2023 Summer
Coronation of Charles III
The new British emperor, Charles III was coronated on the first Saturday of May who became the head of state and the head of Church, in his full capacity, alongside the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The article reveals that he also has Hungarian blood in his veins, as he is the son of the great-grandchild of the Transylvanian-born countess Klaudia Rhédey. The new monarch’s affection towards Transylvania is part of the British-Hungarian relations: Charles III bought a small house for himself in Zalánpalánk in Transylvania more than a decade ago and has three more properties in the Covasna County village. It’s another Hungarian aspect that Katalin Novák, President of the Republic took part at the coronation ceremony, thus she was the first Hungarian head of state to attend the coronation of a British monarch. In addition to the present of the monarchy the author of the article touches on the future of the British royal family too.
Artificial intelligence
According to Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) is as fundamental as the creation of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the internet and the mobile phone. But it can also be a curse, as much as a blessing, as we write about the creation, evolution and global career of AI. Its research began in the mid-fifties, the boom came with the arrival of the internet, the real data explosion, and today, online chat with robots is a hit on the web. Just over a year ago, a $10 billion Microsoft-backed research lab launched the chatbot known as
GPT-4. The ChatGPT language model, which can generate text and answer questions at length, has become popular worldwide primarily because it has become a “real” conversational tool.
Gábor Windt 70
Both Gábor Windt and Barbara Léber have brought three children in their marriage. Gábor Windt is the grand master of the Japanese martial arts and Barbara Léber is that of fashion design. Two grandchildren complete the family, its head – having seven decades behind him – talked about all those things that are worth to know about people near him and of course himself. The six dan master has achieved considerable success both in the sport and business, having won world and European karate titles, remained unbeaten for 21 years. Now, at the age of 70, has successful businesses to his name, and he and his wife have tested and are testing themselves, their creativity and business acumen in new areas. The couple, who live in the woods on a huge estate, say that business is no longer about money for them at a certain level, but rather a hobby, and for them it is actually fun.
Hotel Helikon
András Cseke has been working in the catering industry since 1991 and in the hotel industry since 2000. He is currently the new hotel manager of Hotel Helikon Keszthely. “The current professional challenge of my life started in the middle of March 2023 as the manager of Hotel Helikon ****superior Keszthely. The now fifty-two year old hotel has been renovated and rebuilt. All 176 rooms have balconies and panoramic views of Lake Balaton. The total wellness area is over 1 500 square metres. In our hotel, the first man of our gastronomic world is chef Péter Sandula, who makes our half-board more interesting with domestic and international dishes, not to mention the cuisine of Zala. As far as our sporting facilities are concerned, I think we are unbeatable. We have our own island, with a beach, sailing, boating and supping. What is even more unique is the Helikon Tennis Centre with six accredited clay courts.
New law in Hungarian architecture
The new Hungarian architecture law replacing the one of 1997 is being elaborated, after public consultation the draft may be adopted by the Parliament in autumn. The expert of our magazine, architect Tibor Várhelyi said: The new law concerns mainly those investors who want to build condominiums with several hundred apartments and industrial halls. One of the goals is to make use of the old brownfield investments and at the same time to encourage investment, stimulating the entrepreneurs among others with tax benefits. One of the main points is to promote the use of green energy and also to keep away the incompetent, unskilled people from the profession. „Furthermore, it’s an important aspect to enhance the use of old buildings, also in such a way that those concerned get personal income tax reduction or total exemption”, said the specialist.
Dream Window
Zsuzsanna Udvarhelyi, an internationally renowned Hungarian figure in contemporary painting, now works under the artist name ZSUD. The figures unfolding on her canvases reflect her unique and sensitive vision of the world. Her paintings are shown in galleries in Switzerland, Italy and Monaco, in addition to Hungary. Originally a law student, she had exhibitions while still at university, but at that time she never called herself an artist. By the end of university she accepted that this was her true profession. From then on, the picture became much clearer for her. To live with a commitment and to move steadily towards the goal is easier, more liberating, even though the road is sometimes bumpy.
