Fraternity-Testvériség, 2003 (81. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2003-04-01 / 2. szám
FRATERNITY Page 9 It was of Lajos Kossuth. This bust was dedicated by Congress on March 15, 1990. On it is inscribed: Kossuth 1802-1894, Father of Hungarian Democracy, Hungarian Statesman, Freedom Fighter 1848-1849. Mr. Rohonyi pointed out a statue of three outstanding feminists and noted that there was space reserved for a fourth to be added. Whereupon Mr. Nagy replied, “See ladies, you can still make a difference!” We lunched in the cafeteria of the Longworth Building where many of the staff eat. It was exciting to see the flurry of activity there. We were always on the lookout for any recognizable faces. We are very grateful to Mr. Nagy for taking the time to accompany us, from start to finish, on our Capitol tour. As Margaret Erdei, wife of Director Fred Erdei, said, “Nagyon kellemes volt!” We had such an enjoyable time with him that the ladies wanted to know where he could take us next year! Visiting Hillwood Museum and Gardens - L. to r.: Margaret Erdei, Sarika Nagy, Matilda Dózsa, Peggy Fabri, and Marika Kovács. Standing in the back: 1. to r.: Linda Martin and Linda Puskas. (Photo by Cindy Török.) Wednesday, April 29, eight of us were off to Hillwood Museum and Gardens. This was the estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, who became the sole heir to the Postum Cereal Company at the age of twenty-seven. She was a collector of French and Russian art. This was not only her residence but a museum as well that she had planned to bequeath to the public. She developed a passion for Russian art while living in Moscow with her third husband, Joseph Davies, who was the second U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union. Upon arriving, we were all fitted with headphones and audio equipment which allowed us to tour at our own pace. The house was just breathtaking with all the decorative pieces. There were rooms devoted to French and Russian porcelain, as well as icons. There were two of the famous imperial Easter eggs designed by Faberge on display which were just beautiful. As we toured the kitchen, Peggy Fabri was spotted opening the refrigerator. She jokingly said she was looking for some goodies, only to find nothing. There was also a special exhibit in another building of over fifty-five pieces, celebrating the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg. As we left the mansion, Maria Kovács, wife of Director Joe Kovács, remarked with a smile, “I just got a few ideas of what I’m going to do with my house.” We had lunch reservations at the Café on the grounds. It was such a beautiful, sunny day that we decided to eat outside, under the umbrellas. Margaret Erdei had us listening intently as she told of her travels to Russia. She also had us laughing as she told her anecdotes and jokes, along with Marika Kovács and Sarika Nagy, wife of Director Tibor Nagy. After lunch, it was off to tour the beautiful gardens, of which there were several. This was also part of the audio tour. The fragrance of the flowers filled the air. There were the Japanese gardens, French gardens, and a pet cemetery for Mrs. Post’s beloved pets, just to name a few. After walking the grounds, it was nice to sit and relax on the lawn furniture. As Linda Puskas said, “All we need is the butler to come out and serve drinks!” With all the walking in the fresh air and sunshine, we were tired and ready to return to the hotel. As our husbands’ meeting was supposed to be finished on Thursday, many would be heading home so no program was planned for the day. Our feet needed a day of rest also! It was a most enjoyable time, being with each other. I want to thank Linda Puskas for her assistance and being our treasurer when it came time to dividing up the bill. Who better than the wife of the CFO to handle the job! To those of you who came along on these adventures, I hope you enjoyed yourselves. To those of you who weren’t with us, we look forward to you joining us next time. Ladies, I already have some ideas for next year! May God be with you and your families until we meet again. Viszontlátásra! Cindy Torok
