Greek America Magazine Summer 2012 by The Greek America Foundation

Greek America Magazine | Summer 2012

www.greekamerica.org

Christina Loukas

A Greek American Olympian Ninety Nine Reasons

Greek Summer of 1961

NIC Conference

Why We Love Greece

with Jackie Kennedy

Ideas Worth Sharing

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EDITORIAL

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Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 3

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EDITORIAL

910 West Van Buren Street, Suite 7SW, Chicago, Illinois 60607 Tel: 312-733-4633 Fax: 866-651-7398 Email: info@greekamerica.org Editor and Publisher Gregory C. Pappas gpappas@greekamerica.org Managing Editor Brandon A. Wilson bwilson@greekamerica.org Lifestyle Editor Andria Mitsakos Maggie Hund, Editorial Assistant Contributors Kathy Tzivilakis, Toula Victor, Aurelia, George Kokkinos Director of Special Events & Projects Despina M. Kreatsoulas despina@greekamerica.org Manager of Development & Membership Katerina Georgiafentis katerina@greekamerica.org

ISSN 1097-3176 Greek America Magazine is published quarterly by the Greek America

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reproduced or transmitted electronically or by other means without the written consent of the -

Greek America Foundation Board of Directors Dimitri Eliopoulos - Chicago, IL Paula Fasseas - Chicago, IL James Gianopulos - Los Angeles, CA Melina Kanakaredes - Los Angeles, CA Dennis Malamatinas, Athens, Greece Dean Metropoulos - Greenwich, CT

Grand Cafe, Astoria, NY Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Nashville, TN All Saints Greek Orthodox Church, Canonsburg, PA Greek Consulate of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Boston, MA Greek Orthodox Mission of South Orange County, San Juan Capistrano, CA Hellenic College & Holy Cross School of Theology, Brookline, MA Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Sacramento, CA Saint Stefanos Greek Orthodox Church, Saint Petersburg, FL Annunciation of the Theotokos Church, Montgomery, AL Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, Chicago, IL Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, New York, NY Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, Orland Park, IL Kimisis tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church, Aliquippa, PA Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Pittsburgh, PA Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, Baltimore, MD

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Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

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EDITORIAL

THE TOPIC OF THE SO-CALLED "Greek - ever since I heard Peter Economides speak at the National Innovation Conference in New York City when he said that the crisis in Greece isn't a He shared that iconic slide on the giant screen that depicted the former international sports broadcast center that was built for the 2004 Olym-

Indeed, Greece is experiencing a crisis of values which has skewed the nation's very sense of being and has challenged everything that Greeks themselves know and believe

I believe it is the "system" in Greece that has created this anomaly - a new system that started with the arrival of the European Union and in many ways, the desire of non-Greeks to impose their ways of life, ideals With all of its good, the EU also brought with it a lot of bad to Greece, including easy and cheap money - billions of euros of "development funds,"

begin to replace the very core of who we are, then we have a crisis on our Instead of seizing the moment of 2004 and capturing the spirit of athleticism that Greece and Greeks owned, that was ours - and the entire world Instead of exploiting what belonged to them, to us - the Olympics, the Nemean Games, the Marathon - they transformed venues and facilities

This led to the increase in clientelism (voting blocks in exchange for jobs, money) and of course, corruption and a breakdown of trust in most of the institutions the people of Greece once counted on - their government, their church, their justice and police systems - now all cesspools of Greece is an anomaly to many Greeks themselves, and to the vast majority of second, third and fourth generation diaspora Greeks who were raised with a somewhat "old fashioned" understanding of what "being

I use, as a benchmark, the generation of my parents - who came to this country in the 1950s and 60s and the ideals they brought with them from defending it, promoting it, sharing Greek ideals, history and culture with Greece that we always refer to when talking about what makes all of us Although not an indictment against all of the Greek people, it’s safe to A hard work ethic that is known globally has been replaced with the "volema" or who can get me a good job (especially with the government)

Greeks created (as cliché as that sounds), have become foreign to an Arête - the pursuit to be the very best in everything has been replaced

Philoxenia - a landmark ideal that is in our DNA - has been replaced

Philotimo - another casualty that is evident from spending a day walk-

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

and commentaries, as well as many stories you see in Greek America

EDITORIAL

Contents

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

10 Society

Our cameras caught events and happenings in New York City, Chicago and elsewhere throughout the continent

18 Greek America

A new initiative for Greece seeks to raise $100 million gets support from former President Bill Clinton

26 Cover Story

Meet Greek America's two-time Olympian diver Christina Loukas in the world at the London Games

34 99 Reasons

58 Food & Wine

68 Travel

76 Design

Enough with the crisis! Let's celebrate the things we love

The many impressions of Yorgo Alexopoulos, a talented visual artist using digital screens

Greek summer recipes gathered from our favorite celebrity chefs, authors and bloggers

Photography Amazing antique Greece captured by the legendary American photographer Robert McCabe

Jackie Kennedy's Greek Summer of 1961 complete with pelicans, island hopping and ancient sites

Foundation News News, updates and announcements from the Greek America Foundation

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 9

SOCIETY

the continent participated in the festival, which was held in conjunction with the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival, the largest in North

The Burroughes, a rehabbed warrehouse and one of the city's most unique venues served as the host of the exhibition that was sponsored

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

SOCIETY

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 11

SOCIETY

Over 500 people gathered in New York City's historic New Yorker Hotel ballroom for the reception honoring Greek America's Forty Under 40, a distinct group of young leaders who were selected the forty winners were in attendance and ranged from fashion designers, corporate attorneys, eclectic group had one thing in common - their love of community and working to make the ica's Forty Under 40 is a project of the Greek America Foundation, created to recognize young young women were selected from 14 states and

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

SOCIETY

PHOTOS BY GEORGE KOKKINOS Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 13

SOCIETY

PanHellenic Scholarship Gala by Chicago businessman Chris Tomaras attracted almost 500 people from throughout the nation, including students from some of the nation's top -

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

SOCIETY

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 15

SOCIETY

Agape on the Terrace Hundreds of Chicago Greek Americans and their friends came together on a

America and chaired by Alexi Giannoulias, the former State Treasurer whose mother is from Hania, Crete; and, Manolis Alpogiannis, a successful restaurant donated for silent and live auctions and the local dance group from the Cretan raised, by ticket sales and sponsors, as well as auction proceeds, will be equally distributed between four of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organizations that are all feeling the pinch

Clockwise: Alexi Giannoulias with friends; Anna Giannoulias, Anna Davlantes, Dave Gambieri; Opa! welcome shots of raki from Evangeline Alpogianis; Tony and Georgia Taxakis; Emcee Jane Monzures; Event Chairs Evangeline Alpogianis, Manolis Alpogianis, Anna Giannoulias, Alexi Giannoulias; Cretan Dancers performing for guests.

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

SOCIETY

Hellenic Heritage Foundation Annual Gala This occasion marked the Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 16th year hosting this Annual fundraising event with

recipients of the Award for 2012 were Supreme Court of Canada Justice Andromache Kar-

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 17

GREEK AMERICA

NAXIAN ELDERS

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

GREEK AMERICA

Like the marble from their native island that created the world's greatest sculptures, these elders from Naxos stand proudly as pioneers

took place Capital View Homewood Park in Montgomery County, Maryland in June, and was attended by 1920s era immigrants and (l to r) Emmanuel Korson, Vasilis Kotzalas, George Katinas, Marietta Petros, John

(Photo: Bill Petros) Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 19

GREEK AMERICA

People

MARIA EITEL gave the commencement address to the 2012 graduating class at Babson College

LEON LOGOTHETIS, a globe-trotting adventurer, author and TV personality, just completed this year’s Mongol Rally, a treacherous

Foundation's founding president The UK-born, Los Angeuates - about unleashing the girl

this epic road trip, which many describe as the "greatest adventure fellow adventurer, Steve Priovolos,

is the powerful social and economic change brought about when

GEORGE KALOGRIDIS, whose Disneyland’s Contemporary Resort Hotel in Florida, 39 years ago, is now the president of Disneyland’s aging the company’s multi-billion dollar expansion that culminated with the grand opening of the Cars This grandson of immigrants from Kalymnos, Kalogridis still -

mountain ranges, to reach their Nike Foundation, she served as The duo braved corrupt police At the commencement ceremony, she recalled growing up in an "incredible Greek-American family"

of city blocks, crossed raging rivers and overcame dozens of other obstacles in their journey, which was

"dream job" - that of an altar boy at church when she was only six

Not only did they help rally organizers raise money for a children’s charity organization in Mongolia, but Logothetis announced he would also donate 10,000 books – one book for every mile – to First Book, an organization that distributes books and educational resources to children from low-income families throughout the US

"'Not possible,' our very dear explaining, 'Maria, you are not a

Before joining Nike, she held

White House as deputy director of media relations and later as special assistant to the president

Logothetis, a former stockbroker in London, said he would use the proceeds from the sale of his own book, Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, to buy the 10,000 books

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

hundreds of other applicants in a line that went on for what seemed

recently celebrated the completion of one of his biggest projects

TINA KEFALAS, a native of San Francisco, became the pride of Greek America when she earned a berth on Greece’s national team and a chance to compete at the

promising career back in corporate America, had no qualms about trading in her suit jacket and iPad Running was always what she was As for representing Greece rather than the United States (where she was born and raised) in the Olympics, Kefalas felt it was an honor to represent her ancestral homeland – the birthplace of the

year, multi-billion dollar extreme makeover of the Disney California Adventure Park, which is adjacent

Her grandfather, Kostas Arvanitis,

Since taking over the Disney’s California resort three years ago, Kalogridis has tried to spend as

He too would have competed in the Olympics had the 1940 and 1944 Games not been cancelled on

He has been known to roll up his sleeves and help empty trash cans, sweep a parade route and sort recyclables from the garbage in

And even though Kefalas did not medal in London – she was the 104th marathon runner to

It’s all part of his dynamic, hands-on attitude and the respect he has for all of his 22,000 employees and the millions of people who

complete the 26-mile race despite

the 5,000-meter race at the Balkan

GREEK AMERICA

JENNIFER ANISTON honored with one on Hollywood’s

Greek America’s Golden Girl BETTY WHITE got the ultimate Hollywood wax treatment at

The 43-year-old Greek American actress is best-known for portraying Rachel Green on the hit television sitcom Friends – a role that won her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen

90-year-old actress (her mother’s maiden name was Cachikis) is the oldest living celebrity to be immortalized by this legendary

Aniston, who was born Ioanna Anastasakis and whose father John (also an actor) hails from the Greek island of Crete, got her star outside the historic Hollywood Pantages Theater, which was built by Greek American Alexander Pantages (Pantazis) back in the

to most as Rose Nylund – the whimsical character she portrayed on the hit TV show The Golden Girls, which ran for seven straight

