#1919 Grand Cafe

[withlovelica]

National Museum of Fine Arts x Ramon Lee Panciteria

I do not frequent the city, I just drop by when I need to. Like my previous post about certain restaurants in Binondo, this was again part of my dad and I's must-visit agenda because we were checking out places he would potentially bring his balikbayan (a Filipino visiting or returning to the Philippines) friends to next week when they arrive. As you have probably figured out, he finds joy in being a local tour guide; history and food just invigorates him. AND fortunate enough for me, I get to experience it too (on the sidelines).

National Museum of Fine Arts

This is the thid time I have visited the National Museum of Fine Arts and it is by far my favorite of all because of the varying collections of paintings and sculptures through different periods of time. It is a place where I could see through dead people's eyes haha I am kidding. To put it less macabre than it actually is, I get to experience history they way these Filipino artists viewed the world during their day. Like my dad, I have a penchant for all things archaic!

But first, kitty duties!

I make it a point to capture cats whenever and wherever I see them! Although these two looked malnourished so it was kind of heartbreaking, I felt even worse that I do not have any food with me. But they have a collar! I am hoping someone IS taking good of them at the very least.

Upon arriving at the museum; passed the security section and registration (did I mention you can enter for free? you just need to present your ID and vaccination card) you will be greeted by this famous and massive masterpiece that is the Spoliarium by Juan Luna. It an exceptionally gory display of the country's fight for prejudice and injustice. If you ask me, the message is still very relatable at present time. It may not be as bloodstained (or is it? as Duterte's EJK come into view) as the colonial period but the struggle for justice and equality still stands strong (or even stronger) today.

Here are some of the pieces that stirred up my emotions:

The carnage of the first room. The gallery painted with Japanese torment during WWII was the first collection we viewed and it was a traumatic scene of agony and destruction as so many lives and houses were destroyed during the Japanese occupation. The painter left nothing to imagination - humanity's rawness was on display. I was grateful that I did not live to see that day. Pictures were enough to convince me that men are capable of so much evil when they succumb themselves to senseless warfare.

Anemoia (it sounds like a disease haha) is a term coined by writer John Koenig, and it describes a certain nostalgia for a time you've never known. That is how I feel about the 40s and the 50s era BUT the war was one huge reality that I did not want to come up against.

Ramon Magsaysay was the seventh President of the Philippines from 1953 to his death in 1957. I was always curious about this particular leader of ours as history books spoke of him so highly. An author by the name of Jose Veloso Abueva even described his regime as “the yardstick by which Filipino presidents should be judged.”

In this day and age, you search for things from the past to give you strength to tackle the present and give you hope for the future. There was a time when the country was not always like this - a mess (to put it lightly and to make this less of a political post).

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This was a group of scholars who set the foundations for the Philippine Revolution in 1896. They are called the Ilustrados a term used to refer to the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century. The three most prominent are Dr. Jose Rizal (our national hero), Marcelo H. del Pilar and Mariano Ponce.

While I was going from room to room, I caught a sight of this view from one of the windows. That is the Department of Labor and Employment building on a small hill looking down on the metropolitan city that is Manila. It was surprisingly clean that day which is not a usual occurrence.

The gallery display of Juan Luna and Félix Resurrección Hidalgo's paintings happens to be my favorite! For me, this was the most approachable collection on a hoi polloi level haha. It exhibited the two artists' work of art during their explorations to different countries like Spain and Italy; it was like a photo album of the places they have been to if you will.

I rested on some occasions! it was an enormous collection divided into three floors.

In this photo, I was seated in what used to be the old Senate Senate Session Hall and surrounding it was a mural depicting the history of the Philippines by the National artist, Carlos Botong Francisco.

(Just a few of the shots I took of my dad haha as I was asking him to pose for the camera.)

Ramon Lee Panciteria

Settled in between the busy and narrow streets of Sta. Cruz, Manila is one of the oldest restaurants called Ramon Lee Panciteria which has been operating since 1929.

Back in the day, Ramon Lee, a Chinese immigrant and his wife were famously known for serving their Chinese-style fried chicken and pancit canton. Today, the same combo of dishes are still seen on every table. In fact, that was the very dish we ordered.

Like their food from yesteryears, the panciteria's interior gave off the same nostalgic vibe of the 1920s by retaining the original pink cushioned seats and yellow walls.

Fried Chicken (Whole: P450; Half: P230), Pancit Canton Special (P390) and Shanghai Rice (P320)

Everything emanated a very cozy and homey feeling. Food was again unpretentious and huge in portions that dad and I were were able to take home unfinished dishes.

1919 Grand Cafe

To cap off our meal, we embarked on a polar opposite experience.

Nestled in the corner of Juan Luna St. in Binondo is a Neoclassical edifice which houses the repurposed Grand Cafe 1919. In 1922, it was the former HSBC building, a then heritage jewel.

To cut to the chase, I would like to say that their coffee and desserts are the cherry on top of an exciting food trip in Manila.

Muscovado Latte (P180) and Blueberry Cheesecake (P150)

Try it! I am still on the hunt for the snowflake crisp cookie they served together with my coffee! It was just too good that I had a Ratatouille (yes, the Disney animated movie! haha) encounter. The cookie reminded me so much of a delicacy I used to eat when I was a kid called Peanut Broas! Kuhang kuha yung lasa!

[bryan360]

Wow! This taking “Take-a-Taste” a new level; from going to the restaurant and cafe at the same day with his family (and his paper dolls). Very proud of them after chowing down foods and desserts together.

🐰🖌Maxwell: Yeah. Sure wish I can have some hot chocolate and cake right about now. 😁👍 Just saying, but cool of what he and his family going through this trip. This is the first episode of “Take-a-Taste” for 2023 after all.

Yeah, but before and after had some munchies is taking their time at places. They’re interesting as of giving facts of history.

