Sani Magazine 2022

SANI M AG A Z I N E

τηε k a llos ISSU E - SUM M ER 2022

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SANI MAGA ZINE 2022

EDITOR'S LETTER It is with pleasure that I welcome you to Sani Resort and to the new edition of Sani Magazine once again.

This year it feels as if we are making a restart, operating in almost pre-Covid conditions - with complete safety - and meeting again during this landmark year for Sani Resort and its people. Living in times faced with multiple challenges on various levels, both professional and human, we are called to manage each moment in the best possible way, to ensure the model of Greek hospitality and rise to the occasion and demands of the times. With an air of renewal, following the changes and innovations we put into place and our recognition as one of the top resorts in the world by international organizations, we are more than ready for an exceptional year once more!

The year 2022 marks the 30th birthday of Sani Festival, an initiative that I am particularly fond of, which was born one summer night in Italy in 1991 as a youthful idea. In its 30 years of operations, the Sani Festival has hosted 385 concerts and events featuring the finest artists in the world, functioning as a bridge between culture and tourism, which continues shaping our summers with the same haute aesthetics.

On the other hand, the finest gastronomic institution - Sani Gourmet, a meeting point for flavors, traditions and cultures for the last 15 years - is celebrating the Greek Gastronomic Scene and its new traditions as they are shaped by the knowledge and experience Greek chefs gather around the world.

The issue you are holding in your hands is dedicated to Greek “kallos”, an ancient notion that travels through the centuries and is transmuted, influencing all aspects of contemporary reality. A notion totally aligned with Sani Resort, nestled in a natural setting of unbelievable beauty, a cradle of civilization and gastronomy that connects people from all parts of the world. It is in this “togetherness” that we see beauty, “kallos”.

As such, kallos is showcased through a journey of discovery with the resort, as well as through the arts, fashion, symbols and people. For instance, archaeology professor Nikolaos Stampolidis, general director of the Acropolis Museum and curator of the exhibition “Kallos: The Ultimate Beauty” at the Museum of Cycladic Art, as well as internationally distinguished choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou, who glorifies the beauty of human existence and the human body through this performances, narrates the exciting course of his creative life.

With the wish that you enjoy the Mediterranean sun and sea, our exclusive services for all and the cosmopolitan atmosphere imbued with the warmth of Greek hospitality, we welcome you to the Sani paradise for a once in a lifetime experience.

Stavros Andreadis President Sani S.A.

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photographer Aris Rammos

Dear Guests,

CONTENTS DISCOVER THE ISSUE YOU’RE HOLDING IN YOUR HANDS

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24 Eternal Kallos Born in Greece plays a steady part in contemporary aesthetic perception & 10 distinguished photographers capture Kallos through their lens

KALLOS

44 Melina Mercouri The “Last Greek Goddess”, a worldwide symbol, fought for what she believed in and she did it all in her own unforgettable way

38 Nikolaos Stampolidis The General Director of the Acropolis Museum talks about his life, the Parthenon Marbles and “Kallos: The Ultimate Beauty”

50 Art & Beauty Artistic expression has always attempted to interpret and understand beauty in all its glory

66 Costas Varotsos The internationally-acclaimed sculptor reveals the hidden stories behind his famous artworks

54 Dimitris Papaioannou Greece’s most appreciated choreographer and creator is a role-model. We attempt a deep dive into his profound universe

70 Coexistence of Architecture & Sculpture The construction of sculptures in architectural projects

74 Yolanda Edwards The founder and editor of the luxury travel magazine YOLO Journal explains why she dedicated a whole issue to Greece

88 Greek Island Chrysanthos Panas & Katerina Katopis – Lykiardopulo collaborated with Assouline Publishing to create a photo album that depicts Greece in all its amazing blue backdrop

I ARTS & KALLOS

I FINDING KALLOS IN GREECE

80 Paola Navone The revolutionary Italian designer talks about the creation of her own typical “Navonesque” setting in an atmospheric corner of the Cyclades

100 The Meaning of Traveling Journalist Kimon Frangakis writes a personal narrative of self-discovery with references to the trips he has taken in his life

I BEAUTY VIA A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH SANI RESORT

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94 Grecian Chic Greek Kallos has steeped the world’s biggest fashion brands as they created unforgettable collections

127 Sani Around & About A sharp look at all the facilities, innovative activities and new entry services that take Sani Resort’s hospitality to the next level

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106 Sani Festival, Thirty Dreamy Summers A “permanent resident” of the festival recalls every memory of the artists and cultural events that took place on Sani Hill

116 Sani Festival 2022 A great programme for a landmark year features seven unique concerts with top performers from the jazz and pop international music scene

114 Andrea Bocelli The divine voice of the beloved Italian opera singer will embrace Sani Hill in the grand finale of the 30th anniversary of Sani Festival

120 Athena Andreadis Having spent her childhood summers in Halkidiki, she remains a sensitive human being with an impressive international career

144 Kallos revised A modern viewpoint on the beauty of the Greek summer, featuring haute aesthetics and minimal lines

164 The Art of Adventure Perfect silhouettes, rich textures and dynamic style bring the fun back into our closet with the ultimate sports wardrobe

I 30 YEARS OF SANI FESTIVAL

I FASHION FILES

156 Artistic Nature Inspirations The work of four distinguished artists inspire the moodboards for our summer essentials

178 Beauty Inside Out How the ideal of ancient kallos can be actually transferred to our personal wellness

182 Ten Steps Pampering Premium high impact treatments release us from the weight of daily routines and erase a few years from our face and body

188 Sani Gourmet, 15 years of Haute Gastronomy With the help of a flavor expert, we savor moments of delicious euphoria in a retrospective of the past 15 years of Sani Gourmet

198 Stéphanie Le Quellec The 2 star Michelin chef is coming to renew the gastronomic scene of the Sani Resort

I I I WELLNESS & BEAUTY

GASTRONOMY

210 In lieu of an epilogue…The Parthenon Marbles signify the Ethic Kallos

LAST PAGE

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204 Gourmet Getaway A food expert visited seven Sani Resort restaurants and cherished all the dining experiences

Sani Resort - Sani Marina T. +30 2734 031220

SANI M AG A Z I N E

ANNUAL EDITION 2022

PUBLISHER Sani Resort, Kassandra Halkidiki, 63077 Greece, T. +30 23740 99400 Sani Magazine is published by Sani SA and is distributed free of charge.

All rights reserved. www.saniresort.gr

Group Brand Strategy Director Pepy Siouti Group Creative Director Sophia Georgakis Group Brand Marketing Manager Marianna Koutelou Advertising Coordinator Konstantinos Paparoupas

I PRODUCTION Nasta Publications Ltd., 81 Tsimiski Str, Thessaloniki, 54622 Greece, T. +30 2310 220897 Head of Publications Nano Kougioumtzoglou Editor in Chief Aris Kavatzikis Creative & Design Director Niki Tabaki Production & Deputy Director Eleonora Kanaki Art Director Melina Maltsidou Editorial Team Dimitris Antonopoulos, Kimon Frangakis, Patia Iordanidou, Evi Kallini, Dimitris Koparanis, Eleni Papaioannou, Sonia Talantinou, George Toulas Fashion Editorial Photographer George Katsanakis Styling Director Natasha Lionaki Translator Amelia Zavacopoulos

I I PRINTING

Skordopoulos

COVER Photographer George Katsanakis , Styling Director Natasha Lionaki , Makeup Maria Pagonaki , Hair Michalis Terzakis , Photographer Assistants Dimitris Katsanakis (10AM), Michalis Lavdiotis Model Andrea Wittenberg (D.Models) Swimsuit Marysia, Apoella-Sani Marina SANI@ is a Registered Trademark in the European community, owned and controlled by Sani SA

A connecting link between the ages, a visible continuum of artistic creation, a self-evident virtue for all time, an unbreakable communication code between various civilizations, Kallos was born in Greece, was spread throughout the world and continues to play a steady part in contemporary aesthetic perception. words by Aris Kavatzikis

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ETERNAL KALLOS

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George Katsanakis 25

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“BEAUTY IS A SHORT-LIVED TYRANNY” Socrates

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Panos Davios 26

opposite Bill Georgoussis

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“BEAUTY IS A GREATER RECOMMENDATION THAN ANY LETTER OF INTRODUCTION” Aristotle

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Vangelis Kyris 28

opposite Roula Revi

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“BEAUTY IS SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR, BUT IT LASTS ONLY A MOMENT” Plutarch 30

opposite

Haris Farsarakis 31

this page Thanassis Krikis

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“BEAUTY IS A GLORIOUS GIFT OF NATURE” Homer

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Efi Gousi

this page Yiorgos Kaplanidis

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Olympia Krasagaki 34

Ten distinguished PHOTOGRAPHERS “CAPTURE” and “CONVEY” the IDEAL of KALLOS through their LENS and IMAGES, either REFERRING to the past or TOUCHING on the PRESENT AND the FUTURE

In the columns of the Parthenon, in the profile of a Kouros and in the drapery of a Caryatid, under the unbridled light of the Greek sky, somewhere here Kallos was born and continues to radiate, carrying with it concepts such as Harmony, Ethics and Precision. Of course it is not only identified with beauty and the good, but also with internal balance, the good within us and with virtue, as shaped during the Greek classical period. As an aesthetic, Kallos is woven into all moments of Hellenism, from antiquity to the Byzantine era, as well as in the new age; it drives our culture, nurtures Art, is reflected in nature, the landscape and the light, it “outlines'' attitudes and gestures with finesse. Our human-centric cultural identity is based on the idea of restraint and harmony. Its preservation was the endless endeavor of every generation, and in many ways still is, despite the challenges and struggles each period entails, despite the alarm bells of facility and the profit of commercialization.

For Socrates, the ethical and the beautiful were one, the good and virtuous had access to knowledge, while those who were uncultured could not experience beauty or virtue. In addition, the purpose for which beauty was used was important, and the extent to which it was useful. According to Socrates, those in possession of exterior beauty should not remain prisoners of their appearance, as it is fleeting, temporary. In Plato’s “Symposium” beauty is considered an advantage bequeathed by nature, not subject to time and place, but that cannot bring spiritual and moral elevation in and of itself. As such, in Diotima’s speech in “The Symposium” we can identify the sensual kallos of body and matter, the spiritual kallos of the soul, which in turn is necessary to move to mental kallos, the supreme idea of good. Aristotle finds beauty in the real parameters of objects, as kallos is harmony, symmetry, proportion in relation to a whole.

Kallos is indeed part of Greek national identity and interwoven in our genetic makeup. It can be borrowed, imparted, subject to imitation and simulation, but never expropriated.

It is no coincidence that in any serious and significant artistic endeavor, either in the literary or artistic scene, as well as in the creative world of fashion, whenever there is reference to Kallos, or whenever this idea has been used as a source of inspiration and imagery, expressions such as “conveys”, “translates” and “modernizes” the ideal of Greek beauty are used.

Kallos, with the meaning of Ethics and Aesthetics, is subject to nuanced yet essential interpretations, which only serve to promote the culture of the everyday and the purity of the soul.

Who can doubt that ideas such as the protection of nature and the environment, of the elderly, and of vulnerable animals can be anything but shining examples of ethical kallos and aesthetic civility? The ultimate echelon of service is the blank canvas upon which the supreme good rests.

A virtuous life is the protection of oneself and those around us from “vandalism” and from the “abuse” of aesthetic and ethical beauty.

Besides, the conceptual code of beauty as tantamount to kindness, to virtue and to sensual values is a product of our own literary giants. “Beautiful moral world, created in an angelic way” says Dionysios Solomos in his ornate epigram of 1849, “To Francesca Fraser”, daughter of the English Secretary of the Commissioner. Later, in 1917, Constantine Cavafy wrote “I’ve looked on beauty so much that my vision overflows with it. The body’s lines. Red lips. Sensual limbs. Hair as though stolen from Greek statues, always lovely, even uncombed, and falling slightly over pale foreheads”.

Finally, in his autobiographical novel “Report to Greco” (published posthumously in 1961) Nikos Kazantzakis explains that “The Greeks never served art for its own sake. Beauty always had a purpose: to be of service to life. The ancients wanted their bodies strong and beautiful so that these bodies would be receptacles of strong and beautiful minds. And even, an ultimate purpose being to defend the polis, their city”.

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copyrights Acropolis Museum

Nikolaos Stampolidis

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ARCHAEOLOGY Archaeology is like love. It comes to you and you hope that, if you are lucky, it does not go away. Having to choose what you think will make you be there all the time is rather like a romantic relationship. If I had not become an archaeologist, I would have been a doctor. Both have humans at their center. Doctors are somewhat like the “thieves” of death - they “steal” human lives from the grasps of death, they heal human pain - it is a service and has to do with a continuum of life. Archaeology on the other hand, which also has to do with humans, is timeless because time - in essence Saturn eating his children and devouring even Gods, look at how many religions no longer exist - is relative and is divided into past, present and future. The future is uncertain, nobody knows it, the present has become the past in just a few minutes, and so the only stable element for man, and for history, is the past, independently of how it is

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interview by Aris Kavatzikis

«FINE AND BEAUTIFUL IS WHAT EACH PERSON FALLS IN LOVE WITH»

The first General Director of the Acropolis Museum is a professor of Archaeology and excavator at Eleutherna in Crete, his homeland, while he also left a strong mark on the Museum of Cycladic Art, where he served for 25 years, bidding it farewell with the highly successful exhibition “Kallos: The Ultimate Beauty”. He loves his work because first and foremost he loves man. His every word, so clearly and precisely uttered, constructs timeless, human-centric universes.

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interpreted of course. In my view, it should have open eyes of the mind and soul, endless horizons, to see things as a rainbow, in all colors.

PANHUMAN VALUES There are panhuman values, and that is precisely why I created all these exhibitions at the Museum of Cycladic Art. During those 25 years, my thought focused on “how does one attract the audience, beyond the permanent collections and Dolly Goulandris’ great collection that mostly consists of Cycladic figurines?” The answer was temporary exhibitions. We began with archaeological exhibitions, as well as modern art ones; in 1999 with Dali, Picasso’s “Studies on Guernica” and later with the Renaissance. At some point you realize that these themes have a range, whether smaller or larger, but they do not have a following. In 2006 I spoke to the late Dolly Goulandris about setting up a series of exhibitions that explore panhuman themes. I started with Love, Health, the Beyond (Death), moved on to Money, and left the Museum having completed the Kallos exhibition. I am not only referring

to the outer beauty indicated by the word “eumorphos” (he who has a good, true form), but also to the beauty of the soul because it is one whole. It is not easy to separate them, and if you are able to then that is a trick of the eye, because your logic and reason is not able to operate properly.

KALLOS I admire Nature, and the environment, not just the flora but also the fauna; man is also a part of that. Man is always in the center.

This incomprehensible beauty one can witness, from the coast of Crete and Papingo to the Grand Canyon and the Steppes of Asia, the savannas of Africa, from Peru to Australia; everything that is our cosmos, the globe we inhabit, for me is Kallos. It is beauty, with all the outbursts and depths that the eyes of my mind and soul can capture. Not just mine, but those belonging to all types, societies, and nations - the entire world in fact. Besides, the word “cosmos” means jewelry in Greek. The quintessence of Greek civilization is not just its Art, but also its language, because without it one could not convey notions or ideas.

2 Previous spread 1. Nikolaos Stampolidis in the Acropolis Museum This spread 1. Nikolas Stampolidis in the archeological site of Eleutherna, Crete 2. “Kallos: The Ultimate Beauty” exhibition, Museum of Cycladic Art

* Evangelos Papanoutsos (19001982) was an important Greek pedagogist, philosopher, theologian and writer in the 20th century. His reforms include the official recognition of demotic (spoken) language in education and the division of secondary education into gymnasium and lyceum (middle school and high school). **Sappho was a Greek lyric poet, born in 630 B.C.E. in Lesvos, particularly known for her poetry since antiquity to the present day.

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OBJECTS are THE WINDOWS TO SEE man IN HIS timelessness AND LEARN how TO BE BETTER Language and Art, at least in Greek history, is what endures. How many civilizations, peoples, languages, have disappeared?

KALLOS AND AESTHETICS The idea of Kallos is something intangible, that is why it was difficult to define by our ancient philosophers. In “Hippias Major” Plato has difficulty defining what beauty

is. He can define that which is fine, beautiful and most beautiful for the same things.

So when talking about Nature, I mean the beauty that exists within nature, things and people; that is the “ultimate'' kallos. Evangelos Papanoutsos* says something very apt: “Beauty is the tradition of the soul in aesthetic agency”. But agency and supervision is to have the whole, and to be able to 41

distinguish the kallon, the good or beautiful as we say today. Thus, aesthetics is a product of human minds and societies, and that is why it changes over time. A larger woman in the Victorian age was considered a beauty. But Twiggy, who was very skinny in the sixties, is another ideal. Personally I have come to my own conclusion. It is just as Sappho** said: that the most beautiful thing on earth is whatever one loves. You can easily view the object of your love - what you consider good, fine and beautiful - and immediately be attracted to it like a moth to a flame. Despite everything, if at some point you get some distance, you can rank them, much like the ancients. You can rank their nature, size, form and of course, their psychological cosmos. As a child, I could

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not understand what my mother meant when she said, “there is a difference between height, and stature”. Your height and your appearance, as perceived by others, are two different things. What we rank as beautiful, according to our aesthetic traditions, may not be so for someone else. Besides, they are neuropsychological processes that explain why someone is attracted to someone else, who may not be considered beautiful by others. It is because your sight tricks and deceives you, you may be deceived by the appearance of the other, but when you begin to experience the daily grind and the conflicts that may arise as a result, I do not know how important beauty (kallos) may be if not accompanied by an inner beauty of the mind. In antiquity, love is always connected to sexual attraction. That is not necessarily beauty per se, but an instinctive force. The idea of Kallos moves in much higher realms.

THE ACROPOLIS MUSEUM I was selected via an international competition, submitting nine enormous boxes with papers, articles in different languages, books, documents, evidence. You ask if I feel the weight of this position. I began from somewhere and I have a course behind me. I completed my first studies in Hania, graduated from the University of Thessaloniki, left for Bonn on a scholarship to conduct postgraduate work, completed my doctoral thesis, worked on excavations in Rhodes, Delos, became a professor in Crete from a young age. Of course, it is from there that over the past 37 years I created the archaeological site and park of ancient Eleutherna, as well as the museum, the first archaeological site in Crete, with endless support from all stakeholders. I chose a profession that I like, because if you choose the wrong one, you have lived wrongly. No, this position is not a weight for me, because I have all of this experience. It is definitely a place with different demands and more people involved. The museum itself carries its own weight, being one of the biggest and best museums in the world. Having gained the experience of my journey to Ithaca, coming here was like the continuation of this creative journey of life.

THE PARTHENON MARBLES In September 2021, after 37 years, we saw the important UNESCO decision about the Parthenon Marbles (the Commission invited the United Kingdom to review its position, converse with Greece, recognizing that the matter is an intergovernmental one - in contrast to what the British side claims regarding the British Museum and mainly that Greece is rightfully and legally reclaiming the return of the Marbles to their birthplace). This is a significant achievement in and of itself. My vision for this museum is to reunite the Parthenon Marbles - I do not speak of transporting or returning, but reuniting. It is one body that has had its parts missing or removed.

If I did not believe that, we would not be making this effort all together - this is one of the few issues that finds all politicians and political parties aligned - and I would not be here today. Each person contributes to the history of this claim, which begins with the establishment of the Greek state in the 1830s, and reaches up to Melina Mercouri and the present day. The British people are in favor of reunification with a percentage of 60%, while just 18% are against. Where else could one see the international symbol of western civilization, the Parthenon, united, in one piece, with the Marbles under the same light that gave birth to them; for them to coexist in the same environment as the one they were born in, in the same seasons with the air and aromas. This is not a matter between Green and Great Britain, but an international issue of cultural heritage. It is fair, right and ethical that the Marbles be returned and reunited. By returning them. Great Britain could be a leader in the ethical dimension of the issue. What will they say at the British Museum? That they were stolen? Is that an ethical educational programme?

EXHIBITIONS AND THE ARTS AT THE ACROPOLIS MUSEUM We are in a universal museum where the Art of the classical civilization reaches its peak - what is classical? something of class that features spaces that allow for thematic 42

1. Nikolaos Stampolidis in the Acropolis Museum 2. Ruins of the ancient Athenian neighborhood at the base of the Acropolis Museum

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exhibitions, where Greek culture is connected, coexists or exists at the same time as other ancient civilizations. This is one of my primary approaches, but of course I would like to continue these divine dialogues - in terms of Antiquity - Renaissance - Modern Art - with depth and essence. Both time and money is necessary for this, and not only regarding exhibitions, but also events. Arts are not only visual arts, but also music, theater and dance. The words of ancient Greek female poets were presented on Women’s Day, translated into modern Greek, set to music by Lena Platonos and interpreted by Maria Farantouri, in the Parthenon Gallery. This is the timelessness of Greek civilization.

copyrights of this spread photos, Acropolis Museum

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MAN AT THE CENTER Precisely in the moment an object comes into your hands, it becomes an instantaneous logical leap. This is what Seferis says in the “King of Asine”, “touching with our fingers his touch upon the stones”; when we touch stones or objects, when they come to light, we also touch the final touch that someone made on these objects. We are its continuation. When former President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos inaugurated the Museum of Eleutherna, he expressed his admiration profusely. I told him then that “As beautiful and modern as the structure may be, I would dare to say that the structure and objects per se do not interest me”. He was puzzled and I continued saying that “behind all of this, I see the people and societies they created”. For me, any object in the appropriate context exists to introduce me to the people who created it, to their thoughts, aesthetic, ways of life, to learn and be better; me as an individual and our society. To me, objects are the windows one opens so that the entire world may view history, to see man in his timelessness and learn how to be better. Unfortunately people look, but they cannot see, they do not learn. I love man. Is there a more charming creature in nature than man? The outbursts, the depths, the truths, the lies, logic and emotions, imagination; it is human nature itself that attempts to change it - sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

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Melina Mercouri

Remember ME

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AND LOVE

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words by Eleni Papaioannou

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Never resting on the international fame gained by her acting career, this Greek icon devoted herself to democracy, cultural education and social justice. Fearless and passionate, from being an artist to fighting for what she believed in, she did it all in her own unforgettable way.

