Insider Athens 91

THE CITY MAGAZINE OF

February 2011 Year 9. Issue 91 â‚Ź4.50 ISSN 1790-3114

ATHENS

The Wellness Issue Health reforms / MSD: The business of caring and curing / Thermal springs / Organic markets / The Mediterranean diet / Winter getaways / Spas in the city / Film: Dogtooth, Psarokokalo and The flight of the Swan / Music: Imam Baildi, Jazz in Jazz PLUS: ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD & WINE, NIGHTLIFE, SHOPPING, NOVELTIES, MAPS| February AND2011 MORE insider athens 1

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Sudha Nair-Iliades

Coming back from a recent trip to India has been a bit of a reverse culture shock. India is growing, almost too rapidly and too uncontrollably. Cranes stick out sorely into the skyline; old references as I knew them, no longer exist or have been transformed beyond recognition. There are sea-links, new highways, shopping malls – a palpable energy reigns, tech-savvy Gen Y-ers, who form 75% of the population, drive trends and fancy sports cars. There’s an insouciance about money, reminiscent of the Olympic boom days in Greece.

Back to Athens, and the contrasting images are hard to ignore. Caution rules, entire avenues are lined with empty stores and To Let signs (our cover picture alludes to it) and a sense of uncertainty prevails.

publisher’s note It’s in times like this, when the chips are down, that the Greek phrase, ygeia pano apo ola, makes so much more sense. While much-needed reforms in the health sector are finally being implemented (p.28) and pharmaceutical companies are gearing up to meet the challenges of yet another difficult year (p.30), Greek society has been quick to adopt a new eco-friendly, health-conscious trend - the open-air organic market(p.36). Ellen Gooch touches on how residents of the Greek island of Ikaria have been living longer and healthier than anyone else in the world, without being miserable!(p.40) Time we picked a few lessons.

Rightly sensing the need to salve sagging spirits and bruised souls, more spas and wellness retreats have sprung in the city (p.34) and more Greeks are revisiting old bath-houses and thermal springs (p.32).

Buoying the mood is also Greek film Dogtooth’s unexpected nomination at the Oscars(p.22). So this February, cocoon in to watch the movie awards, surprise your loved ones with a thoughtful gift(p.42) or a trip to the mountains (p.44) and go get that blood test you’ve been putting off.

Sudha Nair-Iliades

Publisher - Editor Sudha Nair-Iliades Art Director Michel Devanakis

Contributors in this Issue Ranti Bambgala, Anelia Fikiina, Ellen Goutch, Eleni Kefalopolou, Nick Malkoutzis, Julia Panayiotou, Mike Sweet, Graham Wood

Sales Antonis Tsirikos

Web Coordinator Ranti Bambgala

Client Relations Patricia Graire, Anelia Fikiina

Intern Ashton Weiss

Art Editor Stephanie Bailey

Founder Steve Pantazopoulos

Photos Angelos Giotopoulos, Hellenic Export Promotion Board, Dimitris Polymenopoulos, Marq Riley

Legal Counsel Christos Christopoulos Prepress, Montage and Printing Dias

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Graham Wood

Graham lived and worked in the UK and Japan before moving to Athens in 2004. Currently he writes about the Greek sports scene for Reuters, UEFA and the Athens News. A self-confessed extreme sports-lover, he also contributes features on travel, the environment and leisure to various publications.

Ranti Bamgbala was born in Nigeria and raised in the UK. She has an MA in Art, Design and Visual Communication.

Her passion is just to ‘create her ideas’ which include products, furniture, installations and events. Ranti also manages Insider’s website.

Nick Malkoutzis

Deputy-editor of Kathimerini English Edition and Athens Plus, Nick moved to Greece from London in 2003 after spending part of his childhood in Athens. He has worked for the BBC and the Associated Press and jointly set up Archon Media. Nick has a passion for sports and tries to satisfy this by playing 5-a-side football every week.

Anelia was born and raised in Sofia and has lived and studied in Lyon, Budapest, Madrid and Glasgow before she moved to Athens in September 2010. Fluent in six languages, Anelia is passionate about international affairs and about discovering new cultures. In her spare time, she is an avid hiker.

Stephanie Bailey

Marq Riley

Born in Athens, Greece, Julia has a BA in History from Barnard College, Columbia University in New York. After her graduation, she returned to Greece to work for the International Herald Tribue / Kathimerini publication Athens Plus, where she headed the Community and DVD & Home Entertainment sections, and was a contributor to the Cinema page.

Dimitris was born in Greece and raised in the United States. He has a Masters in Marine Engineering and feels passionate about making photography and creative writing an integral part of his life.

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Anelia Fikiina

Stephanie is a freelance writer, artist and teacher. Born in Hong Kong, she studied Classical Civilization and English Literature before completing a foundation diploma in Art & Design in London. She has contributed to Adbusters, ArtPapers, Athens News and Odyssey, and is a music correspondent for Spinearth.tv.

Marq was born in The Netherlands, where he graduated as a theatre director from the Utrecht School of Arts. He moved to Greece in 1999, working as a music events organiser. He is now a freelance writer, and as a concert photographer covers a wide selection of festivals and shows.

Julia Panayotou

Ranti Bamgbala

Dimitris Polymenopoulos

contents Features

12 20 30

Departments

A match made in Athens 10 Galleries Nice and Fit and AMP share a common space

Ills, pills and bills 28 Nick Malkoutzis reviews the state of the health sector

Sax, Cigars and City Tales 12 Dimitris Polymenopoulos and Marq Riley revisit the legendary Jazz in Jazz bar

Caring & Curing 30 MSD’s CEO Cyril Schiever on creating a sustainable healthcare environment in Greece

Imam Baildi cooks up a feast 14 Marq Riley on the group’s latest CD, Cookbook

In the spring of health 32 Julia Panayotou on thermal springs and their healing properties

Jewish Museum 15 Mike Sweet reviews a book on the Jewish community in Thessaloniki in the 20th century.

Spas in the city

34 Two urban retreats to nurture the body and soul

And the winner is…

Greek film Dogtooth is nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars

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Keeping it short and sweet 18 Stephanie Bailey reviews Psarokokalo, Athens’ short-film festival

Love by the kilo 36 Organic markets are here to stay.

Arts and Events

4

Society

22

My Athens

24

Fast Lane

30

Wellness

34

Agora

42

Restaurant reviews 54 Oenophile

56

Secrets of the Mediterranean diet 40 Ellen Gooch shares diet secrets garnered from wise old Greeks.

Restaurant lndex 58

Time to cocoon 44 Winter escapes by the slopes of Mt. Parnasos

Kaleidoscope

Homecoming 20 Ranti Bamgbala meets the creative force behind the movie The Flight of the Swan

Letter from Kenya 48 Tamara Zein on her experience with the Kuluhiro community in Kenya

Athens, I love you 24 Josefine Camitz on her enduring affair with Athens

On the road again 52 The Acropolis Rally is back and raring to go

Area-wise listings 60 80

34 36 48 52 54 Cover illustration by: Michel Devanakis

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Arts & events

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Onassis Cultural Center

Gialino Music Theatre

Badminton Theatre

Goya-Beethoven: The Path to Silence 1 A three-part visual arts and music performance in which parallels are drawn between the two great artists’ paintings and musical compositions which stem both from the era in which they lived and from parallels in their personal lives.

‘Mnimonium’ 30 Years of Night In a series of performances that will definitely be analysed by fans and critics alike, Jimmy Panousis responds to Greece’s economic situation with the help of cops, pigs, and traffic wardens. With a combination of satire and song, Panousis mesmerizes audiences every Friday and Saturday night and offers a dose of harsh reality.

Both widely criticized and celebrated, his controversial statements leave no issue untouched.

2nd International Magic Festival 2 For the second consecutive year the most imaginative magicians and sorcerers from the world over cast a spell with their best numbers at the International Magic Festival at the Theatre Badminton. The two-hour interactive performance of the world dream team of magicians will bring viewers a programme combining theatrical effects, stand up comedy and mime.

www.sgt.gr, www.onassis.gr

www.gialino.gr

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www.badmintontheater.gr

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B & M Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts & Music The New Hellenic Quartet 3 Founded in 1991, The New Hellenic Quartet, is considered one of Greece’s foremost chamber ensembles. Their concert activity has taken them to various European cities and festivals, including the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Beethoven Festwochen in Bohn, the Vaughan Williams Festival in London, the Music Harvest 2000 in Odense and the International Symposium “Schönberg in Berlin” in Vienna. This year the NHQ presents a cycle of 6 concerts including compositions from Haydn and Mozart to Nielsen and Theodorakis. For a complete programme schedule, visit www.thf.gr.

On the town For location details see listings p76

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Insect of Snow by Sumako Koseki Michael Cacoyannis Foundation 4 Sumako Koseki is a representative choreographer of the Butoh movement, which begun in Japan in the 60’s as the Dance on the Edge where expressions and movements are based on old Japanese theatre and martial arts emphasizing the Ki or cosmic energy innate in all of us. Insect of Snow expresses the dancer’s feelings of angst about the two countries she lives in Japan and France.

www.mcf.gr

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B & M Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts & Music The Academy of La Scala di Milano This exciting collaboration between the B & M Theocharakis Foundation and the Academy of La Scala brings 5 concerts to Athens, featuring the stars of La Scala in Milan and piano soloists. In a tribute to Belcanto, French opera, Italian composers of the 19th century and Verdi, new voices take us on a magical journey through lyrics and song.

www.thf.gr

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Bernier-Eliades Gallery

Frissiras Museum

LIONEL ESTÈVE: Collective Hallucination 5 Each painting of Lionel Esteve, whose work is characterised by extreme dimensions, bold colour combinations and a variety of materials, can be defined as a three-dimensional design in which colours float quickly or slowly. At the Bernier-Eliades gallery, the artist will exhibit a series of sculptures, collages, small and large projects. His works, which are both humorous and unrealistic, make the universe look like something familiar and intimate.

Naked Truth This exhibition offers an exciting journey, exploring the way in which leading Greek and European painters have represented the naked human body.

Starting with the works from the Frissiras Museum’s permanent collection, the viewer is offered a unique chance to experience a kaleidoscope of several different and deeply personal means of artistic expression.

www.frissirasmuseum.com

www.bernier-eliades.gr

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Herakleidon Museum

National Gallery

Edvard Munch: Beyond the Scream 6 Athenians have the unique opportunity to explore ‘the artist behind the garbed skull, representing the universal anxiety of man’ at an exhibition of Norwegian Symbolist painter, Edvard Munch’s works at Herakleidon on loan by the Tel Aviv Museum of Modern Art (TAMA), the Munch Museum in Oslo as well as private collectors. Best known for his composition Scream, one of the most recognizable paintings in the world, Munch remains as controversial a century later as he was in his heyday when he painted Scream in 1893.

Paris 1900, Art Nouveau and Modernism Treasures from the Petit Palais 7 The National Gallery celebrates a journey into the heart of the Belle Epoque, the beautiful period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until WWI. For Paris, it was a golden age when new forms of expressionism such as art nouveau and cubism were born. 1900 was the year the Grand and the Petit Palais were built and the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated.

Culturally, it was Paris’ embrace of glamour and Bohemian lifestyles that sprung in the city and artists experimenting with new forms that firmly established Paris as the trendsetter in the arts.

www.herakleion-art.gr

www.nationalgallery.gr

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Every Monday and Tuesday Michael Cacoyannis Foundation No Body Else, in concept and direction of Kirki Karali Six story-making machines narrate the memory printing onto a body which has been working for 25 years. Or else a mini corpus containing the user’s guide of me. The composition of the drama resulted from the team and their readings. The stage transfer was determined during the rehearsals. Whatever comes up during the performances is part of the drama.

www.mcf.gr

Skoufa Gallery Yiorgos Kouvaki 8 Yiorgos Kouvakis makes a subtle ecological statement highlighting man’s neglect of nature. Kouvakis’ images focus on the tree trunk - once symbolizing strength, hope and wisdom and revered over the ages in different cultures but mercilessly hacked today to meet industrial greed and insatiable human needs.

www.skoufagallery.gr

On the town For location details see listings p76

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Astrolavos Artlife Gallery Nanos Valaoritis: Goddesses, Women and Monsters in Homer 9 Astrolavos Artlife Gallery presents Nanos Valaoritis’s new exhibition. The artist’s works includes colourful paintings representing the epic writer’s works, especially the Odyssey and the Iliad, projecting with some humour and parody the images of these goddesses, mortals (women) and many mythological creatures from Greek poems into today’s life.

www.astrolavos.gr

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Cacoyiannis Foundation Culture Matters: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the South East of Europe 10 Culture Matters is an initiative of Austria to support the integration of Southeast European nations in the EU through increased intercultural cooperation. Culture Matters presents pictures of a trip to 18 UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites of 18 districts in different countries of Southeastern Europe.

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Kappatos Gallery

Benaki Museum, Pireos

Hommage à Galérie ARTIO 11 The Kappatos Gallery pays tribute to the Artio Gallery in Paris, founded by spirited Frenchwoman Martine Chardon, who for over fifty years supported and presented young Greek artists at her gallery.

Completely ignoring commercial consequences, Chardon nurtured some of the greatest talents in the contemporary art scene in Greece including George Lappas, Pavlos (Pavlos Dionysopoulos), MarieFrancoise Poiteyes, Dimitris Sakellion, Marios Spiliopoulos amongst others.

Cause of Death: Euthanasia: Works from the Prinzhorn Collection Hans Prinzhorn (1886-1933), doctor and art historian was fascinated by the topics investigated by cultural anthropology, such as the source of artistic impulse, and sought to get a grip on the “schizophrenic sense of existence” as was recorded in expressionist art during his lifetime. He gathered works from various psychiatric clinics and created a unique collection at Heidelberg. His greatest contribution lies in that by offering a positive re-evaluation of marginalized “mad” art and its creators, he facilitated a recognition of the talent of psychiatric patients and a re-examination of such patients by society.

www.kappatos.gr

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Gagosian Gallery Alberto di Fabio 12 Di Fabio’s work merges the worlds of art and science with themes of biology, ecology and nature. The images are microscopic in their focus, implying biological diagrams, cellular structures, flora, eco systems, and pharmacological research.

Di Fabio observes how the human mind’s capacity for information has been amplified due to the increasing means of communications that saturate our daily lives, and he invites us to reconsider the body by its most essential functions - posing questions about science and aesthetics, life and art.

www.gagosian.gr

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B & M Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts & Music Obsessions and intimacy: The body in contemporary austrian drawings - From Alfred Kubin to Birgit Jürgenssen This is an attempt to present 13 contemporary Austrian avantgarde artists and the extraordinary wealth of their journey in the empire of obsessions, destructions, intimacy and intercourses. The narration includes psychoanalytic approaches, evidence of a spiritual post-symbolism, linguistic deconstruction strategies, aesthetic utopias and a kind of neo-romanticism. Resonances emerge with important Austrian intellectuals, among them Sigmund Freud, relating to the cultural field of contemporary society. www.thf.gr

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EMST National Museum of Contemporary Art Politics of Art 13 The political uses of public space, the states and experiences of oppression, the violent socio-political conflicts, the violation of human rights and discrimination, financial globalization, the reconstruction of collective memory and the reestablishment of a collective social space are some of the issues critically investigated by the works in this exhibition, opening a dialogue with society and everyday life, seeking alternative policies for collective action and artistic activism and a new interactive relationship between the artist and the community, both local and global.

www.emst.gr

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The Eynardou Mansion Maps of the Aegean Sea – Cartography and History 15th-17th century In a charming building that now houses the National Bank’s Cultural Foundation, part of a larger collection of maps will be on display from the Greek Cartography Archives. The rare collection comprises approximately 200 printed maps dating from the early sixteenth to the eighteenth century, old atlases, such as those created by M. Boschini (1651) and V.M. Coronelli (1708), geographical handbooks, among which Meletios’ Geography (1728) and the Introduction to Geographics and Sphericals by Chrysanthos Notaras (1716), as well as an original copy of the Carta of Rigas Pherraios in pristine condition.

Art

The Fulbright Foundation combines the goodwill of its alumni and their art to raise awareness and funds for its ongoing international exchange programme

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or the 9th consecutive year the Fulbright Alumni Art Series - Art supports education initiative will gather artist alumni, recognising the fundamental role of education, to support the foundation. Since 2002, when the initiative was first inaugurated, Fulbright artist alumni donate their artworks to help raise funds for the Fulbright Scholarship Program. Each year, the Foundation selects one artist to develop a limited edition work of art. To date, participating Fulbright alumni artists include Erieta Attali, Dora Economou, Zoe Keramea, Sia Kyriakakos, Lambros Papanikolatos,Vangelis Pliarides, Costas Varotsos, Zafos Xagoraris, Sotos Zachariadis and Theodoros Zafeiropoulos.

The 2011 Art Supports Education event opened on January 27at the Benaki Museum Pireos street annex.The place was not chosen acciden-

tally: Benaki Museum Director Angelos Delivorrias is an alumnus of the Fulbright Foundation and has been instrumental and most supportive of this initiative. “Art supports education… as education supports the arts” says A. Delivorrias.

The Fulbright Alumni Art Series will be exhibited in the Benaki Museum shops. There, the alumni’s artworks could be bought until 28 February and proceeds from the sales will go towards the Fulbright Scholarship Programme.

The Fulbright Programme is the premier international educational exchange program in the world. It was established in the United States in 1946 by Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The Fulbright Foundation in Greece offers scholarships to Greek and American citizens - students, teachers, scholars, and artists - to pursue a wide variety of educational projects. Since 1948, the Fulbright Foundation has awarded more than 4,700 grants to Greeks and Americans and has offered free advising services for studies in the US to thousands of individuals. i www.fulbright.gr, www.benaki.gr

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Photo by Nikos Katsaros

What happens when a contemporary gallery from Berlin decides to set up house in Athens? Stephanie Bailey talks to gallerists Andreas Melas of AMP and Helena Papadopoulos of Nice & Fit, Berlin, about a new venture in Athenian co-habitation and what it could mean for Athens and beyond.

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hen Andreas Melas Presents (AMP), opened Destroy All Monsters, Hungry for Death, in November last year, Helena Papadopoulos – hosted by Andreas Melas Projects - inaugurated the first of four planned shows within her temporary, eponymous exhibition space on the same night and on the 1st floor of the same, neo-classical three-storey building. It was an unexpected partnership, but one that has brought forth a renewed sense of energy into the AMP space and its grimy Metaxourgeio location.