🐰🖌Maxwell: That’s something I can write off while doing my homework during school. Though at the end, he and his family having a good day that hoping we can expect seeing them in plans again.

Yeah. Wish me and my family are hoping someday are going some places too; as long we’re needed to wear face masks together. 🙂

[allaboutjaz]

My Grandparents' Renewal of Vows Ceremony

My Grandparents' Renewal of Vows Ceremony – Diamond Wedding Anniversary (60th) | Purple-Navy Blue Wedding Theme, Oct 2022 – Location: Sta. Cruz & Binondo, Manila

10 years ago, my Lolo and Lola had their 50th wedding anniversary / renewal of vows ceremony. The purple motif was similar to the purple-navy blue theme we went for on their Diamond (60th) Wedding Anniversary in October 2022. Because, obviously, my Lola’s name is “Violeta”. 💜 Both ceremonies were presided by the same priest, Rev. Fr. Miguel Garcia, SSS. OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 2022 What I…

[whereiwander]

EL ATENEO GRAND SPLENDID, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (December 24, 2023) One Big Fight! How could I resist passing by and taking snaps in this famed bookstore that carries the same name as my alma mater? The day prior, Paul Pasco took me brought me to the wrong branch; and so today, while he was in Uruguay, I took the subway and relied on my instincts to find in another part of the city this picturesque store. In 2019, the National Geographic named it “the world’s most beautiful bookstore.” Originally the Teatro Gran Splendid of Buenos Aires, it was an auditorium designed in 1919 to pay homage to the Paris Opera with its ceiling mural, marble columns, and elaborately decorated balconies. Today, the stage is a cafe, the orchestra and first balcony are brimming with bookshelves, and the upper floors have been converted into reading rooms for this bookstore, which is just one in a chain of others called El Ateneo.

[etes-secrecy-post]

Hi, before I explain my post, I want to say something important.

• What you see my blog has become a major overhaul. And despite the changes, I decided that my 2nd account will be now my artwork blog with a secret twist.

⚠️NEW RULE! (W/ BIGGER TEXT!)⚠️

⚠️ SO PLEASE DO NOT SHARE MY 2nd ACCOUNT TO EVERYONE! THIS SECRECY BLOG OF MINE IS FOR CLOSES FRIENDS ONLY!⚠️

• AND FOR MY CLOSES FRIENDS, DON’T REBLOG IT. INSTEAD, JUST COPY MY LINK AND PASTE IT ON YOUR TUMBLR POST! JUST BE SURE THE IMAGE WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ONLY LEFT WAS THE TEXT.

⚠️ SHARING LINKS, LIKE POSTS, REBLOG POSTS, STEALING MY SNAPSHOT PHOTOS/RECORDED VIDEOS/ARTWORKS (a.k.a. ART THIEVES) OR PLAGIARIZING FROM UNKNOWN TUMBLR STRANGERS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE BLOCKED, RIGHT AWAY!⚠️

😡 WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT EVER LIKED & REBLOG MY SECRET POST! THIS IS FOR MY SECRET FRIENDS ONLY, NOT YOU! 😡

Okay? Capiche? Make sense? Good, now back to the post…↓

Take a Taste: with Minute Burger Beef Shawarma Burger [Feb 15th, 2023]

Hello! It’s time for another “Take a Taste”! The series is about delicious food with my two paper dolls.

And today, I'm reviewing the Minute Burger's Beef Shawarma Burger! Mmmmm! 🥩🌯🍔😋 Will it taste like "Shawarma"? Let's find out! 🤔

If you haven't seen my previous episode, then please [CLICK ME!].

So, without further do, let’s get started:

1st & 2nd Image(s): ↑

• This is my 2nd time attempting to try the burgers from the aforementioned "Minute Burger", and my paper dolls are curious to see what's inside... 🤔

3rd to 6th Image(s): ↑

• [3rd Image] Whoa! A single burger! Yeah, it used to be two burgers. But, SPOILER ALERT! I've already eaten one! Hehe! 😅 But hey, at least we could share the single burger, right? 😊

• Nonetheless, here's what "Beef Shawarma Burger" looks like. It might look normal, but unlike the normal "minute burgers", the patty itself is thick & juicy! Mmmmm... 😊

• [4th Image] Also, let's not forget their sauce which is unamused, but I'll sled it by. Anyways, let's take a bite, shall we? 😁

7th to 10th Image(s): ↑

• [7th & 8th Images] Here's my first bite, and again... SPOILER ALERT! I've already tasted it, and I am amazed at what they did! It REALLY IS tasted like "Shawarma"!😁 My paper dolls were delighted! 😄

• [9th & 10th Images] Here's my second bite. Not much to say about their thick patty appearance, but the actual shawarma taste never disappoint my taste buds, Including my paper dolls!😋

Overall:

• Damn, that was a GOOD BURGER! 🍔😁 I would definitely gonna order it on my own because this was gifted from my parents. I mean, one burger wasn't enough for us, and I'd already eaten one before. So overall, this could be the best hamburger offered by the folks of "Minute Burger" I've ever had. So much so, I'll go another round & RE-review it, one more time before they disappear, in the future. (I'm sure, it would NOT happen 🤞🤞) 💵🍔🍔😋

Well, that’s all for now, If you haven’t seen my previous episodes, then I’ll provide some links down below.↓😉

Take a Taste:

○ 2021 Food Reviews: ○

• Popeyes U.S. Spicy Chicken Sandwich [Dec 6, 2021]

• Jollibee Chick'nwich & Crisscut Fries [Dec 21, 2021]: Part 1 [CLICK ME! #1], Part 2 [CLICK ME! #2]

○ 2022 Food Reviews: ○

• Mini Stop Chicken Fillet XL Sandwich [Feb 7, 2022]

• Minute Burger Cheese Burger(s) [Mar 1, 2022]

• Pepper Lunch Teriyaki Beef Pepper Rice w/ Egg (& Honey Brown Sauce) [Mar 5, 2022]

