Sep 2009 issue

Transcription

Sep 2009 issue

INSIDE
Journalist tells of his time in
Iranian Jail
page 4
Jim Gianopulos and
Nia Vardalos at the LAGFF
page 9
W E S T E R N G R E E K A M E R I C A N N E W S M O N T H LY
V O L . X X X V, N O . 9 Students’ journey to the
Ecumenical Patriarchate
SEPTEMBER 2009
2
Hellenic Journal September 2009
S a n F r a n c i s c o ’s On l y Gre e k Food Fe st iv a l
Founded in 1975
Board of Directors
• Fanis Economidis, President
• John Gumas, Vice President
• Ted Laliotis, Secretary
• Anthony T. Saris, CPA, Treasurer
• Kenneth Frangadakis, D.D.S.
• George M. Marcus
• Steve Padis
• Gary M. Vrionis
Managing Editor
• Frosene Phillips
Advisory Editorial Board
• Rev. John Bakas, Dean,
St. Sophia Cathedral
• Robert Bruce, Community
Newspapers, Editor Emeritus
• George Korkos, M.D.
• Markos Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis,
Journalist
• Virginia Lagiss, Educator
• Mort Levine, Community Newspapers,
Publisher
• Professor Pan Yotopoulos
The Hellenic Journal
Founder and Publisher,
the late Frank Agnost
Athens Correspondents
• Greg Mazarakis
• Alekos Rigas
U.S. Correspondents
• Theodora Dracopoulos Argue
• Athan Karras
• Mavis Manus
Special Correspondents
•Athan Bezaitis
• Ceil Koplos
• Dena Kouremetis • Virginia Lagiss
• Willard Manus
• Terry Phillips
Greek Language Advisor
• Elena Vlahu
Art Director
• Tula Asselanis
Advertising
• Yvonne Banis
• Teresa Basham
• Angie Leventis
Administrative Director
• Joanna Phillips
THE HELLENIC JOURNAL
is published monthly for
$40 per year by the
Western Hellenic Journal, Inc.,
a non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation,
99 Shotwell Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Western Hellenic Journal, Inc.
© 2009 All rights reserved.
Contact Info & Address Changes
The Hellenic Journal,
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Email: info@hellenicjournal.org
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Due: First of every month for the next
month, i.e., 9/1/09 for October.
The Hellenic Journal cannot assume
responsibility for unsolicited items. The
HJ does not necessarily agree with the
opinions expressed herein nor is it to be held
responsible for facts as presented by authors
and/or advertisers.
Friday, September 25
11 am – 10 pm
Saturday, September 26 11 am – 10 pm
Sunday, September 27 12 noon – 9 pm
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S a n F r a n c i s c o ’s O n l y G r e e k F o o d F e s t i v a l
Annunciation Cathedral
245 Valencia
between Duboce and 14th Streets
Valet Parking Available
Saturday, September 26
Sunday, September 27
11 am – 10 pm
11 am – 10 pm
12 noon – 9 pm
Traditional Greek Delicacies
Live Greek Music & Dancing
Wine Tasting, Cultural Exhibits,
Raffle and More!
Complimentary Admission Ticket
Tickets and Information: 415-864-8000
www.annunciation.org
September 2009 Hellenic Journal
3
contents
Accused of spying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Letter from the Editor
Accused Journalist, Journey to
Greece, HJ Online Time
National Hellenic Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Dear Readers:
Journey to Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Frosene
Phillips
Last month the HJ reported the release of Greek
journalist Iason Athanasiadis from Evin prison in
Editor
Iran. Athanasiadis had been in the country covering
the elections when he was detained at the airport and then arrested.
He was in prison for 21 days. This month, he shares his story on
page 4.
Last month AHEPA’s Journey to Greece program, along with
support from the National Hellenic Society, afforded 70 students
the opportunity to visit such venues as Thessaloniki, Sunion and
even the Ecumenical Patriarchate (cover photo) in Istanbul, Turkey,
for example. A daily blog was maintained by a student correspondent and photos uploaded to document their journey. For the complete story, see page 10.
Thanks to your ongoing support (page 5), the HJ plans to expand
to an online version where readers can easily access their Greekrelated news as well as enjoy unique features only available online
starting October 1. The HJ has partnered with Nektarios Tradas
and his team from Artworx for this exciting project. More details to
follow next month!
And the winner is . . .
Anna Vissi appears in L.A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
page 8
News from Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Orthodox News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Greek Festivals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
FDF Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Did You Say Dance?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
NHS hosts its annual
Renaissance Weekend
page 9
Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Southern California Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Northwest and Pacific Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Business Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
On the cover:
Dancing in the family
page 11
AHEPA’S 2009 Journey to Greece program included
a visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul,
Turkey. PHOTO BY JOSEPH SKARZENSKI
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4
Accused of spying: journalist Iason Athanasiadis tells of his time in Iranian jail
For 18 days, journalist Iason
Athanasiadis was held in Iran’s feared
Evin prison, accused of spying for
Britain. Now for the first time he can
tell his story.
T
he slap across my jaw from
behind me made my ears sting
red with anger and embarrassment.
I was being punished for daring to
glance around the room where I
was being questioned – accused of
being a spy for Britain.
A few days earlier I had been
brought, blindfolded, to the heart
of Evin Prison, to begin what my
captors believed would be the
simple process of establishing my
interrogation for us.”
mouth curling to reveal a flash of
gold fillings, and eyes fixed at me in In fact my background is
more complex. Born in Greece
white anger.
to historian parents who met at
“Didn’t I tell you never to turn
Oxford University – my father
around?” he snapped. “Now turn
English, my mother Greek – my
away from me.”
childhood was spent surrounded by
My first interrogator was like
the paraphernalia of the East. I am
that. Sometimes his carefully
a citizen of both Greece and Britain,
cultivated voice oozed false
but have spent little time in the UK.
sympathy. Occasionally, his
At university I studied Arabic
solicitousness appeared downright
and Middle Eastern Studies, then
sarcastic. When I refused to reveal
worked in Egypt, Syria and Yemen
the names of my Iranian contacts,
as a journalist – before moving to
he assured me that they need not
Iran in 2004, to study for an MA.
fear. “They are fellow Iranian
I was there in 2005 when
citizens like myself, Mr Iason,” he
Iason Athanasiadis
purred. “Why would I ever hurt my Mahmoud Ahmadinejad swept
“You won’t be traveling tonight.”
from nowhere to win the
own flesh and blood?”
At other times he flew into blind presidency, and I returned to Tehran Two of his colleagues quickly
appeared. One flashed me
rages, prodding me
a threatening grin as he
aggressively in the
My guards’ violent response
shook my hand; the other
back while making
a point - perhaps
produced screams of pain which just regarded me with
contempt. “Where are we
about the perfidy of
resounded around the terminal,
going?” I demanded. They
supporters of MirHossein Mousavi, the but at least my detention had been had no arrest warrant. “For
a long talk,” the first man
presidential candidate
noticed.
crooned.
who is still disputing
Disappearing into the
the outcome of the
clutches of the intelligence ministry
in June as an accredited journalist
election.
was not a desirable prospect. I had
He may have been angry because to watch him apparently sweep the
to get word out of my arrest. I
one of his female relatives had been 2009 election again.
dropped on to the floor, hung on
struck by a stone during the rioting. Tehran was a city on edge on
tight to my camera and laptop bags
election day, and in the days that
Or perhaps he was simply angry
followed smoke and teargas mingled and began shouting that I was a
because I represented the West.
Greek journalist being placed under
with cloud from the unseasonally
“You think you’re treated so
arrest.
stormy weather. But the following
badly,” he snapped at me, “but
My guards’ violent response –
Wednesday I had to leave, with just
what is our treatment in London
hours to spare on my seven day visa. putting me into a neck hold while
or Heathrow? Every time in that
they hauled me off, punching all
Just past passport control came the
airport it is four or five hours
moment that every reporter dreads.
Freelance journalist Iason Athanasiadis in
“Please follow me,” said a man
IASON ATHANASIADIS
Tehran.
continued on page 5
wearing a brown shirt and jacket.
Photo by Mohammad Khairkhah/upi
guilt. I was told to sit down, and
keep facing the bare wall in front
of me, before my blindfold was
removed.
On a sheet of official notepaper
I was to scribble answers to my
interrogator’s questions. What had
I been doing in the days since the
disputed Iranian election? Who
were my contacts? Who had I
interviewed and what had they told
me?
When he stepped outside to talk
to intelligence ministry colleagues,
I briefly craned my neck to see
whether the interrogation suite
was equipped with a camera. It
was a mistake: quick as a flash the
official was back,
and I was being
punished for my
disobedience.
My face
still smarting, I
whirled round
to confront
him. It was a
visceral reaction
and the only
time in a week
of almost daily
interrogations that
I stared straight
into the face of
one of my captors.
What I saw was
not reassuring.
A scruffy whiteflecked beard, a
contemptuous
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IASON ATHANASIADIS
continued from page 4
telephone and my laptop.
In the police station at the
gate of Evin crowds of rioters,
criminals and over-perfumed
prostitutes swathed in chadors
waited. I was photographed,
fingerprinted and taken into
a car. My guard for the trip to
the airport was the portly man
who had manhandled me on the
night of my arrest. He flashed
me a reconciliatory smile.
The streets to the airport
were gridlocked with traffic and
all protest appeared to have died
down.
I was met by the Greek
ambassador, Nikos Garilidis,
whose intervention helped speed
my release. But the moment he
left, the atmosphere changed
– and I found myself arrested
again.
Before the officials could take
my telephone this time, I called
Mr Garilidis, who was furious. I
had to spend a further night in
a jail cell at the airport, followed
by more negotiations next
day – until I was finally safely
on board an Iran Air flight to
Dubai.
As I accepted a plasticwrapped rose from a headscarfed
stewardess, I wondered if I
would ever dare to return to
Tehran. That was what my
interrogators had asked me, too
– but my ambivalent answer had
disappointed them.
“You shouldn’t be so negative
about your experience,” the
senior interrogator said.
?
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the way – produced screams of
pain which resounded around the
terminal, but at least my detention
had been noticed.
I was driven straight to Evin
Prison, the bête noire of liberal
Iranian dissidents. Its current guests
include pro-Mousavi politicians,
intellectuals, activists and a growing
number of journalists. But I was the
first non-Iranian journalist taken
there in living memory. In arresting
me, the Iranians had broken
through a psychological barrier.
Soon afterwards they would pick up
a 23 year-old French teacher, also
accusing her of espionage.
Old Mercedes buses trundled
through the metal gates, carrying
tired and bloodied protesters who
had been beaten and then arrested.
But I was not destined for their
overcrowded cells. Instead, I was
blindfolded before being taken
into a windowless building: Evin’s
notorious Section 209, the part of
the prison wholly controlled by the
Intelligence Ministry.
My questioning over the next
three weeks was haphazard: my
interrogators seemed puzzled by me
and my grasp of Farsi, and wholly
ignorant of my activities during the
three years I had lived, with official
blessing, in Iran. Gradually their
questions became less specific and
more philosophical – and, as the
violence against me ceased, time
became my greatest enemy.
