Monday, June 4, 2012

It's All Greek to Us

My mom, Jess, and I love to celebrate our Greek heritage.


For my wedding we're planning to have the DJ play a recording of "Zorba's Dance" by the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. Have you heard it?


There are several variations on the dance steps that go along with the song, but Jess and I decided to learn a basic routine we could perform for all our family and friends at my wedding. Then we'll pull everyone up on the dance floor and party Greek style!


While we practiced the steps, we nibbled on a few Greek inspired goodies.



These Greek salad kabobs were delicious and very simple to make. Just layer cucumber, feta cheese, red cherry tomatoes, sweet white onion, and kalamata olives on a skewer, and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  


We couldn't find any Greek wine at Trader Joe's, so we settled on Italian. Any reccomendations on a good bottle of Greek wine for next time?


Here's a clip of the famous scene from the 1964 film Zorba the Greek, where Basil (Alan Bates) asks Zorba (Anthony Quinn) to teach him to dance. It's not quite the version Jess and I will do, but it's similar.


We plan to practice at the Greek festival next month, and we'll be sure to take you along with us. Until then, Opa! 

~ Nel ~

27 comments:

................. said...

Oh those kababs look delish. Awesome blog...now following.

Terra said...

I think some part of my soul is Greek. We love the culture and the food, and the wedding plans sound wonderful. Just remember to call out Opa when you are feeling joy.

Barbara F. said...

I adore Greek food and try to have it whenever I can, which is not as often as I would like! Every Sept. there is a wonderful festival and I go and buy the moussaka and pastitsio and spinach pie, and the church ladies bake all the sweets, baklava, kourambiedes, galactoboureka (my fave) and even fried loukamades (sp?). A bucket list item for me is to cruise the Greek isles and spend time in Santorini. (sigh) xo P.S. I love the song "Never on Sunday", too

Patty Patterson said...

That sounds so cool! I hope you post lots of pictures. It's going to be a magical time. I love the cultural elements you are adding to the wedding plans! :-)

Patty Patterson said...

That sounds so cool! I hope you post lots of pictures. It's going to be a magical time. I love the cultural elements you are adding to the wedding plans! :-)

Angelsdoor * Penny said...

OPA!
oH i LOVE THE MUSIC AND THE DANCE!
What a wonderful affair... Wishing you all the best.. Thank you for sharing this.
Blessings,
Penny

romance-of-roses said...

Hi Nel, Congratulations on your up and coming wedding. My daughter married a Greek and they had been married 25 years when sadly he was killed riding his bike in Manhattan Beach. They owned a Greek restaurant and now my daughter runs it along with my grandson and granddaughter who is now in Greece for a month. She always brings me wines and here are a couple of Greek wines, you might like.
Santorini Vinsanto, it's a natural sweet wine and Tsantali Mavro Daphne of Patras Greece. Hope this can help a tiny bit. Hugs...Lu

Lisa said...

Oh I love those kabobs! Thanks~

oldthings said...

My sweet friends,
Wonderful tribute to your Greek heritage! Now you moved me and my tears started to run. It's great to know that there are people who honor the Greek heritage. When will you become married ? If I we're a little closer I sent you Greek wine and ouzo! I expect to see the photos from the Greek festival.Sorry for my bad English ....
All my love to my far away friends
Olympia

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dear Nel, I am so thrilled to see these clips of one of the most passionate and beautiful cultures and dances. My aunt danced Greek dancing BEAUTIFULLY, and like Anthony Quinn, she being Hispanic, pulled off being Greek during those steps and turns. I am also excited to see how your wedding goes!

MUCH LOVE TO YOU and SHERI!Anita

TARYTERRE said...

I am glad you are embracing your heritage. The ZORBAS Dance will be lots of fun and filled with love. GREEK food is delicious. I hope someone can help you with the wine. GOOD LUCK planning. It will be WONDERFUL. Take care.

Rainbow Gatherer said...

lovely post :) As I am Turkish we commonly have the same culture with Greeks. Greek wine is not very popular as French or Spanish wines. Zorba dance is great for weddings that everybody stands up and finds themselves on the dance floor =) congratulations on your upcoming wedding :)

LILA MOONLIGHT said...

The greek salad on skewer looks so delish : ) And zorba dance will be lots of fun : )

Tulla and Catie said...