– What does painting mean to you?
– A sense of vocation in life is a very great gift. I constantly feel like it’s really what I’m meant to do in the world. It’s where I focus my energy. Painting for me is a kind of prayer, a transcendental state of mind, a clear vision.
Keukenhof
It’s often called Europe’s Garden based on its size. According to official data approximately seven million flower bulbs are planted each year in the 32-hectare park. It can be visited from the last week of March till middle-May annually. It has the most spectacular view in mid-April when the tulips are in bloom. The history of Keukenhof dates back to the 15th century. Jacoba van Beieren collected the fruits and vegetables of Keukenduin for the kitchen of the Teylingen castle. The Keukenhof gardens were created by the Mayor of the town in 1949 with the aim to enable the Dutch and European flower growers to showcase their products and also to promote Dutch export. A group of twenty bulb producers and exporters came up with a plan to use the estate for a spring flower bulb exhibiton. In the last 74 years Keukenhof has developed into a world-famous attraction.
20 years of Profi Partner
Gergely Rónai was born into a forestry engineer’s family where he is the fourth generation to have preserved his love, respect and expertise for plants. In addition to his daily work in the competitive sector, professional and social responsibility is also present in his life. Since 2020 he has been the President of the Hungarian Ornamental Nursery Garden Association. In the 2000s, the owners of five nurseries decided to set up an ornamental cash and carry based on a Western model, as a gap-filling project, which was implemented in 2003 on a 3.5 hectare site in Szigetszentmiklós. “In 2016, the owners asked me to manage Profi Partner 2003 Ltd. I felt challenged and was delighted to say yes. I was given a completely free hand as a company manager, and the fruits of this have clearly paid off. We have nearly 40,000 plants to choose from, ranging from perennials costing a few hundred forints to bonsai costing several million forints.” – We learned from Gergely Rónai.
Fish on the grill
If you want to conjure fine and not least healthy food for your family and friends, fish comes to the fore. Grilled fish dishes provide a very good alternative to meat and can even add variety to your side dishes. Of course, when we are speaking of fish dishes and I might add in parenthesis, seafood, the very trendy salmon is our first idea and also shrimps, in most cases served with a light mixed salad. However, if we change the side dishes a bit, we can make our salmon with marrow in Greek yoghurt with dill, thus we get a really delicious, cooling summer lunch. But in no time at all, we can prepare a grilled catfish with paprika sauce, to which we can offer dill cheesecake dumpling as a side dish. Let’s not be afraid of grilling fish and make healthy dishes in a minute!
Fish in gastronomy
The use of fish in gastronomy is practically as old as human history. It has been a viable food source for the fisher-hunter-gatherer caveman, although for thousands of years it was a difficult food to obtain due to lack of adequate tools.
The richness and diversity of fish dishes are mainly found in countries with a coastline and a developed fishing culture, but nowadays, with the availability of the right logistical tools and lines, almost all popular and less well-known fish species are available in Hungary – not frozen.
In Hungarian gastronomy, the cult of fish dishes was established in the 16th century, in the Renaissance court of King Matthias, but Hungarian fish soup (‘halászlé’) still plays an important role in Hungarian gastronomy today. However, the use of fish is much wider than that.
Robinson Restaurant
The City Park enjoyed its glamorous heyday at the end of the 19th century, when you could frolic among fountains and pretty little pavilions to the rhythm of military bands. In this romantic past and then in the present, Robinson’s little island on the City Park lake was a constantly positive and periodically renewed image of the world. The hot air balloon inspired by Szinyei also reappeared in the sky with its striped belly. The restaurant has been a star of Budapest’s gastronomic scene since 1989, and owner Árpád László has successfully kept it on the radar of change. The restaurant’s huge windows are daily winked at by the hot air balloon, a novelty of the grove, and they couldn’t let this open flirtation pass without a word, so they also bought the little brothers of the structure that wanders among the clouds and decorated the upper floor of the restaurant with them. This is the place to be in the city, the place to eat, experience and return to.