In a cell which remained brightly
lit 24 hours a day, I was allowed no
reading material, no radio and no
other kind of distraction – except a
well-thumbed copy of the Koran.
Inside it I discovered an
aphorism written in Arabic:
“Shackled in chains without guilt;
except a tendency towards the
fields of jihad.” On the wall, the
same hand had written: “I seek
recourse in Allah from idiots and
stupidity.”
Eventually, as my
interrogators conceded that
perhaps I was not, after all, a
spy, I was moved to one of Evin’s
prisoner processing centres.
Rows of blindfolded men sat
cross-legged in corridors, some
facing the wall, as officials
dashed in and out of offices
or pulled prisoners out for
questioning.
I saw men in the communal
showers, heard the hubbub
of voices from interrogation
rooms and noted the doorways
of officials’ carpeted rooms, a
jumble of slippers and sandals.
Intelligence officers pored
over surveillance photos from
the demonstrations, trying to
identify repeat offenders.
Then, late on July 5, the door
of my cell clicked open. Three
jailers stood there. “It’s over,”
one of them said.
Exhilarated, I kissed all three
before being led, blindfolded
again, past rows of my fellow
inmates’ cell and through the
administrative section – to be
handed back my clothes, my
5
6
news from greece
athens news agency
Vaccination of entire
population in Greece
The entire population in
Greece will be inoculated at
state expense, including illegal
immigrants, the government
announced after a meeting of
the inter-ministerial committee
on the new flu virus A/H1N1
chaired by prime minister Costas
Karamanlis.
Health minister Dimitris
Avramopoulos and government
spokesman Evangelos Antonaros
made the announcement in
statements to the press after the
meeting.
Avramopoulos announced
that, on the prime minister’s
orders, the entire population
in the country, in other words
all the citizens and residents,
including those who are illegally
in Greece, will be vaccinated,
with the entire expense carried
by the state. He noted that
the number of vaccines to be
procured by Greece will be
approximately 24 million.
He also said that Greece will
be among the first countries
to procure the vaccine, adding
that vaccination will begin
immediately upon formal
approval by the EU.
The minister explained that
vaccination cannot be made
obligatory by law, and therefore
applications for inoculation will
need to be filled out. He added
that population groups would
be prioritized for vaccination,
ARIS
EXPORT
beginning with medical and
nursing staff.
During the meeting,
Avramopoulos presented to
the prime minister and the
committee members the updated
National Plan on the new flu,
stressing that Greece had acted
immediately as soon as the
global pandemic broke out.
“Our way of life must
not change,” he said, before
outlining the main aspects of the
National Plan, which is updated
regularly in accordance with
the development of the global
pandemic, and stressed that the
government will not conceal
information or figures.
“The cultivation of panic
and irresponsible politicking
observed a short while ago
on the new flu undermines
the country’s health security
and productive process,”
Avramopoulos warned, adding
that, even at this time, it
was positive that the main
opposition party (PASOK)
was now acting in a spirit of
understanding and cooperation.
Avramopoulos further
announced that there will be
hirings of additional doctors and
nursing staff, while 100 more
intensive care units (ICUs) will
be set up.
Replying to relevant
questions, Avramopoulos said
that there are currently four
serious cases of the new flu
in Greece, and noted that 95
percent of all the cases thus far
have recovered completely.
“The government and state
machine are on alert on a
24-hour basis,” he stressed. The
minister further noted the fourdigit telephone hotline “1135”
that has been set up to provide
information to the public.
cooperate within the framework
of international treaties and that
Greece fully respects human
rights and individual freedoms.
Antonaros dismissed as
“fiction” press speculation on
a likely meeting in the United
States between the PM and his
Turkish counterpart.
PM accepts Obama
invitation for US visit
The government spokesman
stated that Prime Minister
Costas Karamanlis has accepted
an invitation by US President
Barack Obama to visit the
United States, an invitation
made during their bilateral
meeting in Strasbourg recently.
The spokesman added that
details for such meetings are
being decided via diplomatic
channels.
Spokesman Evangelos
Antonaros made the comment
when asked whether the prime
minister will make a formal
visit to the United States,
where a decision will be made
on Greece’s inclusion in the
visa waiver program offered by
America.
Regarding the personal
data of the Greek citizens and
whether they will be placed at
the disposal of the US agencies,
Antonaros stressed that Foreign
Minister Dora Bakoyannis made
detailed observations on the
issue while in Corfu last month.
He stated that countries
33 New Private Colleges
Licensed to Operate
The Education Ministry
in Greece gave thumbs up
for the operation of about
33 new private colleges in
major Greek cities, including
Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa and
Herakleion. In autumn, Greece
will fall in line with an EU
directive and recognize working
rights to graduates of private
colleges that cooperate with
EU universities. Academics and
university students expressed their
objections.
Of the 39 colleges licensed to
operate, five have contracts with
American universities and eight
do not cooperate with any foreign
university. This means that the
diplomas the above colleges issue
will not give working rights to
their graduates, since they are not
covered by the EU directive.
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Program for Energy
Efficient Houses
To promote energy
conservation the Development
Ministry has announced a 400
million euros program to make
homes more energy efficient. The
program will start on November,
1 and will include all buildings
whose building permit was issued
prior to July, 1979 provided that
50% of an apartment complex
is for residential use. The cost
of renovation work in buildings
whose objective value is up to
1.500 per square meter will be
subsidized from 305 to 50% while
tax incentives will be announced
for all other buildings.
The program which mounts
to 400 million euros and covers
13 regions of Greece will be
funded by ESPA 2007-2013
and will also mobilize resources
totaling 1 billion euros in the
construction field to enforce viable
development.
Greece is the first EU member
state to make use of structural
funds revised regulations allowing
such actions.
The program will last two years
and will finance either directly or
through tax incentives insulation
projects, replacement of oil burner
with an energy efficient one or
gas system or a system using
renewable energy sources.
Mr. Hatzidakis said that
materialization of the program
would mean energy savings of
up to 70% and all benefits from
saving money on energy costs and
greener lifestyle. The program is
planned to start on November
1, to allow a 3- month period
to brief people and competent
services.
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throughout the year.
For further information please contact:
Cretans “Omonoia” of Orange County
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7
orthodox news
President and CEO of Trinity
Children’s Foundation
of America Announces
Retirement
Colton, CA— After 25 years
of service, Fr. Tom P. Avramis
announced his retirement in July
as the President and CEO of
Trinity Children’s Foundation of
America, as well as the President
of Trinity Youth Services, ACTS
for Children and Triad Family
Services.
Father Tom began his career
with the agencies as a board
member in 1984 before becoming
the Chief Operating Officer,
then the Chief Executive Officer,
and later became President.
When Fr. Tom assumed the
CEO position in 1995, Trinity
operated numerous programs for
children throughout California.
During Fr. Tom’s tenure as
CEO Trinity expanded and
operated programs in seven states
(California, Arizona, Nevada,
Texas, Utah, Colorado and South
Carolina), quadrupling in size and
serving 1300 children per day.
Throughout his career, he has
displayed an intense dedication
to caring for and healing children
who have been damaged by the
scourge of child abuse, neglect and
abandonment.
Fr. Tom was born in Tucson,
Arizona. He holds a Bachelor
of Arts Degree in Criminology
from the University of Arizona,
a Master of Psychology Degree
from California State University,
East Bay, and received a Master of
Divinity Degree, with Distinction
from Holy Cross College in
Brookline, Massachusetts.
While at the Agency’s helm, Fr.
Tom represented Trinity on the
boards and committees of state and
national organizations concerned
with the care of children
who suffer from the trauma
of physical, sexual, and
emotional abuse, as well as,
neglect and abandonment.
As a member of the
Elios Society, a board
member of the Metropolis
Council of San Francisco
and a board member of
FOCUS North America,
Fr. Tom will continue to
be an active advocate for
the welfare of children and
society as a whole.
Fr. Tom Avramis
PHOTO COURTESY OF TCF
John Hatzidakis
Ted Learakos
Kostas Hatzidakis
“Financing Homes to
Hamburgerstands”
Since 1984
Supporting Greeks and Greek Americans
All Across North America
1401 N. Tustin Avenue, Suite 155 • Santa Ana, California 92705
(714) 547-3444 • john@coastfundinggroup.com
Father Thomas J.
Zaferes appointed as
Proistamenos at
Ascension Cathedral in
Oakland
His Eminence Metropolitan
Gerasimos has announced
the appointment of Rev.
Father Thomas J. Zaferes as
the new Proistamenos of the
Greek Orthodox Cathedral
of the Ascension in Oakland,
California. Father Tom’s first
Divine Liturgy in Oakland
will be on Sunday, September
13, 2009. “Father Athanasios
‘Tom’ Zaferes is a dedicated
servant of the Lord who has
demonstrated tremendous
leadership throughout his
ministry. I am certain that the
faithful in Oakland will
embrace him with love and
respect as he joins them as
their spiritual father,” stated
His Eminence Metropolitan
Gerasimos of the Greek
Orthodox Metropolis of San
Francisco.
For the past 12 years,
Father Tom served as
proistamenos at Saint Sophia
Greek Orthodox Church in
Syracuse, NY. With over 600
steward families, this is a very
active parish where Father
Tom led two Bible Study
programs each week, a Men’s
Study Group, and coordinated
a Sunday Night Lecture Series
featuring local Orthodox
Clergy. The youth ministry at
the parish included GOYA,
JOY, Sunday School, Greek
School, and an OCF chapter
at Syracuse University.
“I am excited to be
returning to the west coast
and am humbled to be following during which time the parish
tripled in size from 36 to 115
in the footsteps of Father Paris,
steward families. Father Tom’s
who had a remarkable ministry
ministry began in the Metropolis
in Oakland for so many years.
of San Francisco in the summer
The Parish Council and I share
the vision and desire to continue of 1983 at Saint Nicholas in
Northridge, California. While
accomplishing the work of the
at Saint Nicholas, Father Tom
Church, bringing people closer
worked with the GOYA, dance
to Christ and ultimately to
groups, youth basketball league,
salvation in Him,” stated Father
YAL, taught religion in the
Tom. “I am especially blessed to
parochial school, and supervised
be serving under His Eminence
building maintenance, in
Metropolitan Gerasimos, whom
addition to his liturgical and
I met when I first arrived at the
Seminary. He was always a joyful sacramental responsibilities.
Father Tom graduated from
person, who we turned to for
Holy Cross
guidance
School of
and insight
Theology in
on our path
1983, after
to the Holy
completing his
Priesthood.
undergraduate
I know
studies in
that I can
1978 with a
continue
Composite
to rely
Bachelor of
upon His
Arts Degree
Eminence
in Political
as a
Science and
spiritual
Theology
father and
from Hanover
mentor as I
College in
begin this
Rev. Father Thomas J. Zaferes
southeastern
new chapter
Indiana. He is blessed with
in my ministry.”
a talented and loving wife,
Just prior to moving to
Presvytera Julie (Hourdakis),
Syracuse in 1991, Father Tom
who is a registered nurse,
led a mission to Ghana where
his team constructed a residence and also has a Bachelor of
Arts degree from California
and offices for the church in
State University – Northridge
the capital city of Accra. Upon
in Religious Studies. Father
his return, he continued his
Tom and Presvytera Julie
ministry at the parish of Saint
have four children – Demetri,
Sophia in San Antonio, Texas,
Katerina, and twins Melissa and
which was blessed with over 50
Christopher. Father Tom is an
converts in a three-year period.
amateur photographer, football
Father Tom also served at
fan, and enjoys reading novels
Annunciation Greek Orthodox
and biographies.
