THE GERLÓCZY CAFÉ PAPER
ENJ OY WIN THE TER IN G ERL ÓCZ Y!
CAFE TAMAGOTCHI - WEEKEND PROGRAMS FOR KIDS' - LIQUID LUXURY - KAMERMAYER TRIANGLE
TAMÁS T.NAGY ---->
CAFE TAMAGOTCHI IN BUDAPEST ONE CAN EXPERIENCE A RENAISSANCE OF THE TAMAGOTCHI, AND JUST LIKE THE REAL THING, IT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN FOOD, DRINKS, AND IT NEEDS CARE IN ORDER STAY ALIVE. COFFEE HOUSES, CAFES AND RESTAURANTS PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR THIS, INCLUDING THE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOSTERED. In case you don’t remember: a plastic video game that could be placed on your keychain , the Tamagotchi was a virtual pet simulation that owners were supposed to care for, and it beeped in the most unexpected moments indicating its need to eat, drink, go to the toilet, or sleep. In situations like these, with the touch of a few buttons, the owner could quiet it down for a while , but after a while it started all over again, and the whole thing lasted until the little one died of starvation, or the user smashed it against the wall. Let's hope that nobody will be smashed against the wall at cafes, although „up against the wall” is an increasingly popular folk game at the tables. Since the spread of the Internet, not only babies but tax inspectors are also born with an ethernet cable. Nothing’s wrong with that. We are used to this; not only the Tamagotchi, the cash register also beeps. Life has shown that living together with tax inspectors is possible through a virtual umbilical cord. There’s a rumour among colleagues that tax inspectors are good guests. They have style. They order steaks, duck livers and lobsters. They travel a long way to reach us and take care of business and, just like after a wedding party, they ask for the doggy bag. The sophisticated taste is paid by the person sitting at the next table who ordered a simple vegetable stew. Career choice thus remains our own responsibility and if we do not want to end up in Dunaszekcsô, in the world's first Tamagotchi urn cemetery, we will give food and drinks to our valued guests and we will take care of them. It is mostly children who await Christmas, but we have great news for you as well. The legendary virtual pet of the nineties, the Tamagotchi, is returning to the stores. Even better news: we also remain here to provide food and drinks, and to care for you - and the latter one won’t be virtual. You won’t need to collect points and the steak won’t be mutant.
Illustration: Péter Flanek
What we offer is a bit of the old but also something new. We put a few things on ice to heat up some others instead. We are getting ready for Christmas, with food, drinks, programs. We’ll go above and beyong and, as the new version of Tamagotchi promises, we will put even more sense of community into the game. We'll smile, lest the widget beeps.
? GERLÓCZY Guests’Response WHAT IS A GUEST AT GERLÓCZY LIKE? WE ASKED OUR REGULARS, AND WE KEEP ASKING THREE OF THEM FOR EVERY ISSUE, HOPING THAT WE CAN SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF WHAT MAKES A GERLÓCZY GUEST.
1. - How do you recharge during the winter months? 2. - Is there something you’ve accomplished in 2014 and are happy about?
3. - If you suddenly had a day off in Budapest, what would you?
4. - What annoys you the most?
5. - What would you like to see on Kamermayer square?
6. - What are you working on right now?
JULI ORAVECZ
ISTVÁN HEGEDÛS
SÁRA HAJGATÓ
A few days’ hike in the forest.
1. I hope it’ll snow: livens up my mood. We didn’t have snow last year but two years ago when we came home from Brusssels with our dog Mustár (Mustard), it could roll in the snow even in the city center. We’ll spend Christmas in Brussels, but then plan to go up to Normafa with the dog and our children, just to run around.
1. Forest hikes, long walks - I love nature walks all year round! Of course, this is also an occupational hazard, as I find all kinds of painting materials every month of the year in the fields and forests, along roadsides - but only collect them sustainably. From the herbs I collect in the summer a lot of tea is consumed in the fall and winter months, and I can’t imagine a better weekend than curling up with a blanket and reading a book.