The exhibition title, Consumption, was spelled out with matchsticks by artist duo Claire Fontaine on the walls of the crisp, white cube space, formerly AMP Works. It was a fitting title for Athens.The idea of consumption can be interpreted in a number of ways, from commercial consumption, to the feeling of being consumed, and in its entirety the Claire Fontaine show was an appropriate tribute. Indeed, the results of over-consumption are something the 21st century must now overcome, and the lessons are not confined to Greece.

Perhaps that’s why after a twenty-five year odyssey that has seen her study at the Courtauld Institute and the Royal College of Art in London, work independently as a writer and curator in New York, and establish the Berlin-based Nice & Fit space in 2006, the most frequently asked

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question Papadopoulos faces in Greece is why on earth she returned.

“Everyone keeps asking me that,” she chuckles with a response one suspects has been repeated. “I think people are so used to being depressed about their own culture that they feel disbelief when someone who has lived elsewhere decides to come back to live here.”

But one could be forgiven for wondering why a gallerist with a successful space in Berlin chose to return at this particular time, to which Papadopoulos unflinchingly asserts; “I think that Athens is in a very interesting moment.We are witnessing historical changes in political and social terms.The fabric of society is changing and at the moment people see that as terribly negative because we are faced with all the problems and the phobias that the crisis is producing. People are desperate and are trying to find a way to survive.”

This need to survive is not just mirrored in the inhabitants of Metaxourgeio, an area more known for junkies than for its artistic merit. Since first opening AMP in June 2008, Melas has noticed the difference.“Commercially things have obviously affected business,” he notes gravely. “I definitely have had to adapt and learn from the current situation, which is more aggressive and very different to when I first arrived. But I think what’s happening is a good thing. Depending on how we react, it could

Art be a great thing. Art-wise there is fertile ground for new things, and in that respect Athens is a great place to be.”

As Papadopoulos observes,“Athens is a small city, and there is this feeling that people learn very fast and catch up quickly with what is going on around them.”When it comes to weathering the storm, she insists,“I will opt for the optimistic take on things. Of course many things are beyond our own power, but what can you do when there is a global financial system that imposes certain realities? On the other hand, it’s up to us to change our everyday lives. I recently read the Practice of Everyday Life

by Michel De Certeau, discussing consumption and production with a very positive take. Rather than saying we can’t change anything, he says you can change reality through small actions. That is what I hope I am proposing with this space. Of course I’m not deluded in thinking contemporary art can change social realities, but it can produce change within a particular circle, which could then be enlarged.”

Could such attitudes remove the stigma attached to the seemingly indulgent mechanisms by which the art world operates at present and herald a new, more holistic era of arts management? “There is a lot of talk of art as a commodity, the gallery system and the market,” Papadopoulos asserts. “But if you consider that this is based on a surplus of value and a construct that is completely irrational in many ways, the gallery is one of the only spaces where you can still be free to set your own rules. I’ve never thought in commercial terms, which is strange as I’m a gallerist - but my background is in art history and curating. I found myself running a gallery - I started doing shows from my living room and it evolved from there.”

Himself a gallerist with a prior life as an artist in his own right, Melas followed a similar path that somehow led him to establishing AMP. Having studied art in London and then in New York, Melas also worked for Jeffery Deitch of the notoriously street-focused Deitch Projects. During that time, he began organising shows that brought mainly young New York-based artists into Athens under the label, Andreas Melas Presents.

From this, the gallery seemed to be a natural progression. Since opening, AMP has become a prominent fixture within the contemporary art map, with active participation in international art fairs and a vibrant, international exhibition resumé.

For the pair, international links are crucial to developing perspectives and connections to artistic movements and trends – an intellectual and commercial necessity in a globalised world. “As far as I’m concerned, I want to keep a certain momentum going as opposed to staying in a bubble,” Melas insists.“It’s important to remain active on local soil while maintaining as much contact as possible with what’s going on outside of the country.This is good for me, but it’s also good for Greece as a whole.”

In times like these, the last thing Greece needs to be is insular. Could it be Melas is leading by example? Perhaps Papadopoulos is right; our private lives have become more important than our public lives in these trying times; this is where we are truly free to make small changes.

What makes the Melas/Papadopoulos collaboration work so well – at least from having spoken to the two - is their shared optimism about art, Greece, the world as whole, united by a multitude of similarities, and filled with tensions brimming from differences that present possibilities, as opposed to difficulties. “One thing that is really nice about being in this space is the positivity I feel. I haven’t really come across that before,” Papadopoulos admits.The feeling is clearly mutual.Talking to Melas, he is quick to note; “I love Helena being here. There’s so much to learn from her. It’s good to have someone around on the same wavelength; she’s honest and wants to learn. It’s a personal thing for her.”

And when setting up shop in Greece, it’s got to be personal. Anyone running their own business in the country knows just how relentless a war it can be, with endless battles – great or small – littering the warpath.

“It’s a bit problematic because there is such bureaucracy one wonders whether they want people to start businesses or not!” Papadopoulos laughs. “But I don’t want to see this as a battle. I want to see this as participation in the writing of a new chapter in Greek history. People tend to be negative, so I’d rather forget about that. You can complain, or not complain. It’s as simple as that.” i

Erica Baum, Annette Kelm, Josephine Pryde at Helena Papadopoulos and Aaron King, 5965 Starling opens at AMP, February 17, 2011. For more information, see www.helenapapadopoulos.com and www.a-m-p.gr.

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microC SMS

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here’s a place in Kolonaki where the human aspect of Jazz is as profound, and alluring, as the authenticity of the genre itself. The Jazz in Jazz bar on Deinokratous Street is an “oasis from the daily grind and craziness of Athens,” as owner-barman Giannis Tzevelekis explains.The bar’s unique atmosphere, accompanied by original jazz from the 1910’s-1940’s, makes it a favorite among both jazz aficionados and the uninitiated alike.

Marq Riley and Dimitris Polymenopoulos scout around for hidden gems in the city and chance upon the legendary Jazz in Jazz bar in Kolonaki. A photo essay on the bar, its patrons and the special pull it exudes

The story began with its founder, an ex-seaman known simply as Kostas who, after years of crossing oceans, brought his love for New Orleans back to Crete. There, in the small seaside village of Aghia Galini, he opened the original bar in 1978. Having moved it to Kolonaki in 1996, Kostas ran the institution until his retirement some four years ago. A drawing of him still adorns a far wall, depicting him at the bar with his signature panama hat.

The warm character of Jazz in Jazz is mirrored in its patrons of all ages and styles. Baby boomers Anna and Nikos have been regulars at the bar since it first opened in Kolonaki. Anna maintains a soft spot for Kostas whom she says “is still present in the bar’s little details.” Indeed, the photographs, antiques, instruments and books that adorn the inside of the Jazz in Jazz are not simply a décor but part of Kostas’ life. There’s the pair of shoes that belonged to a girl that Kostas swing danced with one night in New Orleans.

On another shelf sits a billiard ball from an underground poolhall/jazz club.

Kostas picked it up off the street after it whizzed by him on his way out, following a rather menacing altercation.

Anna and Nikos have observed more and more young people coming to the bar over the years. ”We may or may not have changed, but the place has definitely kept its vibe,” Nikos notes.

Interestingly, a brief discussion with two Gen Y-ers didn’t touch on the subject of music at all. Before having stepped in for the first time that night, Irene had passed by the bar every day as she left for work, and though not a jazz fan, the bar’s authenticity drew her in. Sitting comfortably amid a group of Greek friends was even a young patron of Chinese descent. Fan Ying says she has seen quite a lot of Athens during her year here and feels that Jazz in Jazz stands out by “the lack of distance between people.”

Of course, staunch audiophiles won’t be left for want. Rows of CDs line the walls, from mainstream standards to rare recordings – Kostas’ own collection numbers about five thousand in total. It’s also a special treat when Giannis winds up the old gramophone bringing vintage 78 rpm vinyl records to life.

A word of advice from Giannis – don’t step up to the bar asking for a Mojito.

The drinks here are as original as the music – spirits, beer and no fancy cocktails. Also, the nine to three opening hours are strictly enforced – so make the best of your time there and follow his suggestion to “go against the stream and leave your usual habits at the door”. i

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Music

Marq Riley takes in the latest offering from Imam Baildi’s new Cookbook CD and comes back sated

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n a converted workshop alongside the Athens-Piraeus railway tracks in Gazi, a home crowd cheers eagerly as brothers Lysandros and Orestis Falireas step onto the stage with their 8-piece band.Who would have thought five years ago, when this duo mixed up some of dad’s old rebetiko records into an eclectic dish of modern grooves, that what started as a tasty appetizer would turn into a culinary feast. Imam Baildi not only fills up local digs on a weekly basis, but the full band has also become highly sought after on European festival and concert circuits - France, Germany, and already twice at Denmark’s Roskilde, one of the five largest annual music festivals in Europe.

The late BBC World of Music presenter Charlie Gillett said of Imam Baildi’s debut album that it helped him “open up to original rebetika recordings that used to sound harsh to my over-sensitive ears.”

The band has just served up its second course entitled The Imam Baildi Cookbook.The Falireas chefs have concocted another highly addictive menu of 15 dishes, each with its own distinct flavour but never stray-

ing too far from the musical cuisine with roots in the 1920s and 30s.

In the year 2011, rebetiko is blended with hip-hop, bouzouki is stirred up with electro swing and tossed up with a good helping of Balkan brass and Latin salsas.

Permanent rapper MC Yinka is joined by Rena Morfi, her mélange of smooth vocals and fiery character surely constitutes the cookbook’s Crème Brûlée. Greeks have always been famous for venturing into the world, and this time Imam Baildi is bringing the world with them; guest appearances include LA rappers Delinquent Habits, themselves known for mixing up latin melodies with hip-hop beats, and Maxwell Wright of Barcelona’s Ojos de Brujo.

Their infectious live performances, at which dancing has become irrepressible are a must. Upcoming dates are listed on Imam Baildi’s Facebook or MySpace pages, and a big show in collaboration with Art Athina will be announced soon. i

Visit www.insider-magazine.gr for an exclusive video of Imam Baildi live.The Imam Baildi Cookbook is out on Kukin Music/EMI

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Books TZ

The surviving buildings in Thessaloniki reveal a vital and hidden story of the city’s Jewish community in the 20th Century. Another gem from Athens’ Lycabbetus Press, Mike Sweet reviews this fastidiously researched new title that proves to be much more than any common travel guide

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ena Molho has been researching the Jewish history of Greece, and particularly the city where she has lived for 30 years, as her own ‘identity quest’ into the twenty-five generations of her forefathers who were born and raised in Thessaloniki. Rena can trace her family right back to Spain at the time of the Inquisition, when her ancestors were among the thousands of Spanish Jews who were expelled by force and who settled in Salonika. Having previously published two of the most important studies of the subject The Jews of Thessaloniki 1856-1919: A unique community and Salonika and Istanbul: Social, Political and Cultural Aspects of Jewish Life, Molho’s motivation for this new title is to make a popular guide book for the visitor who “strolls around Salonika convinced he or she is visiting a city that was always Greek”.

This guide, a collaboration with Vilma Hastaoglou-Martinidis, Professor of Architecture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, is an indispensable reference point for anyone at all interested in the rich and tragic history of what was Greece’s most multicultural city. With photographs and information on thirty-five of the most important buildings and sites that remain in Thessaloniki, this work is simply unique. Molho’s commitment to revealing what has often been literally glossed over, is clearly absolute. For those unfamiliar with the detailed history of the city it is a revelation. “Thessaloniki was a city with a 450 year Ottoman past that was conquered by the Greeks in 1912, hardly 100 years ago. It was a multinational city that the new masters tried to Hellenize in every way” Molho says, adding that there still exists opposition from the Greek state to her and others’ work on the subject. “Anyone who reminds them of the city’s Jewish and Ottoman past is considered an enemy.”

Monastirlis Synagogue, Salonika / copyright: Elias V. Messinas 1995

Many of the buildings identified are of great significance architecturally, in addition to their vital place in a community’s history; a mix of art nouveau, neo-Gothic and neo-Moorish elements, many show a bold architectural synthesis of western and Ottoman design, telling us much about the eclectic and sophisticated artistic sensitivities of their original owners. With more than half the buildings referred to being owned by the Greek state, the guide is not just a timely device for remembering and celebrating Thesaloniki’s Jewish identity; it is a rallying call for pressure to be exerted on the Greek government to recognize the enormous cultural significance of these heritage sites, and to safeguard them for future generations. i Jewish Sites in Thessaloniki is available from the Lycabettus Press.

ISBN 978-960-7269-49-2

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Films

A serious Oscar contender, will Dogtooth race to the finish line?

The Plot Dogtooth (Kynodontas), is a movie about 3 child-like adults growing up in a large compound, in a pseudo-parallel universe created for them by their fanatically protective and paranoid father’s imaginings; a world that actually exists physically somewhere in Greece unbeknownst to them, as they have never been over the surrounding fence. This is a world where ‘sea’ is the word for sofa and where kittens are a terrifying threat. The parents use any excuse to enforce upon their children the fear of the unknown.

When the unfamiliar becomes familiar, life in the compound unravels at an increasingly alarming pace. The film is a musing on how far people would go to hold things together.

The Cast & Crew

Why it should win the Oscar?

Starring: Christos Stergioglou Michelle Valley, Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Christos Passalis Writers: Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou Producers: Iraklis Mavroidis Athina Rachel Tsangari,Yorgos Tsourianis Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Dogtooth is the first Greek film in 33 years to be nominated for an Oscar and rightfully so. This film has rewritten the rules of engaging the international audience with regards to the topics of conversation most frequently had in Greek films. Following its success, we see more movies of Greek origins, production and otherwise, more prominently.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ filmography 2001 My best friend (O kaliteros mou filos), co-director, with Lakis Lazopoulos 2001 Uranisco Disco (short film) 2005 Kinetta 2009 Dogtooth (Kynodontas) (Prix Un Certain Regard, 2009 Cannes Film Festival) 2010 Attenberg (actor, producer)

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And not only is the film aesthetically pleasing with fantastic production values, but it offers up some very interesting questions that are very apt in today’s society. How much can we justify if the end goal is to make things better? And when is the right time to give up control, and allow things to take their natural paths?

Dogtooth has travelled a lengthy journey beginning in Cannes 2009, where it won the Prix Un Certain Regard. We shall soon find out if it goes the whole way.The Oscars take place on the 27th of February, and we at Athens Insider wish the movie very good luck. i

Films

Stephanie Bailey celebrates the return of Athens’s favourite short film festival Psarokokalo, with a run down of what to expect.

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he Psarokokalo Short Film Festival is an example of that wellknown independent Greek spirit. A self-funded initiative with humble beginnings in Nixon Bar’s gem of a screening room where it premiered five years ago, it has since flourished to enjoy recognition and support from both a local and international network of festivals and filmmakers, and has expanded to include the magnificent Lais Cinema as a secondary venue for film screenings, the home of the Greek Film Archive.

This year, the programme packs a punch as strong as ever. Increasing its international scope, the festival’s annual international competition will screen seventy-three films from around the world including a touch of Hollywood in the form of The Third Rule, directed by Audrey Johnson and starring Jason Biggs and Anthony Hopkins in his first short film role of his career, Oscar 2011 nominated German animated short, URS,

by Moritz Mayerhofer, as well as Mexican offering, Second Bakery Attack

by Carlos Cuaron, based on a novel by Haruki Murakami and starring Kirsten Dunst.

Eight screening programmess will focus on legendary filmmaker Romain Gavras with tributes from James Franco, Ingo Schiller and John Veslemes, the Hamburg Media School and Latitude – the Quest for the Good Life in cooperation with the Goethe Institute in Athens, the One Take Film Festival, Italian Cinema, the Short Shorts Japan Film Festival and Dialog. Master classes and talks will take place throughout the program, including Media Literacy at the Greek Film Archive, and a conference on New Media Groups at six d.o.g.s

Venues: Greek Film Archive (Holy Route 48 & Alexander) Showtimes 20:00 to 22:00, 22:00 - 00:00 Nixon (Agisilaou 61b, Kerameikos) Showtimes 21:00 to 23:00, 23:00 to 1:00 Saturday and Sunday an additional viewing 19:00 - 21:00 Belafonte (Kerameikos Agisilaou 62) Six d.o.g.s (6-8 Avramiotou Monastiraki) Cachica Club (Kerameikos Platea 5) Polly Maggoo (Leonidou & Salamis Kerameikos 80) Tickets: 5 euro All films shown with English subtitles The entrance to the exhibition and master classes are free

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Alongside the festival, an exhibition will take place at the Greek Film Archive’s Film Museum, in association with the French Film Archive.

Originally part of a larger exhibition at the Museum of French Film, six internationally acclaimed directors present their vision on women and women’s hair in six short films grouped around the tantalising title, Brune/Blonde. Greek artists Gregos Theopsy and Paris Koutsikos will respond to the images in kind, while Chef George Elias has created a menu inspired by the exhibition, which will be served at Polly Magoo (Leonidou & 80 Salamis, Metaxourgeio) throughout the duration of the festival.

Indeed.When February 7-13 comes round, there will be no other place to be on any night of the week. And that’s not counting in the parties that will be taking place at various venues during the weeklong extravaganza. But don’t forget to save some daylight for the kids; Psaroloco, the children’s programme of the festival is also as extensive as its adult counterpart. Best plan your schedule early to fit as much as you can into the Psarokokalo experience. After all, that’s the point; nothing but the fish bones should be left after a meal as scrumptious as this. For more information, see www.psarokokalo.gr. i

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Films

As Greek movies continue to take the international box-office by storm, can The Flight of the Swan elegantly swoop in amongst the crowd? Ranti Bamgbala reviews the film Somewhat autobiographically, with The Flight of the Swan Nikos Tzimas had returned to his native Epiros. A poor place that could use a lot of development, but development that works in harmony, not just with people’s needs, but also with the environment.

Joan Borsten Vidov produced the movie and Conrad Gonzales is the editor. A few extracts from their exclusive interview to Athens Insider.

How would you describe The Flight of the Swans in a few words?

Nikos Tzimas, Conrad Gonzales & Joan Borsten Vidov

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ward winning, Nikos Tzimas has a very impressive CV. Along with his company, Athens Film Productions, he has produced a staggering 45 films and 8 television series. Prior to this Tzimas had directed 5 feature length films as well as 2 short films. Equally as impressive is his first English language film, The Flight of the Swan.

The movie centres on the protagonist Alexis Pappas, a young idealist, who, along with his three friends, had helped overthrow the Junta at the now infamous Polytechnic riots of 1973. The three take different paths in life; Alexis’ path leading him to Columbia University, marriage to a Greek-American called Maria and a successful job at a multinational company on his return.

