Will the party soon be over in Budapest's "party district?"

In this first episode of "High Life Hungary," Drew and Andrea introduce themselves, review an old school pub in Buda and ponder the controversy in downtown Budapest's party zone, where visitors can party all night but residents have to step carefully to avoid the vomit. A local protest group's complaints have resulted in a referendum on 18 February. Pubs and restaurants in Erzsebetvaros might have to close at midnight.

Is the party over?

Is the party over in Budapest?

In our 4th episode of High Life Hungary we discuss the viability of Valentine's Day in Hungary, something which wasn't celebrated during 40 years of communism. Today, some people consider it just another commercial holiday, like the country is copy-catting the West.

Still, Uncle Drew and Andrea spent an awesome Valentin napja in Eger, a lovely town about 2 hours away from Budapest where you can poke around, taste wine and enjoy thermal waters.

We *Heart* Eger - city trip for Valentine's Day

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This week's High Life Hungary features the story of Ryan, the Filipino owner of Budapest's Barako Kávéház, an intimate, international harbor where English speakers gather to hang out and quaff the brew of a special coffee bean.

Hungary's English-language radio show

Extremely Brave - Barako Coffee House

In this episode of High Life Hungary, hear about Drew and Andrea's sabbatical in the US and how they're noticing the "little differences." Lifestyles in Hungary and America are completely different. One big difference, they say, is how social dog owners are: in Budapest, their dog can run without a leash, meeting all of her canine companions in a nice park; in the US, not many people let their dog come very close to other dogs. Drew and Andrea also talk about the ability to know what one is eating, considering how much fast food there is in his hometown of Rockford, Illinois, and about how different consumerism is in both places.

Hungary's Online Radio Show

The Little Differences - Rockford/Budapest

What happens when you start a podcast about Hungary, but then it seems that you're never there? In this episode of High Life Hungary, Andrea and Drew tell about the completely different surroundings they find themselves in now, and what they miss back in Hungary. Their 6-month housesitting gig in Portugal is giving them a chance to experience something completely different from their lives back in Budapest.

High Life Hungary

Portuguese, if you please

In this episode of the High Life Hungary podcast, Andrea & Drew talk about their encounter in a winery in Portugal, which made them recall a great winetasting/weekend getaway at the Nitt Pince in the Villany wine region of Hungary. They also gab about this summer's high temperatures, and how they managed to elude them in central Portugal. Finally, they speak about their attempts to learn Portuguese, and how different things are compared to when Drew was learning how to speak Hungarian.

High Life Hungary Podcast

Wine, Weather, Wanguage (Portuguese and Hungarese)

Hungary for love (in the time of corona)

Uncle Drew and his lovely wife, Andrea, have returned to entertain the virtual pod-o-sphere on this latest episode of High Life Hungary.

He says that his life hasn’t really changed that much despite the quarantine: writing from home, dog walking, having nice meals at home and bringing their dog, Rozi, to the park to meet her doggy pals, all up on the border of the 2nd and 3rd district in Budapest (up in the hills).

Domestic bliss
Andrea’s life is similar yet involves cooking amazing Hungarian and international food specialties. And then there’s the wine…

She says, “The housework doubled, because we do all of the precautions, because I’m a disinfection freak.”

“Call yourself ‘specialist’, a ‘disinfection specialist’,” Drew interjects, offering some international context, despite Andrea being a real clean freak and healthcare specialist.

Drew stands by his housecleaning superpowers, which are rarely used(!).

Our secret place
Given that many parks and public spaces have been shut by the authorities, Drew even mentions his “secret space” where people can social distance in a forest. It’s where he and Andrea meet their loony friend Adrienn and her wonderful dogs, Marzipan and Emci.

Recently, they ventured downtown, to the 5th district, and it was eerily quiet.

They miss their dog friend Tina and her beautiful Vizsla and others at the “Nehru Part” park.

Staying sane, long luxurious lunches
“Andi, what are your feelings about why this is happening? What’s your strategy?”

Andrea says hygiene, hygiene, hygiene.

“Staying sane is not an easy task in normal times either,” she says, adding that she’s learning a new language with Duolingo. “It’s a good way to keep your mind busy.”

Reading and cooking are also entertaining her.

“It’s like pimp and pimpette lunch up here,” explains Drew, who says that wine is always involved in his family’s late afternoon COVID-19 lunch routine.

Andrea asks, “We did that before, right? But now it’s a question of whether certain kinds of food will be available and using what you have in a thrifty way.”

Thrifty home economics, Stairway to Pogacsa
One example, she says, is cutting up a chicken and using the various parts for different meals. But recently she cooked a large piece of pork in molten pork fat; they ate the meat for days and the grease didn’t go to waste.

“This is amazing,” says Drew, “like the buildup to ‘Stairway to Heaven’.”

Andrea says she wondered what to do with that leftover fat. “It must be wonderful. What should we do with it?”

She ended up making “turos” and “sajtos” pogacsa - traditional and wonderful savory Hungarian scones.

“Amazing pogacsa!” Drew starts raving. “They are as good as something you’d get from a cukraszda.” He continues by bitching how one of Budapest’s traditional patisseries is housed in a building that looks like something you’d see in the 3rd world.

Meanwhile, it’s Andrea’s birthday this month. Boldog szulinapot!

Drew says he’s just super grateful in these surreal times.

Listener feedback (demand!)
Are you still listening? The High Life Hungary has a question for its listeners:

“What are some of the first, sort of normal things you’d like to do in Hungary once things get back to normal

Andrea adds: “What would you do now, or to make everyone’s life better?”

She says now the time to be more altruistic, more kind.

“Give us some feedback.”

The offline world, in the Buda hills
Drew shares an anecdote about a Hungarian woman he and Rozmaring bump into on his dog walks. Turns out, she’s a big conspiracy theorist, so he did his best to get away from her, despite her super sweet sheepdog.

“She was obviously crazy before all of this,” he comments.

Don’t bring your crazy, bring your kindness in these times, says Drew.

Stay tuned for the next episode of High Life Hungary.

Hungary's Podcast

Love in the Time of Corona (Buda Hills)

I'm working on putting together a new voiceover demo, so I'm voicing up various kinds of work. This is a V/O for an extreme sports product.

"GoPro" voiceover (DRAFT)

Voiceover for public service announcement about distracted drivers

Distracted Driver public service announcement

Should McDonald's be allowed in Europe? Short, humorous passage from a book by Bill Bryson

Neither Here Nor There (an excerpt)

High Life Hungary (“HLH”) is about living in Budapest and Hungary, with a focus on living well and in a way that respects the customs and culture of our host country.

High Life Hungary Podcast

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