• Bacsilog’s Sulit Combo Bacon-Tocino & Samgyup Day’s Pork Herbs [Mar 12, 2022]

• Burger King Whopper w/ Sides & Drink [May 6, 2022]

• Marshmello’s Limited Edition Coca-Cola Zero [Aug 26, 2022]

• Cheesy Burger McDo with Lettuce & Tomatoes Meal [Recorded: Sept 16, 2022]

• Mcdonald’s PH McSpicy & Apple Pie (featuring their World Famous Fries) [Nov 14, 2022]

• Mcdonald’s McCrispy Hamonado Sandwich [Dec 31st, 2022]

○ 2023 Food Reviews: ○

• Foods from Delicious Restaurant & 1919 Grand Cafe [Jan 8th, 2023]

• Homemade Churros by my lil’ bro [Feb 12th, 2023]

Tagged: @bryan360, @carmenramcat, @leapant

[kristinemaebsnapshots]

Clubhouse Sandwich

📍1919 Grand Cafe

2.13.2020 | 📸 @kristinemaeb

[shiversghostblog]

Oliver House, Maumee Bay Brewing Comapany 

The Oliver House is a former hotel which now is actively open as a Brewery, pub, Steakhouse, cafe and museum. The Oliver House is Located in the downtown district of Toledo, Ohio At 27 Broadway St. 

The Oliver House is named after Major Williams Oliver, (Major Williams Oliver was known for fighting in the war of 1812 at Fort Meigs). The Oliver House was said to be predating the city of Toledo by almost 2 decades, And it was said that from 1817 -1833 The area hosted buildings acting as saloons and shared room hotels. It was the only known source of entertainment in the area at the time. 

It wasn't until 1859 When Major William Oliver Commissioned a gentleman by the name of Isaiah Rodgers to build a luxury hotel. Isaiah Rodgers did just that creating a luxury hotel with 171 rooms with running water, gas lighting and fireplaces. The hotel offered private rooms with grand views of the river. It was a modern wonder to all who came to the newly thriving city. 

Along with the grand hotel Isaiah Rodgers gained national recognition as Chief of the Bureau of Construction in the U.S. Treasury Department, a position appointed to him by President Lincoln. Lincoln also was one known president to stay in the luxurious Oliver House Hotel while visiting the city for a funeral. 

Just 2 years after the construction of the Hotel, Civil war had broken out. The thriving hotel became one of main passages for the underground Railroad, mainly due to its location to the river. If you visit the Oliver House today located in the basement is a brick archway where the slaves would travel through and out upon the river awaiting their way to Canada. 

The Oliver House Hotel thrived until around 1894 and the hotel became vacant due to the modern electricity taking over and leaving little to no desire for gas lighted establishments. Just 1 year later in 1895 The vacant hotel was officially "Not Running." The hotel warehouse sat vacant and became a flop house causing much drama and possible murders & death.. 

Until the 1900 When the Spanish American war broke out And the hotel was once again opened and acted as a informory for veterans of the war. Injured soldiers were brought by train to the makeshift infirmary where the second floor of the hotel was transformed into a hospital for sick and injured soldiers. The basement was suspected to be the morgue for the deceased. 

One well known military apparition known as "The Captain" has been reported to roam the halls in the Oliver house. The Captain has been seen in the Dining room and Pool room, other reports claim to have seen him in the elevator shaft and on the staircase. The Captain is known to have a kind disposition and seems happy to see updates and patrons still roam the hotel. 

After the hotel was used for its infirmary purposes in 1919 a gentleman by the name of Edward D Riddle took over the hotel. Edward had the hotel gutted clean leaving only the shell of the historical Hotel. Edwards had the empty space constructed into an industrial plant. 

Almost 20+ years later the Now transformed Oliver house Hotel, infirmary, and plant was once again turned over in 1947 And became the Wheel and Axle manufacturer.

It wasn't until another 20 years in 1967 when the building had changed again now becoming storage of novelty items for the Successful Sales Co Along with other small businesses. 

During the renovations in the 1960's a garage door was to be installed in the building, while the construction crew dug up the foundation they had discovered human remains. There is no real report as to what happened to the said remains. Some rumors say the Construction crew who originally found the remains left them and built over them. Other reports say they were dug up and placed in a nearby cemetery. The remains were later Named "The Grandfather". Other rumors reported that William Oliver himself was buried under the basement and when the soil was examined it was reported the soil had come from Transylvania. Leading a suspicion that William Oliver was a vampire. This was never noted as fact. It was on the other hand That the Oliver House was known to be built on ancient Indian burial lands. 

During the next 20 years there seemed to be a calm and quiet disposition with the ever changing building. Maybe a quiet before the storm, 

The Oliver House sat in some state of peace. 

Until the 1980's when parts of the building were being rented out to local bands for rehearsals and practice. One musician claimed seeing an apparition of a woman in a long white dress standing at the staircase leading from the private dining room. This Ghostly woman has since been referred to as the "White Lady." 

Now It would be almost 50 years later before the building took on another owner. In 1990 Jim and Pat Appold Took over ownership of the historical Oliver House. It was then when the duo decided to have some renovations done to the old building. That is when the real ghostly things started to happen. Contractors reported missing tools, voices in the pool and dining room, and other strange noises. One contractor reported his name being called several times to see no one there. Another worker rushed out of the building after hearing footsteps following him. A bricklayer, while working on the building during the 1990s renovation, was fixing up an apartment in one of the units, where he could stay during this work endeavor. When going up the various staircases to get to his room one evening, he heard the heavy footsteps of an unseen presence following up after him, which would stop when he stopped and continued when he did. He made a hasty bee-line into the apartment. Perhaps this is an entity of a soldier who had died in the building. 

In 1994 During said reconstruction Remains were again found under all the brick and concrete, they were presumed to be from the ancient burial Grounds. So a tribe from the west was called out to rebury the remains and perform a ceremony. 