Time and again, we see the misery that results from the lure of wealth and trapping that career success brings on TV screen, and this film navigates and illustrates the pitfalls just as well as we have seen played out in Greek reality. Though what makes the film stand out is not just the beautiful Greek scenery, or the gripping action shots , but the fact that we are shown the tail effect of what happens as a result of the personal loss of integrity on a bigger scale.

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JBV: From an American perspective, it’s a very timely story. It’s a story about corporate greed and corruption and the impact it has on the environment, which we have seen in spades for quite a while. In this particular case, the people involved in the film are faced with the dilemma of a village hillside in Athens crumbling because they’ve pulled out all of the trees and everything else it takes to hold the foundation together. Just as we were arriving here, a whole piece of road in the Peloponnese that had been inaugurated about a month ago fell off.

And then in the US you see what BP did to the environment. From country to country there have to be many examples.

That’s the bigger story within the smaller story on screen about very idealistic young men who helped to overthrow the Junta here. And then they went on to different paths of their lives and ended up in confrontation with each other because one lost his ideals and the other didn’t.

One thing that struck me most about the production is its high quality and the genre. Why the interest in the action genre? Did both influence each other?

JBV: Its not largely action, but it’s a lot of action. But not like an American action movie. Nikos Tzimas has made several movies before and has produced a lot of movies. He has a vision larger than what’s

“We did some test screening in the US and women really respond. They are issues in the film that has to do with relationship and women were just glued to their seats.” been done locally. That’s why he reached out to an American producer and editor, British actors, American actors, as well as Greek actors and wonderful cinematographers. By American standards, its sort of a plus genre, because you have strong drama and also some very warm and friendly asides.

Its sort of a family movie, but at the same time its got all of these other issues going on.

Why the interest in filming in Greece?

JBV: The three young men from who the story begins, were at the Polytechnic. It’s basically about Greece. Is there a scene outside the country? Yes in theory. But the story could happen anywhere.You could take it to Nigeria and it would be relatable; or in Japan, or in the States.

Was there any significance in your choice to film in English? (and subtitle in Greek), as opposed to the other way around?

begin to disintegrate. And not because of a lack of love. He became a big shot in huge multinational corporations, and lives his life from project to project. He doesn’t have the time to be a husband. He misses the birth of his daughter.

Does this movie draw from real life events?

JBV: It begins ‘This is based on real life’ and some of the scenes were re-enacted from Mr Tzimas’ own life.

Greek cinema has made a huge impact on the international circuit? What’s changed?

CG: I’ve been visiting the Greek Film festival in LA. They take all the best Greek films and present them to Greek-Americans and a wider audience. For the last 2 years I was at the jury and what’s interesting is that I had the opportunity to see some fantastic films that I haven’t seen released in the States. It is a combination of the right local support and the use of a more international crew to garner more of an international interest.

The interest in The Flight of the Swan lies in the fact that Mr Tzimas reached out . He wanted to avoid the pace and feel of a typical European movie. He wanted to give it an American sensibility which is why he brought Joan onboard, and she in turn me for my experiences with The Sopranos.

JBV: That was Mr Tzimas’ idea. He wanted to create a film that went beyond the Greek borders and not just the art houses. He wanted to make a movie that transcended borders, in a language he does not speak, in order to make it accessible.

And lastly do you have advice for future Greek film-makers?

This relates to the earlier question, is the film targeted to any particular audience?

Mr Tzimas is giving a glimpse of Greece not seen since Zorba and Never On a Sunday. My advice: Make use of different styles of editing.

Be more open to modern & avant-garde stories. Combine local and international stars, so that the film will reach a wider audience.

JBV: We did some test screening in the US and women really respond.

There are issues in the film that have to do with relationships and women were just glued to their seats. The main character goes to America to study. He meets a Greek-American girl and they come back to Greece. As he becomes wealthy and successful their lives

CG: In Greece, there are boundless opportunities for fabulous stories to be told in fabulous locations. We have four great projects and are looking to make a new film this year.

The Flight of the Swan features Larry Hagman and Linda Grey of Dallas fame, who were very well received in Greece and opens in cinemas throughout Greece from January 20. i

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The New Year kicked off with charity events, fundraisers and national days.

At the opening night of the Fulbright ‘Art Supports Education’ event at the Benaki Museum, Pireos on January 27, artworks by alumni artists from Fulbright were on sale to raise funds for the Fulbright Programme. 1. US Ambassador Daniel Smith, Diane Smith and Artemis Zenetou, Director of the Fulbright Foundation in Greece and 2. seen here with Zoe Keramea, Angelos Delivorias of the Benaki Museum and Sotos Zachariades.

The Hilton supports Mazi yia to paidi as part of its Hilton in the community foundation programme 3. Seen here Bart van der Winkel, General Manager of the Hilton Athens and Memi Gertsou of Mazi yia to paidi at the fundraising event on January 25.

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On the occasion of India’s Republic Day on January 26 at the Indian Residence 4. Deputy Foreign Minister Spyros Kouvelis shaking hands with Indian Ambassador Tsewang Topden 5. Jorge Alejandro Mastropietro, the Ambassador of Argentina seen here with the Indian Ambassador and his wife, Michelle Topden 6.The Dutch Ambassador Kees van Rij and Marie-Jeanne van Rij and 7. The French Ambassador Christophe Farnaud and Hélène Farnaud seen here with the Indian couple.

8. Soprano Baroness Charlotte de Rothschild performed at the B&M Theocharakis Foundation. She is seen here with her hosts Vassilis and Marina Theocharakis 9. Also present were the Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Toda and his wife, Ritsuko Toda.

Photos: Kostas Bekas Bradley Watson Greek Diplomatic Life

For young, Swedish filmmaker Josefine Camitz, Athens has become a second home, even after leaving the country to return to her native Stockholm in 2008.

Choosing to preview her first short film, Vera’s Will, to a group of close friends in Athens at Nixon bar early in 2011, Insider asks her what it is about Athens that keeps her coming back for more.

Why did you come to Athens in the beginning?

I must thank my mom for that. I was on transit to the Greek islands in 2002 and I guess it was one of those moments in life when one’s fate takes over. Since then my life changed and I found my second home. I came here to live and learn Greek in 2005.

You left the city to return to Sweden in 2008, but you travel to Athens regularly; what keeps you coming back?

It’s like a love story, which I do not have control over. When I left Athens, I thought my time and money would focus elsewhere but it did not. It is a seductive love affair, not so beautiful on the outside but scrape at the surface and you find intellect, wisdom, and stories.

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My Athens How has Athens inspired you?

Athens succeeds in always questioning my composure; it does not want me to become a better person! It creates currents and waves within me that I have to wade through. Athens prompts me to seek a balance between calm and chaos; something that reflects my personality and work as an artist.

Where do you go for inspiration in the city?

I love to walk everywhere. I start in Exarchia and head towards ‘Kentro’ (the centre); Plaka, Thissio and beyond. I love to walk rapidly and almost compete with the cars on who was first at the crossing point!

Best place for a conversation?

Alexandrino, Exarchia.

Best place to watch the world go by?

I’m an observer so it’s more about the actual present moment than the spot. I live when I can enjoy a moment and at the same time watch it go by.

Most positive changes in Athens over the last five years?

The financial crisis has raised discussion of corruption. I think there is a major gap in basic education in Greece and I believe that a prosperous society gathers and looks at its problems in a logical manner. I call on the younger generation’s ability to stand outside and look around. How can we make a change that we all will feel better off? In the past maybe a few understood that any slight change is a step in the right direction. I’m tired of the high ambitions that only lead to a backspace; if it takes a crisis to understand that small steps are better than no steps I gladly welcome it.

Describe your perfect day in Athens.

Waking up or going to bed before sunrise, walking in the afternoon, following the light, having lots of food and wine with friends, and ending the night with some rakomelo while sharing stories.

Name a quintessential Athenian sight, sound, smell, and taste: The light in the morning, the smell coming Mavromichali Street from the 4th floor, the sound of dinner with friends, voices, glasses, and the taste of a psarosoupa at the meat market.

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Nick Malkoutzis analyses the general malaise in the Greek health sector and suggests the bitter pills dispensed by health minister Loverdos might just about revive it

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sk any adult who played football as a child to tell you the moment he dreaded most and you’ll get the same answer: when the team captains picked the goalkeeper. Everybody’s eyes would stare at the ground, feet would shuffle and breaths would be held.

Nobody wanted to play in goal because it was a thankless task.You were the one who had to fling yourself on the hard surface and at the feet of rampaging attackers while others ran about and enjoyed themselves. Any mistake would be greeted with derision while the outfield players lapped up all the glory when they scored. I imagine the moment when Greece’s prime minister picks his health minister must bring back similarly uncomfortable childhood memories for the person he chooses.

Being health minister in Greece is also a lonely job. You are handed a department that oversees a bureaucracy so labyrinthine that Theseus would need satellite navigation to find his way around. Public hospitals are so deep in debt that Jacques Cousteau would have trouble observing them. Corruption within the system is so rife that Tony Soprano would have trouble getting a cut of the action. Add to that the fact that Greece has an increasingly ageing population that smokes, drinks and eats at unhealthy levels but invests in private healthcare in very small numbers, and you can see why the public health system, officially

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Talking point

LZC

established in 1983, is creaking under the pressure. So, prospective health ministers would be forgiven for staring at the ground, shuffling their feet and holding their breath as the prime minister decides whom to pass this particular poisoned chalice to.

The current holder of the goalkeeper’s jersey is Andreas Loverdos. He was transferred from a similarly stressful environment at the Labour Ministry in last year’s reshuffle, so at least he had a decent warm-up before the big match. His task is unenviable but Loverdos has shown plenty of appetite in his first months on the job. More importantly, he seems to have an understanding of the failings of the public health system, which at least gives him a chance of forming a strategy to overcome them.

In January, Loverdos unveiled a scheme for overhauling the sector and cutting costs, which, as ever in this era of austerity and EU-IMF oversight, is a necessary component of any policy. As if that wasn’t revolutionary enough, the health minister says he wants the reforms to be completed by the summer. “In six months we have to do everything that has not been done in years, and we have to do it well,” he said, as someone rushed to make sure he hadn’t come down with a fever. The program includes the modernization of an expensive hospital procurement process, the merging of state hospitals with clinics run by social security funds, the computerization of the accounting departments, warehouses and pharmaceutical dispensaries of all state hospitals, the repricing of all medical services and the assessment of state hospitals. In terms of spending, the government is aiming to slash the amount it outlays on the public health sector to below 6 percent of Gross Domestic Product rather than the 10-or-so percent that it has hovered at for the past few years.

In most European Union countries, these aims would seem blindingly obvious. After all, there can’t be a major public hospital in an EU member state that doesn’t keep proper accounts, can there? In Greece, there can – lots of them. At the moment, 26 of Greece’s 30 largest state hospitals do not have complete accounting records. They only keep a note of what money they receive from the government, not on what they spend it on. Greece currently spends 12.5 billion euros per year on public hospitals but has little idea where this money goes. Loverdos admitted last October that there was a 400-million-euro black hole in hospital finances that he could not account for. Apart from the obvious waste that such a lax and amateur process allows, it also means that graft can seep into the system like killer bacteria. This isn’t just a case of turning a blind eye to doctors accepting their notorious “fakelakia” (or little envelopes) of cash from patients for giving them preferential treatment, it means being oblivious to corruption on a much bigger scale, usually involving hospital procurements.

In January, an Athens prosecutor pressed felony charges against six state hospital doctors, some of whom have served as heads of orthopaedic departments, for allegedly accepting under-the-table payments from DePuy Inc, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, to agree to buy supplies from the UK-based firm. A former executive of DePuy was jailed in the UK last year after being found guilty of making illegal payments in Greece between February 2002 and December 2005. Should the Greek doctors be found guilty, it will be just the tip of a very large and dirty iceberg.

But the tale of the health system is not just one of unscrupulous suppliers and greedy civil servants, it is also one of a state that has proved itself incapable of living up to its commitments. Loverdos is in negotiations with public hospital suppliers about how to settle a massive outstanding bill. It owes more than 5 billion euros for purchases between 2007 and 2009 and Loverdos has asked them to accept almost 20 percent less than the near 2 billion euros they were owed in 2010.

All of which sums up why being health minister is such a big challenge: not only do you have to stop the opposition scoring; you have to prevent some spectacular own goals as well. It’s every little boy’s nightmare. i

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MSD is ranked second in the pharmaceutical industry worldwide. Could you tell us a little bit about MSD in Greece?

Yes MSD, or Merck in the United States and Canada, is today a large and strong company working with customers in over 140 countries to deliver broad-based healthcare solutions. In 2009, MSD merged with ScheringPlough and combined, we aim to create a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well.

In Greece, Schering Plough was present since 1974 and MSD was present through its partnership with the well-known company Vianex. We operate now as “new” MSD since June 2010, with presence in a wide range of therapeutical areas. Also very important to note, our partnership with Vianex remains a strategic one today and for the future.

In 2010, MSD ranked 4th in sales among the pharmaceutical companies with a market share of close to 6%.This presence reflects all our marketed brands in Greece. MSD Greece employs close to 300 people and, counting our colleagues at Vianex, more than 500 people work every day with our brands.

As part of our vision and mission statements, an important aspiration is to become the most trusted and recognized pharmaceutical company by our customers. Our presence in Greece is important to our company and we are committed to investing to enable Greek patients to have access to a wide range of innovative and often life saving pharmaceutical products.

What are MSD’s most well-known products today?

Well, whilst I will not name any specific brands, I can say that MSD provides to patients important medicines in many therapeutic areas which by their mechanism of action and therapeutic properties are often among the most important in their respective categories. I have to say our company is recognized among its peers for important discoveries to treat several diseases.These disease areas include oncology, immunology (rheumatoid diseases, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease), infectious diseases, hepatitis, HIV, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, anaesthesiology, depression, women’s health (fertility, contraception and vaccines), allergy, asthma and several others demonstrating the extent and the wealth of the range of our marketed products.

Cyril Schiever, CEO of MSD in Greece speaks to Athens Insider of new innovations at MSD, its CSR activities and the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry in creating a sustainable healthcare environment in Greece

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In which therapeutic categories is MSD concentrating on? Which are the strategic priorities the company is focusing on in terms of new innovations in the pipeline?

Our aim is to focus on the disease areas where we can have the greatest impact for patients. MSD is by excellence a research based company and we have one of the leading pipelines of the industry. Recently, this was recognized at the SCRIP Awards where MSD was nominated in the category of ‘Best Overall Pipeline”. Among the several disease areas we are focusing on, I would highlight Asthma, Atherosclerosis, Diabetes, Cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Hepatitis C, HIV, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Vaccines.We are committed to creating major advances in these areas and in improving patient health.

MSD is involved in several CSR activities, especially in providing access to fertility treatments and in the area of rheumatoid arthritis. Could you elaborate?

In Greece, one of our most important initiatives is to support Kyveli patients

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association with a one-year fertility programme for the frontier islands of Greece. As we all know birth rates in Greece are extremely low and people, especially in remote islands have difficulties to access in-vitro fertilization treatments(IVF). Economic difficulties and distance to fertility centers are the main reasons that can easily weigh on families from trying IVF and in fulfilling their wishes of having a baby.

MSD supports Kyveli in offering cycles of in vitro fertilization for couples living in several of the Dodecanese islands.This program started in October 2010 and will last one year. The response has been very positive.

We also actively support patients associations of Rheumatoid Arthritis on disease awareness programs. We help people on the prevention and understanding of the disease as well as information on all new treatments available.

The healthcare environment is undergoing major changes.

Could you share your perspective on challenges ahead?

The healthcare environment needs to undergo significant reform. I believe there is a consensus on this point if the Greek government is to provide the right level of healthcare to the population.Without reform, the system is not sustainable.

Also, Greece currently faces an unprecedented economic crisis. We understand the pressure and the need to implement a series of budgetary adjustments.

The government’s austerity package includes drastic cost-containment measures targeting the pharmaceutical sector. Already, the pharmaceutical industry has made a huge contribution to the reduction of healthcare costs in 2010. Government has saved more than 600 million euros through price cuts. Our industry is also closely cooperating to resolve the hospital debt issue with the issuance of bonds with zero coupons.

In other terms, we are paid in 2011 for supplying medicines in 2007 for example. We have met our obligations as set out by the Greek government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

It is important to remember that the pharmaceutical products represent

only 20% of the total healthcare costs – measures have to be taken to achieve greater savings and efficiencies on the remaining 80%.We welcome several measures proposed within the recent draft bill on “structural changes for the healthcare system” which work in that direction.

As a key player in the industry, but also as a member of the board of directors of the pharmaceutical industry association SFEE, how do you propose to tackle these challenges?

2011 is a pivotal year. Over the last year our industry association SFEE has been in constant dialogue with the government. We need this dialogue to become even more constructive to ensure that cost-containment measures are both in line with the government’s priorities and do not jeopardize quality of care and access to innovative medicines for Greek patients. Our key objective is to ensure that Greek patients have access to innovative medicines and optimal treatment.This is possible.We believe the government is on track to achieve the targeted savings of 1 billion euros in 2011 if all stakeholders contribute their share and if authorities implement the electronic monitoring of prescription. There will be a new reimbursement list – the so-called positive list.

I have to say we are concerned about current draft plans that may lead to innovative therapies not being reimbursed. Relatively simple and effective rebate mechanisms can be put in place to generate additional funding needed by the authorities – they do not need to create complex regulations and criteria that will only create significant barriers for patient access to quality healthcare.

So, are you optimistic about the future?

I believe that constructive dialogue between our association, leading pharmaceutical companies like MSD and Greek policy makers will enable Greece to have a long-term stable and sustainable healthcare environment. I want to be optimistic and confident for the future. Not only for healthcare by the way, for the country in general. Greece is a formidable country. People are passionate and have the willingness to get through the crisis. i

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Eat well, spend less Gourmet cuisine for just 25 euros? Athiri at Kerameikos offers a surprise menu of seven delectable dishes, using fresh ingredients and creativity and a bottle of a robust Greek wine Paraga Kiryianni (bottle for 2). Exclusive offer valid throughout February excluding Fridays and Saturdays. www.athirirestaurant.gr.

Chocolat mon amour!

