Art OutHoliday issue

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Cosmina Simona Mihalca Laura Lucia Mihalca

Gabriela Geană, Ana Cristina Ionescu, Anca-Iuliana Pătru, Ioana Petre, Bianca Silitră

Eduard Petermann, Iulia Rădulescu

Dana-Cristiana Agent, Andreea Ene, Oana Daiana Hamza, Mihai Moldoveanu, Claudia Mihai, Laura Păun, Mădălina Pescaru, Bianca Silitră, Ilinca-Ruxandra Țone

Laura Păun

Diana Ragland

Andrei Apostol, Andreea Gabriela Ionescu, Raluca Pascu

Alexandra Gogoşaru, Alina Iordan, Laura Lungu, Ruxandra Măcărescu, Andreea Murgu, Alina-Raluca Pipirigianu, Andreea-Claudia Popa

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Summary

Letter from the Editor - Simona Mihalca 5

What to visit this summer? - Mihai Moldoveanu 8

In the air - Ilinca-Ruxandra Țone 12

Interview with Adam Korson - Simona Mihalca 14

Quiet places where you can spend your time in Bucharest - Mădălina Pescaru 18

A literary tour of Bucharest - the streets of Mircea Eliade - Laura Păun 20

Meta-dialogue with actress Maia Morgenstern - About the challenge of living each moment on the stage of life - Andreea Ene, Laura Lucia Mihalca 22 Psychotest: What is the perfect destination for you? - Dana-Cristiana Agent 28

Summer, the time when the wardrobe reborns from the ashes - Oana Daiana Hamza 30

Visiting Câmpulung Muscel. You think you have nothing to see? - Mădălina Pescaru 36 Scrabble - Great time spent with friends and real opportunities to develop general knowledge- - Laura Lucia Mihalca, Claudia Mihai 38

Summer, holiday, that’s perfect - Bianca Silitră 45

Letter from the Editor

Hey, you! Happy summer! More likely, happy summer end-ish. But if you are living in Romania right now, it certainly will be unbearably hot for some while. What are you to do these days? Where are you to go? What should you wear? What should you read? Decision, decisions. That’s where we come in when we bring you this spectacular Summer Guide. Fine, maybe not spectacular, but it is pretty good. It’s the first edition of many more to come. You have all the basics: big shot actor on the cover (Adam Korson is really awesome, go ahead and read the interview and stay tuned for SEED), another interview with the lady of Romanian theatre and movie: Maia Morgenstern and lots of summer-y articles. We will now answer all your questions. You will find out about the streets, the pubs and the exhibitions in Bucharest. Now that that is settled, we must find you something to wear. Or at least give you some tips, for you to make the best of what you have. We also have some book suggestions. So thanks for watching. And while you enjoy that Margarita on a beach with hula dancers (most probably in your dreams), don’t forget to read what we had to say. Enjoy!

Simona Mihalca

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Recommendations

It seems that it is going to be a sizzling summer, with a horrendous scorching heat, but also pouring rain. What will we do? We can’t just sit around drinking all day long. The alcohol will only make us even more hot. We can’t sleep either. The pillow will instantly warm up. And on top of all that, what will we do if we get caught up between a round of pouring rain and two heat records? What is left to do in this summer? Quo vadis? To the museum! The museum is a cool place, where there is a constant temperature between 20-25 degrees, to better preserve the exhibits. Also, the humidity is controlled and monitored permanently. It never rains there. The sunrays are filtered by special curtains so that they would not affect the paintings. This means that there are very small chances of being blinded by the sun. Museums are closed buildings so the dusty wind can’t enter and you will also be protected from unwanted tunes. It is the perfect place where you can come alone or accompanied, you can socialize with your friends or with the artworks. So... let’s go to the museum! Art Out offers you a selection containing the six best summer exhibits, ideal for your “dolce far niente”.

Here’s an exhibit close to our hearts! It has been 150 years since the foundation of the National University of Arts in Bucharest. This is a great opportunity to get out the dusty paintings (editor’s note: poetic image, not to be understood that the paintings are not regularly cleaned) from the storage of the National Arts University Museum and the Art Museum of Romania and to put them in the generous picture rails in the old Royal Palace. Let’s call it a regal feast. Anyway, it is a beautiful exhibit about artists, teachers and apprentices.

On view: May 29, 2014 – September 28, 2014; 11:00 – 19:00Exhibit location: National Museum of Art of Romania, ground floor of the National Gallery (Calea Victoriei/Victory Avenue 49-53)

From the Belle-Arte School to the Academy of Beautiful Arts. Artists in Bucharest between 1864-1948

What to visit this summer? An article by Mihai Moldoveanu

Translated by Andreea-Claudia Popa

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“An iconic artist of the conceptual art, Sarkis is permanently updating his intercession by analyzing the realities of the contemporary world through the conveyance of a visual path that takes into consideration the past and projects himself in the future”. That is the official presentation of the exhibit from the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Unlike other artists that do not possess iconic features, because they do not update their speech with the reality of the contemporary world and do not take into consideration either the past or the future, this particular artist is undoubtedly distinct. The presentation continues like this: “In Bucharest, Sarkis proposes a filter of images and concepts that offer us a different perspective in regard to the perception of the quotidian, thus revealing hidden aspects and new emotions.” And because we got tired of old emotions, it is a certainty that we want to go to this exhibit! What’s even more interesting is that Sarkis has conceived a visual path between the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, the National Museum of Contemporary Art and the International Centre for Contemporary Art (The Ark). At the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, the exhibit is taking place in the “Irina Nicolau” hall, the “Foaier” hall and in the permanent exhibition and it

Here’s an exhibition which will tickle the hearts of those who are passionate about clothes. If you got tired of going to the mall, you can now see the choices of clothing of the Romanians between XV and XX centuries. You will find secular and ecclesiastic clothes, costumes, millitary uniforms, but also accesories worn by social categories, such as nobility, clergy, merchants, soldiers, diplomats, clerks, but also highbrows, scientists

SARKIS – A l’autre bout de l’arc en ciel

The dress proclaims the man. Six centuries of vestiary history

hosts the section called “De l’aube au crepuscule - Din zori la asfințit” (From dawn to dusk). On the ground floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art, there is another exhibit called “Entre le ciel et la terre - Între cer și pământ” (Between the sky &the earth). The International Centre for Contemporary Art (The Ark) hosts the final section, “La memoire est vivante, les souvenirs sont figes – Memoria este vie, amintirile sunt încremenite.” (The memory is alive, the memories are anchored).

On view: 15.05-07.09.2014Exhibit location: National Museum of Contemporary Art, The Palace of The Parliament, the back wing, the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, Piața Victoriei (Victory Square).

Here’s an epic exhibition! “Exclusive paintings. Artworks that have not been exhibited in Bucharest before were brought from the prestigious Brukenthal National Museum to be admired for more than two months in our elegant Cotroceni National Museum. Needless to say, the Brukenthal National Museum is the third museum that opened in Europe, right after British Museum and Luvru Museum. It contains over 1.000 artworks. The museum has the biggest Flemish art collection, besides Holland and Belgium, and it is a mark among the museum of Europe” (from the Fan Club Muzeul Național Cotroceni Facebook page, by the same autor).