In 1995 The completion of remodeling was over and the opening of the Oliver House & Now Maumee Bay brewing company had reopened the doors offering Brews from century old recipes. During the first few years that the Appolds opened up the pub-restaurant, their daughter and son-in-law helped to run the business. The daughter said she was in the private dining room one night where she heard a cheery but faded voice calling her name, the voice was coming from the half-finished pool room, located directly below the private dining room area

The Oliver house holds a long running and fluctuating history, With all this building had seen There is bound for some ghostly sightings, Such as the white lady and The captain, Still to this date there are several haunting reports of the Oliver House. Some of these include hearing the floorboards creak under the weight of an unseen presence. Doors open and close with no assistance, they also become stuck for no apparent reason. People get chills and feel cold spots in this room. People feel an unseen presence watching them. Some of the areas that are reported to see activity is the staircase, the pool room and dining room. The elevator and basement had reports of sightings. 

Upon my own visit in the liver house the hostess had confessed being touched on her arm by an unseen person while standing in the lobby at her post. I myself experienced a bit of uncomfortable watching feeling while exploring the walls in the downstairs restroom. Unfortunately I did not experience “The Captain '' nor the “White Lady’ but maybe in one of my future visits I'll get the opportunity. 

A psychic who investigated the building had reported a lot of uneasy, unhappy energy here, left over from some traumatic experiences of the past, which could have come from disgruntled Indian spirits, soldiers, or the flop house experiences or some other unfortunate event. 

In Closing Toledo Ohio's oldest building and very haunted Oliver House / Maumee Brewing Company holds a deep dark and ghostly history nestled among the beautiful brick walls and wooden staircases. With plenty of hauntings and ghostly guests who still remain. 

The Oliver House Maumee Bay Brewing Company is a place to mark on your map of places to see, So if you find yourself in city of Toledo make sure to travel down by the river and enjoy a meal and some on the spot brews and maybe you will have your very own paranormal encounter at the Beautiful Historical and Haunted Oliver House / Maumee Bay Brewing Company. 

*As of Now I am Aware this Establishment is open during the pandemic. 

for dine and carryout. 

For more information on this establishment go to www.mbaybrew.com

[seeyayon]

The more entries, the bigger the chances of winniing 🤣 thanks again for this 📸 Pet - @maxinetaurus017 💜 confirmeeeed everytime you see a 🎄, you remember me 😊 #christmas2022🎄🎅🎁 #itsbeginningtolookalotlikechristmas #itsmyfavoritetimeoftheyear🎄 #itsthemostwonderfultimeoftheyear🎄 (at 1919 Grand Cafe) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmVIzlNvfWrFaqbB3GXASoDYbs_Qv6hwPXG1Mc0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[cutulisci]

1. Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (Griffith, 1919) USA 2. Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari [The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari] (Wiene, 1920) Germany 3. Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler – Ein Bild der Zeit (Part 1 - Part 2) [Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler] (Lang, 1922) Germany 4. The Gold Rush (Chaplin, 1925) USA 5. La Chute de la Maison Usher [The Fall of the House of Usher] (Jean Epstein, 1928) France 6. Un Chien Andalou [An Andalusian Dog] (Bunuel, 1928) France 7. Morocco (von Sternberg, 1930) USA 8. Der Kongress Tanzt (Charell, 1931) Germany 9. Die 3groschenoper [The Threepenny Opera] (Pabst, 1931) Germany 10. Leise Flehen Meine Lieder [Lover Divine] (Forst, 1933) Austria/Germany 11. The Thin Man (Dyke, 1934) USA 12. Tonari no Yae-chan [My Little Neighbour, Yae] (Shimazu, 1934) Japan 13. Tange Sazen yowa: Hyakuman ryo no tsubo [Sazen Tange and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo] (Yamanaka, 1935) Japan 14. Akanishi Kakita [Capricious Young Men] (Itami, 1936) Japan 15. La Grande Illusion [The Grand Illusion] (Renoir, 1937) France 16. Stella Dallas (Vidor, 1937) USA 17. Tsuzurikata Kyoshitsu [Lessons in Essay] (Yamamoto, 1938) Japan 18. Tsuchi [Earth] (Uchida, 1939) Japan 19. Ninotchka (Lubitsch, 1939) USA 20. Ivan Groznyy I, Ivan Groznyy II: Boyarsky Zagovor [Ivan the Terrible Parts I and II] (Eisenstein, 1944-46) Soviet Union 21. My Darling Clementine (Ford, 1946) USA 22. It’s a Wonderful Life (Capra, 1946) USA 23. The Big Sleep (Hawks, 1946) USA 24. Ladri di Biciclette [The Bicycle Thief] [Bicycle Thieves] (De Sica, 1948) Italy 25. Aoi sanmyaku [The Green Mountains] (Imai, 1949) Japan 26. The Third Man (Reed, 1949) UK 27. Banshun [Late Spring] (Ozu, 1949) Japan 28. Orpheus (Cocteau, 1949) France 29. Karumen kokyo ni kaeru [Carmen Comes Home] (Kinoshita, 1951) Japan 30. A Streetcar Named Desire (Kazan, 1951) USA 31. Thérèse Raquin [The Adultress] (Carne 1953) France 32. Saikaku ichidai onna [The Life of Oharu] (Mizoguchi, 1952) Japan 33. Viaggio in Italia [Journey to Italy] (Rossellini, 1953) Italy 34. Gojira [Godzilla] (Honda, 1954) Japan 35. La Strada (Fellini, 1954) Italy 36. Ukigumo [Floating Clouds] (Naruse, 1955) Japan 37. Pather Panchali [Song of the Road] (Ray, 1955) India 38. Daddy Long Legs (Negulesco, 1955) USA 39. The Proud Ones (Webb, 1956) USA 40. Bakumatsu taiyoden [Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate] (Kawashima, 1957) Japan 41. The Young Lions (Dmytryk, 1957) USA 42. Les Cousins [The Cousins] (Chabrol, 1959) France 43. Les Quarte Cents Coups [The 400 Blows] (Truffaut, 1959) France 44. A bout de Souffle [Breathless] (Godard, 1959) France 45. Ben-Hur (Wyler, 1959) USA 46. Ototo [Her Brother] (Ichikawa, 1960) Japan 47. Une aussi longue absence [The Long Absence] (Colpi, 1960) France/Italy?48. Le Voyage en Ballon [Stowaway in the Sky] (Lamorisse, 1960) France 49. Plein Soleil [Purple Noon] (Clement, 1960) France/Italy 50. Zazie dans le métro [Zazie on the Subway](Malle, 1960) France/Italy 51. L’Annee derniere a Marienbad [Last Year in Marienbad] (Resnais, 1960) France/Italy 52. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Aldrich, 1962) USA 53. Lawrence of Arabia (Lean, 1962) UK 54. Melodie en sous-sol [Any Number Can Win] (Verneuil, 1963) France/Italy 55. The Birds (Hitchcock, 1963) USA 56. Il Deserto Rosso [The Red Desert](Antonioni, 1964) Italy/France 57. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Nichols, 1966) USA 58. Bonnie and Clyde (Penn, 1967) USA 59. In the Heat of the Night (Jewison, 1967) USA 60. The Charge of the Light Brigade (Richardson, 1968) UK 61. Midnight Cowboy (Schlesinger, 1969) USA 62. MASH (Altman, 1970) USA 63. Johnny Got His Gun (Trumbo, 1971) USA 64. The French Connection (Friedkin, 1971) USA 65. El espíritu de la colmena [Spirit of the Beehive] (Erice, 1973) Spain 66. Solyaris [Solaris] (Tarkovsky, 1972) Soviet Union 67. The Day of the Jackal (Zinneman, 1973) UK/France 68. Gruppo di famiglia in un interno [Conversation Piece] (Visconti, 1974) Italy/France 69. The Godfather Part II (Coppola, 1974) USA 70. Sandakan hachibanshokan bohkyo [Sandakan 8] (Kumai, 1974) Japan 71. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Forman, 1975) USA 72. O, Thiassos [The Travelling Players] (Angelopoulos, 1975) Greece 73. Barry Lyndon (Kubrick, 1975) UK 74. Daichi no komoriuta [Lullaby of the Earth] (Masumura, 1976) Japan 75. Annie Hall (Allen, 1977) USA?76. Neokonchennaya pyesa dlya mekhanicheskogo pianino [Unfinished Piece for Mechanical Piano] (Mikhalkov, 1977) Soviet Union 77. Padre Padrone [My Father My Master] (P. & V. Taviani, 1977) Italy 78. Gloria (Cassavetes, 1980) USA 79. Harukanaru yama no yobigoe [A Distant Cry From Spring] (Yamada, 1980) Japan 80. La Traviata (Zeffirelli, 1982) Italy 81. Fanny och Alexander [Fanny and Alexander] (Bergman, 1982) Sweden/France/West Germany 82. Fitzcarraldo (Herzog, 1982) Peru/West Germany 83. The King of Comedy (Scorsese, 1983) USA 84. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (Oshima, 1983) UK/Japan/New Zealand 85. The Killing Fields (Joffe 1984) UK 86. Stranger Than Paradise (Jarmusch, 1984) USA/ West Germany 87. Dongdong de Jiaqi [A Summer at Grandpa's] (Hou, 1984) Taiwan 88. Paris, Texas (Wenders, 1984) France/ West Germany 89. Witness (Weir, 1985) USA 90. The Trip to Bountiful (Masterson, 1985) USA 91. Otac na sluzbenom putu [When Father was Away on Business] (Kusturica, 1985) Yugoslavia 92. The Dead (Huston, 1987) UK/Ireland/USA 93. Khane-ye doust kodjast? [Where is the Friend's Home] (Kiarostami, 1987) Iran 94. Baghdad Cafe [Out of Rosenheim] (Adlon, 1987) West Germany/USA 95. The Whales of August (Anderson, 1987) USA 96. Running on Empty (Lumet, 1988) USA 97. Tonari no totoro [My Neighbour Totoro] (Miyazaki, 1988) Japan 98. A un [Buddies] (Furuhata, 1989) Japan 99. La Belle Noiseuse [The Beautiful Troublemaker] (Rivette, 1991) France/Switzerland 100. Hana-bi [Fireworks] (Kitano, 1997) Japan

Akira Kurosawa’s List of His 100 Favorite Movies

[canaryrecords]

According to George Katsaros’s WWII draft registration, he was born April 3, 1898 in Trikala in western Thessaly, Greece. He arrived through Ellis Island alone on October 20, 1913, and his declared age at the time was 17, which would have meant he was born in 1896-7. His brother Harry (whose also WWII card as well as a 1930 border crossing document also give Thessaly as his place of birth) had preceded him and settled in the Detroit area. Their parents’ names were Kristos (Gustos) and Zoe.

Much of the information about Katsaros’ life that has circulated for decades, drawn from stories he told in the 1980s and 90s when he was an old man, including that he was born ten years earlier on the island of Amorgos with the surname Theologitis appears to be false. For reasons we haven’t ascertained, Katsaros was by then an untrustworthy narrator of his own life. Two serious studies of his biography and music have been undertaken - one in Greek by Panagiotis Kounadis (which, unfortunately, I have not been able to read because of the language barrier) and another in English by Steve Frangos. The interviews conducted by Frangos in 1985 (available through the site of the State Library and Archives of Florida) and that articles Frangos subsequently wrote based on on those interviews are an invaluable resource on Katsaros’s self-mythology and some of what follows in drawn from them.