The Nyitva! (Open!) Festival, which I organized working for KÉK (Kortárs Építészeti Központ Contemporary Architecture Centre). In September, for a month, new initiatives from Budapest moved into long-vacant stores. It was fantastic to participate in this urban experiment, to see an idea in operation, bringing people together and creating new scenes all around town.
I’d start with a swim on Margaret Island, continue with an adventure in Buda and close with a genuine Pest evening.
Recently, the superficiality and lack of interest, if we just wave off the things that are not good around us, if we refuse to act on things, create alibis, feign blindness – I experience a lot of this, but fortunately there are plenty of counter-examples as well.
People who use the space, who are inspired by the fantastic atmosphere of the square, add to it as an individual and thus a community can form. I would certainly participate in a swap market, building street furniture or cooking together.
With Kultúrgorilla we are working on bringing home and adapting the project we presented at the Vienna Design Week, and with KÉK we are working on new projects for Lakatlan (Uninhabited).
2. Well, it’s a difficult question. We organized a pretty good conference here in the spring on the European Parliamentary Elections. As the president of the Hungarian Europe Society, I wrote a few analyses, gave lectures and interviews. The most recent, great experience was the demonstration against the Internet tax on 28th October. But we should not get into politics, right? 3. Probably sit in front of the laptop, as a freelancer I do not have days off. If I did, and the family would be at home too, we would take the water bus on the Danube. For sure we would take Mustár to Tabán, its stamping ground. If I could pull myself together and gather a few friends, we’d go in the evening to the party district. Now that smoking is not allowed indoors, we’d enjoy a night out, although I can not handle these nights like I used to... 4. Shall we still get into politics?... Let's stay on an everyday level: when someone comments on Mustár peeing in a specific place, the professional disputant emerges out of me and my answer is, it's because Mustár is housebroken. But it is usually a relatively low level „battle”, however, annoying enough. There are lots of dog-friendly restaurants, eateries, so I also don’t like when a place says they love animals, but the health inspector doesn’t allow it, so they won’t let them in. Oh, and fortunately they no longer give you a look if you ask whether the cottage cheese pancake has raisins in it. I truly love the places where the answer to this is „Why would we spoil the delicious pancakes with that?” 5. It would be nice to have an underground car park, we could turn this into a pedestrian area. Underneath there could be more levels: I can imagine that from Ferenciek Square to Deák Square an invisible city would pass beneath us. 6. The usual: I need to prepare proposals for our next conference and to obtain foreign aid for it. Between Brussels and Budapest, i.e. my amphibious way of life, this year I am visitng two other major cities, Prague and Berlin, and I need to get ready for my presentations.
2. We’ve opened our first studio-workshop with my friend Bori Nánai, which is a creative community space as well. We organize all kinds of textiles exhibitions and workshops, and in addition to working here, CikkCakk Stúdió also serves as a showroom for my brand BOTANIKA. 3. After a lazy breakfast I’d go to buy flowers at the market, for example on Saturday mornings in front of the Hunyadi square market many producers sell cut garden flowers, then I’d take a walk in the Városliget. After that I’d leisurely cook something delicious, like a good coconut milk spicy Thai soup, then weave a small wall hanging with a loom found at a recent clean up. 4. Injustice. Or, when it comes to daily petty annoyances, queueing at the post office. 5. I really like the so-called urban gardening initiatives where mini gardens are installed in tiny inner-city areas, doorways, berms, traffic islands; I’d like to see something like that on the quare with benches, resting places. 6. For Christmas I make a lot of indigo dyed items and I'm designing the BOTANIKA clothing line that I want to introduce next spring. www.facebook.com/hellobotanika
OUR EMPLOYEES’ SECRET LIVES /// FOURTH PART >> ZSÓFI AKAY - the always-smiling hostess of the café
>> KITTI VADÁSZINÉ MOLNÁR She convinced us that one doesn’t necessarily have to be a man to perform well as a night receptionist...
Conquering the snow-capped peaks.
>> ROLAND NAGY - at the reception
Billiard at half past nine...