On view: June 27 – August 30, 2014; Tue. – Sun. ; 9.30 – 17.30Exhibit location: Cotroceni Palace, Bulevardul Geniului/Geniului Boulevard, no.1

Religious characters and scenes in European paintings, from the collection of the Brukenthal National Museum

LVMEN EST OMEN Art, history and spirituality of artificial lighting

and renowned artists. The toiletries of the coquettish ladies and gentlemen from the old days will also be exhibited. The organizers assure us that it is not just a simple exposition of vestiary objects, but they want to show the complexity of attire as an important element in the social, economic, cultural life, but also as carriers of ideological messages. Many of the exhibits come from famous persons, such as Alexandru cel Bun (Alexander the Good), the princes of Transylvania, Gabriel Bathory and Gabriel Bethlen, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, king Carol I, king Ferdinand I, queen Elisabeth, queen Mary, king Carol II, Mihail Kogalniceanu, Vasile Alecsandri, Ion Heliade Radulescu, Nicolae Iorga, Nicolae Titulescu, general Averescu, etc.

On view: May 15 – August 24, 2014; 10:00-18:00Exhibit location: The National Museum of History of Romania, Calea Victoriei/Victory Avenue, no.12

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The Museum of the Romanian Peasant invites us to an extremely original exhibition, which delivers the richness and evolution of fittings from the 5 continents. A selection of photos and period documents and more than 300 pieces, from antiquity to the discovery of electricity are being presented. There are lamps, flashlights and chandeliers that illustrate the practical and aesthethic function, sometimes even the ludic one. We discover the role of illumination in everyday life, the religious and profesional one and even the festive one. We are presented with fittings from Romania, from the Dacian period until the modern period, but also from other countries. Artworks from many museums and private collections are also present. It is, without any doubt, an exhibition that enlightens the soul!

On view: July 3 - August 31, 2014, Tue. – Sun., 10-18Exhibit location: Museum of the Romanian Peasant, Piața Victoriei/Victory Square, “Foaier” hall.

ZooMonetar- The world’s fauna on bills and coins

And because the Antipa Museum is not represented only by stuffed animals, here’s an exhibition of plastic art organised with the help of the National Bank of Romania. The exhibition is an endeavour which proposes “the growth of the knowledge level regarding monetary inscriptions among the public at large and the knowledge of the numismatic herladic fauna that decorated coins and bills in the course of time.” To simplify it, it is an exhibition that shows us animals on money. Some money... and some animals! More than 100 species are on more than 300 monetary inscriptions. There are exhibited coins from antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Modern Age, emitted in 18 states and modern bills from 59 countries and teritories from 6 continents. The visitors will also have an extraordinary 3D experience and will be able to interact with animals through a multimedia application. Let’s not also forget that the exhibition is the “core” around which the others events of the project will be organized and that are dedicated to all age groups: presentations, puppet shows, theatre shows, heraldics whorkshops and practical numismatics for students. An entire zoological gardens of knowledge!

On view: June 13 – October 31, 2014.Exhibition location: Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History, Piața Victoriei/Victory Square.

The images, information and text extracts presented in this article were taken from the websites of the above mentioned museums. 11

In the air An article by

Ilinca-Ruxandra ȚoneTranslated by

Andreea-Claudia Popa

Photo credit: Andrei Apostol

I like to fly, I dream about floating. It could be blamed on my fascination towards finding online bargains. All I know is this – flying on a plane is the best part of a holiday. Paradoxically, I am very frightened of the slightest turbulence and I do my fair square of research about aviation disasters before I get on a plane. Even more, I suffer from every possible adverse effects on a plane. Ever since I started going to college in Scotland, I have been flying on two main routes, one with a stop over at Frankfurt and the other one at Amsterdam, with two rival airline companies. Because these flights were among my first solo ones, my experience regarding the booking and buying the tickets was almost non-existing so I asked for help from an acquaintance at a tourism agency. The main advantage was that I found many “tricks of the trade”, as the English call it, and now I do not depend on any intermediaries. An advice for those who buy tickets is that they should buy them in the middle of the week, with maximum six weeks before de departure date. The motivation is quite clear – the vast majority of people that have the money for a ticket do not also have time on a Tuesday to buy it. The return flight must be bought along with the first one because there’s a huge price difference! Also, it is recommended for the flights to be in the middle of the week, at hours that allow a vampire to survive. Oh, there are so many rules! Getting over the preliminary stages of printing the boarding pass, the ink smell of which gives me great satisfaction, my luggage adventure is quite interestng.

As a consequence of the mediocrity of my luggage, I have flourished it with a sticker that has a positive message: “I love my dog”. In my opinion, it is better to fly with a luggage with no security system, because in the case of suspicion at the customs, anyone who has an angle grinder will be able to pass a poor lock. In general, I’m amused and depressed at the same time to weight my luggage at home and to figure out that it is too heavy. The nice ladies at the airport turned a blind eye in my case because of an extra 2 or 3 kilos, but it was a taken risk. But my favourite part in any airport is security. I do not like duty free, but I am sort of inclined to shopping. There are as many control methods as they are airports. In cities such as Bucharest, Warsaw or Amsterdam I passed all the filters very quickly. But Frankurt is a whole other story. Even though the efficiency is high, the search procedures are very long and the questions about harmless objects such as a curling iron are extremely frequent. But I enjoy watching the security agents, to observe their perfectly hidden emotions. I consider that flight attendants also function on a similar self duplication system, whose smile is standardized. If there would exist a fast-forward button for technical details on the plane and move us onward to the floating state, the flight differences would be minimal. Unfortunately, they exist and not only between companies. For example, a flight with smaller planes, with propellers, would cause a not so comfortable massage for the passenger. The difference between a skilled pilot and a less skilled one is obvious when passing through turbulences, but also on the landing. 12

A distinguished adventure of mine on a plane was when I went to the bathroom during a series of turbulences and I found out for the first time the usefulness of a sill. It is an experience that one must try for once in a lifetime. I travel on the Economy class and I feel content to observe that there is no Business class in small planes and consider myself a princess. With certain companies, there can even be an auction for a ticket on Business class. In a British comedy sketch, the First Class flight attendant chased away the passenger with an inappropriate appearance. Of course, I find that inconceivable. Nevertheless, I find myself sometimes wishing not to be disturbed in my sleep by a heated conversation or my feet to be kicked in the desperate run for the exit. Overlooking all these things, I can always read on the plane. I always wake up with clogged ears. I always succed not to let my feet go stiff. I always find people to talk to and people to avoid. Finally, the rise in that state of uncertain imponderability augments the magic of passing between two places that are so far away in just a flash.

Photo credit: Andrei Apostol

Interview with Adam Korson

We know you love good comedies and funny, gifted and friendly actors, so this time we bring you an interview with Adam Korson, Canadian actor about to make big strides in the states this year. LEAD STAR of new television series SEED (yes, it’s a sperm donor comedy!) on The CW airing Monday nights this summer at 9:30 pm. We are sure it will be a hit and I know I will watch it. You will simply fall in love with Adam, so do read what is coming next to find out more about life at Hollywood, show-biz and, of course, holidays.