GB strikes gold

For the third time round, the Astir Palace Resort hosts a Chocolate Festival from February13 to 27. Pastry chefs Frantzeskos Sozos and Dimitris Chronopoulos seduce chocolate lovers with their sinful creations, while executive chef Michel Jost prepares a gourmet menu with flavours of different chocolates to be savoured with a flute of Veuve Cliquot champagne. Live chocolate creations at the Sofa Bar, chocolate fountains and enticing chocolate massages by the Arion Spa team, all contribute to making this a deliciously interesting way to spend Valentine’s Day. For more information, www.astir-palace.com

The Hotel Grande Bretagne has been included once again in the two most prestigious best hotel properties lists, Condé Nast Traveller and Travel + Leisure magazine. The GB’s overall score places it at a higher ranking than many legendary hotels such as Claridge’s in London, Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris and the Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski in Istanbul.

Elyxir of life Greece is one of four lucky markets to get a taste of Absolut Elyx – the new premium brand of Absolut Vodka. Inspired by 500 years of vodka making, crafted from hand-selected estate wheat, and blended with soft and naturally filtered water, this elegant and incredibly soft elyxir is a true expression of quality that leaves a silky feeling in your mouth. Enjoy it neat or on the rock (just one single, large, slowly melting ice cube) or blended, preferably in martinis and straightforward cocktails where the fresh taste and silky feel come to the fore, but always with moderation! Skål!

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From California in a wrap!

Taco Bell, brings the spirit of the sunny shores of Southern California to Athens with its first restaurant at the newly opened Athens Metro Mall. Spice up your life with their legendary tacos, burritos, tortillas and quesadillas and live the Mexican dining experience.

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Wellness

14

Whether public centres or five-star hotel spas Greece makes use of its thermal springs writes Julia Panayotou

K

ick-start the new year with a visit to one of Greece’s approximately 800 springs. Glamorous, decadent, people-watching Greece this is not, but the loutra, as they are known, come with an ancient history of curing ailments of all kinds. And five-star hotel spas cropping up around the springs are offering a chic alternative to the public hydrotherapy centres. However glamorous or salt-of-the-earth the lodgings, therapeutic tourism, with its stress on health, fitness and well-being, provides the perfect opportunity to start getting beach-body ready. A particularly local kind of tourism, the emphasis in the thermal spring spas and resorts, which are spread throughout the country, is not on showing off, but on hopping into one’s sensible swimsuit and swim cap to jump in and reap the benefits of the spring waters -- whose healing properties are due either to their temperatures or rare mineral properties.

While many at the springs are old-timers, a first-timer should expect multiple organized dip sessions into the waters (which have various temperatures which range from freezing cold to piping hot, depending on the spring) and a myriad of hydrotherapy treatments, such as kinesiotherapy and hydromassage, physiotherapy treatments, and everything from mud baths, facials and beyond. Most public and private centres have indoor and outdoor pools and fitness facilities.

Different springs are attributed with different healing properties, which narrows down the choice for people pondering where to visit. Perhaps

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the most well-known and historical are the thermal waters flowing around the town of Edipsos, on the island of Evia. Located approximately two-and-a-half hours away from Athens, the town of Edipsos has a rich history.

Aristotle and Plutarch described the powers the gurgling waters had over the human body. During Roman times, thermal springs formed popular meeting grounds amongst the empire’s elite. Bathing in the springs such as Sylla, whose 37-degrees waters are the same temperature as the human body, are still thought to aid conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, dermatological conditions such as eczema, gynecological issues, lung problems and disorders of the nervous system.

The very first government of Modern Greece thought fit to form a scientific committee in 1830 to analyze and rank the country’s thermal springs. In 1845, Greece’s Queen Amalia, herself a frequent visitor to the springs on the island of Kythnos, began the process of building the facilities to encompass the country’s thermal springs. The construction of the country’s spring towns, which included Methana, Kyllini, Ipati, Mandraki, Kamena Vourla, Thermopyles and others took place until 1935. In the 20th century, towns such as Edipsos were again a cosmopolitan meeting ground, where international and Greek figures such as Winston Churchill, Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas, Kostis Palamas, Greta Garbo and Omar Sharif all came to soak in the thermal waters.

Words of advice from the Association of Thermal Springs Municipalities and Communities of Greece • Before dipping in, visitors to the springs are advised to visit the spa center’s doctor and follow his or her directions.

• The treatments at the springs should be started on an empty stomach, at least three hours after a meal.

• Don’t stay in the springs over the advised time period.

• Avoid exfoliating too much in the days spent soaking in the waters, in order to not remove the layer of beneficial salts.

• Keep sunbathing sessions to a minimum • Avoid extreme and hasty temperature changes • During hydrotherapy treatments, bathers often experience a temporary worsening of their conditions, due to detoxification.Visit one of the on-duty doctors if the problem continues.

• Accompany the bathing sessions with a balanced diet free of processed foods, and make use of the fresh air and exercise facilities attached to the spas.

Today, the country’s spring towns have facilities to suit all budgets.Those who want to avoid the towns cocoon atmosphere - there’s no denying that the image of robust Greek seniors bathing in steamy waters recalls the 1985 Ron Howard film about a group of elderly men and women gaining the powers of youth by bathing in a pool festooned with mysterious powers - can opt for an upscale alternative that harkens back to Edipsos’ jet-setting roots.

peutic baths, hydromassage and whirlpools, along with an Olympic-sized pool filled with a mix of mineral and sea water, as well as smaller puremineral pools. The Edipsos GNTO centre is just one of the more than a dozen hydrotherapy locations owned by GNTO around the country.

They offer over a million treatments in all, and serve 100,000 people annually. Call 210.870.7000 or visit www.mygnto.gr to find about more about the GNTO centres.

Ranked as one of the 10 best thermal spas in the world by Conde Nast Traveler, and voted the best hotel spa in Greece by Philoxenia Tourist Awards, the five-star Thermae Sylla Spa & Wellness (tel 2226060100, www.thermaesyllaspa-hotel.com) is an elegantly restored 19th-century building. Spa aficionados are spoilt for choice. Just a few of the offerings include an interior pool with mineral spring water, an external sea-water pool, 20 spring-water programmes tailored for different needs, massages and facial treatments with thermal mud, metallic salts, mineral spring water or grape paste. Room rates are from 69 euros.

For a taste of Greece’s springs without venturing far from Athens, visit nearby Lake Vouliagmeni.There used to be extra hydrotherapy facilities but there are none now. Still, the eight-euro entrance (five euros for children) ticket still grants access to the warm--but not hot--thermal-spring waters from the hours of 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (in the summer, the hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.). A representative from the mineral-rich springs said about 80 people show up on a daily basis, regardless of the cold weather.

After wading in the shallow waters, there is a cafe-restaurant to take in the view. Expect much bigger crowds in the summer. For an upscale spa experience, the five-star resorts Arion Resort & Spa (2108901795) and Divani Apollo Palace (2108911100) both offer pampering treatments such as thalassotherapy. Call 210.896.2237 for further details.

While there are countless private hotels located around Greece’s springs, national, municipal and community hydrotherapy centers are a more thrifty alternative and give people the chance to dip their toes into local colour. Edipsos visitors, for instance, who don’t want an all-inclusive hotel-spa can visit the Greek National Tourism Organization’s (GNTO) extensive new hydrotherapy centre (tel 2226023 501). It features thera-

Alternatively, for another group of centres, visit www.thermalsprings. gr for an overview of the municipal and community springs of Greece, and the health benefits associated with each major spring. i

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Minimalist décor, tonic massages and the infinite goodness of the olive tree come together at the city’s Olive Tree Spa

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n a leafy street behind the Hilton, lies the Olive Tree Spa. ‘Should you care to be whisked away on a magical journey of rejuvenation and bliss, wellbeing, wisdom and joie de vivre, you have come to the right place, ‘ beams Stavros Psaroulakis. .

The olive, which is most sacred to Greece due to its mystical healing properties, is combined with the mystical lore of Thailand, providing a truly unique spa experience. The serene and minimalist aesthetics (the décor is stark with unpolished olive tree trunks used as doors and roughly hewn pieces of wood serving as door handles) allow the senses to be distracted only by the fragrance of the massage oils and the soothing gongs of the Tibetan bowls.

‘We have invested a great deal of time and effort in training our personnel,’ informs Psaroulakis.That comes through in the professionalism and skills they display. While most treatments seem tempting, we’d highly recommended that you experience 90 minutes of the sheer magic that is the Olive Tree Signature Massage. A unique treatment exclusively available at the Olive Tree Spa, it is a blend of the best of the techniques from the Hot Stone, Swedish, Thai Yoga, Ayurvedic traditions and foot massage in one divine therapy. It starts with the use of a Tibetan “singing bowl” which initiates a traditional sound ritual from Tibet which liberates the mind from tension and facilitates meditation during treatment. It finishes with the sound of Tibetan Cymbals that awakens you to a clearer world.

Also recommended is a spa body wrap treatment. The wrap treatments provide an exhilarating experience, as they are all done on a specially designed bed, suitable for every body type. The “Lady Spa” bed welcomes the guest on its warm water mattress, helping the pores open to absorb all the nutrients in the selected wrap therapy. Vibration waves relieve the tension of the muscles with a gentle massage that helps improve blood circulation. Relaxation is completed with the sound of the waves, which brings calm to the mind and soul, as well as underwater rainbow colours, which regenerate and revitalize the organism.

At Olive Tree Spa, the combination of activities and spa treatments work in harmony to ensure total wellbeing from every aspect.

Olive Tree Spa offers Insider readers a 20% discount on all treatments. Call 210 724 44 55 and mention Athens Insider to avail of the offer. Watch this space as two other Olive Tree spas are scheduled to open in Kifissia and in the Southern Suburbs soon. i

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Wellness

14

A real ‘hammam’ in the city that promises to transport you to a land of fairy tales

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o visit the Hammam on Trifonos Street, Kifissia, is to travel to the Orient. The Hammam reveals itself to us as an elegant space, a fusion of Moroccan crafts, oriental music and scents making this exotic escapade more real. Lounge chairs in rich purple, intricate tables and trays create an aura of quiet opulence. The stark luminosity outside is muted by soft light, mysterious shades and mirror reflections making the Hammam at once mysterious, alluring and dream-like.

Nadia Dimitrakou’s idea was to create an authentic Hammam in Greece and to reveal the secrets of its rituals. The beauty of the premises, the quality of the products, (exclusively La Sultane de Saba), the impeccable staff, as well as Nadia’s long experience in the domain of wellness contribute to the success of her project.

‘The Hammam, a legacy of Byzantine thermal baths is a symbol of purity. Moroccans from all social backgrounds visit it at least once a week,’ says Nadia. Clients are led to the main room, where they spend 20 minutes under the influence of heat, to let the muscles relax and pores dilate in a hammam tastefully decorated in black and gold mosaic.

This is followed by an exfoliating whole body scrub, where the body is laid down on a warm granite bed and is then vigorously washed. The exotic escapade, should your wish be granted, is completed with a lavish massage by the highly professional staff. In keeping with Moroccan custom, guests are offered traditional mint tea and can savour Oriental delights to make the moment linger just a little longer.

To find out more about exfoliation and other beauty treatments, visit www.lehammam.eu. To recreate the relaxing effects of this oriental getaway in your home, buy La Sultane de Saba products at the hammam, for which Nadia is the exclusive distributor for Greece.

Le Hammam offers Insider’s readers a 20% discount. To avail of the offer, call 210 623 3141 and mention ‘Athens Insider’.This offer is valid only for specified treatments until April 15, 2011. i

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37

Organic markets

Julia Panayotou takes in the fresh air, produce and thinking at Athens’ organic markets as eco-farmers cooperate with the local municipality through a programme called Love by the Kilo. The municipality gives the farmers free space to sell their goods on a weekly basis, and farmers provide a neighborhood children’s charity with organic bounty

I

n the early 1990s, a handful of residents of an apartment building in the suburb of Halandri wanted to get their hands on local, organic goods - hard to find in Athens at the time. The residents decided to make use of an empty space under their apartment building, and bring in a group of Greek farmers to sell their crops, free of chemicals and pesticides. So was born the Association of Organic Farmers’ Markets, which take place on streets throughout Attica as well as in Northern Greece, Thessalia and Crete.

The association makes sure only organic farmers take part in its markets. Organic certification organizations approve that the goods sold at the farmers’ markets are organic.The stalls sell fruits and vegetables as well as eggs, olives and olive oil, wine, nuts, dried fruit, honey, breads, marmalades, spoon sweets, herbs, and more. Also unlike the regular laiki, shoppers get to pick up their weekly produce directly from the men and women who grow it.

Besides the organic certification and contact with the farmer or producer, shoppers are granted wider selection of hard-to-find heirloom fruit and vegetables. Heirloom plants are rare, despite often-superior taste and nutrition to their generic rivals, because their delicate nature means that they don’t travel well. Of course, shopping at the local organic farmers’ market means buying heirloom isn’t a problem; instead of a supermarket pineapple shipped halfway across the world, an in-season tangerine at the local market needs only to pass from the farmer’s hands to the customer, where, only a few blocks away, it will make a delicious snack-paired with some fresh yogurt and thyme honey.

The friendlier, more refined open-air alternative to the laiki, the Athens organic farmers’ markets may be under the radar but are growing in popularity. People used to picking up certified-organic goods know they’re harder to come by in Athens than in Los Angeles or London. The markets are a breath of fresh air for residents who want to swap the neon lights and internationally shipped goods of a supermarket and the chaotic neighborhood laiki, which, as the Association of Organic Farmers’ Markets’ Alexandra Valopetropoulou emphasizes to Athens Insider, have very few actual farmers sellng their goods. And, contrary to popular belief, the prices aren’t bad either at the organic markets.

38 insider athens | February 2011

“We make sure to set reasonable prices; there’s a dip in demand like everywhere else with the crisis, but we make sure that our prices are friendly for the consumer,” says Ioanna Theodosiou from the Association’s headquarters.Theodosiou hopes that when Greek consumers will be convinced that organic goods aren’t exorbantantly priced, they’ll see the big draws of “Bio-agores,” as the markets are called in Greek: “First of all, the markets sell only certified organic goods, and two, all these goods are sold to the shopper directly from the producer. It’s fresh and it’s local, and it hasn’t traveled throughout the entire planet to reach your plate. There’s also another kind of contact at the markets, the social space is different from a laiki.You can ask the farmer directly why your orange is shaped like it is; you can make sure exactly where the head of lettuce has come from and how it was grown.”

In today’s economic resession, the markets are friendly places for farmers and producers as well. “The markets are a direct, easy way for the producer to sell his or her goods. There’s no bureaucracy. It’s easy for a certified organic farmer to open a stall at our markets,” Theodosiou says.

Balopetropooulou makes another point. “Consumers have been convinced that organic products are good, but they need to be convinced that local is crucial too. The carbon footprint from organic shipped from Argentina to Greece is unnessarily high. Buying locally produced organic produce is a benefit for everyone,” she says. “Produce produced locally will be fresher, have a much-smaller carbon footprint, and will support the local economy.”

An attitude change is needed, especially in a time when many Greek farmers are abandoning the profession. Seventy percent of the organic goods Greeks buy is imported from abroad. “And if it wasn’t for us,” Balopetropooulou says, “the amount would be 10 percent higher…shoppers would be forced to buy organic food from other countries… which is an illogical system.”

Thankfully, more and more shoppers are taking note. The two biggest organic farmers’ markets are in the northern suburb of Kifissia and the southern suburb of Voula, and it’s no coincidence that they’re the neighborhoods with the highest numbers of expats. Balopetropooulou says her regular customers at those markets hail from countries such as France, the United States, Australia and Japan.

It’s a sign that attitudes can be changed about buying local, just as they were about buying organic.The Kifissia market, she reports, was once a deadzone that worried the Association when it began in 2000. “We were so worried about the Kifissia market when it began,” she remembers. “People didn’t want to come, farmers would come and sell so little that they couldn’t even cover their transportation cost. Now, it’s completely changed around.

It competes with Voula for the title of biggest organic farmers’ market in Attica.

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39

Organic markets

Unless otherwise noted, the organic farmers’ markets run from 2.30 to 5.30 p.m. until May 1, when the markets shift to their summer hours, 4.30 to 7.30 p.m.

Monday Haidari (behind the new town hall) Kifissia (at the end of Haliraou Trikoupi) Nea Smyrini (Iosifogleio Foundation)

Tuesday Korydallos (Eleftherias Square) Neo Irakleio (Venizelou Street) Palaio Psychiko (Arsakeiou Square)

Wednesday Ilioupoli (Antypa Street) Piraeus (Kalavrita Square) Glyfada (Xenofontos Square)

Thursday Gerakas (Ethnikis Antistaseos Street) Palaio Faliro (Taekwondo stadium carpark) Petroupoli (Bouboulinas & Dodekanisou Streets) Thrakomakedones (Albanella Square)

Friday Kolonaki (Dexamenis Square) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Holargos (Sirou Street, near the town hall) Kaisariani (behind Near East stadium) Nea Ionia (Filellinon Street)

Saturday markets run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. year round Kato Patissia (Patmou and Karavia Streets) Kypseli (Dimotiki Agora) Ilion (Dimokratias Avenue, near Carrefour) Voula (Xenofontos and Lykourgou Streets)

Sunday Porto Rafti from June 14 to September 14 (Markopoulo, Gregou & Myrrinountos) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Visit www.bioagores.org or call 6972213192 to find out more.

40 insider athens | February 2011

Much work still remains to be done. Balopetropooulou explains:“There is an attitude that ‘organic goods are expensive’ that distorts the discussion, and we also see talk about green development but no real action, at least in the area of organic farming, so we’re worried about the divide between talk and action.”

Balopetropoulou, for example, mentions the markets’ struggle to be officially recognized as farmers’ markets, and not “laikis.”

“We’re saying we are not a laiki, but an initiative of farmers, and only farmers, with only organic, Greek-grown produce.” The markets contain no middlemen, while the laiki is 90-percent middlemen. In a country where government involvement is looked at with suspicion, Balopetropooulou emphasizes that the Association operates independently: “No ministry is involved.”

The organic farmers’ markets instead cooperate with the local municipality—but without any exchange of money. How does it work? By a program called Love by the Kilo. The municipality gives the farmers free space to sell their goods on a weekly basis. As soon as a market grows to have 20 to 25 producers, the association finds an in-need neighborhood foundation or center that aids children, such as the SOS Children’s Village in Vari and the Aghia Anna Children’s Foundation. Then, the farmers’ market helps the municipality by supplying the local organization with all the organic produce and goods it needs.

Says Balopetropoulou: “Farmers always have produce, but don’t always have money. This system works well. They’re very happy to take part, each market helps a organization in the neighborhood.”

