Weekly supplement by Insider Publications • insider-publications.com • facebook.com/insiderpublications • No 59 • Friday, April 24, 2015 Musical Fiddler on the Roof
A Greek production of the musical, by American director Rob Ruggiero, the production will then travel to Thessaloniki. Until 3 May at Badminton Theatre, Alsos Stratou, Goudi, 210.884.0600, badmintontheater.gr
TRAVEL
Pocket-sized Paxoi
Αn enchanting Ionian hideaway
According to ancient Greek myth, Poseidon, the God of the Sea, created Paxoi, by striking his trident off the coast of Corfu, forging this paradise hideaway. It is said that both islands were the secret love nest of Poseidon and the sea-nymph goddess, Amphitrite. Christina Michele Rios travels to pocket-sized Paxos and its even smaller companion, Antipaxos. Unplug from reality, put down that mobile and leave your laptop behind, its time to recharge on ‘island time.’ Getting there From mainland Greece, take the ferryboat from Igoumenitsa, you can also bring your car onboard. Alternatively, fly from Athens to Corfu and take either the express flying dolphin or slower ferryboat to Paxos. Dining out Paxos has quite a few culinary aces up its sleeves; there is no shortage of delectable cuisine to say the least. Our favourite is Biros Taverna in Bogdanatika, birostavern.gr. Step inside a magical garden decorated like the quirky tea party in Alice in Wonderland. The menu is forward thinking with fresh and locally sourced ingredients and features Mediterranean cuisine with a playful twist. Carnayo Gold in Mongonisi is a delightful lunch spot on the island, located on
a picturesque sailing boat marina and is one of our preferred places to watch the sunset with a refreshing fresh lemongelato mojito in hand. The restaurant has delicious authentic Napoli pizza as one of the owners is from Naples. Insider tip: you can also hire your own speedboat for the day from the marina for as little as 60 euro a day, including petrol. Sunbathing and dipping Kipiadi Beach has a long, wide coast with large pebbles and amazingly clear waters. It is unorganized and there is no taverna, so come prepared with water and food in tow. Monodendri Beach in Loggos wins hands down as the best beach on the island. Ben’s beach Bar, owned by a GreekBritish family, that boasts delicious cocktails, friendly service and soothing lounge music, is a great pit-stop. There are
Exhibition Zafos Xagoraris:
Cuban jazz trumpeter and 10-time Grammy winner returns to Athens for a single performance. Tickets start at 28 euros. 10 May at Gazarte, Voutadon 34, 210.346.0347, gazarte.gr
Downhill Classroom
An installation examining public space and its functions, featuring 18 classroom desks, 36 chairs, a teacher’s desk and chairs. Until 17 May at Benaki Museum Pireos, Pireos 138, 210.345.3111, benaki.gr
boardwalks, vibrant gardens, palm-leaf umbrellas, sunbeds, hammocks, paddleboards and kayaks - all available free to customers. For a lunch meze, head up to the neighbouring taverna, owned by the same family. Stay at: Bayview villas in Gaios, pitharivillas.gr and Adamantia in Bogdanatika just outside Gaios, adamantiahotel.gr/en are both rustic, quaint and romantic. Exploring the island and neighbouring Antipaxos Paxos can easily be explored by car, either hire a car there or arrange a taxi. Antipaxos is best explored by boat; there is a regular water taxi from Gaios or the option to hire your own boat for the day to explore hidden coves and the East side of the island. We recommend the latter. Antipaxos is a must-see. Specifically, Voutoumi Beach which is one of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Greece. The water is simply majestic. High above the beach, 200 steps up, is Bella Vista Taverna, which like its name suggests, has incredible panoramic views. We recommend ordering the local white wine, a Greek salad, calamari and bringing a camera!
A comic festival hosting international guests, including “Great American Comics: Highlights from the Cartoon Art to Museum Collection” exhibition. 24-26 April at Hellenic American Union, Massalias 22, Kolonaki, 210.368.0900, hau.gr
TV THIS WEEK MARVEL’S AGENT CARTER
Flower power ! Celebrate the long May 1 weekend as Greeks traditionally do – with flowerpicking treks, leisurely picnics, kite-flying marathons and the ever important business of creating wreaths. Protomagia, as the day is fondly referred to, is a day to commune with nature at its best - with the whiff of irises and orange blossoms imbuing the air with its heady fragrance and the spectacularly vibrant carpet of poppies and daisies offering an unmatchable visual treat. Named after Goddess Maia, the
month of May, corresponds with the peak of the flower season and flower shows and festivals abound across the countryside. One of the most popular flower festivals in Attica is the one in Kifissia, now in its sixth decade, that runs until May 10 at Alsos Kifissias. Another popular flower festival is the one in Varkiza, where the Yabanaki beachfront is converted into a gardener’s paradise with potted plants, perennials and exotic blossoms celebrating the beauty of spring.
MAD Greek Dictionary
wedding date, and perhaps need to be encouraged – or warned - to stay on course. In this it’s similar to and to yours (q.v.), which, however, is reserved for those who are not yet engaged. In both cases the social pressure is subtle but highly effective.