Simona Mihalca: Hi, Adam. How are you?

Adam Korson: I’m doing well. How are you? S.M: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and about your new show, “SEED”?

A.K: Well, I like long walks on the beach and candlelit dinners. No, I’m joking…although those can be fun. I’m a fun loving guy who’s always down for adventure and a good laugh. “Seed” is a half-hour single-camera comedy about a charming irresponsible bachelor bartender man

child Harry who finds out that the sperm donation he made 15 years ago has resulted into children. They have tracked him down and want him to be a part of their lives. After some reluctance, Harry falls into this new family made up of 9 year old Billy and his mothers Zoey and Michelle as well as Anastasia and her uptight rich parents Jonathan and Janet. Not to mention, a woman named Rose who accidentally gets inseminated with Harry’s sperm after a failed pickup attempt. Needless to say, there’s a lot going on…which makes for a fun and exciting comedy!

Interview made by Simona Mihalca

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S.M: How similar or different are you to your character?

A.K: The first time I read Harry I actually saw a lot of myself in the character and understood him a lot more quickly than other characters I’ve played. Obvious differences are: I’ve never donated sperm. I’ve never been a bartender. I have a great relationship with my family. I don’t have kids of my own. But the similarities are quite useful. Harry is a fun-loving guy. He means well. He looks out for the people he cares about. And I think something we can all relate to…he’s just trying to figure it all out. He is trying to do his best in this world. S.M: You have been present on a few shows by now. How challenging is for an actor to do shows and how hard is it to get the part in the first place?

A.K: To get the part is the hardest challenge. I always look at the work being in-between the jobs. Whether that’s working with a coach or other actors, reading scripts, writing, rehearsing scenes, studying film, etc. Once you get the part…that’s play time!

S.M: What makes, for you, a good comedy, both in a TV series and a movie?

A.K: Usually when it comes to TV and film I want to see a comedy where there is character development and strength in relationships. I’m not looking for setups to jokes. I want to be surprised by a joke. At the same time I want to relate and fall in love with the characters I’m watching. Of course, it’s also great watching someone trip and fall down… S.M: How do you like the US and how easy is it to acclimate to moving there?

A.K.: The U.S. and more specifically Los Angeles became home very quickly. Of course there were some small differences, but Canadian and American cultures are quite similar.

S.M: What got you interested in acting?

A.K: I knew at a very early age I wanted to be in this business and I have to attribute that to my parents. Every Saturday night as a family we would order pizza and take a trip to the video store. We kids got to pick a movie and my parents got to pick a movie. Usually, us kids would choose something current and my parents would choose a classic. So as a child I was introduced to films like “Casablanca,” “Citizen Kane,” “Ben Hur,” “The Great Escape,” anything Hitchcock, Marilyn Monroe, Spencer Tracey, etc. I had a film education without knowing it. And I loved it! I wanted in.

S.M: What are some of your favourite shows, both on air or canceled…and movies?

A.K: I love “Seinfeld”! I still watch it like I’m watching the episodes for the first time. More recently, I’ve been enjoying “House of Cards,” “Orange is the New Black,” HBO’s “True Detective.” Of course “Seed” is an incredible show! (Smiling) I will always love “Die Hard,” The Godfather Trilogy, Hitchcock’s “Birds,” and anything Mel Brooks. I mean, I can go on for a real long time about this topic. You might have to give me an entire issue on just this question.

S.M: Seen as this is a holiday issue, can you tell us a bit about your favourite holiday places, activities, ideas?

A.K: Firstly, happy holidays everybody!!! I hope you’re having a great time! Some of my favorite places I’ve visited are in Italy. First is Rome because of the depth of history. The other is a small town in Tuscany, Italy called La Pienza. This beautiful small town is on top of a hill with gorgeous views and a quiet history. I also love Stowe, Vermont. I used to go there every year with my family. It’s stunning with so much to do and it’s incredibly relaxing.

S.M: Some people read a guide book before going on holiday. What do you do to prepare for a holiday?

A.K: If I’m going somewhere new, I’ll definitely pick up some sort of guide book or do some research to learn about the place I’m visiting. Once I’m there though, I’m always open to learning about new places I never thought of or knew of. It’s all about having experiences.

S.M: How many suitcases do you usually take with you on holiday?

A.K: One…if that. At first, I will always try and see if I can stuff everything into a carry-on bag.

S.M: What are the differences between a holiday you take with your family and a holiday which you take with friends?

A.K: There isn’t really a difference. It will always involve some sort of adventure and relaxation…

S.M: Do you like to try local dishes or do you stick to “international” dishes like pizza, hamburgers, and so on?

A.K: I’ve always said that I would love to go around the world and find the best hamburgers ever made. However, I love trying new dishes and I’m always trying local food wherever I go.

S.M: When your holiday is finished are you glad to get back to work or do you dread it? Why?

A.K: Well, I’m fortunate where the work I do doesn’t seem like work at all. I love what I do. Some of my happiest moments are on set, so I’m always ready to get back to work and play. I think it’s so important for all of us in life to find what we love to do and get paid doing it. Life is meant to be lived happily.

S.M: As an actor, you get and will get to travel to different sets and cities for promotions. Do you think you will always have the same pleasure for traveling and sightseeing as you had before that?

A.K: Traveling for work or press usually doesn’t give you the time to ever explore the destination you’re in. And when I think of traveling I think about just that. Exploring. Learning. Enjoying. Relaxing. The desire for travel for pleasure doesn’t fade. If anything, you just become better at it.

S.M: What are some of your hobbies or passions besides acting?

A.K: I love the outdoors. So I love to hike, mountain bike, surf or simply just be in the ocean. I also love going to the movies. There’s something about sitting in a theatre watching the big screen with a bucket of popcorn that I simply love.

S.M: Can you tell us some of your “celebrity” stories? Did you get to meet any of your idols?

A.K: I would say that my favorite moment so far was getting the opportunity to meet and work with Carol Burnett. She was everything I wanted her to be and more. She was the most caring, lovely, funny and professional person I had ever met. And I mean... I grew up watching her! In-between takes we would tell jokes or do bits. We sang “Luck be a Lady” together!!! It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done, you can still be a great human being. It was quite amazing. I will never forget her and that day.