And suspicions about how a product is labelled organic? As in the rest of Europe, the process uses independent organic certification organizations, which as Balopetropooulou says, are themselves subjected to rigorous scrutiny. To receive certification, farmers first go to one of the certification institutions. The organization checks the area the produce will be produced or grown, “and if you are close to an airport or factory - no way,” says Balopetropooulou. If the area is deemed suitable, a contract is written where the producer must follow a strict sense of guidelines under scrutiny for approximately one year until the farmer can sell goods marked “organic.” During this time and afterwards, if traces of a chemical is found, there are economic and legal prices to pay.

“Our numbers are very good. The percentage of Greek organic farmers who are found to be using chemicals is extremely low, only 0.6 percent - less than Germany. One of the smallest percentages of Europe.” i

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41

Gastronomy

Ellen Gooch, editor of Epikouria magazine, reveals the secrets of longevity gleaned from wise old Greeks

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few years ago, the Office of Inspector General for the US Social Security Agency uncovered what appeared to be a fraud scheme of unusual proportions. A relatively large group of elderly Americans had moved to a tiny island in the Aegean. Being Americans, they were collecting Social Security benefits. The problem was, they weren’t just all elderly – they were all ancient. Suspecting that the beneficiaries were deceased and that some other party was illegally collecting their benefits, the agency sent an inspector to investigate. What he found wasn’t good

42 insider athens | February 2011

news for taxpayers. Not only were the recipients not dead, they weren’t even close to dying.

The island where they resided (and probably still do) is called Ikaria.

It is located about 10 nautical miles southwest of the Greek island of Samos, which itself is about half a mile from the middle of nowhere.

Recently, the amazing longevity of Ikaria’s residents was highlighted in a book by Dan Buettner called “The Blue Zones – lessons for living longer from people who’ve lived the longest.” In it he claims that Ikar-

For people who think that joints like MacDonald’s, Burger King and KFC serve actual food, any increase in vegetable and fruit intake would be beneficial. For those few who can actually identify a zucchini in a produce line-up, there are several simple ways to eat the real Mediterranean way. ians are four times more likely to live past the age of 90 than Americans. Buettner says, “We know only about 20% of how long you live is dictated by your genes, the other 80% is dictated by your lifestyle.” Part of lifestyle is diet and the diet the Ikarian’s (unknowingly) follow is the real Mediterranean Diet.

1. Think like a 1960s Cretan. Would he eat Chips? Processed cheese food? Crackers? I’m going with no. Avoid highly processed “foods”, especially those imbued with saturated fats.

2. Buy good extra virgin olive oil and use it daily. Good olive oil is not cheap. It will never have the word “light” on the bottle. It is extremely unlikely to be offered by mass production companies. Keep in mind that 70% of extra virgin olive oil is produced in Greece.Your best bet is to by a tin of oil and a funnel. Pour the oil into glass bottles, such as those empty bottles that once held the wine you are now drinking daily.

Olive oil needs to be stored in glass in a cool place. Another helpful hint: much oil marketed as olive oil isn’t olive oil at all. However, if you see a blue stamp on the tin or bottle with the letters “PDO” or “DOP” – or just the letters themselves – it’s a good bet that you have found the real deal. A PDO designation means that the EU has certified the authenticity of the product. This hint works not just for olive oil, but also, for example, for cheeses and meats. Finally, check the date stamp.

Olive oil becomes more acidic over time. Purchase olive oil packaged within a year of the current date.

3. If you visit the home of virtually any Greek, you will see bowls of nuts and olives lying about on coffee and side tables. Emulate them and you will find you will eat these items without thinking about it.

4. Put fruit in a bowl where you and your family can see it. I’ve never

Back to Ikaria In Buettner’s Blue Zone account of Ikaria, he highlights two items that he claims may be a clue to the islander’s longevity. They are – wait for it – herbal tea and honey. He also discusses the Ikarian’s famous wine, which might be particularly antioxidant, as well as their practice of pouring olive oil on cooked food as opposed to cooking with tons of olive oil. There was a time when Greeks were so desperate for fat, that cooking with plenty of oil was crucial to their survival. It isn’t crucial anymore; olive oil (really any oil) is best eaten unheated. And he discusses two other habits of Ikarians: exercise and stress reduction. The main form of transport on Ikaria is its resident’s feet. Ikarians walk everywhere. “Everywhere” on Greek islands means up and down the sides of mountains. Medieval Greeks wisely built their island towns, or hora, on the highest parts of their lands. Pillagers were then free to raid whatever goods might be harboured at the port, but if they wanted the good stuff, they had better have been prepared for a serious uphill hike in armour able to withstand whatever the villagers had on hand to toss down on them. It was a pretty good deterrent. It also builds strong muscles. I once saw a blackclad octogenarian widow in knee high support hose in the process of plodding resolutely up miles of stairs, disdainfully pass a huddle of exhausted tourists. One of them had his head between his knees.

I think he was gasping for the paramedics. As for stress reduction, the Ikarians don’t let schedules dictate their lives. They eat late and go to bed around 2am. Stores open at 10am, if the owner is so moved. Stores close when the owner feels like taking a nap. This attitude likely drives Americans crazy and Germans to the brink of suicide, but it seems to work for the Ikarians. i

understood the fascination with pre-cut supermarket fruit cocktails.

How long ago was it cut? What did they spray on it to keep it “fresh”?

What’s the big deal with washing an apple or peeling an orange?

5. Many vegetables do not need refrigeration. Some, like tomatoes, should never be refrigerated (they will lose their flavour). These can also be placed in bowls in your kitchen. The more colours the better.

They will add a decorative element and having them in plain sight will remind you to eat them before they have time to rot.

6. Drink plenty of water. Squeeze lemon juice in your water.

7. Eat red meat rarely. Use the money you save by not eating a lot of meat to purchase lean meat from animals raised and slaughtered respectfully.

8. Remember that there are more fish in the sea than just salmon and tuna 9. Don’t obsess over your diet. Don’t count calories.The Mediterranean Diet isn’t Weight Watchers or Atkins.You won’t be penalized for having an extra egg or eating a piece of cake. Guilt causes stress and that will kill you long before a bad diet will.

10. Try Greek mountain tea. Steep a handful of the flowers and stems in a quart of water for about 10 minutes, then add lemon and honey.

11. Walk, bike and use public transportation, which forces you to walk or bike from your door to the nearest subway or bus stop.

12. Eating is meant to be festive and fun. Invite friends for dinner.

Excerpts from Epikouria magazine.

Photo credits: Courtesy of Hellenic Export Promotion Board

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43

Agora

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44 insider athens | February 2011

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Travel

Its February - time for ski holidays. Even if skiing is not the first thing that comes in mind when speaking about Greece, the country has its winter pearls. Anelia Fikiina makes some breathtaking winter suggestions

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eather is not what it used to be – winters are warmer, snow has become a rarity and consequently ski seasons are getting shorter and shorter. But Greece and its climate offer unique tourism opportunities, no matter what the weather forecast.

For the true ski devotees Mount Parnassus is the most suitable destination. With 25 marked ski runs and about 12 ski routes totaling 30km in length – the longest run being 4 km – the slopes of Mount Parnassus constitute the largest ski resort in Greece.This is the most cosmopolitan and preferred ski destination for Athenians as it is only 180km from the capital. The nearby charming town of Arachova, with its authentic architecture and situated at 950 meters above sea level, appeals to the jet set of the country. It is also famous for its formaela cheese, traditional woven goods and local brusco wine.

This page: Anemolia living room, pool and executive suite

46 insider athens | February 2011

For a full mountain experience Anemolia hotel, situated on the outskirts of the town on the road to Delphi and 20km from the Parnassus ski centre, with large private parking space available (this is extremely rare in Arachova!), offers a cosy Swiss-chalet-like environment. Its wooden and stone buildings harmoniously blend into the mountainside and it has a rustic, but warm, charm. The rooms are in soft colours, with quality fabrics and low lighting, and fantastic views overlooking the breathtaking Delphi Valley. The facilities for

après-ski, or après any other sports activity, are several. For those looking for some tender loving care (TLC), try the indoor swimming pool and the sauna. Anemolia is perfect for holidays with kids and as an extra bonus to its clients, the shuttle bus to Arachova is free!

Tempting as it might be just to laze around, Arachova and the area around Mt Parnassus lend itself perfectly for active cross-country runs or mountain biking (there are some spectacular trails through the national park area close to the ski centre, where if you’re lucky you might glimpse foxes and hares). For those culturally inclined, don’t resist a day trip to the historic harbour village of Galaxidi, stopping off at the oracle of Delphi to learn a thing or two of what the future has in store for you.

Another winter getaway is the Mitsis Galini Spa and Resort in Kamena Vourla, internationally known for its thermal springs, around 150 kms away from Athens, close to the ski resort of Karpenissi.

This hotel, built in neoclassical style and elegantly decorated, is ideal for those willing to use their winter holidays to re-energise.

Ideal for a quick weekend of R&R, Galini’s wellness centre follows Eastern ideals and philosophy to revitalise the body and mind in the resort’s 3000 square metre spa. The hotel nestles in a valley of eucalyptus trees, an ideal starting point for extensive walking and hiking tours, for trips to the nearby ski centre of Mt. Parnassos or for excursions to the breathtaking monasteries at Meteora clinging on to the rocky cliffs for sheer life, Delphi, Thermopiles and many other points of interest. i This page: Mitsi Galini Spa & Resort pool, lobby and presidential suite

For more information, visit www.parnassos-ski.gr, tel: 22340 22373 and check www.snowreport.gr for details.

Hotel contact: www.anemolia.gr, www.mitsishotels.com.

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Wellness

14

Wellness is all about improving the quality of your life. Discovering wellbeing and a better way of living is a process that requires physical and mental health. Holmes Place Clubs are here to help you reach the ultimate state of wellness by introducing you to their philosophy, led by the three pillars of wellbeing: move well – eat well – feel well, because you only have one life and you should live it well!

Discovering the world of wellness through the Holmes Place philosophy

move well…

The benefits of yoga and Pilates have been long documented. Although different in principle, they both refresh your physical and mental well-being and help you create a sense of union in body, mind and spirit which leads to a balanced and improved lifestyle. In order to help you in your journey towards wellness, Holmes Place offers a wide range of Holistic Programs, from the more well known Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Pilates Matwork to the less common, Anusara Yoga that will enable you to reach perfect balance between mind & body and Basi Pilates (Body Arts and Science International) which employs dynamic movements, aiming at improving your technique.

eat well…

Experts agree that the key to eating well is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation.This means, consuming the right quantities and range of foods always taking into consideration your specific body structure and exercise level. Some important rules to follow are eating a variety of nutrient rich foods, basing your meals on starchy foods, eating regular meals of moderate portions, enjoying plenty of fruits and vegetables, cutting down on saturated fat and sugar and drinking plenty of water. Holmes Place is equipped with a professional Nutrition Center in collaboration with Nutrimed, where you will be given expert advice and dietary programs customized to your particular needs and goals.

feel well…

At the end, reaching the ultimate goal of feeling well involves a deep understanding of one’s self and needs a process that, - more so then not - requires a guiding hand. Holmes Place Clubs are here to offer you the guidance that you need through Wellness Coaching, a novel service designed to help you establish and accomplish your goals related to wellness, health, physical state and nutrition.

In other words, your Wellness Coach will help you make decisions, design and follow a plan of action, find solutions to your problems, overcome new ones that might arise, accomplish your goals and set new ones that were not evident at first.Wellness Coaching will teach you how to move well, eat well and ultimately achieve the desired state of wellness… feeling well!

A pure wellness experience at Holmes Place would not be complete without letting yourself be pampered at Asian Spa & City Retreats which offers a wide range of beauty and wellness treatments by experienced therapists from the best spas in Asia and Europe- exactly what you would need after a strenuous day, or in order to relax after a workout.

Experiencing pure wellness

means discovering Holmes Place…

Holmes Place Athens, «City Link» Shopping Center Voukourestiou & 4 Stadiou Str., 10564 Athens, tel. 210 3259400 Holmes Place Maroussi, «Ethrion» Shopping Center 40 Agiou Konstantinou Str., 15124 Maroussi, tel. 210 6196791-2 www.holmesplace.gr

48 insider athens | February 2011

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49

Giving H4F7

A month ago, Action Aid Greece gave 40 people of all ages from Greece the opportunity to travel to Langobaya, Kenya, for a very essential purpose: Help an HIV positive support group, the Kuluhiro. Tamara Zein recounts her very personal and enriching experience

I

t is six o’clock in the afternoon and I am sitting in an old bus, proudly mud-covered and sweaty, with tears in my eyes, looking through the dusty window. Outside, I could see little children running towards us in the hot Kenyan sand, barefoot, and shouting with all their strength: “JAMBO!”, a native hello that could only make me smile.We are heading back to where we came from. Silence governs among us, some silently crying, others trying to restrain themselves. All we could hear were the greetings of the young locals accompanied by the considerably loud bus. It is the end of our adventure, a trip we had been talking about to friends and relatives for almost a year. And now, we are heading back to reality.

On a cloudy Sunday of July, I was informed that I was making the cut for the trip I had been dreaming of. That day was perhaps the most amazing day of my whole summer; I was finally given the chance to do something about the world’s unfairness. I started packing right away for December 11, the day of our departure to Kenya.

Langobaya, unknown to me a few weeks ago, a hospitable district located in the South East of Kenya is home to the beloved Kuluhiro, a community living alienated from others for being HIV positive. Meaning “hope” in Swahili, the Kuluhiro were those who warmly welcomed us, danced with us, cooked with us, ate with us and worked with us. We became family. Despite their poor, unhealthy daily life and with less than a euro a day, they gave us joy and happiness through their dance and

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Hopefully, there will come a day where we will all be united and appreciative of one another.

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their smile. Hand in hand, from the very first day, we started laughing together and communicating with the little Swahili we knew.

The community was composed of 36 people out of whom three of them were children separated from their original family and now guarded by older members of the Kuluhiro. All I could think of while watching them play was if only I could wake up every morning and have them run around with a camera in their hand, learning how to grasp every detail that passes through their eyes and turning it into a beautiful and unforgettable picture.

Divided into groups, our daily tasks were first, to construct a storehouse within the community which would also be used for group meetings; and second and most challenging, to build an irrigation plant through a combination of pipes that would connect the Galana River to the community’s fields donated by Action Aid. Then, these had to be ploughed and prepared to welcome all sorts of suitable plantations, such as tomatoes and corn, so that they could later be sold at the local market.

Like most city kids, I had never used a shovel or a rake in my life and still, we got to learn how to use them in the field with the help of the Kuluhiro. I will never forget how one of the community’s women approached me while I concentrated on ploughing using every single muscle in my body. She was full of energy and she grabbed the shovel with me and she said: “harder”! She was shorter, thinner and older than me but had the strength of a young man. I suddenly felt like Barbie working with Iron Man especially when thinking that these women

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and children walk 20 kilometers per day to get gallons of water from the river, transported on their head, under the heat, over the burning sand, back to their beloved ones.

Not having the same dynamism, we rested under a tree big enough to hide us from the burning sun, where the children of the nearby villages would gather. Some of them were timid and would keep a distance; whereas others, more extroverted, came over to play with us and our cameras. Children approaching and touching while examining every detail was an excitement that made one hope for a miracle to stay forever in Langobaya.

One of the touching moments I recall is when a young girl of around three could not stop staring at a lucky charm bracelet I was wearing.

The last day, I took it off and put it on her tiny wrist, hoping it would bring her all the luck in the world. She glowed, couldn’t stop touching and looking at it. When leaving, we were torn apart, as if someone had taken away a family we had just founded.

Asante Sana. Thank you for all the things I have lived and learned in Langobaya. I will try my best to spread the word and persuade people that they can make a change in this world by giving so little of their time. Hopefully, there will come a day where we will all be united and appreciative of one another. I was thinking throughout the trip about how anyone could pity the Kuluhiro?

You can now adopt a child through Action Aid. All you need is to fill in an application online and send 22 euros a month. For more information visit www.actionaid.gr i

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After a year on the sidelines, the Acropolis Rally is back on the World Rally Championship calendar as a fully fledged professional event. Graham Wood changes gears with the head of the organizing team Aris Vovos

T

he Acropolis Rally is one of the longest standing races in world rallying with a history over 50 years.The stamina-sapping challenge posed by its notoriously dusty, rough and rocky mountain roads during the sweltering summer period in Greece has always ensured its position as the toughest race by drivers.

16-19, has been boosted by the Papandreou government’s decision to support the event officially - along with the Athens Classic Marathon - as the two most important sporting pillars to promote Greek culture and tourism.

This is why it came as somewhat of a surprise that the famous race did not take place in 2010. Fortunately, reports of race deaths were found to be greatly exaggerated. The absence of the Greek leg of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2010 was down to the WRC organizers’ decision to operate a new rotation policy - a policy which has just as quickly been replaced with a new set-up which is based on merit.

Organisers of the event are aiming to take full advantage of this and ensure the race returns as one of the World Rally Championship’s best through a major revamp.This year’s race is being organised by Celeritas, a company set up by former Greek driver Aris Vovos.“All manufacturers and drivers are delighted to be back in Greece,” Vovos, 46, told Insider in an interview. “They all missed the Greek round of the WRC and are looking forward to the 2011 Acropolis Rally.”

The real news about the Acropolis Rally’s return is that amid drastic budget cutbacks in sport from a government grappling with the country’s crippled economy, the state have decided to put something back in.

“Our objective is clearly to return to the top level of the WRC rallies.

Acropolis Rally was voted Best Rally of 2005 and we want to regain that spot.”

The rally, which will be the 57th edition and will take place on June

It’s no secret that in the current economic climate in Greece, there

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Sports

tion’s (SEGAS) state funding had been cut by 30 per cent.

Finally some good news for sport it seems in terms of the support for the Acropolis Rally.

“We have an excellent co-operation with the government and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism,”Vovos says. “The ministry has chosen the Acropolis Rally and the Classic Marathon as the two events that will be used to promote Greek culture and tourism abroad. The Acropolis Rally will be present in international exhibitions in collaboration with the Greek National Tourism Organisation and will be included in all tourism campaigns of the Ministry. As of the financial support, we are in talks with OPAP, though the ministry, and close enough in securing a sponsorship deal.”

The Acropolis Rally’s tough reputation is what has often made for one of the most exciting races.

Seven times World Champion Sebastian Loeb found out how punishing the Acropolis Rally can be as the Frenchman crashed out of the event on the second day in 2009 when his car hit a large rock. His C4 car was a complete write off, although the 36-year-old still managed to win the driver’s crown that year.

The race’s penchant for throwing up a few surprises is something which can only help the event’s international profile, according to Vovos.

“This is something which is clearly in our favour,” he explains. “According to the new FIA president Jean Todt, rallies should try to return to their roots. Each rally has to be unique to secure its presence on the WRC calendar and Acropolis is without doubt a unique event.”

