Events at Hotel Gracanica

For events elsewhere in Pristina and in Kosovo, s. "Festivals & Events"

Unveiling of Driton Selmani's photo, our first major acquisition of a work of art for our future permanent exhibition. The event includes two installations of the artist, "Utopia" and "Natural mystic" (s. slideshow below).

Our ice rink, 16 x 14 m, is finally quite ok, only a few bumps left. Next year, we'll do it perfect..

With a little delay, we finally got our small smoking area for the winter - in spring, it will be removed - with space for three tables and six or more chairs. We had had the bad luck that the law about smoking changed when the hotel was already being built, so the planned smoking area inside became obsolete.

Maybe you've seen some of them? This year, we have had more than 70 photographers taking photos of over 150 wedding couples at the hotel. On Friday, 16th of December at 5pm, we'll open an exhibition of the best wedding photos, 41 photos of 29 couples by 16 photographers. Don’t miss it!

You’ll have the chance to choose the best photo. The couple on the winning photo will win a dinner and a night in our superior studio. The winners will be announced at the closing event on 14th of February 2017.

These are the photographers and couples selected for the exhibition: Astrit Hoti / Studio Lumi: Flakon & Albana; Berat Hoxha: Besim & Blerina, Valdrin & Albina; Dini Begolli: Ariana & Nesi; Donart Vitija: Sadik & Albana; Edi Recica: Kenan & Arjeta; Fatlum Hajredinaj: Agim & Lorida, Dardan & Qendresa, Ngadhenjim & Suzana; Fisnik Halili; Flamur Ilazi; Lavdim Begolli / Studio Flori: Alban & Elisa; Foto Vido Sigma: Fisnik & Floriana; Jeton Dajakaj / JD Weddings: Vedat & Emira, Labinot & Fidane, Blerim & Blerta; Norik Uka: Labinot & Filloreta, Yllza & Valdrin, Arena & Adem, Xheneta & Petrit, Fiona & Pellumb, Rahime & Shukri, Albulena & Endrit, Qendresa & Lavdim; On Media LLC: Ehad & Laura; Sefer Aliqkaj: Safet & Qendresa, Ardi & Sabina; Xhansen Pantina: Lirijeta & Egzon

After the wonderful concert of Sublime 6 and Akasha on October 2nd, now two other bands of the Mitrovica Rock School will perform at the hotel, Proximity Mine and High Frequency.

Samples of their music:

Proximity Mine:
Video: https://youtu.be/Qp1DJiniRIY
Audio: https://soundcloud.com/mitrovica-rock-school/proximity-mine-mwah

High Frequency:
Video: https://youtu.be/MueKd7AdR0c
Audio: https://soundcloud.com/mitrovica-rock-school/high-freqfency-no-way-out

Photos: Kiklop

We've received so many positive feedbacks for the meze we offer on Saturdays that we now also serve a small selection all week round: fried farmer cheese, urnebes (spicy cheese balls), mini chicken patties (w. meat from free range chicken), macanije (yoghurt with baked peppers & garlic) and barena paprika (spicy pickled peppers). For vegetarians, the chicken patties are replaced by sataraš (bell pepper stew). For two people as a starter or one person as a main dish for 5 €. On Saturdays, we of course continue to offer our big meze selection for 8.50 € p.p.

Beautiful photos of the concert by Kiklop: http://mitrovicarockschool.blogspot.rs/2016/10/mixed-bands-at-hotel-gracanica.html

As in the previous years, you will again have the opportunity to watch our cooks prepare ajvar the traditional way, learn how to do it yourself and/or buy a jar (2.50 € / 7 €), from the morning until 6:30pm.

Painting by Bajram Mehmeti (http://bajramandfarijamehmeti.jimdo.com/)

Photos of the opening by Layla Baraké

Article in "Prishtina Insight" about the exhibition: http://prishtinainsight.com/portraits-parallel-world-mag/:

Jimmy Mustafa Band was formed in 2009 by Djemalj Jimmy Mustafa in Plemetina, Kosovo. It has played in various compositions and at different music festivals in Kosovo, but mostly just Jimmy Mustafa (guitar) and Ersad Bunjaku (vocals) perform together. They play regularly at Hotel Gracanica during Sunday brunch.

Jimmy Mustafa (*1989) comes from a family of musicians and has learned his art from his father who used to play guitar at Roma weddings. He has composed the music for several documentary films about Roma. Ersad Bunjaku (*1994) also comes from a family of musicians, with his father and brother singing at Roma weddings and parties.

The production of the album was made possible by the Embassy of Switzerland in Kosovo.