Aniston, before signing autographs and posing for photographs with her father and boyfriend Justin

something you went and saw as a kid and got excited about just

to spend more time with his three That is why he enrolled in a Master in Business Administration yer Business School with all three of his sons, who also work with him at the family’s Old Neighborhood Foods – a business started by Tom’s grandparents nearly a

been trying to get rid of me for decades and it hasn't happened yet Betty’s life-like replica will join the ranks of Hollywood legends including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, as well as Hollywood’s new guard of icons like Lady Gaga, Brad Pitt and "I want to thank Madame Tussauds Hollywood for taking their sweet time in making my wax

will be an honor to stand among the greats like George Burns and

From the silver screen to sterling silver, GEORGE CHAKIRIS, internationally known for his portrayal of Bernardo in the 1961 version of West Side Story, which earned him a Golden Globe and an Academy Award, recently unveiled his own The George Chakiris Collection recently made its debut at Tokyo's prestigious Mitsukoshi all started with a jewelry making class that Chakiris took in hopes of

killed them to do this 50 years grateful to all the fans who have come out today and supported me throughout my career, my family, my pappa and my dear friends

At 69, the last thing TOM DEMAKES, a successful Greek American businessman from Massachusetts, probably needed was

is a very creative profession, but I found that jewelry making

They were enrolled in the business school part time, attending evening classes, mostly on campus, but

and concentration, so I continued classes to learn the technical as-

And when professors looked on their class lists, they always saw four Demakes names because Tom and his sons made it a point According to the eldest son, 34-year-old Elias, their father was a driving force behind the family of them need business degrees, Tom said earning the degree was a chance to spend time with his Now, he’s got another idea: law

inspired by the treasures found in the tomb of Egyptian King Tutwhich was considered very good but in 1947, in the chorus of Song of Love, is known for his work in He has appeared on numerous shows, including Wonder Woman, Hawaii Five-O, Dallas, and the daytime soap opera Santa Barbara Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 21

GREEK AMERICA

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

GREEK AMERICA

Philanthrophy: It's all in the Vastis Family BILL VASTIS is one of Canada’s top investment advisors, helping some of the wealthiest people in North America decide how to protect and preserve their assets and make sound ment he has made thus far hasn’t been in a

He and his wife Kathy have invested time and energy in philanthropic work that has impacted thousands – but no one more than their three

and what your talents are), is just as comfort-

This is how he came up with the idea to launch the Fight for the Girls, a unique charitable boxing event that raises funds for the Breast

Ravi Gopisetty, a portfolio manager at RBC Wealth Management, who nominated Vastis for the Greek America Foundation’s 40 under 40 (a list of young leaders of North America who have excelled in their respective business endeavors and who simultaneously strive to make the world around them a better place through community involvement and philan-

Both are in honor of his mother, Sotirea Vastis, who lost a six-year battle with breast cancer

And for Bill and Kathy Vastis, it all has to start of many, sweeping people along with his enBill is the vice president of RBC Wealth Management – the largest investment dealer in 40-year-old Greek Canadian has over 16 years ing in Sudden Wealth Management Strategies,

His mother’s death is what sparked his growing helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research and other good causes with the help of his wife, Kathy, and their three

In June, Vastis participated in Toronto’s annual Spartan Race, the world’s ultimate obstacle race, a contest designed to test the participant’s resilience, strength, stamina, quick decision making skills, and ability to laugh in the face coals and hand-to-hand combat in what is

Vastis special is what is not on his professional The decision to put his strength and endurance to the test was not only a personal challenge Vastis, a Toronto-based advisor for high networth clientele, approaches his philanthropic endeavors with the same dedication, passion

friends promised to make a donation to the Team Up To Conquer Cancer event if he tournaments in Canada that has raised millions

When not advising clients on how to manage their wealth, Vastis is investing in his communiFoundation (one of Canada's leading charitable grant making foundations), the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and the Canadian

Last year, his daughters worked on a campaign to raise money for the New Neonatal Clinic at presented the hospital with a check for $335 Angela, 9, who was born two months early and weighed only 4 lbs, delivered a speech at the

Vastis, who is also passionate about boxing (a sport he says is just as mental as it is physical because you don’t have a team backing you up as you do in hockey or football so you have to

Vastis was one of the original board members of the tournament, which is now a national event being held in Vancouver, Edmonton and year, the tournament will be held on September 22 in Edmonton, followed by Toronto on All funds raised will go towards The Princess Margaret Hospital and The Canadian Cancer

In May, the girls participated in Toronto’s Bike 4 Betty Ride, which raised over $200,000 for Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 23

GREEK AMERICA

Former US President supports a new initiative for Greece undertaken by Greek Americans CONVENING A GROUP of Greek business leaders and prominent members of the global Diaspora, a new organization called The Hellena roundtable discussion on how international collaboration can support the sustainable long term development and economic growth of

THI joins a growing movement of established and new organizations that are stepping up to support humanitarian and restructuring recession, that Greek Prime Minister called his country's "Great Depression" in a meeting with

According to a press release by the organizamental initiative which aims to provide critical funding to sustain organizations that can help inspire entrepreneurship, business development and investment that will ensure the

President Clinton, who opened the private distogether to embrace these opportunities and to -

In addition to the creation of new economic development programs, THI will also work together within the existing philanthropic infrastructure to supplement the work of others and -

THI has already established strong links to the Leventis Foundation in Greece and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in the United States and will collaborate with partners in the UK and Australia, as well as with the Greek Orthodox

Founding member, and Chairman of the Co-

potential for growth which THI can help to ignite global Diaspora and Philhellene community â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Oli Mazi, All Together â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Hellenic Initiative will provide immediate and vital support in ensuring the prosperity of established and new organizations, and more importantly, encourage ongoing education, entrepreneurism and investment that will provide a sustainable

organizations, and guided by our own analysis, we will identify which areas to focus on for building capacity to support economic growth, inspire entrepreneurship and encourage investmember of the group and a partner at the

and resources - and the economic downturn provides enormous opportunities for Greeks

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

As part of their launch activities, the founding members also met with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to highlight the focused collaboration needed to support the long term

TEAM

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October 7, 2012

Support our Runners By donating to one of our 37 runners, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be supporting our mission to promote, preserve and perpetuate Greek culture, history and heritage in America and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be helping us send college students to Greece for life changing, transformative study abroad experiences. You can also volunteer with our runners marathon weekend or come to Greektown Chicago and cheer them on! For more information and to donate please visit www.teamgreekamerica.org Questions Brandon Wilson 312.733.4633 teamga@greekamerica.org Sponsors

COVER STORY

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

COVER STORY

CHRISTINA LOUKAS A Greek American Olympian By Kathy Tzilivakis

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, Loukas had gone up against the android precision

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 27

COVER STORY

DIVING JUST CAME NATURALLY TO LOUKAS

But looking back on the London Games, Loukas says her Olympic expe-

In an interview in Houston’s newspaper The Woodlands, her coach Kenny

The Chicago native, whose parents signed her up for gymnastics when Another memorable moment was the cheering from friends and family

Going into the Games in London, Loukas was hoping to medal and make

know that she wanted to place higher because in the world meet prior to

verse 2 ½ pike, inward 2 ½ pike, front 2 ½ pike, front 2 ½ pike with a full

She was 17-years-old when she placed 1st in the one-meter at the

out-dived more than 100 of America’s best divers to win a spot (one of

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

In 2009, Loukas was named the NCAA diver of the year and has had a lengthy list of accomplishments throughout her career, ranging from

In the run up to the London Games, Loukas was training at the Woodlands Diving Academy in Texas with her coach Kenny Armstrong and his sity of Indiana, where she graduated in 2009 with a degree in exercise

COVER STORY

Clockwise: Christina and fellow teammate Cassidy Krug at the Closing Ceremonies; Various pictures of Christina during competition; Christina and Sammy

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 29

COVER STORY

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

COVER STORY

TEAM LOUKAS

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 31

COVER STORY

Meet Christina Loukas Two time Olympian may consider a third Olympics In an exclusive interview, Christina Loukas says the hardest part of competitive diving is that you spend endless hours training and get only a few minutes to make the perfect dive With the London Olympic Games now behind you, what are your future plans?

Right now, I think I need to take a break from the sport to experience

You made your Olympic debut in Beijing eight years ago. What was that like? It was an amazing experience and I am so glad I was able to

new things and actually be able to travel and visit people I haven’t seen in What changed since Beijing? I think the biggest change for me was What about a third Olympics? I told my coach and my family that maybe in a year, depending where I’m at and what I’m doing, I may reconsider

When did you start diving?

Tell us about your Greek background. My whole family, my cousins, aunts and my whole Greek side is so close

really well in diving and I started doing it year round and I just took it from

What was it like training for the Olympics? I was training in Wood-

twice a day, Monday-Friday, and doing other things like palates and yoga

Have you thought about what you would like to do when you retire from diving? Do you have any advice for an athlete who is just starting out? I think the hardest part for me was that when I was younger people would say ‘Oh, wow you’re so good!’ and they used to tell me that I could make it

What’s the hardest part of diving? I would say the fact that you are in so many hours of training and then you go to a competition and it’s just

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

I think my advice would be that if you are passionate about something,

COVER STORY

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

3-meter 2009, 2010; synchronized 10-meter 2006)

at national championship meets before winning her

INTERNATIONAL

Diving World Series (Dubai, Tijuana), bronze medalist on 3-meter (Tijuana) an on 3-meter at Worlds since 1994) ships in Rome

Games Grand Prix, Comunidad de Madrid

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 33

EDITORIAL

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

99 REASONS

99 REASONS WHY WE LOVE GREECE

Compiled by Toula Victor

1. CHRYSANTHOS PANAS First it was Island, that mesmerizing outdoor lounge overlooking the Saronic Gulf, where beautiful people gather to sip,

sophistication back to the Athenian night continues to combine nightlife, art, gastronomy, and entertainment in distinctive, inspiring ways capturing the attention not only of his fellow Athenians, but of magazines like Vogue and Conde Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 35

99 REASONS

PEOPLE

2. STAVROS MELISSINOS

3. COSTAS VOYATZIS

Intellectual, philosopher, author, politician, world traveller - Nikos Kazantzakis simply

Known as "the poet sandal maker of Athens," Stavros Melissinos grew up in his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small shoe factory at the foot of the Acropolis on Pan-

works, including the timeless story of Zorba the cy lives on at a museum dedicated solely to him and his

passing, he inherited the ailing factory and just

6. ELENA SYRAKA

Since then, he has made sandals for celebrities including Sophia Loren, The Beatles and plished poet and his shop has become a tourist

With jewelry lines dedicated to the evil eye, Greek mythology and Cycladic art, Elena Syraka incorporates the Greek spirit in everything she resent international brands like Levis, Absolut Vodka and Lacoste, and she is the youngest designer to produce jewelry for the Goulandris A once aspiring meteorologist, Costas Voyatzisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; life took a radical turn at the age of 22 when he became an assistant stylist at Maison & Decsonal interest in design that fueled the creation

