the new law lets him swap a Zion Curtain for a 5-foot, child-free zone that’s fenced off by a low wall.

But Katsanevas said he doesn’t know yet if state officials will measure the 5-foot zone from the area where drinks are prepared or if they will measure from the entire length of the bar. If it’s the latter, he’ll have to keep up his Zion Curtain.

The barriers are nicknamed Zion Curtains, a reference to the influence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which plays an influential role in state liquor policy and teaches its members to avoid alcohol.

Proponents say the barriers discourage underage drinking by hiding the “glamour” of bartending from children. Critics say they make for strange setups in restaurants, requiring staff to walk covert drinks out to customers, who then drink them in full view of other patrons — including kids.

A law signed by the governor this week allows restaurants to take down the barriers starting July 1 if they keep those under 21 from sitting close to bars. It also requires all restaurants to make no more than 30 percent of their sales from alcohol and ensure that customers ordering drinks also order food.

Both requirements only apply to some Utah establishments now.

Here’s a look at how some restaurants will adapt:

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TAKE DOWN THE CURTAIN

At Current Fish & Oyster, a swanky downtown Salt Lake City restaurant, a frosted glass wall covering a long, glossy bar will come down at midnight July 1, said Joel LaSalle, one of the restaurant’s owners.

“Not only is it ugly and covers up a beautiful bar, but it’s costing us thousands of dollars in sales each month,” LaSalle said.

Without the glass panels, customers could have a more pleasant experience at the bar, drinking and chatting with the bartender — who under the current setup, mixes cocktails in a glass cubicle, LaSalle said. Under the new law, LaSalle can take down the glass panels if he doesn’t seat children within 10 feet of his bar.

RESTAURANTS BECOME BARS

East Liberty Tap House, a neighborhood pub that focuses on craft beers and classic bar food, has a certain type of Utah liquor license that doesn’t require a Zion Curtain and allows them to make 40 percent of their sales from alcohol.

Owner Scott Evans said the Tap House can’t meet the new law’s requirement that alcohol sales don’t exceed 30 percent of their business, so the restaurant will have to instead be treated like a bar. That means the restaurant will no longer be able to let minors in and will have to start electronically scanning identification at the door for anyone who looks younger than 35.

“We’ll lose all the family business,” Evans said.

The post New Law to End Hidden Bartending for Utah restaurants; Greek Owner Talks to AP appeared first on The National Herald.