Church in Chattanooga, TN,
We are your local advisor. Our main focus is to provide Legal
and Tax advice to Greek Americans who have property, or other
matters in Greece.
We are unconditionally committed to help our clients to become
aware of their Rights and Obligations in Greece and to protect
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We specialize on: LEGAL ADVICE, ESTATE PLANNING
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www.lawtaxingreece.com
8
community
13.
GABBY AWARDS DEBUT IN CHICAGO
O
ver 1200 people
descended upon the
windy city of Chicago
from throughout the country
and abroad for the first Gabby
Awards to celebrate “Greek
America’s Best and Brightest
Stars.”
Likened to the “People’s
Choice Awards,” the Gabby’s
began with an 85-member academy of nominators whose votes
resulted in the top five in each
category and followed with a
voting-enabled website which
logged over 100,000 votes – the
results of which were counted
and tabulated by an independent
auditing firm.
Gabby Awards went to
Boston-based businessman
George Sakellaris (Business &
Entrepreneurism); Indiana-based
author Harry Mark Petrakis
(Arts & Culture); ultra-marathon
man and best-selling author Dean
Karnazes (Athletics); Drexel
University’s Constantine Papadakis
(Education and Academia Award)
given posthumously and accepted
by his daughter Maria Papadakis;
Curator in Charge Carlos Picon
accepted for the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York City
(Promotion of Hellenism); actress
Melina Kanakaredes (Performing
Arts) who also served the event
as the Honorary Co-Chair, along
with acclaimed fashion designer
John Varvatos; Illinois State
Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias
(Politics). Oscar winning actress
Olympia Dukakis received a
Lifetime Achievement Award.
Gregory Pappas, Gabby
Awards founder and publisher
of Greek American Magazine, the
host of the event, presented the
Philanthropy Award to Pittsburgh
businessman John Rangos. The
award was accepted by his grandchildren Nicholas and Virginia
Rangos.
The awards program was
followed by dinner and a performance by Greece’s Glykeria
and Kostas Karafotis
at the Hilton where
celebrities and guests
danced into the night.
Proceeds to benefit
the Greek American
Foundation’s Hellenic
Legacy Fund. For more details,
visit gabbyawards.com.
12.
1. Virginia and Nicholas
Rangos
2. Carlos Picon on the Red
Carpet
3. Melina Kanakaredes
4. Harry Mark Petrakis
5. Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias
6. Anna Davlantes and Jane
Monzures
7. Glykeria opens the Awards
Show
8. Kostas Karafotis
9. Dean Karnazes
10. Maria Papadakis
11. George Sakellaris and Olympia Dukakis on the Red
Carpet
12. Nia Vardalos & Alexi Georgoulis
13. Kalomira Sarantis and Gabby Producer Gregory
Pappas at the After Party
11.
10.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS SAVAS/SOFIA
SPENTZAS
9.
7.
8.
5.
1.
3.
4.
2.
Orthodox
Bookstore
& Gift Shop
✝
Anastasia
Kalivas
800 N. Glendale Avenue
Glendale, CA 91206
Phone (818) 551–0544 • Fax (818) 551–9297
www.lifegivingspring.com • Hours: Tues–Sat 9-6
6.
Artists
Call to
Hellenic International
Artists’ Foundation
CELEBRATING OUR
CULTURAL HERITAGE
For upcoming shows, contact:
Michael Genung, Executive Director
P.O. Box 303, Fair Oaks, CA 95628
916.342.2971 • 888.439.9998
michaelgenung@earthlink.net
community
Renaissance Weekend:
NHS gathers in West Palm Beach
PALM BEACH, Fla. – Florida
Gov. Charlie Crist received a warm
welcome from more than 150
fellow Greek Americans attending
the National
Hellenic
Society’s
Renaissance
Weekend
at the Mara- Lago
Club. The
1.
governor
spoke about
his Greek background and how
his heritage shaped his values, and
then met the attendees. The guests
enjoyed a gala banquet and live
Greek “glendi” dance.
The National Hellenic Society
(NHS) celebrated Greek heritage at
the Palm Beach Ritz Carlton with
panel discussions on Hellenism
and Media, moderated by Vicki
Liviakis, anchor for KRON 4
television in San Francisco. The
panel included Dr. Angelyn
Balodimas-Bartolomei, a
leading sociologist who presented
her findings on modern Greek
Americans,
Nicholas
Gage, the
awardwinning
author of
“Eleni,” and
Frosene
Phillips,
editor of The
Hellenic Journal and a columnist in
San Francisco/Bay Area newspapers.
Several guests attended a
political panel moderated by Endy
Zemenides, a prominent attorney
and political consultant from
Chicago, former Congressman
Mike Bilirakis (R-Fla.),
Congesswoman Dina Titus (DNev.) and Illinois State Treasurer
Alexi Giannoulias.
Dr. Lou Markos wowed
1.Dr. Angelyn BalodimasBartolomei, Frosene Phillips,
Nicholas Gage, Moderator
Vicki Liviakis
2. Dr. Louis Markos, Classics
Professor
3. Comedian Basil Katsikis
4. Art Dimopoulos and
NHS Executive Director
Timothy Maniatis
5. Mr. & Mrs. John Calamos
6. Dr. & Mrs. George Korkos
7. Roberta Economidis and
Alexandria Marcus
8. Angelo Tsakopoulos and
Vicki Liviakis
9. George
Marcus, Florida
Governor Charlie
Crist, Theofanis
Economidis, Paul
Sagotis
10. Christina
Padis and
Jeanette Saris
PHOTOS BY CHRIS
SAVAS
8.
2.
4.
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
announces Orpheus Award Winners
T
he 3rd annual Los
Angeles Greek Film
Festival (LAGFF)
announced its award winners with
GUINNESS directed by Alexis
Kardaras as the winner of the
Orpheus Award for Best Feature.
Dimitris Athiridis’ T FOR
TROUBLE AND THE SELF
ADMIRATION SOCIETY was
selected as Best Documentary
and Nikias Chryssos’ THE
GRANDFATHER as Best
Short Film. Special Jury
Commendations were given to
Constantina Voulgaris’ VALSSE
SENTIMENTALE in the feature
category, Adam Schmedes’
CHAMELEON BEACH in
the documentary category and
Stefan Georgiou’s WE CALL
HER DAISY in the short film
category. The Audience Award
went to James Chressanthis’
NO SUBTITLES
NECESSARY:
LASZLO &
VILMOS.
The LAGFF
showcases new
films from
Greece, Cyprus
and filmmakers
of Greek descent
worldwide. The
festival enjoyed
enthusiastic audience attendance
and full theatres throughout its
four-day run, with screenings held
at the Egyptian Theatre.
1. Penelope Spheeris,
Marcos Holevas, Angeliki
Giannakopoulos, Sid Ganis
2. No
Subtitles
Necessary
Panel with
Sharon
Stone and
Director
2.
9.
10.
Eva Sogotis
Realtor
1440 Chapin Avenue, Suite 200 • Burlingame, CA 94010
Direct: 650.931.2953 • Cell: 650.302.8291 • Fax: 650.931.2099
esogotis@apr.com • www.evasogotis.com
Servicing your
Real Estate needs
in San Francisco
and the
Peninsula.
5.
3.
Renaissance Weekend
guests with his tour-de-force
presentation entitled “The Heirs
of Athens” – tracing modern day
democracy to its roots in ancient
Greece, drawing particular
attention to Hellenism’s
relevancy and vibrancy as
mirrored in
NHS
modern life,
continued on page 19
6.
7.
9
“My top priority is to provide all my clients with
expertise, superior service, quality and dedication,
so I can always meet their needs and continuously
surpass their expectations.”
Eva Sogotis, Realtor
1.
James Chressanthis
3. Fox Studios CEO Jim
Gianopulos and Greek
actress Mimi Denisi
4. Corinna Tsopei, Dean
of St. Sophia Cathedral
Fr. John Bakas, Margarita
Mavromichalis
5. LAGFF Founders
Angeliki
Giannkopoulos
and Ersi Danou
3.
4.
5.
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10
Fourth Annual AHEPA Journey to Greece Program Successfully Underway
National Hellenic Society
Sponsorship Will Expand
Program’s Academic
Curriculum
70 Students Participate from
35 Universities
PHOTO BY JOSEPH SKARZENSKI
WASHINGTON, DC - In
its fourth year, the AHEPA
Journey to Greece Program, in
cooperation with the University
of Indianapolis, Athens Campus,
is off to another successful
start, completing the first of
two sessions; and will expand
to include additional venues
of study thanks to a $13,000
sponsorship provided by the
National Hellenic Society (NHS),
announced Supreme President
Nicholas A. Karacostas.
“We are thrilled and grateful
to the National Hellenic Society
for its generous sponsorship of
the AHEPA Journey to Greece
Program,” said Karacostas. “The
sponsorship is a testament to the
program’s credibility and ability
to provide young scholars with
fully transferable college credits
while gaining the experience
of lifetime abroad. It is also an
excellent example of collaboration
within the American Hellenic
community to benefit the youth.”
“The National Hellenic
Society’s collaboration with
AHEPA serves as a blueprint for
Greek American organizations
working together to achieve
common objectives benefiting
the next generation,” wrote
Fanis Economidis, chair, NHS’s
Program Committee to Journey
to Greece Program Director Dr.
James F. Dimitriou.
According to Dr. Dimitriou,
the generosity of NHS allowed
students to expand their
Las Vegas’
3rd Annual Greek Folk Dance Seminar
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
20, 21, and 22,
2009
November
Stimulating and unique material will be taught by our
talented instructors
Featuring Kyriakos Moisidis from Thessaloniki
He will present exciting material from very distinctive areas exclusively for this seminar. (The Second Instructor will be
announced at a later date.) Instruction throughout the entire weeked.
Saturday evening, Nov. 21st - Glendi with LIVE music so you
can dance and sing the night away!
More information will be available soon
Contact the church at: 702-221-8245 or check the church
website for updates, www.vegasgreekorthodox.com.
If you know anyone that has attended the past
two years, you’ll know you won’t want to miss it!
educational horizons as the
curriculum included study at
venues such as the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, Thessaloniki,
Meteroa, and Sounion. For
example, students learned firsthand about the impact and
relevance of Byzantium, and also
had the opportunity to meet
with His All Holiness Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew I, because
of NHS’ sponsorship.
The 2009 Journey to Greece
Program had two sessions. The
first one commenced July 5 and
concluded July 18. The second
session commenced July 20
and concluded August 12. The
2009 Program had 70 student
participants representing 35
universities from 14 states and
Canada. In the four years since
the program was resurrected under
Dr. Dimitriou students have
represented 51 universities from
27 states and Canada.
