Mummy, why is New Year coming in winter and cold? Survive Happy New Year 2013 as a Hungarian

So here we are, after the end of the world (do you remember? it was 21 december 2012), sound and safe, fat after all those Christmas feasts and cookies, and in the usual winter depression. Actually, I never understood why the New Year has to come in the middle of the December-January transition full with darkness, cold, snow and depression... I'd rather have it in spring when the flowers blossom, it would make more sense, wouldn't it?... Anyway, long story short, this is how we do it today and HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone and see what you need as a Hungarian to glide into 2013 with luck and happiness :)

Goose Liver Festival in Budapest

Now the festival season is upon us, why not venture up to the Buda Castle for this year's annual Goose Liver Festival. You will have chance to taste all of the Hungarian goose liver dishes Hungary has to offer. These dishes are based both on traditional and redesigned recipes with wines from the Tokaj region (this years guest) and other Hungarian delicacies, at pretty decent prices!

Let the Festivals Begin...!

Many festivals grace the sands of our beautiful country, and with summer fast approaching it is time to start preparing! Here a few of Underguide's favorite festivals...!

Budapest Pálinka Festival 10th-13th May, 2012

The Hunyadi Court in Buda Castle plays host to the spring Pálinka Festival the aim of which is to introduce high-quality Hungarian fruit brandies, pálinka in Hungarian, to both locals and tourists.

Musical programs, concerts enhance the atmosphere during the 4-day event.

This year the focus will be on pálinkas made from apricot.

Daily tickets: 2 000 HUF includes a tasting glass, 4-day pass (includes a tasting glass): 5 500 HUF.

Opening hours: Thurs-Fri: 14.00-02.00, Sat-Sun: 14.00-24.00

More information: Budapest Pálinka Fesztivál

One little Piggy... Hungarian Pig Cutting Feast

This weekend was definitely a first for me... throughout my year in Hungary I have experienced many traditions and festivals, but non so intense as the one and only Pig Cutting.

Arriving at the Hunters Hut in southern Hungary (so far South that my phone tried to connect to a Serbian network), I really didn't know what to expect... we hopped out of the car, and before I could even stand up properly, my dog ran over to what looked like a small whale in a cage! This was by far, one of the biggest pigs I had ever come in contact with. I knew that without a doubt, that this was the last night on earth for this little pig... and soon... to be blunt about it... he would be in mine, and many others' bellies!

Kino Cinema & Café

There is a place in Budapest which i really like. A good friend took me there after school, and ever since then we have never stopped going there - before school, after school and instead of school - until it eventually became one of our favourite hangout places in all of Budapest.

Well, I dont really know what it is that makes a bar the perfect hangout, but to me Kino Cinema and Cafe has it all to be one of the best hangouts in town.

Janus Winery - A Vineyard like no other..!

During my time in Budapest, I have had the pleasure of tasting many wines, some good - some not so good, but a vineyard that I stuck out to me the most, not just because of the incredible taste of the wine, but the experience it brought with it, was the Janus vineyard in Villány.
My first real Janus experience brought me out of Budapest, into the wonderful region of Villány in southern Hungary, where the 'Janus Szülinapi Borzsongás' (The Janus Birthday Bash) of 2011 was happening.

Pesti Disznó - The first Hungarian Tapas Bar

Ever heard of a traditional/modern Hungarian tapas bar? Neither did I, until, with the help of Underguide, I discovered the wonderfully refreshing ‘Pesti Disznó’ , and a new-yet-traditional interpretation of Hungarian gastronomy.

WAMP - Hungarian Design & Gastro Fair

Having cancelled my weekend snowboarding trip due to a severe case of the man-flu, my Sunday was completely and utterly free, leaving Budapest once again as my snow-covered playground... A little bird told me about a unique contemporary 'design & gastro' fair named WAMP, held only a few tram stops away, so I figured 'Why not?'

Now, I've been to these 'contemporary' markets before, and I've found that often they are simply a meeting place for the quirky, alternative and experimental young artists out there, and even though they intend to invite everyone from every age, profession and social class, they end up attracting the select few who are already involved with this sort of thing. I am happy report that with WAMP, this simply wasn't the case!

Art Nouveau Wonders in Budapest #5 - Lokál Ruin bar, ex-Mumus

This week's Art Nouveau Wonder leads us into the Jewish district, the disctrict with th ruin bars...Lokál does not seem amazing at first view, but it has a story full with legends and apart from having a nice beer there, you will feel the need to discover more and more...

Wine, Lakes, Normafa - Expat enjoys Hungary :)

Hey magyar readers! ever wondering how expats see us? So read Amrit's articles, where she tells about her life in Budapest -this time she takes us on on excursion outside of town.

So. I wasn’t exactly ready for what May brought.

Sadly, I spent May consumed by what was happening in our apartment. Obsessed with each stage—scraping away the old walls, plastering, plastering again, sanding, door detailing, primering, painting, and finally delivery of new appliances—Daniel and I had little time or energy remaining for socializing or exploring. We managed a

Budapest Underground Partyguide - let's go open air

Last November - when started writing this guide, I designated Budapest as 'the city of open air bars'. Now, as dark winter has gone, the time has really come for the verification of this statement. Cold days seem to be finally over, and as nature wakes up and everything around you gets green, our favourite open-air places open their "doors" as well. This weekend everyone should definitely check in one of these venues, and enjoy the magical feeling of spending the night outside.

whats up budapest? elegant losers in the spa! - regular underground partyguide

I just heard two theories of that unbelievable - but occurred - phenomenon of nature that it was snowing on the first day of March... on the first day of the month we usually call "spring". One theory says it was just the last struggle of winter to show its presence, which is piteous and even ridiculous. Winter should shut its mouth and wait at least nine months to be in the center again. According to the other theory, this little snowing was a beautiful and respectable effort of winter, the huge "fighter". 

