Light Dinner for the Whole Family
After staying home in recent months, probably some of us have gained weight. Well, although the threat of COVID-19 has not yet completely passed, the total isolation is over and we can now move on. To make it easier to deal with the weight, we at Art Hotel Simona will help you.
What is a healthy dinner?
The great taste is not necessarily associated with many hours in the kitchen. And one more thing, according to experts, the right diet is essential not only for our top form, but also for the good state of our mind. It is now clear why it is so important to treat food with care.
A healthy dinner should provide approximately between 20% and 30% of the energy contribution of the day. Although it is true that at night we will not burn the same calories as during the rest of the day, our body continues to work and therefore it is necessary to provide the necessary amount of energy. It is important to note that whether it is lunch or dinner, our menu must include fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein.
Quick options for a light summer dinner that the whole family will love
*Rules:
- Half a plate of fruits or vegetables;
- A quarter plate of whole grains;
- A quarter of a plate of protein.
Salmon with vegetables
Who doesn’t like salmon?! It is very tasty, easy for preparating and it has the highest level of Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is considered one of the foods that increase the body’s defenses.
Recommendation: Put salmon fillets in aluminum foil and put vegetables next to them – tomatoes, asparagus or broccoli. Put in the oven for a few minutes and you’re done.
Eggs with vegetables
Eggs are among the favorite products in Bulgarian cuisine for several reasons. Light food that is prepared quickly and tastes great. You can also experiment as you see fit.
If you’re hungry and can’t wait for a more complicated recipe, just bet on scrambled eggs to which you can add vegetables or mushrooms. We just want to remind you that the recommended amount of eggs per week is 7.
Recommendation: Use mushrooms and fresh garlic to make scrambled eggs.
Vegetable cream soup
Soups are great for dinner because they are light and combine a mix of flavors. A good cream soup will tickle your palate and you will want more of it. Light, very simple and with many options. Among the very interesting soups is the one made of pumpkin, carrots and cheese, which you will fall in love with. If you are a fan of cream soups, we believe that the classic potato cream soup is also your favorite. Just boil the vegetables well, mash, add a little butter and milk, salt, pepper…
Favorite salads
Any improvisations with lettuce and iceberg are great for dinner. If you prefer something else, we believe that during the summer there are tomatoes and cucumbers in every home, so here’s another idea – everyone’s favorite Shopska salad. Another slightly richer option is the Shepherd’s salad (Ovcharska salad).
*************************************
If you prefer to enjoy the pleasant emotions, let us in the Simona Restaurant to take care of the delicious end of the day. You can choose from a bunch of temptingly delicious offers in the artistic and cozy atmosphere with us. We promise you will be satisfied, because for us cooking is not just cooking delicious food, but – art.
BG Film takes the Big Prize at the Annecy Festival (VIDEO)
The Bulgarian short film “Physics of Sorrow” by Teodor Ushev won the grand prize at the International Festival of Animated Films in Annecy, France (Festival international du film d’animation d’Annecy). It also received the FIPRESCI Award for International Criticism.
“Annecy has always been an important part of my life as a filmmaker, from my first projects on the web in 2002 to my latest film, The Physics of Sorrow. The festival practically took me by the hand and taught me to walk, as a father would for his child. I’ve won several awards at Annecy, except one: the spectacular Cristal Award. I’m extremely happy to receive it now, and feel like a mountaineer who has finally reached the summit after 18 years of climbing: this is my Everest!”, wrote Theo Ushev at his Facebook profile.
BG pride
“Physics of Sorrow” by the artist Theo Ushev reveals a universal vision of sadness from the novel of the same name by Georgi Gospodinov. The animation is drawn with the ancient Egyptian technique of encaustics (wax painting) and captures the time and sadness of every person and his place in the world. Ushev worked on the project for eight years and did not strictly follow the plot of the book for the script.
Online program
Due to the COVID situation, for the first year part of the program of the festival in Annecy will be available online – until the end of June. The total number of animated films received in the period November 2019-March 2020 is quite impressive – 3171 from 94 countries. Of these, 59 short films, 44 student, 21 television and 35 advertising productions have been selected and will be part of the online program. Fans of the animation can follow what is coming on the official website of the festival.
For the festival
The event dates back to 1960, when it was founded by Pierre Barben. It was originally held every two years, but since 1997 it has been held annually. Its purpose is to promote animations created using a variety of techniques. The categories in which the titles are divided are feature, short, television and student.