“It is, as our mission statement says, ‘A mythical motorsport experience, where technology meets history in the Land of the Gods. The world’s greatest drivers and machines face each other on the world’s roughest surface’.” is more than a small element of risk involved in anyone investing in something like motorsport due to its relative low popularity compared to other sports such as football and basketball. It is a risk worth taking according to Vovos, who estimates the full cost of putting on the race will be in excess of 1 million euros.

“Under these very difficult economic circumstances in Greece and in Europe generally, all investments are risky,” he says. “We have a three year plan that hopefully will enable us to make the Acropolis Rally an event that will not only be self financed, but also produce revenue that will give us the opportunity to help young talented Greek drivers seek an international career through the WRC Academy.”

While 2010 has witnessed the government making budget cutbacks for athletes preparing for the Olympic Games in 2012 and Greece’s hosting of the 2013 Med Games, already in January further belt-tightening was announced with the news that the Hellenic Amateur Athletic Associa-

One of the most significant changes expected in 2011 is ensuring live television coverage of the event, with state broadcaster ERT being the favourite at this stage.

“There will be live coverage of the last special stage of the Rally,”Vovos adds.“This is a new feature of the TV coverage introduced by North One Sport (global promoters of the WRC) on all 13 rounds of the WRC.” “We are still waiting for the confirmation of the deal between ERT (Greek National Broadcaster) and North One Sport. ERT will broadcast all 13 rounds of the WRC and of course will extensively cover the Acropolis Rally. We had live stages in the past but these were Super Special Stages, such as the incredible OAKA SSS in 2005, but it is for the first time at the Acropolis Rally that an actual Special Stage will be broadcasted live.”

Welcome back Acropolis, we missed you. i

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Anelia Fikiina finds Essence’s open plan kitchen and its creative cuisine inviting and the clever play on its name, meaning both substance as well as aroma, very appropriate

E

ssence, the newly opened restaurant in the heart of Kifissia, aims to delight clients with different budgets and lifestyles with their common love for good food. Chef Christos Markopoulos, who has spent the last 25 years at the Grande Bretagne preparing exquisite menus for celebrities and influential personalities, brings to the table his years of experience catering to the most demanding palates as well as his flair for transforming earthy Mediterranean flavours into sophisticated dishes with a contemporary twist.

Conveniently located at the intersection of Adrianou & Dragoumi streets, just across Kifissia station, this new entrant in Athens’ gastronomic scene is determined to become the preferred restaurant of residents in the northern suburbs.Vangelis Katselis and his team (who have already established a name for themselves in the restaurant business with the hugely successful Mezzaluna in Vouliagmeni and at the Golden Hall) realise that what patrons look for, especially in a crisis is substance, essence.

And to keep that essence, a great deal of emphasis is laid on the freshest of produce, authentic ingredients and a fertile imagination in creating and presenting the dishes. Everything – but everything, from the carpaccio to the mayonnaise to the finger food at the bar is made in-house from scratch. The food itself is essentially Mediterranean with Italian and French influences.

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Gastronomy

An interesting accent both in the menu and the interior design of the restaurant is the “open” plan kitchen with the wood oven that dominates the space. It not only lends a more convivial air to the restaurant but also encourages interaction between the experienced pizzaiolo preparing authentic Italian pizzas and the clients. If you just want a pizza, I’d highly recommend you try the humble margherita and caprese – simple yet so flavoursome and non-greasy that you’ll never order in a pizza again! And if you’d like more of the same for dessert, definitely worth a try is the restaurant’s special (Mezzaluna fans will definitely recognise this one), a chocolate dessert pizza calzone!

But before discussing dessert, for those looking for a real dining experience, I suggest the shrimps platter and green salad with sun-dried

tomatoes and goat cheese for starters. For a more Mediterranean touch, try the grilled tuna and the tagliatelli with seafood sauce. For meat lovers, I’d recommend the bon filet. For wines, Essence has a well stocked cellar to match every dish and mood.

Essence broadens its scope by hosting theme nights, from jazz to karaoke.

The restaurant has a huge bar that serves creative cocktails and finger food – great for an after-work drink with friends. On Sundays, Essence offers one of the best brunches in town. Cool, urban and unpretentious the interior combines red chairs and grey walls balancing passion and calm.With an affordable price range of 35-40 euros per person, Essence is open daily until midnight except on Sundays when it is only open for lunch. Closed on Mondays. For reservations, call 210.62.33.900 i

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Oenophile

This Valentine’s, raise a toast to love with one of the following Greek rosés.

In this month of love, Eleni Kefalopoulou takes us on a journey through Greece’s vineyards and recommends some special wines for the occasion

S

t.Valentine, one of the earliest martyrs of Christianity, lived in 500 A.D but it wasn’t until writer Geoffrey Chaucer connected love with St. Valentine that the world adopted February 14 as a day celebrating romance. Since 1969,Valentine is no longer considered a saint but world over, lovers continue to express their love through flowers, poems, candlelit dinners and chocolates on St.Valentine’s day. Interestingly, each part of the world has its own god or spirit of love during the month of February. In the ancient Athenian calendar, this period was the month of Gamelion, dedicated to the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera. It was also a month when Dionyssos, the god of wine, was revered as it marked, and still does, the beginning of work in the vineyards. In Orthodox Christianity, Dionyssos was replaced by St Tryphon who is the protector of wine growers.

So what better way to celebrate with your loved one than with a bottle of wine pleasing saints, gods and mortal partners in one clean move? But not just any wine. Lovers see “la vie en rose,” as Edith Piaf famously sang, or “are looking at the world through rose-coloured glasses,” as Frank Sinatra crooned. This article is all about wine in pink - the rosé.

The production of rosé wine started at the end of the 14th century and its unique colour, freshness and fruitiness quickly established it as a festive wine.Wine makers follow the same vinification process to produce rosé wines as red ones.The only difference is the reduced time the skin of grapes stays in during fermentation. Rosé wines are fruity, with low acidity and usually less alcohol.They stimulate the appetite and regenerate the palate and are best served chilled with light meals.

58 insider athens | February 2011

Amynteon rosé sec, a sparkling rosé from the Amynteon region in Northern Greece. Made by the Union of Viticultural Associations of the area it is produced from 100% Xinomavro. Ideally served at 8 C with desserts, it is rich in aromas of strawberries and blackberries.

Bella Rossa rosé of Katogi & Strofilia, a bright rosé sparkling wine made from Agiorgitiko grapes from the Peloponesse. With a whiff of grapefruit and a strong hint of herbs, this wine can be served as an aperitif or with light food.

Iama rosé of Vryniotis Winery is one of the most delicate and interesting rosé wines I have tasted lately, produced from Vradiano, a very rare variety, grown only in Evia. The aromas of cherries, gooseberries and pomegranates make it an elegant wine with a long and distinct aftertaste. I would suggest enjoying it without food to let the wine reveal the characteristics of this rare variety.

Vivlia Hora rosé from the Estate of Vivlia Hora in the region of Mount Pageon, near Kavala is a vibrant rosé wine produced from the Syrah variety and has won numerous prizes at international wine competitions. It represents an excellent aromatic bouquet of red fruits, caramel and hints of spice. A well balanced wine with a discreet presence of tannins and long aftertaste, it best complements pasta and white meat.

Tehni Alypias rosé of Tehni Oenou Estate in Drama. Another rosé wine from North East Macedonia, with intense aromas of blackberries, gooseberries and violets. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese with a soft palate, a light sweetness and long aromatic aftertaste. A suitable companion for pasta and white meat.

Vyssinokipos of Palyvos Estate is a blend of Agiorgitiko and Syrah, from Nemea in the Peloponnesse. The aromas of red forest fruits and a nice combination of acidity and tannins render it refreshing and fruity.

This wine has been awarded many prizes and is a good accompaniment to mild white cheese. i

Having friends over doesn’t need to cost the earth or a lot of trouble. Tea parties offer a light, healthy option and are just as much fun

W

hen we think of a tea party, we think of the English in Victorian times, sipping rather seriously on tiny teacups and saucers, whilst dressed very formally. Or we think of the Mad Hatter’s tea party of Alice in Wonderland! If you’ve always enjoyed a bit of glamour, or a fancy afternoon tea time, you’ll be pleased to know that tea parties are coming back into style.

Refreshing and uplifting, tea is a great start to the day, for the body and mind. Increased interest in health and wellbeing coupled with renewed attention to social graces and longing for a gentler time is spurring a huge demand for social tea drinking and all that comes with it. As tea sales increase worldwide, the social aspect of tea drinking is flourishing in the form of tea parties and luncheons. From the regular, to the absurd, there are plenty of themes to choose from.

Where tea is excellent nourishment for the body, a tea party is good nourishment for the soul. And where tea revitalises the body, a great tea party replenishes the spirit with traditions and memories.

A tea party is a haven where you leave your cares and work behind, your stress melts away and your senses awaken.This is somewhere where busy people forget their business. It is a slower paced rhythm, peaceful and serene. From a quiet reflective moment alone or a gathering of friends and family that brings you closer through unhurried conversation.

It is not the tea alone that makes the tea party special, it is the spirit of the tea party.When you plan a tea party, you are planning more than the refreshments, tea, and atmosphere; you are planning a tea party that your guests will remember fondly.We celebrate birthdays, holidays, weddings, and engagements. We love sharing our days, treasured stories with dear friends over a steaming cup of tea. We bring out our best china teapots, teacups, sugar bowls, and unique serving pieces that tend to stay forgotten

in the cupboard, all to celebrate the occasion and enjoy a soothing cup of tea. A tea party begins with your earliest preparations.

You don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to host a memorable tea party. Prepare simple finger food. There are a wide assortment tea party treats, from the more traditional scones and muffins and simple, yet delicious sandwiches with simple fillings like cream cheese and prosciutto, feta and tomato, or ham and apple; to little locally produced cheese pies. Keep the party to around 2 hours. Any longer will require a light lunch! i

1. Flavonoids are the new buzzword in health! Liptons Green & Black tea both come from the Camelia Sinensis plant and both contain Flavonoids.

2. Ireland drink the most cups of hot tea per capita in the world, whilst Americans drink more ice tea than anyone in the world.

3. Tea protects your teeth.The fluorine in tea goes a long way towards strengthening the enamel of your teeth.

4. Tea is a great part of a healthy lifestyle.The antioxidants in tea help increase the metabolism, great for your heart, even better for your figure.

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Insider guide

refer to corresponding area for more information and contact details

restaurant index by type AMERICAN JACKSON HALL Kolonaki TGI FRIDAY’S Kolonaki

ARGENTINEAN ORO TORO Vouliagmeni

BAR - RESTAURANTS BACARO Omonia BALTHAZAR Mavili Sq BARAONDA Mavili Sq CENTRAL Kolonaki ENTEKA Glyfada KITCHEN BAR Faliro FRAME Kolonaki GINGER Mavili Sq ISLAND Vouliagmeni NIXON Kerameikos SEMIRAMIS RESTAURANT Kifissia SHOWROOM Kolonaki

FISH RESTAURANTS 7 THALASSES Kolonaki CAPTAIN JOHN’S Piraeus FISH BAR Glyfada ITHAKI Vouliagmeni JIMMY AND THE FISH Piraeus KASTELORIZO Kifissia LA PECHE Glyfada MILOS Hilton MYTHOS OF THE SEA Vouliagmeni PAPADAKIS Kolonaki PLOUS PODILATOU Piraeus THALATTA Gazi TO VAROULKO Kerameikos ZEFYROS Piraeus

FISH TAVERNAS DOURAMBEIS Piraeus KOLLIAS Piraeus MAISTRALI Vouliagmeni PSARAKI Vouliagmeni TRATA O STELIOS Pangrati VASSILENAS Piraeus

FRENCH L’ABREUVOIR Kolonaki LE PETIT SOMMELIER Faliro SPONDI Pangrati TARTARE Glyfada VARDIS Kifissia

GOURMET KUZINA Thissio Eclipse Kolonaki Essence Kifisia Fuga Mavili Square P-Box Kolonaki, Kifisia

60 insider athens | February 2011

GREEK 2 MAZI Plaka CUCINA POVERA Pangrati DAKOS Kolonaki DIPORTO Psyrri EDODI Acropolis ELAEA BISTROT Acropolis FASOLI Exarhia IDEAL Omonia IRIDANUS Kerameikos KARAVITIS Pangrati KAVOURAS Exarhia LIANA’S KITCHEN Glyfada MANI MANI Acropolis MARE MARINA Faliro PLATANOS Plaka PROSOPA Gazi RIFIFI Exarhia TO KOUTI Monastiraki YANTES Exarhia YDRIA Plaka

INDIAN ISKANDAR Alimos JAIPUR PALACE Maroussi

ITALIAN AGLIO OLIO Acropolis ACQUA AZZURA Kifissia AL FRESCO Vouliagmeni AL MILANESE Kolonaki ALTRO Kolonaki BOSCHETTO Kolonaki CANTUCCIO Psyrri DA LUCIANO Vouliagmeni DVLCIS IN FVNDO Voula GENOVESE Voula LA CASA DI GIORGINO Gyfada IL SALOTTO Glyfada IL SEGRETO Voula MEZZA LUNA Vouliagmeni MULTI 22 Syntagma PIZZA POMMODORO Kolonaki SALE E PEPE Kolonaki SCALA VINOTECA Kolonaki TONY BONANO Piraeus VINCENZO Glyfada

JAPANESE COO Kolonaki DOSIRAK syntagma FAR EAST Syntagma FREUD ORIENTAL Kolonaki FURIN KAZAN Syntagma GOLDEN PHOENIX Kifissia INBI Kolonaki KIKU Kolonaki MATSUHISA ATHENS Vouliagmeni NOODLE BAR Syntagma SHOGUN Kifissia

KOSHER KOL TUV Monastiraki

LEBANESE BEIRUT Glyfada NARA NARA Psyrri NARGILE Kifissia

MEDITERRANEAN AIOLI RESTAURANT Glyfada ATHIRI Kerameikos BEREKET Glyfada BRACHERA Monastiraki BYZANTINE RESTAURANT Hilton CAFE AVYSSINIAS Monastiraki CAFE BOHEME Kolonaki CAFE TABAC Vouliagmeni DAPHNE’S RESTAURANT Plaka DORIS Monastiraki FATSIO Pangrati GALAZIA HYTRA Vouliagmeni GB CORNER Syntagma GRILL ROOM Vouliagmeni IDEAL RESTAURANTOmonia KITRINO PODILATO Gazi KOUZINA CINE-PSIRRI Psyrri MAGEMENOS AVLOS Pangrati MAGIREVONDAS Kolonaki MEIDANIS Monastiraki OCHRE et BROWN Psyrri PARLIAMENT Syntagma PRYTANEION Kolonaki RATKA Kolonaki TA KIOUPIA Kolonaki TO KOUTI Monastiraki TO POLITICO Glyfada ZEPHYROS Piraeus ZORBAS Piraeus

MEXICAN AMIGOS Glyfada DOS HERMANOS Kifissia EL TACO BUENO Maroussi LA TIENDA Glyfada

ROOFTOP DINING ELECTRA Plaka GALAXY BAR Hilton IOANNIS Syntagma LE GRAND BALCON Kolonaki ORIZONTES LYKAVYTTOU Kolonaki ST’ASTRA Mavili Sq

SOUVLAKIA AND KEBAB BUTCHER’S SHOP Gazi DREAM GRILL Voula KALAMAKI KOLONAKI Kolonaki KILIZA Glyfada NAIADES Voula SAVVAS Monastiraki SCHARA Vouliagmeni SIGALAS-BAIRAKTARIS Monastiraki Souvlaki Bar Thissio THANASSIS Monastiraki ZAHOS Vouliagmeni

SPANISH MI SUENO Kolonaki PUERTA DE ESPANA Pangrati SALERO Exarhia

TAVERNAS AMMOS Piraeus FILIPOU Kolonaki LOUIZIDIS Vouliagmeni MAMACAS Gazi MARGARO Piraeus SKOUFIAS Exarhia VLASSIS Hilton

THAI ROYAL THAI Kifissia

WINE BARS CELLIER LE BISTROT Syntagma OINOPATHIA Maroussi

Westin Kids Club

MEZEDES AND OUZO ATHINAIKON Omonia KIRKI Thissio OUZADIKO Kolonaki SCHOLARHEIO Plaka SOLON Piraeus

PUB RESTAURANTS BAYERN BIERHAUS MICROBREWERY Glyfada BEER ACADEMY glyfada BIER HAUS Vouliagmeni MOLLY MALONE’S Glyfada

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Insider guide SHOP

www.elaea.gr Greek chic coffee and tempting snacks beside the Acropolis Museum

Children Damigos Dimitrakopoulou 40 Tel: 210.922.0317 Toyshop with a wonderful selection, including wooden designs

Gelato-Café Makriyanni 19-21 Tel: 210.923.8124 Homemade ice cream and waffles Mani Mani Falirou 10 Tel: 210.921.8180 Peloponnesian specialities with Mediterranean touches

Gifts

Greece is for Lovers Karyatidon 13A Tel: 210.924.5064 www.greeceisforlovers.com Tongue-in-cheek souvenirs for the discerning traveller

Takis' Bakery Misaralioutou 14 Tel: 210.923.0052 Locals' favourite; koulouria (sesame rings) & white chocolate biscuits

Aglio Olio & Peperonicino Porinou 13 Tel: 210.921.1801 Authentic Italian pasta in a cozy setting, accompanied by luscious salads and homemade dolci Asimenia Bakery Beles 1 and Androutsou Tel: 210.924.7655 Raisin bread, almond shortbread, yummy cookies & tasty loaves

Exarhia

EAT SHOP Syllektiko Paleopolio Asklipiou 41 Tel: 210.364.1718 Antiques of all sorts and restoration services Art Rat Records Zoodohou Pigis 48 Tel: 210.384.8001 Various vinyls

Medusa Tattoo Kallidromiou 85, Tel: 210.825.4593 Athens’ finest since 1995

Edodi Veikou 80 Tel: 210.921.3013 Fresh ingredients presented at your table, then cooked to perfection

Ilias Lalaounis museum

Elaea Bistrot Makriyanni 19-21 Tel: 210.921.2280

62 insider athens | February 2011

Vinyl Microstore Didotou 34, Tel: 210.361.4544 New vinyls & cds; also reissues from the 60s & more Yesterday's Bread Kallidromiou 87-89 Tel: 210.881.1233 Imported second-hand clothes; individuality guaranteed

EAT Fasoli Emanouil Benaki 45 Tel: 210.330.0010 A great meal in an uplifting environment Kavouras Themistokleous 64 Tel: 210.381.0202 Dine while enjoying live Rebetika music Salero Valtetsiou 51 Tel: 210.381.3358 Spanish and mediterranean cuisine in the heart of Exarhia Skoufias Lontou 4, Tel: 210.382.8206 Exceptional entrees you are unlikely to find elsewhere Yantes Valtetsiou 44, Tel: 210.330.1369 Modern Greek cuisine prepared with organic ingredients.