Photo credit: Diana Ragland

Quiet places where you can spend your time in Bucharest

An article by Mădălina Pescaru

Translated by Alexandra Gogoşaru

Photo credit: Andreea Ionescu

When exams are over and the holiday is only at the beginning, we want to take advantage of summer as much as possible because, as we both know, minutes, hours and days are ticking fast and with timid and fast steps comes the cold season. I would like to tell you about a few places in Bucharest where you can spend the scorching summer days, where you can relax with your friends, laugh out loud, where the smell of the flowers remind you of your grandmother’s garden and make you forget about the crowded streets of the city. Yes, these places are right in your city! Sky Bar Lounge/Restaurant is my favourite place in Bucharest. Right from when you get into the elevator you have a warm feeling because you know it’s the ideal place to spend the hot summer days. I like it because the staff is welcoming, because of the inviting atmosphere, the impeccable serving, and the goods from the menu are surpassing their images, the competition quality vs. quantity being superior. In the evening it gets a romantic atmosphere which you will surely remember. I gladly recommend this place to my friends. Shall I delight you with another place? I am sure that the place I went to this summer was visited by you at least once; I am talking about Funky Lounge Herăstrău, where you can enjoy the most beautiful sunsets alongwith a good wine and a pleasant company. The relaxed atmosphere, the good music and the tremendous idea to

place the restaurant on the lake surprised me. I ate here some delicious pasta al forno and relished an Apperol which made the perfect combination. Do you remember me telling you earlier about the thought of grandma’s garden? Well, Ceainaria Cinci is the place. And if you didn’t go there already, you can discover it first through me. At Ceainaria Cinci you can get the most delicious natural tea and shake. It is the place where you can relax; you can quietly read a book, bring your laptop and work in peace, where you can enjoy society games as Activity, Monopoly and game cards. The green, the flowers and the swings will certainly delight you and they’ll leave you with the same good impression as I got from them. And speaking of food, I will recommend you some restaurants your taste buds will love. Trattoria Il Calcio is my favourite restaurant because of the very good food, especially the pastas and salads; it also has the best lemonade. The atmosphere is very nice, as well as the serving. The prices are medium but the food is worth all the money. City Grill is the same. It is a nice restaurant with good products and various foods. It is the ideal place to watch a match and enjoy lunch, the perfect place to go out with friends or organize events.And for those who enjoy Turkish food, Divan is the right place. Have you ever tried or are you interested in 18

trying Turkish food? Then it’s time to find out more about this restaurant. Divan Restaurant is the best when it comes to Turkish food. I gladly recommend the moist Turkish cake and hummus; as for the atmosphere and design of the place which teleports you to the Turkish world, is a beauty, ideal for family dinners. You can find it in the Old Town or on Floreasca Street. Where else have I been this summer? Another place where you can relax with your friends is on top of Promenada. The park is one of my favourite places in Bucharest because is the only place at height in the city and during summer different activities are organized, movie nights, exhibitions, concerts, etc. music and happiness will always give you a good feeling. I enjoy very much evening walks and where can I do this? In the park, and my favourite on and maybe yours is Herăstrău, if not then you definitely like I.O.R. Herăstrău Park is one of my favourite parks because each time I go there I get a feeling of happiness and peace of mind. Also, the fact that I always see so many children reminds me of my childhood. It is the place where you can enjoy as much as you want a ride with the bicycle, rollers or a boat ride. These are only a few places where you can spend your holiday, this is why I strongly recommend you to become an explorer and discover the other beautiful places in Bucharest. 19

A literary tour of Bucharest -

the streets of Mircea Eliade

If you walk the streets in a hurry, you may find yourself caught in a city of asphalt, dust and cars. But if you slow down, if you get off the tram even in hot days, you begin to feel that on the adjacent streets smells like linden, honeysuckle or multi-coloured petunias placed on windowsills. Then, as in a labyrinth of senses, you choose to follow the path of quiet streets, hidden from the main street and to get closer to the sweet smell of honeysuckle and of “walnut leaves crushed between the fingers” (“With the Gypsy Girls” – Mircea Eliade). Here you turn your head, look around and realise that… you are alone. You find yourself on the Plantelor Street, where you discover tall apartment buildings, near houses which combine, in an eclectic style, classic and baroque elements or carrying influences of cultures which entered the architecture of Bucharest at the beginning of the 20th century. Old facades are hidden under a thick covering of ivy which comes down from beneath wooden eaves over doors closed with padlocks. Wrought iron fences hide buildings with wooden gazebos wearing the patina of time over the dry paint and peeled here and there, giving the sculpted motives the air of an old and beautiful art. It is the place where Eminescu walked for the last time, as it is written on the memorial plaque from the sanatorium on the same street. Next, Negustori Street gets narrow and, if you cross it from one end to the other, you realise that it’s a quiet and cold street because of the linden trees which usually hide places often deserted. Next follows a simple

house, with a cool garden and a construction which presents elements of classic architecture: triangular pediments, friezes with garlands under eaves, Ionic columns, all placed symmetrically. The street continues with a building from the interwar era, with numerous decorations, columns and a round window at the French stylized attic. On the Popa Soare Street smells like burned wood and an old, debarked and shady plane tree catches your eye. Maybe from here the mystical song “In the Yard of Dionysus” and other violin pieces of Anton Pann had been listened. The balcanic-eliadesque sound visually combines with the eclectic architecture: the entrances of the houses have marquise canopies and the decorative elements from the outside walls combine with contemporary elements on windowsills: a bouquet of sunflowers in a clay cup. You come back to the Mântuleasa Street and an entrance, as an intermittent silence, lures you with meticulous arabesques under the eaves and with wooden gates opened which invite you in the yards with tight spaces which hide, as outbuildings, some amazing installations. On Mântuleasa Street the church with the same name has geraniums and hydrangeas in its yard and, next door, there’s a neoromanian house with a balcony with arches supported by delicate and thin columns made of wood. Other houses with the same style, with arbours, join some modernist apartment buildings, with straight lines and no decorations, with round windows

An article by Laura PăunTranslated by

Alexandra Gogoşaru

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of naval inspiration. Not far away, towards Pache Protopoescu Avenue, are the cellars where the characters from “On Mântuleasa Street” transform into archaeologists of signs. Pache Protopopescu Avenue is an eliadesque transitory place, just as Armeneasca Street, where you can find memorial plaques which evoke the mathematician Grigore Moisil and the writer, diplomat, and politician Alexandru Paleologu. The dusty houses are right in front of the renovated ones and here and there the rooftops come to life under the quiet steps of a cat that lurks animations on a smaller scale. Not far from the Rosetti Plaza, on the Radu Cristian Street, former Melodia Street is Eliade’s attic, which can be seen through the words of the man who lived there, written in his “Memoirs”. The furniture consists of: “the wooden table covered with blue paper”, “the white lamp shade”, “a wooden bed, painted with red”, “a library of boards”, “a small table”, and “under the table, a brown chest”. The itinerary loses its toponymy and organises itself from imagination into a personal geography, according to a subjective perception, as in “Marriage in Heaven”. The route reveals you synesthetic details, like the texture of burned bricks, glazed in different colours: black, rust-coloured, blue, carefully placed.

On the next street there’s shadow and the swallows pierce the air shouting. In another place is indicated the premises of a merchant from other times, whose space is no longer used for the activities written with a calligraphic writing on a rusty board. You encourage yourself and enter an opened door, where curiosity gives to the experience the emotions of an explorer. The spiral staircases, with wrought iron railings, are dusty, old and have an arghezian smell. And, when you leave this place, you hear a rhythmic sound, a quiet timbre of cuckoos, as it can be heard in villages. Following the experimental path you meet walled doors, gates without a doorknob and carpets of tree shadows. The discovering of a church with a lateral door without a doorknob is similar to the experience of the shoeless traveller who knocks the gate without a doorknob of an inn, because he cannot come in uninvited and the lack of a doorknob is a symbol. In this semiotic itinerary, not all doors are opened or available. Not all the streets still carry the same names as during the time of Eliade’s characters, and others place themselves only in a literary urban plan. The houses are described differently, and the streets carry other steps and signs. But, as in those times, the streets and houses of Bucharest carry with them stories that the passers-by or the dwellers discover in their everyday lives.