Whats up Budapest pre Carnival? - Regular Underground Partyguide

I love good food, I love good restaurants. In the best restaurants the food is made of only fresh  ingredients, and the menu is usually rather short. The advantage of the short menu is that it is easier to choose, and you can be sure of the perfect quality. 

The "underguide restaurant" offers some similar menu as well: the parties on the menu are a few, but you don't have to worry if you would like to really get known Budapest's underground partylife.

Friday

Tha carnival (Farsang) season has just started in the city. From now on don't get surprised if you meet witches, walking vegetables, Harry Potters and other unusual faces on the streets during the night. On Friday night in Merlin at the Literally Literary Masquerade Party you have to dress as a novel hero! If you arrive without a costume, even the entrance fee will be higher!

Some spicy speciality on the menu: New-wave post punk electro party in Roham Bár. The venue itself is something quite new in Budapest nightlife - they're really a platform for everything new and unusual -, and the music is also something you don't hear in every party.

Saturday

The graduating students of the imPro School (Budapest School of Music Technology) will be presenting what they have studied. The "diploma-party" will be held at Fogasház. Don't worry, you don't have to read 50-100 pages of thesis works, instead you only have to listen and dance to some tech, house and dubstep music.

Love skiing and snowboarding, but stuck in the city? Go to Anker, where after some snowboard event broadcasting a nice "Hütte-party" will take place. Don't scream, there won't be any austrian yodel music, only the atmosphere will be as happy and hot as in a crowded ski-pub.

Now it is winter, there are less fresh fruits and vegetables available... a have a feeling that a little bit so it is with parties.

Pálinkás Marcsi

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My sister and Frank Zappa - Vadabadas concert in Zappa Café

wikipedia

Imagine the early 1990s, barely after the democratic transition, rendszerváltás (systemchange) how we call it. Imagine the underground movement of this period and their most beloved meeting place. This place was called Tilos az Á (meaning literally "The A is forbidden" after the famous trespassing sign from Winnie the Pooh - it is the Hungarian version of "No T") till it got closed by the authorities in 1995. Now it reopened. Frank Zappa had a concert there 20 years ago and Tuesday my little sister's band, the Vadabadas played here as well. 

Klub Vittula - go underground

 You are in front of the shiny New York Palace (Boscolo Hotel) building, close to Blaha Lujza square. Go further back, and turn left in Kertész utca. Before, you can buy cigarettes in one of the shops, then after 5 metres if you forgot something, you can enter in the next 24 hour shop for a beer, or an ananas. 
Now you are ready to enter underground. Find the red door (which in the dark looks actually pretty black) of Vittula, mind the step and sometimes the candles and press enter.

Dali likes pizza - crazy little pub

I was thinking for a long time if to write about this place or not. It is certainly not touristy, and not even really know by locals. It is a very small pub with the weirdest things accumulated inside. You would sure miss it, walk by, or even once inside you would consider it a trashy pub without style. However, upstairs there is the reincarnation of Dali's "Persistence of Time" painting, with pizzas. Please notify me, if you have ever seen such a thing in a small trashy bar, without any noticeable contemporary artistic mission!

Szatyor Bar - Plastic Bag Bar reopens after 100 years in Buda

Szatyor means plastic bag in Hungarian. Szatyor means now also the end of the ruin bar thirst on the Buda side.


 The bar got its name from our famous writer Karinthy Frigyes. When he first entered the underground floor of the Hadik Café, and saw the mat overlay on the walls, he exclaimed: "My dears, this is nothing but a Szatyor (plastic bag)!
Karinthy's works have been also translated to more foreign languages, one of his  famous ironic books about school life can be read here . For those with hard nerves, I can recommend Journey Round my Skull where he writes about his brain tumor operation experience.

Party on a retro soviet roof - Corvin tető

"For just as Paris dictates Europe’s fashion, so is the capital’s fashion dictated by Corvin, and it does so with a master’s hand." (Pesti Hírlap Képes Naptára, Pester Newspaper's Picture Calendar )1930

The citation is nowadays truer than ever before. Corvin gained success as a department store in this century, and is having his golden epoch right now: it is the centre of Budapest's club scene, in every sense of the word. It is in one of the main junction points, it is visited by  Hungarians as well as  foreigners, it can be defined a highly popular donno-where-to-party-so-lets-go-here-surely-good-party places and still, it hasn't lost its underground touch. The magic of the Budapest underground scene: made for everyone, made with careful style.

Gödör never sleeps - dance outdoors

I wrote earlier about Gödör, this ultimate center of town.
Even in the end of September, the real magyar goes to hop their legs outdoors.

Splash and cheers – Drink fröccs first and go to bed with a Lángos in the stomach.

Fröccs is the splashing sound in Hungarian of the water. However, it is more important that it is the ultimate summer booze here. It is no big deal, white wine with sparkling water. There is small (kis fröccs with 1:1 wine-water proportion), big (nagy fröccs 2:1) and so called „long step” (hosszú lépés with 1:2) – so you see, almost a repertoire of cocktails. My guider duty makes me tell you, to the great disappointment of the Spanish: we also have „calimocho” (in Spanish), VBK (in Hungarian) – cock with red wine. However, is rather preferred by  teenagers, fröccs is slightly more elegant, a refreshing booze on the hot summer days.