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I HATE flattery, I never HAD an ENTOURAGE, only FRIENDS. I want to be LOVED, this is MY one WEAKNESS

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Sophia LAUREN has BEEN on Life COVER 11 times. So NOW you OWE me TEN MORE 5

1&5 Melina Mercouri 2 With Jules Dassin 3 From the movie "Never on Sunday" 4 At the Palais des Festivals for the presentation of the movie "Stella" during the Cannes Film Festival 1955

If one is to talk about female empowerment, Melina Mercouri is one of the greats. As a theater and cinema actress with international acclaim, she was always hungry for more.

More justice, more democracy, more culture. After dedicating herself to leading the struggle against the Colonel’s Junta in

1967 – 1974 in Greece, she found her place in politics, leaving her mark on Greek culture and firing up the conversation around the topic of the return of the Parthenon Marbles from Great Britain, starting in 1977 as a Member of Parliament and, finally, from 1981 to 1989 and from 1993 until her death as

Minister of Culture. Greece was the love of her life, as she so very often used to say.

A life less ordinary Melina, or Amalia – Maria Mercouri, was born in Athens on October 18th, 1920. Her DNA rich in politics, she found herself in the National Theatre’s 47

Drama School, graduating in 1944 and just a year later gave life to an unforgettable Electra in Eugene O’ Neil’s “Mourning becomes Electra”. From Blanche Dubois in Tennessee Williams' “A Streetcar Named Desire”, to “Stella”, directed

by Michalis Cacoyannis, the impressive roles that carved a career of international acclaim came to her with ease and a certain kind of unmatched cool.

She meets Jules Dassin, her soul mate, in 1956, sharing a fascinating career and life with him until her last breath. Always a thinker and an inquirer, constantly active in different aspects of politics and social matters, her beauty was always found in her brains, so much more than her mesmerizing looks. At the time of the colonel’s coup in April 1967, Melina Mercouri was starring in “Illya Darling”, the Broadway musical version of “Never on Sunday”.

A year before, when she had first moved to America, the Los Angeles Times wrote “Now that we all found out where Greece is, Melina is moving to America”. In the same way she made her country famous, when the coup happened, she

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made sure everyone knew. She immediately joined the struggle against the dictatorship. She traveled all over the world to inform the international public, in a relentless campaign for the international isolation and fall of the colonels. Punishing her influential visibility, the dictators took away her Greek citizenship, and confiscated her property, while there were terrorist attacks against her and an assassination attempt in Genoa. Her reply?

Speeches, interviews, recordings, marches, concerts, hunger strikes. This fearless warrior could never be stopped. “There was a time when this woman

that we knew to be simply intelligent, with a peculiar character, a sexy actress, very talented, showed us she could be so much more and that she deserved the incredible role she now has: that of a national heroine in exile”, said journalist, and once partisan, Oriana Fallaci at the time.

In 1974, right after the fall of the dictatorship, she settled in Greece where she continued her political activity in the Pan Hellenic Socialist Party (PASOK) in which she was a founding member. It was now time for her fight in the women’s movement. In November 1977, she was elected as a

Member of Parliament, garnering the highest number of votes in the whole of Greece, and she devoted all her energy to politics and culture. In October 1981 she was appointed Minister of Culture, a post she would keep for 8 years, making her the first Minister of Culture in Greece to remain in office for so long. Amongst her wideranging activities at the Ministry, she started her historic campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum, focused on the restoration of the Acropolis monuments and held an international competition for the design of the New Acropolis

1 Melina Mercouri and Jules Dassin filming the movie "Never on Sunday"

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Museum. Her actions managed to offer great visibility to Greece’s archaeological treasures, through establishing free access to museums and archaeological sites for Greek citizens as part of their overall education. Furthermore, she organized a series of impressive exhibitions of Greek cultural heritage and contemporary Greek art in all five continents and established annual literary prizes. One of her greatest achievements as Minister of Culture was the establishment of the institution of the Cultural Capitals of Europe, with Athens being chosen as the first capital in 1985. Melina died on 6 March 1994 at New York’s Memorial Hospital and her funeral was held, with Prime Minister’s honors, on 10 March 1994.

A legacy for all

2 With Manos Hadjidakis 2

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This was a spirited leader whose calling was to highlight the beauty of her country throughout the world. Style, elegance and an unpretentious, raw power were the backbone of everything about her. From her very personal style to her radical views and ingenious thinking, her memory is revered and cherished all over the world. February and March 2022 saw the realization of an exhibition at the Technopolis Cultural Complex, dedicated to Melina. Named “Remember me and love me”, allegedly was one of her favorite phrases, the exhibition celebrated her three careers: that in movies, in theater and in politics, featuring rich photo and audiovisual material as well as personal items, some exhibited for the first time.

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3 With Salvador Dali and James Mason in Cadaqués, Spain 4 From the movie "Phaedra" 5 With Jules Dassin

Special thanks to the Melina Mercouri Foundation for cordially offering the photographic material used in this feature.

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Spreading her inf luence beyond time and space Melina is always present, from awards given in her honor to the marinière designed by Jean Paul Gautier, after the Melina Mercouri Foundation invited him to create items inspired by Melina. The striped blouse was a staple of Melina’s wardrobe, alongside her beloved Capri pants, ballerina f lats -even though she loved walking barefoot- checked shirts tied at the waist, and her forever accessory, a half burned cigarette.

She was once quoted as saying “I hate flattery, I never had an entourage, only friends. I want to be loved, this is my one weakness”, and she certainly was, by all: from Indira Gandhi, Catherine Deneuve, Pope John Paul II, or Queen Elisabeth II, to even Salvador Dali, who invited her to meet him in 1965 when she

had found herself in Spain for a movie shooting. What did the meeting end up to be? A joint interview/discussion! It seems the genius surrealist had found his match. Melina was never just a pretty face. In fact, it’s hard to call her that. In a world full of fragile beauties, she represented a different kind of femininity. The cool kind.

Tall, strong, with sad eyes and a deep, husky voice, ash blonde locks and a spirit beyond her time, she was indeed a force to be reckoned with; the “Last Greek Goddess”, as the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera called her on the announcement of her passing. A brainy goddess who graced the cover of Life in 1966, only to confront the magazine’s photographer by saying: “Sophia Lauren has been on your cover 11 times. So now you owe me ten more”.

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SANI MAGA ZINE 2022

ART & BEAUTY 50

Art as an attempt to incarnate, interpret, and finally understand beauty in all its glory.

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words by Eleni Papaioannou

Venus & Apollo created exclusively for Sani Magazine by internationally acclaimed artist Mara Karetsos

Kallos, the ancient Greek ideal of beauty, is a value attributed to both women and men, representing the perfection of balance and form. After a pandemic that drove us all out of focus, this year saw the realization of an emblematic exhibition in the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, centered around the beauty we had been missing. Titled «KALLOS: The Ultimate Beauty», this major artistic event was definitely a sign of the times, proof of our need for some optimism and light, after all the darkness and fear we collectively experienced. Far more than that, it was the amalgamation of a belief we have had for quite some centuries: that art heals, and 51

that its healing power is achieved through the beauty art brings to our world.

IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Of course, the perception of Beauty has been at the center of any artistic attempt, ever since man started carving the walls of caves, and has continued to be the center through various mediums, art forms and expressions, always depending on the time, civilization and part of the world. Perception is not a random word used here, as many artists have argued that beauty is, in fact, a very personal and subjective matter. Picasso, for example, saw beauty in imperfection, while the photographer

SANI MAGA ZINE 2022

PHILOSOPHY HAS THE ANSWER Aristotle says in the Poetics that “to be beautiful, a living creature, and every whole made up of parts, must […] present a certain order in its arrangement of parts”.

And in the Metaphysics: “The chief forms of beauty are order and symmetry and definiteness, which the mathematical sciences demonstrate in a special degree”. So, one can clearly argue that Aristotle’s perception of Beauty can be broken down to a mathematical equation. Exactly like the golden ratio, also known as the divine proportion, a special number (equal to about 1.618) that appears many times in geometry, art, and architecture, and defines Leonardo Da Vinci’s complete body of work.

Ancient Greeks believed that the golden ratio was special because it repeatedly appeared in nature, and because it was pleasing to the eye. It was even said to have been applied to the building of the Parthenon, designed by mathematician and sculptor Phidias. And for centuries, until

1980 in fact, this was thought to be true.

During its reconstruction, it became abundantly clear that there is not one straight line or right angle in the structure of the Parthenon! Its two architects, Ictinus and Callicrates, together with Phidias, designed it in a way it would make us believe we are witnessing something perfect. Only it wasn’t. Or was it?

ART IN THE ABSENCE OF BEAUTY Philosopher Immanuel Kant once said that the aesthetic experience of beauty is a judgment of a subjective, but common, truth.

He argued that all people should agree that a rose is beautiful, if it indeed is. But, going a bit deeper in the argument about the Parthenon, is it not precisely that imperfection in the broken voices of Billie Holiday or Amy Winehouse that is the source of the beauty we experience each time we hear them? Or in the offbeat trumpet of Miles Davies, or Maria Callas’ vocal imperfections that set her apart, through her ability to find emotional meaning in every word?

In the movie The Fifth Element, there is a scene where an alien opera singer delivers an unearthly, perfect song. The “Diva Song”, as it is called, was actually sung by a real singer; the Albanian Inva Mula (whose agent had also worked with Callas). Even though the song was technically impossible to be delivered by a human, she sang 85% of what was expected. The rest of the high or low pitches and incredibly fast lyrics were made up in the studio. Perfection, in this sense, cannot be humanly obtained, becoming a questionable art form. Unless we finally admit that perfection is not equal to real beauty. A few minutes on today’s social media will give anyone a heavy dose of technically achieved perfection, in the users’ endless quest for beauty. It all boils down to what Kant tried to say: if you like it, if it pleases you, it is beautiful. But that doesn’t mean it is art.

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photography dluxcreative

Man Ray saw it in its manipulation. Take, for example, his print “Hands of Yvonne Zervos painted by Pablo Picasso, 1937”, a photograph that embodies both artists’ work together with the way they understood beauty. But before we stray further into this argument, we must agree that one should first set a canon, a definitive standard. Like Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”, considered to be a timeless masterpiece and, for many, the most beautiful painting ever made. The epitome of Italian Renaissance, according to art historian Heinrich Wölfflin: “(The central idea of the Italian Renaissance) is that of perfect proportion. In the human figure as in the edifice, this epoch strove to achieve the image of perfection at rest within itself. […]

It is not the anarchy of primitive art: the part is conditioned by the whole, and yet does not cease to have its own life.”

MARA KARETSOS Born in Larisa, she studied sculpture at the Athens School of Fine Arts and earned first prize in sculpture in a portrait and figure art competition. Following the competition she was granted the position of a visual arts professor at the National Technical University of Athens.

Her dreams and belief in herself took her to Paris in the early 1970s, where she exhibited her work at the Galerie Paul Facchetti, FIAC at the Museum Grand Palais and the Biennale de Touquet. In 1979 she met Alexandros Iolas and traveled with him to America to exhibit her work in his gallery. The timing was perfect, as New York city was the center of the world and of Art at the time, eventually becoming her second home. In 1990 in collaboration with Art Point gallery she exhibited her large lucide pyramids and columns in Tokyo, and many accomplishments followed suit: the National Art Gallery of Greece purchased her sculptures, and her work was exhibited at the Springfield Museums in Massachusetts, as well as at the Vorres Museum, the Pierides Museum in Larnaca and the Katsigra Museum in Larisa. Her sculptures adorn the University of Athens, as well as Kifissias Avenue in Athens. Her artworks can also be found in the art collections of the White House, Stavros Niarchos, Joe Kennedy and David Rockefeller. She has been honored with the Golden Key of Athens and was named Goodwill Ambassador for Greece.

Contact the artist: mara1.karetsos@gmail.com

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I RECOGNIZE BEAUTY WHERE IT REALLY EXISTS

A tireless orchestrator of images; the Greeks who did not know of him fell in love with him at first sight, in 2004, during the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympic Games, as he was the person who painted the most beautiful portrait of Greece we could have ever imagined, and shared it with the entire world. Sani Festival had already hosted him with the Edafos Dance Theater in 2001, with a performance of “The Human Thirst”. His current performance, “Transverse Orientation”, continues to excite audiences around the world, earning highly laudatory reviews. The conversation that follows clearly shows his spirit and wit, but unfortunately is not enough to capture his brilliant humor, his clear laugh and puns, that burst through his stories like breaths of fresh air.

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Dimitris Papaioannou A grand creator of sequences on stage, a free man, father figure, caring adult, symbol and hero, nostalgic for the past, role model and fighter, vulnerable and self-sarcastic. We attempted a deep sea dive into the profound universe of the inspired imagecreator.

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interview by Aris Kavatzikis

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You often refer to your age. What is the life of a creative person like at 58?

I could be more creative. I guess I am chasing my performances around the world to keep them alive, rather than creating something new. If I were a factory with a support army, I could do five times as many things. It would be pleasant to have had someone invest in me and turn me into business, but I am just a business in and of myself, and this is what I can do. In personal terms, I am taking more care of myself and my diet, I exercise, and since the age of 35 I have stopped the nightlife habits I had in my youth. Yet ever since I dedicated myself to my work and it started going well, and demanding more of me, my life has not changed too much. The only thing that is happening is that I want to do more things, because I realize it is coming to an end. The so-called middle age crisis is a source of stress for me as well. Sometimes I wonder whether I have made a mistake with my life, whether I could take a U-turn towards something else, whether I could acquire more different experiences or skills. I often wonder whether what I do is the best that I could be doing.

If you could change something, what would that be?

I would share my life between the city and nature, I would experiment with films and art. I would also try to create a system that allows me to stop every three years, for one year. To truly stop, to not have to be myself all the time.

Previous spread 1. Dimitris Papaionnou, photo by Julian Mommert This spread 1. The Great Tamer 2017, photo by Julian Mommert 2. Birthplace, Athens 2004 Olympic Games 3. Transverse Orientation 2021, photo by Julian Mommert

Watching the sequences on stage you create over the years, I wonder if you ever wanted to include the spoken word in your performances.

Yes, I would have liked to be able to manipulate words, but I like that I cannot and ended up doing something that does not feature them. I have been asked to direct mainly operas and I have turned many offers down. I do not think I am capable of theater, and opera is too binding. The system of operas works in a rather automated way; in a sense research is out of the question. In addition, in order to create something I work to the point of exhaustion. Instead of creating a commentary on Verdi, I prefer to invest the same time and effort in writing my own work. Of course, you can make a lot of money with operas, so perhaps at some point you may see me doing two or three of them. Therefore, as long as I have the luxury to not have to do it for the money, I will not, even though I have offers from people I consider to be geniuses and would like to work with.

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I still DRESS GIRLS in DRESSES and BOYS in SUITS, I OPERATE WITH the nostalgia OF a MEMORY

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I am also convinced you do not want us to take any specific message away from your performances. Is that correct?

I have a problem with the term “message” because if I want to tell you that “love will save us” or that “war is bad” I will send you a written message, I would not have to create an entire work. I want you to leave my performances as you would feel having listened to a piece of music that you like, because what you feel as you listen is not a message. I hope that you leave elated, moved. In the end, it doesn't really matter what the poet intended to say. It is nice to preserve a riddle, a little mystery in things - but ultimately, what did the chef want to convey by serving the salad after the first dish? Understanding it may be part of the enjoyment, but when understanding is a prerequisite to enjoyment, there we do not agree. That is why I come back to the metaphors of flavors and sounds. They have a hue, a color, and a certain emotional response within us; flavors evoke memories as do images.

So I try to encourage a relationship with the audience that is like the relationship of a cook.

Do you have images and memories from the time you started realizing what is beautiful for you?

These images are inextinguishable inside me, as I understood them through life and as they were later presented to me by artists through their art. I have very intense primal images of the beautiful, as well as the sensual, which I do not distinguish between even though the latter can lead to a very different situation that has nothing to do with beauty. In fact, these images have a character that can easily be called “Greek” even in the most vulgar sense of the term. I mean that which is blue, white, nude; even the most unbearably banal things that we keep repeating about Greek beauty, these are concrete truths within me, in my childhood memory and in how they determined my psyche.

What are these images?

The first image that comes to mind is a male nude, under the shower, viewed from behind.

As a child I was pinned to my stool, I stood still, without understanding. Later, it was also an erotic object but as a child I was awe-struck when I looked upon the male body from the back, nude. As an image of absolute beauty, I have placed it in all my works. I was also awe-struck when I saw a badly printed black and white version of Botticelli’s Venus in an Eleftheroudakis dictionary, and in fact I would copy it, as I painted from a young age. I remember the Crucifixions by Dominikos Theotokopoulos. I also clearly remember the smell of the sea with the sense of excitement under the sun, and the texture of the skin on my mother’s chest; the very bright light and the sense of openness, as I probably was claustrophobic since a young age and the open horizon was beauty and freedom in my eyes.

I remember watermelons, ripe loquats, the smell of jasmine, honeysuckle and the taste of honey on its flowers. Everything has to do with the summer.

Did your sense of what can be considered beautiful change as you got older?

The meaning of what is beautiful expanded for me; I realized that it does not have to do with eumorphia (good form), but with truth. This means that from a very specific viewpoint, you can discover beauty everywhere - this is what many artists have taught us. In addition I was also bothered by the exploitation of beauty and its shift from a joy of ascertainment to a rule to emulate, something that has carelessly led us to consider what is beautiful to be oppressive. Instead of enjoying the blooming rose, we think that it oppresses the other roses, the ones that are less open or green. For starters, what is beauty? As proven, there is an algorithm in nature, such as the Fibonacci sequence, that explains the way the perfect spiral is created, such as the nautilus. In its most perfect form this spiral is the golden ratio, which was used by the ancient Greeks to capture harmony in the Parthenon and in sculpture, just as Leonardo da Vinci with the “Virtuvian Man”. I believe that as creatures of the natural world, we are made with a mystical knowledge of this sequence. Anything 58

Μedea 2008, photo by René Habermacher

We WILL EXPERIENCE bullying AND HARASSMENT, BUT we MUST be completely PREPARED to TAKE it, to SURVIVE and to BOUNCE back IN a CONSTRUCTIVE WAY

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that expresses it, such as the nautilus, we recognize as beautiful, as if we were programmed to. In the end, what we recognize as beauty, as true, is life itself. As you grow older, you realize the profound relationship between beauty and truth; wherever there is truth, you recognize beauty.

Do you search for beauty as a value? Spiritual beauty, kindness?

I search for anything that can help make existence less painful and in vain. According to philosophers and religion, this has to do with empathy, kindness and the taming of the complex life of human existence. In this way we can allow it to bloom and let the environment also bloom as much as possible. Much like all of us, I am also in search of the meaning of life.

Can you coexist with people who are beautiful, but do not have beauty as a value?

If we are talking about long term relationships, after a few years the monstrous image of people appears and, if there is no honest negotiation on this, relationships collapse. It is absolutely impossible for me to preserve a relationship with someone I consider to be bad, vulgar or unethical. Of course, I discover the unethical nature in the behavior of people, who do everything in their power to appear ethical; in fact, it is this ethical shield that brings out their true unethical nature, something that is particularly evident in social media. It is absolutely impossible for me to have people near me who cannot evolve to manage their negative qualities in the best possible way.

How do you compromise with anything that goes against your personal aesthetics in your daily life?

Our world is beautiful, I would not want everything to be in order. The Greek deficiency has to do with malfunction and certain characteristics of absolute immaturity or ideologies that get in the way of meritocracy, an important virtue needed to organize modern society and unimpeded progress. These complexes are connected with the Greek family and our parents; in the way that the Orthodox church is still connected with the state, in a way that is not worthy of orthodoxy itself. Of course, the absolute corruption in government mechanisms bothers me. The perpetuation of corruption and non-belief in meritocracy begins from the family. This is the source of Greek pathogeny.

What does family teach us wrong?

Not to take responsibility for yourself, not to believe in meritocracy, but to be clever enough to “get in” somewhere by any means necessary - this is a complete collapse of values. “You do not have to be better than your peers, as long as you are slick and crafty”.

In this way, anything that manages to breathe or live in this dystopia cannot be loved directly, must always be loved and vilified. We do not have to fall in love with the value of things because we do not want to face our own lack of worth; characteristics of a permanent immaturity. We are mostly lacking in taking responsibility. It is always someone else’s fault - the situation, society, capitalism. The appeal we have towards anarchy is very charming, but let us not beautify it because in reality we are but rugrats. At the same time, I have seen how adorable Greeks are. The foreigners who come to work with me are particularly enchanted by engaging with these Greek elements; life seems to be easy here, that it is better in the end.

You have two code-lexicons in your work. Pervasive eroticism and humor.

I bow before the eroticism of the body. Of course, people laugh more during my performances in some places abroad, they have a more liberated perception of humor. I try to insert as much humor as I can in my work, but I can only go so far. I wish I could make comedies, to make the audience burst out laughing, that would be ideal for me. In my daily interactions with my friends there is delirious laughter and silliness.

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Νowhere 2009, photo by Marilena Stafylidou

Can humor be erotic?

Humor can be very sexy. I am attempting a twist between the sacred, the sensual and the comic, and this is where the Greek audiences usually fall short. They “buy in to” the sacred at once, they immediately perceive the erotic but it seems that there is no room for humor there. Greek reality prefers humor within ugliness and vulgarity, that is why we like pasquinades and Aristophanes, but it is very difficult to include humor in something sacred, into orthodoxy. Humor is a short cut to the human soul. The sense of smell, taste and touch are shortcuts to our soul, and this is exactly what humor achieves in human relationships.

My paternal INSTINCTS, which ARE very STRONG, are channeled in my friendships, SOMETIMES in my LOVES, my collaborations, and THIS has a CERTAIN SWEETNESS

You have never hesitated to speak about yourself. Do you think that international recognition helped your acceptance, as well as helping to open up Greek society?

