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As the autumn steadily overtakes, we are offered a whole new variety of food.

Tikvenik is no exception as it is a sweet pumpkin pie with the slightly difference that the filling is layered between phyllo pastry (this is a kind of dough which can be stretched into thin sheets). The tikvenik reminds us of the way the banitsa is made, however, the ingredients differ. Also it is mainly prepared at home which makes it a good remedy for those of you who feel homesick at times. The recipe below is an excellent example for a traditional home-made tikvenik.

Ingredients:

1 package of phyllo pastry;
1kg Pumpkin;
125g (a package) butter;
60g (6 tbs) vegetable oil;
150g (1 tea cup) walnuts;
200g (1 tea cup) sugar;
100g bread-crumbs (2 slices of bread);
5g (1 tsp) cinnamon;
salt

Grate the pumpkin and sweat it in the vegetable oil together with the sugar, then mix it with the bread-crumbs, the cinnamon and the walnuts.
Take a single sheet of phyllo pastry and sprinkle it with the melted butter and the filling. After that you roll it. Тhe same thing has to be done with the whole package of phyllo pasty until the baking dish, which is greased beforehand, is filled. Then comes the moment for baking.

When the Tikvenik is ready, sprinkle with powdered and serve.

Hambarat Bar (The Barn) has a special atmosphere, the one that brings you way back in time, just before the discovery of electricity.

Lots of candles producing heaps of wax light and decorate the space inside, making it unusual and remarkable. The style seems simple and unpretentious but these are only the first impressions, then the details start to crystalise, starting from the old piano, the wooden bar and tables which look as if they are hand-made and the strange statue reminding us of Don Quixote’s advenutres. The space is organised on two floors and while people walk on the second one, you can hear the creaking of the wooden planks as if everything could fall apart. But this is not the case at all. The night goes on calmly and untroubled in friendly conversations.

Finding Hambarat Bar might be tricky since there are no signs to lead you there and as a whole its entrance could be confused with an entrance that leads anywhere else but not in a bar. So, if you are coming from General Gurko street, turn on 6th of September street and you have to pass by a restaurant called “Veseliya Petel” (The Jolly Rooster) and then you turn immediately right, past by the building of the restaurant. Go straight ahead and you’ll find a wooden door.

The music is mostly chill-out, jazzy, brasilectro.

Drinks for two would be about 20 Leva (10 Euro).

At the end of October, our autumn evenings will be different.

It is because Filmini Festival starts – an international festival for short movies in which 23 productions from various countries will be competing in five categories, one of them is the audience’s award. So be prepared to vote for your favorite short film.
The strong presence of Bulgarian works is praiseworthy, giving you the chance to get acquainted with the creativity of our directors and their teams.
The international program during the event promises to be a colorful mixture of genres, themes and emotions which will clearly display the cultural differences and ideas of the participants. In this way we, the audience will be able to compare and to see the miscellaneous nature of every single film. The five-member jury will be occupied with similar tasks, plus will have to make the toughest choice in deciding on the rest of the winners.

Filmini Festival will take place from 22nd till 26th of October in:

Dom na Kinoto (Cinema’s House) – 37 Exarch Josiff str.

Euro-Bulgarian Cultural Center – 17 Alexander Stamboliiski blvd.

Tomorrow (saturday), a good Bulgarian house/techno producer simply called the Bulgarian will be playing at Lifehouse Club. More info @ the promoters’ page – Porno BPM.

Here’s a pretty good article from NYTimes that goes trough Bulgarian history and politics in the last 10 years.

Meet Dj Laylla Dane – an urban representative having good knowledge how to take an advantage of the city jungle.

She specializes in making people happy by inspiring them to dance and her ability to combine successfully various styles of electronic music and at the same time to maintain an individualistic approach has won the audiences’ approval of some of the biggest clubs in Sofia like Chervilo and Yalta. Her name could also be seen in the dj list of funky electronic festivals, like the Earth Dance Festival or you can meet her in Toba&Co.

Talking with her is equally fun as listening to her music sets, moreover she has always something new to tell you about.

How it happened so that you indulged yourself with music?

It happened without a preliminary preparation – I met two enthusiasts who were already dealing with it. I decided to join – they did not had anything against it. This happened in the year 2002.

How much time does it take to choose the tracks for your sets?

Well, a lot. The choice is huge, infinite even. There are artists and labels that I keep a constant track of, however I always look for new hits. Eventually, in my dj case I have a composition of tracks which changes all the time.

Do you often change your musical taste?

Not very often. Such a thing won’t be serious. The taste and style matters are extremely complex. In order to be good at a particular thing, you have to go deeper and study it. However, when you are behind the deck you cannot proceed only with one style. You’ll become tedious.

Do people come and start a chat while you are playing and what do they talk to you if this is the case?

Ha ha! They always appear when I cannot pay an immediate attention to them. Though, those who have the patience usually want to stand me up a drink or to greet me.

What kind of music do you listen to while you are driving?

Electronic + BG + pop + harder things. Actually, whatever I feel listening to.

The best advice that you have ever been given?

While you are driving behind a truck loaded with concrete, don’t thrust into it.

How would you describe with 3 words the club life in Sofia?

Non stop party.

What is going on with the club life outside our capital?

It exists, of course. People feel the need to party everywhere.

What is/are the latest vinyl that you bought?

I bought some during my stay in Berlin. One of them is Minilogue – Jamaica, released by Cocoon Records. From it, a track called Hispaniola is my number one for this year.

What is the thing you hate to wake you up the most?
I don’t mind anything to wakes me up. I like to be awake.

You can see Dj Laylla Dane’s schedule and more info at www.LayllaDane.com or at www.scattersound.com

  The charm of this place is complemented by the atmosphere of the street. During the day bar Barabar is a quiet cafe which can leave you with the impression that the arrows of the clock are slowing down and will eventually stop if you stay longer while the people on the street look busy by trying to compete with time and even outrun it.

The two cozy couches that are situated by the side of the window, I believe, are involved in this time-stopping process.

By contrast, the evenings are noisy and smoky. Apart that there is a big narghile on every table, customers are allowed to smoke inside in the rather limited space. Despite the slightly Asian elements, the walls are decorated with posters of Bulgarian fundamental literary works like “Under the Yoke” by Ivan Vazov.The music is mostly chill out so that visitors can lead a calm conversation.

Bar Barabar has a wi-fi connection.

Drinks for two would be about 10 Leva (5 Euro).

Address: 5 Asen Zlatarov street, very close to Sofia University, you just have to take a stroll along Shipka street and you will get there there.