We saw Iván Fischer at the Budapest Palace of the Arts yesterday. Fischer, a world-famous Hungarian conductor, is known for his innovation and creative zeal. The Budapest Festival Orchestra concert in the Bartók National Concert Hall was one of Fischer's "secret concerts," which meant the programme wasn't published prior to the show ( Read more... )

Michael's friend Andrew and Kevin's friend William both visited Budapest recently. Andrew and Michael worked on a documentary about the city, and Kevin and William tried to tap into the Budapest goth sceneWe went to Amigo's bar to see a Hungarian rockabilly band. Hungarian fans dressed and danced the part. Men and women sported pompadour hair ( Read more... )

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James, Tara, John, Michael, Kevin and I celebrated James' birthday Jan. 3 at Dionysos Greek Restaurant. We feasted on delicious Greek cuisine and drank a few bottles of wine. The service at the restaurant was excellent and the food brought back memories of my trip to Greece in September. James and Tara ordered the Dionysos platter for two. It could ( Read more... )

We had a very merry New Year's celebration in Budapest. It was the first time my two brothers and I were together on New Year's Eve in probably more than 10 years. Kevin's December 31st birthday doubled the fun. Michael and I took him to lunch at Columbus Irish Pub, a cozy, wood-paneled etterem in a boat docked on the Danube. We ordered hearty, hot ( Read more... )

The sun sets on 2006, Janos-hegy, Budapest, 4:31 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 31


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We visited the Budapest Parliament Thursday, the third largest parliament building in the world. Construction of the Parliament began in 1884 and was completed in 1902. It is the seat of Hungary's National Assembly and also home to the country's crown jewels: St. Stephen's crown, sceptre, orb and the coronation sword.


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The holidays brought my two brothers, Giff and James, to Budapest. I hadn't seen them since May. It was an awesome reunion of typical Foley proportions. I also got to hang with their girlfriends. Giff's girlfriend Katy arrived Christmas Eve, and James' girlfriend Tara and his friend John arrived a few days after Christmas. Add Michael and Kevin to ( Read more... )

My brother's friend Sam and Sam's brother Spike visited Budapest this week and stayed with me. My brother, Sam and I went to middle school together in Bedford, N.Y., and he and my brother have remained close since. I hadn't seem Sam in years, and had never met Spike, but the three of us had a great few days in Budapest ( Read more... )

December is a dark month in Budapest. The sun is shuttered behind gray most days, the kind of white gray that feels pregnant with snow, but it does not snow. The anticipation becomes aggravating. The gray sits in the valley of the Danube River; the cold moisture rises from the river some nights, a bitter fog that freezes the white of your bones and ( Read more... )