4. GEORGIOS CARABELLAS What began as a home and fashion design concept store in Thissio quickly caught the

designer himself, launched a second boutique in Kolonaki, pop-up shops in Greece and Lon-

inspired him to take over a hotel in Skyros and

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

5. NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS

is extensive, her collaborations ingenious, and

99 REASONS

7. ELENA PAPARIZOU She stole the hearts of Europe in 2005 when she won the annual Eurovision song contest, but we knew and Greece (something we can relate to), she debuted on the congested Greek music scene as an outsider but obvious beauty, and amazing voice (including impeccable English language signing capabilities) set her apart from the rest, and her songs continue to conjure

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 37

99 REASONS

Obama, Charis Tsevis has created a visual art form that is one of a name clients all over the world, Tsevis has won awards in the US and Europe and recently created an amazing series of billboards for

10. MIKIS THEODORAKIS His struggle and message inspired not only his works, but also milHe was imprisoned, tortured and forced into exile by his country, but received by dignitaries and awardbelieved in an idea above all else

8. ANNA VISSI performances, a couple of theatrical stints and appearances at the Eurovision song contest, Anna Vissi continues to be Greece’s most

11. MELINA MERCOURI

12. ALIKI VOUGIOUKLAKI

She debuted as an internationally acclaimed actress with lead-

Her blond hair and wide smile are synonymous with the golden age

ements to traditional Greek music

Sunday, Topkapi, and Phaedra, but her restless Greek spirit led her to become a leading political activist -

9. CHARIS TSEVIS Seamlessly combining thousands of tiny images to compose mosaic designs and portraits of prominent

Marbles, fought to promote culture and education within Greece, and made the preservation of Greece’s

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

Aliki’s animated demeanor, sweet voice, and cheerful dance routines brought television screens to life as her characters confronted complex predicaments with an

99 REASONS

13. ARGIRO BARBARIGOU Chef, entrepreneur, author, and TV personality Argiro Barbarigou began her gastronomical journey in her native Paros before studying she opened Papadakis in Kolonaki, an elegant restaurant at the foot of Lycabettus, where she serves authentic Greek dishes with her signature Billy Zane, Pierce Brosnan, Jean Paul Gaultier, and colleagues like Cat Cora, Michele Roux, and

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 39

99 REASONS

PRODUCTS A recent New York Times article noted that if Greek farmers and dairy folks could get their act

ning of Greece’s obsession with frappe and the birth of a vibrant

a delicately sweet, intoxicating rocks, Volkan’s historic undertones are so powerful, you can actually

savored over hours and hours of people-watching and conversation a splash of water and keep on

19. KRETARAKI

16. METAXA

It all started when the Diamantakis and Stamatakis families, both with a strong heritage in distillation, teamed up to create a collection of spirits based on traditional Cretan imenting and testing, Kretaraki launched a line of pure tsikoudia, a tsikoudia and cabernet sauvignon blend, and tsikoudia with honey (a common cold and

Invented by Spyros Metaxas in the dy made of various types of distilled wine and grapes from Samos

14. LAMBDA

label donning only the greek letter

added, and the blend is aged for three to thirty years before we see it in that distinctively tall, the few Greek companies that has survived two world wars and, strangely enough, was the

enough to set Lambda apart, but liquid gold within that bottle is made exclusively from Koroneiki olives (the best variety), its acidity is extremely low, and each

shops throughout Europe, includ-

15. FRAPPE Also known as Greece’s national beverage, frappe was invented in 1957 at the Thessaloniki International Fair when a greek Nestle representative meant to demonstrate a shaken cocoa drink, but mistakenly mixed

result was the begin40

time this year, Volkan is destined

17. FAGE Before the Greek yogurt craze hit this side of the Atlantic, Fage had long perfected the art of mass produced, thick, only true Greek yogurt available in the United States, and its popularity prompted the company to With the genius addition of ‘split cups,’ where yogurt and honey were packaged side by side, Fage introduced the world to a healthy

18. VOLKAN BEER ni, Volkan is made of artisanal ingredients like Naxos citron and rare Santorini honey that create

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

20. ION duce Greeks to chocolate with almonds (aka Ion Amygdalou), Ion started with the basics and has evolved over seventy years to include a slew of chocolate vais no other chocolate quite like it, and Ion continues to be the leading

22. IDISTON What others refer to as fruit Working from traditional recipes, Idiston recreates desserts that were commonly served to guests on tiny glass plates inside village sonal fruits are picked, prepared and transformed into syrupy

21. TSAKIRIS

23. APIVITA

With six classic

Founded in 1979 by pharmacists Niki and Nikos Koutsianias, Apivita (from the Latin apis = bee and vita = life) is now sold in thousands of

the quintessentially Greek oregano, Tsakiris takes Greek inspired potato chips a step further with a new line of island salt, Aegean spices, and Cretan

ing in mind, products are made of

99 REASONS

24. SKINOS Taking advantage of its unique taste, Skinos transform it into a new liqueur that is distinctly

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 41

99 REASONS

25. PAPADOPOULOU

29. SPARTI'S JUICE

A name that is unmistakably Greek, Papadopoulou began with the baking of a simple biscuit and a wooden seal in Constantinople in

Freshly squeezed from Laconian oranges,

to classic orange include peach juice, orange banana, and orange with strawberries and Crackers, cookies and various voutimata boasting the Papadopoulou name now line the shelves of every supermarket, bakaliko and

30. LOUMIDIS The red and green parrot on

26. KORRES What originally started as a small pharmacy in Pagrati has become an international beauty brand inspired by

kafenia and in the homes of Greeks in all parts of the with sugar, some even with ice, but the best part - the remains that stain the rim of tiny

Raw materials and ingredients are used in all products, making them not only kind to our skin, but also to our planet and absolutely nothing is tested

31. KROKOS KOZANIS

27. OUZO BARBAYANNI

ponent in Asian and Spanish cuisine, but it was

Legend has it that ouzo was originally derived from tsipouro by Since then, it has become an international symbol of Greek culture, sipped clear and neat, or cloudy largest producers, Ouzo Barbayanni, calls the island of Lesvos home, where a dedicated museum takes visitors through 150 years of history

28. KAMBOS CHIOU As if mastiha wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough, in 2009 Chios Fruits started taking advantage of the abundance of citrus fruit on the island of Chios by largest juice production plant in all of Greece, Kambos Chiou restored the Greek juicing industry, and more importantly, continues to demonstrate that agriculture in Greece is alive 42

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

the only region of Greece that can produce the crimson spice is Kozani, where a cooperative of over 2000 individual producers have banded together to produce some of the best quality

32. OLYMPOS Long before the Greek yogurt craze hit this side of the Atlantic, Olympus had perfected the art of pos yogurt represents a healthy and delicious

33. BOUTARI A name that is synonymous with Greek wine, Boutari started as a family-run winery in throughout Greece and abroad with wineries in Santorini, Crete and other parts of Greece, wine varieties, including the all time classic

99 REASONS

34. PAVLIDES opened to the public to mark 150 years of chocolate making and to

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 43

99 REASONS

SHOPPING

into a Greek retail shop (OK, OK, so they need a lesson or two in mall-ettiquette) Greek prodyou purchased while there?

35. COCO-MAT is more than a mattress, linen and furniture retailer - it is a true Greek success story dedicated to utilizing natural Greek resources to promote overall wellness and environmental

37. SOHO-SOHO The most well-known fashion boutique in Mykonos, Soho-Soho caters to the international Parker stop by to pick up island essentials like designer beachwear, cutting-edge fashion and footwear, bags, sunglasses and other must-

opened in New York City, COCO-MAT is a testa-

38. TR2 The Kolonaki Edition A unique concept store that features an eclectic collection of design items, TR2 The Kolonaki clutches, bespoke loungewear and decorative teapots, tack-on wallpaper and an iPod dock

39. ATLANTIS BOOKS Founded by a group of young intellectuals in 2004, Atlantis Books is a charming shop in the exterior and skim through the books displayed

reading terrace that overlooks the island, the

40. MASTIHASHOP 36. ZOLOTAS One of Greeceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recognizable jewelry brands, Zolotas has collaborated with renowned artists and sculptors to create contemporary, designed the 2011 Special Olympics torch; and its distinctive rings, drop earrings, necklaces and bracelets

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

Recognizing its versatility, Mastihashop took an indigenous product of Chios and created a range of mastiha based products that includes cosmetics, beverages, chewing gum and gourmet snacks, in addition to traditional products

99 REASONS

41. KOMBOLOGADIKO Greek men have used worry beads to combat their souvenir shops, but kombologadiko is a shop for komstones, amber, and other exotic materials and strung

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99 REASONS

44. KONSTANTINO His designs are displayed at high-end retailers across America, but it all began in a tiny Konstantino designs are inspired by what else chaeology to architecture, each piece is classic

45. FOLLI FOLLIE 42. ILIAS LALAOUNIS With a jewelry museum in Athens to accompany shops throughout Greece, Ilias Lalaounis was founded on the premise that jewelry is in-

Follie has become an internationally renowned jewelry brand that has realized great success -

ily made of solid gold and many are modeled

viral in Greece and quickly spread to Japan, the rest of Asia, and are now available in 25 coun-

43. ANTIQUA

46. BESPOKE

One of Athensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; oldest antique stores, Antiqua carries rare editions, prints showing 19th-century Athens, ancient coins and jewelry, old icons and original works by Greek artists like Gaitis,

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

the boutique collaborates with international designers on ready to wear suits, those that are created from scratch are designed in-house and made to measure by local tailors in an attempt

99 REASONS

47. GREECE IS FOR LOVERS A tongue-in-cheek souvenir shop near the Acropolis Museum where designers Vasso Damkou, Thanos Karabatsos and Christina Kotsilelou display their clever creations that include a leather skateboard with attached Greek sandals, wax busts of Hermes and Aphrodite with sunglasses,

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99 REASONS

PLACES ning restaurants that we dream of having back home and trendy clubs where we've all spent

48. SALON DE BRICOLAGE Spyros and Chrysanthos Panas tackled the

where members are hand-selected by a committee and encouraged to share ideas on art, design, fashion, gastronomy and other thought-

49. BRETTOS

Super Paradise in Mykonos to that tiny cantina on a sparsely populated island beach, they are one of the many characteristics that make

With a focus on seafood, specialties include

51. BALUX

53. ZONAR'S

A laid-back, multi-space cafe on the Athenian Riviera, Balux is an all day ‘beach house’ hang-out where guests can watch TV in the family room, play in the game room, read in the

Historic and Parisian in style, Zonar’s is one of the oldest cafes in Athens, and serves the best ers-by along two of the city’s main thoroughfares, Panepistimiou and Voukourestiou, and indulge in the classic atmosphere and delecta-

Hundreds of colorful bottles line the walls of the oldest distillery in Athens founded in 1909,

house bar livens up and drinks are served until

ouzo, and brandy are produced in-house ac-

52. PAPADAKIS Nestled in the foothills of Lycabettus, Papadakis

50. BEACH BARS

like Pierce Brosnan, Jean Paul Gaultier and

Greece’s beach bars range from lively (and

Barbarigo is usually in the kitchen serving

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

and for dessert, the halva ice cream with tahini,

54. GINGER ALE A vibrant cafe-bar with an artsy retro-chic vibe in Exarhia, Ginger Ale is a throwback to the 50’s view of Athens with its vintage feel, original cocktails (many with ginger ale), exceptional