Photo credit: Laura Păun

Meta-dialogue with actress

Maia MorgensternAbout the challenge

of living each moment on the stage of life

Interview made by Andreea Ene and Laura Lucia Mihalca

Translated by Laura Lungu

How can you describe an exceptional person in a few words? Well, you cannot. For many of us, Maia Morgenstern is currently the director of the Hebrew State Theatre in Bucharest, one of the most famous film and theatre actress and a sensitive person who chooses to get involved in humanitarian projects, for example the spot for “Save Roșia Montană “. Maia has allowed us to know her little by little through what she thinks and feels. We must confess that the meeting with Maia Morgenstern remains an unforgettable moment in which poetry was born with every word play, total honesty and friendship remaining the main coordinates.

Art Out (A.O.): The beginnings are always full of emotion, with what thoughts and dreams did you start playing?

Maia Morgenstern (M.M.): The fear of the unknown, with this I started. I did not know where to start. It seemed perfect the art of acting, perfect. If it is perfect, then there is no end or beginning, from where you can start? How? Every time I was amazed by the actors’, actresses’ performances. I was deeply grateful and terrified. When you stand at the gates of perfection and do not know whether to knock, that’s the beginning of acting, so it was mine. You do not know if you have access there. But how can you knock?

A.O.: Looking back, is the route as you have imagined it?

M.M.: More beautiful! I thank God for every moment that I live, the good ones and the bad ones. Mistakes and wisdom, with falls and linearity and stationary driving me crazy.

A.O.: How do you choose roles in theatre ? Or rather, the role chooses you?

M.M.: My feeling is that I choose very carefully and very discerning, but actually I think that the roles choose me. Although this sounds pompously, maybe a little pretentious. I fall in love easily with many roles.

A.O.: You had the opportunity to play in many film and theatre projects, what role had the greatest impact?

M.M: I think it is unfair for you to ask me that. Although it is, I will commit an injustice. It’s as if you asked me which child I love most. Marguerite Gautier in The Lady of the Camellias, the dancing-show. It was the least invested with confidence and it developed, flourished like the ugly duckling and it brought me a lot of satisfaction.

A.O.: Do you see yourself in the students of today?

M.M.: Yes! 22

A.O.: Are they the same as their predecessors, students in Theatre?

M.M.: No! They are even better! Much better! More determined, because no one can promise them anything, in any way, maybe just the certainty of not finding a job.I see them determined and strong, ready to create their own projects and to handle advertising and decorations.

A.O.: You traveled everywhere. Bucharest public seems different from that of other European cities?

M.M.: Just yesterday I returned from Arad, where we played in a summer garden. I was welcomed with flowers. There were dozens of people. It’s nice, I always feel the same emotion when meeting with the public. Place matters little, people, soul and energy counts. Whether playing on stages in Paris, London, Barcelona and Bucharest, Arad, Bacău, I am so happy when I see that people come to the theater, have a good time and enjoy what we do.

A.O.: The play you will play tonight - A woman alone is a challenge for society. How often do you think this can happen and what do you think about it?

In photos:Maia Morgenstern, in"Janka"

Cast: Maia MorgensternDirected by: Toma Enache

First performance: 2012

A production of the Hebrew State Theatre in Bucharest

M.M: Any mirror is a challenge. When you look in the mirror, at any age is a challenge. In the morning or on those days when the mirror is not working as Photoshop, is a challenge. And, if you possess an analytical mind, but not necessarily critical, that’s even more of a challenge. If you have the courage to look in the mirror – I am speaking from a metaphorical point of view but also literally - and you see all the marks that you do not like or that are not conform to what you wanted, compared with your standards or the clichés of our society, you get small electric shocks or even more. If a play and especially “A single woman” works this way, I would quote Shakespeare: “I am the mirror of life, the theater is the mirror of life”, then yes we really have a challenge. And I would also use a cliché: the famous “I do not respond to challenges”’ I would like to invite you to respond to this challenge, to respond to all the challenges, to the truths that life throws in your way. The play is about the needs of everyone, especially women’s to build, to weave through the imaginary walking on the edge of a cliff, risking to lose touch with reality, to create a reality of such intense love ... I do not know if it’s reality or desire, longing for emotional fulfillment, wealth, desire to give, to live a love story in all its aspects, from maternity to love for a wife or even forbidden love.Love should be understood here as the need to

communicate the need to be desired, the need to feel assaulted with desire and love. Ultimately, we are talking about the need to defend yourself in an overflow, in a tumult of life.

A.O.: In the contemporary society it is very difficult for a woman to devote themselves equally to career and family. You have succeeded. Is there a secret?

M.M: I do not know if I always did it well. It is very nice and it makes good interviews to report a perfect family life and a solid career, an intellectual mother, teacher and a friend. Things are not always so, with the risk of disappointing in interviews, that is not always the case. You crash occasionally. Fatigue, saturation, dissatisfaction, routine, the need for rest and sublime breaks where it’s less appropriate and when it’s less needed.

A.O.: You chose acting since you were young. Have you imagined having another job?

M.M: Of course, pediatrician. If I had the patience to learn everything, chemistry...

A.O.: Why pediatrician?

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In photos:Maia Morgenstern in "Tonight: Lola Blau"

Cast: Maia Morgenstern and Tatiana MorosanuDirected by: Alexandru Dabija

First performance:1993

A production of the Hebrew State Theatre in Bucharest

M.M.: Yes, my mother, but I do not want her to be my model, forgive me Lord, but it seemed and still seems, a saint, but at the same time a giant, though humorous. And how can she not to be my model? It’s absurd; it’s a contradiction in terms here. But she endured too much. I think we should be able to just stop and say “I don’t want to”, but maybe she had other standards and other criteria, another way to measure things, another force. Sure, I compare with the strength that I have. What my mother endured, what she went through ... I don’t want and cannot handle.

A.O.: We are working on a holiday guide. Tell us what they looked like before, the holidays? And what about Bucharest? A lot has changed?

