“Daddy”

 BY SYLVIA PLATH

You do not do, you do not do   

Any more, black shoe 

In which I have lived like a foot   

For thirty years, poor and white,   

Barely daring to breathe or Achoo. 

Daddy, I have had to kill you.   

You died before I had time—— 

Marble-heavy, a bag full of God,   

Ghastly statue with one gray toe   

Big as a Frisco seal 

And a head in the freakish Atlantic   

Where it pours bean green over blue   

In the waters off beautiful Nauset.   

I used to pray to recover you. 

Ach, du. 

In the German tongue, in the Polish town   

Scraped flat by the roller 

Of wars, wars, wars. 

But the name of the town is common.   

My Polack friend 

Says there are a dozen or two.   

So I never could tell where you   

Put your foot, your root, 

I never could talk to you. 

The tongue stuck in my jaw. 

It stuck in a barb wire snare.   

Ich, ich, ich, ich, 

I could hardly speak. 

I thought every German was you.   

And the language obscene 

An engine, an engine 

Chuffing me off like a Jew. 

A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen.   

I began to talk like a Jew. 

I think I may well be a Jew. 

The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna   

Are not very pure or true. 

With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck   

And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack 

I may be a bit of a Jew. 

I have always been scared of you,

With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo.   

And your neat mustache 

And your Aryan eye, bright blue. 

Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You—— 

Not God but a swastika 

So black no sky could squeak through.   

Every woman adores a Fascist,   

The boot in the face, the brute   

Brute heart of a brute like you. 

You stand at the blackboard, daddy,   

In the picture I have of you, 

A cleft in your chin instead of your foot   

But no less a devil for that, no not   

Any less the black man who 

Bit my pretty red heart in two. 

I was ten when they buried you.   

At twenty I tried to die 

And get back, back, back to you. 

I thought even the bones would do. 

But they pulled me out of the sack,   

And they stuck me together with glue.   

And then I knew what to do. 

I made a model of you, 

A man in black with a Meinkampf look 

And a love of the rack and the screw.   

And I said I do, I do. 

So daddy, I’m finally through. 

The black telephone’s off at the root,   

The voices just can’t worm through. 

If I’ve killed one man, I’ve killed two—— 

The vampire who said he was you   

And drank my blood for a year, 

Seven years, if you want to know. 

Daddy, you can lie back now. 

There’s a stake in your fat black heart   

And the villagers never liked you. 

They are dancing and stamping on you.   

They always knew it was you. 

Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.

Σύλβια Πλαθ


Daddy 

Δεν κάνεις πια, δεν κάνεις πια
Παλιό παπούτσι
Που μέσα του σαν πόδι έχω ζήσει
Τριάντα χρόνια τώρα φτωχό και λευκό,
Τολμώντας μόλις να πάρω ανάσα ή να φταρνιστώ.

Έπρεπε να σε σκοτώσω, μπαμπά
Όμως προτού προλάβω είχες πεθάνει–
Μαρμάρινος, ένα τσουβάλι μπουκωμένο με Θεό,
Άγαλμα στοιχειωμένο με ένα γκρίζο δάχτυλο
Μεγάλο σαν φώκια του Φρίσκο

Και το κεφάλι μέσα στο φρικτό Ατλαντικό
Όπου βρέχει πράσινη βροχή στο κυανό
Πέρα από τα νερά του ωραίου Νουαζέτ.
Προσευχόμουν να σε ξαναβρώ.
Ach, du.

Στη γλώσσα τη γερμανική, σε μια πολωνική πολίχνη
Ισοπεδωμένη από τον οδοστρωτήρα
Πολέμων, πολέμων, πολέμων.
Μα το όνομα της πολίχνης είναι κοινό.
Ο Πολωνός μου φίλος

Λέει πως υπάρχουνε ντουζίνες, μία ή δυο.
Κι έτσι ποτέ δεν μπορούσα να πω
Πού πάτησες το πόδι σου, οι ρίζες σου πούθε κρατούν
Δε θα μπορέσω ποτέ να σου μιλήσω.
Η γλώσσα μου κολλάει στον ουρανίσκο.

Μαγκώνει σε μια ακάνθινη συρμάτινη παγίδα.
Ιch, ich, ich, ich,
Ήμουν σχεδόν χωρίς φωνή.
Και νόμιζα πως κάθε Γερμανός ήσουν εσύ.
Και η γλώσσα είναι αισχρή

Μια μηχανή, μια μηχανή
Που με μασούσε σαν Εβραίο.
Έναν Εβραίο στο Νταχάου, στο Άουσβιτς, στο Μπέλσεν.
Άρχισα σαν Εβραίος να μιλώ.
Νομίζω πως μπορεί να είμαι Εβραία.