Previous recording of one of the songs of the album: https://www.facebook.com/avni.mustafa.161/videos/1535480350019275/

Interview with Jimmy Mustafa in the Romani program of RTK: https://www.facebook.com/yekhipe.tvemisija/videos/942767585804501/

Article on Thomas Reuters Foundation News about the band: http://news.trust.org/item/20160308000347-pn4kn

Website of the band: https://jimmymustafaband.wordpress.com/

Photos: Denis Gidzic

Report by Kron Sadiku on Klan Kosova about the album and the launch concert

Rolf Bauerdick, Autor des Buches "Zigeuner. Begegnungen mit einem ungeliebten Volk", wird in seinem von Fotos begleiteten Vortrag über diese Begegnungen, verteilt auf über zwanzig Jahre und mehr als hundert Reisen in zwölf Länder, und die Ursachen und Herausforderungen einer wachsenden Zuwanderung der Roma nach Westeuropa berichten. 

Rolf Bauerdick, geboren 1957, lebt im Münsterland. Nach dem Studium der Literaturwissenschaft und Theologie wurde er Journalist. Er hat Reportagereisen in rund sechzig Länder unternommen; seine Text- und Bildreportagen erscheinen in europäischen Tageszeitungen und Magazinen und sind vielfach ausgezeichnet. Sein Roman "Wie die Madonna auf den Mond kam" erschien 2009, wurde bislang in zwölf Sprachen übersetzt und erhielt den Europäischen Buchpreis 2012. Sein neuer Roman, die deutsche Ost-West-Geschichte „Pakete an Frau Blech“, erschien Anfang März 2015.

Mehr Infos auf http://rolfbauerdick.de/zigeuner

From 14 to 22 and on 30 September, you again have the opportunity to watch our cooks and their helpers prepare ajvar the traditional way, learn how to do it yourself and/or buy a jar (7 €). The word "ajvar" is related to "caviar" - and it indeed is just as delicious! s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajvar

During August, Layla Baraké will again put up her photo studio at the hotel every Sunday from 11am to 3pm during our Sunday brunch. Come and get your portrait!
For the brunch, please reserve: 038 729 888 or 049 764 000.

Unfortunately, the band members were not allowed to pass through Serbia on their way to Kosovo, and the Serbian Embassy in Budapest was not able to give them a transit visa at short notice.

s. also http://prishtinaarchitectureweek.com/

Learn the basics of Romanes (Bugurdži dialect) as spoken in Kosovo and neighbouring countries at Hotel Gracanica!

Hotel Gracanica is now part of "IPKO Points", the loyalty program of IPKO. For 450 points, you will get a night in a superior double room and Sunday brunch for 2 people for 69 € instead of 102 €. Start collecting points to profit from this offer!

Siehe auch  http://gitteklisa.de/seminare.html

A great opportunity to have your portrait taken - or a portrait of your spouse, kids or your team!

Prices (without frames): 20x20 cm 25 €, 40x40cm 50 €, 100x100cm 110 €, digital 50 €.

For reservations call 038 729 888 or 049 764 000! 

Photos of the opening by Jetmir Idrizi

Kultplus.com about the exhibition: Barake sjell fytyrat e DokuFestit ne eksposite

ankegollub.wordpress.com

The video "Once Upon a Time" is the result of a German-Israeli artists' exchange in 2011 under the title "Heimat - Homeland". It reflects experiences of the artist of her early life in the German Democratic Republic where she participated in the Monday demonstrations that led to the fall of the Wall.

At Hotel Gracanica, it will be shown behind the grilled windows of a kiosk that, until the Nineties, used to stand in front of the headquarters of the security forces in Pristina. In the video, the artists cuts, one by one, the barbed wire around her. An allegory for individual and collective prisons and the liberation from them. Kosovo counted and counts many of them.

Gollub's other works shown at Hotel Gracanica take up the thread of the video in prints - that show woolen threads that look like barbed wire - and light objects.

At the opening, you will also have the chance to see performances of the multiethnic Urban Dance Group of the Diakonie Youth Center in Mitrovica.

Article in the "Westfälische Nachrichten" about the exhibition: 

"Anke Gollub stellt in Pristina aus. Kunst aus Muenster im Kosovo"

www.kosovoarchitecture.org/immediate_contemporary2.html

 Photos from the opening of the exhibition by Layla Baraké

Click on the photo to start the tour. Click further to switch to other parts of the exhibition or to take a closer look at the art works

Booked out! If you couldn't register, there will soon be a new opportunity!

Photos: Gazmend Bajri

Articles about the book and the presentation:

http://www.albinfo.ch/sq/kultura/shkrimtarja-zvicerane-q-gjen-frym-zim-n-kosov

http://zeri.info/artikulli/23107/rrefimi-per-jeten-e-7-motrave-dhe-7-vellezerve

http://www.catchpopstringstrong.com/

Photos by Layla Baraké

Photos of the opening event on 1 November 2013: Layla Baraké

Photos: Layla Baraké