We love Greek cooking and often go to restaurants. I like dry white wines so often I am drinking Retsina, and after the meal we like to drink Ouzo. Oh it's so delicious :-).
Have fun, yours Barbara

FABBY'S LIVING said...

I love Greek everything..(so I LIKE YOU TOO!!) I love Greece, I love the food and my two dasughter's names..Alexandra and Sofia, lol..The G salad looks yummy, I love to make it, my fav! Thanks for your lovely and kind visit.
FABBY

Denise said...

Thank you so much for visiting and all your wonderful comments.Of course you can use the same photos for a tribute-there not My photos,except the real ones of My sister TeHe.Your post is exciting,to think of your Greek wedding. My husband is Armenian,I've been to so many Armenian weddings so like the Greek weddings.Denise

Kerri said...

Oh weddings are so exciting! I love the Greek Orthodox Churches too, they are beautiful :)

Best wishes!
Kerri

Sandy said...

I love the Greek culture! I have 2 friends who are Greek and one couple we know went to Greece last fall so her husband could look up his Greek heritage. Love Greek food. In fact, one of favorite places to eat is to go to Greek town in downtown Detroit! I know the Anthony Quinn movie well and love the dance that you will be practicing. My husband is Polish and I appreciate the Greek dancing much better than Polish polkas! Tell your mom hello!

romance-of-roses said...

Nel,l had to come back and tell you that my grandson Andrew dances like Zorba and always danced with his dad. They were quite a team. Have you seen the movie Greek Wedding? it's a few yrs. old now but it's great. Their weddings are just like the movie and everyone is a cousin. Hugs...Lu

Angelsdoor * Penny said...

How sweet of you to come and sit on the porch with me and look at the moon. I am so happy you enjoyed the photo...I thought it was a bit fuzzy, maybe it looks that way just to me. I zoomed in and I think I moved it a bit to far in, but thank you.
See you in PARIS ON FRIDAY!
Penny

♥Sanne said...

Hi Nel,

ooh it looks so good all those greek things. Are you of Greek descent? sorry about that if I have overlooked... Well we love greek food here in holland. Also on every party you here that special Greek dance! So you got all the goodingredients for a great party. I hope you have a wonderfull day. But don't forget its just a day... more important is your life thereafter ;)

Love Xanne

salsa hamilton said...

Thoughts that I think are an excellent guide for those of us slightly affronted by this attitude in dance. In a modern world where the traditional gender roles are often frowned upon in an attempt to achieve equality.

FrogHollow said...

You should come to Southern Italy there is lots of Greek History here. In particular Paestum with it's Greek Temples.

valerietilsten59.blogspot.com said...

Dear Nel,
This wonderful post of yours brought tears to my eyes.. I was married in 1965.. The film Zorba and the music was playing on all the radios. We had Zorba fever.
We frequented Greek restaurants and "poor manager) must have thought us doolaly..as after a lot of uzo..we would throw the plates.. (they had a special pile for us to throw). such fun.
So dear Nel. I must tell you that the theme at my wedding was Zorba.. I had a small wedding..but elegant with dear close friends.. we danced the night away to Zorba and thought we could all speak Greek after a few glasses of excellent wine.
Anthony Quinn played an excellent part as Zorba, and for years, people thought dear Anthony Greek. instead of Mexican.
that was many years ago..
A lovely post.. great photos and great choices.
It will be a grand wedding.
Not long to go now.
Happy days to you Nel.
with love
val

Mireille said...

Hi,
It's a picture off Bob Marley indeed you notices on my blog.
Last week we went to see a very nice documentary by Kevin Macdonald about Bob Marley.
You realy should see this awesome film!
:)

miss b said...

An interesting post - I love to watch Greek dancing and the music always reminds me of a wonderful holiday a few years ago on the island of Rhodes.
http://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/

E. said...

Your blog is wonderful but I loved this post because it always makes me happy when I discover people with a Greek heritage in the blogosphere!
The Zorba dance is as Greek as can get and I also LOVED the idea of Greek salad souvlakia :) !
As for Greek wines, I usually drink red dry so a good suggestion might be Rapsani.
I visited the US last year and I became obsessed with Trader Joe's in the three weeks I spent there!
Also, I think it's great that this is a mum-daughter blog!
Thanks for visiting mine and following it!