If I helped with anything in particular it is because I decided, from the moment I ran away from home at the age of 18 to become an artist and as I gradually came into the limelight, to clarify that I am homosexual from the start, to end this discussion once and for all. This might have birthed a thought in younger kids, who felt this need inside, to think that “I can also be okay, work, people can see my work and not only talk about what I am”. When I reached the age of 40 and worked on the opening ceremony of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, I was fortunate to receive the love of the entire country at that moment. I was asked to do many interviews. At the time I thought that this fame was of no use to me, and to make it useful to others I gave my first interview to a magazine called “10%”, reminding the world that considered me their prodigal son that I am a homosexual man. I thought that this was the precise moment that fame could offer something useful and charitable to young people, in particular from the country, going through puberty, trapped in their terror and their family, so that they could see this window - that the person considered a national hero, for a moment by everyone, declares that he is a homoseual man. I then worked on “Dyo”, a performance just for boys without being homosexual; yet those who were homophobic could not watch it. I am conscious of the fact that this successful performance helped an entire generation of kids accept their nature, but also led many boys who are not homosexual to become dancers. If my case helped at least two kids find themselves, I am touched and proud. Every time I meet someone who tells me that something I did was significant for their personal development, I think that my work has some kind of meaning.

Have you ever experienced bullying, the downside of admission and acceptance?

I have felt it, both as a child and growing up. I consider it part of life; we must criticize and judge it but I also believe that it is better to be fighters, to know that the world will never be safe place, not only for homosexuals but for anyone, more so for women, or Africans and Asians who live in a Caucasian country. In business, your co-workers will “betray” you in the name of simple capitalism and competition. With regards to bullying, it is better not to be surprised - “where does this barbarity come from?” - because this is no surprise given what we are, where we come from. We obviously should protect people, denounce emasculating behaviors, but let us not be so hyper sensitive; let us be fighters. We will experience bullying and harassment, because this is the nature of man, this is the world we live in. It is not nice, but we must be completely prepared to take it, to survive and to bounce back in a constructive way.

So you were not daunted by bullying?

It was good for me. For starters, I had to leave my home and fend for myself as an 18-year old university student because my own father would not allow me to become an artist, nor did he tolerate my homosexuality. At the time, leaving seemed incomprehensible but it was the best move I have made in my life. From that point, doing what I wanted to do in life became something non-negotiable. I made money and was studying at the same time.

My father put an obstacle in my way that, instead of breaking me down, made me even 61

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stronger. This is the meaning of life. That is why I insist that we should be fighters instead of simply accusing others.

Your father recently passed away. Were you able to come to terms or join forces with him?

It took a very long time, but he managed it and we had complete reconciliation. What is important to note is that as the monstrousness of human relationships is revealed, through bullying, harassment, and the abuse of power, we also must develop an organism aware of the law of the jungle, who is trained to be a survivor, without hurting others. With a clear mind to say, “what you are doing is bullying, get out of here”, and not to victimize ourselves or search for a utopian world that will always be safe. First, this is not possible, and second, nobody wants to live in a place where everything is safe. I cannot go camping where there are no scorpions. I cannot get rid of the snakes in this world in order to walk through nature.

What is the meaning of light without darkness, etc. Let us not get carried away thinking that denouncing other people’s rudeness is strength. The strength lies in not allowing it to hurt us.

Why do you often refer to yourself as a dinosaur?

Because I hold some old values or old fashioned tastes, something unavoidable for a man my age and especially at the pace this era is accelerating. I like form in art, which is already considered old fashioned. I like the opposable nature of the masculine and feminine poles and I love all the gradients in between. I am binary, which is already prehistoric as a view, in a time that is becoming all the more non binary. I love the times ahead, but one understands that some of my things are more old fashioned: you will not see many performances that are so silent, or slow. I still dress girls in dresses and boys in suits, I operate with the nostalgia of a memory. If you see men in my performances, with their mustaches and haircuts, there is something redolent of “Tsarouchis”, which brings a nostalgia for a Pasolini-esque masculinity, which is already four generations before my own. I support and purport things, and thankfully it is not my generation, or the next, but the one after that adores my work the most. This can be clearly seen in Europe. I guess I am bringing them something that they cannot see anywhere, and they like that.

I SEARCH for ANYTHING that CAN HELP make EXISTENCE less PAINFUL and in VAIN Dimitris Papaionnou, Ink 2020, photo by Julian Mommert

This makes sense in art. How is this love for the old reflected in your life?

I am tolerant and open to anything, but I have some tastes that seem to be of a bygone era.

In my opinion, it is values that we need to hold on to, a sense of gentility and discretion, a certain perception of what is good. I am obsessed in thinking that - my dancers laugh about this! - when I see someone I can understand how they should cut their hair, how they should dress, how the light must fall on them in order to make them seem divine. In my work I try to transform people, an attempt to bring out the greatest possible beauty from within. If anyone heard me give advice to the young they would think I was a “grandpa”.

Yet this contains a sense of paternity. Have you ever imagined yourself as a father?

Countless times. I was actually ready to become a father at some point in my 20s, as I also had relationships with women when I was younger. Today I would be a father to a 38-year old. And even later, as exclusively homosexual, I wondered whether I would be interested in having a child, but I realized that I belong to a generation where something like that was inconceivable. I am happy with the father figure I am through my work; it is right that my works are my children. My paternal instincts, which are very strong, are channeled in my friendships, sometimes in my loves, my collaborations, and this has a certain sweetness.

With the strong paternal instinct I have also found the enthusiasm of instilling principles, and values in someone younger than me, almost offering them a way of finding themselves.

This is actually what a father should normally do. Encourage a human to blossom, and I am very proud of some of the children I raised - as friends, as artists, as lovers - or of the ones I played an important role for.

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COSTAS VAROTSOS The impressive sculptures of the internationally acclaimed sculptor, with a strong presence in the spaces of Sani Resort, represent experiential art that converses with the natural environment.

We met the Greek artist and toured his enchanting artistic universe, discovering the stories hidden behind his famous sculptures.

ART BEYOND BOUN DARIES

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interview by Evi Kallini 66

photography Ioanna Roufopoulou

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1. Costas Varotsos in his house in Athens 2. Labyrinth, Porto Sani, Sani Resort

Art has always searched for forms to express an aesthetic ideal, from the perfection of the human body as per the ancient Greek notion of kallos, to the more modern expressions of the visual arts, which ultimately represent the aesthetic and spiritual explorations of each time. The artistic identity of the Greek sculptor, whose artworks adorn both sides of the Atlantic, was first formed as a young student at the schools of Fine Arts and Architecture in Italy, where he met important representatives of the Arte Povera movement, such as Jannis Kounellis and Mario Merz. After continuous influences and spiritual searches, his artistic identity transmuted into an experiential universe of unique glass and iron sculptures, some of which have monumental proportions, composing his personal manifesto on art in public spaces.

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Why sculpture, and why in public spaces?

Was this a goal you had set in advance?

There was never any plan or goal to create large sculptures. In fact, creating sculptures in social spaces was a choice that served not the artwork itself, but was a strategic choice regarding my contribution to art. As I made my first large sculpture in Cyprus, “The Poet”, and later the first “Dromeas” (Runner) I realized that when you create an artwork in a public space you have direct contact with a wider audience.

Meaning it is not included in what we call the tough art world. Thus, making the strategic choice to create large works is a shift to your interlocutors, a conscious decision to speak to the general public. We artists are usually lonely types who admire themselves.

And we are a very closed group; not many know about it. This makes it difficult to

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convey our aesthetic or intellectual view to the general public. So my attitude was a political stance. I addressed the general public, with the belief that I need to work with it. Of course, this created great complexity in my work since there are no easy mechanisms to create these great projects.

But this decision of mine, my political stance towards art, led me along this path - creating large artworks across the world.

Share some of the stories behind your artworks with us. Due to their size I assume these sculptures took a lot of time to complete.

Correct. These artworks have an experiential character since you are working on an unknown agent. The duration of the project is very important in this regard, because on the one hand you stay in a foreign place for a very long time; on the other hand you are constantly in contact with this place and its people. I remember when I was making my first artwork in Cyprus called “The Poet” in 1983; it was the year the leader of the Turkish-Cypriots, Rauf Denktaş, declared the ’pseudo-state’ of Northern Cyprus. The

Turks had set up arms along the Green Line and were shooting in the air. We were working some 100 meters from that very spot at the time. I remember working at night and being guarded by soldiers in Ammochostos.

They were intense moments, experiences and stories connected with the artwork as it emerged through a specific reality.

Regarding another artwork called “La Morgia” (1996-7) in the Apennine Mountains in Italy, I had to stay there for one entire year in order to complete it. The locals were particularly welcoming; they would invite me to their various houses, either for the distillation of the grappa or later when they would press the olives to make oil. I spent one year in the Italian mountains, constructing my artwork gradually. In essence, I built it with the residents of the area. There were no gallery owners, nobody from the art world or from museums - the art system was non-existent.

But Sani Resort also boasts an experiential story. These works were born of my great friendship with Stavros and Niki Andreadis. I have seen Sani grow from its infancy, its first steps to be one of the finest

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Costas Varotsos studied in the School of Fine Arts in Rome and in the Architectural School of Pescara in Italy. In 1991 he got a scholarship from the Fulbright Foundation and in 1999 he was elected as a Professor in the Architectural School of the Polytechnic University of Thessaloniki. Among other exhibitions in Greece and abroad, he has participated three times at the Biennale of Venice (1993, 1995, 1999), of Sao Paolo (1997) and at the Documenta Kassel (2017). In 2014 he was honored by the President of the Italian Republic with the award of the Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana and in 2017 he was honored with the Medal of Commander of the Order of Merit received by the President of the Greek Republic.

1. Dialogue, private collection 2. Runner II, placed in front of the Athens Hilton hotel, at Megalis tou Genous Sholi square (photo

by Paopano/shutterstock.com) 3. Documenta 14, Fridericianum Museum, Kassel, Germany 2 68

WHEN YOU create AN ARTWORK IN A public SPACE YOU have DIRECT CONTACT WITH A wider AUDIENCE

photos Costas Varotsos archive

resorts in the world today: the shaping of the space, the dream of these people and those who worked here selflessly, their tough work - they made a dream come true.

This is also a place that birthed artworks that encompass a great love. The human relationships that already exist, or those that are created, play a very important part.

The “Horizons” series, which can also be found at Sani Resort, is now some of your best-known work. In fact, the first “Horizon” was born in Thessaloniki. Tell us about these iconic pieces.

Indeed, the idea for “Horizons” was born in 1990 as I walked the streets of the city.

Thessaloniki is a city with a horizon, in the sense that as you walk in the center you can see the sea from the perpendicular streets.

It was a particular time, the Soviet Union and eastern nations were collapsing, events were heralding a new era, new horizons were opening ahead. It was during that time that I made my first “Horizon” in Aristotelous Square. From that point on my work took on a greater course, as this particular theme had great energy. The notion of horizons extends to the future, but also places a limit, a limit that can be surpassed. The idea of

breaking boundaries is present in our daily lives, as we are constantly called upon to do just that. It is a bipolar state - to overcome the limits while also setting them at the same time. A twofold message that I considered very strong, and I repeated it at the Venice Biennale, where I represented Italy.

I then created various sculptures on this same theme, in different locations, among others in California, the Pacific Ocean and the Peloponnese. In addition to my artworks, I will also have a personal exhibition at the Artion Gallery at the Sani Resort. In a sense, this exhibition is like a visit to my “relatives” for me. It is important there be a reason behind an exhibition or artwork.

You chose to work mainly with glass. How did you decide on this specific material?

Glass was born with “The Poet” in Cyprus. At the same time, both during that specific period and even earlier, I was concerned with the idea of time and space, and two abstract concepts. I attempted to find the balance between the time and space that had gotten lost in the industrial revolution. And so I began working in this direction, searching for a composite presence for “The Poet”. I thought to myself, 69

what is a poet? A poet is explosive, fragile, suicidal, etc. And so I made a list of his characteristics. In the end, I considered which material would make the best match, and realized that glass had all the characteristics I wanted the artwork to convey: it's fragile, aggressive and explosive. Taking a piece of glass into my hands, I realized that it is also a space receptacle, as a piece of glass defines space. I then placed a piece of glass on another, and started counting. We now also had time, the layering of the notion of time. Thus, placing one piece of glass on the other I had the complete balance of time and space - I had reached the pinnacle of a search that had taken years.

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Coexistence of Architecture & Sculpture The construction of sculptures in architectural projects and the collaboration between sculptor Costas Varotsos and architect Niki Manou-Andreadis at SANI RESORT.

photography George Katsanakis

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1. Untitled, Sani Dunes, Sani Resort 2. Untitled, Porto Sani, Sani Resort 3. Costas Varotsos in action with Niki Manou-Andreadis and his assistant, Panagiotis Markantasis 4. Labyrinth, Sani Marina, Sani Resort

This story begins several, or rather many, years ago in 1991. When the magic of the “Dromeas” sculpture in Omonia Square and its charm over architect Niki ManouAndreadis led her to meeting the sculptor, Costas Varotsos. This marks the beginning of their friendship and collaboration.

The search for a method of fusioncoexistence between the logic of modern Architecture and minimalist sculpture; the search for the nature of materials; a firm clarity and rational construction; how to make these elements coexist and create a unified place, compact and indivisible; these formed a common geometric landscape.

“Taking Art out of museums, into public or private spaces, also upgrades its importance as the ideal means to facilitate Art’s social presence. The connection between architecture and sculpture does not serve any internal self-reference. It just leads directly to the structure itself, not to the personality of the architect or sculptor”, mentions architect Niki Manou-Andreadis.

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Yolanda Edwards

VISIONARY TRAVELER The former creative director of Condé Nast Traveler, founder and editor of the luxury travel magazine YOLO Journal explains why she dedicated the publication’s 4th issue to Greece, the place “closest to her heart” that she visits regularly for its unique experiences and endless source of inspiration! photos by Yolanda Edwards

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interview by Evi Kallini

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I ALWAYS get a bag of KOMBOSKINI to bring back to my FRIENDS and a bottle of OUZO so I can have a TASTE of Greece once I’m back HOME

for 4 months in Kalymnos. Those two experiences couldn’t have been more opposite!

Since then I’ve been probably at least 10 times—and I’ve been to Milos, Santorini, the Peloponnese, Karpathos, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Symi, Leros, Patmos, and Athens of course.

Have you ever visited Halkidiki?

I’ve never visited Halkidiki, but I’m dying to. The sea and the beaches there are like nothing I’ve ever seen, and I can’t wait to get there!

Where did your love of travel come from?

Did you travel when you were young? Or was there one particular trip where you just thought, this is what I need to be doing?

My parents were not travelers—so my only exposure to travel was when we would drive between California and Washington State, to visit grandparents. It was usually a two day trip, and I would beg my parents to stay at a highway motel with a pool. The glow of the pool, the soda and ice machine—staying in some bed that wasn’t my own—the otherness of it all—this was magical to me.

When I was around 14, I discovered foreign magazines in the local international coffee shop, and I fell in love with the locations in the fashion stories. I knew I had to find those places! I worked hard (as a piano teacher), made friends with people whose parents were really into travel, subscribed to the NY Times and cut out every travel article, and made my first trip to Europe by myself when I was 16. From then on I’ve never stopped!

Why did you dedicate the 4th YOLO issue to Greece?

Greece is the place that is the closest to my heart, and I wanted to share it with everyone.

The issue is mostly dedicated to nonmainstream destinations in Greece. Do you prefer alternative destinations, and for what reasons?

I think the less mainstream destinations feel the most Greek to me! Or the Greece that I fell in love with. As beautiful as Santorini is, you don’t need me to tell you about it, and it is never going to feel as magical as sitting on the beach in Symi with goats as the only neighbors.

When was the first time you traveled to Greece and where did you go?

When I was 16 I was invited by my best friend’s parents to join them on a trip to Mykonos. I’d never been to a place that felt so free—from Super Paradise Beach to Piero’s Bar—there were no rules, and I was hooked. I didn’t realize that Mykonos didn’t necessarily represent a rich Greek experience—but it didn’t matter—I was hooked.

How many times have you visited Greece since then, and which places have you been to?

I went back the following year and rented a small house in Mykonos for a month, and then went on a cultural immersion program 76

What are your favorite travel memories from Greece?

Greeks are the best people—the most loyal, dearest friends. Meeting these people is the favorite part of my trips—but also swimming in the sea!

How do you choose your destinations? And what does it take to dedicate an issue to a destination?

I do one issue a year dedicated to a destination—and it is very much a gut instinct— plus I have to know the area pretty well.

The next issue will be dedicated to France.

My other issues which aren’t destination themes are all about the right mix. I have a lot of contributors who send me ideas—and I curate them.

What makes a great travel issue?

I think it’s all about a great mix of destinations, price points, and points of view.

There should be something that appeals to many different kinds of people—not just targeting one type.

What do you always do in a destination?

What do you definitely want to see, try and discover?

I always go for a run or take very long walks

GREECE is the PLACE that is the CLOSEST to my HEART, and I WANTED to SHARE it with EVERYONE

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What has been your most memorable assignment?

Years ago I was in this tiny little town in Portugal. My husband and I stopped to visit a small museum and have lunch, and when we got in our car, it wouldn’t start. It took several hours for the rental car agency to come and exchange the car, and in the meantime, everyone in the town came out and talked to us. It was so lovely.

as soon as I arrive—without using a map. I think it’s important to have at least a little bit of time in a destination where you don’t have an agenda and are just wandering.

Yes, it’s important to see and experience the cultural musts of a place—but it’s also good to relax and not just check things off a list. Sometimes you get more of a sense of a place by just sitting on a park bench, or in a cafe, watching the local life in front of you.

Is there a specific part of your travel experience that you love the most?

The sense of discovery is what makes me feel so alive! I think so much of why we all travel is to have that feeling—when we are home we just don’t have that same childlike curiosity, and that feeling is what I’m always trying to capture.

Describe your travel day-to-day routine!

I wake up very early, drink lots of black coffee, go for a run, go for a swim if that is an option, organize the day’s itinerary, do said itinerary, and end the day relaxing with friends ideally with a drink of whatever is local!

What do you pack in your suitcase from a destination? What are your favorite souvenirs?

I do most of my shopping when I’m traveling, so I usually pack a nylon zip up bag inside my suitcase so I can throw all of my clothes in it and check it, and I can put in any fragile souvenirs into my carry-on. I always get a new hat whenever I’m traveling somewhere sunny, as I don’t want to bring one from home, and I usually find some lovely ceramic bowl or vase, and often a ring or necklace. I like to find things that I can really use and live with so my travels are always close to me. But I also love to collect rocks and shells and have many little bowls with those in them back home on my desk.

And what are your favorite souvenirs from your trips to Greece?

I always get a bag of komboskini to bring back to my friends, a touristy Athens cloth bag you see in all the Plaka stands, and a bottle of ouzo from the airport, so I can have a taste of Greece once I’m back home.

Which places will you visit this summer?

I’ll be in the Médoc region where we have a house, visiting friends on the Tuscan Coast, spending some time in Milos, Patmos, and Halki—and maybe Tinos! And then finishing off the summer in upstate New York.

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Do you think that being one of the few prominent women travel publishers gives you a different perspective?

I would love for the magazine and newsletter to help people travel with more confidence—to go places that they haven’t necessarily heard of—to get out of the pattern of following the beaten path. Obviously the places that are oversaturated with tourists usually are beautiful—but I try to encourage them to go in the off season, so they can enjoy it without the crowds and traffic. Traveling, by definition, means we are out of our comfort zone. It’s my hope that I can help people feel more secure as they move around the world.

How would you describe your own perfect luxury travel experience?

Staying in a hotel/guesthouse that feels very much of the place, serves very local food, has beautiful water within walking distance, the coldest beer, lovely views, and sensitive and thoughtful hoteliers.

Describe Greece in 3 words…

Generous, warm, beautiful!

GREEKS are the BEST people— the MOST loyal, DEAREST FRIENDS

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FOR ME, GREECE IS HOME. SINCE FOREVER

photos Enrico Conti

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paola navone

The Italian designer, who has been called innovative, unconventional and revolutionary, refuses to “put down roots” in specific places. The Cyclades, however, broke her nomadic approach to life; for several years she has created her own typical “Navonesque” setting in an atmospheric corner of the Cyclades.

photography Giovanni Gastel

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interview by Aris Kavatzikis

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“The world has always been my endless source of inspiration. Looking around me is somehow my way of breathing. Always and anywhere. No matter where I am. (…) Small wonders can be everywhere”, this sui generis woman had once stated in the past. Born in Turin, Italy and with studies in architecture she was destined to become one of the best designers, having previously worked with Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass Jr. and Andrea Branzi at Alchimia group, being a member of the progressive Italian design scene. Navone quickly developed her avant garde aesthetic, finding her own creative direction and winning the prestigious Osaka International Design Award in 1983, which was awarded for the first time that year. Her inspiration can be traced to various cultures, mostly eastern, and she is capable of including the knowledge gained from her travels in her work. Over the course of her long career she is constantly switching roles: architect, designer, art director, interior designer, critic and educator, as well as organizer of exhibitions and events - either independently or for select clients such as Armani Casa, Knoll International, Alessi, Piazza Sempione, Casamilano, Molteni, Natuzzi, Roche Bobois and Swarovski, a testament to her flexibility, ceaseless passion and creativity.

Our discussion for Sani Magazine focused on her summers, which are inseparably linked to her retreat in the Cyclades.

Do you remember your first visit to Greece?

I do not have a very good sense of time, I am not sure… It is definitely a love that has lasted many years now. I had discovered that some friends of mine always vacationed in the Cyclades, and over the years, I came back with them as well. Generally I am a nomadic spirit. To anyone who tells me I cannot put down roots anywhere, I always have fun with it and reply that I just have very short roots! Greece is one of the few places in the world where my roots went a little deeper. For me Greece is home. Since forever.

There are many islands in Greece. How come you chose the Cyclades?

The Cyclades are composed of islands with unique atmospheres. Some are more imposing and wild. They give you this magical feeling that you are far from everything, a quality exclusive only to specific islands.

Really, what kind of atmosphere did you want to create in your house in the Cyclades?

I wanted the free movement of air and light, without clear divides between the interior and exterior spaces. I searched for a natural, simple and refreshing atmosphere that would enable me to feel the magic of the land at any given moment.

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KALLOS REMINDS me of the SEA and ALL the SENSATIONS that CONVEYS with its COLORS, the AROMA of SALTINESS, the WARMTH of stones under your FEET ...

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What do you consider necessary in a house on an island?