“The success of the AHEPA
Journey to Greece Program is
due to organizations such as the
AHEPA Educational Foundation,
NHS, The Next Generation
Initiative, and of course, the
University of Indianapolis-Athens
Campus, all coming together to
work toward a common goal,”
said Dr. Dimitriou.
Follow the Journey to Greece
Program online at www.ahepa.org/
journey, or visit the blog, http://
journeytogreece2009.wordpress.
com, being written by Joseph
Skarzenski, a Next Generation
Initiative-sponsored Student
Correspondent of the Journey to
Greece Program.
celebrates Hellenic heritage
by sponsoring and organizing
31st ANNUAL CONTRA COSTA
Greek Food & Wine Festival
SEPT. 11 u 12 u 13
Fri. 5-11 p.m., Sat. Noon-11 p.m., Sun. Noon-8 p.m.
1955 Kirker Pass Road, Concord
(925) 676-6967
Come Be Greek For A Day
u Authentic Greek Food & Wine u Greek Dancing
u Pastries made by the Yiayias u A Children’s Area
u Featuring Live Music by Mediterranean Soul
www.ccgreekfest.com
Free admission
with ad
programs and activities that
promote and preserve the values
and ideals of our Hellenic
culture thereby enriching our
community and nation. For
more information, visit www.
nationalhellenicsociety.org.
The University of IndianapolisAthens Campus
The University of
Indianapolis, Athens Campus
was charted in 1989, with the
purpose of offering a quality
American education experience.
Since its inception, the
University has grown to become
one of the leaders in higher
education in Greece. As well
as its 39 bachelor’s degrees and
11 master’s degrees the UIndy
Athens offers the Odyssey in
Athens semester study abroad
program. UIndy Athens also
partners with AHEPA to offer
the Journey to Greece Program
and many other institutions
in the US and other countries
to create special study abroad
experiences for students. For
more information, visit www.
uindy.gr.
The Next Generation Initiative
The Next Generation
Initiative is an independent, nonprofit educational foundation
committed to helping today’s
students become tomorrow’s
leaders by helping the young
men and women of the next
generation gain the skills and
experience their careers will
demand – and the global
perspective that future leadership
will require – through internships
which match young leaders in
their fields of interest. For more
information, visit www.hellenext.
org.
spotlight
Anemos of Oakland
By Giuliana Harris
A
nemos of Ascension
Cathedral in Oakland, CA
always has people talking
about how great they are. Their
Pontic and Tsestos have been a
hit. When the announcer calls out
ANEMOS, the crowd goes wild.
Applause hits, feet stomp, and
cheering fill the room. Anemos is no
stranger to winning; they have won
Sweepstakes four times.
For brothers Nick (18) and
Stavro Victor (16), dancing has
been a huge part of their lives. They
first won sweepstakes at the young
ages of 11 and 9. Dancing keeps
Nick and Stavro in their culture and
faith and they have created life long
friendships. Kefi shined through the
boys as they spoke of their dance
group. They both say that aside
from performing, the social aspect
is a highlight of the weekend. “The
glendi’s are definitely one of my
favorite parts,” said Nick. “Yeah me
too, seeing all of our friends!” said
Stavro. Their favorite memory was
winning Sweepstakes for the first
time. Demitra (13), their younger
sister dances for Astrape.
This year, Astrape placed
third in Advanced Juniors.
At FDF, not only do
the dancers and singers
support each other, they
have their family’s support
The legendary Anemos Yiayias.
too. Brothers, Sisters, Theos, Left to right: Effie “Kefi” Makris,
Lyn McIntyre (Kosta & Stefan
Theas, Cousins, Papous,
Makris), Demitra Victor (Nick, Stavro
Nounas, and Nounos come & Demitra Victor) and Demetra
Sargetis (Alex & Lefteris Sargetis
to cheer their family on.
and Nick, Stavro & Demitra Victor).
But you cannot forget the
PHOTO BY GEORGE MYLORDOS
YiaYias! At the Opening
while you’re up can you get me
Ceremonies, His Eminence
some nero, parakalo?”
Metropolitan Gerasimos said he
Family members… make sure
shared a flight with Effie Makris,
you come out and support FDF
YiaYia of Kosta and Stefan Makris.
His Eminence quoted her as “FDF’s 2010, January 14-18. For additional
info: www.yourfdf.org
Cheerleader.” She was at every
________________
performance waving her pompoms.
Sunday night while Thanos Petrelis
Giuliana Harris is the HJ’s FDF
was singing, Effie got on stage and
youth correspondent.
started dancing with him! The
Anemos YiaYias had every meal
together and I had the privilege
to eat with them one night.
They recounted the day’s events,
inserting Greek in the conversation
“Simbethera,
Thanos
theletai nafati?”
Petrelis and
Effie Makris
“Simbethera,
Festival Season Continues 2009
Greek Festivals
Each month the Hellenic Journal
will identify which Greek
American community is presenting a festival to its larger community. To list your festival, call 831899-3699, fax 831-899-3799, or
email info@hellenicjournal.org.
CALIFORNIA
Annunciation Church
Sacramento • September 4, 5 & 6
916-443-2033
annunciationsac.org
Belmont Greek Festival
Church of the Holy Cross
September 5, 6 & 7
650-591-4447
goholycross.org/Festival
St. George – Bakersfield
September 11 & 12
661-325-8694 • forministry.com/
USCAGOARCSGG5
St. Basil 5oth Anniversary
Greek Festival - Stockton
September 11, 12 & 13
209-478-7564 • gosaintbasil.org
LA Greek Fest 2009
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Los Angeles
323-737-2424 • lagreekfest.com
Santa Cruz Festival
Prophet Elias
831-429-6500
Greek Festival by the Sea
Assumption of the Virgin
Long Beach
September 5, 6 & 7
562-494-8929 • Assumptionlb.org
Contra Costa Greek Festival
St. Demetrios – Concord
925-676-6967
stdemetrios.ca.goarch.org
Monterey Bay Greek Festival
St. John the Baptist – Salinas
September 5, 6 & 7
831-424-4434
montereybaygreekfestival.com
Sts. Constantine & Helen
Annual Greek Festival
Cardiff-By-The-Sea
FESTIVAL SEASON
11
12
did you say dance?
By Athan Karras
Oompah!
Oompah!
Pause! It’s
Polka time, No Grammy’s
for me!
T
he National Academy of
Recording Arts and Sciences
has recently announced it was
eliminating the Best Polka
category from the Grammy
Awards. This prestigious
organization is now beginning
to level its award to some
industry hipsters as they have
become the voice of selecting
what is considered to be the
“it” in music reaching out to a
global domination of trends for
the forthcoming generations. By
deciding that it can no longer
continue to recognize music
with a strong association to a
dance form, indicates a lack
of tolerance for music that
distinctly represents an ethnic
culture still appreciated and
remains a vital cultural force. It
also deigns to signal that ethnic
forms will slowly be eased out
of any representation in such
award contests. The current
musical commercial proponents
are dominating this prestigious
award to further their interests
that are ignoring the musical
trends of yesteryear, which
provided an inspiration for
generations.
Music has become an
integral part of our lives and is
incorporated in almost every
activity of life. No longer is it
restricted for entertainment.
Each generation has dug its
heels to secure their legendary
musical traditions with colorful
diversity. The masterful classical
music, which has moved us
for generations, continues
throughout the centuries of
musical giants such as Mozart,
Beethoven, and Bach to name
a few, all who resorted to
traditional music as their source.
Popular music was
also resourcefully
influenced by
traditional ballads
and popular folk
dances transitioned
to rhythmic
renditions in its
time. By taking a
brief look at the popular rage
of the 20’s, followed by the rise
of jazz, ready to ease our social
unrest, and with the emergence
of the Big Bands which paved
the way for Sinatra’s magic,
etc., the Beatles, Elvis and
just recently the enormous
global outreach of a Michael
Jackson, King of Pop, have
brought a whirlwind of musical
wonderment. The Jackson
moonwalk shuffle/spin, still
entices fans until the next “Pied
Piper” emerges.
The magical musical “elixir”
is a necessary diet for man to
feel being reborn, reunited
with one’s spirit. To hum,
sing or dance, a realm of that
other world we long for and
momentarily depart from the
dire reality we face daily. As
dancers, we move at an inspired
moment with musicians helping
us “set up shop” so we can
continue dancing.
Today the dance resources
and disciplines available have us
spinning on magical dance floors
treading our joy and excitement
with grace, flair, and an ethnic
abandon.
Momentarily, we become
influences we ought to subscribe.
Musical traditions have been
the hallmark of all cultures with
esteemed values, experiences we
carried as an emblem necklace
with constant vigilance. We have
proudly marched step by step
with dances that are inspired
aspirations for our lives. Here
is proof again that how for
so many years the Grammy
Committee has always tried to
show some courtesy to the great
variety that has made them
into musical giants. Now with
their award shows they feel the
necessity to eliminate
from its category
the best polka
album. Has the
National Academy of
Recording Arts and
Sciences become the
solitary institution
that will guide the
tastes and the cultural musical
influences of the nation as being
only those they consider are
the hit tunes of the hip-hop
generation and the various other
new genres that teenagers have
become enamored of? This is
the condition of placing on such
scales of considerations for these
award shows that are driven
by the likes of what is the best
seller.
We owe a great debt to
the music industry with its
aggressive policy of recording
music from everything under
the sun. Much of the music
of the past would have been
The magical musical “elixir”
is a necessary diet for man to
feel being reborn, reunited with
one’s spirit.
instant gods or heroes, or
look-alike Gene Kellys, Fred
Astaires or Ginger Rogers. Now
the only time we can dream
of such fantasies by watching
the dance contests on PBS or
annual contests for the thrill –
the experience of living that joy
is now a visual dance-therapy
session. Everything seems to
be geared to the inevitable
view of seeing dance and all its
accompanying fascination.
The music industry and its
moguls control the vast variety
of musical styles and forms
worldwide. They are bent
on dictating which cultural
L a s Ve g a s G r e e k Fo o d Fe s t i v a l
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www.lasvegasgreekfestival.com
Festival
Dates & Times
September 17-20, 2009
Thursday, September 17
5 pm – 10 pm
3 pm – 11 pm
Saturday, September 19
noon – 11 pm
Sunday, September 20
noon – 10 pm
Drawing September 20 at 9 p.m. Winners Need Not Be
Present. Tickets on sale at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church. Mail orders &
credit cards accepted. Thank you for supporting our Fundraising Festival.
2 Live
Greek
s
Band
Call: 702/889-6376 for more information
4 Days of Fun • Another Reason to Come to Las Vegas
10 Acres to Explore — Outdoor Entertainment, and Much More
• Complete Greek Dinners
• A La Carte Specialties
• Greek Wine, Beer & Beverages
• Delicious Greek Pastry
• Expanded Kids Fun Park
• Kaffenion; Freshly Served Frappes • Shopping
• Greek Folk Dancers
• Tour Our Magnificent Church
lost forever, but now we have
such recordings which exist in
libraries and various archives.
We can find almost anything
these days thanks to the Internet
as well. But disavowing the
“polka” category from the awards
is like a slap in the face for a
musical form that has existed
for ages. The ¾ time signature
which became the pinnacle
of the waltz, the mazurka and
other dances, although Johan
Strauss would not be too proud
to compose music to polka time
tunes. This could mark the
beginning of turning our backs
to folk music, disregarding its
value and the significant role it
has played and still plays in the
world of music.