While dog walking...
LET'S SPEND IT TOGETHER! Do you know where you will have Christmas dinner? At Gerlóczy? What a great idea! Book now: toltsukegyutt@gerloczy.hu ------------------> We are happy to welcome you!
GERLÓCZYRecommends: WHAT IS UNDER THE CHOCOLATE? It might look like a dessert at first, but under the amaretto majanri chocolate surface you’ll find goose liver pate. We serve it with freshly baked, home-made brioche. This bistro menu item was such a success that by popular demand we decided to keep it on until the end of the holiday season. Give it a try!
KIDS’ ACTIVITIES AT ‘SZÍNTÉR’, BREAKFAST AT GERLÓCZY One doesn’t have to go crazy in December. Here's a tip to help not only you, but your kids as well to feel fantastic. Come for a cozy breakfast to Gerlóczy and while you lean back, the kids can make their creations next door, at Színtér. DEC. 7 (SUNDAY) 11.OO A.M. - ADVENT WEEKEND–FAIRY TALES WITH HOT COCOA Children can participate in an activity with tale reading and cocoa tasting - made with real chocolate. The entrance fee incudes one cup of cocoa. Instructors: Fruzsina Élô, fairy tale therapist, Marianna Varga, owner of OfficeKávé DEC. 13 (SATURDAY) 11 A.M. –SEWING TALES Pre-school and primary school children can find out via playful yoga and creative work how Elmar the multicolored plaid elephant gave back the colors of the rainbow. Instructors: Vera Liszkay, museum educator, Lilla Tihanyi, yoga teacher, museum educator DEC. 20 (SATURDAY) 11 A.M. - CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATION Out of KreARTON’s cardboard Christmas tree children will create unique trees which can then be taken home to set up there or given as a gift to Grandma. Instructor: Dóra Vimola, owner of KreARTON To participate in the programes above, please register in advance at: szinterprojekt@gmail.com
DRAGOMANIAC We have been waiting for Emma for eight years. Eight years have past since György Dragoman wrote The White King. Is it possible at all to write another book after the great success of the novel that was transleted into more than thirty languages? Dragoman’s answer is: YES. While the previous work was the book of the dictatorship, this one is the book of the era after the change of the regime. The narrator protagonist is again a child, this time the teenager Emma reveals us the world of the Transilvanian small town right after the change of the political regime. Emme looses her parents and her home at once. When out of a sudden her mysterious grandma appears and adopts her. The plot is very rich, mourning, magic, friendship, solitude, first love. But behind everything there is the haunting past, with its unsolvable secrets. Hopefully the English translation will be soon available. Meanwhile read The White King to get to know Dragoman.
TONKA BEAN CHOCOLATE TART Deadly delicious, luscious but non-lethal
Tonka bean’s taste is fenomenal but its PR is terrible, however, its taste is phenomenal. It is banned in the US and its usage is strictly regulated in the EU: a maximum of 5 mg tonka beans can be used per 1 kg of any product. The coumarin it contains is toxic, but it is dissolved while soaked in alcohol (rum), after which the beans are dried again this substance can also found in cinnamon and lavender. Its best accompaniment is chocolate, they are often served together. And the scent! A mixture of almond, vanilla, cinnamon, anise - very intense!
The Kamermayer Association page
CONTINUED The Kamermayer Association, established in 2006. Its main objective is the renewal of Kamermayer square. One of the main sponsors of the association is Gerlóczy.
HAVE YOU HEARD? HOORAY! The 5th District Council will renew the Kamermayer square in 2015!
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE?
more green areas
A nice urban space benches
a bike rack
drinking fountain
SUPPORT! The Kamermayer Association has collected more than 500 supporting signatures so far.