M.M.: Holidays before were simpler and quiet. People travelled very little, and mostly because of state bans. For most of the summer, people went to the beach. Sure, there were small amusements for the young people: discos and even those were closed after midnight. There were terraces and summer theatres that were highly populated. Back then, the fun was to collect (even twenty people or more!) - friends and acquaintances (usually it goes by the “friend of a friend” rule) at one of us house and to watch movies all night. Many things have changed. Now people travel more, a lot more, be they young or not. They often travel abroad. Amusements are at every step: clubs, bars, terraces, theatres etc. We now go to the theatre more often. There is a distinct public. The terraces are full when you have plays. Everybody goes to events: concerts, plays, movies; to big events, world-wide. Bucharest ... also changed and it is natural, because we have changed. It changed along with us, and so did the repertoire and topics of art performances. Plays, movies and shows these days are exactly about the man of today, his joys, sorrows and suffering. A certain humour appeared that speaks about all this and the public tastes it very much. Bucharest is totally different now from the Bucharest of twenty to thirty years ago. We have infinitely many cars crossing the city everyday, we have wide boulevards, modern buildings and an amalgam of facades. The capital is beautiful as it is, with its contrasts and everything. There would be many things I wish I could change about the city, but I like it as it is alive, dynamic, with a very rich cultural and entertainment offer.

A.O.: Thanks for the interview.

M.M.: You’re very welcome!

M.M: I think and feel and I’m not shy to talk about it, I think I had a talent, a gift to be exactly this: pediatrician. I think I have a great connection with children and especially with the very young. I strongly believe that with children in general, but especially for the very young and adolescents in particular, you need a very special grace.

A.O.: When was this idea born?

M.M: I wanted to have many children, since childhood I wished I had 7 children. I am very careful, communicative and I also think it is a gift to notice details, to understand the needs, desires, sufferings and joys of children

A.O.: Do you have a role model? Someone that inspired you?

In photos:Maia Morgenstern in "Driving Miss Daisy" Cast: Maia Morgenstern, Mircea Rusu and

Dragoman MirceaDirected by: Claudiu Goga

First performance: 2009

A production of the Hebrew State Theatre in Bucharest

The images were taken from: www.facebook.com/maia.morgenstern.oficial, with the permission of the Hebrew State Theatre in Bucharest

What is the perfect destination for you?An article by Dana-Cristiana AgentTranslated by Andreea-Claudia Popa

Photo credit: Andrei Apostol

1. What genre of movies do you prefer?a) Adventure/Action/SF b) Comedy/Documentary/Animation c) Documentary/Horror/Psihological d) Drama/Romantic/Comedy

2. Which of the following categories of 3 adjectives describe you the best?a) Sociable/Funny/Adventurousb) Reflexive/Intuitive/Reservedc) Calm/Calculated/Neatd) Spontanous/Optimistic/Flexibile

3.Which of the following categories of 3 activities attract you the most?a) Photography/Acting/Karaokeb) Tv shows/Writing/Readingc) Calculations/House blueprints/Sportd) Outdoor walking/Writing a song/Going out to a club

4. How do you relax after having a bad day?a) You confess to a friend and laugh about it.b) You write or paint or listen to music, whatever takes your mind off it.c) You go for a run or watch a movie.d) You watch a hilarious comedy, you go outside and scream frantically.

5. What kind of tasks do you prefer at work?a) You enjoy either short project or long ones as long as you get to do them with a team. That motivates you better.b) It does not matter the type of project, you work better in the last minute. The deadline motivates you.c) You prefer to know from the start the project duration to appoint the amount of energy and effort you will put in each step.d) You prefer short project, because you get tired of something really quick.

6. What colours do you prefer?a) The deep ones, such as: navy blue, red, violet.b) The dark ones, such as: black, blue, green.c) The ones that do not come into notice: gray, black, brown.d) The light and optimistic ones: yellow, orange, pink.

7. How much money do you spend on the things you like?a) I do not pay much attention to the money I spend and I waste the right amount of money to satisfy my needs.b) I am very cautious with my expenses, I rarely spend too much.c) All my expenses are determined according to a well calculated budget. 28

ResultsMostly a

Your ideal holiday would be to far away places, exotic and full of adventure.

It’s not so much about the destination, but the journey.

And that’s why, a holiday with a large group of friends, to share the surroundings with them, everything you see, hear and feel, share laughs and take photos with in the many places you go, would be amazing!

You enjoy to surround yourself with a lot of people, with different backgrounds to make your experience unique and offer yourself many perspectives.

Mostly b

You do not enjoy going away too far, but for a very short period of time. You like location that give you intimacy and peace.

Too large groups and too crowded locations would make you tensed and you prefer to travel alone or with a small group of close friends.

The destination is important to you. You do not waste too much time getting to the place you wanted, because you consider a challenge even choosing your ideal place for quietness.

Mostly c

A great holiday would be one with many activities, with a certain schedule to follow closely. That is why you might enjoy a guided trip.

You like having things well organized beforehand, no matter the location. You also find important getting things in order and not having the risk of returning to chaos.

You do not like to sit around too much, you like to fill every minute of the holiday with an activity.

You hate having to explain yourself and that’s why it’s possible for you to enjoy travelling alongside people you know very well and are well accustomed to your habits.

Mostly d

You are a spontaneous person that enjoys taking actions according to mood.

If someone were to propose a trip to the seaside tomorrow, you would probably accept it on the spot.

You hate conformation and you avoid rigidity in the planning and also the people you like to have around.

You want to share your experience with as many people as possible and give very much during holiday.

You think of vacation as a time where you enjoy all that you missed the rest of the time, not exactly the rest and the tranquility that everyone has in mind.

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d) I am spontaneous and I spend money on anything that gets my attention, many times even on things that I do not need.

Summer, the time when the wardrobe reborns from the ashesAn article by Oana Daiana Hamza, Fashion blogger at Fashion in a BoxTranslated by Alina Iordan

With a glass of Chardonnay in my hand, yesterday I was thinking that since childhood, the summer has always been the most awaited season of the year. Always. It was simply perfect: freedom (as it was perceived depending on the age), reading without deadlines, playing, running, socializing, seaside holiday, mountains holiday, going to grandparents, eating fruit right from the tree and, often, we do not bother to wash them (and yes, no one died from that, paradoxical!). Essentially, summer is more than a revival. I like to think that this role is reserved for spring, as says those innocent songs. What comes next is but the perfect opportunity for a self rediscovery and for reavealing things and attitudes considered long ago forgotten, eventually, well concealed in a corner of our mind or the closet. Summer makes me inspired. The day is long, and the sunlight who lasts more, open and shows new roads ahead. We have more time for movies, exhibitions, visits, outdoor sports, romantic walks in various destinations imagined by your precious mind. I don’t have to say more about that many of us live the beginning of their love of their lives, all in thins three hot summer months… But we have time for trying new clothes and new ideas. Summer is also the season of changing the wardrobe, getting new accents, but also the time when all can reborn from the ashes, just like a Phoenix bird of … dressing. But we need to demonstrate a minimum interest in this. And ideas for this we can find countless. If I could give some examples, those will be: - Some subscriptions to fashion blogs (do not think that all designers exhibit only priceless pieces, because in the blogosphere are so many people who make up memorable pieces of clothes for everyone, managing to become an inexhaustible inspiration for the reader eager of change and novelty). - Reading fashion magazines (“titans” like: Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar) online (it only costs the monthly subscription), and finally, for those/they the most demanding of us – reading your favourite magazine at a coffee restaurant.