Nothing is necessary. I only had a few weeks to furnish the house and I really enjoyed finding everything the local craftsmen could offer on the island. The result is a house where everyone always feels comfortable, and every item encompasses the land’s spirit with simplicity.

The sun, the sea, and the color blue are the basic ingredients of Greece’s identity.

What is your relationship with these three elements?

Water is my natural environment and the sea relaxes me. Blue is the color of my creativity; it is the deep blue of the Mediterranean sea, of Tuareg fabrics, or Moroccan ceramics - that global blue that contains the entire world.

The dominant color in the house is absolute white. What does this spotless white represent for you?

For me, white is synonymous with light. White is never just white, it can have many different lives and shades, inspired by the air, water, stone…

Since Greek Kallos is a timeless value, allow me to ask whether you have been inspired by it, or whether it has been a reference point in your work.

My sense of Beauty has nothing to do with perfection, but rather imperfect nature with its natural materials and handcrafted items. For me, a small imperfection

The RESULT is a HOUSE where everyone ALWAYS feels COMFORTABLE, and EVERY ITEM ENCOMPASSES the land’s SPIRIT with SIMPLICITY

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makes things more poetic and something like that is never missing from any of my creations.

When you hear the notion of Kallos today, what does it remind you of ?

The sea. All the sensations that the sea conveys with its colors, the aroma of saltiness, the warmth of stones under your feet …

What does an ideal summer day include for you? Do you follow any particular routine?

The concept of routine does not exist for me. I do not usually repeat anything in a systematic way. Especially when I am in the Cyclades. Everything depends on the sea; I experience the sea as much as I can, without restrictions and schedules. Sometimes I sit and observe the sea, it hypnotizes me, and at some point I realize the day has ended…

Is there anything that once bothered you about the Cyclades but you have now grown to love?

Perhaps the effect of the weather on the islands. The sea and the sky are in charge there. Programmes and schedules are of no use… it is the wind and the tide that decide for you.

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My SENSE of BEAUTY has NOTHING TO DO with PERFECTION

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Chrysanthos Panas, businessman, art collector and philanthropist from Athens and Katerina Katopis-Lykiardopulo, hospitality consultant, travel writer, marathonrunner, aviator and travel aficionado, collaborate with aesthete Assouline Publishing to create a photo album that depicts Greece in all its amazing blue backdrop.

Greek islands a contemporary Odyssey

photos by Katerina Katopis-Lykiardopulo for Assouline

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edited by Aris Kavatzikis

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An endless expanse of crystalline waters and incomparable Greek hospitality are the protagonists of this photo album, revealing that every Greek island conveys its own spirit, possesses its own mythology. From Patmos, the favorite of Aga Khan, to Hydra, which enchanted Henry Miller, Leonard Cohen and Sofia Loren, the islands are inundated with an

alluring aura of history, tradition and adventure. Ancient souvenirs, monasteries hanging over cliffs and dormant volcanoes are sources of inspiration for our writer and photographer, who embarked on their own Odyssey. Sailing on a traditional Greek sailboat they “captured” the atmosphere, people and architectural gems of the Aegean.

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1. Katerina Katopis -Lykiardopulo & Chrysanthos Panas 2. Photo album "Greek Islands" Assouline

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THE islands BOAST A RICH CULTURAL heritage AND DIFFERENT habits COMPARED TO mainland GREECE in terms OF music, ARTS, cooking AND DANCES Having collaborated with Assouline on the book “Athens Riviera” which found great success internationally, I thought that a journey across the Aegean would be an extension of this venture. Being on friendly terms with the Assouline family, I proposed my idea to them, which they embraced with great enthusiasm. I owe Martine Assouline enormous thanks. The book is a journey that begins from the Athenian Riviera and unfolds in the islands of the Aegean. This is something that people can easily do in

our country, whether or not they have a lot of money. And so I recommended that my friend and exceptional photographer Katerina Katopis and I travel together, so that her lens could capture the special images of the Aegean. I also suggested that my friend, Eugenia Chandris, participate and she gave us a wonderful prologue. We visited about 16 islands on a traditional Greek sailboat. In addition to the landmarks, the islands boast a rich cultural heritage and different habits compared to mainland Greece in terms of 91

music, arts, cooking and dances. This is the basis of the album, to make this known to the world at large. I wish I could have written about all the islands of the Aegean, but that would have been impossible in a single book. It was a wonderful journey, much like all journeys to the islands. A fantastic Odyssey of self knowledge and discovery, which will contribute to people viewing the islands of the Aegean in a different light, which excites me greatly.

Chrysanthos Panas

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I adore the sea, the summer and our islands; having traveled the world, I can definitely say that there is no place in the world like our Greece. I have been exploring it since a very young age, with my parents. In recent years, for one month every summer my husband and I embark on a mini Odyssey, in order to discover new places and destinations in the Aegean or the Ionian, and always returning to some smaller and beloved ones. “What is your favorite island in the Aegean?” I am often asked, and I always answer that I have many favorites, because they are all so wonderful, different and special at the same time. Tinos for Panagia, its villages and swimming in the secret “green marbles”; Schinoussa for its ultimate carefree vibes and Ms. Margarita; Kimolos for its turquoise waters and negronis at Agora; Sifnos for Omega 3 and Kantina; Folegandros for the most dramatic sunsets; Milos for the fishermen friends and pirate hideouts; Kastellorizo for its colors; Syros for its majestic aura; Leros for its architecture and history; and Santorini because it never fails to take your breath away. When Chrysanthos suggested I “adorn” the album with my photographs I accepted the offer, deeply aware of this honor. Nevertheless

I felt a sense of awe and responsibility, as they decided to collaborate with me even though I am an amateur. It was my duty to showcase Greece in the best possible light. The Aegean for me is the ultimate blue; the blue and white Greek flag, the light, colors, filotimo (love of honor and deep pride) and people. It is composed of thousands of islands and islets, a land of incomparable natural beauty with sensational moon landscapes lapped by the clear waters and little lillies on the beach.

It is the fresh meze enjoyed by the water’s edge, the wise old men and old ladies, the fishermen, the artisans, and traditions of each place. Flavors, aromas, sounds, and simplicity. It is kefi (joy and merriment), smiles and hospitality, and this is precisely what I tried to convey through the images in the book. “Happy is the man, I thought, who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean sea”, Nikos Kazantzakis.

Katerina Katopis-Lykiardopulo

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The AEGEAN for ME IS the ULTIMATE blue; the BLUE and WHITE GREEK flag, the LIGHT, COLORS, FILOTIMO ( LOVE of HONOR and deep PRIDE) and PEOPLE

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gre cian chic I

words by Eleni Papaioannou

By shaping unforgettable collections and odes to Grecian chic, Greek Kallos has steeped the biggest fashion brands.

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and floor-length dresses; to the ivory white shades of statues, alongside gold-plated belts and ‘sculpted’ details. The Dior 2022 Resort collection was decidedly Greek.

Even before it walked on the holy grounds of the Panathenaic Stadium, the birthplace of the Modern Olympics, in an emotionally charged runway back in June 2021. In a constant craving for the exquisite Greek light, the House also photographed its 2022 Cruise Collection on the island of Milos.

This is where Louis Vuitton also traveled, capturing the island’s timeless landscapes for their new campaign, photographed by Viviane Sassen.

Other fashion brands paid tribute to Grecian chic this year in a more subtle way, like Alberta Ferretti, who donned her Resort 2022 collection with hints of Hellenism here and there - a pair of gladiator sandals under a short chiton dress,

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The Hellenistic ideal of Kallos, inadequately translated into English as Beauty, is something far and beyond physical perfection. An idea of the ideal, it has over the centuries been the inspiration for poets, sculptors, philosophers, and, of course fashion designers. Who is to say that fashion is not an art form, and a vibrant one at that? Constantly searching for their next muse, creative minds from all paths of couture have, in one way or another, focused on beauty as interpreted by the Grecians and the impeccable balance it brings to the world.

After spending most of the pandemic at home, Maria Grazia Chiuri started missing the concept of movement; to be able to use the body as an instrument, to be fluid, ever-present. Her mind drifted off to Grecian-style garments such as chitons, peplos (needless to say, both Greek words)

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1 Dior Cruise 2022 2 Callista crafts S/S 2022 campaign

3 Ancient Greek Sandals 10 years anniversary collection 4 Louis Vuitton campaign “towards a dream”

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Greece has ALWAYS been an INSPIRATION for me: the LIGHT, the SKY, the islands, the SEA, the PEOPLE… Jean Paul Gaultier

1 Mary Katrantzou fashion show S/S 2020 collection, Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounio 2 The iconic mariniere

by Jean Paul Gaultier

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or a dusty pink long chiton with a bare neckline and pleated skirt. Chloé gave us a boho-infused Grecian dress, and Jil Sander paid her respects with gold-plated details on soft fabrics. But the big guns of fashion came out blazing with Zeus’s thunder: Chanel Cruise 2022 tapped on Jean Cocteau’s film Testament of Orpheus for inspiration, infusing Hellenic chic with a touch of mythos. Creative director Virginie Viard introduced garments reminiscent of the armor worn by Trojan soldiers, as well as ivory caftan goddess dresses and golden belts. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, a close friend of Jean Cocteau, was no stranger to Greek tragedy as she had designed costumes for his plays Antigone, Orpheus, and Oedipus Rex. Cocteau and his obsession with Hellenism was also one of the

influences for the Schiaparelli Fall 2015 Couture fashion show, and so the mythos unfolds backwards…

History lessons Chanel is of course no stranger to Grecian chic, as the Resort 2018 collection called “La Modernité de l’Antiquité” literally resurrected ancient Greece from the past. The master Karl Lagerfeld, who had already designed a Pirelli 2011 calendar he named “Mythology”, inspired by the Greek gods and goddesses, had Ionic columns set up in the Grand Palais, while a Greek sunset served as a painted backdrop. Why? Let’s not forget that Greek beauty would be 96

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nothing without the light that created it. A designer very familiar with this light and Greek summers is Jean Paul Gaultier, who in 2017 was quoted as saying that “Greece has always been an inspiration for me: the light, the sky, the islands, the sea, the people…,” when asked about his “Paris-Athens” collection. Inspired by Aphrodite, Sappho, traditional costumes and other Greek elements, it was aptly shown at the Benaki Museum in Athens.

A few years back, in 2013, Dolce & Gabbana presented their Spring-Summer 2014 collection as an invitation to the Greek gods and goddesses to share their divine beauty with us mortals, with their core inspiration being Venus and Artemis. In 2019, their Alta Moda Fashion Show took place in the southern Sicilian town of Agrigento, in the ancient Greek Temple of Concordia, as an homage to the Italian island’s Ancient Greek roots.

Even fashion’s wild child, the late Alexander McQueen had created a collection based on the Ancient Greek Pantheon, back in 2008. Rumor has it, he would patiently wait in line whenever the Greek powerhouse Sophia Kokosalaki had a show.

Pictures from the achive of Glow magazine

It’s all Greeks to me

name of a dress by Jean Dessès, known as “the king of muslin,” the Alexandria-born Greek national who launched his fashion house in Paris in 1937, sculpting generously pleated muslin gowns. His artistry could be counted as a prelude to Kokosalaki, as well as to any fashion attempts on Kallos.

Contemporary Greek designers have embraced the Hellenic ideal with love and respect, gracing us, in recent years, with beautiful collections. Greece’s leading fashion designer Mary Katrantzou showcased her stunning Spring Summer 2020 collection at the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, becoming the first designer to do so. Daphne Valente and Loukia create dresses that are actually a study on draping and fluidity, while the brand Ancient Greek Sandals is a direct link to Grecian chic that has conquered the world of style. Finally, Callista Crafts creates bags and accessories that are a constant node of appreciation towards the beauty of Greek handcraft heritage, while Zeus + Δione looks at tradition through a fresh and vibrant perspective that fashion had been quite thirsty for. Especially now, with half-Greek, halfAustrian fashion designer Marios Schwab at the helm, classical simplicity has reached a new level of cool.

3 The Dior invitation for the Dior Cruise 2022 show in Athens 4 Zeus + Δione ss 2022 Lookbook 5 Daphne Valente S/S 2021 collection “back to the roots”

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In 2006, the then 33-year-old Greekborn, London-based designer who tragically passed away in 2019 was appointed creative director at Madeleine Vionnet, the pioneering French 20th century designer celebrated for her fashion innovations, such as the very Grecian bias cut that brought a sense of fluidity to her designs. «Sophia Kokosalaki has always used her Greek heritage to explore the concepts of drape and shape. It makes good sense that she should be the creative director of Madeleine Vionnet, because the designer was so influenced

by Grecian drapes, as well as inventing the concept of bias cutting,» said Suzy Menkes at the time. Kokosalaki’s designs were a study on draping, bringing to mind the pleats found on monumental statues such as the Caryatids. This was actually the 97

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photography Michail Androulidakis

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Kimon Frangakis

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Journalist Kimon Frangakis* writes a personal narrative of self-discovery for Sani Magazine, with references to the trips he has taken in his life, from his childhood to the present day, being a father himself.

THE MEANING OF TRAVEL, THE MEANING OF LIFE 101

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TRAVELING is the SPICE of OUR EXISTENCE

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I remember as a little kid, walking down the aisle in the middle of the night, holding my toy koala. Which night, what time zone?

We were flying east, racing towards daybreak. The jumbo jet was carrying us over the Persian Gulf. Through the window, I caught a glimpse of flames from oil refineries, thousands of meters below.

Everybody around me was asleep.

At the end of the corridor, I found myself in front of a purple curtain. I drew the pleated fabric and walked into a three-cornered room that seemed to end at the nozzle of the plane. Was this the cockpit? Would the captain lift me and my koala onto his lap and let me land the jet all by myself in Singapore?

I blinked in the half-darkness, trying to make out the shapes around me. There were rows of seats just like where I had come from behind the curtain, only these seats were bigger and looked more comfortable. I quickly forgot about the captain and turned around to leave.

Running down the aisle in my socks, I went straight to find my mother who was waiting at the other end of the fuselage. I wanted to show her the secret room I had discovered which even had a great big TV screen on the wall. (Remember, in those days there were no individual monitors on the seat back in front of you. Also - wait for this! - people smoked inside the airplane).

My mother got up, and holding my hand, followed me to the front of the plane. But this time a tall woman was standing in front of the curtain. “I am sorry but you cannot enter here. It is reserved for first class passengers”, she told us softly.

What is first class? I asked my mother as we slowly walked back to our seats. “Oh, it just means the seats are more expensive”, she answered me with a smile. I felt no jealousy that we were not traveling at the front of the plane. Already, the perks of flying, such as trays with cute little portions of food and colorful sets of crayons for drawing, seemed like wonderful luxuries to me.

I recalled this story years later, as I was driving to the airport in Mexico City. Our group of journalists had flown to Latin America first class, courtesy of the airline. And now, we were about to board a flight back to Europe. There was just one problem: The flight was fully booked and some of us would have to fly business instead of first class. There was even the possibility that one person would travel economy.

I surveyed the faces of my co-travelers as they absorbed the news. None of them complained but I could tell that underneath their smiles they were agonizing at the idea that they might be

A TRIP begins IN YOUR mind, AND AS long AS YOU haven’t TAKEN IT, you CAN extend it AD INFINITUM

downgraded. I understood this was for two reasons. First, you quickly get used to luxury, especially when you are not paying for it. And second, comfort is relative to that of your neighbor’s: one cannot feel perfectly happy in business class, knowing that his fellow passenger is enjoying the superiority of first class.

I call this the cabin class paradox: business class is better than economy, as long as your peer is not in first class. Every upgrade is relative to your fellow traveler’s status. Comparative economics?

Sociological study? No, just basic human psychology.

I suspect it was the same at the time of cave-dwellers: one bearded, rotten-toothed individual felt perfectly happy in his cave, on his smelly mammoth skin, away from the rain, until he caught a glimpse of a little fire burning in his fellow caveman’s den, across the stormy valley.

As I write these lines, I am in bed with Covid. I was supposed to be in Switzerland for the “Watches and Wonders” exhibition of haute horlogerie. I should be happy I don’t have pneumonia, I should be gratefully undead. Yet I can’t help myself from experiencing a rather sinking feeling every time I think of friends and colleagues floating around the gilded “Palexpo” of Geneva. Basic human psychology? No, just Instagram.

We are all familiar with the acronym FOMO (fear of missing out) which rules our social media lifestyles. Well, the pandemic has given many people FREMO (freaking missed out) scars: for the missed parties, opportunities, travels. There should be some kind 103

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conceived, which could be just as important - in faraway places. Kids born at the Sani Resort of Halkidiki? Zero. A maternity ward is one of the few things they don’t have here. Kids conceived at Sani? My guess is as good as yours, but I would place it in the hundreds. Maybe even thousands, over the years. How cool is that?

And then, if you’re conceived somewhere, does it mean you have been there? If not in the first weeks, how about months later, when you are happily bouncing around in your mother’s belly? When is a fetus a traveler?

I have two children. They have both been to France. They both have travel vouchers to go again soon. One has been to Italy, the other has traveled to Spain. With brothers and sisters, everything has to be equal. “Dad, it’s not fair, my sister has been to Australia!”, my boy complained the other day. I saw him *Kimon is a journalist, hurrying towards me, looking upset. I needed founder of the sophisticated website to think fast: “Son, you have been there too!” I for men Andro.gr, “The said giving him a big hug. “You came with us Artisans” bespoke events and "Ladies Run", a fun race in your mother’s tummy”. which benefits multiple Technically, I was correct. He did travel charities. He co-hosts with us for free, no vouchers, no luggage, in the daily morning show on Pepper 96,6 FM. In the his warm, first class private cabin. And he was past, he was in charge of happy, unbeknownst to what class anyone else leading magazines such as STATUS in Greece and GQ in was traveling in. The womb was his spaceship Romania and was the and it was also his whole world, stretching co-founder of the Spetses for 9 months, an expanding universe just like Mini Marathon race. He holds a Maîtrise in History, the greater universe of space and time we all from the Sorbonne inhabit.

University in Paris.

Scientists estimate that the universe is expanding at approximately 67,36 kilometers per second. That means that while we travel the planet, and our planet travels in solar orbit and our galaxy gradually moves away from of voucher for FREMO pandemic-related losses. Like the vouchers other assemblies of billions of stars, the whole universe is ever we were given for the flights we could not board due to lockdowns. expanding and gaining new space. Everything is in perpetual My vouchers were for a spring flight to Paris. It was the first motion. Nothing is still. lockdown in 2020. I have yet to redeem them. After all, the loveAll is flux, nothing is stationary, in the words of Heraclitus. liest part of traveling is the anticipation. A trip begins in your The Greek philosopher meant this not simply as a physical but mind, and as long as you haven’t taken it, you can extend it ad as a profoundly existential observation: the very nature of existinfinitum. Planning a trip is the foreplay of traveling. It is what ence is change. Change is not just a part of life, it is life itself. Life gets you excited. Planning a trip is sexy. is movement, existence is change. Traveling, I dare to add, is the Planning is sexy. Traveling is sex. Traveling is better than sex. spice of our existence. (Together with sex).

Bad sex is better than bad traveling. But good traveling is even Traveling, discovering, making love, making memories. Makbetter than good sex. Plus, who said you can’t have sex when ing babies. Philosophising on the beach, under the stars of an traveling? Everybody makes the best love on vacation, right? expanding universe. What more is there to say, to write?

I wonder how many kids were conceived - not born but Thank you for joining me on this small printed journey.

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Sani Festival Thirty dreamy summers I

words by George Toulas

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Journalist George Toulas, “permanent resident” of a festival that has become an institution, recalls every memory of the people and cultural events that took place on Sani Hill, making note of the things that have transformed our summers over the past thirty years.

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1992

FIRST SANI FESTIVAL TOOK PLACE

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CHRISTIAN SANDS

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TITO PUENTE

HINDI ZAHRA

DIONYSIS SAVVOPOULOS

Dimitris PAPAIOANNOU, JAN Garbarek, MILTON Nascimento, Ahmad JAMAL, CASSANDRA Wilson, PETER Greenway

The first time I went to Sani Hill, the location of the Tower of Stavronikitas, one of the three Byzantine fortress towers dating from the 13th-14th century, was in 1976 while on holiday in Nea Fokea; one day we went to the deserted beach of Bousoulas for a swim. A truly magical place.

When I inquired after this tower in the middle of nowhere that looked out to the deep blue sea, I was told the story of the Ruler of Kassandra, who had locked his three daughters in the three towers (in Sani, Fokea and Toroni) to protect them from the Sultan, who wanted to take them into his harem. They say that the girls’ ghosts are still trapped within these walls, in search of consolation and relief.

Years later, in 1992, I returned to the hill but for another purpose. A musical initiative was being born, destined to become the greatest summer festival in Northern Greece.

The idea of the Sani Festival was first conceived in Catania, Italy, at a famous jazz festival that takes place every summer in Sicily. It was a summer in 1991 when Stavros and Niki Andreadis were watching a magical night unfold, and they wondered whether they could organize something similar at Sani. “There was always an opportunity to create avenues of communication between the various people at the resort, who were most probably otherwise isolated. And because a flat and bad quality entertainment offering did not interest us, and we had a penchant for jazz music, we thought we would use the historical location of the Hill, an ideal natural amphitheater, to host a variety of events,” Mr. Stavros Andreadis told me years later. With the assistance of their friends in Italy, who convinced the skeptical musicians to participate in something that did not yet exist, not to mention in Halkidiki, a place completely unknown for any cultural event, the first jazz event took place in the summer of 1992. This jazz rencontre would develop into the Festival we all know today.

The event developed and grew the subsequent summer, enriched by the presence of Mina Apostolidis, who set the tone of the festival, as well as the dearly departed publisher Tasos Michailidis in the role of artistic director. As such the festival presented a more holistic aspect, a comprehensive event with its own productions, not just hosting concerts or artists that were already on tour. Great international appearances, which were exclusive to the Festival. “The first ‘Jazz on the Hill’ was warmly received, not only by the public in Thessaloniki but also by musicians who quickly embraced it as a jazz aficionado hangout. Festival founders Stavros and Niki Andreadis, individuals with good taste and of high 109

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LILA DOWNS

STAVROS XARCHAKOS

YANN TIERSEN

Roy HARGROVE Quintet, Cedar WALTON Trio, Piero ODORICI Trio and Marc CARY Quartet

caliber, lovers of the arts, made sure the festival remained self-funded, with above-average options, all of which ensured its stellar course,” Kostas Bliatkas, the communications advisor for the Festival for many years, once confided in me. For the record, the artists that performed the first year were the Roy Hargrove Quintet, Cedar Walton Trio, Piero Odorici Trio and Marc Cary Quartet.