Unfortunately this is
happening all over the world,
reinforced by an industry
which appears to be guided
solely by what sells, not by
what the fundamental musical
traditions are which ought to
be addressed and recognized.
Not long ago I was looking
for recorded ballroom dance
music but unfortunately since
the 40’s and 50’s very little
have been produced. It would
seem respectably ok not to be
able to find such music readily
available, but to consider it
extinct merely because it isn’t
a hot seller is like wiping out
a cultural expression from the
face of the earth. I have had
similar experiences, searching
for music referenced from
various islands and provinces
of Greece. Understandably the
music stores can only stock
their shelves with music that
sells, which is how it is. Music
of the world’s cultures ought to
have some esteemed recognizable
merit where such institutions can
archive and promote them. The
rules and guidelines for those
seeking professional careers in
music can only be enriched with
the traditions of the past. The
musical idioms of certain cultures
still have certain elements to
offer to the musical world and to
worldwide audiences.
An instructional DVD of basic
Greek Dances taught by Athan
Karras is available. For more
information contact Xasapiko@
prodigy.net.
Email Athan Karras at
Xasapiko@prodigy.net
13
calendar
Arts, Events, Lectures & Entertainment
FESTIVAL SEASON
September 12 & 13
760-942-0920
stsconstantinehelen.com
St. Anthony’s Greek Festival
Pasadena • September 18, 19 & 20
626-449-6943 • saint-anthonys.org
Saints Constantine and Helen
Lancaster • September 19 & 20
661-945-1212
saintsconstantineandhelen.org
44th Annual Greek Festival
Annunciation – Modesto
September 19 & 20
209-522-7694 • goannunciation.org
Napa-Solano Greek Community
Sts. Constantine & Helen-Vallejo
September 19 & 20 • 707-642-6916
home.pacbell.net/stscandh/
St. Nectarios Greek Festival
Covina • September 25, 26 & 27
626-967-5524
saintnectariosbrotherhoodmission.org
A Taste of Greece
Annunciation - San Francisco
415-864-8000
annunciation.org
A Taste of Greece, St. Paul – Irvine
949-733-2366 • irvinegreekfest.com
A Weekend In Greece
St. Katherine - Elk Grove
September 26 & 27
916-683-3443 • saintkatherine.org
NEVADA
Las Vegas Greek Food Festival
St. John the Baptist
September 17, 18, 19 & 20
702-248-3896
lasvegasgreekfestival.com
UTAH
Salt Lake City Greek Festival
Prophet Elias and Holy Trinity
Cathedral • September 10, 11, 12,
& 13 • 801-328-9681 • gocslc.org
WASHINGTON
Holy Trinity Church
Spokane • September 24, 25 & 26
509-328-9310
holytrinityspokane.org/festival.html
St. Demetrios Church
Seattle • September 25, 26 & 27
206-325-4347 • seattlegreekfestival.com
September 9 • Wednesday
San Francisco, CA
BAGABA Networking Social.
The Bay Area Greek American
Business Association will host a
networking social at the Owl Tree,
601 Post Street, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
No host bar, hors d’oeuvres hosted
by the Association. All members
and guests invited. Membership to
the Association is only $75 per year,
sign up at the event; $5 members,
$10 non-members. Ample street
and paid parking available. BART
nearby. For further info, visit bagaba.
org.
dancing, nature walks, field trips
to the Monastery of the Theotokos
the Life Giving Spring, the giant
Sequoias and other local attractions,
campfires and songs, cooking classes,
arts and crafts, the ever-famous talent
show, stimulating lectures, and much
more. All rooms come with a private
bath, air-conditioning and heating,
and twin beds. All the lodge rooms,
dining and classrooms are located
together on level ground. All meals
are included in the registration fee.
For more information or to register,
call 559-338-2103 or email info@
stnicholasranch.org.
October 25 • Sunday
Oakland, CA
September 21-25
Monday-Friday
Dunlap, CA
organization established in honor of
the late educator George Daskarolis,
is supporting a group of students
to successfully complete their K-12
education and continue on to a
university. A fundraising event will be
held in the Paris Center at Ascension
Cathedral, 4700 Lincoln Avenue in
the Oakland hills. Make a donation
or join the festivities. For more details,
visit gdmef.org or interact with the
GDF on Facebook.
October 29 • Thursday
San Francisco, CA
Top Dos and Don’ts for
Lawyers. The Hellenic Law
Society will host an evening with the
Honorable George V. Spanos at the
historic John’s Grill in downtown San
Francisco. Judge Spanos, who serves
on the Contra Costa Superior Court,
will share his insights from the bench.
For more information call 415-2428830 or visit helleniclaw.org.
Coming
Soon...
GDF Fundraiser-Auction. The
George Daskarolis Foundation
(GDF), an educational non-profit
Fr. Thomas J. Paris Senior
Camp. Join the seniors from
around the Metropolis of
Superstar ANNA VISSI will perform
SF at the Fr. Thomas J.
on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the L.A.
Paris Senior Camp held
Greek Fest held on the grounds
of St. Sophia Cathedral. Vissi
at St. Nicholas Ranch. The
celebrates Greek culture with the
5-day/4-night Senior Week
Los Angeles community, the same
program includes food,
city she recorded half of her 25th
studio album, Apagorevmeno
(Sony Greece). The album has
gone Platinum and continues to
flourish in sales throughout her
current Greek tour. Anna Vissi has
been a player in the music industry
since 1973. Although her popularity
holds strongest in Europe, Vissi has
cracked the American charts with her
2005 single, “Call Me.” Continuing
her conquest of the U.S., she will
return to Los Angeles in the fall to
work on her upcoming International
release. For more details, visit
lagreekfest.org.
NAPA – SOLANO GREEK COMMUNITY
presents
Greek Fcoming
oodsoon...
Festival!
F
A
October 2, 3 & 4
Free Admission!
Friday: 5 p.m.-9 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Come Feast
Sunday: 12 p.m.-7 p.m.
Dance With
Come Feast And Dance With Us!
• Authentic
Greek Food!
• Live Greek M
Authentic Greek Food! • Live Greek Music!
• Dancing!
Dancing! • Entertainment!
• Entertainme
Featuring:
Experience the Flavors of Greece
Greek Festival
2009
Saturday, Sept. 19 • 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 20 • 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Greek Community Center
1244 Alabama Street, Vallejo
(Near Tennessee & Amador)
Come join us
at our church
and bring your
appetite!
Save M
Pre-Sale
Avail
Come
joinShopping!
us at our
Expanded Vendors
for Great
church
and bring your appetite!
Event Located at:
Call
for info!
Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church of Castro Valley
FREE ADMISSION
Fabulous food and pastries
Dancing to Live Music
Greek Deli
Children’s Fun Zone
Church Tours
For more information,
please call (707) 642-6916.
Proceeds to benefit
Saints Constantine & Helen
Greek Orthodox Church
Even
20104
Cas
20104 Center Street, Castro Valley
Call 510-581-8950 for info or visit us at
www.festival.cvresurrection.org
Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church of Castro Valley
880
C
238
14
southern california notes
By Mavis
Manus
John Vassiliou
C
amel was the mode of
travel in the 1850’s and
that’s how my great
grandfather (on my mother’s
side) traveled between his home
town of Kayseri and Odessa.
He grew tobacco in Kayseri in
the stunningly exotic district
of Cappadocia, and set up a
home and tobacco factory in
Odessa, Russia. I was told
that the Prodromos name (my
mother’s family name) could still
be deciphered on the walls of
the factory as late as the 70’s.”
The speaker is John Vassiliou,
now living in Los Angeles and
recalling his dramatic family
history.
“During the Bolshevik
Revolution my great
grandmother and her children
survived by moving back to
Kayseri but the rest of the family
were either imprisoned or killed
by the Russians because of their
class.
“My great-uncle, Paul
Avram, came to America first.
When he landed in New York
the Greek community advised
him to go to North Carolina as
they said Southerners had very
few restaurants,” said Vassiliou.
It was good advice; on arrival he
opened one on Main Street. The
building is still standing. Paul
holds the distinction of not only
selling the first hot dogs and
hamburgers in Winston-Salem
back in the ‘20s, but also of
owning the first movie theater.
In Greek family style, he then
brought over his brother Cosmos
and his two brothers-in-law, one
being Vassiliou’s grandfather,
George Prodromos. The two
brothers settled into his business.
His grandfather, a shoemaker by
trade, actually stood out front
and repaired shoes. One day
a banker came by and was so
impressed with his work that he
set him up in a store that he ran
for over 20 years.
Gradually, over the next five
years they brought their families
to the U.S. Vassiliou’s mother,
Alexandra Prodromos, had
vivid memories of sailing from
Athens on the maiden voyage of
The Edison in 1928, entering
Ellis Island and then riding
the dusty train south to North
Carolina.
Vassiliou’s father’s family
is from the village of Anoria
on the island of Euboa. His
grandfather John Vassiliou had
his own ship and traded with
England before WWII, so it
was natural for his father Bill
and his brothers to work on
merchant ships. But WWII was
a dangerous time for merchant
ships which were constantly
under attack by the Germans,
Temecula
Greek Festival
Live music by SYNTHESIS
Food and Greek Pastries • Wine •
Dancers • Shops • Arts • Crafts • Gifts
Temecula Community Center
30875 Rancho Vista Rd., Temecula, CA 92591
For more information, call 951-296-6207 or
temeculagreekfestival@yahoo.com
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Festival Location Close By Wineries, Old Town and
20 Hotels to stay at
so he jumped
ship in New York
and found work
in the restaurant
of the Waldorf
Astoria. Uncle Sam
eventually ‘invited’
him to join the
Army where he
served as a cook in
the Philippines and
in Panama.
After the war
he was stationed
at Fort Ord in
Greensboro, NC.
The Greek church
in nearby WinstonSalem sponsored
a Valentine’s Day
Dance for all the
Greek soldiers.
John Vassiliou’s grandmother (center) Katina Vassiliou’s passport photo
That’s where he met from August, 1928 with the Edison, the ship she sailed to America on.
Pictured: Left to right are Vassiliou’s aunts, Fevronia and Angelina and his
Vassiliou’s mother.
mother Alexandra.
It was love at first
PHOTO COURTESY OF J. VASSILIOU
sight. “My dad died
Vassiliou, moved to Los
when I was two,” says
No camel, train, or ship for
Angeles in 1984 from Florida
Vassiliou, “so I only knew him
him, though. He drives a Ford
after he got a job offer from a
through the love in my mother’s
Escape.
management company, but after
heart, which she carried to her
19 years the digital downloading
grave.”
■■■
eventually ended the music
Vassiliou grew up in
business, as he knew it.