99 REASONS

55. ISLAND True to its name, Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s white washed walls, bursts of purple bougainvillea, and views of the Saronic Gulf

well-heeled crowd, and expertly mixed cocktails, and

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 49

99 REASONS

dotted with white clothed tables where guests

59. BALTHAZAR Housed in a neoclassical mansion during the winter, Balthazar moves outdoors in summer where the fashionable crowd dines, sips and

Balthazar makes it hard to believe you’re in the

56. CAPRICE

61. FRANCO'S BAR Clinging to the island’s edge, facing the famed caldera, Franco’s Bar is a Santorini classic and the place to watch the magical Santorini sunset while sipping on perfectly prepared cocktails

62. MAMACA'S

Directly on the waterfront in Little Venice, Caprice is a breezy, romantic, enchanting lounge so close to the sea that chances are you’ll get

Characterized as a neo-taverna, Mamacas in Gazi serves traditional Greek cuisine in an

laid-back atmosphere livens up at night and it’s the ideal spot to watch the sun go down over

The all white decor is true to Aegean style, and the atmosphere gets lively as music gets louder

57. KATAVOTHRES

63. NIXON'S

With no obvious signs as you pass from Argostoli to Fanari, Katavothres hosts many of the world’s renowned DJs on lively nights, and

A restaurant, bar, and cinema, Nixon attracts warehouse in the Gazi district, Richard Nixon paraphernalia covers the walls, a huge vintage centerpiece dangles over the bar, and the screening room is scattered with comfy green

views of the Ionian Sea and Lixouri beyond, and a traditional watermill as its centerpiece,

64. CINE MANTO An open air cinema in the heart of Mykonos

the Gardens of Meletopoulos or lounge at the

65. ZOUMBOULAKIS Founded in 1912, Zoumboulakis Galleries is an art and antique shop, but soon became a Now, with a art gallery at Kolonaki Square, a showroom featuring art and furniture pieces on Daphne Zoumboulakis continue to manage the family business and promote contemporary

66. DA CAPO Katavothres is both traditionally Kefallonian,

60. CAFE AVISSINIA

58. LIOTRIVI

A home-style menu and live music are recent additions to Cafe Avissinia, originally a tea house in the heart of the Monastiraki Flea

Located at the Old Harbor in Spetses, Liotrivi is a charming restaurant built around an old olive press, and though cozy inside, the picturesque plank pier is reminiscent of a ship deck and 50

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

from haggling with merchants and antique dealers, and the view of the Acropolis from the

A popular meeting point in the center of Kolonaki at the corner of Tsakalof street, Da Capo well-heeled stroll by, shopping bags in hand, or enjoy ‘gourmet’ fast-food and a cappuccino in this classic French-style cafe with a traditional

99 REASONS

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99 REASONS

EXPERIENCES

67. ISLAND HOPPING

hicle they are in, and if a cab’s not full, chances

70. RIDING A PAPAKI

With thousands of islands to choose from, Greece’s geography caters to island hoppers

down along the way and charge each person a

Warm wind blowing through your hair, holding on as you ‘speed’ through narrow streets, trying

the topic of politics, you’ll never hear the end allows you to have breakfast in Paros, lunch in Naxos, and spend the night in Mykonos, and if you have your own means of transportation, the

68. GREEK TAXI DRIVERS obscene) hand gestures, colorful language, temperamental driving skills, and smoking faces start to match the color of the yellow ve-

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

69. HAGGLING AT THE MONASTERAKI MARKET Whether you’re looking to shop or just browsing, you always end up leaving with more than you bargained for at the Monastiraki Flea Marand antique furniture, getting lost in the winding walkways and haggling with merchants is all in

represents a youthful freedom that is incom-

71. SOUND OF TZITZIKIA Their relentless chirping sound is annoying at

99 REASONS

72. SUMMER CONCERTS AT THE HERODION THEATER Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something about listening to Marinella or Haris Alexiou at the Herodion that gives you chills while sitting on marble under the starry Athenian

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99 REASONS

73. SUMMER ROMANCES Romance is inspired by the sea, provoked by the nightlife, aroused by the music, and is a whether it lasts for a day, a week or a lifetime, summer romances make up some of our fond-

76. PLAYING TAVLI ON THE BEACH Yes there’s racket ball and volley, but no beach activity is as quintessentially Greek as sitting on the sand, frappe in hand, playing a game (or

79. DANCING ON TABLES In their heydey, bouzoukia were choc a bloc with tables upon tables of people singing along to popular tunes and admiring Greece’s musical carnations at the stage (and at each other),

or fevga is your ticket, this centuries-old game

They line the Athenian Riviera and dot the

77. WALKING THROUGH A LAIKI

80. THE SOUND OF THE BOUZOUKI

caught the very same day and allow you to pick

Brightly colored fruits, vegetables, housewares and trinkets accompany the sound of shouting merchants as you walk through narrow

Nothing captures the Greek zest for life and embodies that lingering feeling of kaimos quite like the bouzouki, an instrument that is synon-

74. OUZO & MEZEDES

and grilled octopus come on small plates and can only be appreciated when accompanied by

75. DONKEY RIDES

takes the form of travelling merchants in trucks with large megaphones shouting the all too familiar slogan ‘trapezia, karekles’, in country-

Arriving at Santorini’s Old Port is misleading and gives no indication of what awaits on the

78. SANTORINI SUNSETS

with only a line of whitewashed houses along the top, and a narrow, windy road that arguably

The caldera, the colors, the romance, the experience of sitting at a sunset view cafe or walking along the island’s west coast trail to

Tsitsanis, Hatzidakis and Theodorakis created masterpieces using its three chords and its

81. APPROACHING METEORA Driving through Thessaly’s vast fertile valley,

fog starts to clear and before you know it, you small grey donkeys transporting visitors slowly up the slope and allowing them to admire the

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

shape of the land that ushers in the array of

topped with monasteries whose existence

99 REASONS

82. WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS AT THE ACROPOLIS construction and their endurance through time instills a sense of pride, and to know that your ancestors once walked where you do at that moment is

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 55

99 REASONS

TASTES Move over mageiritsa and kokoretsi, these are the new tastes of Greece that deserve their

83. SOUVLAKIA

88. KALLITSOUNIA

sausage dish with tomato and peppers, that is

Located at the end of Mitropoleos street on ‘souvlaki row’ near Monastiraki Square, Savvas

Traditional Cretan dishes including handmade pasta, dakos, and kallitsounia are Katsourbos specialties, where ingredients are shipped

94. TSIPOURO

passers by for a taste of the house specialty -

84. TOMATOKEFTEDES

89. AMYGDALOTA

A local favorite, Dimitri’s is on Amoudi Bay and

Hydra is known for its amygdalota, and a trip to the tiny island is not complete without a

other island favorites like fava, capers, and of plate of tomato fritters with a glass of ouzo in hand, gazing at the harbor, is the true taste of

85. TRIGONA There is no better way to view Thessaloniki than from the top, and it doesn’t get any higher

A traditional tsipouradiko along Volos’ harbor, Papadis has no menu since custom has it that an order of tsipouro is automatically accompanied by a round of the house’s specialty mezedes get better, giving you no choice but to

95. GLYKO KOUTALIOU boiled, and specializes in confections exclusive

90. PISTACHIOS Originally cultivated on the isle of Aegina before spreading to the rest of the country, Greeks do not refer to pistachios without mentioning -

Panorama is also known for its sweet shops

How can something so good be so bad? Well, when you think that you're eating fresh fruit, or in some cases the rind of the fresh fruit, boiled for countless hours in a sugar syrup and in-

96. GEORGE'S BALLS

peeled, ground, as paste, in candy, and any Take a seat at Tasos and satisfy your sweet tooth on the spot, or take a box home, or both!

86. ASTAKO MAKARONADA

91. TSOUREKI

were the "best balls in Greece" until someone

Mouth-watering variations of traditional tsoure-

There is no clear sense of where Tassia’s ends and where the seaside begins, since yachts dock at the restaurant, and are served directly in

of other classic Greek desserts, tsoureki dipped

long known of her lobster pasta, and did a great job of keeping it a secret, but good things are hard to hide and Tassia’s is now the best-known

92. GALAKTOBOUREKO

cheese that is usually made by the island's

Renowned by Athenians, Kosmikon is known

There isn't much of a marketplace for this

87. BOUGATSA

good, that Greeks abroad have ordered and had

98. BABY SHRIMP

If you arrive too late (or too early, depending on your sleeping or partying habits) you won’t get to sample traditional Cretan bougatsa made the

97. CHLORO CHEESE Santorini is known for its volcano, and its chloro

make Kosmikon galaktoboureko better than all

They are only harvested once or twice a year in the waters around the Dodecanese Island of

side of the island, bougatsa is a pie type of

93. SPETZOFAI

Nammos by the Sea in Mykonos and Papadakis

baked in the oven, topped with a dash of sugar

Tucked away in a picturesque mountain village called Lafkos, Pigasos Taverna specializes in local meat dishes and homemade desserts, but

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

99 REASONS

99. STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS mouthwatering herb and rice mixture and served with a dollop

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 57

FOOD & WINE

Celebrity Style Greek Summer Cooking Summer's here and we asked our favorite celebrity foodies, chefs, cookbook authors and -

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

FOOD & WINE

Cat Cora’s Tomato and Mozzarella Skewers INGREDIENTS:

32 Fresh Mozzarella Bocconcini 32 Cherry Tomatoes 2 tbsp Olive Oil 32 Large basil leaves

FOR A TOTALLY GREEK TAKE ON THIS WONDERFUL SUMMER APPETIZERS, TRY SUBSTITUTING THE MOZZARELLA CHEESE WITH CHUNKS OF REAL, GREEK FETA CHEESE AND DRIZZLING SOME EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ON TOP.

wooden toothpicks

DIRECTIONS:

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 59

FOOD & WINE

Katherine & Sophie’s Lemon Blossom Cupcakes INGREDIENTS for the cupcakes: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 ½ tsp baking powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer,

¼ tsp salt

cream together the butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and

1 ¾ cups sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Add one third of the dry ingredients followed by one third of the milk, and

2 ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract 1 ¼ cups whole milk, at room temperature ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ cup freshly grated lemon zest (2 to 3 lemons)

INGREDIENTS for the lemon cream-cheese frosting:

Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan using a standard-size ice-cream

4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

DIRECTIONS for the frosting:

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine the ingredients in a mixer and whip together at high speed until

½ cup freshly grated lemon zest (2 to 3 lemons) signature swirl (see page 23), and top with a lemon wedge or piece of

DIRECTIONS for the cupcakes:

lemon zest! -

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

FOOD & WINE

Michael Psilakis’ Lamb Burger INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill 1 slice sweet onion

Grill the onion until there are grill marks on both sides, about 3-5 minutes

1 shallot, diced 1 scallion, green and white parts, chopped Brush the grill with more olive oil and grill to medium-rare, about 3 min1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried dill ¼ tsp crushed coriander Salt and pepper, to taste 4 leaves arugula 4 Greek olives, pitted and diced 4 pieces sun-dried tomato 2 tbsp crumbled feta 1 tsp dill 1 tbsp mint 1 tsp lemon juice

TAKE A TRIP TO THE MEDITERRANEAN WITH THIS GREEK-INSPIRED LAMB BURGER. A COMBINATION OF DRIED PARSLEY, OREGANO, AND DILL LENDS PLEASANT HERBAL FLAVORS TO THE LAMB PATTIES, AND A WELL-DRESSED SALAD WITH FETA TOPS THE PATTY.