20 Euros per person

Greece is for Lovers

central Athens DRINK Circus Bar Navarinou 11, Tel: 210.361.5255 Attracts a hip and happening crowd in a cozy space Ginger Ale Themistokleous 74 Tel: 210.330.1246 Enjoy a cocktail or a coffee in a retro pop atmosphere Vox Arahovas 56 & Themistokleous Tel: 210.383.5811 One of the oldest summer cinemas in Athens is a picturesque place for a retro-tinged drink

Gazi

Acropolis

Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

EAT Butcher’s Shop Persefonis 19 Tel: 210.341.3440 Traditional psistaria serving grilled meat dishes

Mamacas Persefonis 41, Tel: 210.346.4984 Modern taverna located in an old barrel warehouse offering traditional Greek fare Kitrino Podilato Keramikou 116, Tel: 210.346.5830 Mediterranean cuisine in a modern industrial atmosphere Prosopa Meg.Vasiliou 52 & Konstantinoupoleos 4 Tel: 210.341.3433, Delicious dishes in a warm atmosphere right beside the train tracks. A popular gay haunt.

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr

Almaz Triptolemou 12, Tel: 210.347.4763 Lounge in a modern atmosphere while listening to music from around the world Barouge Andronikou 4, Tel: 210.342.4994 A staple of Athenian nightlife Dirty Ginger Triptolemou 46, Tel: 210.342.3809 Excellent cocktails Grande Dame Persefonis 23 Tel: 210.341.6412 Chic bar serving elaborate champagne cocktails Nipiagogeio Elasidon & Kleanthous 8 Tel: 210.345.8534 For late-night dancing to funky electronic music Villa Mercedes Andronikou & Tzaferi 11 Tel: 210.342.2380 Mega club ideal for all-night dancing

Athinon Arena Pireos 166, Tel: 210.347.1111 The latest in live Greek music acts

Hiltonia Health

EAT Alatsi Vrassida 13 Tel: 210.721.0501 Exquisite Cretan specialties

Byzantine Restaurant Athens Hilton Vas. Sofias 46, Tel: 210.728.1400 Traditional Greek recipes with a Mediterranean twist Milos Athens Hilton Vas. Sofias 46, Tel: 210.724.4400 Simply prepared local flavours Vlassis Neandrou 15 Tel: 210.646.3060/210.725.6335 Family-run taverna serving traditional Greek food

DRINK Galaxy Bar Athens Hilton Vas. Sofias 46, Tel: 210.728.1402 Rooftop cocktails in a chic atmosphere

& Wellness Club Athens Hilton Vas. Sofias 46, Tel: 210.728.1801 Indoor and outdoor pools, pilates studio, cardio classes and weighttraining

Kerameikos

Bars, Clubs & Lounges

CHILL

EAT

Kolonaki

DRINK

Live Greek Music

Hilton

Thalatta Vitonos 5, Tel: 210.346.4204 Fresh seafood creations

SHOP

Iridanus Plataion 15 Tel: 210.346.2983 Greek & Mediterranean cuisine in beautiful surroundings Nixon Agisilaou 61B Tel: 210.346.2077 Burgers, a private cinema & an artsy crowd. Open for brunch on Sundays at noon

To Varoulko Pireos 80, Tel: 210.522.8400 Seafood prepared by Michelin starwinning chef Lefteris Lazarou

central Athens Frattina Kanari 21, Tel: 210.360.4481 Casual clothing and gifts for kids Jack in the Box Haritos 13, Tel: 210.725.8735 Beautiful wooden toys and more Marie Chantal Boutique Spefsippou 11 Tel: 210.722.2029 Old-fashioned chic for little princes and princesses Mouyer Kanari 8, Tel: 210.361.7714 Good-quality orthopaedic shoes as well as funkier styles

Fashion Atelier Loukia Kanari 24, Tel: 210.362.7334 Fairytale dresses in lace and embroidery from Greece's doyenne designer Bespoke Athens Anagnostopoulou 15-17 Tel: 210.364.5518 Made-to-measure suits and shirts from top international tailors

Antiques Kilim Hali Valaoritou 9 Tel: 210.363.7056 www.kilimhali.gr Antique carpets from around the world

Beauty & Cosmetics

Apivita Solonos 26 Tel: 210.364.0560 Shop natural Greek cosmetics, get a prescription cream made up and have a quick massage

Children

Road of Tea

Milos Garden

Bambineria Kanari 5, Tel: 210.339.2597 Designer togs for tots

Hiltonia

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Insider guide Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

Carouzos Kanari 12 , Tel: 210.362.7123 Designer items from Prada, Brioni, Donna Karan, Fendi and other topflight brands Coach Tsakalof 28, Tel: 210.362.5669 Leather totes and luggage in easy American style Deux Hommes Kanari 18, , Tel: 210.361.4155 www.deuxhommes.gr Greece's design ambassadors create structural separates and heavenly bridal gowns Diesel Skoufa 3, Tel: 210.362.2748 A treasure trove of denim, and all the hip accoutrements to go with it Dior Boutique Voukourestiou 18-20 Tel: 210 361.3014 High-end designer fashion DKNY Solonos 8 Tel: 210.360.3775 Classic American sportswear Elina Lebessi Iraklitou 13, Tel: 210.363.1731 Ethereal frocks, pretty tea-dresses and accessories from around the world

Ermenegildo Zegna Skoufa 18, Tel: 210.361.3700 Home of fine fabrics and handsome tailor-finished suits

Lacoste Solonos 5 Tel: 210.361.8030 French take on American sportswear

Paul & Shark Anagnostopoulou 6 Tel: 210.339.2334 Casual yachting styles

Free Shop Voukourestiou 50 Tel: 210.364.1308 A haven of hip, carrying labels from Balenciaga to Martin Margiela to Marlene Birger

Lanvin Iraklitou 9 Tel: 210.360.8315 Alber Elbaz's gloriously chic take on the classic French couture house

Preview Patriarchou Ioakim 19 Tel: 210.722.4731 High fashion designer shoes

Giorgio Armani Koumbari 8, Tel: 210.361.3603 Suit- and dress-maker to the stars Hugo Boss Amerikis 19, Tel: 210.360.0516 Smart separates for a work wardrobe Incrocio Kanari 8 Tel: 210.362.7768 Menswear from Armani, Boss and Allen Edmonds brogues Kalogirou Patriarchou Ioakim 4 Tel: 210.335.6401 Fetish footwear from Prada, Tod's & Casadei Kathy Heyndels Patriarchou Ioakeim 21 Tel: 210.729.9966 Greek label selling barely-there gowns and basics with a twist

Observatery Attitudes

La Perla Spefsippou 14 Tel: 210.729.9720 Lingerie to flaunt

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central Athens

Bespoke Athens

Linea Piu Sekeri 6, Tel: 210 360.6125 Collections from exclusive fashion houses including Chanel, Galliano, Lagerfeld and Sonia Rykiel Luisa Skoufa 15 Tel: 210.363.5600 Designer emporium stocked with Chloe, Roberto Cavalli, Ralph Lauren, Missoni & more Marc by Marc Jacobs Xanthou 3 Tel: 210.363.6030 Budget knick-knacks and must-have casuals from America's fashion hero Nike Tsakalof 34 Tel: 210.363.6188 Trainers, tracksuits and other swooshmarked sports paraphernalia Observatory Attitudes Solonos 9, Tel: 210.364.6910 www.attitudes.gr The ultimate fashion store

Puma Concept Kanari 17 Tel: 210.361.0516 International sportswear for all ages Rere Papa Skoufa 62 Tel: 210.364.4300 Distinctive creations by two young Greek women and other international imports Thalassa Collection Patriarchou Ioakim 30-32 Tel: 210.725.8525 Original silk designs for scarves, ties, shawls & blouses Vlassis Holevas Anagnostopoulou 19 Tel: 210.361.6167 Elegant fashion with a contemporary twist

Flowers Fleria Patriarchou Ioakim 35 Tel: 210.722.9697

Magirevontas

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr Food & Wine Cava Anthidis Ypsilantou 13-15, Tel: 210.725.1050 Comprehensive wine and liquor wholesalers Kylix Karneadou 20, Tel: 210.724.5143 Quality picks from the world’s best vineyards; including Greek labels Wine Garage Xenokratous 25, Tel: 210.721.3175 Browser-friendly cava with helpful service

Gadgets Octopus Solonos 15, Tel: 210.363 6677 Quirky designs with a sense of humour

Gifts Benaki Museum Gift Shop Vas. Sofias & Koumbari Tel: 210.367.1045 Artefacts and jewellery inspired by the museum’s exhibits

Home Christofle Koumbari 5, Tel: 210.362.0483 Classis silver and crystal ideal for wedding gifts La Fenetre Irodotou 21, Tel: 210.723.5029 Elegant objects and sophisticated gifts for the house, mostly from France Parousiasi Patriarchou Ioakim 33 Tel: 210.723.7656 A range of international brands in crystal, china and other eye-catching homeware accessories

Fanourakis Patriarchou Ioakim 23 Tel: 210.721.1762 Unique collection of animal and insect pins & earrings Folli Follie Tsakalof 6 & Solonos 25 Tel: 210.323.0739 Greece's high-street export stocks affordable watches and everyday bijoux Liana Vourakis Pindarou 42 Tel: 210.361.7705 For unique baptism and wedding gifts, start here Lylian Syrigou Anagnostopoulou 12 Tel: 210.361.3350 www.liliansyrigou.gr Handcrafted bijoux and one-off designer pieces Magia Haritos 18, Tel: 210.724.0697 Ileana Makri's silver jewellery amid eclectic pieces from New York Oxette Skoufa 37 Tel: 210.339.0547 Trendy, affordable jewellery Ozzi Skoufa 30, Tel: 210.364.2139 Greek silver fashion jewellery Van Cleef & Arpels Pindarou 42, Tel: 210.331.1107 The jeweller of the international jetset

EAT Bakeries & Patisseries Cake Irodotou 15, Tel: 210.721.2253 For real American homemade cheesecake, brownies and more Fresh Kriezotou 12, Tel: 210.364.2948/ Loukianou 21, Tel: 210.729.3453 Desserts and cakes

Restaurants 7 Thalasses Omirou 11, Tel: 210.362.4825 Fresh fish with refined service Al Milanese Xenokratous 49, Tel: 210.729.4111 Authentic Italian cuisine for the discerning Altro Haritos 39, Tel: 210.724.2717 Tiny funky restaurant that specializes in Italian food Boschetto Evangelismos Park Tel: 210.721.0893 Italian food in a lush central setting Cafe Boheme Omirou 36, Tel: 210.360.8018 Welcoming nook with Greek cooking and more-ish cocktails

central Athens Coo Dinokratous 1 Tel: 210.725.4008 A Mykonos favourite now in Athens Dakos Tsakalof 6 Tel: 210.894.7040 New-age Cretan specialties Filipou Xenokratous 19 Tel: 210.721.6390 Home-cooked Greek taverna dishes Frame St George Lycabettus Hotel Dinokratous , Tel: 210.721.4368 Exotic cuisine in the heart of Athens Freud Oriental Xenokratous 21 Tel: 210.729.9595 Sushi in a cool setting Inbi Iraklitou 21 Tel: 210.339.2090 Sushi fusion Jackson Hall Milioni 4 Tel: 210.361.6098 Gourmet burgers with all the fixings Kalamaki Kolonaki Ploutarhou 32 Tel: 210.721.8800 Souvlakia on the sidewalk have never been so trendy Kiku Dimokritou 12 Tel: 210.364.7033 Fresh, beautifully presented sushi

Jewellery Apriati Pindarou 29, Tel: 210.360.7878 Smartly designed necklaces, bracelets and rings Elena Votsi Xanthou 7, Tel: 210.360.0936 Conversation-starting pieces in gold and stone

Bespoke Athens

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Insider guide

Le Grand Balcon St George Lycabettus Hotel, Kleomenous 2, Tel: 210.729.0711 Gourmet Greek cuisine Magirevontas ti Mesoghio Vissarionos 9, Tel: 210.338.97.41 Authentic home cooked food with mediterranean flavors for just 15 euros per person Mi Sueno Akadimias 30, Tel: 210.361.6271 Tapas & other Spanish specialties Orizontes Lycavyttou Lycabettus Hill, Tel: 210.722.7065 Gourmet dining with a spectacular view Ouzadiko Karneadou 25-26, Tel: 210.729.5484 Traditional Greek appetizers & ouzo Papadakis Fokilidou 15 & Voukourestiou 47A Tel: 210.360.8621 Paros' legendary gourmet restaurant serving seafood in the heart of Athens Pizza Pommodoro Alopekis 9, Tel: 210.729.6500 Great Italian specialties Prytaneion Milioni 7, Tel: 210.364.3353 Generous portions of Mediterranean fare Ratka Haritos 32, Tel: 210.729.0746 Popular haunt of the rich and almost famous, with cosmopolitan cuisine Sale e Pepe Aristipou 34, Tel: 210.723.4102 Authentic Italian trattoria

Scala Vinoteca Sina 50, Tel: 210.361.0041 Mediterranean restaurant ideal for wining & dining Showroom Milioni 12, Tel: 210.364.6460 Missoni-designed interiors, serving unique Mediterranean flavours Square Sushi Deinokratous 65, Tel: 210.725.5236 High-quality sushi & other Japanese favourites Ta Kioupia Dinokratous & An Polemou 22 Tel: 210.740.0150 Superb set menu of Greek classics with refined touches TGI Friday’s Kolokotroni 35, Kefalari sq.

Tel: 210.623.3945 American restaurant with real steak and barbecue sauce!

DRINK Bars, Clubs & Lounges Central Kolonaki Square Tel: 210.724.5938 The place to see & be seen while sipping on coffee or cocktails Mai Tai Ploutarhou 18, Tel: 210.725.8306 Early evening cocktails in a l aid-back atmosphere Ten Ploutarhou 10, Tel: 210.321.7836 One of the most popular hot spots in town

Peros Kolonaki Square, Tel: 210.364.5068 Enjoy a cup of java if you can find a spot

Tea To Tsai Soutsou & Likavitou Tel: 210.338.8941 Tea & tea paraphernalia from around the world

CHILL La Prairie Day Spa Kanari 24, Tel: 210.360.1550 High-tech beauty treatments in a clinical setting

Mavili Sq

L'Abreuvoir Xenokratous 51, Tel: 210.722.9106 Fine French cuisine

Baraonda Tsoha 43 Tel: 210.644.4308 Gourmet cuisine and funky beats

Ginger Dorileou 10-12 Tel: 210.645.1169 Original dishes and innovative combinations in an elegant atmosphere St’Astra Alexadras 10 Tel: 210.889.4500 For an unforgettable roof-top dining experience

SHOP Antiques Darousos Normanou 7 Tel: 210.331.1638 Small antique shop in the heart of the flea market

Food & Wine Arapian Evripidou 41, Tel: 210.321.7238 Old-style butcher shop offers interesting sausages, pasturma & smoked meats

Bahar Evripidou 31 Tel: 210.321.7225 Well-known herb haven

Flower Tel: 210.643.2111 Fun, funky and affordable watering hole

Miran Evripidou 45, Tel: 210.321.7187 Sausages, pastrami & cured meats

W Kanari 24 Tel: 697.270.0712 Private seating areas, speciality cocktails & exclusives events

Da Capo Tsakalof 1, Tel: 210.243.3902 Long-established people-watching hangout

66 insider athens | February 2011

Balthazar Tsoha 27 Tel: 210.644.1215 Lovely garden and chic interior attracts a cool crowd

EAT

Briki Tel: 210.654.2380 Trendy hole-in-the-wall hangout

Cafés

To Tsai

DRINK

central Athens

Monastiraki

Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

Baraonda

Bairaktaris Monastiraki Square 2 Tel: 210.321.3036 Old-world taverna serving traditional Greek fare Brachera Avissynias 3, Tel: 210.321.7202 Traditional Greek recipes with a European twist overlooking the Acropolis & Observatory Café Avyssinias Kynetou 7, Tel: 210.321.7407 Spcializing in regional dishes & live music on weekends Doris Praxitelous 30, Tel: 210.323.2671 Hearty stews & pasta dishes at reasonable prices Kol Tuv Normanou 4, Tel: 210.524.4049 The only kosher restaurant in Athens serving traditional shabat meals Meïdanis Sokratous 3 & Evripidou Tel: 210.324.9073 A menu that is sure to please with speciality oven dishes Savvas Mitropoleos 86, Tel: 210.321.9919 Gyros & Middle Eastern dishes like pastourmali

To Kouti Adrianou 23, Tel: 210.321.3229 Mediterranean fare right next to the ancient agora

DRINK Orea Ellas Pandrosou 36, Tel: 210.321.3842 An eclectic cafe & bookshop

SHOP Department Stores Hondos Center Omonia Square Tel: 210.528.2800 Cosmetics, perfumes, luggage, clothing, & much, much more

EAT Ideal Restaurant Panepistimiou 46, Tel: 210.330.3000 Greek classics in old-world decor Bacaro Sophokleous 1 & Aristidou Tel: 210.321.1882, Lavish Italian and contemporary dishes Athinaikon Themistokleous 2, Tel: 210.383.8485 A traditional Greek ouzeri

Sigalas-Bairaktaris Monastiraki Square 2 Tel: 210.321.3036 Century-old restaurant serving a variety of fresh dishes

SHOP

Food & wine

Beauty & Cosmetics

Mesogaia Nikis 52, Tel: 210.322.9146 Packaged & fresh speciality foods

Korres Ivikou 8 & Eratosthenous Tel: 210.722.2774 Natural Greek products made using Mediterranean herbs

EAT Cucina Povera Evforionos 13 & Eratosthenous Tel: 210.756.6008, Greek cuisine with a menu that changes daily

Amorgos Kodrou 3, Tel: 210.324.3836 Hand-carved & painted furniture

EAT 2 Mazi Nikis 48, Tel: 210.322.2839 Creative gourmet dishes that change monthly Daphne’s Restaurant Lysikratous 4, Tel: 210.322.7971 Refined classic Greek dishes in a resplendent atmosphere

