Everything Greek!

[JustinHesychast]

Opa! Today was my first Greekfest ever! :D It was nothing short of amazinggg! I invited my Ecology teacher, and for her second time she came! It was awesome. I basically washed trays and picked trays up from the dropoff station. It was really bad between 5:30 and 8. At 7:50 and I went to eat. I had Spanakopita which I now am fully in love with! I also had Greek Fries. Tomorrow when I go I am having a Gyro Sandwich and Saganaki.

I tried Baklava for the first time! And... talk about disappointment. I also tried this one thing that was with butter and eggs and other such, and didn't care for it either. But I absolutely LOVE the Kourambeides! Tomorrow I am definitely trying the Kouloouria. I would've tried some today but they only come by the dozen.

I'd love to try some Greek wine... but alas! :swoon:

I'm debating Kafenion. I dislike coffee, but who knows about Greek coffee? I may fall in love!

The dancing was nothing short of awesome! But I can't believe warriors danced that, the guys looked like such pansies. :P But the dancing was fantastic! And the music! Whoa!

It was just... AHH! Awesomeness. Sheer amazingly awesomeness. I am wore out, and I kind of dread going back tomorrow (this time for 9 hours instead of 6!).

Oh! And I went on the church tour and found out a lot more about church architecture and some more symbolism inside the church itself (which is stunning). Hopefully I will be able to meet Father John Kostas tomorrow.

Lastly, I bought an icon of St. George to commemorate this day and weekend at St. George Greek Church Greekfest and God's allowing me to go. I did face temptations with the Greek dancing... but I had a lot of fun and they eventually went away!

I almost want to say that Greece has a better culture the the Southern USA. But not quite. :P

w00t! Er, I mean... OPA! :D

[Thekla]

what a victory !!

[Nichole]

Awhhhh................I am so glad you had a great time! Yes, Greek culture is 10 times better then Southern culture. How could you even compare? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The kourambeides are one of my favorite!!!! Baklava...........DISAPPOINTED? How could you say such a thing? LOL! Maybe you should try the Turkish kind then........LOL! Or there is other Mediterranean baklava out there too. Like ones that are not sooooooooooooo drenched in syrup (or honey)! Anyway...........you will have a good time tomorrow too!

[nutroll]

I tried Baklava for the first time! And... talk about disappointment.

Yeah, I never liked it either. But I've never mentioned it here as I think it the deliciousness of Baklava is considered Dogma by many people here, and I didn't want to be branded a heretic.... Glad you had a good time. Have fun tomorrow!

[MariaRegina]

Baklava -- disapointing?

What happened? You no lika nuts?

[JustinHesychast]

I like nuts well enough. And I heart honey. I just... baklava sucked. :P Enough said! :P

I am sooo getting mom to come tomorrow or Sunday. I shall lure her in with Greek music and dancing since she loves other world cultures. Then "Oh, mom, look! Time for church tour!" Cause aside from the literal Body and Blood they talk about, she'll see not only the astounding beauty of the church but she will hear how normal it is.

[Nichole]

Good plan. :) Hope she goes!!!!!! I will pray! :crosseo:

[Dorothea]

Awesome, Justin! Before I was on a hypoglcymic diet, I'd had baklava when I was pretty young, adolescent or so and didn't like it too much, but I didn't like nuts at that time or honey. Now, I can't have it because it's too sugary. LOL

[cassc]

hmmm, I am more of a lukamatha fan but in general I don't eat much dessert, spanakopita on the other hand is like a food group to me!!

[KoolKat]

wow, another person got Greekified.......

(except for the baklava thing, i don't really like baklave either!)