Hotel Abacus
The Abacus Business & Wellness Hotel**** Superior is located 25 km from Budapest, in Herceghalom. The hotel’s inspiring atmosphere, innovative environment and uncompromising gastronomical philosophy makes it the ideal place for family vacations, wellness weekends, conferences, business meetings and even weddings. The chef, Ferenc Toth, whose resume boasts with extensive foreign experience, uses simple, local and seasonal ingredients from Zsambek’s basin in his dishes. The majority of the spices he uses are grown in the kitchen’s own garden. Their dishes draw on both international sensibilities as well as the traditional Hungarian sense of taste; all while using modern culinary technology. The combination of gastronomical pleasures with a peaceful, familiar atmosphere and modern environment translate into more than half the guests being regulars. Their success was further confirmed when Abacus Business & Wellness Hotel won the title of Best Rural Business and Conference Hotel in Hungary.
Bubbles in a glass
The popularity of sparkling wines has been on the rise for years. The traditional method of making champagne originated in the Champagne region. It’s called méthode traditionnelle, where yeast and sugar are added to the base wine, which is then bottled and undergoes secondary fermentation, producing carbon dioxide. In the case of tank sparkling wines, the same process takes place in large, pressure-resistant tanks, after which the bottles are filled with the clean, yeast-cleaned, bubbly wine. Champagne, sparkling wine and semi-sparkling wine are three separate categories, distinguished mainly by the pressure in the bottle and the origin of the carbon dioxide. The product of Streit-Zagonyi winery, Csintalan, made from Ottonel muscatel, is a brand newcomer to the semi-sparkling wine scene, while the winery’s lightly carbonated rosé has been the general public’s firm favourite for years.
Sevilla is King of Europe
Although there was no Hungarian team in the Budapest final of the Europa League – the No. 2 European Cup in football, – many people in Hungary could feel the final between Sevilla and AS Roma as theirs. The fully packed Puskás Arena hosted the event. Sixty thousand people filled the magnificent establishment, and at the very end those could be glad who were cheering for the Spanish team, which in an 11-goal duel after 1-1 extra time overcame the Italian team and became Europa League champion, and the ‘King of Europe’ as the Spanish sports press put it. Hungarian catering industry also benefited, and those who strive to strengthen the country’s image can be satisfied too. They expected the 2023 Europa League final to be a powerful tool for drawing worldwide attention to the capital and Hungary by the appearance of dozens of TV crews and the broadcasts.
Changing world
BMW was the mobility sponsor of last year’s and this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The Bavarians took advantage of this by presenting their boat in the South of France. The Icon dictates the trend, as it is powered by two electric motors and rises out of the water on the move. With a range of around 100 km, the luxury yacht has a top speed of 55 km/h. Designed by BMW, the all-green boat is a stark contrast to what the car companies showed a few years ago.
In most cases, the car companies envisage a brand-specific passenger compartment for their boats. Aston Martin has collaborated with Quintessence Yachts. Bentley Design Service worked with Contest Yacht. The 19-metre yacht, weighing 24 tons, is a collaboration between The Italian Sea Group and Lamborghini. In addition to their lavish design, these watercraft have in common the fact that they use conventional engines, which means they have not yet switched to electric drive.
Individuals
The DS9 is the strongest personality in our summer issue, with attention to detail in every corner. Being just a few centimetres short of five metres, it’s a super comfortable and very pretty limousine. A refreshing sight in a sea of SUVs. The Citroen C5 X has already moved towards more rugged-looking cars, but with its very comfortable seats and practicality it’s back in the best Citroen tradition. We tried the base model, which foreshadows the refinement of the charge-hybrid version. The MG HS has proven its worth in the UK for many years, and now we’ve tried the 4.5m SUV with manual gearbox which is a good value for money on its home ground. The latest edition of the Nissan Qashqai impressed the editorial team with its consumption, as well as its premium cabin. Nissan’s new hybrid system, introduced in our country, offers a driving experience similar to that of an electric car, with minimum fuel consumption.
