Weekly supplement by Insider Publications • insider-publications.com • facebook.com/insiderpublications • No 73 • Friday, September 4, 2015 MUSIC BREAKIN’ MOZART
EXHIBITION PANAYIOTIS TETSIS
Subversive and unpredictable, after 100 sоld-оut appearances in Berlin with 60,000 spectators, Brеаkin’ Mоzаrt, a unique spectacle that captivates children and adults, overturning stereotypes about classical music and brеаkdаnce, comes to Athens on September 4 at 9 pm. Peiraios 100, Gazi. technopolis.gr
An exhibition of works by acclaimed Greek artist Panayiotis Tetsis, an exponent of the postimpressionistic seascape tradition. Until September 13, B&M Theocharakis Foundation 9, Vas. Sofias Avenue 1, thf.gr
GOURMET TRAVEL
Rethymnon,
The Gourmet Capital of Crete
Holley Martlew rounds up her favourite foodie haunts in Rethymno I am an archaeologist, but what I learned early on, in my ‘formative years’, was that the Greek archaeologists in Crete with whom I continue to associate, were not only experts in the field of Minoan archaeology, they were all ‘foodies’. They knew all the best places, and I was invited to come along. So it is on the basis of much experience and incalculable numbers of incredibly delicious meals that I will begin to share my experiences with you. It helps that my memory for food is prodigious. In fact a gentleman friend, an eminent Byzantinologist, once looked down at me, shaking his head during one wonderful dinner, and said “Holley, you are the only person I have ever met who can recount every meal you have ever eaten.” Be that as it may, and I think it is largely true, I am now going to begin to share my experiences with you. I will start with some favourite haunts and some tips on Rethymno’s unique culinary delights.
Maria’s Home Cooking: Not far down the road that runs by the sea, you turn right then walk slightly uphill a short distance. Look carefully on the left, and you will see a sign “Maria’s Home Cooking”. And that
is exactly what it is, because all the dishes are traditional Greek recipes which change daily, and are cooked by Maria herself in a minute taverna. As was old Greek custom you are immediately taken to the kitchen. Every lid is opened and every oven door, so that you can make your choice. It is Greece as it was a hundred years ago. Long live Maria! The time to go is between noon and 3.30, because after that Maria is sold out and you will have to wait to go another day. Georgiou Papandandreou 31
is the landmark of the town. A good way to start is with courgette flowers filled with rice, small meatballs, dolmadakia -- small stuffed vine leaves -- and a Greek salad. More adventurous would be to include grilled octopus, fried squids, sea urchins which are a Cretan delicacy, and a plate of boiled Cretan greens which are slightly bitter and best eaten with a squeeze of lemon juice. Traditional cabbage rolls filled with rice, onions and herbs served with a creamy sauce would be another good choice. A tasty Cretan dish is koukouvaja (little owls). A Cretan rusk forms a round base on top of which are placed tomatoes cut into tiny pieces, minute slices of spring onion, capers, mint, oregano, a drizzle of olive oil and finally a sprinkling of crumbled Myzithra cheese. The sensation at Zambia however, is a speciality of Rethymnnon, called kallitsounia. Originally they were part of every feast, especially Easter, and made on Holy Thursday morning. They are small rectangles of pastry filled with a mixture of Myzithra cheese, egg and a bit of mint, and are served with honey. Myzithra is the creamy soft cheese of the area, which is very subtle in flavour. It is best to order the kallitsounia at the beginning of the meal, two per person, because they are only made to order and do take time. You will be rewarded for doing so. An.Stamathioudaki 20. Meli: If you like ice cream,Meli is heaven on earth, because it serves the best ice cream in Crete as well as exquisite pastries and a variety of coffees. The setting too is delightful. Streamers of dark green leaves cascade down from overhead between tables. A low dusty fountain plays fitfully. It is very popular with Rethymniots, and a mix of natives and tourists sit at tables with over-sized comfy chairs from morning ‘til after midnight. Sophokli Venizelou 7.
Zambia: Zambia is a taverna with a range of traditional Greek dishes, cooked freshly and waiting, or cooked to order if you want fresh fish or grilled meats. The best view is when you dine outside in the delightful courtyard at the edge of a cliff, and look across the water to another cliff on the top of which sits the Fortezza, the large and imposing Venetian fortress that
UPCOMING EVENTS MUSIC ALEXANDRE DESPLAT AT HERODES ATTICUS Oscar-winning French-Greek composer Alexandre Desplat will be conducting a 100-member Athens State Orchestra at the Herod Atticus Theatre. Desplat’s soundtracks include music for films such as Syriana, Argo, and The Imitation Game among others. On September 9 at 9pm. Dionysiou Areopagitou
EXHIBITION
EXHIBITION
DESTE PRIZE 2015 An international jury will select a winner from six short-listed Greek and Cypriot artists on September 7. The exhibition runs until September 30, Cycladic Museum, Neophytou Douka 4, cycladic.gr
TONY CRAGG SOLO EXHIBITION Cragg’s compositions have been playing with the notion of compression and expansion in the use of totemic structures where the appearance of the human profile is often a reclusive aspect of the overall structure. From Sept 10 at the Benaki Museum, Peiraios 138 benaki.gr
Restaurant review
A cornucopia of flavours
Chef Yiannis Baxevanis takes on the Glyfada seafront with the Papatheoharis Group’s latest culinary venture - Ark. The theme here is Miami-inspired opulence - complete with palm fronds, sky-high arches, grand white pianos, sexy ushers and sprawling courtyards. While the description might appear jarringly blingbling rather than sophisticated chic, fortunately for us, it retains the latter both in its decor as well as menu choices. Ark has been drawing regulars to its unique waterfront location both for its club vibes as well as its cuisine since its opening late May . A great setting to sip on one of the several inspired cocktails served here, we’d highly recommend that you stay on for dinner.
Baxevannis pulls all the stops and creates a palate-tickling combo of textures and tastes so complex that you’ll soon be heading out here to try out all the dishes you left out the first time round. Insider favourites: It sounds like its a suicidal ploy to thicken ones arteries but do try the Grilled beef diaphragm - perfectly seared and seasoned with Eastern
spices. Another must, the organic veal tenderloin, a hark back to the chef’s French days early in his career - succulently sublime. For desserts, opt for the soft Malibu mousse with coconut, dates, strawberry and caramel sauce or for the classic almond cake. Ark, Grigoriou Lambraki 2 , Glyfada. Tel: 210.894.8882 - www.ark-glyfada.gr
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GASTRONOMY DINNER IN THE SKY
A team of chefs create delectable meals to be enjoyed 50 meters above ground as part of the Dinner in the Sky experience through September. Diners may choose between a 60-euro cocktail menu and a 120-euro set dinner menu. Technopolis, 100 Pireos, Gazi. dinnerinthesky.gr.
BOOK REVIEW
A coming-of-age chronicle
Insider Weekly reviews Elias Kulukundis’ latest book, First Passage. A fascinating personality with multiple talents, Elias Kulukundis is a shipping magnate, author, playwright, documentary film-maker, opera singer (in his spare time) and a proud Kasiot. His latest book, First Passage is about adolescence and early manhood, about family ties (and knots) – the story of a young man’s search for his place and purpose in a life of swirling confusion. Humorously written, in the tradition of J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye or Philip Roth’s Goodbye, Columbus, the book is a road-map for anyone who must satisfy the demands of more than one culture. It also recounts the kind of interplay between money and control that is accentuated by wealth but is ultimately the result of human relationships. Born in London of Greek parents, Elias Kulukundis moved to America at the outbreak of war, and the experience may have helped him to develop the theme of the journey that has been central to his life and work. Educated at Phillips Exeter and Harvard, he studied English and Russian literature, and after graduation, he turned his attention to his Greek roots, reading about Greece as though it was a country he didn’t know. His first book, The Feasts of Memory, was written in 1965. Travelling to his ancestral island of family, Kasos, he verified and added to the numerous family “myths and legends” and created a book which the New Yorker called “funny and most engaging… and excellent anecdotal history of Kasiot lore and customs, some of them as savage as Homer’s, and beyond that …a beautiful and imaginative exploration of a writer’s relationship to his origins”. In 1967 he met Eleni Mylonas who was studying journalism at Columbia Univer-
EXHIBITION MAGIC CARPET RIDE:
San Francisco Bay Area Sculptors meet Athenian sculptors. A fusion of creative talent from two dynamic cities get together at a unique exhibition at Ekfrasi Gallery from September 22 to October 17. Curated by: Kati Casida, Michalis Arfaras and Cornelios Grammenos. Ekfrasi Gallery, Valaoritou 9a. ekfrasi-art.gr
sity and they immediately found much in common. He agreed to travel to Greece and deliver a letter to George Mylonas who was in hiding. Upon his return to the US, he and Eleni married and subsequently Mylonas was arrested and exiled to Amorgos. After visiting his father-in-law with Eleni, he decided that he had to help Mylonas escape. The story of this modern day “Scarlet Pimpernel” is the subject of The Amorgos Conspiracy, his second book. At that point, he and Nick Gage, who was a journalist living in Athens and on leave from the Wall Street Journal (and author of the acclaimed Eleni), decided to collaborate on an article about the Greek Junta. Gage would deal with events in Greece, interviewing the members of the dictatorship; while Kulukundis travelled around Europe interviewing Greek politicians in exile. The story of George Mylonas’ escape, executed by Kulukundis, received enormous international publicity thanks to Nick Gage’s article in the New York Times and the recounting of the escape by Mario Scialoja, one of Kulukundis’ fellow accomplices, in the Italian newspaper, Espresso. When the Greek junta supported a coup against the government of Cyprus in 1974, the island nation was invaded by Turkey and subsequently divided. Kulukundis travelled there and made a documentary film, Cyprus: Anatomy of a Crisis. Kulukundis then went on to write a play, Three Brides for Kasos, which is based on one chapter from his book, The Feasts of Memory. The play became a musical with music composed by Mark Kolt and was presented at the Winnipeg Fringe festival of 2005. A hybrid like his writing, Kulukundis’ books flit from sophisticated dinner table conversations of exiles in London or New York to delve into the darker motivations of the Aegean islands. First Passage is a revealing family chronicle of one of the great Greek shipping dynasties and a brilliant portrayal of Aegean island life.
TV THIS WEEK TYRANT 2
Bassam Barry Al-Fayeed, the youngest son of an infamous MiddleEastern tyrant must now guide the new President , his brutal and unstable older brother Jamal. At 21.20 on Wednesdays
AMERICANS 3
Set during the Cold War period in the 1980s, The Americans is the story of Elizabeth(Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings(Matthew Rhys), two Soviet KGB officers posing as U.S. citizens and a married couple. At 22.20 on Tuesdays Watch FOX on OTE TV
CINEMA THIS WEEK
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION
Ethan and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are, committed to destroying the IMF.
WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS
Caught between a forbidden romance and the expectations of his friends, aspiring DJ Cole Carter attempts to find the path in life that leads to fame and fortune.