Katsaros’s memories of his life were often highly detailed and therefore more or less verifiable. There are some vast craters in his narrative and some apparent fantastic invention. It seems reasonable to suppose that he is telling the truth that he was playing at a cafe called the Zapeion in New York around early 1917 when he had an opportunity to go to San Francisco to play at the Minerva and Acropolis Cafes, both on Folsom Street. The Minerva at the time widely promoted its family-friendly French dinners and 30 cent vegetarian lunches while, around the same time, being under close scrutiny by the police for underworld activity, resulting in the 1919 withdrawal of its liquor license after a fire and a drugging-and-theft incident there made the news in quick succession. Police found the cafe in violation of the wartime prohibition act.

Katsaros named no less than 16 towns in California where he played during the period 1917-18 and another dozen in Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, and Nevada in 1918-19. Performing a wide array of traditional Greek (and some Armenian) folk songs for audiences of agricultural workers, port workers, and miners, he spoke in generalities of this period, but the fact that he names specific venues (the Parthenon and the Aphrodite in Salt Lake City, for instance) and some bandmates, including cymbalom players Frank Gazis, who later recorded with violinist Demetrios Poggis, and Spiros Stamos, who later recorded for the Greek Record Company in Chicago, gives credence to his story. He bragged of earning $50 ($750 now) a night, often playing almost continuously from 7PM to 2AM. By 1920, he says, he was back east, playing at the Kentron Restaurant at 1018 Locust Street in Philadelphia. His claim of having been called to sign a 5 year contract with Victor Records in 1919 seems to be fabricated or at least unverifiable, as were his descriptions of a tours to Mumbai, India (via Australia, Burma, Singapore, and other locations) or his assertion of a 1924 trip to Algeria, Tunis, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa. "My records, they went all over the world," he said. "From every place in the United States and South America and Europe [...] they pay me and I take a boat and I go. Playing for the big concerrts. I play for the churches, for the rich people." But he hadn't actually made any records yet.

We can be sure of two significant events in the Summer of 1927. On June 6 and 16, he made his first recordings for Victor across the bridge from Philadelphia in Camden, New Jersey, resulting in his first issued disc, a 12” with the zeibekiko “Elleniki Apolausis (Greek Pleasure)” on one side and “A Kakoorga Eli (Cruel Hearted Elli)” on the flip. And then, at 29 years old, he married a 20 year old woman named Ouranea (b. Dec. 25 1907; d. April 28, 1984). Years later, she told a newspaper that she was the niece of Theodoros Pangelos who had become President of Greece in April 1925 in the aftermath of a coup, only to be deposed August 1926 in a counter-coup.

By June 24, 1928, George and Oura were in Michigan, where George’s brother Harry lived, for the birth of their first daughter Arete (Rita). During the onset and and deepening of the Great Depression four more children arrived there near Detroit - Steve (Jan. 13, 1930), Cleopatria (ca. 1933), James (ca. 1934), and Paul (April 23, 1936.) Parallel to the growth of their family, George made approximately annual trips to New Jersey, New York City, and Chicago to record. His memory in 1985 of the number of sides he made during that period is pretty close to the facts: 18 for Columbia and 36 for Victor, he said. In fact, he released 8 on Columbia and 33 for Victor as well as an additional 20 or so for Victor that were rejected and unissued. At present, we have evidence of one concert during that period, a fundraiser for the Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform under the auspices of a Greek organization in Detroit on December 1, 1931 along with a Greek soprano and pianist. A photo given by Katsaros to the researcher Pangiotis Kounadis in 1987 apparently depicts him with a friend in the early 1930s in Birmingham, England.

His reputation as a seminal force in the development of rebetika, the music of the Greek underworld, based on certain of his 1920s and 30s discs is only part of the story of what he did. The vast majority of what he recorded were his own compositions and many of them spoke plainly of the nightlife, of an empathic eye for modern women, a wicked confidence as a gambler, a powerful appetite for hashish, rough companions, and the hustling all of it entails. He also recorded songs that were comedic or deeply pathetic, as often in tango rhythms or with similarities to American songsters like Jimmie Rogers or Mexican conjunto as they were to the zeibekiko rhythms and quasi-Turkish tonalities of the rebetika demimonde that grew in Athens at the same time. Playing a spruce-topped Martin parlor guitar made in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, his songs were straight-shooting, deeply honest, and totally syncretic of his experience as a Greek-American. There is nothing Hellenistically “purist” about Katsaros’s records, but they are adamantly pure in their relationship to his own sense of himself. That is what made him so unique and, perhaps, what made him one of the very, very few Greek performers to have been able to continue to record at all during the 1930s in the U.S. The 1929 stock market crash had simply ended the recording careers of most the Greek-American performers on records, including for instance Marika Papagika, (with whom Katsaros said he worked in the 30s on the road and characterized as a "very very lovely singer and a very very good person") or made their performances feel like remnants of the “old world." It was Katsaros’ singular approach to his instrument and his plain-talking songwriting, as in his exhortation of Herbert Hoover at the end of his Depression ballad “With Pockets Empty” or his lament for the sick “Mother, I Have Tuberculosis [Consumption]” that gave his records such legs that they were regularly repressed, year after year into the 1940s.

Katsaros claimed to have recorded another 24 sides for Decca in the 1930s-40s, but we have no evidence of those having been released. We know that he made about 10 sides for the Gary, Indiana independent label Grecophone and then in the 1940s about six sides for the New York Metropolitan label (related to Adjin Asllan’s Balkan label) and four or more for Standard (run by Tetos Demetriades, who had previously been the head of the Foreign division of Victor in the 1930s and had championed Katsaros then).