A worthy renewal for this small downtown suqare which has fantastic attributes. By retaining the beautiful limestone that has been already implemented in part, and increasing its surface
OFFICE In January, the Kamermayer Project Office will open (right next to the square, in Mihály Vitkovits street 3-5),
where we will provide details on the renovation and the history of the square - based on the information provided by the Inner City Lipótváros Council. The office will also function as a club for discussions, programs, and another important task will be, besides relaying information and organizing programs, an accurate needs assessment and getting to know the local population. The research will be done by volunteers, and the association’s results will be handed over to the 5th District City Council for fair use.
Follow the association’s Facebook page for the latest news!
LIQUID LUXURY
Japanese whiskey, French hot chocolate, tea bonbons from China's Yunnan region, English gin, award-winning Hungarian bedded pálinka - We are ready for winter! They predict ringing frost for this year, but it can't get to us; Gerlóczy warms the body and soul!
CALVADOS SELECTION
ARMAGNAC CASTAREDE 1974
60° KAJSZI PÁLINKA (PEACH)
CALVADOS PAYS D’ AUGE
VESPER X.O COGNAC
JAPANESE WHISKY
CRISTIAN DROUIN
BAS ARMAGNAC
MÉLYVÍZ
CRISTIAN DROUIN
DELAMAIN
YOICHI
LAVENDER SYRUP
SMOOTHIE
SMOOTHIE
FRISECCO
ROSECCO
GIN
TAMÁS PINCE - CSOPAK
RASPBERRY/MANGO
PASSION FRUIT/GREEN APPLE
BUJDOSÓ
BUJDOSÓ
HENDRICK’S
HOT CHOCOLATE
TEA BONBON
VALRHONA
YEMAYA
BEDDED FRUIT PÁLINKA BRILL
GERLÓCZY TEATIME 4-6 Between 4 and 6 pm try any of our delicious desserts +a cup of real Yemaya tea or Kimbo coffee for 1500 Ft.
DOWNTOWN STUB CLUB Gerlóczy joined the great green initiative of 5th District City Council, the project Csikkbrigád (Cigarette Stub Brigade). Restaurants who join the program launched together with Terra Cycle agree to collect cigarette stubs selectively. The bins are then transferred by a free courier service to be recycled. Thus, the discarded cigarette butts gain a new life as plastic pallets. We are pleased to have joined, and hope to see many similar projects in Budapest!
LET’S DECORATE! OUR CHRISTMAS TREE RETURNS TO KAMERMAYER SQUARE AGAIN THIS YEAR. You’re invited to our Christmas tree decoration party! Please bring along a tree ornament that reminds you of us or which you made for us. There’ll be plenty of mulled wine, gingerbread and holiday cheer. DATE: 9 December, Tuesday from 7 p.m. VENUE: Gerlóczy Café, winter terrace
ASTEROIDS ON BOARD: PETITE PLANET KOKEDAMAS AT GERLÓCZY Gergely Hideg, a sociologist, created a business out of his hobby. He started creating kokedamas (originating from Japan) for his own pleasure, but later for others’, too. In all 19 rooms of Gerlóczy we placed kokedamas. Gergely inspected each room and he chose the suitable plants by taking into account the specific lighting of the space. The kokedamas looked so great in the rooms that we asked for some to be put in the café as well. Gerlóczy Petite Planet Kokedama, Kokedama Gerlóczy!
GERLÓCZY CAFÉ IS LISTED IN THE 2015 RESTAURANT GUIDE.
GIFT CARD Christmas? Birthday? Give a Gerlóczy Gift Card.
Thank you!
This stylish little card works like a top-up card. You buy it, top it up with a certain amount, and your friends use it to settle their bill in the café.
THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE SOUP... Tamás Kötter eats lunch here at least three times a week. And he’s getting his second book published...
Valid for a year!