The history of a festival can usually be traced in its stories, in the evenings engrained in people’s memories forever, and in the artist performances. From those early years, I remember the night we saw Jan Garbarek, the dance performance by a young Dimitris Papaioannou, or the fiftieth birthday party of Dionysis Savvopoulos, celebrated on the Hill with a magic hot air balloon descending from the Halkidiki sky. A festival, no matter how well organized, manages to become unforgettable when the emotions evoked are stronger than the moment itself, recalled in the form of indelible memories. Regarding the Sani Festival, which this year celebrates its 30th birthday, it is the memories of its people and the public that are a great investment for the future of this institution.

In 1996 the Festival was headed by Olga Tabouri, an extremely capable person with a holistic approach and perspective on culture.

“The challenge I took on at the time was for this festival, the only private initiative in Greece, to acquire its own identity and substance: initially through the same hospitality enterprise that created and funded it, and then through the perception of the public, with the aim of making its mark on the country’s cultural map. I did not want this festival to be yet another tourist product offered in the wider Halkidiki area, but rather a celebration of music that has something different to say and to offer. The secrets of its success: continuous development with specific thematic strategies, enriching these themes with artists who are visiting our country for the first time, avoiding slapdash events, offering different artistic choices (moving away from anything considered commercial) in relation to the other events taking place in Halkidiki and Thessaloniki, and above all a lot of work and passion - for the festival, for the artists and their creations. I want the festival to age gracefully, without getting tired or becoming tiresome.

I want it to continue to exude a fresh atmosphere over all the spaces that host its unique events; the old and the new, and the ones I can imagine being added”, she told me as we celebrated the Festival’s 15th birthday. The loss of this radiant woman, in 2019, was a moment of insurmountable pain for the Festival.

She managed to give it a special personality and endowed it with great moments, 110

385

EVENTS

GUNHILD CARLING

SINEQUANON

1,700

ARTISTS

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DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER

350,000 SPECTATORS

such as performances by Cesaria Evora, Lila Downs, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ismael Lo, Abbey Lincoln, Tito Puente, Hindi Zahra, Liz Wright and dozens of acclaimed international and Greek artists. Yet that is not all. The initial Jazz on the Hill soon acquired other themes –Sani Classic, Sounds of the World, Greek Variations, film music, theater and artistic projects, to mention a few - that also led to its growth and establishment as a must-see for an even wider audience.

Of course, there are hundreds of stories that both artists and audiences can cherish, such as Ray Brown's experience of losing his luggage and musical instruments in 2000, which had also happened to Ahmad Jamal in 1997; the mosquito issue that had to be resolved before Cassandra Wilson took the stage; the endless rain that postponed Eleni Karaindrou’s concert for one day; the power cut on the entire “first finger” of Halkidiki that saw 3200 people waiting patiently to listen to Tito Puente; Lavrentis Maheritsas and Dionysis Tsaknis carrying speakers indoors and then out again to beat the rain; and Cesaria Evora singing barefoot at midday,under an umbrella in the sun , as it had rained terribly the previous night!

“It is great to persevere on the tough road; to train the audience, to rest on quality,” believes Mr. Stavros Andreadis. And the actions of the past 30 years are proof of this. An event without borders that reaches all corners of the planet, where people love culture. And its ambassadors, who after every performance always leave the Hill enthused by the landscape, the audience, and the event, not to mention the magic owl; hidden in the tower, it wishes them godspeed at the end of each performance.

With a specific approach and thematic programme, the festival that bridges the two basic tenets of Greek industry, tourism and culture, will once again, on the occasion of its birthday celebrations with the experienced Giorgos Moustakas at its helm, continue to pleasantly surprise and constantly renew itself. The presence of Vicky Papadimitriou is also key, who remains project coordinator with her extensive Sani Festival production and management experience.

I do not think I have missed any of its events. There is no other Festival that I have such wonderful memories of, engraved in me forever. From Nikos Papazoglou on stage, to the insuperable Peter Greenway.

It is to the Sani Festival that we owe these moments we would never have experienced otherwise, as the daring of its organizers, the generosity of its guests and the magical landscape have created an amazing mosaic composed of 385 concerts, performances and events. A truly fascinating cultural treasure that makes Halkidiki an international tourist and cultural destination.

Its new, post pandemic era begins with its 30th birthday. Time to celebrate!

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Cesaria EVORA, CHARLES Lloyd, Lila DOWNS, Ismael LO, ABBEY Lincoln, TITO Puente, HINDI Zahra, Liz WRIGHT and dozens of acclaimed international and GREEK ARTISTS

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ANDREA BOCELLI

Easter 2020, the planet is under the stranglehold of lockdowns, despair and dejection abound, but there is a glimmer of hope; all is not lost. From somewhere, the liberating voice of Andrea Bocelli falls like rain and spreads to all corners of the planet from the empty Duomo in Milan, as he had accepted the challenge to sing for hope. “I believe in the strength of praying together” he had stated, while today it is considered one of the biggest musical live streams of all-time, with over 2.8 million peak concurrent viewers.

Recently, when asked what opera has taught him about life itself, he answered that this training started from the moment he was a child, as his parents have told him that even as a baby in his crib, he showed a rapt and powerful emotional reaction to music.

“I was entranced by the sounds! I can say that opera has taught me about strength, weakness, heroism, and the contradictions, tragedies and comedies that human feelings can arouse. Opera has the capacity to arouse our emotions, it has the power to make us think about good and evil”, he shared.

From his win in the Sanremo Music Festival in 1994 to his presence at the

The divine aspect of a human icon AT SANI HILL

UEFA Euro 2020 opening ceremony, his performance of “Nessun dorma” that became a trending topic in many countries and the invitation on August 21st to open “NYC’s Homecoming Concert” event in Central Park, accompanied by the New York Philharmonic, he walks along a path strewn with stars.

Throughout his career, Andrea Bocelli has performed for four Presidents of the United States of America, three Popes, the British Royal Family, many Prime Ministers and also at the ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

The movie “The Music of Silence”, inspired by the autobiographical novel of the same name written by Bocelli himself, was a true hymn to love and music. The movie, directed by Michael Radford, was a resounding success.

His latest album “Believe”, released in November 2020, is a “spiritual autobiography” that brings together sacred songs and tracks that speak to the soul.

In 2011, he founded the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) with the aim of enhancing the wealth of relationships and the bond of trust that he has been able to establish wherever he goes around the world, where he is inevitably considered a musical and ethical point of reference.

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photography Stafano Marinari

I

The 30th anniversary of Sani Festival will create an invisible staircase to the peaceful heavens on the evening of August 20th, the festival’s grand finale. The divine, but also bursting with humanity, voice of the beloved Italian opera singer will stir emotional chords with the audience in an evening words by Aris Kavatzikis of landmark musical ritual.

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1 Visual identity by geographik 2 Andrea Bocelli

A bold idea. The absolute musical experience. A bridge connecting Tourism and Culture. For the last 30 years, Sani Festival has been welcoming musical legends and new creators from all over the world and from Greece, staging the most beautiful festival evening. This year’s anniversary programme features seven unique concerts with top performers from the jazz, pop, rock and of course classical international music scene, who will honor this landmark year and infuse our summer evenings with elements of magic.

3 Bob Geldof 4 Jack Savoretti 3

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JAZZ ON THE HILL Chucho Valdés & Paquito D’Rivera Reunion, 9 July A Caribbean breeze will blow alongside the Mediterranean aura on the Sani Festival stage, where two living legends - pianist Chucho Valdés and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera - will meet again. The longtime friends and collaborators are joining forces once again to present a series of latin jazz musical hits and fresh compositions from their new album “Missed You Too”.

Al Di Meola - Acoustic Trio, 16 July Virtuoso guitarist Al di Meola, with experience spanning four decades and numerous distinctions such as the Honorary Miles Davis Award, the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award and Grammy awards, will perform at the Festival with his Guitar Trio. The second Jazz on the Hill concert will inundate the evening with smooth melodies and sounds.

1 Al Di Meola 2 Chucho Valdés & Paquito D’Rivera

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INTERNATIONAL SOUNDS Jack Savoretti, 23 July The beloved English musician, a favourite with Greek audiences, will appear with his band on the Sani Festival stage for the first time. The occasion is the celebration of the Festival’s 30th anniversary, part of a stop on the band’s Europiana summer tour, following the #1 album release in June 2021 and the extended version Europiana Encore (2022). Under the bright stars and the Mediterranean summer breeze of Sani Hill, he will perform his new music alongside with some of his best-known songs, such as What More Can I Do, Greatest Mistake, and Love is On the Line. An unforgettable night that will celebrate the power of family, friendship and love!

Bob Geldof and the Bobkatz, 30 July Sani Festival rocks out with the unique Bob Geldof. The Irish musician, who began his career as the lead singer of The Boomtown Rats and has collaborated with other musical legends, embarked on his solo career in 1986, while already fully involved in his activism - he has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

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GREEK VARIATIONS A hotel of songs: 30 years of music notes – the Hill and the Sea, 6 August A musical performance that attempts a retrospective of the 30 years of the Sani Festival, featuring Manolis Mitsias, Christos Thivaios, Eleni Tsaligopoulou and Penny Baltatzi. Dedicated to Greek music from the 20th and 21st century, we are taken down the paths of entekhno (orchestral music with elements from Greek folk rhythm and melody) and laiko (urban folk) music by way of the greatest composers, poets and lyricists. Fall into the embrace of sweet nostalgia.

Mediterranean Project: Greece & the World, 13 August The Festival will offer us one more cuddle filled with modern Greek and international songs in a varied programme featuring Dimitris Basis, Rena Morfi, Doro Dimosthenous, Rita Antonopoulou, Kostas Thomaidis and Kalliope Pouska. Emblematic tunes from the international music scene will coexist with timeless Greek melodies in a journey to every corner of the Mediterranean.

CLASSICAL WAVES Andrea Bocelli, 20 August The grand finale of this year’s anniversary programme is marked by an emblematic artist. Recognized globally as the world’s most beloved tenor, Andrea Bocelli's musical prestige is evident in the wealth of awards he has received. This landmark anniversary, the natural setting and mostly, the universality of Andrea Bocelli’s voice, all conspire to ensure the intoxicating communion that awaits the audience will be a unique life experience for all.

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ATHENA ANDREADIS

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interview by George Toulas

& SEN SIBI LITY

Hailing from Thessaloniki, having spent her childhood summers in Halkidiki and having studied Business Management in London, where she lived for many years, Athena is both earthy and airy on stage.

After further studies at the Trinity College of Music she continues a great pop and folk tradition, her impressive international career also featuring a collaboration with the great Leonard Cohen on his last record.

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Her first album, “Breath With Me” was released in 2007 and received positive reviews, with the well known Billboard Magazine referring to her as a “talented, up and coming pop star”. Her records include “Peeling Apples” (2010), “Earthly Angels” (2014, her only album featuring Greek lyrics), “Ready for the Sun” (2017) and the most recent “Outside of Time” (2020), her most mature work to date. She has collaborated with famous producer Ethan Allen and earned flattering critiques from large international media outlets, placing on the international charts. We remember her singing on Sani Hill, in a wonderful and moving evening. She is involved in numerous charity projects and the coronavirus gave her a hard time.

This year marks the 30-year anniversary of the Sani Festival. What does this Festival mean to you?

The Sani festival has been instrumental in forming who I am today. At 14 years old I experienced live jazz, performed by internationally acclaimed artists, music that informed my musical sensibilities to this day.

Will you share some memories of the festival with us?

I remember listening to Cassandra Wilson

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It’s ADMIRABLE that SANI has MANAGED to CREATE & maintain a FESTIVAL of this CALIBRE at such a high LEVEL of QUALITY, for SO many YEARS

under the stars, watching the full moon rise as she sang Harvest Moon and getting goosebumps… So many magical moments against that historic backdrop surrounded by the turquoise sea.

I had the honour of performing at the festival when I became a successful artist in my own right; they had just released a documentary about my work on British TV and I was touring my debut album with my London-based band. We performed at Sani Festival joined by world class Greek musicians as guests. A few years later, after moving to the US - where I ended up singing with Leonard Cohen on his last record - I performed at the Sani Festival again drawing from the inspirations behind my songwriting, including Cohen and Lennon, joined by an international band. Both times were incredibly special and moving, returning to the place where I grew up, to the land that inspires so much of my work.

What does it mean for a local summer festival to have managed to host so many acclaimed artists?

It’s admirable that Sani has managed to create and maintain a festival of this calibre at such a high level of quality, for so many years. It’s vital to keep culture like this thriving, for us all. What would we be without great music and art?

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Athena Andreadis performing on Sani Hill

Where are you professionally at this point in time?

My latest video for my song «To Find You» will be released in June 2022. It belongs to the greater body of work called «Outside of Time». I’m currently also writing a lot of new music, my next single and album is in the works.

I am also writing songs for a new children’s educational book series - about what is happening to our planet and what they can do, as well as introducing mindfulness in a fun way - a project I’m working on with my sister Eleni Andreadis who is also an award-winning author of children’s books, now translated in several languages around the world. The first book and song is out in October 2022. It’s the first time we’ve had the opportunity to collaborate as adults and I’m really excited to join forces!

I’m writing and singing more and more about these issues, with the intention of educating and inspiring change.

This is one of the biggest challenges humanity faces right now; climate change and the degradation of the environment threatening our survival on this planet.

The latest IPCC report that just came out in March 2022 is predicting a dire future if we don’t adapt faster, we’re living in extremely dangerous times, critical in shaping our future. We have a golden opportunity to

Each of us HAS GIFTS and a ROLE to play in the WORLD. We need to ASK ourselves daily, HOW can I serve BETTER? do the right thing, not only for our survival but for future generations to thrive. I have a son and I want to see him thrive here; I owe it to him to try my best, I owe it to my ancestors and to all beings.

I had the joy of writing the theme song for Sani resort last year, and this year I am writing music again for the resort campaign. Having grown up there, knowing the resort so well, and loving every inch of this place, it isn’t hard to be inspired and I love the challenge of capturing its magic in music.

Like everyone, you also experienced challenges during the pandemic. In fact, you underwent a particularly trying experience.

What have you taken away from this?

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Yes, it was really challenging, being admitted to the hospital with Covid early on and not being able to see my 2 year old baby for almost a month, only through glass.

My song “Hands on Glass” came out of that experience, and it was cathartic for me. However, it’s still not over for a lot of us who are still experiencing some longerterm complications. It has taught me a lot; to focus on gratitude every day, gratitude for every little thing; even the things that we find a little tedious, with presence can become even pleasant! It’s a rare thing to be alive, an honour, a deep joy to tread this earth, to have the opportunity every day to breathe and see the sun set and hear the birds sing and feel the love in your heart, there’s so much to be grateful for, no matter where or who you are. It also taught me to let go of perfectionism, of the little things that stress me and don’t matter, to focus my mind on seeing the big picture every day. And throughout the day, to pause, to take mindful breaths and refocus my intentions, like checking in with a compass, to remember, and ask over and over, who am I, what do I truly want and how I can best serve this world.

How much do you think that past two years have changed our life, and art in general?

In music it’s been so tough for both

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Apart from your music, you also dedicate a lot of energy to your charity work, with

There’s SO much to be GRATEFUL for, no MATTER where OR who YOU ARE exceptional sensitivity. How important is this in the world today?

Thank you. Extremely important. Each of us has gifts and a role to play in the world.

We need to ask ourselves daily, how can I serve better? How can I love better? That’s all that matters in the end, isn’t it? How well did we love? Did we try our best? Regardless of the result.

Sani Resort is exemplary in its achievements on the environmental front, for being a leader and creating true impact and change that matters; it is carbon neutral and aiming to be net zero by 2023 which is amazing, and won the World’s Leading Luxury Green Resort (at the World Travel Awards) two years running in 2020 and 2021. I’m so proud of my sister Eleni Andreadis for all her incredible work with children and in tourism and the well-deserved Hero of the Year award she just received this year in London (TTG Awards Sustainability Hero 2022).

As I mentioned earlier these are critical times, so all these efforts are incredibly important, key I’d say, to us not only surviving but also thriving on this planet.

We are living through a new state of war.

How much has this affected you?

It’s devastating. It has deeply affected me and saddened me. We have collectively gone through the trauma of this pandemic, which could have brought us closer, united us, on our quest to find solutions to the same global problem that every one of us faced at the same time in a globally interconnected world like never before right?

But unfortunately greed and ignorance are powerful. So we have this opportunity 124

and can still do a lot. We have the power to stop more of these pandemics for example.

We now know covid-19 came as a result of our destruction of habitats and mistreating wildlife. We are the “enemy”, and we are the solution too. That’s why I believe it’s more important than ever, to practice mindfulness and mindful action, to spend time looking inside and healing ourselves because that is where everything starts. We need to heal ourselves, and each other, and together our home, the planet and animals, as we are all one interconnected entity and need to take action. We need to find a way to live in peace and harmony or we won’t survive for long, and even if we do, do we want a future of multiple wars for scarce resources, environmental migration on a huge global scale, hunger, thirst, extreme weather phenomena? This is no longer a sci-fi scenario, it’s a reality facing us, and has been predicted accurately by the world’s leading scientists.

It was unfortunate timing that the new IPCC report came out at the same time as the war in Ukraine started, so it hasn’t been given as much attention in the media.

Most leaders have let us down. But there are also great examples of organisations and powerful individuals who care and are collectively taking action to change things, to put pressure on governments and companies, as well many creating innovation, and often make giants leaps towards a sustainable future.

What do you miss the most about the Greek summer?

Sani! The music, the food, the beaches… My family! We’re blessed to be able to spend the summers together with my parents, my sister and her children too. I’ve missed Greek fruits, the figs (haha). You know I miss that sense of freedom when you’re on a Greek beach, there’s nothing like it, the scents rising from the pine forests, being in the gorgeous crystal waters at Sani or on a Greek island. There, immersed in nature, all your worries melt away, you feel so peaceful and one with everything.

Present. Greece is a healing place, a magical land, my home, my heart.

photos Athena Andreadis archive

musicians and audiences too, not being able to be together physically, to vibrate together, the kind of communion at live concerts we long for. But in general, we all know the pandemic has led to a lot of isolation and pain. On the other hand, we have come together in new ways that wouldn’t have been possible before the pandemic.

Online meetings and international collaborations were made possible in a way we hadn’t been open to or thought were possible before. Insight LA and the Plastic Pollution Coalition that I’m an ambassador for, have been able to reach far more people through their online gatherings, screenings and efforts than before for example. I’m also seeing more documentaries pop up about the issues that truly matter and more people are watching them and being informed.

A more specific example of helpful online gatherings is this; I’m part of an international meditation group, with whom I meet every week, in which we discuss important matters, support each other and share mindfulness practices. There are people from all over the world in my group and we meet on Zoom, as many are older and can’t travel, most very experienced and extremely educated individuals. This wasn’t available before and it’s so precious to be able to draw on all this wisdom from such groups. It’s a bit like a modern version of the old days, in tribes or villages where you would go to the elders in a tribe to ask for advice and life guidance. We need groups and role models like these for rites of passage – in our modern society we are losing these - and most of us need some kind of inner reflection or time to look within, both alone and in a group.

Many opportunities for international dialogue and collaborations have been popping up in the last 2 years as a result of the pandemic and are here to stay, as most people have seen the benefits. Of course we need both, too much isolation isn’t healthy, we are social creatures, but it has definitely been of benefit to many having this time to reflect.

TOP OUTDOOR LIVING

The luxury brand is planning to open its first showroom in North Greece in the second half of 2023. Company CEO, Andreas Theodosiou and his team hope to bring products that are both modern and accessible to anybody who appreciates exceptional furniture!

Toptown Services Group is a supplier furniture company, which offers the most premium choices to both businesses and individual consumers. It stands out for excellent quality, innovation and efficiency.

The company was established in 2013 and it has been active in Greece, Cyprus and Israel ever since.

With more than 10.000 designs and custom outdoor models available for sale, they have been the exclusive distributors of Higold Outdoor Furniture, Dedans Outdoor Furniture and Kaja Interiors.

Toptown services group have been supplying Sani Resorts since 2015 in collaboration with their main interior design associates Nimand S.A. Together they have created unique conceptual furniture collections, that are not limited by spatial boundaries and meet both the needs and the expectations of all their customers. Their philosophy is to explore creative and sophisticated ways in which design interacts with space.

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www.toptownservices.com

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SANI

AROUND & ABOUT Its renewed profile is constantly receiving distinctions. It is adventurous. Deeply artistic.

Certainly playful. 100% eco-friendly. Sometimes indulging in haute gastronomy and other times enjoying the beauty of life. Many times it walks along new footpaths and often succumbs to custom made luxuries. The only certainty is that with all these new entry services, facilities and offerings, the Sani Resort experience takes hospitality to the next level!

SUSTAINABILITY THE RESORT’S INTERNATIONAL DISTINCTIONS FOR A BETTER FUTURE

NATURE EVERYTHING LEADS TO THE ADORATION OF OUR “MOTHER”

FAMILY THE ULTIMATE LUXURY HOLIDAY DESTINATION FOR ALL AGES

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GASTRONOMY THE NEW ARRIVALS AT THE MOST COMPLETE GASTRONOMIC DESTINATION 127

SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND EXERCISE FOR ALL, SURROUNDED BY NATURE

ART & FASHION CUSTOM MADE GARMENTS AND THE ARTS HAVE FOUND THEIR HOME

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SERVE

BY A LEGEND

the only Rafa Nadal Tennis Center in Europe

If you are a fan of yellow felt balls and searching for a high intensity tennis experience, coaching under the world’s best and many thrills, Sani is the “place to be”. The only Rafa Nadal Tennis Center in Europe welcomes players of all ages. Bearing the signature of the Grand Slam legend, the finest addition to the Resort’s sports services is a rare opportunity for all the family to improve their tennis skills while having endless fun.