In 1940 his family of seven was living in Wayne, Michigan in a heavily Polish neighborhood along with a 51 year old boarder, who, like George, was making $1,900 ($35,000 today) a year working six days a week as a switchman for the Grand Trunk Railroad between Six Mile and Nine Mile of Detroit. The census that year also counted them at another house in Tarpon Springs, Florida where a "John Katsaros" is listed as the head of the household was working as a driver. Katsaros spent the Summer of 1943 playing hotels in the Catskills - the Monte Carlo, the Olympia, and the Sunset. Performing was lucrative enough that he and Oura got their picture in the Detroit Free Press that November for having bought a total of $842 in War Bonds (about $12,500 today), and his occupation was mentioned as “nightclub performer.” But on February 7, 1945, they divorced. He was 46; she was 37. A few years earlier the German occupying forces in Athens had killed his mother for having hidden two American servicemen. Her house was burned. George’s sister Sophia survived and later emigrated to the U.S.

By 1950, he was living in Brighton, Massachusetts at 100 Washington Street. On his way home just before 5 in the morning in November, 1952 Katsaros was robbed at gunpoint. The two muggers grabbed $150 in small bills from his inner jacket pocket but, he said, neglected to check his pants, where he had another $2,000 in cash.

Meanwhile, back home, George and Oura’s eldest child was in the papers. Having been drafted in 1949 to the Korean war, he’d been called back for another year of service as an enlisted infantryman in 1950. On February 12, 1951 he was captured and held as a prisoner of war until August 1953. He was 23 years old when he was reunited with his mother and siblings, living at 2961 Hanley St in Hamtramck, Michigan, including his younger brother James who had also served in Korea. Every member of the family is mentioned in the press notices of his joyful return except for his father.

Katsaros worked in the late 50s in Chicago in Boston at the Club Zara at 475 Tremont St. According to researcher Amy E. Smith, the Club Zara might have had mob ties. On May 6, 1960, 25 days of police surveillance a resulted in the dispersal of a crowd of 300 people at midnight and the arrest of seven women (five of them dancers in their 20s) and five men (including the maitre d, the manager, and an Armenian singer) under charges of “participating in or contributing to an immoral show.” Whether Katsaros was present that night or was even still working there at the time, we don't know. He said in 1985 that he’d been one of its cofounders and took credit for hiring the club’s first bellydancer “Morocco.” The trial that resulted from the raid was a media circus, and all but one of those arrested was fined between $200 and $1500. Four of the dancers were given 3 to 6 months in prison. One dancer lost custody of her eight year old daughter. The club lost its liquor license. The District Attorney told the press “This is filth, real filth. It’s about time we get rid of that show.” If they’d been looking for evidence of underaged employees or other illegal activities, the catalyst for the raid was when one dancer’s bra straps snapped.

Whether or not Katsaros was still in Boston when the raid happened, by about 1962 he’d moved to Holiday, Florida near Tarpon Springs, a town founded in the 16th century as a Greek sponge fishing village. Through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, he performed sporadically at Greek community events and restaurants, often with the accordion player John Gianaros whom he’d known since the 40s back in New York. Katsaros was getting old with several lifetimes’ worth of experiences and songs in the head, still covered in a thick pile of of kinky hair that he kept vainly under a net at home.

When a new generation of Greeks got hip to the 1920s-30s material of the old dope-smoking hipsters, they found him there in Florida. At 80-something years old, he wanted to know where the money was. In 1985, he asked Steve Frangos about how to collect royalties on his recordings from 50 years earlier or how to get a new record deal. In 1988, he traveled to Greece to perform and gave interviews. His old music was reissued. In March 1995, he was flown again to Greece to be honored by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs at a widely-broadcast concert and spoke and played for his countrymen (now available on YouTube).

When he died at home in Holiday, having outlived practically everyone who could have remembered him, on June 22, 1997 at the age of 99, newspapers around the world told an incredible story about 109 year old badass, a walking antique, who had been everywhere and done everything. Among them, the researcher Aydin Chaloupka noticed a mention in the Pappas Press that Katsaros had a birth certificate from Amorgos for one Yiorgos Theologitis born in 1888 that he'd had authenticated and showed visitors, letting them make copies of it. The story he told that his last name Katsaros was a stage name referring to his his hair ("katsaros" means "kinky" or "curly" in Greek) might hold true if his brother, a grocer in Detroit, didn't share the same name.

Why would Katsaros lie about his date and place of birth and go the trouble of obtaining someone else's birth certificate? We can only speculate, but it is not out of the question that there was something in his life that he did not want to catch up with him even as he attained some notoriety in the late 1980s. Perhaps is was the family he left behind in Detroit in the mid-40s. Perhaps it was the authorities for something he'd done (or felt he'd done) wrong. Perhaps it was some of the underworld characters he'd crossed paths with in the course of his career. Maybe the birth certificate was an insurance policy so that, if someone knocked on his door, he could say "you've got the wrong guy. I'm not George Katsaros, born 1897 in Thessaly. I'm Yiorgos Theologitis, born 1888 on Amorgos." Plausible deniability.

Something is true. But George Katsaros was probably not the person who would have told you.

[jorenpe31-blog]

1919 Grand Cafe @ Binondo, Manila

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Ford Police Round Up Organized Gang Of Bold Thieves,” Border Cities Star. April 25, 1919. Page 03. --- Nine Youths, Ranging In Years Between 18 and 20, Burglarized Many Places In Past Six Months --- By a stroke of clever sleuthing, Chief Maisonville and Officer Mahoney of the Ford City Police Department, assisted by County Constable Renaud, Friday morning succeeded in breaking up an organized gang of thieves who have been operating in the Border Cities for the past six months.

Tuesday, Chief Maisonville arrested Raymond Marlow and Vergine Nantais, two youths of Ford City, on a charge of stealing an automobile in Chatham and from them be learned the names of two other members of the gang. All have been under suspicion for some time by the officers and Friday morning the grand round-up was made.

Made Confession Besides Marlow and Nantais, the others arrested are: Earl Robert, Edgar Grodin, Lawrence Ouellette, Raymond Rouillier, Ray Vincelette, Mike Gelina and Arthur LaRondeau, all of Ford City, and between the ages of 18 and 20 years.