SHADES FROM THE HAT PARLOR Soon the lamp shades of Gerlóczy will be renewed. What’s more, Ildi Erdei (MASAMOD), a hat maker will takes care of them, using the motifs and elements to be found in the house or in our offer. We can’t wait to see the outcome!
www.masamod.com
ZSÓFI BITTÓ - Tour Guide ---->
SECRETS OF BUDAPEST V. CHOCOCITY A recent addition to the festival repertoire of Budapest is the chocolate festival. Flying back in time to the era of the Monarchy, cake shops, candy stores, spice- and grocery stores, as well as chocolate factories serve the sweet toothed customers. Legend has it that Queen Elizabeth's lady in waiting regularly sent mint candies as per the Queen’s request from the candy store operating since 1827 where today’s Ruszwurm cake shop stands. If we visit Szentkirályi street, we can still see the letters "Stühmer Frigyes Rt." on the facade of a modern office building (number 8) – this was in fact one of our largest and most famous chocolate factories. (The family used to live in the beautiful palace right next to it, under nr 10.) The pastry chef from Hamburg took over a Hungarian candy factory and made it successful in a few years’ time, to the extent that he won a gold medal at the National Exhibition of 1897. After his death his son in law took over and developed the factory, followed by his son. They were so successful at an international level, that in addition to the 63 Hungarian stores they opened one in Paris as well – the shops had a unified look and even the wrapping papers were designed by artists. Although after the war the factory lost its name and continued to operate as Budapest Chocolate Factory, we can now meet the name Stühmer again. Lots of brands are linked to the factory: Aranydesszert, Melódia, Százszorszép, Zizi, Ropp and the best known: Tibi, named after the founder's grandson.
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Stühmer xmas wrapping paper design: Lukács Kató, c. 1935 Kodok collection
Poster for Stühmer TIBI chocolate design: E. Kiss, 1942 Kodok collection
If you want to hear similar stories, join the tours of Fabulous Budapest. For details please inquire at the reception!
Storiesfromthebarcabinet WINTER TIME CALLS FOR SMOKY WHISKY THE ONSET OF WINTER PROVIDES A GOOD OCCASION TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT SMOKY WHISKYS. First of all the smoky whisky divides people. Some people love it, some cannot stand it, or at least try to avoid it. It would be wrong to presume that there is no difference between smoke and smoke. There are such things as salty smoke, medical smoke, particularly sweet smoke or even fruity smoke. There is scratchy smoke but also quite smooth smoke. Smoke doesn’t necessarily oppress other flavors, but it is true that in the case of smoked whiskys we have to concentrate a little more to discover all the other aromas. But where does the peat smoke come from? We need to dig deeper to find the answer, and we need to dig into the land of Scotland. Scotland’s earth is very marshy, there is a lot of moorland where rainfall keeps the soil moist. Here, among plant residues, in the absence of air a relatively infertile type of soil develops called peat. Peat can actually be regarded as very young coal (60% carbon), and its calorific value can be compared to that of the brown coal. This is how in Scotland they began to use the peat (after cutting and drying) to dry the barley malt. Its smoke makes the whisky smoky. Where the peat derives from can also be important: for example at Highland Park on Orkney Islands they swear that the local peat adds a unique flavor to their drinks. We in turn would like to recommend a young distiller from another island now. Kilchoman Farm Distillery of the famous Islay Islands opened after 125 years as the first new distillery in 2006. Their beverage is so salable that some special edition drinks are sold out in minutes. When tasting these drinks one might not assume that they are 5-6 years old distillates, where the peat smoke nicely and harmoniously unfolds on the tongue and the palate. Thus, this is one of the most promising distilleries and therefore it’s not by chance that they elected the founder, Anthony Wills, Distiller of the Year in Scotland. We highly recommend Kilchoman for the Chistmas table, it goes well with fish and smoked salmon, but most probably it can be enjoyed best after the main meal, in slow sips. Sláinte! (If you want to learn more about the production of whisky and Kilchoman Distillery, visit www.whiskynet.hu)
HAVE OYSTERS AT GERLÓCZY! A glass of champagne, a dozen oysters on our winter terrace - this is how you turn an ordinary day into something special. Attention, only while supplies last! Fresh oysters arrive to Gerlóczy every Thursday, straight from Bretagne. Book in advance just to be sure, call 06 1 501 4000
GERLÓCZY:Café with rooms There are many exciting people staying in Gerlóczy from all over the world. Who are they? In each issue, we introduce one of them...
