Bulgarians (and Romanians) in the 5 Boroughs

Sunday’s Travel Section of the New York Times included the article “Weekend in New York Romanian and Bulgarian Culture: Danube (Both Sides) on Hudson” featuring Bulgarian restaurants on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and in Astoria, Queens.

Seth Kugel writes that there are 22,000 Romanian (not Slavic) and 4,000 Bulgarian (Slavic) immigrants in the five boroughs. The most obvious center of Bulgarian life in the city is Mehanata, (113 Ludlow Street) well known as a bar/disco but less so for its food (which isn’t bad at all). The Times prefers the menu at Bulgara (37-10 11th Street, Long Island City) instead.

The article also points out a couple Bulgarian happenings, including the Bulgarian Film Festival at Scandinavian House (58 Park Avenue). Three screenings are left, all on Friday, 27 April:

• 7:00 p.m., Sparrows in October (Vrabci prez oktomvri, Henry Koulev, Bulgaria 2006, 100")
• 9:00 p.m., George and the Butterflies (Georgi i peperydite, Andrey Paounov, Bulgaria 2006, 56")
• 10:00 p.m., The North Side of the Sunflower (Severnata strana na slunchogleda, Ivan Mladenov, Bulgaria 2006, 51")

The Bulgarian Virtuosi will also perform at Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall (154 West 57th Street) on Sunday, 29 April at 2:00 p.m. Performers include the Bulgarian Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Stefan Linev, Music Director and Conductor, violinist David Bowlin, cellist Kalin Ivanov and clarinetist Todd Brunel. The program features three 20th and 21st century works from Bulgarian composers. Tickets are $30 and $20 for students and seniors. The Bulgarian Consulate (121 East 62nd Street) also regularly hosts free concert evenings with Bulgarian performers.

And finally, Eleanor Gilpatrick will be showing her painted landscapes of Bulgaria at the Jadite Gallery (413 West 50th. Street) starting on 1 May.

More on the Bulgarians of New York on Slavs of New York.

Photo: Bulgara, by Robert Caplin for The New York Times