Greensboro and graduated
In a difficult and changing
Vassilou is the Production
from Page High School, but
economy, people have to
Manager at the Music Center
he considers that his real
think creatively and Helene
and makes multi-tasking seem
education came from actual
K. Liatsos, foreseeing a major
like child play. “I have different
work experience. “I have been
shift in the workplace, started
job descriptions at the Music
involved in music since Jr.
up her Business Management
Center: one is to organize the
High school, at first playing
company in 1987 in an effort
production for about 40 shows
bass guitar in bands and later
to help small businesses be
a year.” He meets with the
working for recording artists.”
more organized and work
producer and/or conductor and
He spent almost all of his adult
more efficiently. In addition to
helps them determine the best
life in the music business.
consulting services, she focused
way to present their show. He
He and his wife, Ann Crews
in on home-based businesses
prepares a labor budget and
in the early 90’s and wrote a
schedules the workers. Then
course on How to Start and
on show day he makes sure
Operate Your Own HomeOctober
the
event
runs
smoothly,
stays
Based Business. “I took it to
3rd and
within the budget and starts and local colleges and have been
4th, 2009
ends on time.
teaching throughout Los Angeles
His second responsibility is
and environs ever since.” She
Saturday
to oversee all of the commercial
expanded the course to create
11 am - 9 pm
shoots at the Music Center. “We a nationwide, online program
Sunday
have some movie and TV shows
that reaches the USA, Canada,
11 am - 8 pm
that film scenes at the different
Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
theaters here and we do many
“Two years ago I embarked on
commercials and photo shoots,”
another project,” she added, “I
he said.
produced a DVD (How to Start
What free time he has
and Operate Your Own Homehe plays couch guitar and
Based Business), which is selling
works out at the gym twice a
on my website and through
week; most Saturdays he gets
Amazon.com. This will soon be
together with a group of friends
distributed in bookstores and
to play basketball. He also
office supply stores.”
volunteers with his Homeowners Born in Lamia, Greece and
Association and with his church. raised in New York City, Liatsos’
Admission $2
His favorite hangout goes back
Free Parking
to his first love – concerts at
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NOTES
McCabe’s Music Store.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NOTES
first love was theater and at
the age of 11 appeared in an
Off-Broadway play. Theatrical
studies and experience followed
in New York; in Los Angeles, the
Greek community has enjoyed
her performances in both
English and Greek plays over the
past 15 years.
“I have worked from home
for two decades,” said Liatsos,
“and the most rewarding aspect
of my business is helping others
do the same. My position on
the current economic trend is
– I refuse to participate! There
is never a recession of ideas,
creativity or initiative. My
philosophy is “business as usual”
– once you understand that
business cycles go up and down,
you are already a winner.
“Most people know how
to provide a service or make a
product, but they don’t know
how to manage their business,
and that is where I come in – to
help them put together their
business so it works right and
is positioned for growth.” But
she warns, “A problem when
you work out of your home is
maintaining the balance between
home life and work life. I
emphasize this to all my clients
because, enjoying life is genetic
to my Greek blood!”
Organizations such as Women
for Hire and Entrepreneur
Magazine have engaged her
to speak on the subject of
Entrepreneurship and Home-Based
Business. Pierce College and West
L.A. College invited her to teach a
one-day seminar on these subjects.
In 2004, she was the recipient of
the Home Based Business Advocate
Award by the Small Business
Administration of Los Angeles.
No one will be surprised
to learn that Liatsos has an
impressive list of projects on her
‘To Do’ list, such as creating an
E-commerce program on her
website for additional business and
management products and services,
translating the DVD into Spanish,
and licensing her business to other
entrepreneurs wishing to teach
others how to work at home.
“How to Start and Operate
Your Own Home Based Business” –
Online Course, DVD and Business
Management Services available
through Home Office Management
Experts www.thehome-office.com.
Email Mavis Manus at
mavmanus@aol.com
Makras Real Estate
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(415) 282-8400 Fax (415) 282-8594
Serving San Francisco and the Peninsula since 1976
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15
16
northwest and pacific notes
By
Theodora
Dracopoulos
Argue
HELLENIC STUDIES NEWS
A pledge by the Drs. Nick
and Nancy Vidalakis to fund
a Professorship in Hellenic
Studies at the University of
Washington (UW) was fulfilled
this summer. The complete title
is The Drs. Nick and Nancy
Vidalakis Family Professorship
of Culture, Excellence, and
Spirituality in Hellenic
Studies.
SAVE THE DATES
On November 1, Seattle’s
AHEPA is sponsoring an evening
performance of Euripides’
“Trojan Women” given by a
troop of women from Greece at
UW in Seattle. Also save the late
afternoon of November 21 for
“A Founders’ Celebration” and
mini-auction for the Hellenic
Studies Program at UW. See
next month’s column for more
information on both events.
KUALA LAMPUR
Datuk (Sir) Nicholas S.
Zefferys, President of the
American Malaysian Chamber
of Commerce was appointed
to the newly created National
Economic Advisory Council
(NEAC) by Prime Minister
Najib Razak. Nick Zefferys is
the only foreigner on the ninemember council established to
move the country to a higher
economic plateau. He also
is second in ranking to the
chairman of PEMUDAH, a
Special Taskforce to Facilitate
Business. He has served three
Prime Ministers in helping
Malaysia to achieve its national
goals. Nick and Marlene
Zefferys lived in Seattle for
many years prior to moving to
Malaysia.
people honored
this year received
an Orthodox
prayer book.
Some 250 youth
have participated
as readers.
EPISTLE PROGRAM CITED
Since 1997 under the
leadership of parishioner
Arthur Saridakis, teenagers at
Seattle’s St. Demetrios Church
have taken part each week in
the Divine Liturgy as readers
of the Epistle in Biblical and
Modern Greek and in English..
Teenagers also have participated
at Salutations services and read
the Epistle in Greek, English,
and Arabic at Pascha. Fr. Photios
Dumont, Proistamenos of St.
Demetrios, extolled the young
people for their confidence and
enthusiastically commended their
instructor for his dedication.
Each of
the 30
young
YOUTH
ACTIVITIES
Nineteen
youth and some
parents at Holy
Transfiguration
Church in
Anchorage made
a pilgrimage to
Kodiak Island
and Spruce Island
this summer,
traveling by the
Alaska Ferry System. Activities
included a boat trip to Spruce
Island to see where St. Herman
of Alaska lived and ministered
to the natives for many years.
The youth additionally were
enriched spiritually by activities
at St. Innocent Academy and
Seattle’s 2009 St. Demetrios Church
Epistle Reader Program participants:
(Front Row): Sara Fecadu, William Hubbell,
Nicholas Pagonis, Stephanie Sampson,
Eleftheria Contoravdis, Stavroula
Tsantilas, Instructor Arthur Saridakis, Fr.
Photios Dumont, Ershad Oweis, Sophia
Mallouk, Theodora Teodosiadis, Katherine
Vassiliou, John Dumont; (Back Row)
Teresa Moroseos, Reader and Altar Boy
Coordinator Chris Makris, Athan Dumont,
Deacon Spyridon (“Perry”) Angelos, Anna
Teodosiadis, Kyriakos Moroseos, Baidar
Oweis, Thanasis Teodosiadis, Demetri
Dalas. Not Pictured: Stavroula Athans,
Eleni Lagos, Vicky Tourikis, Shaden Oweis,
Narissa Paskovskis, Samir Karoufeh,
Vasilis Dikeakos, Alex Varkalakis.
Opa!
Demetrios
Theodoropoulos, CLTC, LUTCF
Registered Representative offering Securities through NYLIFE
Securities, LLC • Member FINRA/SIPC a Licensed Insurance Agency
To learn more about products & services contact Theodoropoulos Financial
& Insurance Services
Bay Bridge Office
5980 Horton St., Suite 500, Emeryville, CA 94608
510-205-5433
TF
I
East Bay Office
6210 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94588
925-847-4600 office • 925-847-4605 facsimile
510-205-5433 cellular • demetrios@nyl.com
E S TAT E C O N S E R VAT I O N
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
EXECUTIVE BENEFIT PLANS
RETIREMENT PLANNING
C H A R I TA B L E G I V I N G
California Insurance License #0B95408
Theodoropoulos Financial & Insurance Services is not owned or
operated by NYLIFE Securities, LLC or its affliates
Member of the
newly created
National
Economic
Advisory
Council of
Malaysia,
Datuk Nick
Zefferys,
previously
a longtime
resident of
Seattle.
PHOTO BY
PRESTIGE PHOTO
St. Herman of
Alaska Seminary,
both in Kodiak.
HAWAII
OUTREACH
Fr. John
Hondros from
St. John the
Baptist Church in Las Vegas,
NV, celebrated the Divine
Liturgy on Sunday, July 26, at
the Tsanaklidis chapel on Maui
for the Orthodox faithful there.
The next Saturday Liturgy on
Maui will be September 12.
Orthodox of ALL jurisdictions
– Greek, Antiochian, Serbian,
OCA, Bulgarian, etc., –
are welcome. Please email
Fr.JohnKuehnle@mail.goarch.
org or call 808-521-7220 with
names and contact information.
ORTHODOX BOY SCOUT
ADVENTURE
Seattle’s Pan-Orthodox Boy
Scout Troop #67 won a place
NW PACIFIC NOTES
School
Hellenic
of St. Nicholas
Greek Orthodox Church
Classes in Modern Greek for
children, teens, and adults of
all levels of proficiency are
being formed at Saint Nicholas
Greek Orthodox Church (986
Chapman Street, San Jose, CA
95126), starting in September
2009 with open enrollment
throughout the year.
For further information,
please contact:
hellenicschoolinfo@saintnicholas.org
Tel. 408-243-0507 (School Office)
Tel. 408-246-2770 (Church Office)
NW PACIFIC NOTES
in a lottery to go camping at
the 137,400
Emanuel
square-acre
Dimitri
Volakis with
Philmont Boy
one of his
Scout Ranch in
photographs
the northwest
at his booth
at the
corner of
Bellevue (WA)
New Mexico.
Arts Fair.
Every summer,
20,000 Boy Scouts from the
U.S. and some foreign countries
come to that wilderness with its
rugged terrain and wild animals.
Scouts on the 11-day, 85 mile
heavy backpacking trek were Gabe
Buzatu, Athan Dumont, Michael
Howe, Chris Kouldukis, Robin
Pflager, Alex Praggastis, Nick
Prekeges, Alex Shipilova, and
Matthew Sineev. The adults were
all from Assumption Church
in Seattle: William Howe,
Father Dean Kouldukis, Chris
Praggastis, James Prekeges, and
Group Leader John Prekeges.
On the seventh day of the hike,
Fr. Dean Kouldukis celebrated
the first Orthodox Divine Liturgy
ever at Philmont Ranch on a rock
altar on a remote trail. Back in
Albuquerque, the group enjoyed
an Albuquerque Isotopes baseball
game and a visit to the Indian
Pueblo Cultural Center.
70TH ANNIVERSARY
Congratulations to The
Church of the Assumption in
Seattle on its 70th anniversary.
The community came into
being on August 15, 1939. The
occasion was marked by the
annual luncheon sponsored by
the Philoptochos for the parish
feast day.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
TOUR
On August 7, 8, 9, and 10,
Cappella Romana, the renowned
choral group, traveled to and
performed for four days straight
in the Pacific Northwest from
Portland to Seattle to Salt Spring
Island, BC, to Vancouver, BC.