Sofia Film Fest Returns With Summer and Autumn Editions
After the spring false start of the most anticipated cinema event in Bulgaria – Sofia Film Fest, due to the epidemic situation in the country, the organizers still found an alternative way to reach the audience. A summer edition is coming, and then an autumn edition, so that the fans of the Seventh Art can enjoy of many Bulgarian and foreign movies.
Sofia Film Fest Summer – indoors, outdoors and online
The festival has already restarted with preliminary screenings at the Cinema House in Sofia on June 5th. However, the official opening will be on June 25 in Platform A6 of the National Palace of Culture with something very special – the film “Parasite”, winner of 4 Oscars, “Golden Flame” from Cannes and more than 200 other awards around the world.
Online movies
Sofia Film Fest will offer part of its program online – about 80 titles. The movies will be available for a certain number of views in a little over 3 weeks.
Home of the cinema
A special selection of movies will be presented at the Cinema House in Sofia. With the exception of some Bulgarian films, the program will contain titles that are not repeated with the online edition or open-air screenings. And there is another bonus for the viewers – an opportunity to meet some of the Bulgarian authors.
Outdoor
The third module of the summer edition is on open platforms. The opening and the ceremony, as well as some other gala screenings will be in Platform A6 of the National Palace of Culture. There will also be the Open Stage platform in the park of the Military Academy, and content will be shared in the new Sofia Summer Fest platform behind the Earth and People Museum.
Awards
The awards were determined by a specially selected international and Balkan jury and will be presented on July 6th. The chairman of the international commission is the British director Peter Weber (“The Girl with the Pearl Earring”), and his assistants are the producers Nicholas Selis (Mexico, producer of “Roma”) and Jim Stark (USA, producer of the early films of Jim Jarmusch), and the Bulgarian actress Irmena Chichikova.
Sofia Film Fest Autumn
The autumn edition will be from the end of September to the middle of October this year. This will take place in several cinemas in Sofia, and the program will mainly include titles that were not part of the summer festival.
***********************************
If you are big fans of the Seventh Art and you want to be part of the upcoming editions of Sofia Film Fest in Sofia, welcome to Art Hotel Simona. It matters where we spend the night, so we offer you to turn your stay in the capital into a real art experience.
Safe Place in Sofia at Super Affordable Prices
Life goes on after the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, now this is with more attention to everything happening around the us. At the same time and with more attention to ourselves.
To all those who cannot work remotely and have to travel to Sofia, we want to say that we are waiting for you. And to make you feel even more comfortable and cozy in our art environment, we have further strengthened safety measures. That is why Art Hotel Simona created its Clean & Safe program to ensure our and your security.
New exclusive prices in Art Hotel Simona:
- Single design room – BGN 50 *
- Double economy room with two folded or split beds – 65 BGN *
- Double standard room with bedroom – BGN 70 *
- Studio with a bedroom and a sitting area – BGN 75 *
- Triple room – BGN 75 *
- Quadruple Family Room – BGN 85 *
Special price packages from Art Hotel Simona
We have also thought about the guests who have a longer stay in the capital. We offer special price packages and most importantly, this will not commit you to a contract and deposits for several months ahead.
Opportunities:
- Single design room – BGN 550 * per month;
- Double economy room with two folded or split beds – 650 BGN * per month.
The price also includes:
- Wireless internet / Wi-Fi /;
- Individual safe;
- Insurance;
- Parking;
- Tourist tax.
* The offer for long-term accommodation is valid with a prepayment of 1 month at check-in.
If you have not visited us yet and want to see the types of rooms and our themed art floors, you can click to do so on the ACCOMMODATION page.
Culinary offers from restaurant “Simona”
Simona Restaurant can now welcome you both in its closed lounge and in the beautiful summer garden. Nutrition is not to be neglected and we treat it with special care. Therefore, you will be able to enjoy temptingly delicious snacks, lunch and evening offers.
As soon as you check in, we will provide you with menus to choose from. Every day we prepare fresh and varied dishes, but still if you want to get acquainted in advance with the room service menu, you can see it on our page RESTAURANT.
For questions and reservation:
* Reservations and inquiries can be made 24 hours a day at:
Reception: +359 885 259 098; +359 2 478 04 01
WhatsApp / Viber: +359 885 259 098
sales@hotelsimona.com
* Prices include VAT and do not include breakfast.