1 brioche bun

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FOOD & WINE

Marissa Churchill’s Goat Cheese Cheesecake INGREDIENTS: 1 cup reduced-fat cream cheese ½ cup sugar 5 ½ ounces chevre, softened

Then tent a piece of aluminum foil over the pan and bake for 20 -

½ cup liquid egg substitute, or 1 large egg 2 egg whites from large eggs, at room temperature or other round cake pan

To serve: If you used a springform pan, remove the outer ring and

2 cups fresh Mission figs, rinsed and quartered 2 tbsp finely chopped toasted pistachios

DIRECTIONS: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium

In a clean medium bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until medium peaks form, curling over 62

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

"FOR A FLAVORFUL FINISH, DRIZZLE LAVENDER HONEY OVER THE CHEESECAKE JUST BEFORE SERVING. I CREATED THIS DESSERT WHEN I WAS THE PASTRY CHEF AT LULU RESTAURANT IN SAN FRANCISCO. I WAS INSPIRED BY A GOAT CHEESE TART I HAD ENJOYED ON THE GREEK ISLAND OF SANTORINI, WHERE GOAT CHEESE AND FRESH FIGS ARE ABUNDANT."

FOOD & WINE

Mary Platis’ Leek and Feta Phyllo Pie INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

3 ½ -4 pounds of leeks, white and light green only, chopped 1 pound feta, crumbled 5 eggs, lightly beaten 1-2 tsp dried dill or 3-4 tsp fresh dill ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ tsp of salt ¼ tsp of pepper 1 pound of phyllo dough, defrosted 1 pound of butter, melted

"LEEK PIE IS ONE OF MANY RECIPES THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN IN OUR FAMILY FOR MANY GENERATIONS. IT HAS THE TEXTURE OF A QUICHE WITH PHYLLO DOUGH WRAPPED AROUND IT. IF YOU CUT THIS IN SMALLER PIECES 5×6, IT MAKES A WONDERFUL APPETIZER. BUT FOR A MAIN DISH, CUT THE PIE IN LARGER PIECES ABOUT 3×4 INCHES. AS A CATERER THIS RECIPE IS ONE OF MY TOP THREE REQUESTED!"

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 63

FOOD & WINE

The Three Greek Sisters' Yemista INGREDIENTS:

large enough to hold the vegetables securely with enough room for the

6 tomatoes, whole 4 bell peppers, whole 1 lb ground beef, extra lean 2 yellow onions, minced 1 ½ tsp salt 1 tsp oregano, dried ½ cup white wine ½ cup crushed tomato sauce

Fill the tomatoes and peppers with the beef and rice

1 cup Arborio rice ½ cup fresh mint, chopped ½ cup Greek olive oil Fresh cracked pepper

Drizzle the remaining olive oil in the roasting pan and place in the middle

6 yellow potatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise into 1-inch pieces ½ tsp salt

lid and cook for 10 minutes further, or until the rice is cooked through and

DIRECTIONS: Remove the roasting pan from the -

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

FOOD & WINE

The Three Greek Sisters' Grilled Halloumi with Fresh Mint Vinaigrette INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

4 halloumi cheese slices, Âź-inch thick Olive oil for coating 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 fresh red chili pepper, deseeded, minced 2 Kalamata olives, chopped

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 65

FOOD & WINE

Peter Georgakopoulos' Crumbled Halloumi Burgers with Lahanosalata INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS: Prepare the aioli by combining the mayonnaise, minced garlic, ouzo and

3-4 tbs ouzo a pinch of dalt 4 square pieces of halloumi, cut approx ¼ inch thick 2 eggs, lightly beaten 4 heaped tbsp, "panko" (Japanese) breadcrumbs ½ cup olive oil for frying ½ cup shredded cabbage 4 brioche burger buns, cut in half and toasted

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

Construct the burgers by adding some shredded cabbage on the bottom

FOOD & WINE

Peter Georgakopoulos' Pomegranate and Ouzo Popsicles INGREDIENTS: 1 cup caster sugar 1 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the pomegranate juice, sugar syrup, water and ouzo in a large

"I STARTED BLOGGING BECAUSE I WAS BORED. AT THAT TIME, I WAS BORED WITH LIFE AND EVERYTHING AROUND IT. I WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING MORE AND SAW BLOGGING AS A WAY TO MARRY MY FOOD AND TECHNOLOGY INTERESTS." -PETER GEORGAKOPOULOS SOUVLAKIFORTHESOUL.COM

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 67

TRAVEL

The Quarantine of Delos by Aurelia AS SOON AS captain, and his splendid ship came into my view, I knew that the gods had smiled was about to embark on an adventure that few people have ever dreamed of and that it would be one of the most enchanting expe-

They can go with a group (it holds 45) and cruise around the Cyclades, or a couple or individual can charter it for a private cruise that ends with a barbecue on a private

In his youth, he acquired the distinctive nicking men who know their ships have called

this with pride; not many men can claim

She is the long-time mistress of Captain

cient times no one was allowed to be born

Karavoskaro-style (exclusively from wood), she is a sailing cruiser and her slender

taken to nearby Rhinia to give birth and warriors and others who died were buried

see her you are captivated and when your hands caress the smoothness of her rich,

I wait near the ancient ruins on the sacred island (called Great Delos or Big Delos) to

or wait until she sets sail to know that few

Rhinia (Little Delos), a nearby island where again there are restrictions set by the Greek -

seventeen years ago with totally modern elements and equipment, yet retains traces

I will spend two enchanting nights alone on the island with a cat who will be my conenveloped with silence and solitude and the

This ship serves the tourists who come to the beautiful island of Mykonos, known as the most cosmopolitan of all the Greek tional clientele of movie stars, rock stars, models, world-famous athletes, politicians known to vacation here, along with the savvy sun-seekers who save all year for two weeks to party, shop, and sun on one of the most dazzling vacation spots in the

will reward me with shameless displays of

Before I share with you the enchantment of my time on Rhinia, allow me to provide some background information: In the heart of the Cycladic islands, there are three islands cosmopolitan Mykonos, sacred Delos, and

for the trip from Mykonos to the sacred 68

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

distinctive and contradictory personalities and show visitors three tantalizing faces of

TRAVEL

AND I LIVE HERE…. FISHING WITH MY SON AROUND THE SMALL DELOS AND THE GREAT DELOS Panagiotis D. Faroupos, Captain, The Quarantine of Delos

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 69

TRAVEL

and pristine beaches; on Delos they walk among the ancient ruins that THE CAPTAIN’S STATEMENT

the time of sailing ships, I was brought up in the aura of the island's the 1900’s when ships entering the Cycladic islands had to remain in

the nearby island of Rhinia, we eventually decide on an anchorage that great grandfather, from his mother’s side, named Andreas Dilianos –

just before sunset we arrive at my family’s original seaside stone cottage -

Rhinia; he also worked as a guardian with the doctors, nurses, and other

that I know this day's adventures will guarantee everyone on board the Andreas (Dilianos) Gryparis tended to sheep, goats, and a few cows and from their milk they made traditional cheeses, such as Kopanisti and Ty-

The barley was said by some to be one of the best types grown from

ily were able to provide sustenance for the sailors with their excellent cheese, sour milk, beans, barley, and other produce that today would be

THE JOURNEY LEADING TO THE DISCOVERY OF MYSELF I asked the Captain for special permission to stay alone in his house

They lived comfortably in a sturdy stone house built in the early 1900s and occupied and ceded by Panais Faroupos and Catherine Fournista in

for the manuscript of my new novel, Labyrinthine Ways research and writing for the past eight and one-half years and it had been my dream to read it one last time, alone on an island before sending it to

Spiridoula Faroupos, granddaughter of Andreas (Dilianos) Gryparis; until a few years ago, the Captain’s mother lived there year-round, and it is the I felt favored by the gods to have connections leading me to the Captain,

There are a few structures on the island, but they are for temporary shel-

I heard purring sounds that were so sweet and gentle I thought it was the

“I GREW UP IN DELOS WITH THE BOATS, THE ROCKS, THE SUN AND THE SEA. I LIVE WITH THE WAVES; I WILL DIE CLOSE TO THEM.” CAPTAIN PANAGIOTIS

When I returned, I remembered to place my Greek-style picnic basket

I was glad I included a few cans of tuna, because this golden-haired feline at my feet appeared to be hungry, so I opened a can and she went right to Mykonos, completed the obligatory military service in the navy, and when -

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

TRAVEL

herself?

of the solitude to swim natural in the sea and then rested on my towel

(I wondered if Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who was a writer and an editor, ever worked on her books while living on Skorpios, the private island

I took a slow walk back to the house, found a comfortable spot on the expansive patio, spread my manuscript over the table, popped open an

these moments and remember all of the sensations, if not in real time, -

She moved away, looked back at me and gave me verbal signals that she

me and actually cuddled, and together we watched the dazzling setting of with the look that only cats have: the amazed, startled, and utterly con-

I knew that her actions in the bedroom were deliberate and that she was summoning me so I did not miss the evening ballet of the orange

give her a name to describe not only my feelings for the journey the cap-

day and night with fresh eyes and awe, enveloped in the enchantment of

Aurelia is a Philhellene who writes about the Greek islands and the unique people of Greece. Her latest novel, "Labyrinthine Ways," unfolds in modern times on the island of Crete and will be nos, and features a modern day female Zorba who encounters a male Shirley Valentine. Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 71

TRAVEL

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

TRAVEL

Jackie O's Greek Summer of 1961

FOR ALL HER EXTENSIVE TRAVELS throughout Europe as a young woman, the American First Lady had never been to Greece and had

Greek National Theater rehearsal of Electra by Sophocles, watching from

Her next stop on the island of Hydra on the morning of June 9 was the Jackie read and was impressed by many of her writings, once using Mercouri’s ideas on what it meant to be Greek in backing her argument to historian Arthur Schlesinger that President Kennedy was more a Greek

she stepped from the yacht’s launch, every single church began ringing its bells and practically the entire population of two thousand residents rushed towards the cobblestone path she was led down by the mayor,

It was the summer of 1961 and Greek Fever had hit the global pop culimpromptu festival just to honor her, she sent word back to the yacht that she was cancelling plans for other excursions that day, and staying on Greek Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis ordered the highest level of security for the First Lady, exceeding that even provided for Vice Karamanlis were on hand to greet her at Athens airport, where she was

