Sushi- the Japanese word meaning ''sour''- was a dish invented in Japan in the Muromachi period around the mid 1300's, and in those times it was made from fermented fish. The Sushi we eat today, which is internationally recognised and enjoyed, was created in the Edo period in the early 1800's by a man called Hanaya Yohei as a fast food. I would thank him personally if he were still alive! Sushi is a personal favourite which I developed a taste for whilst living in the Far East.

Max Ausnit was known in the first part of the 20th century as the King of Steel in Romania. He was one of Romania's principal industrialists at the time and not only had control and stakes in several factories in Romania, but he also controlled factories abroad, in Yugoslavia and Poland. He had to leave Romania twice and was condemned to death in absence by two different regimes in the country at the time. His son, Steven Ausnit, now 86, tells Romania-Insider.com the story of his father.

Address: 2 Stefan Dumitru St., Old Tow

This restaurant is named after Sergiu Malagamba, the Moldovan Jazz drummer from the 1940′s and if Malagamba were still alive, I feel he would be proud to lend his name to this new establishment.

Romanian singer Edward Maya has become well known internationally after some of his songs landed top spots in international music charts. Stereo Love, a song Maya sings together with Vika Jigulina, has been included for 13 weeks in the Billboard charts and ranked 19th in the Billboard Top 100 in December last year.

Nikken, a wellness products direct selling company which has recently officially entered the Romanian market, plans to reach a network of at least 3,000 consultants in Romania, from the current network of around 700 people, Romania-Insider.com has learned. Nikken currently operates directly from its UK based company Nikken UK Ltd, while being registered for VAT in Romania and having products approved by Romanian authorities, Janne Heimonen, head of sales and marketing with Nikken Europe told Romania-Insider.com.

Listen to the recording below while reading this week's Romanian language lesson:

Nicolae Malaxa was a Romanian industrialist who lived at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century and who created one of the biggest industry holdings of interbelic period in Romania. His holdings were nationalized by the Communist party and the Malaxa heirs are currently on their way to receiving compensation for the nationalized assets through Fondul Proprietatea, which will be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange on January 25. But who was Nicolae Malaxa and what did he achieve in the first half of the last century?

I propose to you to listen a dialogue about the vacation plans.

[audio:http://www.romania-insider.com/wp-content...

We'll be uncovering some not so well known but amazing travel destinations in Romania this year on Romania-Insider.com. Before that, here are our top picks for the year 2011 in terms of travel destinations in the country. Feel free to add comments and suggestions as the list is not by far complete.

Romanian band Hotel FM has won the local selection for the Eurovision song contest and will represent Romania at the contest in Dusseldorf, Germany, with the song 'Change' (Listen to it below). The selection was organized by the public TV station TVR on New Year's Eve night.

Sushi- the Japanese word meaning ''sour''- was a dish invented in Japan in the Muromachi period around the mid 1300's, and in those times it was made from fermented fish. The Sushi we eat today, which is internationally recognised and enjoyed, was created in the Edo period in the early 1800's by a man called Hanaya Yohei as a fast food. I would thank him personally if he were still alive! Sushi is a personal favourite which I developed a taste for whilst living in the Far East.

Max Ausnit was known in the first part of the 20th century as the King of Steel in Romania. He was one of Romania's principal industrialists at the time and not only had control and stakes in several factories in Romania, but he also controlled factories abroad, in Yugoslavia and Poland. He had to leave Romania twice and was condemned to death in absence by two different regimes in the country at the time. His son, Steven Ausnit, now 86, tells Romania-Insider.com the story of his father.

Address: 2 Stefan Dumitru St., Old Tow

This restaurant is named after Sergiu Malagamba, the Moldovan Jazz drummer from the 1940′s and if Malagamba were still alive, I feel he would be proud to lend his name to this new establishment.

Romanian singer Edward Maya has become well known internationally after some of his songs landed top spots in international music charts. Stereo Love, a song Maya sings together with Vika Jigulina, has been included for 13 weeks in the Billboard charts and ranked 19th in the Billboard Top 100 in December last year.

Nikken, a wellness products direct selling company which has recently officially entered the Romanian market, plans to reach a network of at least 3,000 consultants in Romania, from the current network of around 700 people, Romania-Insider.com has learned. Nikken currently operates directly from its UK based company Nikken UK Ltd, while being registered for VAT in Romania and having products approved by Romanian authorities, Janne Heimonen, head of sales and marketing with Nikken Europe told Romania-Insider.com.

Listen to the recording below while reading this week's Romanian language lesson:

Nicolae Malaxa was a Romanian industrialist who lived at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century and who created one of the biggest industry holdings of interbelic period in Romania. His holdings were nationalized by the Communist party and the Malaxa heirs are currently on their way to receiving compensation for the nationalized assets through Fondul Proprietatea, which will be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange on January 25. But who was Nicolae Malaxa and what did he achieve in the first half of the last century?

I propose to you to listen a dialogue about the vacation plans.

[audio:http://www.romania-insider.com/wp-content...

We'll be uncovering some not so well known but amazing travel destinations in Romania this year on Romania-Insider.com. Before that, here are our top picks for the year 2011 in terms of travel destinations in the country. Feel free to add comments and suggestions as the list is not by far complete.

Romanian band Hotel FM has won the local selection for the Eurovision song contest and will represent Romania at the contest in Dusseldorf, Germany, with the song 'Change' (Listen to it below). The selection was organized by the public TV station TVR on New Year's Eve night.