Insider’s Guide to Greekisms A rib-ticklingly funny guide to learning Greek through its quirky idioms and colourful phrases. Greek is especially rich in idiolectic expressions and in the Greek vernacular, the risqué and the divine often intermingle, sometimes with startling results! Good wreaths (Καλά στέφανα) (Kala stefana)
Meaning: have a happy wedding This is one of those strictly ritual phrases that the Greeks use at times of life-change such as baptisms, weddings and funerals. This particular one is brought into play when taking leave of an engaged couple (or either of the partners) who have presumably set a
Concert
Comicdom Con Athens
TRADITION
by John Carr. Illustrations by Iason Iliades
UPCOMING EVENTS
Exhibition
Jazz Arturo Sandoval
Catching birds in mid-air (Πιάνω πουλιά στον αέρα) (Piano poulia ston aera)
Meaning: being unusually clever and/or agile Another phrase arguably harking back to Homeric times where sheer prowess in anything was the supreme human quality. Catching a bird in mid-air would indeed betoken a godlike quality which all Greek males still secretly believe to be theirs. The caught animal can vary. For a real challenge, one might seize a flea in mid-flight (piano psillo ston aera).
Manu Chao The French-Spanish vocalist will perform at 6pm. Tickets range from 12 to 18 euros, on sale at Ticket House. 21 July at Rockwave Festival, Terra Vibe Park, 37th km AthensLamia Highway, rockwavefestival.gr
Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter tries to balance administrative work and secret missions for Howard Stark as a single woman in 1940s America. Every Wednesday at 22:20 on FOX.
WAYWARD PINES
A Secret Service agent goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho, in search of two federal agents who have gone missing in the bucolic town. He soon learns that he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive. Premieres Thursday 14 May at 21:30 on FOX Watch FOX on OTE TV
CINEMA THIS WEEK
The Age Adaline
A young woman, born at the turn of 20th century, is rendered ageless after an accident. After years of a solitary life, she meets a man who might be worth losing her immortality for.
Tracers
Wanted by the Chinese mafia, a New York City bike messenger escapes into the world of parkour after meeting a beautiful stranger.
Ballet Children of the Light New York-based Greek photographer Calliope’s exhibition depicting young Greeks in a tribute to youth, beauty and harmony. Until 2 May at Zoumboulakis Gallery, Kolonaki Square 20, 210.360.8278, zoumboulakis.gr
GASTRONOMY
Restaurateur Antonio Tutera and Dimitri Anastopoulos join forces to create a cosy, convivial Italian trattoria serving authentic fare with just 10 tables on Spefsippou in Kolonaki. “The idea was to create a trattoria that reflected the coziness of home with wholesome Italian cooking at affordable prices. We want regulars to treat Tutti a Tavola as an extension of their space, and hopefully, 6 of our 10 tables will be old-timers who come here for the food and a friendly chat with the chef,” explains co-owner Dimitri Anastopoulos who has known Antonio for 17 years. As a University student who had just moved to Athens from Brussels, and later as a young professional, Dimitri used to call the chef to keep the restaurant kitchen open so that he could grab a midnight meal. The friendship blossomed over the years and as
Cinderella meets Lacroix design Johann Strauss’ ballet presented by the Ballet of National Opera featuring costumes designed by fashion designer Christian Lacroix. 24-26, 28-30 April at Megaron, Vass. Sophias & Kokkali, 210.728.2333, megaron.gr
business partners now, they return to the original venue where Antonio started off his culinary career in Athens. Call it karmic coincidence or just sentimentality, Antonio is back doing the things he had sworn off doing: running a restaurant in Athens in the winter! Either way, it is a fortunate decision, especially for the scores of Athenians who have known and loved Antonio’s cuisine for years. At first glance, Tutti a Tavola is an unpretentious eatery done up in muted hues of grey with black and white line drawings and framed recipes of Italian classics adorning the walls. But the toned down décor almost seems like a deliberate attempt to let the food take centre-stage and do all the talking. For Antonio, who loves to linger at tables to speak to guests, the menu really depends on, “the mood I’m in, what humours me at the moment and what I might chance upon at the market.” The menu flirts with staples but is also peppered with little known Italian dishes from central Italy such as pasta alla norcina with black truffles and flavourful sausages in a light creamy sauce and vitello tonnato. For someone who moved to Greece in the late ‘80s setting up restaurants in Santorini before moving to Athens, he knows his clientele well enough to offer them classic Italian dishes but to tweak their palates enough to coax them into trying out new flavours. For starters, try the velvety pumpkin soup or for a low-carb option, slivers of finely grated zucchini that resemble spaghetti strands, served with porcini! With mains reasonably priced between 9 and 12 euros and exceptionally going upto 16 euros for an extremely generous portion of osso buco,
a meal here is filling without burning a hole in one’s pocket. The house wines here are Greek – a white malagouzia and a red blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot – and tabled especially for the restaurant. All the other wines here are sourced from small Italian vineyards. Keeping up with modern dietary requests, Tutti a Tavola also offers gluten-free pasta on the menu. The chef’s favourite? Undoubtedly the home-made gnocchi which he is particularly fond of, and for more adventurous souls, the fegato alla veneziana - succulent liver braised just so, with gently stewed onions. Tutti a Tavola’s winning appeal lies in the warmth and openness its hosts radiate, without the pretensions and trappings of a fancy restaurant. Great value-for-money in a cosy setting. Tutti a Tavola is open every evening from 7 pm to 1 am, on Saturdays from 2 pm in the afternoon to 1 am and on Sundays from 6 pm to midnight. Tutti a Tavola Spefssipou 8, Kolonaki, 210.722.27.85
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