In the center of town, long wood tables were set up around the perimeter and local women turned out long trays of regional food delicacies made -

employee wives who assembled into a stationary line, greeting her as

The First Lady, her sister, and brother-in-law were given use of a

traditional Greek music as well as adapting their bouzouki instruments to popular tunes of the era – including the by-now familiar theme of Never

Jackie Kennedy let go and indulged, sampling the range of food to satisfy and royal blue dress for a bathing suit and ocean swim, she took a light would begin an island tour aboard the 123-foot long yacht Northwind,

and joined in traditional dancing, raising her arms, clapping her hands, kicking her legs and turning her feet as she followed the steps of each

Her appearance, words and deeds, however, gave those who met her The next day, she traveled to the island of Delos, legendary birthplace of the Greek god Apollo, where she took in every ruin and historic site, and Hair tousled freely in the wind, legs bare of stockings, wearing sandals, cotton head kerchiefs and the sunglasses that would eventually supersede the pillbox as her trademark, the beloved to all who met her Jackie

der her neck, she was warmly greeted on the dock by not only the mayor

respect for Greeks of all classes, however, won her not just the nation’s The animal immediately captured her curiosity, but she hesitated to apGreek America Magazine - Summer 2012 73

TRAVEL

explained how the skirt, blouse, scarf and shoes were hand-made and embroidered by local artisans, Jackie remained intrigued by Petros as the

She knelt to gently pet his head, neck and back, asking more about

him lying injured on the island’s Paranga shoreline and brought it into

The bird was diverted from his natural migration pattern to make the port -

Then a publishing editor, Jackie learned of this while at work and imme-

grand country home of the nation’s only woman newspaper publisher,

Along the way, Jackie poked into shops, chatting with merchants and bought a hand-carved wooden boat for her son for 700 drachmas, or

The Greek Prime Minister and his wife were on hand to welcome Jackie ple of Poseidon at Sounion, where hundreds of Greek and other foreign

As the sun set, Jackie then went to look at various archeological digs in most famous historic sites, the ruins of the Parthenon temple to the goddess Athena, the American First Lady injected herself directly into an

As she was guided through the sites by the Parthenon’s curator, Jacque-

the site and taken to England by the Scottish peer Lord Elgin, eventually

Jackie Kennedy’s public voice on the matter came at the dawn of a movement that would soon gain global currency, to return historic artifacts to their original sites from the colonial or invading nations,

those islands, her unambiguous support of returning the Elgin Marbles 74

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

TRAVEL

transition back to the reality of her public persona, assuming the formal,

On the night of June 13, she’d attended a formal dinner hosted in her

Frederika, Princess Sophia, Princess Irene and Prince Constantine at

She then joined them on the manicured lawn to pose for reporters and

carpet and presenting a velvet-lined mahogany case with a portable

Catching this signal, the 21-year old jet-set heir to the throne, a 1960

impulsively took the dare, jumping in to speed away with Constantine

Jackie’s 1961 tour of Greece failed to generate the level of global media coverage that her trips to Paris, Vienna and London had in the preceding

Her mixing it up with the peasantry lacked the glamour that fashion

to Americans and Europeans than the Greek one; coverage couldn’t be as

Touring a series of islands was also a tougher narrative to compact, Kennedy’s trip to Greece was an important component in her agenda to

There is every suggestion that she planned her moves in Greece as during her European tour, it’s ironic that only one reporter on the last day ignored fact of her entire time there: except for swimming, Jackie never removed her shining, gold pin that even a quick look easily revealed to be

From dancing to Greek music to supporting the return of purloined Greek treasures to displaying fondness for a beloved Greek mascot, the American First Lady’s genuine respect for the native culture was also her

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 75

DESIGN

Artist Yorgo Alexopoulos is a digital wizard in the studio by Kathy Tzilivakis YORGO ALEXOPOULOS’ secret to York-based artist is best known for his innovative ways of fusing traditional media like painting,

The Greek American artist’s trademark is syncing multiple uses video installations and high Alexopoulos recently mounted a 24-channel video installation at Cristin Tierney – the gallery that

Well, I quickly switched to the photo department, which also had access got me into making paintings and producing pretty large scale At the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I was in the painting program initially, but looking around at all of the other opportunities and all of the facilities and becoming friends with other folks in other I started to recognize the potential for expanding what I was doing

really showing up to photo class critiques with prints that were all I never shot a photograph pretty much for all the time I was in arts computer using Photoshop and I would literally draw with the mouse and create digital drawings and then I would use the equipment there to take still photographs of television

at the school really allowed me Last year, he was commissioned by the Art Production Fund, a produce a sprawling 432 LCD screen installation for the lobby of

In an interview with The Pappas Post, Alexopoulos, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, explains how he broke into the digital media world and reveals one of his biggest dreams – to one How did you got into the digital media? as someone working in the more traditional media like painting and photography – primarily

I was also very comfortable doing

unique because the systems that I have incorporated into my video installations are both content driven clever ways in the studio of sinking monitors and multiple screens to create one big image and blurring the line between many screens to make one image and then all the screens making their own individual

comments I typically get is that Back then you didn’t have beautiful inkjet printers or any printing solutions, so I would have my digital

My father and step-father and uncle were all electrical engineers and there was a lot of high-tech talk

school had equipment where you

At school, there were also sorts of opportunities available to create art

like all the other students and I

I very quickly started meandering into this area and experimenting

ultimately show up to my critiques with these, which were essentially the beginnings of digital printing

experienced artwork in the way that Other feedback I’ve gotten is that the use of traditional media within the digital media is another area

Is there an underlying theme to your works? Ultimately, my themes are very expansive and very universally on some level has a transcendental

in the early 1990s – at the advent of when Photoshop and Illustrator and all of these programs were becoming more accessible to

being part of the big underground 76

What sort of feedback have you received? The feedback that I typically get is that most people

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

really using the computer in my work, ultimately fusing traditional media with new media – digital

work is about getting the individual to think about things that are bigger more to the world than their own

interested in and exploring in my

DESIGN

24 CHANNEL VIDEO INSTALLATION WITH SOUND CRISTIN TIERNEY GALLERY INSTALLATION VIEW Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 77

DESIGN

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

DESIGN

24 CHANNEL VIDEO INSTALLATION WITH SOUND CRISTIN TIERNEY GALLERY INSTALLATION VIEW Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 79

DESIGN

"I’M INSPIRED BY THINGS THAT ARE UNIVERSAL AND LARGER THAN THE SELF." What are you working on now?

In other words, I have been shooting

a 24-channel video installation that was at the gallery that represents me in New York – the Cristin

making paintings for about 15 years

big achievement for me technically

I am currently working on a very large multi-screen commission for a new building that is being built

How does it all come together? How does the whole process work?

How do you do this? I know that in order to capture the attention of somebody you need to make

work and developing these things, so ultimately I look through all that content and I pull from that to create the pieces that I make today as well as augmenting that with new things that get created to round out what’s

create something that is visually compelling and that once I have their attention, all of the layers can be peeled back and there’s multiple interpretations that can happen

One of the results is that when I look through this rich arsenal, the common thread is a certain symbolism of all the images I have

What inspires you? I’m inspired by things that are universal and

upon that type of work and then add

much inspired by astrophysics and astronomy and our universe to things that more grounded in the terrestrial as well - these are things we can understand or can tangibly

compositions and new images to work to have on an audience and then I sort of work backwards from

I’m constantly making and working on things, so there’s really no beginning or end in how I operate

I also have to know what type of space I’m working with so that I When I am working on projects like these multi-screen video projects, it’s ultimately dictated on the number of screens I’ll be able

to have on the audience and then I

challenges of any artist – taking something that is personal to them and creating an artwork that is accessible to someone who may

As I got older and started to really recognize the importance of my heritage and the importance of Greece itself in the context of evolution and in the context of history, I’ve grown very interested Greece to do a big exhibition there that incorporates all of the things How has Greece inspired you in your work? I am very much inspired by the Greek culture primarily the

I am also very much inspired by looking at other art – all the creativity that is around us, from One is the ancient culture of Crete very much inspired by the way others have interpreted the world

Where does your inspiration come from? One of the things I would say inspires me is that, as an artist, I’m looking to express my interpretation and my reality in a way that uses a tool set that is accessible to

American school and then I would come home to a Greek household and everything that goes along with

What’s a dream project of yours?

been to Crete three times now for the purposes of investigating my interest in ancient technology and all things that have to do with

really like to do a large exhibition in

I grew up coming to Greece and spending all of my summers in

peppered all throughout various

culture, especially as I got older My process basically involves pulling from a rich arsenal of content that I have already created and developed over the years and

started realizing what a rich culture I’m interested in making work that whether you’re a bushman or a businessman, you will be compelled

There’s a lot to extract from an My yia-yia and papou used to live

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

I’m also very much inspired by the hybrid existence I’ve had growing up

DESIGN

24 CHANNEL VIDEO INSTALLATION WITH SOUND CRISTIN TIERNEY GALLERY INSTALLATION VIEW Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 81

PHOTOGRAPHY

photography Robert McCabe ROBERT MCCABE was born in Chicago in

of a trip in 1954 to France, Italy, and Greece while he was an undergraduate at Princeton

an album of color photographs, Weekend in Havana: An American Photographer in the Forbidden City, published in 2007 by Patakis

extensively in the Aegean, shooting with a been the basis for exhibitions in Athens and In 1957 he took a series of color photographs in the Greek Islands at the request of

1955 at Firestone Library at Princeton, and in a period he also appeared on television with Ambassador George Melas giving a photographic graphs was exhibited at the Olympic Gallery (now Olympic Tower) in New York under the auspices of Spyros Skouras, as a sequel to the publication of his book Since then the images have been displayed at the Art Association in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; The Hellenic Centre in London; and in Greece at exhibitions in Athens, Salonica, Patras, Santo-

he exhibited a selection of his photographs of Greece at Galerie Sit Down near the Picasso His bestselling book, Enchanted Land 1954-1965 was published by

A selection of photographs taken during Antarctica entitled, in the '50s, was published in the summer of held in Monodendri, Greece from August 2007

of Greece was published to coincide with his GrĂ¨ce: les annĂŠes d'innocence and was pubCurrently McCabe divides his time between New York, Paris and Athens, where his wife tica in 1959 was published on October 1, 2010 under the title DeepFreeze: A Photographer's Antarctic Odyssey in the Year 1959 2011 his newest book, was published ing on a forthcoming book about Mycenae, to be followed by his early color photographs of Greece, initially taken for the National Geo204295

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Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 83

HISTORY

Digging up American spies in Greece by Kathy Tzilivakis IMAGINE FINDING out that your grandfather’s neighbor – the gentlemanly, mild-mannered professor you remember coming around the back working for Jack Caskey – formerly the director of the school of classical It was a shocking revelation for Susan Heuck Allen, who had never imagined that the late Jack Caskey, an archaeologist and professor at the University of Cincinnati, had once led a double life in the world of

One night at ouzo hour, while sitting around the dig house on the veran-

His secret life – spying for America in World War II Greece – and that of many other American archaeologists who were based there during the war – is revealed in Allen’s new book Classical Spies: American ArchaeAllen, a visiting Scholar in the Department of Classics at Brown University, has packed her 430-page book with detailed descriptions of events

So, Caskey began to tell us about Cicero the spy who worked for the told us how Cicero – his real name was Elyesa Bazna and he was an

Caskey told us that he was asked to evacuate a young German woman

My professor, which I had no idea before the night when we were all Services, which was the predecessor of the CIA during the Second World

and they knew the land, languages and the people through long years in to work for the United States, gathering secret intelligence, planning missions and managing intricate networks of spies who penetrated into Aside from Caskey, Allen also researched archaeologists like University of Pennsylvania's Rodney Young and Carl Blegen, Yale's Jerry Sperling I had known him such a long time and I had no idea, nor did any member of my family with perhaps of cat and mouse with their Nazi counterparts, according to Allen, who spent 10 years interviewing their spouses, colleagues and students in

I remember how all of us on the veranda were sitting on the edge of -

Caskey’s widow, Miriam, who lives in Athens, for instance, shared In an interview with The Pappas Post, Allen talks about her decision to write the book and her new project – a screenplay based on the life of Clio Adossides Sperling, the wife of Jerry Sperling (one of the OSS

Did he tell you any more stories? No, He shared this with us and then

Why did you write this book? I was always very interested in World War II, stemming from my experience [as an archaeologist] on the island of

Is this when you started researching Caskey? It was many years later in 2000 when the Archaeological Institute of America asked me to give

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

HISTORY

prising to me, while the extent of commitment of these men and women

My quote-unquote fairy godfather, John Tailor, who had been at the National Archives since 1946 and was a living treasure about espionage,

Do you have any examples? -

Another thing that surprised me was that my professor (Caskey) I had thought maybe he 1944 (the day that civil war broke out in Athens as communist guerrillas pened to go to down to Syntagma Square that morning because every-

had been in charge of all US missions going through Ismir (Turkey) and

I also found out that Rodney Young (another American archaeologist) was in charge of the Cairo base which was the hub of the Greek desk Were all of the archaeologists involved with the OSS dead before you could talk to them for the book? name of Spiro Kapponis, who I met at the Greek embassy in Washington

One was from Caskey to some guy named Jack and was dated April or

Kapponis worked in Evros where he was on a special project called the Chicago Mission, which was in charge of blowing up bridges that crossed

How long did it take you to research the book? I worked on the story -

What’s the most fascinating thing you learned while researching for your book? One of the things that I found so fascinating was something I learned very late by piecing together the material - the material was

named Chicago was never blown up because it was too close to Turkey

had not only served in Ismir and on the Greek desk but that he also was

It was a real pleasure to meet him at the embassy in Washington and a

This was interesting for me personally because my granddad had been in Germany during the war and was there at the same time that Caskey

me photograph albums and a dagger he said had somehow gotten out of

What’s been some of the feedback you received about the book? It’s

Are you working on a new project? I’m actually working on several

But there was one person at the American School of Classical Studthink she was worried about the impact that it might have on American But, as far as I’m concerned, all the Americans involved with the OSS in

It was not only patriotic war work for them vis-a-vis the United States, but they loved Greece and that’s why they were willing to do it… It was Force, Clio, all alone in a wooden hut in the freezing snow-deep mounWhat surprised you the most?

assisted during these harsh times by Rodney Young who drove an ambu-

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 85

Plant Your Roots in Greece To Reverse the Loss of Greece’s Forests

Someday our descendants will see the rich, lush mountains of Greece, and that will be our living legacy to them. Make the dream a reality... “Plant Your Roots in Greece” Since ancient times—even more so now— the value of trees to Greece has been immeasurable and their loss has been heartbreaking. “Plant Your Roots in Greece” offers you a unique opportunity to become an integral part of this splendor now and forever.

cerned and wishes to restore Greece’s natural splendor, to plant a tree in Greece in their name or in the name of a loved one or friend.

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The Plant Your Roots in Greece program could reforest the hills and mountains of Greece fully by 2010. It is the single largest environmental program in the European Union and will be one of the most massive efforts in history involving the planting and cultivation of seedlings.

The Plant Your Roots in Greece Foundation

In addition to tree planting, an aggressive program of fire-fighting has been instituted and in 1999, for the first time in millennia, reforestation exceeded destruction from fires.

It is the single largest environmental program in the European Union for Greece and will be one of the most massive efforts in history involving the planting and cultivation of seedlings.

The program will be a magnitude unmatched since the Greek American community came to Greece’s assistance after the devastation of World War II and the subsequent Civil War. The program centers around the ability of anyone, of Greek descent or not, or anyone who is con-

The first forest was planted in Sounion in 1999 with the help of the Federation of ENOSIS and was named the “Forest of Illinois.” Since then, several plantings have taken place in the area of Sounion. Trees have also been planted on the island of Samos, Samothrace, at Ancient Olympia,

The government of Greece has also arranged with the European Union for the EU to match on a one-to-one basis the dollars generated through the Plant Your Roots program. Thus, for every tree we plant, the EU will match funds for additional trees.

Today the enemy of Greece’s forests is not warfare but forest fires which, with subsequent erosion, create a vicious cycle of forest and loss soil. Where mountains were once lush, they are now barren, the rich soil washed away, the once plentiful flora and fauna gone. The Greek government has recognized the critical problems and is committing major resources to this reforestation effort.

YES, I will join the “Plant Your Roots Program” to reforest the Greek mountains and countryside.

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Enclosed is my check for $__________ for__________trees

The trees will be planted in honor of or memory of anyone you designate. All gifts will be acknowledged with a beautifully inscribed certificate of classic green elegance of the Greek mountains. Please indicate in whose honor or memory the gift is being made and the name and address of the person who should receive the certificate.

Make checks payable to: Plant Your Roots in Greece Foundation Inc. 801 West Adams Street, Suite 235, Chicago, IL 60607 Tel: 312-627-1821 Fax: 312-627-1943

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plantyourrootsingreece.com saeusa.org

FOUNDATION NEWS

Foundation represented at St. Demetrios of Astoria graduation ceremony ADDRESSING THE 2012 GRADUATING CLASS of the York, the nation’s largest Greek language school, Gregory Pappas, Greek America Foundation founder, shared his ideas with the students and encouraged them to take with them some old fashioned Greek ideals as they

room are lucky - because you are about to take this journey armed with some of the most valuable

mean something so simple yet so profound that could help you de-

students - one of the largest ever to graduate from the historic Astoria, New York school, was also one of the most successful ever, in terms of academic achieve-

most important aspect of your

Class of 2012 has been accepted into a four-year college, including excellent universities throughout the nation including New York University, Northeastern, University of Connecticut, Notre Dame, Fordham, and the senior colleges at the State University of New York and the City University

Pappas went on to talk about ideals like arete, the pursuit of excellence and always being the best possible at everything you set our to do; philoxenia (the respect you show strangers and people, in general) and the indescribable concept of philotimo, which he translated as the love of honor and knowing that you are

in the school’s history one of its graduates has been accepted to

Pappas spoke about the the things that separate these students from all the others, who Demetrios - the ideals taught in the classrooms, but also lived on a daily basis as Americans of many of you are leaving Astoria - taking a journey to colleges you are not going far, your journey It’s a journey into adulthood and

that can help you as you navigate the uncharted waters of your

He chose these ideals and values because they are consistent with the work of the Greek America

Many prominent citizens of the community were present, including Archbishop Demetrios, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in and Cyprus governments, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation,

kindergarten members - young toddlers of the Class of 2024 escorted members of the Class of 2012 into the room and to their

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 87

FOUNDATION NEWS

Boston College junior latest Hellenic Legacy Scholarship winner The Greek America Foundation is proud to announce that Amanda-Eve Beiner is our latest Hellenic Legacy Scholar for study abroad in

The Greek America Foundation is very pleased to award Amanda-Eve Beiner our Hellenic Legacy scholarship for the fall of 2012, since she embodies the belief that if you love Greece,

at DEREE - The American College of Greece in Athens during the 2012 fall semester which

is to foster a love for Greece and Hellenism in students who are passionate about making a arship aims to accomplish more than making a Greece and Hellenic heritage inspires the recipi-

APPLY NOW FOR SPRING 2013 SCHOLARSHIP Amanda-Eve is the sixth recipient of the Greek America Foundation's prestigious scholarship, which covers complete tuition for an entire semester of study, designed to give students maximum exposure to life in Greece, coupled

Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Hellenic Legacy Spring semester scholarship, awarded to a student for a complete semester's tuition at the American College of Greece in Athens, by the Greek America

In addition to the scholarship, the Foundation has also awarded one post-baccalaureate fellowship for an entire year of study to a recent

The Hellenic Legacy Scholarship is one of the core components of the mission of the Greek

Amanda-Eve is a junior English and Photography major with a minor in Classical Studies at she was young, Amanda-Eve has had a passion for all things Greek, driving her to study both ancient Greek civilization and modern Greek

DEREE - The American College of Greece is the oldest and largest American-sponsored higher

is accredited by the New England Association of courses annually, students can select from a wide range of disciplines such as history, the arts, literature, languages, humanities, business and others for their semester-long course

provides an opportunity for a truly transformative experience during which students have the chance to learn more about themselves and to develop an understanding of the place of

The Greek America Foundation is looking

raising money for an endowment with an ultimate goal to send between 50 and 60 students to Greece annually, the Foundation will award scholarships concurrently while building the

a commitment to community building and leadership who wish to spend a semester in Boston's Greek-American community, Amanda-Eve is looking forward to experiencing

dent-minded students who wish to immerse themselves into the heart of an ancient capital city at an educational institution comprised of

Greece began this August, when she volunThe purpose of the Hellenic Legacy Scholarship 88

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

The Greek America Foundation is dedicated to the promotion, preservation and perpetuation of Greek culture, history, heritage and ideals

The deadline for the Spring 2013 scholarship is mation, or to download application materials,

The Greek America Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 300 Spartans derstand and appreciate the work of the Greek America Foundation and will commit $1000 each existing grants and supporters. Thank you to all of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spartans who have given so generously. If you or someone you know would like to support the Greek America Foundation, please contact us at 312-733-4633 or send us an email at info@greekamerica.org. You can also donate online at www.greekamerica.org Save the date for our next Spartan Retreat, September 21-23, 2012

OUR SPARTANS*

Maria Allwin, Greenwich, CT

James & Ann Gianopulos, Beverly Hills, CA

Leon Andreadakis, Long Island City, NY

Thomas Kalaris, Summit, NJ

James Pedas, Washington, DC

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George & Bettina Kallins, Newport Beach, CA

Theodore Pedas, Washington, DC

Terry Athas, Glenview, IL

Chrysovalantis Kefalas, Washington, DC

Lee Polydor, Toronto, Canada

Elizabeth Bartz & John Chames, Akron, OH

Peter Kikis, New York, NY

Nora Presti, Columbia, MD

George Bellios DMD, Pittsburgh, PA

Nick Livanos, New York, NY

John Pyrovolakis, New York, NY

Kevin Charnota, Elmwood Park, IL

Kostas Mallios, Seattle, WA

Manos Sifakis, Wayne, PA

Michael Marks, Chicago, IL

Christopher Tsarnas, New York, NY

Dimitris Eliopoulos, Chicago, IL

Dean & Maria Nicolacakis, San Francisco, CA

Peter & Paula Fasseas, Chicago, IL

Louis Pahountis, Pittsburgh, PA

William Vastis, Mississauga, ON, Canada

Leonidas Palmos, Boulder, CO

Peter & Tina Verros, Bloomingdale, IL

Troy Geanopulos, Pittsburgh, PA

Carli, Mariana & Nicholas Pantelidis, New York, NY

Brandon Wilson, Chicago, IL

Nicholas Gialamas, Lake Forest, IL

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Anthie Zairis, Columbia, MD

Anna Giannoulias, Chicago, IL

Chris Papavasiliou, New York, NY

Lee Zapis, Bay Village, OH

Your contribution is 100% tax deductible. The Greek America Foundation is a 501(c)(3) publicly *At time of publication

Celebrate You

At Kimpton, we are committed to a culture that acknowledges, accepts and celebrates differences among people - and our collaboration with the Greek America Foundation is a testament to that mission. Together we help promote, preserve and perpetuate the Greek culture, history and heritage of America. Friends of Kimpton and the Greek America Foundation enjoy a year-round 10% discount at any of the Kimpton properties (must use special rate code GAF at booking).