Sziget
This year’s Sziget Festival will see renewal in a number of areas, such as the visual landscape, catering, sustainability and amenities. Some programme venues change place, some get new look. What remains is the unmissable Sziget feeling and the variety of programmes, in the spirit of genre diversity. “Since its beginnings, Sziget has been constantly improving and evolving, innovating in different areas every year. However, last year, after a two-year hiatus, we were happy that we managed to survive the difficulties on several fronts, which were overwhelming for many,” said Tamás Kádár, the festival’s chief organiser. “This year, however, we are back on the road to progress, which will be clearly visible in many areas,” said the organiser. The guest experience will be enhanced by the Sziget VIP venues, which has been available to visitors from last year.
Horse massage
Horses and everything connected to them have been an integral part of Csenge Kövesdi’s life of since she was a little girl. She completed the horse stress point massage course of Zsolt Bertalan in spring 2022, then started to build up her clientele, and this year the number of the requests has started to increase radically. The horse stress point massage concentrates on the muscles, alleviating locomotor complaints. Most people visit with specific problem, but quarterly massages are recommended even for healthy horses. A treatment lasts 50-70 minutes, the price of which nearly equals with a sport massage, as the horses are also athletes, depending on their exertion. She is proud to have been able to help nearly 150 horses in a year and her diary is full a month in advance. She is confident in her knowledge but wants to learn a lot. Furthermore, she is also a member of the team of the Horze equestrian shop where strives to serve the customers with the utmost professionalism.
Social life
Through our social events column, we want our readers to gain insight into various, in our opinion high level and exclusive events, parties, inaugurations, film, theatre premieres and fashion shows, exhibitions, concerts, sports events, etc. The list is endless but the various events have something in common: the high quality, high standard and style. Our aim is to inform you about interesting activities and programmes in each issue of our magazine.
The list is endless but there is something still common among the various events, the high quality, high standard and style. Our aim is to inform you about interesting activities and programmes in each issue of our magazine.
In our summer issue we have been present at a film premiere, a birthday party and a polo event.
Michael B. Jordan
Oscar Grant, shot dead by the cops who stopped him, Torch of the Fantastic Four, Adonis Creed in the Rocky sequel Creed, or Black Panther. Michael B. Jordan is a determined portrayer of superheroes, cops and criminals, and a continuation of the Sylvester Stallone Rocky films. He’s also one of the world’s most handsome men with his 182 cm height. Michael B. Jordan, whose name B, Bakari in Swahili, means noble promise, is athletic in both physique and stamina. His ripped muscles were not only acquired in the gym, but also as a schoolboy playing competitive basketball for the junior team. The first question when you hear his name is whether he is related to one of the greatest basketball idols of all time, Michael Jordan. Except for one All Star event, he met him once.
ZEMA
ZEMA Porcelain and Jewellery House, in addition to its special collections offers exclusive jewellery to match the wedding dresses. The variey is very colourful, with the exclusivity and whiteness of porcelain as a base. From the very delicate or minimalist, you can find jewellery for the big day that is absolutely unique in design and craftsmanship. But for bridesmaids and mothers of pleasure, ZEMA is also a great choice.
Cannes
European authors’ film triumphed at the most prestigious international film festival in Cannes, on the stage of the 2,000-seat Grand Théatre Lumière. After Jane Campion and Julia Ducournau, the Palme d’Or was awarded for the third time in the festival’s history to a female director. Justine Triet’s film „The Anatomy of a Fall”, in which a male member of an artistic couple dies under mysterious circumstances, was greeted with a standing ovation. The German wife is accused of murdering her French husband, and viewers can join in the excitement of the investigation and trial. At the award ceremony Quentin Tarantino introduced the film „The Zone of Interest”, which was a strong contender from the start of the festival and won the Grand Prix. It was the first time for Jonathan Glazer from the UK to join the competition with a cathartic film that spoke with the voice of conscience on a serious historical subject.