- Street walking. It’s a very effective exercise. Go to the “sweet” places of Bucharest – Old Town, Unirii, Romană, Universitate – here is the main place of those well-chosen outfits. Go out and see. It’s free. I personally choose my outfits depending on the fashion street. Ultimately, this is the purpose of the fashion in our lives – to transform a primary human need into something beautiful, more artistic, more enjoyable, more like the wearer personality. If the man did not feel the need for aesthetics, I assure you that all the skins and furs from the cave were our clothes, even today…

- And if I’ve convinced you, pull out all your clothes from the closet, and arrange them by categories, materials and colors and see what’s missing. What do you want this summer from you, from life and what do you expect from this hot begginnings? Maybe you have noticed that you would love a maxi dress, vaporous, a chiffon that caresses your skin, while a year ago, or two, you have sworn no to wear ever something like that; because it’s too “wedding” like or “evening” like. Oh, how I hate these unfair categories! Wear what you are! If the dress about I am telling you is ideal for a summer walk and you feel that that anything else is not up to the level and you mood, then is all clear. Go for it. And if you do not have it in your closet, and I made you curious, go out and buy it. It is on the list, which I leave for you below.

1.Maxi dress. It is no longer the privilege of evening outfits. Look for one made from a translucent material, but still with a touch of weight and preciousness. Do not discount the length of petticoats. Nobody enjoys to see a skirt or a dress with a too tight/ short petticoat on a curvy body. And to avoid the third string dresses made from elastic, eventually with some floral patterns and/ or geometrical overly colorful and unfinished.

Here’s what to choose: 30

2.Wide and short dress. It can be a tunic type dress, A-shaped, straight or spent. Go on the same line previous discussed. Do not choose to transparent materials that give the impression of cheap and kitsch.

It can be with stripes, in neutral colors or vibrant. Depending on the accessory, you can wear it at work too, but yet on a date with your friends or even at a cultural event without demanding dress code.

Photos: www.mango.com www.zara.com

3.Medium skirt. She has earn a well placed place in the fashion street. I think that do not exists a fashion blog in which she do not appear almost once. You will not look like our grandmothers if you choose something more actual. It respects the same principles like dresses. The material it must have quality and the cut has to pay attention to the waist and legs. The colors and the patterns – it should be limitless. Go on accents: leather, translucent inserts, colors literally shining, cuts. It is not mandatory matching them with high heels, although it highlights it. You won’t go wrong if you choose a pair of sharp flat shoes, with glitter or an ankle strap.

Photos: www.mango.com www.zara.com 32

Photos:www.zara.com

www.mango.comwww.hm.com

www.sheinside.com33

Photos:www.zara.com

www.mango.comwww.hm.com

www.sheinside.com

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4.High-waisted shorts. Pin-up style, this will give your outfit a retro air but still modern. From denim to evening precious materials – the range is big and you have to choose. We should say NO to jeans or those with summer prints, too short, too cutout, to faded, finally, an infinite list of “less”. Show out your good taste and beat to the sound of your own drum.

5. A pair of platform sandals that show off your tanned legs. A set of wide golden rings worn on your fine skinned hands, with a flawless manicure. This make me thinking about greek deities. A boyfriend watch: choose it to be a good one or just for fancy – never choose an imitation. I confess frankly, that the one I love is a fantasy watch, bought from New Yorker. The same for sunglasses (Bucharest is full with Ray Ban’s sunglasses) that I could not want something like that too soon. A pair of memorable pair of earings, chandelier type, will make you glow even on a beach (but the rest of the outfit should be minimal). Bags in vivid and metallic colors (thanks for the idea to Irina Markovits, the oldest fashion Romanian blogger). Rediscover massive necklaces and rings. Cannot find anything to your taste? You can come to me and I’ll know what you should do next.

As a final sentence, I say to you that there’s no need to revitalize your wardrobe with an enormous expense. Most of the suggestions presented in the photos are currently showed with discounts in the fashion stores. You’ll be amazed to find out that the prices of these pieces are less than or equal to other things of questionable taste. For accessories and shoes, search on the online stores too. But, be yourself and trust your intuition but also courage. Never say never. Try new combinations that you have not worn, by fear or convenience. Go to work in that midi skirt with a top or add to your white cotton shirt that skirt with iridescent silver pattern and let yourself be admired. Greetings !

Visiting Câmpulung Muscel. You think you have

nothing to see?An article by Mădălina Pescaru

Translated by Alexandra Gogoșaru

Câmpulung Muscel is located exactly on the road from Bucharest to Rucăr-Bran lane*. To be more accurate, it is the city I live in, where I spent my childhood, the place where I prepared myself for the obstacles of a bigger city, the beginning of a new chapter in my life. On my way to my favourite coffee shop I pass near an important monument, the Feudal Complex Barat, which inevitably catches your attention with its bell tower, built around 1700. Inside the church you can see Laurențiu de Longo Campo’s tomb slab. Where is mentioned for the first time - in Latin - the name of the city: “Here lies the Committees Laurențiu from Câmpulung, to blessed memory, in the year of our Lord 1300”. On my way home I’m always enchanted by a monument especially when the drops of water from the fountain around it cool you in the summer. I’m talking about the bust of Negru Vodă. Nămăești Monastery - 5 kilometers away from Câmpulung Muscel you can find the Nămăești Monastery - a cave made into a church. The legend has it that an angel appeared to some shepherds who were spending the night near the cave and told them that there, inside the rock, is an icon of the Virgin Mary. They have to dig to find it and in that place to build a place of worship. If you ever pass through Câmpulung don’t hesitate and visit this sacred place. You’ll be amazed by its beauty. Another memorable place to visit is Castru Jidova which holds during summer medieval themed events and theatre.

What else can you visit here? I will list several landmarks from my city and through their introduction I will try to convince you to visit them.

The Royal Courd and the Monastery Ensemble “Negru-Vodă”- the Câmpulung Monastery, nowadays known as “Negru Vodă” Monastery was rebuilt by Matei Basarab on the same spot where the home of the first rulers of Wallachia was. The Museum of History and Arts of Câmpulung Municipality - in Câmpulung and the areas surrounding the presence of history is strong. There are a lot of archaeological sites and historical monuments which catch your attention, the same feeling Grigore Tociles, the director of the National Museum of Archaeology, must have had when he visited Câmpulung in 1889. The Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art - the building of the museum (the Ştefănescu House), built in 1735, is the oldest civil building from Câmpulung. It was restored by D. I. Berechet in 1928 and it currently houses the ethnographic collections of the Municipal Museum of Câmpulung. “George Topîrceanu” Memorial House- the poet of a healthy humor and a deep and hidden tenderness who wandered around the country with his parents, led by his mother’s job, finally settled down in Nămăeşti, Argeş County. Because he lived most of his life here and started a family, the house became a memorial house. The Monument of the Heroes from Mateiaş- the Heroes’ Mausoleum from Valea Mare-Pravăţ, Argeş County, also known as the Mausoleum from Mateiaş, is dedicated to the heroes who fought in the First World War from 1916 to 1918. It is located on the European road E574 (DN 73), 11 km from Câmpulung, towards Braşov, on the Mateiaş hill. The Public Garden “Merci”- in 1844 the city square, which was formerly located on the same place 36

where nowadays the Public Garden is, was moved in the same place where it can be found today. The renovation of the Public Garden started in 1885, after a fire burned down all the stores in the area, and finished in 1890 and, in 1895, 25 street lamps were installed to illuminate the street. In 1929, the wooden fence surrounding it was replaced by one made of stone, designed by the architect D. I. Berechet. Do you remember about my favourite coffee shop I told you about earlier? Well, it is called Kaffa and from my behalf, everything is the best here. The terrace delights you in summer. You find here the best Orange Lemonade and the best Grenadin. Maybe some of you know what Grenadine is, for the rest of you, come and taste it. You can also serve a quiet lunch here with a pleasant company and background music.