Τα χιόνια του Τιρόλου, της Βιένης η διάφανη μπίρα
Δεν είναι τόσο αγνά κι αληθινά.
Με την τσιγγάνα προγονό μου και το κακό μου ριζικό
Και τα χαρτιά μου τα ταρό, και τα χαρτιά μου τα ταρό
Ίσως και να 'μαι λιγάκι Εβραία.

Και ξέρεις, πάντα σε φοβόμουν
Με τη Luftwaffe σου και τα παράσημα σου.
Το τακτικό μουστάκι σου
Και τα αριά σου μάτια, γαλάζια φωτεινά.
Panzer-man, panzer-man, Ω εσύ —

Που Θεός δεν είσαι αλλά σβάστικα
Κατάμαυρη, που δεν τη διαπερνάει ο ουρανόs. 
Κάθε γυναίκα λατρεύει έναν φασίστα,
Την μπότα στα μούτρα, του κτήνους την καρδιά
Του κτήνους, ενός κτήνους σαν εσένα

Σε ένα μαυροπίνακα στέκεσαι, μπαμπά,
Στη φωτογραφία που κρατώ,
Ένα σημάδι στο σαγόνι αντί στο πόδι,
Αλλά δεν είσαι λιγότερο διάβολος γι' αυτό,
Όχι λιγότερο από το σκοτεινό άντρα

Που την όμορφη πορφυρή καρδιά μου έκοψε στα δυο.
Ήμουν δέκα χρονώ όταν σε βάλανε στον τάφο.
Και στα είκοσι προσπάθησα να σκοτωθώ
Για να σε ξαναβρώ, για να σε ξαναβρώ.
Μπορούσα ακόμα και στα κόκαλα σου να αρκεστώ.

Αλλά με έσυραν έξω από το λάκκο
Και με κόλλα με ένωσαν ξανά.
Τότε όμως τι να κάνω ήξερα πια.
Έφτιαξα λοιπόν ένα μοντέλο από σένα,
Έναν άντρα με μαύρα και ύφος Meinkampf

Κι έναν έρωτα τροχό μαρτυρίων.
Και είπα δέχομαι, δέχομαι.
Κι έτσι ξόφλησα, μπαμπά.
Το μαύρο τηλέφωνο ξεριζωμένο,
Και οι φωνές δε φτάνουν μέχρι εδώ

Αν σκότωσα ένα αρσενικό, σκότωσα δυο–
Το βρικόλακα που έμοιαζε σε σένα
Και μου 'πινε ολοχρονίς το αίμα,
Εφτά χρονιές, αν θες να ξέρεις.
Ησύχασε τώρα, μπαμπά

Υπάρχει ένα παλούκι στη μαύρη σου καρδιά,
Και οι χωρικοί δε σε χώνεψαν ποτέ.
Χορεύουν τώρα και σε ποδοπατούν.
Ήξεραν πάντα ότι ήσουν εσύ.
Μπαμπά, μπαμπά, μπάσταρδε, με σένα έχω ξοφλήσει πια

Meet the Greek behind Stix

Meet the Greek behind Stix

What do most people remember about their first visit to Shake Shack, the famous patty-flipping roadside stand? Probably the taste of their delicious burger and the long line that stretched out the door and around the block.

 

But if you ask Stathis Antonakopoulos, he will tell you about his Epiphany moment - the light bulb moment he realized he could apply this “burgers - only better” concept to the traditional Greek souvlaki on a stick. 

 

Born and raised in Athens, Antonakopoulos has been surrounded by a family in the restaurant business all his life (his parents own a restaurant in Greece) and he’s had years of experience in the food business - he previously served as director of operations for the Kellari Hospitality Group.

 

About two months ago, Antonakopoulos opened STIX Mediterranean Grill on 23rd Street in New York. And what he did was give a fresh new preservative-free twist to the age-old kebab concept.

 

“Just like Danny Myers [the New York restaurateur behind Shake Shack] took one of the oldest concepts in the United States - a cheeseburger and a shake - and gave it a higher quality, better packaging and presentation and made it into a successful business grossing over 150 million dollars a year worldwide, I got an Epiphany and asked myself why the Greeks can’t do the same,” says Antonakopoulos. 

 

“The idea of the souvlaki came to me right away and I started thinking about ways to make it better - without all the blue and white Parthenon columns,” he adds. “I thought of ways to make it hip and young.” 

 

Not just another souvlaki place

 

At first his friends thought he was crazy. New York - a city where 80% of all new restaurants fail - didn’t need another souvlaki place. But that was where they were wrong because Antonakopoulos was not thinking about opening “another” souvlaki restaurant.

 

“My idea was to open up a souvlaki place with a whole new twist,” he says. “Today, people are very pleasantly surprised when they come to STIX for the first time. Even our Greek friends are surprised.”

