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| On our way to Zakynthos! |
Sunday at Philoppapou (Athens, Greece)
The Cicada & The Ant (Athens, Greece)
The Cicada & The Ant (or Ο τζίτζικας κι ο μέρμηγκας in Greek)is a restaurant chain in Athens, with a few in the suburbs and one restaurant smack in the middle of the city centre. If you’re hungry, want a bit of good Greek food and don’t feel like straying too far from Athens’ constitution square, just turn the corner and you’ll find this cozy little place tucked inside a small street (12, Mitropoleos).
You’ll instantly feel welcome, being offered a glass of raki, some olives and fresh bread. Most of the food on the menu are Greek classics like meatballs and a Greek salad, all of good quality. It includes some surprises as well, like spicy cheeses out of the oven and my personal favorite: a veggie burger made of two thick slices of Mastelo cheese from Chios filled with grilled vegetables. Delicious!
Prices are very reasonable, albeit a bit pricier than your regular taverna in town. Atmosphere warm and service impeccable.
Cool Sunday (Athens, Greece)
Sunday at the Sea (Athens, Greece)
Six D.O.G.S (Athens, Greece)
Summer in the city. It sounds simply lovely, but here in Athens sometimes the heat, the crowds and the noise can all just get to you. This summer particularly, young and old Athenians are looking for some place positive and relaxed to forget and discuss what’s going on in their city. Luckily we can find refuge in some amazing hidden bars and cafés.
One of them is Six D.O.G.S in the city centre, just of Monasteraki Square. Six D.O.G.S calls itself a ‘day & night cultural entertainment centre’ and that description definitely covers all they have to offer. You’ll find a café, a bar, a visual arts’ project space, and a space for live gigs. My favorite by far though is their garden. First off is the surprise factor to find a place so serene and earthly just off one of the busiest parts of town. Completely hidden from the street you enter through a little tunnel to find yourself in another, peaceful, world. Also, they just serve about anything from coffee, cocktails to sandwiches and other seasonal & local mezes.. All the ingredients one needs to refuel after another day in the city, I should think!
Six D.O.G.S also often hosts one of my favorite monthly events in town: The Meet Market. If ever you’re in Athens, do check out if there’s one going on if you want to stock up on original art pieces, jewelry, (new & vintage) clothes from local artistsand craftspeople.
Quick Getaway (Salamina, Greece)
We just had a long lovely weekend here in Greece. For most Athenians this means finding a way to escape the city. While not as popular with tourists as Hydra, Spetses or Aegina, Salamina does draw its fair amount of locals in search for a quick day trip, clean beaches and the famous Greek blue seas.
And understandably so: getting there is a breeze and dirt cheap (a ticket for the ferry boat is only 0,80 cents as a lot of commuters leave the island daily to work in the city). What I also liked about the island is that it’s unlike the southern suburbs of Athens where most beaches are ‘organized’ and fully packed, meaning you pay a hefty entrance fee to get to the sea. So while Salamina lacks the charm and infrastructure of the more popular getaways, it makes up for it with its proximity, affordability and relaxed atmosphere. All in all, I enjoyed a pleasant afternoon there of sun, sea and a little crochet.
Loukoumades (Honey Puffs)
Loukoumades, one of my favourite Greek pastries, are sweet fritters (similar to doughnuts) that are deep fried till golden brown and served warm with a honey syrup, sprinkled with cinnamon and nuts. Just be prepared to get deliciously messy when eating these purely yummy puffs.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 kilo flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
oil for frying
SYRUP:
2 teacups honey
1 teacup sugar
stick of cinnamon
2 teacups water
METHOD:
1. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water.
2. Put the flour and the salt in a bowl and gradually add the dissolved yeast mixing by hand.
3. Gradually add some lukewarm water until you have a paste that is neither too fluid nor too thick.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it stand in warm water for about an hour.
5. When the batter doubles in size and forms “bubbles”, heat plenty of oil in a pot, until it is scalding hot.
6. Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and allow the loukoumades to turn golden brown.
7. Remove the loukoumades (honey puffs) from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them onto a plate.
8. In the meantime prepare the syrup : in a pot boil the honey, the sugar , the water and the cinnamon stick for about 10 minutes.
9. Pour the syrup over the loukoumades and sprinkle with cinnamon.
10. Serve hot
Live the Myth in Greece-Part I (Mykonos & Paros, Greece)
Yiassou Readers,
Todays post is dedicated to Greece (Ελλάδα). I hope you enjoy.
In a different life I found myself spending endless summer nights and hot summer days in Greece. Oh greece (sigh)s’aga po. When I lived in Switzerland, there was a tourism commercial advertising travel to Greece. Its motto was “Live the myth in Greece“…and I am happy that I got to live my myth in Greece. For as soon as I stepped into this land of the gods everything about it seemed magical and mythical. It felt like a really great dream…the ones you don’t want to wake up from. From the beauty and history of Athens to the charm and mouth-dropping scenery of the islands…Greece really offers it all.
This blog post is dedicated to Mykonos and Paros. Better known as the cosmopolitan party island, Mykonos has everything to offer from amazing beaches to great night life and lets not mention the food which also deserves its own post. Mykonos is a great example of unique Cycladic architecture set around a picturesque fishing-village bay. Totally whitewashed organic cube-like buildings fit closely together to form a kind of haphazard maze of narrow alley ways and streets. The earth colors of the bare hills which surround the town’s whiteness is set between the aura of an incredibly blue sky and even deeper blue sparkling sea. Its many well preserved windmills and hundreds of tiny red-roofed churches adds a flavor of culture and custom to the scene, enhanced even further by many museums and the historical ancient site of Delos. Together with being friendly and open people, the locals have a healthy understanding of what it means to have a good time. Put this together with all the island’s other qualities and it is no wonder Mykonos has been often named “the jewel” of the Aegean Sea.
As summer approaches I can’t stop thinking of Greece, greek food, greek music and the magic of the greek islands. And I secretly pray to the greek gods to return me to the land of magic…but for now I can only dream as I sit behind my computer. If you haven’t already make sure you live your own myth in Greece.
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| Fields of wheat and a secluded beach in Paros |
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| Field of Dreams- Paros |
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| Fisherman’s boats in Paros |
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| Volcanic formations at the beach in Paros(one of my favorites) |
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| The famous windmills in Mykonos |
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| The famous Mykonos Pelican |
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| The local papoos |
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| View from my patio |
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| Room with a view |
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| My dream summer home perched over a cliff leading to a beautiful secluded beach with crystal blue water |
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| All those balconies are amazing bars and clubs |
Yiasemi (Athens, Greece)
While the north of Europe is experiencing spring in full bloom, in our little south-eastern corner of this continent the weather gods granted us some more chilly, grey and rainy days before the strong summer sun will make its daily appearance once again. On a dreary afternoon like this, all you need is a homely place and good company.
Yiasemi (jasmine in Greek) offers you just that. What better place to meet your friends at than one where you may sit close to the fireplace, munching on delicious home-made savory and sweet pies, drinking a coffee or even some spicy sweet rakomelo*? To make it even better, this little cafe has the most relaxed & friendly service and is located in Plaka, one of Athens’ oldest neighborhoods, right under the Acropolis. I’m already anxiously awaiting warmer days to come when I’ll be able to sit on Yiasemi’s steps, dreaming of days gone by.
*my very favorite cold-weather-drink: warm raki mixed with spices and honey. So good.