You can change the menu and have dinner at Café/ Restaurant Amada or taste some papanaşi while enjoying the city view only at Conacul de pe Deal. After a day full of activities you can relax in one of the rooms of Hangița pension which has the best comfort for all of its clients, or at Amada pension. You can also try the swimming pool from the Swimming Basin Câmpulung Muscel and then try the sauna, also located here. There are a lot of things worth discovering in Câmpulung Muscel, I only presented a few, I left the rest to you hoping that you will visit my town. You won’t be disappointed!

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Scrabble-Great time spent with friends and real opportunities to develop general knowledge

Not many hobbies offer you the opportunity to self-knowledge. Scrabble is not only recognized as a modality to learn and improve in a fast way or make friendships, but also as a way to learn strategies and abilities which might be very useful in your daily life. Created in 1938, this game is played nowadays in 121 countries all over the world, being translated in 29 languages. I came to discover this game by chance, when a friend of mine, member of the Romanian Scrabble Organization, told my mother about the beauties of this game, recalling also memories from national and international scrabble competitions, where she used to participate. Although, while she was a student, my mother used to play seldom this game with her friends, we as children did not know it. I assume that while being young, quite many people played this game, which was very popular in those times, but very few known nowadays in Romania. Once that I discovered how to play it, I was curious to participate in the official competitions (organized by the Romanian Scrabble Organization) and to see how I could handle it. I took all as an exercise, as an experiment. I wanted to see if I like it. Not just that I liked it but I became also more ambitious to pursue my goal in trying to win a national award, a cup or a medal. After playing many hours, learning new words and checking them in the dictionaries, this thing really happened.

I play scrabble since I was 8 years old. This means exactly 16 years. I took part in many national and some international competitions, at workshops and scrabble presentations. I represented Romania at international competitions and after, I asked to integrate the national scrabble team. I met beautiful people, with whom I became good friend. I developed my vocabulary, logical thinking, and also my attitude in competitions. I won many cups, diplomas and medals, as a sign of recognition for my hard work. I started to be present at competitions. I visited the whole country thanks to this great game. I learnt that a hobby can really become something serious. It went well even when it came to pay a fine from RATB (I did not have a ticket that day). So all this thanks to my badge from the Romanian Scrabble Federation, which I used to keep in my student’s book. I gathered many great memories during all these years. I can still remember with joy every competition and each competitor that I met. I could talk for days about this game and how it can really change you, whether I used to play it on the beach, at the mountains, in the train, or during the real competitions, daily/weekly on the internet, on www.isc.ro.

I will continue this article by presenting the most important reasons why we should play this game and participate in competitions.

Translated by Alina-Raluca PipirigianuArticle made by Laura Lucia Mihalca, with the support of Mrs. Claudia Mihai

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• We can develop our vocabulary and logical thinking;• We learn the ethics of a competition;• We can meet new people and make friends from all over Romania or worldwide;• It is fun, nice and quite easily;• We can visit many new places;• We will get awards for our work, because after the official competitions, we can win cups, medals and diplomas given to the best players;• We can develop better abilities to count, write and read in a fast time ;• It is a game where everybody can participate, no matter the age, studies etc;• We learn to spend our time in a useful way, learning… playing; • The game itself is very easily to carry, we can take it anywhere, in a park, at school, at the pool, on our terrace, at home or in a hotel room;• We can play it also online, it is not a must to be in a physical competition; • It is a very popular game abroad

What is very special about this game is that we give a price even for the so called ‘best beginner’. It is a strong satisfaction to win or just simply be rewarded for your effort. Once you won, you will always want to win again. This game is played according to age categories: we may play it as cadets, juniors, seniors, old boys.

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This involves the fact that no matter our age, we can play and win. Younger ones will always play with other competitors, with same ages and the same goes for adults. There are competitions where we may participate individually, as a team (made of 2 members) or as local clubs. In Romania, we may play in Romanian language, English, or French but there is also a mixed version called ‘multi’, where players can form words in all 3 languages. To include variety, a contest involves different stages, so that scrabble can be played in several ways: double, single, but I would not like to get into many details now. You will discover all these from the real sport experts, when you meet them during a competition. A sport of logical thinking, relaxing and fun activities scrabble is without any doubt a sort of informal education, useful for everybody. We hope that we stirred your interest to play and join in the future this beautiful community of scrabble players. You can find us in competitions or online.

Do not forget to visit the website: www.scrabble.ro

You can watch our activity also on our official facebook page: www.facebook.com/frscrabble.

After a long period of work, stress or any other kind of activities, we all deserve a holiday. And since summer is the long-awaited season, the warm days, the atmosphere, the air and the smell of free time can be felt from the very first day of the holiday. Choosing a place to spend your holiday requires a lot of thinking, plans made ahead of time, coming up with a program, but also fitting into the holiday budget, but when it comes to relaxation, who care about how much and on what we spend the money?! If some prefer the sea, the gentle caresses of the sun and the touch of the breeze, which gives an enviable bronze, others, on the other side, prefer the mountain, the fresh air, the outdoor activities which vent our mind and wipe out stress. And, still, which are the elements of a perfect holiday? I am a student, and my holidays are more like spontaneous outings with my friends and colleagues, in the mountains or at the seaside, sometimes being several holidays on one holiday. But for those who don’t have much time and want to take advantage of it as much as possible, what should they do? There are several solutions, it depends on each person and what that person likes. There are people who prefer basking in the sun, in order to obtain the perfect bronze, others who prefer water or mountain sports, extreme or not. Some people like clubs, night activities, unlimited fun; others prefer the silence, the sleep, detaching themselves from everything which is polluted. For me, the perfect holiday means friends, people I care about, with whom I feel well, mountain, sea, it doesn’t matter, much sleep, outings, relaxation, a mixture of elements, but which, together, create a favorable ambience for me, charge me in a positive way and give me the strength needed to start at full capacity.

Regardless of the place where we party, the activities we do, the group with which we have fun, the important thing on a holiday is to feel good, to forget the jungle at work, the urban jungle, to distance oneself from the daily schedule. What matters is to pamper yourself and take full advantage of the moments spent away, to recharge with energy and to come up with new forces in the autumn. To knock everyone off their feet. And who knows, maybe the holiday will become an inspiration for the following projects, and then useful plus pleasant equals perfection.

Summer, holiday, that’s perfectAn article by Bianca Silitră

Translated by Andreea Murgu

Photo credit: Raluca Pascu

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