Want to be a Part of the Biggest Film Festivals in the World? This is How to Do it
The proliferation of COVID-19 turned the art world upside down. Due to the infection, a number of film festivals were canceled and therefore the organizers of the events quickly reoriented themselves and found a way to reach the audience. That is why we will have the unique opportunity from the sofa at home to watch some of the hit titles from the programs of the most prestigious forums.
A unique opportunity
More than 20 film festivals come together to delight fans of the Seventh Art for free. For 10 days we can be part of the virtual event “We are united: Global Film Festival”, which starts this Friday, May 29. It will include titles from festivals in Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto.
How to watch the movies?
For this purpose, a special channel has been created in the YouTube video sharing platform – We Are One. A On the official website of the festival you can see the full program. Among the movies we will be able to watch are short and full-length titles, web series, 360 VR offers.
What does the program include?
There will be the world premiere of the Ricky Powell: The Individualist – movie which traces the life and the fame of a street photographer in New York in the 1980s and 1990s. The character travels with the music stars of the Beastie Boys and captures some of the most memorable moments in the pop culture. The winner of the Mumbai Film Festival – the Indian Eeb Allay Ooo !, is other movie from the virtual fest. It tells about a young migrant in the heart of New Delhi.
The online festival will also include specially supervised talks from past festivals, as well as new discussions. World cinema legends such as Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro and others will take part.
As a bonus, the audience will also have access to 50 of the best documentary short titles. A special selection of 360 VR offers has also been made. The Emmy-nominated documentary Traveling While Black and Alteration will be presented, as well as a science fiction story starring Bill Skarsgård and other productions, too.
*******************************
And in case you have a trip to the Bulgarian capital Sofia, welcome to Art Hotel Simona – an artistic place for artistic natures. We promise you to make your stay unforgettable!
Top Foods That Never Spoil
Have you ever forgotten a packet of rice or can in the cupboard and remember them in half a year or even more?! Yes ?! Well, don’t worry, you’re not the only one! But are they still good to eat?
Why is it important to know the expiration date?
First of all, it should be clarified that the expiry date does not necessarily mean that the food is unfit for consumption. The dates of “use from” and “sale to” on the packaging are set by the manufacturer to indicate the period during which he guarantees the quality.
What does this mean? Many unopened packages can actually be used. What is important to make sure that everything is fine with the products? Pay attention to an unpleasant odor, change in texture or mold.
Foods that never spoil
Important condition: Store under suitable conditions.
White rice
According to research, it can retain its nutritional value and flavor for 30 years. Of course, there are certain storage requirements, as we already mentioned. It must be in an oxygen-free container at a temperature below 4.5 degrees Celsius.
However, brown rice won’t be good for such a long time because of the natural oils in it. It has been proven that you can use it for up to 6 months.
Honey
This is the only one food that is practically eternal. And this is thanks to its magical ingredients and the work of bees – another proof of how important these small hard-working insects are.
Processing and sealing in jars also contribute to its indefinite shelf life. When heated and filtered honey is sealed properly, moisture cannot be absorbed and it remains unchanged forever.
And something curious: The oldest honey ever discovered is 5,500 years old.
Salt
It is a mineral taken from nature and it has been used for centuries to preserve other foods because it removes moisture. So the salt in the cupboard is actually eternal. What can reduce the shelf life is the addition of iodine, notes Morton Salt. If you use iodized salt, know that you can use it 5 years.
Sugar
Here again we will remind you of the method of storage, because it determines whether the sugar will be eternal or not. Powdered and crystal sugar are best stored in airtight containers to protect it from moisture. For best quality, still use within two years.
Dried beans
As with rice research, dried beans are also considered suitable for up to 30 years. That’s according to researchers at Brigham Young University in the United States. The results show that 80% of the samples are fit for use. It is also claimed that the digestibility of proteins remains stable over time.
Powdered milk
Well, the taste is not as good as real milk, but it can be kept for up to 5 years if it is in a cool, dry and dark place. However, when stored at high temperatures (for example, near the stove), it can spoil in only 3 months.
Water
If it is bottled and you keep it in a dark and cool place, you can be sure that there will be no problem with it. However, the taste changes if it is in the sun, as well as depending on the objects around it.
Soy sauce
If you forget a bottle of soy sauce in the fridge, don’t worry – it is good for use. It can be used to 3 years, even if it is not cold.
**************************
And in case you don’t want to cook a meal at home, we invite you to Simona Restaurant to try some of our irresistible culinary temptations. For us, food is an art that you should enjoy with all your senses.