Featuring state of the art facilities, with eight tennis courts and an outdoor lounge area, the professional coaches for beginner or experienced athletes have been trained by Nadal’s

coaches. This one of a kind Center uses the same training methods as Nadal, which led him directly to the #1 spot in the world tennis rankings, methods that have been tried and tested by the Rafa Nadal Academy.

Therefore, aiming for the perfect serve all you have to do is follow one of the tailormade tennis programs. There are various programs for adults and children, individual or in groups. Not only will you improve your game by experiencing the Rafa Nadal technical and physical training, but you will also be initiated in elements of Nadal’s personal values, philosophy and ethos by the finest. In this way the 128

experienced coaches inspire you to show your worth on the court and put what you have learned into practice by participating in one of the regular tournaments organized onsite. The Tennis Center also offers visits by legendary coaches who conduct staff and visitor training sessions, as well as organizing many exhibition games between them, a great adrenaline boost for all tennis fans. Whether you are just starting out, or a professional tennis player, one thing is for sure: you will return home fitter, healthier and an all-round better player via the Center dynamic blend of strength, passion and endless fun.

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ou have one and only mission on your summer holidays this year: to discover adventure. On the flipside of the relaxation and calm that Sani Resort has to offer, the families and teenagers who visit have the unique opportunity of embarking on an unforgettable journey with the guidance of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy experts. In the incomparable natural reserve of the resort, young explorers learn the rules of survival, and develop skills such as constructing refuges, searching for food, tracking and observing animals, navigating the natural setting and learning about how to call for help, while they also make spears and rafts. The teens course is something unique, that can be found only here at Sani Resort. The BGSA becomes even more enjoyable for the entire family as each trial bonds family members together. Fires are lit in the middle of the night, everyone searches for food, while the footpath winding through the forest leads to the BGSA Camp. The evening continues with Astro Navigation, dinner with fresh fish and roasted marshmallows over the fire. Escape reality!

THIS IS SPARTA FIT TIME! the Calisthenic exercise becomes the new trend

The Calisthenic exercise practiced by the ancient Spartans becomes the new exercise trend and is offered at Sani Resort for immediate results, even from the first sessions. Combine luxury holidays with the necessary self care and wellness at the highest energy levels. The new Sparta gym in the forest boasts views of the sea and offers an obstacle route that requires a combination of skills, strength and stamina featuring “monkey” bars, grips, balance beams, multi-use outdoor gym facilities, bouldering wall, climbing ropes, calisthenic bars and running ramps.

Sand bags, kettlebells and medicine balls complete the equipment for more demanding workouts.

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ONE EXCITING ESCAPADE

with the guidance of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy

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SPACE ADDED!

the impressive expansion of Porto Sani

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orto Sani welcomes this season with an impressive renewal, inviting visitors to indulge in more carefree and luxurious holidays. A series of impressive, significant upgrades across the entire hotel were designed exclusively for the needs of families in search of privacy, endless space and high-end services.

The expansion includes the addition of 50 comfortable suites, now 148 in total, and three new heated swimming pools - one outdoors, one for children and one especially for babies. The Kids Club and the Crèche have also been expanded to offer more spacious interior and exterior spaces, a plethora of exciting activities for children of all ages. Visitors have the opportunity to experience a sophisticated hospitality concept that includes free use of high quality baby equipment in the suites, as well as access to Carol Mae Baby Consulting Services, a specialized consultation program for parents of babies and toddlers. At Porto Sani you can also find the exclusive Children’s Breakfast Buffet designed by Annabel Karmel. The dining revamping is complete with the addition of two new restaurants - the Peruvian “Lima” and the Greek “Elia”, for taste connoisseurs.

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he terrestrial paradise of Sani Resort is nestled in a 1000 acre expanse framed by enchanting Blue Flag beaches, protected forest land and wetlands that are home to almost 225 bird species. With an 100% eco-friendly philosophy, at its core we see a deep sensitivity about climate change, renewable energy sources, the protection and promotion of local biodiversity and the support of the local community. Through its commitment to protecting the environment so that its guests can enjoy the area’s natural beauty today and in the future, it implements its vision and values through the Sani Green sustainability program, which is based on three pillars: sustainable operations, protection and promotion of local biodiversity and corporate social responsibility. This year it was awarded as the World’s Leading Luxury Green Resort by the World Travel Awards for the second

THE GREEN MIRACLE Sani Resort is awarded as the World’s Leading Luxury Green Resort

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consecutive year, recognizing its leading role in the industry internationally. With dozens of initiatives and innovative actions, such as birdwatching in the Natura protected wetlands, saving local wildlife, reforestation projects, protection of marine ecosystems, etc., a culture of respect and love for nature has been created, inspiring each and every visitor.

In 2020 it became the first carbon neutral resort in Greece while the resort has been running on 100% renewable electricity since 2019. Its recent distinction of receiving the Global Award for Low-Carbon Ecological Scenic Spot 2021, an international award for low-carbon emissions as part of the “Sustainable Cities And Human Settlements Awards 2021” supported by the United Nations, is a recognition not only of Sani’s vision but also a step in establishing Sani Resort amongst the top sustainable, luxury resorts in the world.

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THE ELITE SARTORIAL EXPERIENCE

in the impressive pop-up store by the famous brand, Kiton

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he impressive pop-up store of the famous brand, Kiton, is opening its doors once more this year at Sani Dunes, welcoming all fashion lovers in search of stylistic excellence, both men and women. Italian finesse is hosted in its own space at the jetset magnet Sani Resort (18 July - 7 August) in an elegant setting filled with antiques, which perfectly conveys the fashion

house’s philosophy. Managed by the experienced teams from Mah Jong in Athens and Kiton Shop in Mykonos, this is where demanding customers can discover the process of sur mesure creation with the assistance of the expert staff.

Yet the highlight of the summer is the exclusive trunk show organized from 27 July - 2 August, in the presence of the brand’s legendary chef/tailor, Ciro Palestra, who stands for

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high aesthetics and sophisticated creations. The resort visitors will have the opportunity to be informed of modern trends and hear his suggestions about the more refined combinations, while also admiring the summer collection and the upcoming Autumn/Winter 2022-23 collection with made-tomeasure fabrics, an international first. Sani Resort is offering an exclusive fashion experience for lovers of classic, tailor made and ultra stylish creations.

DINING EXPERIENCE

the new aspect of the uniquely beautiful Bousoulas beach Classic values should not necessarily be left untouched! Following the impressive renewal and expansion of Bousoulas beach - a reference point for Sani visitors - next up, food. From this season, guests will have an all-day menu available, specially designed to be enjoyed on this uniquely beautiful beach. Thus, you have the opportunity of ordering a relaxed a la carte dinner at the most lounge beach bar in the Halkidiki area, from a rich selection of traditional and international dishes. Can you think of anything better for relaxing after a day in the sun than this dreamy space by the sea, with resident DJs playing the most atmospheric beats as the sun sets before your very eyes?

SEA TREASURES

Halyna Parinova/shutterstock.com

raising awareness for the dolphins in the Thermaikos Gulf

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Focused on the goal of protecting the natural environment and biodiversity, in the context of sustainability and as part of its Sani Green environmental development program, Sani Resort supports the Thermaikos Dolphin Project by the Non-Governmental Organization, iSea. The initiative focuses on the systematic study of dolphins in the Thermaikos Gulf, the estimation of dolphin species’ abundance and the behavioral study of the area’s dolphins. Special attention is given to the public’s environmental education and raising awareness through a variety of activities such as educational workshops and dolphin-watching tours which provide the opportunity to observe dolphins in their natural habitat. iSea is an Environmental Organization founded in Thessaloniki in 2016 with the primary goal of protecting marine ecosystems in Greece and its marine flora and fauna through research, raising awareness and promoting political protection. The organization is researching the non-recorded population of dolphins surrounding Sani in the Thermaikos Gulf, collecting important information for further research.

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erving luxury hospitality with consistency over the past 50 years through its philosophy of sustainability and absolute security, the five star Sani Resort remains family oriented and on course to provide unique experiences for every family. This year it celebrates its success at the famed World Travel Awards, where it was distinguished as the world’s top family luxury destination in the World’s Leading Family & Beach Resort category for the third consecutive year.

This special oasis for the most

demanding includes five unique hotels of incomparable beauty that welcome its families into a living microcosm - a dreamy environment where luxury, custommade services and state of the art facilities take the lead. With specialized amenities for parents and children, high quality services, activities, actions, world renowned academies such as Rafa Nadal Tennis Center and Bear Grylls Survival Academy and all kinds of sports for everyone, as well as each member separately, with a distinctive and mixed gastronomic culture and wonderful entertainment, Sani Resort is a unique experience for all ages.

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THE TOP FAMILY DESTINATION

with specialized amenities for all ages

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LOVE FOR ART

Artion Gallery is a new creative arrival

NEW AGE SHOPPING

Nous & Body Activation is a unique experience for customers

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visit to the new age Nous & Body Activation concept store, a sportswear store in the Sani Resort marina, becomes an exciting experience for the senses. The modern design of the multibrand boutique offers an interesting variety of garments, shoes and accessories, matched by a unique service philosophy that includes activities for children, a Juice Bar Corner, healthy nutrition applications, etc. Its innovative mode of operations earned it the Customer Experience breakthrough Finalist distinction in the top World Retail Awards, standing out from 27,000 candidates as one of the six best retail stores in the world!

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Artion, an international gallery based in Geneva, Greece and Cyprus, paves the way for artistic events at Sani Resort. This new creative arrival in the Marina is precisely what our demanding and art-loving guests were missing, who can now experience the magic of art even while on holiday.

From 28 April the gallery marks the opening of a dynamic season, filled with interesting exhibitions by artists from Greece and abroad, curated by talented and established professionals. The uniquely characteristic artworks of sculptor Costas Varotsos are inaugurating the space, setting the bar very high from the start. With a passion for the living history of art and a desire to protect the memory and quality of the great masters, Artion represents a dynamic team of artists whose synergies create trends and shape opinions, thus contributing to the development of the art world and bringing it closer to the public.

COMFORT & PRIVACY transportation with brand new Volvo Hybrid vehicles is offered to guests

Safety, comfort and luxury are the cornerstone of operations at Sani Resort. Of course, we would also add the idea of sustainability to this list, which is supported with passion through the actions and services offered by our people. The Resort is also innovative with regard to exclusive services, as the embodiment of this notion can be found in our vehicles.

A brand new fleet of Volvo Hybrid vehicles is offered to guests, as they are available to take them from Sani Club to any part of the resort at all times, ideally fulfilling the need for privacy, comfort and safety.

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The brand new dining areas at Porto Sani take gathering to another level by upgrading the entire experience.

Two wonderful restaurants offer creations from Peru and Greece, adding to its collection of 26 restaurants, where you can enjoy from Greek cuisine to Michelin Star dining. On the ground floor of the new Porto Sani wing, “Elia” restaurant offers a twist on the traditional flavors and aromas of Greek cuisine, with its wonderful setting that welcomes all members of the family. The a la carte menu is accompanied by a select wine list, while the Dine Around program

GASTRONOMY ARRIVALS Greek tradition & Latin passion

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offers the opportunity of choosing from a specially-adapted menu or ordering a la carte, with a certain amount being subtracted from the final bill. On the other hand, “Lima” is overflowing with South American spirit and promises to bring a sense of latin passion to your table. On the top floor at Porto Sani, boasting marvelous views, you will experience a veritable feast of authentic Peruvian dishes.

You can also enjoy your food at the brand new restaurant with the Dine Around program, no matter which Sani Resort hotel you select for your stay.

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LITTLE GUEST’S PARADISE

an entire universe created for babies, children & teenagers

The little guests of Sani Resort have found their ideal holiday destination, as the resort has created an entire universe for them. Treating them as VIP guests in their own right, the resort offers a plethora of services, from the necessary amenities in each room for babies to professional babycare and training, which allows parents to enjoy some time alone. Even for older children, exciting activities by organizations and academies are offered every day, from bird watching to paddle yoga lessons, and much more. The Crèche program provides high security childcare by professionals, for children aged between 4 months and 4 years, while the Babewatch program offers childcare for young children on the beach. The popular Kids Club for children from 4 to 12 years offers a rich program of activities, such as Mini Olympic Games on the beach, brief excursions, poolside games, picnics, parties and theatrical performances for the entire family, while the Ozone - a clubhouse for teens - at Sani Marina is designed for teen guests to meet up and enjoy some independent fun through a variety of activities, such as cooking lessons, canoeing, tours or night time excursions, and even stargazing.

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n the same way that Sani Resort respects and takes care of its adult guests, this is precisely how it cares for and protects its little guests.

In fact, there is even more attention given to them with innovative services that ensure their health, wellness and safety. With an exclusive menu by world renowned baby and kids food expert OBE Annabel Karmel available in all parts of the resort, these delicious dishes are lovingly prepared using the highest quality ingredients. At Porto Sani in particular, the special children’s buffet by Annabel features a rainbow of recipes to nourish and energize that will delight your little treasures. Since a change of scene might also disrupt your baby’s routine, take advantage of the baby consultation service created by guru Carol Mae, geared towards families visiting Porto Sani with children aged 0-2. Our experienced consultants will create a personalized guide on how to adapt your family to a new environment so that you can relax and enjoy the experience of your unique Sani Resort holidays.

TAILOR MADE SERVICE FOR CHILDREN innovative services for the little guests

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WONDER LOUNGE

FOOD

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SELFIE ROOMS

PLAYGROUND

GIFT SHOP APOLLONIA POLITIA ____ THESSALONIKI ____ Æ. +30 2310 806 193 ____

Wonderlounge_°polloniaPolitia

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QUEEN BEE

the first interactive & largest Bee Spot in Greece

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lbert Einstein had once said: “If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth, mankind would soon follow.” Taking their significant role in the environment into consideration, coupled with the Resort’s eco-friendly philosophy, the first interactive and largest Bee Spot in Greece aims to protect the bees, promoting their relationship with humans and plants, and offering relevant knowledge through experiential activities. This initiative is a result of the collaboration between Sani Resort and The Bee Camp, the first organization in Greece involved in the protection of pollinators. In this bee-friendly garden we encounter seven stations, each dedicated to the lifecycle of these solitary insects. Each station is carefully designed to serve both humans and pollinators. The Water Station, Herbal Garden, Pollinator Hotel, Solitary Bee Tower, Observation Nursery, Ground Shelters and Pollination Game compose a grand spectacle for anyone interested in becoming an authentic part of nature, while also offering important information on the biology of wild bees and selected real-life examples of local species.

Here you can also participate in educational activities, as well as observing these remarkable insects and their way of life. This initiative aims to inspire, strengthen and restore the relationship between humans, plants and pollinators, creating the conditions for a better world for humans and for biodiversity. In addition, this colorful paradise also undoubtedly serves as a wonderful relaxation and resting spot for both people and insects in harmonious coexistence.

The new Cloudrunner

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K AL LO S

REVISED

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A modern viewpoint on the beauty of the Greek summer. The freedom and unique holiday moments. Haute aesthetics, minimal lines.

left Dress Emilio Pucci, Grigio-Sani Marina right Swimsuit Marysia, Apoella-Sani Marina

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photographer George Katsanakis (10AM) styling director Natasha Lionaki

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left Shirt Kiton, Kiton pop-up store Bracelet in 18K rose gold with white diamonds de Grisogono, Thalia Exarchou Jewellery-Sani Marina right Top Dolce & Gabbana, Grigio-Sani Marina Shorts, Alaïa GrigioSani Marina Sunglasses Miu Miu, Optomania-Sani Marina Sandals «Aglaia» Ancient Greek Sandals, Apoella-Sani Marina 147

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right Cover-up «Calliope», elenamakri.com 148

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left Caftan «Aiolos» Zeus + Δione, Apoella-Sani Marina, zeusndione.com Earrings and ring in 18K gold, Gofas-Sani Marina Espadrille «Gala» Castaner, digalakis.com right Dress Apoella, Apoella-Sani Marina Bracelets in 18K gold, Gofas-Sani Marina 150

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left Swimsuit and blanket, zarahome.com Bracelet in 18K rose gold with white diamonds de Grisogono and Pomellato bracelet in 18K rose gold, Thalia Exarchou JewellerySani Marina right Kaftan «Cecily» Melissa OdabashSani Marina 153

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makeup Maria Pagonaki hair Michalis Terzakis photographer assistants Dimitris Katsanakis (10AM), Michalis Lavdiotis model Andrea Wittenberg (D.Models) We warmly thank the leading private cruise company in world AllinBlusive for the valuable help and support with Rivammos, during the photo shooting.

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left Swimsuit Marysia, Apoella-Sani Marina right Dress Dolce & Gabbana, Grigio-Sani Marina 155

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ents of nature, which em el e th in ed ct fle re Beauty is blue of the sky, the lm ca he T t. or es R ni Sa “embraces” surpassable green un e th n, su e th of es addictive shad of four of the sea. The works ue bl ep de d an h rt ea of the ur the mood boards for yo ire sp in ts tis ar d he is distingu ora Ka na ki fashion ed itor Eleon . ls ia nt se summer es

LE PRINTEMPS Pablo Picasso 156

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ARTISTIC NATURE S N O I T A R I P I NS

Shirt dress Aristi, ApoellaSani Marina

Porcelain plate Pols Potten, Hondos Center Apollonia Politia

One piece swimsuit Rio, Melissa OdabashSani Marina

Straw bag Emilio Pucci, GrigioSani Marina Night Skincare for the face: 1. Balancing Essential Oils Intensive Complex & 2.Balancing Trace Elements Intensive Complex, Anne Semonin-Spa Areas, Sani Resort

Earring in white gold with diamonds and precious stones, Thalia Exarchou JewellerySani Marina

Cotton shirt Polo Ralph Lauren, Ereiliadis

Men swin shorts, Vilebrequin-Sani Marina

Vieille Vignes Blanc 2020, Magoutes Vineyard

Clutch bag Alisahne, RodanosSani Marina

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DO something GREEN today Armchair Molière JNL Collection, Moda Bagno Concept Store

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Happy Hearts bangle with rose gold and diamonds by Chopard, Era Jewellery-Sani Marina Multi-Lite Pendant by Gubi, Moda Bagno Concept Store

Silk shirt, KitonSani Marina

The EARTH is WHAT we all HAVE in COMMON

Sole Semillon, Biblia Chora

Polo t-shirt Paul & Shark, Ereiliadis

Sunglasses Balmain, Optomania-Sani Marina

Crochet sandal Eleftheria Ancient Greek Sandals, Apoella-Sani Marina

Watch Big Bang 42mm Integral Black Magic by Hublot, Gofas-Sani Marina

Tote bag Valentino, Grigio-Sani Marina 158

Parka On-Running, Nous & Body-Sani Marina

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THE KISS

Gustav Klimt

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Sunglasses Akoni, OptomaniaSani Marina

Blouse On-Running, Nous & Body-Sani Marina

Silk shirt, Kiton-Sani Marina

Xinomavro Wine, Ktima Gerovassiliou

Cork Clogs Aglaia, Ancient Greek Sandals, Apoella-Sani Marina Watch Big Bang One Click 33mm with interchangeable, colored straps, Hublot, GofasSani Marina

Cases for laptop and charger Bagall, Hondos Center Apollonia Politia

As the SUN COLORS FLOWERS, so does ART color LIFE John Lubbock

Straw bag Kenzo, Intervista

Darphin Essential Oil Elixir 8-Flower Golden Nectar Total Youth Renewing 30ml, The Drugstore -Sani Marina Cotton t-shirt Stefano Ricci, Diamantis 160

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STRIPED COLUMN Jack Bush

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BLUE NUDE

Charlesimage, Iriska48/shutterstock.com

Henri Matisse

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Set of 2 bookends Venua Petrol

by Sofia Enjoy, Summer StoresSani Marina

Riviera canvas tote striped bag, ApoellaSani Marina

Polo shirt Stefano Ricci, Diamantis

NEVER get TIRED OF the BLUE SKY

Imperiale by Chopard 36 mm with quartz ethical rose gold and stainless steel, Era Jewellery-Sani Marina

Swimsuit Alisahne, RodanosSani Marina

Shirt Melissa Odabash - Sani Marina

Ring in white gold with diamonds and precious stones, Thalia Exarchou JewellerySani Marina

After sun rehydrating repair balm Lierac Sunissime, The Drugstore-Sani Marina

One piece swimsuit, Vilebrequin-Sani Marina 163

Bucket hat Kenzo, Intervista

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THE ART OF ADVENTURE Fashion and sport are ideally combined for the optimum athleisure style. Perfect silhouettes, rich textures and dynamic style bring the fun back into your closet with the ultimate sports wardrobe. styling director Natasha Lionaki

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photographer George Katsanakis (10AM)

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Bears Grylls Academy Jacket Kenzo, Attica The Department Store Swimsuit VilebrequinSani Marina 165

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left Treetop Adventure Sports bra and leggings EA7 Emporio Armani, Rodanos-Sani Marina Trail shoes «Pegasus 2 Gore-Tex», Nike 167

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left Sparta Gym Cropped tank, bandeau top and high waisted shorts Max Mara Runway, Max Mara Boutique Trail shoes «Pegasus 2 Gore-Tex», Nike right Jogging Sports racer bra and leggings, Lacoste - Notos Com Holdings Watch «Happy Ocean 40mm» by Chopard with diamonds, Era JewellerySani Marina 169

left Snorkeling

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Sport technical-fabric top EA7 Emporio Armani, RodanosSani Marina right SUP Board Swimsuit «The Nautic Line», Eres

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right Waterboarding Long sleeve top NO KA’OI, Nous & Body activationSani Marina Bikini briefs Off-White, Grigio-Sani Marina 172

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Tennis left Pleated mini dress Bottega Veneta, Luisa World, luisaworld.com Superlite Visor and Adidas Stan Smith Sneakers, Hondos Center Apollonia Politia Arnst wristbands, Fila Socks, LacosteNotos Com Holdings right Pleated skirt Lacoste L!VE, polo shirt and socks, LacosteNotos Com Holdings Rose gold watch «Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph» and rose gold bangle «Happy Hearts Wings» with diamonds and mother of pearl, all by Chopard, Era JewellerySani Marina Rains Bag, Nous & Body activationSani Marina Adidas Stan Smith Sneakers, Hondos Center Apollonia Politia 174

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makeup Maria Pagonaki hair Michalis Terzakis photographer assistants Dimitris Katsanakis (10AM), Michalis Lavdiotis model Agata Wozniak (D.Models) 176

left Forest Walk Sweatshirt and shorts Chiara Ferragni, Hondos Center Apollonia Politia Sunglasses Dolce & Gabbana, Optomania-Sani Marina Water Bottle Chilly’s Series 2, Hondos Center Apollonia Politia right Cycling Shirt Etro, Intervista Hat Ganni, Intervista Slides Valentino Garavani «Atelier», Grigio-Sani Marina Bicycle, Coco-Mat 177

puhhha/shutterstock.com

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How can the ideal of ancient kallos actually be transferred to our personal wellness in the modern era?