[Protoevangel]

:) :cool: :amen: :clap: :yum:

[TrueHope]

HAHA.....This simple American girl, has become Greek, and I will take the Greek culture over any American culture any day!!!! The Food is to die for .....Literally! If I could eat what I wanted...(Thank God for an extremely sensitive stomach) I'd be 1000lbs!!! ;) ^_^

As for dancing....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaaBooz7aEg

There is nothing MORE appealing than men doing the Pontic dance! I think they have the BEST costumes/styles and music, by far....I can't get enough of it!!!! And it is a Man's dance!!! :clap: :ebil: :clap:

[Dorothea]

Cool video, True. I've never seen that dance before. :)

[TrueHope]

One more video...I could listen to this voice forever! It reminds me of Native American passion in the music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-bL-ZtoBIA

[Vasileios]

Well, I have to defend Crete:
We have the definitive awesome dance/music. The equivalent of speed metal in greek folk dancing: I give you pentozalis!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWbUXGSEd7I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNDFCOqPCj8

[ma2000]

Come on! No hasapiko?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8tcKVpyd2Y
No zeibekiko?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIsLqJuDQ74
:)

[Philothei]

One more video...I could listen to this voice forever! It reminds me of Native American passion in the music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-bL-ZtoBIA
this specific war dance is called Pyrohoos and its origin is Ancient Greece. This is a very special "old dance" :)
(little things I know about dances from Pontos which is Trabezon area in modern time Turkey)

There are more islander music like the traditional sirtaki .... could not resist the ultimate men's dance..

with the most mythical actor of Antony Quinn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndPJRh_K2yc


God bless,
Philothei

[Komnenos]

About the Pontic dance, The men would dance it before they would go into battle. The shaking you see represents their rage toward their enemy. (From my Pontic friend Sakis)

[MrJim]

Thanks for the reminder~our local Antiochian Orthodox (http://www.rdrop.com/~/stmary/) congregation is having an open house next week, wanna go, and I DO like baklava:yum:

[fuerein]

Just got back from the Greek Festival at Saint Sophia. Had a really tasty greek sausage called luokaniko. It's made with orange peel and has a really interesting orange flavor. Never really expected to ever have a sausage that tasted like an orange. :)

[Shubunkin]

I tried Baklava for the first time! And... talk about disappointment.

Don't worry. I tried some baklava at a Greek festival a few years ago, and it tasted terrible. We could tell they had frozen it for a while, and the taste was ruined. It is quite sweet with that honey as ingredient. Fresh baklava tastes wonderful only if you like honey and nuts.

[JustinHesychast]

I like honey. The only nuts I like are almonds and cashews.

OPA! OPA! :D

Another fun exhausting day at Greekfest! Getting ready for another tomorrow!

OPA!

Anyone want to guess my new favorite word? :P

[nutroll]

I like honey. The only nuts I like are almonds and cashews.

OPA! OPA! :D

Another fun exhausting day at Greekfest! Getting ready for another tomorrow!

OPA!

Anyone want to guess my new favorite word? :P

Is it telephony? because that's a great word.

[JustinHesychast]

Psht.

Opa is the best word ever. Closely followed is the word defenestration. :P

[Nichole]

:D OPA OPA OPA OPA OPA OPA OPA OPA OPA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is that enough said? LOL! :P I am so glad you are able to go and that you are having a good time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shubunkin]

This is a fun thread. ^_^

[Thekla]

oooooOOOOOO- Pa !

(hey -- thanks everyone for the splendid dance/music selections :clap:)


I'm still cleaning my kid's dance costumes from last weeks festival ^_^

[Nichole]

Ohhhhhhhhhh PA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *doing that hand thing they do when they say it in the movie* LOL!

[ma2000]

I only ate baklava with pistachio. Yum. But it was so sweet that I could only eat two :)

[Komnenos]

"I said I think I'm turning Greek I said I think I'm turning Greek I really think so!"
My Irish friend Brendon

[MariaRegina]

There is an Irishman, Fr. Brendon, who became a Greek Orthodox Priest. How Greek can one get?

[Nichole]

Ok........our Greek Festival is October 18, 19, and 20 !!!!!!! WOOT WOOT !!!!!!!! :clap: After church the kids were practicing their Greek dancing (Zorba and others). SOOOOOO EXCITED for it!!! WOOT WOOT OPA !!!!!!!!!!!!!! :clap: