Kids Club at astir palace The Westin Kids Club at Astir Palace launches its summer activities that combine sports and creativity in an incredibly beautiful setting. KID’S CLUB For toddlers: from May 1-Sept 30 Children up to 12years: from Jun 15-Sept 30 OPERATING HOURS: From May 1 until June 14: Mon-Sun from 10am to 6pm From June 15 until Aug 31: Mon-Fri from 9am to 7pm & Weekends from 10am to 7pm, From Sept 1 until Sept 30: Mon-Sun from 10am to 6pm.
Weekly supplement by Insider Publications • insider-publications.com • facebook.com/insiderpublications • No 62 • Friday, May 22, 2015 FESTIVAL AFRICAN GASTRONOMY
WELLNESS YOGA SPRING FAIR
A celebration of African Gastronomy and Folk Art for a cause. At Moraitis School, Ag. Dimitriou and Papanastasiou, P. Psychico from 11am to 10 pm on May 23 and from 11 am to 5 pm on May 24. For more info, tel: 210-6178044, 6178020
Get your wellness fix at the Yoga Spring Fair in the lush gardens of the Megaro Mousikis. Book your place now for free yoga classes and activities for children. At Megaro Mousikis, Vas. Sofias and Kokkalis from May 22 to May 24. For more info, check pepper966.gr.
Photo © Beth Bergman 2015
MUSIC
A Life in Music
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY
URBAN PICNIC TV THIS WEEK GIRLS SEASON 4
trait!). She’s an artist of rare intelligence and sensitivity. And a perfectionist. As a friend, she is a very caring, curious, fascinating, complex human being with a sense of humour – we make each other laugh! What prompted you to do a Met Legends series on Stratas? I’d seen her perform at her peak from the mid 70’s to the early ‘90s, and she was never less than sensational. She was tiny – you’d probably need opera binoculars to see her – but she had enormous charisma. She’d walk on stage and you wouldn’t know what to expect. I think part of it had to do with the quality of her performances; she worked with enormous theatrical instinct. And then there was her offstage persona – her reclusiveness and her selfless charity work. The biographical film we made for the event uses a lot of the archival material: Teresa’s personal photos, clips from her film and video performances - and even her first TV appearance when she was 19, singing a Greek Christmas song! There is so little known about Stratas in her native Greece. How strongly did she identify with her Greek roots? She thought of herself as much a Greek as a Canadian. She grew up surrounded by Greek culture in Toronto’s vibrant Greek community. More recently, there Athenians have never really taken advantage of their clement weather and open spaces to enjoy family picnics. Urging its citizens to pack a picnic hamper to revel in the great outdoors and learn a slice of urban history in the bargain, The Municipality of Athens invites Athenians to spread a blanket, share a meal, participate in guided tours and embrace
GASTRONOMY
The award-winning series created by Lena Dunham is back with an all new season exploring the trials of four young New Yorkers. On Fox Life. Every Tuesday at 23: 30
BONES 5
Bones is an American crime drama series focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought to forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan. Premieres on May 28 at 21:00
A teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place that exists in their collective memory. With George Clooney and Hugh Laurie.
Mad Max: Fury Road
In a stark desert landscape, Max, a man of action and of few words, and Furiosa, a woman of action, try to restore order. Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult.
was a long article in the New York Times about the Greek economic crisis that sounded very dire – she called me to check on charities involved in alleviating the suffering of needy Greeks during my visit here. Were the comparisons to Callas inevitable? Some journalists did refer to her as the ‘little Callas.’ Although she admired Callas greatly, every artist wants to be their own person. Callas was certainly a beacon for her and she is very happy that the tribute will be at Olympia where Callas made her student debut. Is this your first visit to Greece? This is my sixth visit. All my previous visits were for pleasure. So this will be somewhat less of a holiday, thanks to Ambassador Peck, who was the driving force behind this tribute to Stratas! Stratas said in a recent interview that “once people hear opera, it really does change lives.” Would you agree? Stratas was barely 5 feet tall – but her voice was imbued with strength and purpose to reach the far corners of the auditorium. There is indeed an alternate universe to amplified music. I don’t believe in dumbing down opera. If you give the younger generation something they’re interested in – such as mythology, they will get taken in by the sheer scale of the production of an opera. There is quite simply no sound like live music.
their ‘urban’ countryside. The Municipality hopes to make the event an annual affair. Meeting points at St. Demetrios Church on Filopappou Hill, at the Lycabettus theatre, and at Ilision Park at the St. Charalambous Church courtyard. From 11 am to 2.30pm on May 24. For more info, call: 210 5284800 and 210 5284801. cityofathens.gr pastes. What distinguishes your products from big brand names one can find at supermarkets? Messolongi Fields has a variety of products. The olive oils are our star products but the new 2015 launches are worth trying. All of our olive oils are a blend of the local ancient variety of Koutsourelia and Koroneiki. We work along with a research team from the University of Patras for guidance in reviving the Koutsourelia variety and in producing our organic oil. The names of our oils are chosen from the history of our sacred city with ‘Lord Byron’ being our flag
Distilling heritage into a bottle Kleopatra Tsorvantzi, CEO of Messolongi Fields speaks to Insider Weekly about the unique gastronomic riches innate to the Messolongi region, its connection to Lord Byron and on how to discern the difference between a cold-pressed, virgin, organic olive oil with any other
CINEMA THIS WEEK
Tomorrowland
Photometria Festival and the Athens House of Photography host a 3-day intensive photography workshop in the gorgeous traditional stone village of Papingo in the Zagorochoria region, with Yannis Kontos and John Demos. From June 4 to 6. For more info, photobookstore.gr.
Photo © Beth Bergman 2015
Paul Gruber, Executive Director of Program Development at the Metropolitan Opera Guild, will be in Athens to participate in a round table discussion on the life and times of Teresa Stratas on May 26 at the Olympia theatre foyer. In his 40year career with the Met, he has staged tributes and produced videos honouring the greats of the opera universe through the Met Legends series, including Teresa Stratas, James Levine, Plácido Domingo, Renata Tebaldi, Birgit Nilsson, Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne. For someone who has successfully produced over 200 recordings on the MET label, and published The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia, his proudest moment remains the Met Legends tribute to Teresa Stratas in 2008. “It is one of the most exciting things I’ve done. She was very candid for someone as reclusive, and it was an intimate conversation in front of 1400 people.” Paul Gruber speaks to Sudha Nair-Iliades on the special friendship he shares with Stratas, her unmatched artistry and deep humanity. How long have you known Teresa Stratas? What have you learned about her that has especially touched you? I’ve known her since the early ‘70s when I’d asked her to work together and she’d refused to do so!(that must be a Greek
PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Tell us a bit about Messolongi’s rich gastronomic produce and its impact on you as a fine foods entrepreneur. Messolongi has always been a hidden authentic gastronomic paradise. Since ancient times it has been producing olives, olive oil, fish, fruits, wine, tobacco and salt. The area is part of ‘Natura 2000,’ with a unique balanced environmental system that yields highly nutritional produce. A fortunate outcome of Messolongi being unspoiled by touristic evolution, and of being protected by international conventions such as the Barcelona convention, Ramsar etc, is that the ecosystem here has remained virtually unchanged over the years. Messolongi Fields has a wide range of products from its olive oil to sauces and
ship brand. All of them have very low acidity and all the chemical indications are below the average oils in the market. Our other products include stuffed green olives with local feta cheese, olive spread with fresh lemon juice and wild oregano, handpicked sea salt from the Messolongi lagoon in 3 different flavours: with pomegranate juice (a valuable mix of antioxidants and minerals), with ouzo a very typical Greek taste, and a mixture of dried Greek herbs. You seem passionate about promoting Messolongi as a gastronomic destination. What plans do you have in mind? I strongly believe in the potential of our area as a gastronomic destination for the reasons I mentioned before. As we grow and establish our brand globally, we hope to bring discerning travellers to our fields, our olive mills, our beaches, rivers, lagoons, ancient cities and theatres for a truly authentic experience. Messolongi Fields’ olive oils Lord Byron and Philhellene, Kleopatra’s Pantry sauces and pastes are available at Nora’s Deli in Kolonaki and at Biomarket Kampos in Syntagma. messolongifields.com
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SUMMER CAMPS 2015
Baby Summer Camp (1.5-2.5yrs), Mon-Fri from 9am-1pm Awareness and communication through creative play and activities. Junior Athletic Summer Camp (3-6yrs), Mon-Fri from 9am-3pm Including train rides at the resort, swimming lessons, brunch, tennis lessons, ballet, creative play, painting, pastry and cooking lessons, team sports and outdoor activities Athletic Summer Camp (7-12yrs), Mon-Fri from 9am-3pm Includes daily swimming lessons, tennis 3 times a week, basketball, soccer, dance and team sports. Brunch included in the package * All children participating in the Westin Kids Club are covered by private individual insurance. Transportation by bus from and to the Kids Club. For more info: 210.890.1528, 6981.277.401. astir-palace.com, westinathens.com
On 28 May 2015 At the Olympia Theatre Conductor Elias Voudouris Performances by Alexia Voulgaridou (soprano), Myrtò Papatanasiu (soprano), Andrew Haji (tenor) Performances begin at 20.00 Ticket prices €10, €12, €20, €30, €40, €60 Children & students €10 / Restricted view seats €8 Akadimias 59-61. Tel: 210.366.2100 Parallel events in the Olympia Theatre Foyer 24 May at 20.30: Documentary screening on Teresa Stratas. “Statasphere: Portrait of Teresa Stratas” Free admission
! W O N K BOO
26 May at 12 noon: Round table discussion on Teresa Stratas. Free admission Participating speakers: ▪ Robert W. Peck - Ambassador of Canada to Greece ▪ Paul Gruber - Executive Director for Program Development of The Metropolitan Opera Guild ▪ Myron Michailidis - Artistic Director of the Greek National Opera ▪ Nikolaos Maliaras - Professor of Historical Musicology at the Faculty of Music Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens ▪ Thanos Veremis - Professor Emeritus of International and European Studies at the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The Greek National Opera’s tribute to Teresa Stratas is being organized with the support of: The Canadian Embassy in Athens, the Metropolitan Opera Guild in New York, the Canadian Opera Company, Eldorado Gold, Eurobank, Turkish Airlines and INGLOT Cosmetics. For more info: www.nationalopera.gr/en/event/afieroma-stin-teresa-stratas/