EAUTY INSIDE OUT

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words by Patia Iordanidou

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The wonderful exhibition hosted at the Museum of Cycladic Art entitled “Kallos: The Ultimate Beauty” initiated us into the idea of a beauty of the body and the soul, through 300 iconic ancient artifacts. We still remember the important words of the former director of the Museum, Nikolaos Chr. Stampolidis: “By gazing at this beauty you are essentially gazing at yourself - what you are and what you would like to be on the outside, as well as on the inside”.

In ancient Greece the notion of kallos combined physical beauty with spiritual essence, and included the process of beautification and health/wellness treatments

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for our inner and outer self.

But let us come back to our time. The expectations regarding our appearance have undergone many changes. Over the last few years in particular, what is considered Beautiful, in its classic and conventional meaning, no longer falls within a framework of strict prerequisites regarding body type, age or weight. It is no coincidence that the biggest fashion magazines and photographers are showcasing 70-year old actresses with youthful attitudes and plus size models that exude confidence. It is a small revolution - the fact that the number on our identification card or the scales does not matter as much as our emotions and attitude towards life.

It is a fact that the issue of aging has been demystified: we are no longer disconcerted about fading youth, or deepening wrinkles, nor do we react and rush into aesthetic interventions for lifting or toning the skin. Our basic needs and desires are gradually changing. We seek to age beautifully, with grace and self respect. What seems to hold the most value is the search for a holistic approach to beauty, achieved through a good relationship between body and mind that includes a balanced diet, exercise, and interaction with nature.

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OLISTIC BEAUTY IS THE PURSUIT OF MODERN MAN… Indeed, when this happens consciously through small, daily rituals, healthy habits and new generation cosmetics, the idea of beauty itself acquires a different dimension.

One way to preserve our beauty and youth is through a healthy and balanced

The classical IDEAL of KALLOS, as PERCEIVED by the ANCIENTS, is also PRESENT during OUR time diet, which affects our skin and is reflected in it. The first step, and maybe the greatest challenge for perfect skin, is currently the food that we consume. The most important nutrition specialists and holistic doctors recommend limiting products with low nutritional value, such as sugar, dairy, gluten and alcohol.

For some people, habits such as meditation, yoga and bioresonance have beneficial results as they lead them to find a balance first within themselves, and then to a harmonious coexistence with the world around them.

For others, it is reconnection with nature that works as the perfect antidote to the daily stress and frenetic pace of our daily routine, improving both mental and physical health, lowering levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and offering a sense of relaxation.

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ELF CARE: THE NEW BEAUTY Regarding our day-to-day beauty pampering, there is an interesting connection between the treatments we offer our skin and our mental health. More and more studies show that taking care of our daily beauty routine is a good act of self care.

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choose products that slow down or soften the effects of aging and protect us from daily attacks, both external and internal.

Yet in order to see positive results in our appearance and mood it is necessary to be consistent and repeat the treatments regularly.

In our skincare products we prefer effective ingredients with proven results in offering hydration, glow and revitalisation such as hyaluronic acid, the proverbial king of hydration; the multitalented vitamin C and its antioxidant powers; the alltime classic anti-wrinkle action of retinol; fruit acids that reveal smooth and brilliant skin; and superfoods, which stand out for their nutritious attributes.

An extra note of wellness and euphoria can be found in skincare products that include therapeutic and calming essential plant extracts, such as orange and rose, as well as rich textures that excite the senses and have a positive effect on our mood.

Essential oils also serve a similar purpose, “building” on the basic tenets of aromatherapy, an alternative method that has been used for thousands of years by various ancient civilizations for treating ailments of the mind, body and soul.

Their anti-stress and relaxing action helps calm the spirit, body and face, in particular when part of a nighttime skincare routine.

Essential oils such as vetiver, lavender and geranium are famed for their calming qualities that come into effect immediately upon inhalation or application on the face using our palms. In addition to hydration, nutrition and a subtle glow they also leave behind a fine sense of euphoria that soothes all stressful influences, promising deep sleep and relaxation.

Even if our idea about what exactly beauty may be in the third decade of the 21st century remains fluid due to intense social movements, it seems that the classical ideal of kallos, as perceived by the ancients, is also present during our time.

BEAUTY MEETSYOU TODAY. The female breast has always been an object of worship, a diachronic symbol of motherhood and femininity. It expresses sexuality and self-confidence.

Breast Augmentation is currently one of the most popular operations of plastic surgery. It increases the volume of the breasts sculpting the desirable shape and size. Breast Augmentation is addressed to women with small breasts or who have lost size and shape following weight loss or pregnancy or it can be a result of time.

New generation silicone breast implants that do not wrinkle are used.

Surgical incisions are hidden in specifically chosen areas so that they may not show, and the 4-cm incision is made on the infra-mammary fold or, alternative through the navel.

as time goes by due to the natural result, the harmonious image of the breast and the lower rate of complications. The selection of where to place the implant depends, among others, to the type of implant used, the size of the existing breast and the degree of augmentation desired.

GIOLANTA PEPE PLASTIC SURGEON (PHD) OF THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF AUTH

The selection of size is the result of your desire and of an objective medical opinion so that breasts may be in harmony with the rest of your body.

Significant parameters defining your selection of size is the existing anatomy, the current size of your breast, the elasticity of your skin and your body type.

Every patient receives a copy and an identification number of the type of implant used in her case, in order to ensure a stable postoperative follow up and in order to clear any doubts about the quality of the implant used.

Patients stay at the clinic for one day.

The postoperative course is smooth and the patients return immediately to their daily lives. After the breast augmentation women have what they wished for in the first place plus self-confidence.

Latest technology implants are elastic and have the same texture as normal breast. They do not cause any disease nor increase the morbidity rare, breast cancer and autoimmune diseases included. They do not affect breastfeeding either, provided that breast implants have been placed safely using the right technique.

The implant may be placed under the breast gland, under the muscle or under the pectoralis muscle. This last technique is becoming more popular

Dr Giolanta Pepe

INFO:

Plastic Surgeon, PHD of the Medical School of Auth, has been specializing in Cosmetic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

37, Agias Sofias str., 3rd floor Τ. +30 2310 287 800, +30 2310 275 050 E. info@giolantapepe.gr 181

4, Ionos Dragoumi str. & 3, Rogkoti str. Τ. +30 2310 287 100, +30 2310 287 200 E. giolant@hotmail.gr

www.giolantapepe.gr

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TEN STEPS At the luxury Sani Resort retreat you will enjoy premium high impact treatments that promise to not only release you from the weight of daily routines but also to erase a few years from your face and body, offering rejuvenation and rebirth inside - and out. Besides, as Aline Marcadet, President of Anne Semonin beauty products, underlines: “Beauty is ageless, subjective and holistic”.

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The skin simply adores massages, on the face and the body. A touch has the potential to relax, calm down, improve physical health and bring spiritual balance.

Sani Resort is the ideal “haven” for you to enjoy a massage that will make all the worries of your daily routine simply melt away, creating a distance between the intensity and stress of the city’s frenetic pace, while also offering your skin the rejuvenation it deserves.

All you need to do to partake in this multi-sensual experience is to leave yourself in the hands of the experienced Sani Resort therapists in one of its five spas: My Spa at Sani Beach, The Club Spa at Sani Club, The Spa Suite at Porto Sani, The Spa Retreat at Sani Asterias and The D Spa at Sani Dunes.

Anne Semonin products, exclusively used here, guarantee the best possible results. As Aline Marcadet, President of Anne Semonin, affirms to Sani Magazine, “At Anne Semonin, the Beauty is linked to the Skin Radiance and should be “sur mesure”. And we believe that, each skin is unique with changing needs resulting from the season, lifestyle, environment and hormonal imbalances. Regardless of age or type, skin can be nourished and revitalized, to reveal a new freshness, softness and vitality.Anne Semonin's beauty and wellness therapies revolve around the superiority and efficacy of our luxury products.

Our mixology concept, exclusive holistic approach, high-quality service and classic French touch also play a significant role in our therapies' success. They are combined with our results-driven products to make for unrivaled spa experiences”.

ALL 5 SPAS ARE WONDERFUL! Enjoy rejuvenating, hydrating and antiaging treatments inspired by nature at My Spa, with beauty products combined with aromatherapy treatments from olive, thyme and rosemary extracts. For the more cosmopolitan, The Spa Club offers a journey around the world through traditional rituals from India and Hawaii to Polynesia, Thailand and our own wonderful Mediterranean.

At the calm oasis of The Spa Suite you will connect with your inner self through customized face and body treatments, with precious beauty products and ingredients

by Anne Semonin.

The Spa Retreat offers a sense of absolute privacy, featuring a private steam bath suite for couples as well as private treatments in your suite.

The newly arrived, futuristic and uber modern The D Spa offers a variety of massages organised in six categories: Soothing & Relaxing, Uplifting & Refreshing, Detoxifying & Purifying, Anti Aging & Rejuvenating, Tension Releasing & Invigorating, Anti-cellulite & Toning.

Holistic Beauty Treatments

proof that instant radiance can be achieved on, quite literally, your lunch break. Your therapist will hydrate your skin in the most efficacious way and leave your skin looking fresh and rejuvenated, and in only half an hour to boot. This treatment is suitable for all skin types.

Polynesian Four Hand Massage What would you think if you had not one, but two sets of hands giving you a massage at the same time? This ultimate massage experience features two experienced therapists working together, perfectly synchronized, their four hands involved in a harmonious choreography to ensure the ultimate pampering, to tone your body and increase your energy levels.

Lomi Lomi Nui Massage

The restoring treatment with the refined touch of Anne Semonin, usually elicits gasps of joy, as you immediately notice your mature skin emerging smoother and looking years younger. With its mindbending mix of cryotherapy, advanced ingredients rich in amino acids, drainage and lifting techniques, this facial will combat signs of aging in a way that will make you walk out with your best face ever.

This ancient massage technique comes from Hawaii and features a massage using the forearms, palms and fingers along a large section of the body in wave-like movements. Do not be surprised if the therapist focuses on two different parts of the body at once. This is a basic characteristic of the Lomi Lomi massage which, with its slow, deep and relaxing effect, unblocks your energy flow and your energy points, or chakras, balancing body and mind.

After-sun Regenerator

Lava Shells Massage

A revitalizing treatment that is a special gift to oneself, in particular after a few days under the hot Halkidiki sun. No matter how wonderful it may be, the sun wears out and dehydrates the skin, bringing signs of premature aging to light. This specific treatment includes a rich hydrating mask all over the body, a massage on the scalp and an aftersun facial treatment that soothes areas over-exposed to the sun while also nourishing and revitalizing the skin. Beta carotene plays a crucial role in this, as it is known to relax the skin and renew your glowing tan.

If you are environmentally aware, you will adore this massage treatment that uses 100% natural ingredients from the marine ecosystem. In particular, heated shells are placed up and down your body to warm up, relax and rest your tired muscles. Before beginning the treatment, the therapist covers your entire body with warm hydrating oils.

Precious Pearl Ultra Lift

Express Radiance The treatment involves a cleanse, exfoliation and face mask application and is 184

Gold Rush Body Ritual Gold stone massage, 24 carat serum and face masks with gold dust…

Are you ready for a precious treatment with the most impressive products by Anne Semonin? This particular treatment begins with peeling using a “golden” balm and continues with a full body massage that

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combats joint pains. But that is not all, as it also improves the texture and color of the skin, offering an incredible glow. The anti aging treatment that follows on the face makes it radiate with health and brightness.

Miracle Lifting & Modelling Massage Devised to deliver an immediate and dramatic lipo-sculpting effect, there is no better way to start your summer than with lifting & modelling full-body massage. The treatment’s manual drainage technique, a combination of firm pressure and fast rhythmic and pumping movements, delivers quick, head-turning results. After just one treatment, you’ll leave the spa with smooth, even skin and a more sculpted body.

Xerolipo Bodysculpting Combine the pursuit of the useful with the ideal holiday, and acquire the slender

and toned body of your dreams while also enjoying the carefree vibes of the summer.

With the help of laser technology and stateof-the-art neuromuscular electrical stimulation, the non-invasive Xerolipo treatment focuses on problem areas where fat tends to accumulate, without causing the slightest inconvenience. Even though results are evident from day one, a cycle of five treatments is recommended for a comprehensive weight-loss and toning treatment.

This spread 1. The Spa Suite, Porto Sani 2. D-Spa, Sani Dunes 3. Aline Marcadet 4. Skincare products by Anne Semonin Paris, Spa areas - Sani Resort

Miracle Stress Boosting Treatment This treatment will take all the weight off your back, neck and shoulders, releasing you from accumulated tension. A warm mask of natural therapeutic mud is applied all over the body, relieving muscles and the appearance of the skin. The therapist then moves to a beneficial massage that evokes a sense of wellness and relaxation.

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SANI GOURMET 15 years We have thankfully reached the 15th anniversary of the top gastronomic festival in Greece, which proved to be exhilarating once more. The best awardwinning restaurants and chefs with a total of 220 Michelin stars graced the kitchens of Sani Resort, opening an enticing window onto a rich gastronomic universe. With the help of a flavor expert, we savor moments of delicious euphoria.

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HAUTE Gastronomy I

words by Dimitris Antonopoulos* photos by studiovd.gr/n.vavdinoudis-c.dimitriou 188

3 1. From the menu of Oliver Piras and Alessandra Del Favero, 2016 2. Inside the kitchen, preparing the Sani Gourmet 2017 3. Rising Stars Part 3, 2018 4. From the opening party of Sani Gourmet of 2018

* Restaurant critic and gastronomy editor-inchief for Athinorama magazine, ex Academy Chair for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

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1 1. From the opening party of Sani Gourmet of 2018 2. Chrisanthos Karamolegos, 2014 3. Paulo Airaudo, 2018 4. From the opening party of Sani Gourmet of 2022 5. Konstantin Filippou, 2012

Sparked by a party in 2006, it has developed into a popular and much-awaited happening over the years. Anxiousness, expectation, surprise, delight and innovation are words and feelings that inundate us each year, as gastronomy shines through the unique presence of chefs visiting from around the world. Sometimes sprinkling brilliant gastronomic stardust, other times inviting the grande dames of gastronomy to grace their kitchens, exploring flavors from the Silk Road and searching for tasteful interactions between peoples, with chefs from China, Turkey, India, Azerbaijan, Italy, Iran, Georgia and Greece, or even spotlighting young up-and-coming chefs, and systematically promoting New Greek Cuisine, Sani Gourmet has been established as the finest gastronomic festival in the country.

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A TOUCH OF STARDUST

ERIC FRÉCHON — The grand virtuoso of French haute cuisine came to the 1st Sani Gourmet wearing his two Michelin stars from Épicure in Paris (in

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2009 it earned its 3rd star) and thrilled guests. French finesse reaches a new level with specialities such as lobster gazpacho with guacamole and Espelette peppers, half-smoked salmon with egg mousseline flavored with truffle and asparagus, and baby lamb cooked two ways - confit with lemon and garlic, and slow roasted with fresh herbs.

the management of the impressive 48 The Restaurant. The chef who brought the idea of conceptual cooking into modern Greek cuisine more than anyone else, with his now-iconic tomato sushi and other exceptional specialities making new gastronomic history at Sani Gourmet.

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ALAIN LLORCA — We met him in the kitchens of the famed Negresco, with 2 Michelin stars, but he came to Halkidiki after opening his own restaurant (Michelin-starred) opposite the famed picturesque village in the French Riviera, Saint-Paul de Vence.

Announced chef of the year (2007) in France by Gault & Millau, he was sensational with his Mediterranean dishes branding him the “bad boy” of French gastronomy due to his unconventional approach to flavor.

STARS IN SANI

MAURIZIO SANTIN — It was a great moment for the Festival of flavors when it hosted the son of a great gastronomic family, namely the son of Ezio and Renata Santin, as the Antica Osteria del Ponte is one of the iconic 3-star restaurants in Italy. That is where Maurizio “matured” gastronomically and developed into a top pastry chef with the nickname “Cuoco Nero”. Being a charismatic TV persona, he won over the Sani audience with his unforgettable desserts.

CHRISTOFOROS PESKIAS — This was a decisive year for him, as he also undertook 190

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STARS IN SANI

HEINZ WINKLER — Awarded 21 times with 3 Michelin stars, the top German chef that shines in his own restaurant, Residenz,

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with Madeira wine and pepper jelly, as well as the great smoked duck with peach and almond crumble.

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just outside Munich, made a splash preparing a life-giving gastronomy with an ethereal touch of gourmet. Helmut Kohl, Gianni Agnelli, Brooke Shields, Jean Paul Belmondo, Sofia and Juan Carlos are just some of the celebrities who have applauded his unique cuisine.

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CELEBRATION OF THE SENSES

SANTI SANTAMARIA — The Greek public was fortunate enough to enjoy his 3-star cuisine as the great Catalan chef passed away two years later, from a heart attack at his restaurant in Singapore.

He was an innovator and a modernist, who focused on his own special way of showcasing the natural flavors of his products, both humble and rare. His presence at Sani Gourmet was a definite highpoint.

ANDREA BERTON — The student of Gualtiero Marchesi earned 2 Michelin stars at Trussardi alla Scala and became one of the most talented young chefs on the Italian gastronomic scene. A finesse that moves familiar taste memories, but presented in an extremely modern way was, and is, his style and stood out at the 2009 Festival.

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TOP WOMEN CHEFS

CLARE SMYTH — Gordon Ramsay was onto something when he had Clare Smyth as head chef of his 3-star restaurant. Now she has her own 3-star restaurant in Notting Hill, having been named the best female chef in the world in 2018. Her dishes were super refined and sophisticated, such as the pressed foie gras 191

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NEW GREEK CUISINE

KONSTANTINOS ENRIKOGLOU — The genteel sociologist who became a chef and restaurateur continues for decades to offer a modern Greek cuisine based on exceptional produce from small producers. I remember the chef describing his cuisine as “fresh, delicious and authentic”, which we thoroughly enjoyed as these delicious feelings filled us up as we tasted his food.

THEODOROS KYRIAKOU — The restless Greek who started out as a captain in the merchant marine and then became a Greenpeace activist, stirred the waters when he opened the first Real Greek in London in 1999, making a great success and changing the stereotypes that surrounded Greek cuisine internationally. What we had liked in his book and his fresh approach to Greek

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cuisine in the British capital was only confirmed in Halkidiki.

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NEW GREEK CUISINE

KONSTANTIN FILIPPOU — The top Greek chef abroad, with 2 Michelin stars to his name, shone with daring and the diverseness of his gastronomy, which incorporates Greek flavors in a very special and creative way. We simply cannot forget his signature dish: snails with smoked organic egg, cardamom, vine tendrils, lichen, smoked eel and lovage, his version of snail bourguignon with Greek “blue and white” freshness.

GIORGOS HADJIYANNAKIS — Everyone who wondered what the 100 Miles Diet might mean in Santorini duly received a response from Giorgos Hadjiyannakis, chef Nikos Boukis and Selene restaurant: tomato meatballs with creamy fava, classic melitini cream placed next to merengues made from local cherry tomatoes, and a traditional Santorini salad transformed into ice cream.

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NEW GREEK CUISINE

NIKOS KARATHANOS — The Michelin starred chef made waves with

his deconstructed moussaka and divided opinions with his daring. He was, and still is, unforgettable for this daring metamorphosis, preserving just the mincemeat and aubergine from the original dish, and everything else in unexpected forms. The herbs enveloped us like smoke, as if coming from a beverage falling on dry ice.

ETTORE BOTRINI — Another “scandal” at Sani Gourmet caused by the top Michelin starred chef. Can tzatziki become a dessert?

And yet, this is not fake news, as he created a delicious creation with an elegant dose of cucumber granita, ice cream and yogurt meringue with spearmint, as well as a fake garlic clove filled with white chocolate ice cream, with just a hint of garlic.

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THE SILK ROAD: FROM BEIJING TO ROME

CHRISANTHOS KARAMOLEGOS — One of the finest chefs of creative Greek cuisine, an expert in Greek style fusion, his creations pumped up the adrenaline. Dishes such as grilled soutzoukakia with Greek-Chinese soy-hoisin-honey-tomato paste glaze, or sea bass and prawn kebab with tahini, chili, lime vinaigrette, the first paired exceptionally with a glass of lager while the second with some abbey ale. What a treat.

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THE SILK ROAD: FROM BEIJING TO ROME

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THE CHEFS OF THE FUTURE!

ALFRED PR ASAD — I had tasted his Michelin awarded cuisine at Tamarind in London, and I was enthused by his specialities. In particular, the steamed mussels with turmeric, ginger and coconut milk and the spicy butter chicken, with a lovely pomegranate raita as a counterpoint, were warmly received. At the age of 29, this chef was the youngest Indian chef to be awarded with a Michelin star.

OLIVER PIRAS & ALESSANDRA DEL FAVERO — These Italian chefs created a sensation. Having worked in the best restaurants in the world (Celler de Can Roca, Noma), Piras developed a unique style - a light and natural cuisine with many herbs and a particular love for sophisticated bitter and sour combinations, awarded with a Michelin star. We enjoyed the beef tartare passed over the bbq with corn mayonnaise, slightly sour wood sorrel and toasted scallion dust, as well as the original, wine soup with mezzi rigatoni and chicory coffee.

ALEXANDROS TSIOTINIS — He stood out as the best chef in the Mediterranean in 2015 in the S. Pellegrino Young Chefs competition, while he now has his own Michelin star. His talent shone at Sani with his signature specialty in particular - corn veloute with lobster, truffle foam and bergamot aromas, a dish with enviable harmony, high quality finesse and wonderful aromatic bursts.