 

 

Asked to describe his restaurant, Antonakopoulos says the concept is simple: Mediterranean cuisine, casual space, high quality food and very affordable price. 

 

Open daily from seven o’clock in the morning to midnight, Antonakopoulos says STIX offers a genuine Mediterranean lifestyle experience - from your morning coffee, fresh juice and Greek yogurt, to your afternoon salad and your cocktails, wines and unique tapas-style dining experience at night. And almost everything is served on a stick. Forks are optional.

 

 

“We are also breaking the traditional way of ordering and thinking at a restaurant,” he says. “It’s not only a different concept but a different kind of food. Everything we have on the menu is on a stick. It has been amazing to see that people love it.” 

 

As for the coffee, STIX boasts one of New York’s best Espresso bars. It was designed by world champion baristaStefanos Domatiotis from Athens. Another Greek, Nick Stavrakakis, an award-winning chef from Crete, is in the kitchen. 

 

“Our menu is simple,” he says. “We Greeks are used to going to a restaurant in Greece and ordering tapas-style. It’s a different concept here in the United States, but people love it. We are also very proud of the quality of our ingredients here at STIX. A lot of work went into finding the best.”

 

The chicken, he says is 100% organic from a free-range farm in Pennsylvania. 

 

But the real secret to his success is finding the right mix of staff and leading by example. First impressions matter very much to Antonakopoulos.  

 

“We strive to give our guests - this is how I see my customers - a unique experience and the chance to get to know the Mediterranean lifestyle.”

 

New York’s 23rd Avenue STIX soon won’t be alone. Antonakopoulos is planning to open open two more STIX in other parts of the city by the end of the year. 

 

“I’m not just building a restaurant,” he says. “I’m building a concept and a family.”

Help Fund NYC Billboard to Promote Tourism in Greece

Dear Friends,

As most of you may know, some friends of mine have launched a crowdfunding advertising campaign, to help fund a New York city billboard that will advertise Greek tourism. The campaign will last 20 days and the billboard will be up in April.

This aim of the initiative is twofold. On one hand it wants to promote tourism through the advertising campaign and the discussions it will create. On the other hand it is meant to inspire more Greek people to take positive initiatives to help their own country.

If you would like to support this cause, even 20 dollars matter and will make a difference , you can help us by doing the following three things:

1) Go to http://www.loudsauce.com/campaigns/62 and contribute with your credit card any amount you feel comfortable with

2) Like our page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for updates

3) Spread this message to those friends, colleagues or email lists you think this message is relevant

For more information on this initiative, please see here: www.upgreektourism.gr

REMEMBER : ʽ°It always seems impossible until its done.ʽ± Nelson Mandela

Many thanks and please keep in touch!

JAZZ MEDITERRANEO, NYC GREEK FILM FESTIVAL

5TH ANNUAL NYC GREEK FILM FESTIVAL SINGING IN THE MOVIESA

Recipe: Mediterranean Fish Chowder With Potatoes and Black Kale

Mediterranean Fish Chowder With Potatoes and Black Kale

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

There is no reason to spend lots of money on expensive fish when you’re making a soup like this. Look for chowder fish, which are cut-up chunks of fish that sell for a much lower price than fillets and steaks, though they are equally fresh. I find excellent-quality Pacific cod chowder fish in the frozen department at Trader Joe’s.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

Salt to taste

2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

4 anchovy fillets, soaked in water for 4 minutes, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 quart water

1 pound fingerling or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced

A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a strip of orange zest, a couple of sprigs each thyme and parsley, and a dried red chili if desired, tied together with a string

Generous pinch of saffron (optional)

Freshly ground pepper

1 bunch (10 to 12 ounces) black kale, stemmed and washed thoroughly in 2 changes of water

1 1/2 pounds firm, white-fleshed fish, like halibut, tilapia, Pacific cod or black cod, cut in 2- or 3-inch pieces

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and stir in the garlic, anchovies and chopped parsley. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is very fragrant, another minute or two, and add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and the mixture smells aromatic, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the water, potatoes, salt to taste and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add the saffron, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste, adjust salt and add pepper to taste. Remove the bouquet garni.

2. While the soup is simmering, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the kale. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still colorful. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely and set aside.

3. Shortly before serving, season the fish with salt and pepper and stir into the soup, along with the kale. The soup should not be boiling vigorously. Simmer 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets), or just until the fish flakes easily when poked. Remove from the heat, taste once more and adjust seasonings, and serve.

Yield: 6 servings.

Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 2 up to 3 days ahead. Keep in the refrigerator, bring back to a simmer and proceed with the recipe.

Nutritional information per serving: 280 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 58 milligrams cholesterol; 30 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 438 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 27 grams protein

Articles: Unleash the Power of Technology: How Museums Can Create Engaging Experiences

Hello, One of my friends Lilia Ziamou start writting in Huffington Post, i want to wish her good luck and may her journey to Ithaka be long...