Once again, Director Alexander
Lingas, with his vast knowledge
of Byzantine and Orthodox
musicology, came up with a
fascinating program. Estonian
composer Arvo Part has set
many Eastern Orthodox hymns
to music. Patterned on an
Orthodox service of supplication
(Paraklesis), Cappella Romana
offered a selection of Part’s
English and Slavonic works
including a Triodion. Following
the chorale’s debut at MusicFest
Vancouver in 2003, the
ensemble returned to the festival
this year, with an additional
performance on nearby Salt
Spring Island.
VOLAKIS EXHIBITS
Photographer and private
art dealer Emanuel
Dimitri Volakis
exhibited his black and
white photographs at
the annual summer
Bellevue (WA) Arts
Fair. His Volakis
Gallery in Napa, CA,
represents emerging
talent and established
artists in the fields of
photography, painting,
sculpture, mixed media, and
installation work. His own
art has an appreciation of
the ancient, often depicting
sculptures in Europe that are
based on the human form of
classical Greece. Samos and
Kastoria are his ancestral places.
In 1960, his Greek-born mother
met his Greek-American father,
who was stationed in Paris. They
settled in Denver and later moved
to the Bay Area. Emanuel was
introduced to photography and
given his first camera by his father,
a military aerial photographer.
Email Theodora Argue at
yiayia2@aol.com
Real Estate or Construction Problems?
LAW OFFICES OF
PETER J. ZOURAS
Focus on REAL ESTATE and CONSTRUCTION LAW,
including Purchase/Sales, Exchanges, Leasing, Property
Disputes, Construction Contracts and Disputes, Liens, Defects,
Earth Movement, and Water Damage. Representing Buyers/
Sellers, Owners, Contractors and Developers.
GENERAL
BUSINESS LAW, including Contracts,
Purchase/Sales, Business Disputes, and Corporate Formation.
Results Oriented • 20+ Years Experience
177 Post Street, San Francisco, CA • 415-974-1800
Fr. Dean Kouldukis of Assumption Church in Seattle celebrating
DIvine Liturgy with Seattle’s Orthodox Boy Scout Troop #67 in
the rugged Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
IT’S GREEK TO ME
I
M
P
O
R
T
S
John & Parthena Kanelos
510 531-3997 • Oakland, California
Greek Music and Videos
Custom Made Bridal Veils, Candles,
Favors, Stefana, and Stefanothekes
Baptismal Accessories and Clothing
including Lambades and Martirica
“You know, the Greeks invented real estate!”
Serving Los Angeles and Orange County
17
18
business directory
ACCOUNTING
GEORGIA PETRAKOS, CPA
Daoro Zydel & Holland LLP
135 Main Street, 9th Floor
Ph: 415-655-6241 • Email: Georgia@dzh.com
Law-Tax in Greece Consulting,
Inc.
Katerina Kampitsi
The Knight Ridder Building
50 W. San Fernando Street, Suite 900
San Jose, CA 95113
Ph: 408-918-5388 • Fax: 408-998-2102
40 Kalavryton Str.
187 57 Keratsini, Piraeus, Greece
Ph: (30) 210 400 7919
Fax: (30) 210 400 7710
info@law-tax.gr • kkampitsi@law-tax.gr
www.law-tax.gr
YIDRGOS TAGARAS, CPA
Tax Services, Film, Property
Matters, Wills, Start Up Business
Bookkeeping, Licence.
Legal Advice with
Associate Lawyer
Yidrgos Tagaras
Greek Orthodox Memorial Park
Mausoleum or ground burial services provided.
Church services available on our grounds.
Protected by Endowment Care Trust Funds.
The only Greek Orthodox Memorial Park
in the United States, offering consecrated burial lots,
dedicated to serving the Eastern Orthodox Faith.
1325 Calumet Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Ph:(626) 379 6671 • Ph: (30) 694 422 7096
yiorgostagaras@gmail.com
ADVERTISING/MARKETING
GUMAS ADVERTISING
John Gumas
99 Shotwell Street
San Francisco, California 94103
Ph: 415-621-7575 • Fax: 415-255-8804
Email: jgumas@gumas.com
www.gumas.com
ARCHITECTS
CJK DESIGN GROUP
Christ J. Kamages, AIA
594 Howard St., Suite 401
Ph: 415-495-7626 • Fax: 415-495-2788
Email: cjkdesign@cjkdesign.com
www.CJKDesign.com
JOHN N SCOURKES ARCHITECT
John N. Scourkes, AIA
PO Box 52090
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Ph: 831-757-7803 • Fax: 831-757-1201
Email: jnsarch@aol.com
John thodos/aia architect
John Thodos
N.E. 7th and Mission Streets
P.O. Box 7048
Carmel, CA 93921
Ph: 831-624-0866 • Fax: 831-624-8704
Email: Thodosaia@aol.com
www.Thodosaia.com
ATTORNEY
DIMITRAKOS LAW OFFICES
AN INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM
“…with dignity and respect
for those we love.”
Admitted in CA & Greece
111 Deerwood Rd., Ste 385
San Ramon, CA 94583
Specializing in Greek Law (real estate, title
searches, inheritance, tax, citizenship etc.),
CA Probate & Estate Planning (Wills/
Trusts), E.U. Law & U.S. Immigration and
Nationality Law.
Ph: 925-552-9610
Offices in CA & Greece
Kyriacos Tsircou, Esq.
Steve Doukas, Manager
Phone: (650) 755-6939 Fax: (650) 755-6109
P.O. Box 333 • 1148 El Camino Real • Colma, CA 94014
Specializing in intellectual property matters,
particularly in the area of patent law.
TSIRCOU LAW, P.C.
655 N. Central Avenue, 17th Floor
Glendale, CA 91203
323-660-9916
Email: kyri@tsircoulaw.com
www.tsircoulaw.com
Law & Tax Services (See Accounting)
LAW OFFICES OF
PETER J. ZOURAS
D
Peter J. Zouras, Attorney at Law
20+ years experience in Construction & Real
Estate Law, and assisting businesses.
177 Post Street, Suite 550
Ph: 415-982-2848 • Fax: 415-677-8529
Email: peterzou@gte.net
BAPTISMS & WEDDINGS
uggan’s Funeral Service
The Duggan Welch Family
William “Bill” and Steve Welch, the fourth and fifth
generation Funeral Directors serving San Francisco and
the bay area Greek Community.
Our friendly, family oriented staff are here to assist
you in your time of need. We are minutes away from
The Annunciation Cathedral and offer many Pre
Arrangement Plans.
3434 17th Street near Valencia
Phone: 415-431-4900 • Fax: 415-861-9866
California Funeral Establish License FD44
California Funeral Directors Licenses FDR 394-FDR 395
Eleni’s Favors & Gifts
Eleni’s Favors & Gifts
Specializing in Weddings & Christenings
Eleni Taptelis
116 El Camino Real
San Carlos, CA 94070
Ph: 650-631-8900 • Fax: 650-631-8910
Email: Elenisfavors@sbcglobal.net
www.elenisfavors.com
GREEK IMPORTS
Elias Tsiknis
6524 Mission Street
Daly City, CA 94014
Ph: 650-994-3322 • Fax: 650-994-3323
E-mail: roumeligr@aol.com
www.greekimportsinc.com
IT’S GREEK TO ME
Wedding, Baptism, Music & Video
John and Parthena Kanelos
4061 Barner Avenue
Oakland, CA 94602
Ph: 510-531-3997 • Fax: 510-531-6980
BOOKS & GIFTS
THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING
BOOKSTORE
Anastasia Kalivas
800 N. Glendale Ave.
Glendale, CA 91206
Ph: 818-551-0544 • Fax: 818-551-9297
Email: akalivas@lifegivingspring.com
www.lifegivingspring.com
mercial Construction
Bill Baladakis Ballas
1575 Francisco Blvd East
San Rafael, CA. 94901-5503
S.F. / North Bay: 415-460-1575
South Bay: 650-299-9400
www.plathco.com
GREEK STORES/MARKETS &
DELI’S
C&K IMPORTING
Chrys Chrys
2771 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90006
Ph: 323-737-2970 • Fax: 323-737-3571
Email: PapaCristo@Papacristo.com
www.papacristo.com
GREEK IMPORTS
Elias Tsiknis
6524 Mission Street
Daly City, CA 94014
Ph: 650-994-3322 • Fax: 650-994-3323
E-mail: roumeligr@aol.com
GREEKSHOPS.COM
VRIONIS & SON
Greece...delivered to your door with just a click
2665 30th Street, Suite 103
Santa Monica, California 90405
Ph: 310-581-5059 • Fax: 310-581-4290
Email: support@greekshops.com
www.greekshops.com
Design & MULTIMEDIA
Savas Deligiorgis
2365 Mission Street
San Franciso, California 94110
Ph: 415-282-2237 • Fax: 415-282-4250
Email: hellenicimports@aol.com
COMMERCIAL REAL
ESTATE, MANAGEMENT &
DEVELOPMENT
Gary M. Vrionis
4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Ste 250
Danville, California 94506
Ph: 925-736-9300
Fax: 925-736-9316
HELLENIC AMERICAN IMPORTS
ARTWORX
GREEK WINES
ENTERTAINMENT
Outstanding Greek Wine Selection
Dan Marshall
2526 A Santa Clara Ave.
Alameda, CA 94501
Ph: 510-769-9463 • Fax: 510-769-9443
Email: dan@duvinfinewines.com
www.duvinfinewines.com
Providing integrated Graphic Design, Multimedia, Web and Printing Services to Greek
Communities for almost a decade.
Nektarios Tradas
Owner, Art Director
Ph: 858-292-6070
www.getartworx.com
Vital Sounds (DJAlex)
du vin fine wines
GREEK IMPORTS
Alexander Mallas
Post Office Box 444
Belmont, CA 94002-0444
Ph: 650-591-1010 • Fax: 650-345-4742
Email: info@vitalsounds.net
www.vitalsounds.net
Elias Tsiknis
6524 Mission Street
Daly City, California 94014
Ph: 650-994-3322 • Fax: 650-994-3323
Email: roumeligr@aol.com
Greek/World Music for
Festivals, Weddings, Baptisms,
Private Parties, Special Events
Christos Sarantakis
707-939-9063 • www.medsoul.com
Email: christos@medsoul.com
Savas Deligiorgis
2365 Mission Street
Ph: 415-282-2237 • Fax: 415-282-4250
COAST FUNDING GROUP, INC.
Nick P. Diafos, Licensed Agent
** Specializing in the Self-Employed
Health • Life • Disability
Seattle, Washington
Ph: 425-749-0238 • Fax: 425-223-5090
ndiafos@comcast.net
MEDITERRANEAN SOUL
FINANCING
“Financing Homes to Hamburgerstands”
Since 1984
John Hatzidakis
Ted Learakos
Kostas Hatzidakis
1401 N. Tustin Ave., Suite 155
Santa Ana, California 92705
Ph: 714-547-3444
Email: john@coastfundinggroup.com
General Contracting
Plath & Company, Inc.
