Italy v. Greece
So it’s Italy versus Greece this weekend … and no, I’m not talking about the World Cup, dear hedonists. As the weather begrudgingly lets go of what little summer we had, it’s time to think about travel abroad to a (preferably) warmer clime.
Oh, and to seek some good old-fashioned comfort food. From, say, Italy and Greece, for example.
Seattle Center v. St. Demetrios ... no contest.
Like pasta. Or calamari. Perhaps a lil’ gelato. Ooooh, or baklava!
If all that sounds right up your alley, then this weekend is the weekend for you.
From pesto'd polenta to pepporoni pizza....
This weekend there are not one, but two cultural festivals taking place around town. First, at Seattle Center there’s the Festa Italiana Taste of Italy taking place September 24, 2010 and this weekend’s 23rd annual Italian Festival September 25-26, 2010. From Italian food, wine, beer, chef demos, music, jewelry, and kitsch – there’s even a grape stomp – this is a festivus for the American Italophile. (Oh, and your Hedonista got an interview with Mark Leslie, author of Beyond The Pasta, a book – make that a food memoir – that was released September 1st and available September 15th – that interview will post later on this week.)
Greece: pastries to pork sausage (loukaniko).
Second, there’s the Saint Demetrios 50th Anniversary Greek Festival. The offerings are similar: food, music, dancing, pastries, and marketplace – even Greek wine tasting and church tours. Although this experience, rather than being “American in Italy” (or, should I say, Italian in America) is much more of a truly authentic experience from the respective homeland.
Regardless, both are worth checking out. After all, they are less than 5 miles from each other, admission is free, and the weekend isn’t over yet: soak up a little Italy from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Greece from noon to 7:00 p.m. and take your own Italy v. Greece challenge. (Greece, Greece, Greece….)
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Check out what others are saying about this post...[...] I had another interview scheduled with Jacqueline of heedtheheadonist.com. We sat outside and talked on and on about Italy, the book, and how it connects to American culture. I met some really cool people that day. Here is her article about Festa Italiana and me. [...]