Lazy-crazy-hazy Summer Interview with Zsuzsi Panyi

Zsuzsi Panyi is a glass jewelry designer from Hungary. This mum of four also blogs in both English and Hungarian and like us, she loves summer. Read about it first and then enter to WIN a pair of her pretty earrings at the bottom.

Describe your dream summer holiday!

Where I would go, I’m not sure. I really love to travel, and it pretty much doesn’t matter where! I think I would really like New York, the Spanish seaside where I’ve never been to, but I also love the Balaton Uplands equally!

On my dream vacation I would leave the kids at home, and just go with my husband. We would sleep in, have breakfast comfortably. Then in NYC we would visit museums, or the Spanish seaside or Balaton we would read on the beach. After a light lunch we could siesta, and in the afternoon head out for a long walk followed by a nice dinner at a pleasant restaurant. At night, we would chat over a nice cocktail or bottle of wine. The program and company is more important for me than the setting.

Where do you really spend your summer holidays?

We spend them with the family at the Balaton Uplands. A few years ago we bought a little basement vacation home with minimal infrastructure, and definitely no internet. A few cars pass in front of the place during the day, and there’s pretty much infinite silence otherwise. But within the family, we’re buzzing, there’s Balatonfüred, the waterside, and the possibility for so many adventures, not to mention cultural events. ARTPLACC is one of my favorites!

I really love to be there. We sleep a lot, and we’re out in the fresh air all day, while at night we watch the stars and chat next to a glass of wine. Both my husband and I work at time-consuming places, so for us, this is Paradise! This is why this year, on January 1st, our program consisted of going down to check on the house. It’s amazing through summer and winter! I really can’t get enough of it.

Being there means one thing, slowing down a bit. In the morning I make a breakfast omelette, and if it’s chilly outside then I put it on the wood-stove to stay warm. It’s nice to be there and take care of each other, and it’s something everyone in the family enjoys.

I write about the house itself a lot on the blog, as we spend time renovating it and decorating it!

Do you cook or eat out?

It depends. Because one of my daughters is gluten-sensitive, it can be difficult to find restaurants that cater to her, so I cook a lot. I cook light, one-course meals, the kind that don’t take a lot of time. Big breakfasts in the morning and the main meal at lunch. On the side of course snacks, as they come. I cook a lot outside, over an open fire, especially if we’re expecting guests. The fire just gives cooking a totally different flavor and feeling!

Fav summer food?

If I’m at home, we like to grill, often together with friends. My actual favorite is flekken with rice salad. Garlic-mayonnaise salad with pickles and a bowl of rice is the essence of summer to me.

Is it party, party, party or catching up on your reading?

I read! During the year, kids and work fill up my every waking minute, so during these days the kids are expected to read every day for at least a half an hour, and I spend this time with my chosen book as well!

Do you like festivals?

Not really! Four kids mean there’s a “festival” noise level all year round. Silence helps me unwind. There’s always something whirring away in my mind anyway, so it’s better if there’s at least some quiet on the outside.

What is your summer guilty pleasure?

I don’t feel like I let things slide, but I live a bit more chill. I dress chill, eat tasty things, go on adventures with my family, in one word, I enjoy my life and the little things. A nice flower, a delicious ice cream. I would call this clear skies rather than allowances!

Where was the best summer holiday you ever had?

Besides the Balaton Uplands, I really enjoyed traveling in North Africa. Tunisia was my favorite. I like the people there, the food, the endless warmth and sand, and of course the accompanying do-nothing days!

What’s your favorite summer spot in your town?

I’m from Szentendre. The best place in Szentendre at this time is at the Kacsakő where you can sit out, sip a lemonade and watch the Danube. The kids during this time while away with the stones and trample into the water. It’s a perfect vacation-at-home spot for me!

Cocktail or lemonade?

Whichever, whenever!

What’s that one thing this summer you can’t do without?

My new gold iPhone and my favorite Nikon d5300 camera. I have to have one or the other with me at all times! I like immortalizing the special moments of every weekday and vacation. I’m on Instagram a lot these days. I don’t upload set, fake pictures, but rather look for the wonders of everyday, photograph them and put them on Insta. It’s awesome to look back on these pictures on a rainy, tired day, when nothing comes together, and think about all of the beauty and happiness that surrounds me. This is what I look for every day! Since I’ve been on Instagram, I see the world in an even more positive light than before!

And now for the usual weekly summer giveaway!

This week you can win pretty glass earrings in the color and shape of your choice (round, square) and as always, you can do that by subscribing to our mailing list in the below form and leaving a comment saying what color and shape you would like to have if you win.

The winner will be chosen next Wednesday Noon.

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, THE WINNER IS FLORA, WITH HER COMMENT ON THE HUNGARIAN POST.