Enjoy the article

Stathis

Unleash the Power of Technology:

How Museums Can Create Engaging Experiences

How is technology changing the way we experience a museum? And what technologies are likely to create engaging experiences for a museum's audience? I've been thinking about museum audiences and engagement for some time now and had these questions in mind while visiting various exhibitions in NYC. Checking out a museum's website or Facebook site can definitely enhance visitors' overall experience with the museum, but I was primarily interested in experiences that enhance people's engagement during their visit.

In my recent trips, I was especially impressed by two exhibitions that are using interactive technologies to build audience engagement: Modernist Art from India: The Body Unbound at the Rubin Museum of Art, and Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration at the American Museum of Natural History. Although the exhibitions in these two museums are of very different nature, they both use novel ways to engage visitors with interactive technologies.
The Rubin Museum of Art uses QR (Quick Response) codes to increase visitors' engagement. Although QR codes are ubiquitous, they are very rare at art museums. In the case of the current exhibition Modernist Art from India: The Body Unbound, scanning the QR codes provides visitors with an interactive timeline that presents significant events in modern Indian art and in modern Indian History through photographs and video. What makes this so engaging?
First, technology is 'cool.' This is what a group of college students told me. They were visiting the museum for a class assignment and they noticed the QR codes as they were coming up the stairs and entering the exhibition space. Because technology is perceived as edgy and cool, it has the same effect on its surroundings.
Second, technology enhances the viewing experience itself. In this case, it allowed the viewers to act and interact in a space they expected to experience in a rather passive manner. They came to 'see' the paintings, as they said, and all of a sudden they were getting involved by using an interactive technology. And that made the exhibition more exciting to them.
Third, museum visitors can often be intimidated by their lack of knowledge. Technology can be used to draw in even first time visitors. This group of students had no familiarity with the art, but they were familiar with the technology. The QR code was a familiar element in a new context and this made the information interesting and enhanced their overall experience.

At the American Museum of Natural History, Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration features multiple interactive technologies to create an immersive viewer experience. How do interactive technologies achieve this goal?
First, technology can be empowering for the viewer. The museum uses an interactive display, the Mars terraforming table, that engages visitors by enabling them to transform Mars into an Earth-like Planet.
Second, technology enhances the viewer engagement by enabling the process of discovery. The museum uses an interactive tabletop that allows visitors to explore the landscape in Mars. For example, zooming on craters and volcanoes created an immersive experience.
Third, technology can be leveraged to create a multisensory experience. Consider an exhibition that describes in words how the Moon smells. By clever use of technology, simply pushing a button allows the visitor to actually experience the smell. This enhanced the overall viewing experience by engaging different senses.
These are really exciting times for museums. By going beyond traditional design, museums can leverage technologies to transform visitor experience.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lilia-ziamou/unleash-the-power-of-tech_b_1241768.html?view=screen

Lilia Ziamou

Sculptor and New Media Artist, Academic,Graduate Student at ITP/NYU/Tisch School of the Arts

Food: Recipe: Greek Salad Sandwich

Hello my friends,

I came across this recipe last summer, when I was bored of eating a Greek salad every other day. I do love sandwiches and I am never uninterested of trying something new. So once I tried it it was an instant hit. Very easy to make and a healthy alternative to the Greek Salad enjoy!

 Ingredients:

·         2 tomatoes, ripe but firm, 1 thin sliced, 1 cut in small cubes
·         2 oz. cucumber, thin sliced
·         2 oz. green pepper (about 1/2 small pepper), seeded and thinly sliced
·         1 slice red onion, cut in half, rings separated, rinsed and drained (optional)
·         1 tablespoon crumbled feta (about 1/2 ounce)
·         1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
·         1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
·         2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
·         Salt and freshly ground pepper (optional)
·         2 small (3 1/2-inch) whole-wheat English muffins, lightly toasted
·         2 teaspoons mayonnaise
·         Dijon mustard (optional)

Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, feta and mint. Toss with the vinegar and olive oil. Season if desired with salt and pepper.

2. Spread the bottom half of an English muffin with half the mayonnaise. Layer half of the sliced tomato on top. Top with half the Greek salad mixture. Spread the top half of an English muffin with mustard if desired, and place on top of the salad. Press down, cut in half and serve. Alternately, you may wrap the sandwich in plastic and refrigerate. Use the remaining ingredients for a second sandwich.

Yield: Two sandwiches.

Advance preparation: The sandwiches will keep well for a day. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in a bag. Keep cold if possible.

Nutritional information per serving:
258 calories; 2 grams saturated fat;
1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat;
8 milligrams cholesterol; 34 grams carbohydrates;
7 grams dietary fiber; 352 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste);
8 grams protein