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1. Alexandros Tsiotinis, 2016 2. Alfred Prasad, 2015 3. Ektor Botrini, 2013 4. Culinary Artisans, visual identity by Red Creative, 2022 5. Inside the kitchen, preparing the Sani Gourmet 2013 6. Simon Rogan, 2019

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THE CHEFS OF THE FUTURE!

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THE CHEFS OF THE FUTURE!

ANTHONY JEHANNO — The most important thing for this chef is highlighting the terroir on the plate, whose restaurant Terre-Met in Brittany won a Michelin star in 2017. At Sani he “played'' Greek, preparing monkfish with hummus, parsley cream, caramelized onions, lemon cream with oregano and olive oil, as well as a sophisticated dessert in which he combined cheesecake with the delicate saltiness of caviar!

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PAULO AIRAUDO — The Italian-Argentinian chef dared to open his own restaurant in the heart of San Sebastian, and his choice brought him two Michelin stars. He adds notes from Argentina, Japan and Italy to his Basque minimalist cuisine, and we particularly enjoyed his prawns with

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avocado mousse and sea lettuce powder, as well as his daring combination of beef tartare with oysters that we still remember.

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BIG STARS

SIMON ROGAN — The presence of the legendary British chef was a fine moment for Sani, as one of the worldwide leaders of the “farm to table restaurants” and foraging trends is breaking new horizons at the 3-star L’Enclume.

Dedicated to the seasonality of his ingredients, he composes unusual sophisticated and beautiful specialities, cooked with great precision and impressive technique. We applauded them all, but were completely blown away by the asparagus, cooked in bone marrow fat with hollandaise and leek ash, and the roast cabbage with crayfish, horseradish and crispy chicken skin.

STEPHANIE LE QUELLEC — She enjoyed Sani so much, this year she is in charge of Sani’s Asterias restaurant, and so we will enjoy her 2-star cuisine in Greece as well.

It really is remarkable that she earned two stars, twice, in one year because even though La Scène restaurant was closed down in the hotel that owned it, she reopened it by herself eight months later and earned the distinction once again. She cooks simply, aiming to showcase the flavors of her exceptional ingredients, following timeless French routes with a 2-star finesse. We particularly enjoyed the half-roasted crayfish with vanilla, buckwheat oil and blanc-manger, and the yolk of a free range egg, marinated in xeres vinegar served with green asparagus and morchella mushrooms.

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CULINARY ARTISANS

LIZA KERMANIDOU — Among a pleiad of award-winning chefs that cooked at Sani Gourmet this year, Liza Kermanidou stood out as the only woman but also for the special concept she presented. The

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1. Simon Rogan, 2019 2. Alexandros Tsiotinis, 2016 3. Sani Gourmet brochure, visual identity by Red Creative, 2017

pastry chef from Thessaloniki, with her permanent memories of delicious tsoureki (sweet Easter bread), has worked in some of the finest kitchens in London, such as Roka, Corinthia London, Hotel Cafe Royal, and the famed Claridge’s. Today she excels as head of Café Kitsune at Pantechnicon, one of the most cutting edge projects in the British capital, and her French-style pastries are sprinkled with Japanese and Scandinavian influences. Sani Gourmet presented a range of her characteristic desserts, paired with Nespresso coffee: tarts with green apple, lime and shiso, bars with chocolate, pecan, caramel and miso, ParisBrest with hazelnut, banana and yuzu, and eclairs with matcha tea and strawberries.

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Trofelia Promoting Food: Gourmet Greek Delicacies

THE STORY BEHIND THE BRAND What is Trofelia?

Trophe + Ofeleia The name Trofelia is a portmanteau of the Greek words for food/nourishment (trophe) and benefit (ofeleia). It is an accurate representation of an excellent combination: food as a necessary, vital element for the body and benefit as the enjoyment it brings to all our senses. People eat together; share food, sit around the table and communicate.

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The Mediterranean Diet on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Heritage

A set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking, and particularly the sharing and consumption of food. All the values of hospitality, neighbourliness, intercultural dialogue and creativity, and a way of life guided by respect for diversity. A vital role in cultural spaces, festivals and celebrations, bringing together people of all ages, conditions and social classes.

The vision for Trofelia – Promoting Food is to become the foremost supplier of traditional Greek products from every part of the country and a global ambassador for the Mediterranean diet and its authentic culinary identity.

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Brand Identity Trofelia seeks to contribute to the promotion of contemporary urban Greek cuisine and traditional Greek products as major parts of our cultural heritage and valuable assets in Greece’s identity as a tourist destination. Trofelia celebrates new flavours, new producers, new locations and everyone’s “right to pleasure”.

Trofelia - Promoting Greek & Mediterranean cuisine

The brand always looks to expand our networks and markets, bringing together every aspect of Mediterranean cuisine along with its flavours, culture and diversity, focusing on common elements and those with the potential to contribute to new culinary trends and multicultural expression through food.

Eating together is the very foundation of the cultural identity and continuity of communities throughout the Mediterranean basin. It is a shared moment of social exchange and communication, an affirmation and renewal of family, group or community identity. Our philosophy of food spurs from the challenge to understand who we are in a deeper, more authentic way.

For us, food is a connection, a piece of art, a challenge.

We aim to point the way to a return to a healthier relationship with the land and the fruit it bears, towards the excellence of the ingredients – transferring knowledge and knowhow as valuable tokens of cultural wealth, exploring our roots while staying open to new, international influences, and spreading foodie culture, the sheer enjoyment of eating and the experience of the good life through authentic, wholesome flavours.

Working with Acclaimed Chefs Trofelia works with renowned chefs from Greece and abroad to facilitate further development of Greek gastronomy via the exchange of experience, knowhow and new techniques and viewpoints. Each product is selected based on rigorous quality criteria and thorough market research in order to both respond to and introduce new tasting trends. The range of Trofelia products comprises tastes and flavours from different regions of the Mediterranean which highlight the uniqueness of each place.

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Making use of a wide network of associates and partners and sophisticated distribution logistics, we focus on serving our clients’ needs and expectations, building relationships of trust. We promote high-quality food brands with tangible health benefits. We choose to cooperate with the best producers of Greek and European products which are distinguished for their nutritional value. From Thessaloniki, in the heart of the region of Macedonia, we bridge the gap from producer to consumer by distributing an eclectic range of food.

Trofelia: Beneficial Nourishment Trofelia means quality food and a healthy lifestyle, championing these two concepts not only in name but also in what the company offers to its partners. TROFELIA Promoting Food supports Greek products but also follows gastronomic trends, thinking and acting globally.

We have a strong commitment to spreading awareness and information that brings us in touch with the deep comprehension of sampling and enjoying food and flavour.

For us, good food should be experienced in simplicity. Every year, we organise international gastronomy trips, enabling our partners and renowned chefs to network with their peers abroad, exchange experience and knowhow and explore local European cuisines, products and trends.

Food’s Power to Change People Food has transformative powers; it links people together. We eat, we share, and we link food to landmark celebrations in our lives. Food takes on added meaning connected to space and place, becoming an anchor and, literally, part of us. Food represents a tangible bond between the person who offers it and the person who receives it, linking them in social custom, through the concept of gift-giving and of friendship between guest and host – one so celebrated in Greek tradition and culture.

Fairy Tale Food

The name TROFELIA is a combination of the Greek words for nutrition (Trofi) and benefit (Ofelia).

TROFELIA expresses these two concepts not only in its name but also in what the company offers to its partners. Food is an integral part of every nation and expression of traditions & culture.

TROFELIA Promoting Food supports the Greek & wider Mediterranean Diet, thinking and enhancing its presence globally.

TROFELIA is following the gastronomic trends & working with Greek chefs to facilitate further development of Mediterranean gastronomy through the exchange of experiences, know-how & points of view.

In fairy tales far and wide, food has the power to evoke change. In Cinderella, food becomes a vessel of change, with the pumpkin literally transformed into a carriage to carry the titular character to her new life.

Meanwhile, Jack and the Beanstalk is a tale of transformative beans. They grow deep in the ground and up into the clouds, providing a topographical gateway for Jack to enter a different realm and a change his fortune.

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I have loved the Mediterranean with a passion… It starts in the north with the appearance of the first olive trees and ends in the south with the appearance of the first palm trees... Its life is linked to the land, its sailors may turn peasant with the seasons; it is the sea of vineyards and olive trees...

Ferdinand Braudel, The Mediterranean

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Stéphanie Le Quellec

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star Michelin arrival The dynamic Parisian chef with an impressive career is coming to renew the gastronomic scene at Sani Resort with her refined cuisine. Here is an introduction to her, and to her dreams.

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interview by Dimitris Antonopoulos

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photography Stéphane de Bourgies

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6 December 1981 Birthdate 2011 winner of Top Chef 2014 First Michelin star at La Scène restaurant January 2019 Second Michelin star at La Scène restaurant

February 2019 Closure of La Scène restaurant at the Prince de Galles hotel

9 October 2019 Opens her own La Scène restaurant on avenue Matignon 27 January 2020 Earns a second Michelin star once more

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Stéphanie Le Quellec is a French woman who has rightly earned her spot in her country’s female chef dream team with her two Michelin stars.

But this is not the only thing that makes her stand out, since following her great success in winning the French “Top Chef” competition in 2011, the spotlight was suddenly focused on her and she became head of the restaurant La Scène, in the 5-star Prince de Galles hotel on the avenue George V in Paris, in 2013. She received her first Michelin star the following year and five years later, in January 2019, her second. Three weeks after this great news, the Prince de Galles announces the closure of its hotel restaurant, shocking the entire city. Le Quellec does not give up, and despite an avalanche of offers decides to take a risk; on 9 October 2019 she opens her own restaurant on avenue Matignon, which she names La Scène once more, and on 27 January 2020 she wins her second star again. Parisian Stéphanie, who began cooking at the age of seven making sablé biscuits and by the age of twelve had mastered recipes such as coq au vin

My cuisine is MADE of INSTINCTS, moments, SINCERITY and EMOTIONS and bûche de Noël, is stubborn and followed an upward course by taking a risk and banking on her strengths. She went ahead with a one million euro investment without partnering with an investor, to see her dreams come true. Her philosophy is to lighten the stiff tones at haute cuisine restaurants and loosen the strict codes of the past; she wants them to be more humane, more accessible, and she wants to be present to welcome her guests herself.

Today she cooks more simply, focusing on showcasing the flavor of her exceptional products. This leads her cuisine along more timeless paths because she never wants 201

to be a trendy chef, and hopes to never become one, highlighting the fact that she considers female and male chefs equal in the kitchen.

Stéphanie Le Quellec will be presenting her signé specialities as head of the Over Water restaurant at Asterias, which include: oscietre caviar “Casse-croûte” with light potato foam and lemon zest; semi roasted langoustine with vanilla oil, buckwheat seeds and light mousse of its claws; zucchini flower stuffed with sea bass and verbena creamy juice; roasted duck foie gras with red berries and toasted coffee; slow poached John Dory in orange blossom

SANI MAGA ZINE 2022

Today you are well known for your two Michelin stars, yet people first met you in 2011 as the winner of Top Chef. What did your participation in this TV competition offer you?

I was already a chef before Top Chef in the beautiful Four Seasons Terre Blanche Hotel in the South of France. Top Chef in 2011 was a monumental TV program and as a young woman, mother of two boys, winning this competition brought me into the spotlight, across the whole of France. Ten years later, guests are still talking about this competition.

You received your second star in March 2019 at the Prince de Galles hotel, and in October of the same year you opened your own restaurant, which was also awarded with two stars. Are you aiming for a third star, and if so, what steps are you taking in that direction?

My team and I were delighted to have been awarded two Michelin Stars the year of the opening of La Scène avenue Matignon.

Earning 2 stars directly, that never happens! Of course, I would love to go further.

However, the only direction I take is to always go deeper in the exceptional quality of the product that I cook, ensuring the perfect execution of my recipes and

the moment my guests are enjoying them in my restaurant. My aim is that everyone leaves La Scène with an amazing souvenir.

Who are your mentors, and what did you gain from them?

Chef Jean-François Piège taught me a lot and chef Arnaud Doncekele, whose twotime awarded 3 Michelin Stars made me cry over an amazing dinner! However, my cuisine is inspired by emotions and seasons, by my garden and the time I spend in various markets. It’s a very personal cuisine.

Do you believe in the idea of magic in gastronomy?

What does that mean to you?

Of course I believe in magic! Magic is created through the emotion conveyed during lunch or dinner.

Several famous chefs are opening restaurants around the world, while others prefer not to leave their headquarters. As a chef, what is your operating model?

I am one of the very rare chefs that actually 202

cooks everyday for my guests in my two Michelin Star restaurant, La Scène. If I am not able to be in my kitchen, I will close the restaurant.

How would you describe your gastronomic style?

I was trained by exceptional Grand Chefs, Meilleurs Ouvriers de France with the best techniques and I have mastered the way we cook amazing sauces. Baking, frying and roasting no longer have any secrets!

With these as a basis, my cuisine is made of instincts, moments, sincerity and emotions.

Various trends are created on the international gastronomy scene (Nikkei food, sushi and Scandinavian cuisine, to mention a few). How far do they influence you?

I am very curious and spend all my free time going to restaurants, because I love sharing moments at the table and discovering new food, new concepts and simply the generosity of sharing a meal. What inspires me a lot is traveling, but foremost the beauty of the changing seasons.

photos Stéphane Riss

fumet with green asparagus; red mullet bouillabaisse-style with fennel; roasted baby lamb with spicy sausage, black truffle quinoa and cauliflower; grilled beef filet with braised juices, panisse and olive oil “choron” sauce; strawberries in their own juice, smooth almond cream, strawberry juice and Malabar pepper; chocolate grand cru 75%, lukewarm ganache and sorbet with aged olive oil.

Of course I BELIEVE in MAGIC! Magic IS CREATED through the EMOTION CONVEYED during lunch or DINNER

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Gourmet Getaway:

7 DINING EXPERIENCES AT SANI RESORT

Where will we try authentic Greek cuisine? Who serves the most delicious tomato salad? Why is Katsu a great Japanese restaurant?

A food expert visited seven restaurants and conveys his impressions.

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words by Dimitris Koparanis

Nestled in a private nature reserve, a 4000-square meter expanse with pine forests and pristine sandy beaches with turquoise waters, the resort is a concentrate of solid Mediterranean beauty. It is not the first time I find myself here; I have been coming every year since 2007 and I still feel the same enchantment. In terms of

food, things could not be better. Boasting exceptional chefs and high quality ingredients, Sani Resort is a gastronomic paradise. I know very well that I am not alone, as a great number of travelers consider gastronomy an integral part of the travel experience. This is something Sani also understands well. After a quick calculation, 204

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it seems that by eating two dishes with every meal, it would still take almost a year to taste all the dishes on offer at the 26 restaurants at Sani Resort. Not bad.

Psarogiannos: a genuine Greek taverna In Greece we like to share food and clink glasses with our friends. This is precisely the idea behind meze: simple, tasty dishes that are served all together, with one or more glasses of ouzo or tsipouro. Begin your holidays getting to know Greek cuisine at

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Psarogiannos, a genuine Greek taverna with the quality of a restaurant. Located in the center of the marina and boasting sea views, here you will find fresh fish, seafood and meze, as well as iconic Greek dishes such as mousaka and gemista (vegetables stuffed with rice). Take a seat at one of the tables on the grass, enjoy the sun and begin your meal with a variety of starters. Try the dolma (vine leaves stuffed with rice and wrapped by hand), the taramosalata (fish roe spread tarama) and the grilled aubergine with feta cheese. The fried courgettes are super crispy and served with yogurt and herbs. Go for

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one of the grilled fish options - ask for the fish of the day - the grilled calamari and the shrimp “saganaki” (with fresh tomato sauce and feta).

Sharpen your chopsticks at Katsu “Of course you can”, replied Alexandra, our waitress at Katsu, the Japanese restaurant in the Sani Marina, in hope that I never will. I had just asked if I could slurp the noodles like a genuine Japanese, which I am clearly not. “Besides, it is a required tradition”, she added as she took us to our table. I may love Japanese cuisine, but it is often hidden behind badly-cooked noodles and smoked salmon sushi. Of course, Katsu in the Sani Resort marina has nothing to do with that. Chef Katsuhiko Hanamure achieves something truly unique: comprehensible, pure Japanese food without compromise, for everyone. Our dinner started with smoked eel nigiri unagi - my all-time classic favorite dish, and the best choice for novices - the fire-kissed beef and rainbow

1 Water, Sani Asterias 2 Tomata, Sani Marina

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3 Isakou Ilias, chef, Psarogiannos, Sani Marina 4 Psarogiannos, Sani Marina

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1 Katsu, Sani Marina 2 Nektarios Makaridis, chef, Asian, Sani Marina 3 Asian, Sani Marina

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maki rolls, an impressive palette of various sushi rolls. We continued with the Alaskan black cod, cooked in cod miso, and the prawn Udon soba noodles. We accompanied our dinner with a Japanese whiskey from the bar. Forgive me for not remembering the specifics, it was something Alexandra arranged for us.

tomato harissa - and the lamb mousaka.

Chrysanthos is also revered for his exceptional desserts. Try his classic pavlova, this year served with strawberries, ginger and syrup. The ideal way to finish your meal!

Contemporary Greek cuisine at Tomata

The sunsets are wonderful at Sani Resort, and my favorite spot to admire them from is none other than Asian, the Thai fusion restaurant in the marina. The menu here is created by Chef Thiou, from the famous Thiou restaurant in Paris. Honoring her heritage, Thiou serves Thai cuisine featuring contemporary techniques and a European aura, which totally matches the resort’s gastronomic identity. Our dinner began with dim sum, a variety of starters akin to Spanish tapas or Greek meze. The Luxury Dim Sum platter is a delightful dish with five delicious bites: lobster, shrimp and truffle, scallops, duck and beef - served with a variety of dipping sauces. “You must try our new salad,” recommended the hostess, and she was right. The pomelo salad was by far the best salad I had tasted in a while. We

With diehard fans and friends, Tomata

by Chrysanthos Karamolegos is not just one of the best restaurants in Halkidiki, but one of the finest in Greece. “This year at Tomata, you can try some of the chef ’s most iconic dishes in a unique gourmet retrospective”, explains the restaurant manager, “including haloumi grilled cheese with hoisin sauce”.

“But does haloumi go well with hoisin?”, I thought immediately, only to be proven wrong at first bite. We also tried the salad with grilled asparagus and burrata, the tomato salad with many different types of tomato and galotyri (traditional Greek soft and creamy cheese), the Karamolegos’ version of souvlaki - Iberico pork served with

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Thai Fusion flavors at Asian

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couldn’t but try the “Wheeping Tiger”, the famed dish with marinated beef and duck, the shrimp Pad Thai (popular Thai noodle dish) and the Manchurian chicken.

Mediterranean elegance at Water I will begin with a disclaimer: words cannot do justice to the excellence of the appearance or taste of the food served here.

Water at Sani Asterias is an archetypal ideal restaurant, the kind we all appreciate but rarely come across. There is an acute attention to detail here. Large comfortable tables, flawless linen tablecloths and a menu for the most demanding. Chef Demis Kokkinidis achieves great things in the kitchen.

His dishes are profoundly delicious, with Mediterranean soul, French technique and fine dining vibes. We began with a divine mushroom risotto, the crayfish served with cauliflower and saffron, and the sea bass ceviche. We tried two mains; an unbelievably delicious swordfish filet - served with tomato and herb pesto - and the slow cooked lamb, perhaps the most delicious I have tasted in recent years. Christos Giantsidis, the restaurant sommelier, selected the wines for our dinner, while we ended with two desserts by patissier Giorgos Malakis: the Pâte à choux, a refreshing dessert with ice cream and exotic fruits, and Chocolate Lover with dark chocolate, praline and salted caramel.

We moved on to the salad bowl with quinoa, asparagus and shrimps, the fresh tuna sliders and the tacos with tuna, avocado and wasabi. A refreshing white assyrtiko wine was the perfect accompaniment to our meal.

The phenomenal tiramisu with ice cream by chef patissier Giorgos Avgerou is just one more reason to try this restaurant.

Greek cuisine by the sea, at Ammos The heart of the resort beats at Ammos.

Nestled on the beach between Sani Hotel and Sani Asterias, it opens from the early morning and is the ideal meeting point throughout the day. A favorite with families, you will also find a specially designed menu for toddlers and children at Ammos, a very yummy selection created by food expert Annabel Karmel. The menu also features some of the most iconic dishes of Greek cuisine. We tried an exceptional salad with pulses, tuna and fresh herbs, smoked aubergine spread and fava. We complemented this selection with dolmadakia, spinach pie and grilled meatballs in tomato sauce served with pittas. Those who love meat should go for the impressive Mix Grill, with pork souvlaki, meatballs, chicken, lamb chops, tzatziki and feta. Finish your meal with an Armenoville, the famed iced torte with roasted nuts and chocolate.

1 Ammos, Sani Beach Hotel 2 Cabana, Sani Club

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Cabana: Irresistible freshness al fresco Some say that Cabana at Sani Club is one of the resort’s best kept gastronomic secrets. Located in a natural bay with white sand and turquoise blue waters, it is quick to impress. The menu is served in the outdoor space and was inspired by Nicole’s famed La Petite Maison in Nice. Leonidas welcomes us and explains that here - much like at La Petite Maison - particular attention is given to the freshness of the seafood they choose to serve. We would realize this ourselves soon enough. We started off with an impressively fresh green chili and avocado ceviche.

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IN LIEU OF AN EPILOGUE…

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An image is worth a thousand words, we often say. On this page we step off this beautiful, image-filled journey through the warm embrace of Sani Resort. In our thoughts we keep the idea that Kallos, the main theme of this year’s issue of Sani Magazine, the Ultimate Beauty was born in this country; in Greece, under this sun, within this sea air, diving into these colors. As such, we would like to make you friends, fellow travellers and companions to the big idea of the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. With the agreement of UNESCO, a grand vision of cultural heritage is almost becoming a reality, and in this we ought to be all together, united. Besides, according to Socrates, Kallos is a synonym of Ethics - the kallos of the spirit.

lovelypeace/shutterstock.com

Have a wonderful summer!

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HAPPY HEARTS Handcrafted in Ethical Gold

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