According to confession from these boys, the gang is responsible for the robberies of many River Front homes and summer resorts, including the home of Col. Latimer and Mr. Flanders, from which many valuable rugs, furniture, jewelry, and other articles were taken. It is also alleged that the boys broke oup and otherwise destroyed other valuable articles in the homes and efforts are being made to connect them with the hold-up of the Rex Cafe and the Walkerville Hardware robbery.

Had Large Revolvers The only articles in the possession of the prisoners were two large 48.-calibre revolvers, although the police believe that have sufficient information to recover a great quantity of the stolen goods. Two or three of the youths have admitted robbing the Ford City Pharmacy, owned by M. M. McCormick, on three different occasions and stealing jugs of whiskey and other articles which may be recovered.

In the case of the LeRondeau boy, Magistrate Miers decided to send to the Industrial School at Toronto. He was appeared in police seven times and the police state that he has given them a great deal of trouble. He was given three years at the Toronto institution.

Wide Activities Nor was the activities of the gang limited to the small scope of Ford City. They invaded the peaceful village of Helle River, robbing several homes there of money and watches, and other jewelry, besides suits of clothes, etc. It is estimated that the value of goods stolen and destroyed by them will total close to $10,000.

Some of the boys intimate that several members of the gang are yet at large but refuse to divulge their names or addresses and the police have no other clues to work on.

All were remanded eight days for trial.

[etes-secrecy-post]

Hi, before I explain my post, I want to say something important.

• What you see my blog has become a major overhaul. And despite the changes, I decided that my 2nd account will be now my artwork blog with a secret twist.

⚠️NEW RULE! (W/ BIGGER TEXT!)⚠️

⚠️ SO PLEASE DO NOT SHARE MY 2nd ACCOUNT TO EVERYONE! THIS SECRECY BLOG OF MINE IS FOR CLOSES FRIENDS ONLY!⚠️

• AND FOR MY CLOSES FRIENDS, DON’T REBLOG IT. INSTEAD, JUST COPY MY LINK AND PASTE IT ON YOUR TUMBLR POST! JUST BE SURE THE IMAGE WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ONLY LEFT WAS THE TEXT.

⚠️ SHARING LINKS, LIKE POSTS, REBLOG POSTS, STEALING MY SNAPSHOT PHOTOS/RECORDED VIDEOS/ARTWORKS (a.k.a. ART THIEVES) OR PLAGIARIZING FROM UNKNOWN TUMBLR STRANGERS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE BLOCKED, RIGHT AWAY!⚠️

😡 WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT EVER LIKED & REBLOG MY SECRET POST! THIS IS FOR MY SECRET FRIENDS ONLY, NOT YOU! 😡

Okay? Capiche? Make sense? Good, now back to the post…↓

Take a Taste: with homemade Churros by my lil' bro [Feb 12th, 2023]

Hello! It’s time for another “Take a Taste”! The series is about delicious food with my two paper dolls.

And today, (a quick review of) my lil' bro is making a homamade Churros! Yum-yum! 😋🥐🍫

If you haven't seen my previous episode, then please [CLICK ME!].

So, without further do, let’s get started:

1st & 2nd Image(s): ↑

• Here it is! This is his first ever homemade Churros! 😋 Unfortunately, some of the churros we're burned, so, will my paper dolls trying it out? Nah, I think they prefer the long bend one. So, yeah, let's have a bite w/ a small dip of chocolate spread by Gardenia's Delicia! 😊

3rd & 4th Image(s): ↑

• Here's my first bite! Mmmmm..mmmm! Delicious! 😊First time we've experienced eating churros from my lil' bros' pastry skills! We're gonna eat the rest of our churros.

Overall:

• Quite delicious, but could it use a perfect timing for his homemade churros. But, since this is his time, I'd say a worthy dessert snack. 🙂👍 Here's hoping, he'll be planning to do selling business after his working career, someday. And I'll helped his business. 😊

Well, that’s all for now, If you haven’t seen my previous episodes, then I’ll provide some links down below.↓😉

Take a Taste:

○ 2021 Food Reviews: ○

• Popeyes U.S. Spicy Chicken Sandwich [Dec 6, 2021]

• Jollibee Chick'nwich & Crisscut Fries [Dec 21, 2021]: Part 1 [CLICK ME! #1], Part 2 [CLICK ME! #2]

○ 2022 Food Reviews: ○

• Mini Stop Chicken Fillet XL Sandwich [Feb 7, 2022]

• Minute Burger Cheese Burger(s) [Mar 1, 2022]

• Pepper Lunch Teriyaki Beef Pepper Rice w/ Egg (& Honey Brown Sauce) [Mar 5, 2022]

• Bacsilog’s Sulit Combo Bacon-Tocino & Samgyup Day’s Pork Herbs [Mar 12, 2022]

• Burger King Whopper w/ Sides & Drink [May 6, 2022]

• Marshmello’s Limited Edition Coca-Cola Zero [Aug 26, 2022]

• Cheesy Burger McDo with Lettuce & Tomatoes Meal [Recorded: Sept 16, 2022]

• Mcdonald’s PH McSpicy & Apple Pie (featuring their World Famous Fries) [Nov 14, 2022]

• Mcdonald’s McCrispy Hamonado Sandwich [Dec 31st, 2022]

○ 2023 Food Reviews: ○

• Foods from Delicious Restaurant & 1919 Grand Cafe [Jan 8th, 2023]

Tagged: @bryan360, @carmenramcat, @leapant

[shelbasul1124]

>>> Binondo Girls… 😁🤣❤️🤎💙 (at Grand Cafe 1919) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiSsgy5PnAbuZDIf1_5OI54DNAfC65Fum2ulhs0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[alicetoyourwonderland]

Kape > Kain > Kape (at Grand Cafe 1919) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch2Se3kBMWIOuPKvO9JGmxn8wsucQMsIz9pFjo0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kristinemaebsnapshots]

📍1919 Grand Cafe

2.13.2020 | 📸 @kristinemaeb