Pécs2010 European Capital of Culture Opening Ceremony

Pécs2010 European Capital of Culture Opening Ceremony was held at Szechenyi Square in the historic heart of Pecs starting at 6pm on 10 January, 2010.

The program highlighted some of the major episodes of the history of Pecs, featuring music and dance performances, light show and fireworks and a final song performed by a choir of celebrity singers.

Good luck, Pecs and may this year bring us closer through art and culture.

Under the Greenwood Tree

Are you looking for a heart-warming film for a cold and dark winter evening? I can but recommend the BBC’s 2005 adaptation of Under the Greenwood Tree made of Thomas Hardy’s novel of the same title. The cast features Keeley Hawes as Fancy Day and James Murray as Dick Dewey. It tells the story of Fancy Day, the new schoolmistress in Mellstock, hired by the town parson. Her beauty and charm bewitch three very different men, all of whom are attempting to win her hand in marriage. But whom will she choose in the end: the rich but gruff farmer, the educated but pretentious vicar or the dashing but socially inferior carrier?

What I found absolutely amazing about the film was the chemistry between the two main characters; it simply made the screen sizzle. Since the film Out of Africa came out, we know that washing a woman’s hair can be insanely sexy. Now, this film proves that washing hands in the same basin can also be an extremely sensual experience.

Although the screenplay slightly changed some elements of the novel (e.g. in the film, Fancy does not marry with "a secret she would never tell"), it is a delightful and straightforward romantic tale that – for a change – does not reflect Hardy’s famous pessimism and melancholy. I daresay that it is the most enjoyable romantic drama since BBC’s highly acclaimed Pride and Prejudice.

Cheers to a New Year

Happy New Year, everyone! Not being a party girl, my New Year’s Eve is going to be as quiet as ever. Although I am usually of a cheerful disposition, at this time of the year, strangely enough, some sort of a melancholic mood comes over me… So, perhaps it’s no wonder that my favourite New Year song is Happy New Year by ABBA.


After a little walk in my hometown, I decided to create some smörgåsar or if you prefer the Danish term to the Swedish one, smørrebrød (open sandwiches). Unfortunately, my family is not too keen on fish or seafood so I was faced with the ultimate challenge of how to create a variegated selection in both color and taste. Well, I think in the end, my attempt was quite successful.



Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

/Lord Alfred Tennyson/

When Christmas is over

I wish Christmas had lasted a bit longer. It went by way too fast again. Although brightening up my breakfast with the delicious leftovers of our Christmas feast has not brought the fairy dust of Christmas Eve back, it may keep the ‘spirit’ going a bit longer. (Let’s say for one more day, because then I am officially done eating leftovers.)

Merry Christmas

"Let’s reconnect with old friends.
Meet new friends.
Eat candy cane till our stomach hurt.
Hand-deliver all our holiday cards.
Let’s sing “Jingle Bells” in the shower.
Exchange good stories instead of gifts.
Leave lettuce for the reindeer.
Let’s put tinsel in the bathroom.
Compliment Mom on her cooking.
Wear a novelty sweater.
Make a mistletoe hat.
Let’s give fruitcake a second chance.
Bake Christmas cake for our dog.
Start a new tradition.
Let’s make red and green the new black.
Pour eggnog on our cereal.
Let’s remember what it is all about.

It’s time to spread some holiday cheer."

/Starbucks Christmas ad, 2004/

Eco Chic Gift Wrapping

I have always been the type of girl who spens serious money on expensive, luscious wrapping papers and ribbons. And in a way, all the effort and money is just down the drain when the paper is torn off and discarded. Not to mention all the trees that had to be cut. On the internet, there are many great ideas on how to turn scrap paper (e.g. like pages from a book of sheet music, comics books, maps, calendars, magazines, etc.) into unique wrapping paper or use furoshiki (Japanese wrapping art) made of scarves, handkerchiefs, vintage trimmings, etc. So, this year I gave it a try and used some old magazines and calendars for wrapping my Christmas gifts.

Here are some of my favourite ideas on how to use scrap pieces of paper in an amazingly creative way:
Boak Art
Martha Stewart

It's Hard to Fill in Santa's Shoes

In the United States, children hang their socks at the fireplace for Santa to fill them with gifts during the overnight hours of Christmas Eve, 24th December. However, Santa reaches Hungary a bit earlier – it would be hard for him to cover the entire world in one go, right? – and visits us on his Feast Day, 6th December (Saint Nicholas Day). On this day, he is less generous though than at Christmas and leaves only some sweets and knick-knacks in the clean boots/shoes (you have to be very particular about polishing them the day before!) of children who behaved well during the year. Whereas, naughty kids are given some wooden sticks by Santa’s side-kick called Krampus.

In the shops, there are so many cheap-looking Christmas gift stockings at this time of the year; one wonders who buys them and most importantly, why. It makes a lot more sense to rather invest into some whimsical footsies for your tootsies. At least, they can be used. Most of them can even accommodate a smaller gift, and if you buy more than one, there will surely be enough room for everything you may be given. So, let’s take a look at what people around the world wear on their feet indoors and which stores carry the cutest pairs.

Britain – Albert slippers Charles Gale
Germany – Pantoffeln Adelheid
Hungary – szegedi papucs (slippers from Szeged) László Ormándi
Japan – tabi Rakuten
Russia – valenki Olga Chernikova