MICHAEL WINCOTT What was your first impression of Budapest? I came to visit a friend from Stockholm, who now works in Budapest. I've never been here before. I had an impression of the city based on articles, people’s stories, photos, that sort of thing. And what would you say about Budapest to those who don’t know anything about it? It’s an evolving, exciting Eastern European city with beautiful historical relics and clear signs of innovative ideas and entrepreneurship. What it lacks, for example, is a more sophisticated nightlife. Ruin pubs are meant for young people whose main demand is cheap alcohol. And the severe restriction of smoking reminds me more of a Los Angeles in its adolescent years than a mature European attitude. Tourists should be kept away from striptease bars, as they are all suspicious enterprises of the greedy mafia. They should all be liquidated. It is worth, however, to take the time to explore the city's true gems. An array of artists, designers and restaurants await visitors, they just need some support in publicity. And I've noticed that American multinationals don’t have as strong a presence in Budapest as elsewhere, which would otherwise kill the local characteristics or would not let them unfold. All in all, I feel that the standard introduction to the hidden beauties of Budapest as a city is too mystified, but despite my small disappointments I found the local people to be very kind. How did you find Gerlóczy? I originally had a booking at another place – they were full and they recommended Gerlóczy. The local milieu is inspired by the Parisian cafes. What surrounds you at home? Well, Paris is indisputably an exemplary city, but in order to be competitive and conjure its atmosphere, one needs to be meticulous. Gerlóczy really flashes that elegance, but - just to give you an example - I had an issue with the pillows. I am not keen on the sponge sort; I have a weakness for comfortable feather pillows. I think my home is an impression of what I've seen so far and what I can afford from that. What was your favorite on the menu? I had goulash for the first time in my life at Gerlóczy. It will remain memorable. But just the goulash itself could not be the reason for extending your booking every other day... There were several reasons for this; I really felt good here, I’m not shooting a movie right now and I didn’t want to go anywhere in particular. The staff was also very cool. Is improvisation your typical trait? Of course. One Sunday we were celebrating the birthday of my friend’s partner on the terrace of the Four Seasons. I spotted that not far from us a brand-new Rolls Royce Ghost is parked and discreetly, as a surprise, rented it for the ten-minute drive to take us to Centrál Café. In addition, you served coffee in the mornings to our receptionist. It happens if I meet kind, decent people. And they say the age of classic gentlemen is over. It depends what you mean by classic. I think there will always be memorable, distinctive men. Recognizing them is a matter of experience and learning. Your next movie, the Knight of Cups has a pretty impressive cast list. You worked with director Terrence Malick and actors such as Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas, and Ryan O'Neal. All that we know is that it’s a story of a man, of temptations, fame and debauchery. Unfortunately I can’t reveal more – couldn’t do it to Terry. I can only say that it was a very liberating and exciting experience to play this character.
ARE Y OUR F OREIG BUSIN N ESS PA RTNER COMIN S G T O TOWN Sleep ? them in Ger lóczy! Reser +36 8 vation at 0 102 toll fre 6 e num 00 ber.
The rooms rates are: WITH FREE WIFI AND FREE IN ROOM MINIBAR WITH DAILY REFILL!
standard room for two: 95 euro/room/night +12 for Breakfast /each Attic room for two: 80 euro/room/night +12 for Breakfast /each Balcony room: 95 euro/room/night +12 for Breakfast /each + 15 euro balcony charge Address: Gerlóczy Rooms deLux 1052 Budapest, Gerlóczy u. 1 - above Gerlóczy Café IMPRESSUM: Contributors: Regina Bruckner, Eszter Szegô, Tamás T. Nagy, Zsófi Bittó, Réka Klementisz English Editor: Móna Hézsô Design/Photo: Péter Flanek, Milica Mrvic’ Printed by: Intruder --- e-mail: marketing@gerloczy.hu Published in 1500 copies by Gerlóczy Kávéház Kft., 1052 Budapest, Gerlóczy utca 1. --- Open: all days 7am - 11pm