Niki Leondakis President and Chief Operating Officer, KimptonÂŽ Hotels Visit kimptonGAF.com to learn more about Kimpton and the Greek America Foundation

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GREEK SH RTS

AS A LONGSTANDING SUPPORTER OF THOSE IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES - AND PARTICULARLY PHOTOGRAPHERS AND FILMMAKERS SEEKING TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD - THE GREEK AMERICA FOUNDATION HOSTS AN ANNUAL FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL IN TORONTO EVERY MAY CALLED GREEK FILM AND FOTO WEEK. THE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPONENT RUNS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CONTACT PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL, THE LARGEST PHOTO FESTIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA. GREEK SHORTS 2013: WE ARE EXCITED TO SPONSOR A SHORT FILM CONTEST WITH A SPECIFIC THEME, AIMING TO ENCOURAGE FILMMAKERS TO CREATE GREEK-THEMED AND GREEK-INSPIRED SHORT FILMS. THIS YEAR'S SHORT FILM CONTEST WILL CHALLENGE FILMMAKERS TO MAKE A FILM, TWELVE MINUTES OR LESS, ABOUT HOW A STRANGER/ FOREIGNER'S ENCOUNTER WITH GREECE OR A GREEK VALUE CAN EFFECTIVELY CHANGE HIS/HER LIFE. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST TO ENTER A FILM IN GREEK SHORTS 2013 AT GFFW@GREEKAMERICA.ORG

FOUNDATION NEWS

‘Feast of inspiration’ inspired and united Greeks; Gathered innovators and thinkers for ground-breaking conference MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE gathered in New York City the weekend of April 27-29, 2012, for the Greek America Foundation’s second biennial National Innovation Conference (NIC) and Forty Under 40 awards weekend, a threeday meeting where global thinkers, leaders,

commitment to supporting new ideas and enA world-class group of nine conference presenters included George Logothetis, Chairman

Cupcake are owned and operated by Greeks with fresh, new ideas and it is our responsibility to not only support them at times like these, but to also make their leadership an example to

Post Media Group; and brand strategist Peter

Saturday’s all-day conference, held at New York University’s Skirball Center, provided a forum

The event was emceed and curated by Gregory Pappas, the Greek America Foundation’s foundLeda Karabela, a leadership coach and expert

exchange addressed a pressing issue: how Greek diaspora can address the current Greek

chairman and CEO of Libra, an international conglomerate with business in over 20 countries throughout the world spoke about the issue on everyone’s mind -

who splits her time between Silicon Valley and

to business and how adherence to our Greek NIC attendees, volunteers and presenters hailed from two dozen states and six countries, including participants from the United Kingdom, Australia and Greece, making the endeavor a

launch parties in New York City’s fashionable SoHo neighborhood, one at conference speaker store, and the second at the new Georgetown force of a human being, rolled onstage in a

expression of the Greek America Foundation’s 92

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

crisis presented opportunities to return to our

FOUNDATION NEWS

PHOTOS BY GEORGE KOKKINOS Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 93

FOUNDATION NEWS

roots and rediscover Greece's natural resourc-

how each of us is a brand; and Greeks have the economic, existential, or emotional – takes us deep into our souls and forces us to examine

up with the idea to use seaweed from Greek beaches, an abundant natural resource, as

Attendees had the opportunity to meet each other and the day’s speakers in two networkKostas Mallios, vice president of Intellectual Ventures, discussed how we can put principles of philanthropreneusism, the combination of Greek values on philanthropy and entrepre-

NIC speaker John Pyrovolakis, founder and CEO of the Innovation Accelerator Initiative, con-

the power of its people can it remake itself as another NIC speaker, described how he led a three-year mission to recover and return 5,000 priceless jewelry and art pieces to Iraq that

That night, more than 500 people from throughout the nation came together to honor the 2012

cabinet minister and president of the nation’s top museum, the Royal Ontario Museum,

distinction to forty young leaders who were selected by the Greek America Foundation both for their personal and professional success, but also for their commitment to philanthropic

change in our lives through use of political psy-

The winners traveled from throughout North America to attend the weekend, sharing stories, networking, meeting new friends and being a part of an important and growing community of

problems can be solved by the people in this The epic weekend culminated in a Sunday morning breakfast for attendees at the New

Next onstage was Stefanos Sitaras, an horse, saying that we cannot wait for a savior inspiring speech on living in the moment to look in the mirror and discover the leader

much-anticipated announcement: the recent launch of Ginetai, a new center for entrepre-

to the roomful of people he has a life-threatenInternational brand strategist Peter Economides closed the day’s conference with his outlook on 94

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

For more information and to watch the NIC

FOUNDATION NEWS

The National Innovation Conference with its world class gathering of speakers was called, amongst other things, a "feast of inspiration" by people who partici-

PHOTOS BY GEORGE KOKKINOS Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 95

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Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

FOUNDATION NEWS

Foundation launches major initiative to highlight life story of Spyros P. Skouras A RELATIVELY UNKNOWN STORY to this generation of Americans will be highlighted by a series of projects of the Greek America Foundation that will launch in September of

oversaw the production of such epics as Cleop-

Throughout his life, his Greek accent was so pronounced that Bob Hope would joke, "Spyros has been here twenty years but he still sounds Skouras was an immigrant from a tiny village in the Peloponnese in Greece who landed brothers Charles and George - sons of a poor sheepherder - would eventually become three

"What would happen in subsequent years is

During Skouras' tenure, which was the longest in the company's history, he worked to rescue the faltering movie industry from the lure of television when he introduced CinemaScope in

American dream," added Pappas - "It's the story

In May of 1935, Spyros was instrumental in merging Fox Films with Twentieth Century 20th Century Fox Films from 1942 to 1962 - a

Skouras oversaw the production of such classics as Don't Bother to Knock, The Seven Year Itch, The Hustler, The King and I, Gentlemen

The projects, including extensive coverage in Greek America Magazine and other media publications, will launch in 2013 - one hundred

Skouras was also single-handedly credited with saving tens of thousands of destitute Greeks

"Our aim," according to Pappas, "is to make the story of Spyros Skouras accessible and known to the world, and particularly, to this generation

Greek War Relief Association, which raised hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and cash for victims of the Greek famine brought on by

Skouras worked with thousands of Greek organizations and the church and brought in celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Bob Hope to help create one of the largest humanitarian relief campaigns ever in Ameri-

Chrissochoidis, a 2010 Fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies and recently a member of the Library of Congress' Kluge Center, added that the Skouras story stands second

he said, adding, "his success in business was

timism was his calling card and this message is needed today, more than ever before," noted

One of his greatest achievements was his signing of a young model named Norma Jean

The Foundation is currently seeking funding supporting these projects, please email us at

The Greek America Foundation's projects, her name to Marilyn Monroe, would rise to fame and become the most famous Hollywood

Following the research, the Foundation will produce a one-hour documentary about the life er Stefanos Sitaras, followed by the launch of a virtual museum and online gallery and research center where anyone can study the life of this great man and learn from his remarkable

Skouras did much to save the entire movie industry from its newly invented competitor -

Gregory Pappas, founder of the Greek America cessful in their own way, Spyros would go on to become one of the

Films - will include extensive research of the Skouras papers at Stanford University and the photo and footage archives at Fox, by one of the nation's foremost researchers, Ilias Chrisso-

a special Skouras Fund that will support the approximately $500,000 necessary to launch

his retirement as CEO of Twentieth Century Fox Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012 97

FOUNDATION NEWS

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT US ON THE SOCIAL NEWTORKS

FOUNDATION PARTICIPATES IN COMMUNITY HONOR OF 2-TIME US OLYMPIAN CHRISTINA LOUKAS On Sunday, August 26, 2012, the Greek America Foundation and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago honored two-time the Chicago suburbs, who has just returned home following her women’s diving compe-

Loukas received the Medal of Saint Paul by Metropolis Chancellor, Bishop Demetrios of bestowed on laypersons by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America who represent well their Orthodox Christian faith and cul-

The presentation took place with her entire family present at the conclusion of the Sunday services of the Annunciation Greek press conference and reception were held in the community center where friends and supporters can meet Loukas personally and

There, Gregory Pappas, founder of the Greek America Foundation and publisher of Greek America Magazine presented Loukas with a

en’s 3-meter springboard event in London

Champion and multiple medalist in various international competition, making her one of the most accomplished divers in the United

FOUNDATION EXPANDS STAFF WITH ADDITION OF DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDRAISING MANAGER The Greek America Foundation is excited to announce that Katerina Georgiafentis has joined our team as the Manager of Develop-

Katerina recently graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with 98

Greek America Magazine - Summer 2012

her Master’s Degree in Communication, where she spent the majority of her time understanding dyadic communication and

Her background as an intern in program development at Champaign County Health Care Consumers and as a college instructor America Foundation as she works to expand our development, fundraising and member-

Katerina was born and raised in the Chicago tolos and Presbytera Sophia Georgiafentis, Katerina is deeply rooted in the Greek American community, which has played a major

In addition to her role with the Greek America Foundation, she will take on a new, si-

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE GREEK AMERICA FOUNDATION; GET GREEK AMERICA MAGAZINE For almost twenty years, Greek America Magazine has been serving tens of thousands of readers from coast to coast with news and features about all things Greek in we integrated the publication of the magazine into the Greek America Foundation's activities and made a subscription to the magazine one in the same with member-

With a minimum membership of $50 annually, you can get Greek America Magazine mailed to your home, and membership in one of the nation's fastest growing organi-

With our scholarships, internships and outstanding programs for young people, as well as a multitude of cultural preservation projects, events and other worthwhile endeavors, the Greek America Foundation is grow-

www.greekamerica.org

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