Custom Home Building, Renovation &
Remodeling, Historic Restoration and Com-
INSURANCE
HEALTH INSURANCE SPECIALIST
NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE
Demetrios Theodoropoulos, Agent
Bay Bridge Office
5890 Horton St., Suite 500
Emeryville, California 94608
Ph: 925-847-4600 • Fax: 925-847-4605
Cell: 510-205-5433
Email: demetrios@nyl.com
VERREOS INSURANCE AGENCY
Tony Verreos
Value Star Gold Certified
200 Valley Drive Suite 20
Brisbane, California 94005
Ph: 800-464-1397 • Fax: 415-467-9605
Email: info@verreos.com
GREER FAMILY
MORTUARY
JEWELERS
Serving the Greek Orthodox Community
Your trusted source for providing
Meaningful Ceremonies and outstanding
service through our dedicated staff
HELLENIC AMERICAN IMPORTS
JEWELRY PLUS
FD1408
Please visit our web site at www.greerfuneralhome.com
2694 Blanding Avenue
Alameda
Ph: 510-865-3755 Fax: 510-865-1327
Email: WeCare@GreerFamilyMortuary.com
Steve Padis
Email: padis@pacbell.net
Web: www.padisgems.com
San Francisco Jewelry Center
101 Utah Street Suite 201
Ph: 415-626-8288 • Fax: 415-431-4896
JEWELRY PLUS
Steve Padis
San Francisco Gift Center
888 Brannan Street Suite 165
Ph: 415-861-2325 • Fax: 415-861-2376
Steve’s Special Selection
888 Brannan Street Suite 126
Ph: 415-861-5388 • Fax: 415-861-1459
Jewelry
Gallery Byzantium
Exquisitely handcrafted heirloom quality
crosses and jewelry designed in the Early
Christian, Byzantine and Slavic aesthetic
tradition. • Ph: 800-798-6173
www.gallerybyzantium.com
MEMORIAL PARK
GREEK ORTHODOX
MEMORIAL PARK
Steve Doukas
1148 El Camino Real
Colma, CA 94014
Ph: 650-755-6939 • Fax: 650-755-6109
MORTUARY
Chapel of the Highlands
Personalized care for over 50 years
Paul Larson & Jim Pappas
El Camino Real at Millwood Drive
Millbrae, California
Ph: 650-588-5116
www.chapelofthehighlands.com
Duggan’s Funeral Service
Your Host: Savas Deligiorgis
2365 Mission Street, San Franciso, CA 94110
Ph: 415-282-2237
REAL ESTATE
MAKRAS REAL ESTATE
Victor G. Makras
1193 Church Street
Ph: 415-282-8400 • Fax: 415-282-8594
Eva Sogotis
Realtor
Servicing your Real Estate needs
in San Francisco and the Peninsula
Alain Pinel Realtors
1440 Chapin Avenue, Suite 200
Burlingame, CA 94010
Ph: 650.931.2953 • Fax: 650.931.2099
Cell: 650.302.8291
Email: esogotis@apr.com
www.evasogotis.com
Jimmy Spathos
Realtor / Notary
Commercial and Residential Real Estate
in Los Angeles and Orange Counties
8635 Florence Avenue Suite 101
Downey, CA 90240
Ph: 562-861-7257 • Fax: 562-861-0285
Cell: 562-400-2148
www.jimmyspathos.com
The Duggan Welch Family
Our friendly, family-oriented staff are
here to assist you in your time of need.
We are minutes away from the Annunciation
Cathedral, 245 Valencia St. S.F.
3434 17th Street near Valencia
Ph. 415-431-4900 • Fax: 415-861-9866
A Real Estate Lending Company For All Your
Real Estate Needs
Taso Manitsas, Owner/Broker
4340 Redwood Hwy, Suite A33
San Rafael, CA. 94903
Ph: 415-472-4572 • Fax: 415-472-4575
Email: Taso@primarymort.com
Duggan's Serra Mortuary
RESTAURANTS
Free Funeral Preplanning Appointments in one
of our three locations or your home.
500 Westlake Avenue
Daly City, CA 94014
Ph: 650-756-4500 • 415-587-4500
Fax: 650-755-4834
www.duggansserra.com
Greer Family Mortuary
Serving the Greek Orthodox
Community
2694 Blanding Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
Ph: 510-865-3755
Fax: 510-865-1327
WeCare@GreerFamilyMortuary.com
PHOTOGRAPHY/
VIDEOGRAPHY
PETRAKOS FILMS
Kostas Petrakos
San Carlos, California
Ph: 650-585-1015
Email: Kostas@petrakosfilms.com
www.petrakosfilms.com
printing & Publishing
ARTWORX
Providing integrated Graphic Design, Multimedia, Web and Printing Services to Greek
Communities for almost a decade.
Nektarios Tradas
Owner, Art Director
Ph: 858-292-6070 • www.getartworx.com
RADIO
HELLENIC AMERICAN
BROADCAST
PRIMARY MORTGAGE
epsilon
Fine Greek Restaurant
Petros Mungridis
422 Tyler Street, Monterey, CA 93940
Ph: 831-655-8108
www.epsilonrestaruant.com
Papa Cristo’s
Authentic Greek Taverna Since 1948
Chrys Chrys
2771 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90006
Ph: 323-737-2970
SHIPPING/APPLIANCES
ARIS EXPORT CO., INC.
Isaac Kotev
1453 Doolittle Drive
San Leandro, CA 94577
Ph: 510-636-4646 • Fax: 510-636-4640
Email: info@airs220v.com
www.aris220v.com
TELEVISION
GREEK TV
Your Host: Dimitri Carapanos
3653 Walnut Street
Lafayette, California 94549
Ph: 925-858-3334
www.greektv.com
TRAVEL
Aster Travel Agency
The Greek Travel Agency
Discount air, cruises & tours
Tim Zaracotas
1961 Ocean Avenue
"Our Family Serving Yours"
Madeline, Bill, Maureen & Dan, The Bud Duggan Family
and the Staff of Duggan’s Serra Mortuary, Daly City
500 Westlake Avenue, Daly City
650.756.4500 415.587.4500
The Duggan Family Proudly Serving the Greek Community Since 1903
Less than 5 minutes from the Greek Orthodox Cemetery
(Not affiliated with Duggan’s Welch, 17th Street, SF)
FREE BROCHURE Preplanning, Traditional Services
Please visit our website at: www.duggansserra.com
NHS
including domestic and
foreign affairs.
Basile, the comedian,
brought down the house in
the opening reception, and
despite the pounding rain and
thunder a large contingent of
golfers made it through 18
holes of the award-winning
Trump International Golf
Course.
Renaissance Weekend
attendees included, actor
John Aniston, George
Behrakis of Gainesborough
Investments and publisher
of The Hellenic Voice,
John Calamos of Calamos
Investments, Charles Cotros,
former Sysco Foods executive,
Evangeline Gouletas,
Skyline Properties, the Very
Rev. Alex Karloutsos of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America, C. Dean Metropoulos,
former Pinnacle Foods executive,
George Marcus of Marcus &
Millichap/Essex Properties, Peter
J. Pappas of PJ Mechanical,
George Stamas of Kirkland
& Ellis, Tony Thomopoulos,
former ABC Network
and United Artists Studio
executive, Angelo Tsakopoulos
of AKT Development,
Kyriakos Tsakopoulos of KT
Communities, John Vlahakis
of Earth Friendly Products,
Stephanie Vlahakis, executive
director of the National Hellenic
Museum, and many other
luminaries and their families.
The NHS’ mission is to preserve
Greek heritage in the United
States. NHS will undertake
several projects helping to preserve
heritage – the Virtual Village
Club Project will facilitate
online social, business and
professional networking
for young Greek American
professionals and will serve as a
valuable resource for accessing
business, professional, cultural
and academic information.
NHS is also sponsoring
scholarships for first-time
young visitors to Greece (NHS
Birthright Greece) in hopes
of instilling a sense of identity
through exceptional educational
and cultural programs (see page
10).
For additional information
about the National Hellenic
Society, contact Executive
Director Timothy Maniatis
at 301-941-1961 or
tmaniatis@aol.com or visit
nationalhellenicsociety.org.
Ph: 415-334-5957
Fax: 415-334-3552
VENTURE CAPITAL
Prima capital group, inc.
Do you have a bright idea that can become a
real business? Or are you a Greek Angel who
is willing to venture in bright ideas? Can we
talk?
Elias D. Argyropoulos–President/CEO
Nick Gorenc–Financial Consultant
1230 Coast Village Circle, Ste. EMontecito,
California 93108
Ph: 805-969-1370 or 800-600-8599
Fax: 805-565-0557
Email: prima@silcom.com
$300,000 to $10,000,000
wINERIES
Lolonis Winery
Greek Heritage Vineyards going on their
90th year
Certified Organically Grown and Unfiltered
Join Our Wine Club and Receive 25% off
Retail
www.Lolonis.com
Advertise in the HJ
Business Directory for $30
per issue.
Call the Hellenic Journal 831899-3699 or info@hellenicjournal.
org. Deadline is the first of the
previous month, i.e.
August 1st for September.
Hellenic Connection
Hellenic Events, Restaurants,
Businesses & Organizations.
For a comprehensive list of what’s
happening on the Greek scene
in your town and around the
globe, visit Hellenikozmo.com and
tonypresents.com.
Fanari Academy of Greek Education, a 501
(c) (3) nonprofit Greek language program, is
accepting applications for teaching positions for
2009-2010. Also needed is a Computer & Greek
language instructor: Applicants must hold a
degree in computer science or related field and
speak Greek fluently. This position is designed
to enhance teaching Greek with the integration
of computers. The school is located at the
campus of Rainbow Montessori in Sunnyvale.
Qualified candidates should be fluent in Greek
and have a university degree. Please register
online www.fanariacademy.org or contact us by
e-mail at info@fanariacademy.org.
19
HARRY W. GREER, RALPH H. GREER,
FREDA GREER & VALERIE C. GREER
ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH OR AFFILIATED
WITH:
GREER Family Mortuary in Alameda, CA
Grant Miller John Cox Mortuary in Oakland, CA.
Both mortuaries are OWNED by Funeral Service
Consolidator CARRIAGE SERVICES, a Houston,
Texas Based Corporation
Any Questions May Be Directed to
Harry W. Greer
Home: (510) 522-5188 • Cell: (510)368-3892
Email: hgreer7215@aol.com
Member Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in Oakland
We are proud to feature the following designers:
Tacori, Scott Kay, Scott Kay Sterling, Michele Watches, Verragio, Simon G., A. Jaffe, Ritani, Precision Set, Christopher Designs,
Jeff Cooper, Memoire, Christian Bauer, ArtCarved Goldman, Spark, Natalie K., Diana, Benchmark, Calla Collection, Michael Bondanza, Tycoon,
Visit Our Showrooms
Jean-Francois Albert, Charles Garnier, Michael B., Furrer Jacot & Fendi Watches
SAN FRANCISCO JEWELRY CENTER
SAN FRANCISCO GIFT CENTER
STEVE’S SPECIAL SELECTION
101 Utah Street
888 Brannan Street
Suite 201
Suite 165
Suite 126
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
415-626-8288
415-861-2325
415-861-5388
San Francisco Bay Area
1-888-500-GEMS www.padisgems.com

Sep 2009 issue

Transcription

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