Karavitis Arktinou & Pausaniou Tel: 210.721.5155 Classic Greek cuisine in a dining room lined with wine casks

Electra Nikodimou 18-20 Tel: 210.337.0000 Roof-top dining with Greek cuisine

Magemenos Avlos Amynta 4, Tel: 210.722.3195 Mediterranean fare, welcoming decor & generous servings

Platanos Diogenous 4, Tel: 210.322.0666 One of the few remaining tavernas preserving 1940s Athens

Puerte de Espana Antinoros 42, Tel: 210.725.8666 Spanish cuisine & live music Spondi Pyrronos 5, Tel: 210.756.4021 A mix of European & more exotic flavours. Voted one of the best in Athens Trata o Stelios Anagenniseos Sq. 7-9 Tel: 210.729.1533 The best grilled fish in town

Spondi

Gifts

Fatsio Efroniou 5 Tel: 210.721.7421 Greek food & political gossip

Plaka Bahar

central Athens

SHOP Antique stores Maritinos Pandrosou 50 Tel: 210.321.2414 Specializes in 19th Century folk art, embroidery & furniture

Scholarheio Tripodon 14 Tel: 210.324.1605 A traditional tray taverna with old fashioned decor & prices Ydria Adrianou 68 & Eolou Tel: 210.325.1619 Taditional Greek cuisine

Psyrri

EAT

Thanassis Mitropoleos 69, Tel : 210.324.4705 A souvlaki lover’s paradise

Omonia

Paleovivliopolio Hiotakis Normanou 7, Tel: 210.324.7835 Historic bookshop houses rare & old books

Pangrati

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr

SHOP Fashion Christoforos Kotentos Sachtouri 3 Tel: 210.325.5434 Glamorous & unique designs

Home Notoshome Kratinou 5, Tel: 210.374.3000 Home décor superstore

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Insider guide Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

EAT

Books

Cantuccio Lepeniotou & Ivis 1 Tel: 210.323.3670 Authentic Italian cuisine in a friendly environment

Eleftheroudakis Panepistimiou 17, Tel: 210.325.8440 The largest foreign language bookstore in Greece

Diporto Theatrou & Sokratous Tel: 210.321.1463 Old-world tavern offers bargain basics like salads, sardines & fava Kouzina Cine-Psirri Sari 44, Tel: 210.321.5534 Mediterranean fare & eclectic music Nara Nara Karaiskaki 26, Tel: 210.331.2091 Lebanese food & dancing Ochre & Brown Leokoriou 7, Tel: 210.331.2950 Mediterranean/French cuisine

Bars, Clubs & Lounges Soul Evripidou 65, Tel: 210.331.0907 Show off your groovy disco moves

Syntagma

Kauffman Stadiou 28, Tel: 210.322.2160 Mostly French books and small selection of English fiction

Department Stores Attica Panepistimiou 9, Tel: 211.180.2600 Home to an array of luxury goods Fokas Stadiou 41, Tel: 210.325.7770 Clothes, shoes and accessories for men, women & children Stock House & Travel Ermou 45, Tel: 210.324.7732 Outlet store featuring brands from Parousiasi, Cook Shop & Bag Stories

Fashion - Men’s

DRINK

SHOP Accessories Bag Stories Panepistimiou 41 Tel: 210.323.7405 Luggage & travel bags by Tumi, Porsche Design, Rimowa & Delsey

Antiques

Antiqua Vassilis Amalias 2-4 Tel: 210.323.2220 One of the oldest antique stores in Athens

Beauty & Cosmetics MAC Ermou 44, Tel: 210.325.8260 International cosmetic brand for women who like to play with colour

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central Athens

Pagoni Akadimias 61, Tel: 210.363.9277 Selling ties and cufflinks since 1933

Flowers Dromoloulouda Voulis 15, Tel: 210.323.2321 Specializing in arrangements with wild flowers, many indigenous to Greece

Graf Von Faber-Castell Boutique Panepistimiou 41, Tel: 210.321.8564 Traditional hand-held writing utensils Kori Mitropoleos 13, Tel: 210.323.3534 Traditional & contemporary jewellery Psarros 1917 Stadiou 3, Tel: 210.322.0908 Executive gifts and smoking accessories

Home Baccarat Voukourestiou 21, Tel: 210.362.2863 Fine crystal from the venerable French luxury house

Food & Wine

Apriati Pentelis 9 & Mitropoleos, Tel: 210.322.9020 Smartly designed necklaces, bracelets and rings Bulgari Voukourestiou 8, Tel: 210.324.7118 Opulent designs in jewellery, watches & accessories Cartier Voukourestiou 7, Tel: 210.331.3600 Two floors of designs & timepieces by the prestigious Cartier maison Chopard Stadiou 2 & Vas. Georgiou 210.325.0555 Legendary time pieces and jewellery.

Folli Follie Ermou 18, Tel: 210.323.0739 Trendy & affordable jewellery & accessories

Aristokratikon Karageorgi Servas 9 Tel: 210.322.0546 Handmade chocolates

Gofas Stadiou 3, Tel: 210.331.7540 High-end timepieces

Cellier Kriezotou 1, Tel: 210.361.0040 Speciality wine shop

Ilias Lalaounis Panepistimiou 6, Tel: 210.361.1371 Fabulous gold designs by famous Greek jeweller

Gadgets Public Syntagma Square, Tel: 210.324.6210, Five floors of gaming, gadgets & books

Kessaris Panepistimiou 7, Tel: 210.323.2919 Wide range of luxury brand timepieces

Gifts Argalios Filellinon 7, Tel: 210.322.2659 Hand-woven fabrics & souvenirs since 1940

Jewellery

Zolotas pendant in gold with diamonds

Marathianakis Voukourestiou 21 Tel: 210.362.7118 Old-world shop known for its original & elegant designs

central Athens

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr

Spiliopoulos Ermou 63 Tel: 210.322.7590 Pick up a pair of Manolo’s at half price!

Vassilis Zoulias Old Athens Akadimias 30, Tel: 210.361.4762 Handmade shoes and handbags inspired by films of the 50s & 60s

EAT Cellier Le Bistrot Panepistimiou 10, Tel: 210.363.8525 Excellent dishes accompany the extensive list of international wines Dosirak Voulis 31-33, Tel: 210.323.3330 Japanese & Corean cuisine in the heart of Athens To Ergastirio to Baxevani Nikis 58 & Kydathynaion Tel: 210.322.2839 Traditional Greek cuisine combined with modern elements Far East Stadiou 7, Tel: 210.323.4996 A mix of Asian cuisines in elegant surroundings

GB Corner Hotel Grand Bretagne Syntagma Square, Tel: 210.333.0750 Luxurious surroundings, Mediterranean cuisine Ioannis Royal Olympic Hotel Ath. Diakou 28-34, Tel: 210.928.8400 Greek & Mediterranean cuisine with breathtaking views from the rooftop Multi 22 Ermou 116 & Leokoriou Tel: 210.331.6766 Italian fare served in a neoclassical house Noodle Bar Apollonos 11, Tel: 210.331.8585 A congenial place to drop in for a quick noodle fix Parliament Vas. Georgiou A & Stadiou Tel: 210.335.2400 International cuisine with Mediterranean accents

Explorer’s Lounge NJV Athens Plaza Syntagma Square, 210.335.2400 Magnificent cocktails and live jazz in an intimate atmosphere Kalua Amerikis 6, Tel: 210.360.8304 Dance the night away in a chic environment T Palace King George Palace Syntagma Square, Tel: 210.322.2210 Sophisticated atmosphere for mingling & people-watching

CHILL GB Spa Syntagma Square, Tel: 210.333.0799 Award-winning spa featuring treatments by E’SPA,Valmont & Algoane

The Palace Spa Syntagma Square, Tel: 210.374.3590 Ideal for rejuvenation after a long flight or a hectic bout of shopping

Thissio

Shoes

Holmes Place Stadiou 4 & Voukourestiou Tel: 210.325.9400 Fully equipped health club with excellent array of classes

Furin Kazan Apollonos 2, Tel: 210.322.9170 A Japanese favourite of expats & Athenians alike

EAT Kirki Apostoplou Pavlou 31 Tel: 210.346.6960 Ideal for a lunch break Kuzina Adrianou 9 Tel: 210.324.0133 Contemporary Greek cuisine

Pil Poul Jerome Serres Apostolou Pavlou 51 & Pavlopoulou Tel: 210.342.3665 Contemporary French cuisine with a Meditarranean twist

Paul Panepistiomiou 10, Tel: 210.722.4824 A true French patisserie

The concierge of the Grande Bretagne Hotel in Syntagma Square recommends:

DRINK Bars, Clubs & Lounges Boutique Filellinon 15, Tel: 210.323.1315 Popular Athenian night spot

Club Eat See

Zolotas Panepistimiou 10, Tel: 210.360.1272 Designs inspired by the antique & classical periods as well as contemporary collections by designers like Paloma Picasso

Aladdin on Ice at the Taekwondo Auditorium Scooby Doo at the Badminton Theatre Spondi, 2 star Michelin restaurant in Pangrati Cibus for Greek cuisine and Acropolis view in the Nat.Gardens Varoulko Michelin star with gourmet fish cuisine in Gazi Papadakis good island cuisine in Kolonaki Vanilla Club at Kanari 24 Villa Mercedes at Andronicou & Zafeiri 11, Rouf Messiah Rebirth at Karneadou 25 in Kolonaki Baraonda, Tsocha 43, Ambelokoipi

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Insider guide EAT Captain John's Ak. Koumoundourou 16A, Tel: 210.417.7589 Traditional seafood Dourambeis Ak. Protopsalti 29, Tel: 210.412.2092 Classic fish taverna

Faliro

Piraeus

Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

Jimmy and The Fish Ak. Mikrolimanou, Tel: 210.413.4084 Excellent seafood; try the astakomakaronada Kollias Plastira 3, Tel: 210.462.9620 Excellent seafood but difficult to find; reserve on weekends

Iguana Ak. Dilaveri 15, Tel: 210.407.8861 Playing disco & techno tracks until 6am Istioploikos Ak. Microlimanou, Tel: 210.413.4084 One of the hip places to see and be seen with a rooftop bar overlooking the yachting marina Katafigio Ak. Koumoundourou 4 Tel: 210.413.1612 Club, cafe & beer house

70 insider athens | February 2011

Food & Wine

Iskandar Amphitheas 6 & Poseidonos Tel: 210.988.6474 Authentic Indian cuisine

All about Whisky Vas. Georgiou B' 10 Tel: 210.968.1191, Specialty shop with a large selection of single malts, books, & anything to do with whisky

Kitchen Bar Poseidonos 3, Tel: 210.981.2004 Comfort food overlooking the sea

Provence Posidonos 80, Tel: 210.898.1435 Gourmet French delicatessen

Le Petit Sommelier Zaimi 6, Tel: 210.984.2344 French cuisine & excellent wine list

EAT Ache Kypriou 57, Tel: 210.894.2949 International cuisine & delectable deserts Aioli Restaurant Artemidos 9, Tel: 210.894.0181 Mediterranean cuisine with an excellent “secret” seafood sauce

Zinc “Flisvos” Marina, Tel: 210.985.3183 Cocktails whith music

Amigos Kyprou 65A, Tel: 210.898.3167 Mexican flavours in a friendly setting

Zythos Eleftherias 45, Tel: 210.985.0478 Reminiscent of an Irish pub with several beers to choose from

Bayern Bierhaus Microbrewery Chr. Nezer 19, Tel: 210.894.4439 Authentic German cuisine

Glyfada

Vassilenas Etolikou 72 & Vitolion Tel: 210.461.2457 Friendly food and atmosphere

DRINK

ZerTeo Metaxa 24-26, Tel: 210.894.6682 Unique jewellery designs

Big Apple South Posidonos 1, Tel: 210.948.5190 Casual cocktails in a modern atmosphere

Tony Bonano Papanastasiou 63, Tel: 210.411.1901 Italian cuisine with a view of the harbour

Zorbas Ak. Koumoundourou 14 Tel: 210.411.1163 Unique flavours of the Mediterranean

Jewellery

Il Tinello Knossou 54, Tel: 210.982.8462 Real Italian home cooking

DRINK

Plous Podilatou Ak. Koumoundourou 42 Tel: 210.413.7910 Sumptuous seafood & mouthwatering deserts on the waterfront

Zefyros Ak. Koumoundourou 48 Tel: 210.417.5152 Fresh seafood on the quay

EAT

Southern Athens

SHOP Books Eleftheroudakis Lazaraki 27, Tel: 210.325.8440 Book superstore with a large selection of English titles

Fashion

Attitudes Solonos 9, Tel: 210.364.6910 www.attitudes.gr The ultimate fashion store Enny di Monaco Laodikis 41, Tel: 210.894.0153 Carefully selected designs by various international designers Ensayar Donna Kyprou 55, Esperidon Square Tel: 210.894.3034 Top lines from leading designers with an English touch

Beer Academy N. Zerva 14, Tel: 210.898.0121 International cuisine in a cozy setting Beirut Saki Karayiorya 13, Tel: 210.894.3169 Lebanese cuisine & entertainment Bereket Mikras Asias & Lefkosias 36 Tel: 210.960.9337 Traditional dishes from Asia Minor

Far East Lazaraki 61, Tel: 210.894.0500 A mix of Asian cuisines in elegant surroundings Kiliza Konstantinopoleos 13 Tel: 210.894.4648 Delicious kebabs & decadent deserts La Casa Di Giorgino Lefkosias 42A, Tel: 210.963.85770 Authentic Italian pizza made in a traditional wood-burning oven La pêche Posidonos 58 Tel: 210.894.1620 Creative seafood dishes combining Greek & French techniques Molly Malone's Zannitsopoulou 8, Tel: 210.894.4247 Irish pub serving probably the best Irish Stew in Athens Tartare Panagouli 52, Tel: 210.968.0320 Quality French cuisine Vincenzo Giannitsopoulou 1 Tel: 210.894.1310 Value for money Italian specialities with a Southern Italian touch

DRINK Bars, Clubs & Lounges Babae Posidonos 88, Tel: 210.894.1629 Beachfront dancing all night long

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Chocolat Zisimopoulou 9, Tel: 210.894.3442 Satisfies even the most discerning coffee connoisseur Cosi Zisimopoulou 12, Tel: 210.894.5746 One of the first cafes to inspireGlyfada's coffee culture Nest Café Bar Lazaraki 45, Tel: 210.898.6035 An all-day hangout for locals & visitors Seiza Lazaraki 45, Tel: 210.968.0545 Cafe with a unique style & hip design The House Project Posidonos 58A, Tel: 210.898.3577 A beach house turned lounge with all the amenities of a home.

Live Music

Voula

Thalassa People's Stage Posidonos 58, Tel: 210.898.2979 Live Greek acts in a club atmosphere attracting a young crowd

EAT Dream Grill V. Pavlou 78 Tel: 210.895.5110 Traditional recipes & authentic taste

Dvlcis in Fvndo Prinkipos Petrou 33, Tel: 210.894.2136 Top-quality authentic Italian Genovese Vas. Pavlou 99, Tel: 210.895.8400 Italian eats al fresco Naiades Vas. Pavlou 74, Tel: 210.965.7706 Popular family grill joint

Vari Sports Club Vari-Koropiou & Kalamatos 1 Tel: 210.899.0048 www.varisportsclub.com

EAT Café Tabac Margi Hotel, Litous 11, Tel: 210.967.0924 Delicious variations of Mediterranean food Da Luciano Posidonos 17 Tel: 210.896.2217 Trattoria serving traditional Italian dishes & pizza

Mythos of the Sea Ag. Nikolaou 10 & Iliou Tel: 210.891.1100 Gourmet Mediterranean cuisine that blends local produce with fresh seafood Oro Toro Varis-Koropiou 73, Tel: 210.899.4514 A taste of Argentinian cuisine in a cosy atmosphere Psaraki Posidonos 15, Tel: 210.896.2432 Seafood served in an informal setting Schara Posidonos 15, Tel: 210.896.2432 Grills with frills in a friendly setting at reasonable prices Waffle House Posidonos 17, Tel: 210.896.1227 Sure to satisfy your sweet tooth

Al Fresco The Westin, 40, Tel: 210.890.1709, Enjoy a romantic meal of creative Italian cuisine Grill Room Apollonos 40, Tel: 210.890.1794 Mediterranean & seafood flavours on a breathtaking veranda, in the Astir complex Ithaki Apollonos 28, Tel: 210.896.3747 Beautiful sea view, fresh seafood & great service Louizidis Ermou 2, Tel: 210.896.0591 Traditional Greek taverna popular with the locals Maistrali Apollonos 28 Tel: 210.967.1184 Traditionally prepared seafood dishes presented exquisitely Matsuhisa Athens Astir Palace, Apollonos 40, Tel: 210.896.0510, Celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa serves up sushi favourites with a Latin-American flair

En Plo Posidonos 4, Tel: 210.967.1770 Cocktails overlooking Vouliagmeni Bay Island 27th klm Athinon-Souniou Tel: 210.965.3809 Award-winning cuisine & an unmatched location with views of the Saronic Gulf Sofa Bar The Westin Hotel Apollonos 40, Tel: 210.890.1709 Modern lounge bar serving up delectable cocktails

CHILL Arion Spa Astir Complex, Apollonos 40 Tel: 210.890.2000 Divani Apollon Palace & Spa Ag. Nikolaou 10, Tel: 210.891.1100

The concierge of the Arion, A Luxury collection Resort & Spa in Vouliagmeni recommends:

Sip

Cafes

CHILL

DRINK

Mezza Luna Orpheos 2 Tel: 210.967.1046 Chic Italian restaurant

Zen Moorings Great for coffee or a meal by megayachts in the Vouliagmeni marina En Plo Meeting place for a coffee, meal or drink in Vouliagmeni bay Matsuhisa Athens Pre-dinner cocktails to an assortment of sushi for a true omakase experience

Do Eat

Capri Bay Grigoriou Lambraki 2 Tel: 210.894.9995, Excellent cocktails in a Moroccan style garden

Il Segreto Bizaniou 3, Tel: 210.965.9526 Authentic Italian set on a beautiful terrace

Vouliagmeni

Balux Posidonos 58, Tel: 210.898.3577 Waterfront lounging

Southern Athens

Ithaki Stunning view, live piano music and chef Clessienne’s sea-inspired cuisine Lambros Combines waterfront freshness and the casual atmosphere of a traditional Greek fish tavern.

Attica Mall One-stop mall in the heart of the city-centre Golden Hall 41.000 sq meters of shopping therapy hosting 131 fashion brands Scuba diving at Athina Diving a dive resort on the beach at the 38km on the Athens-Sounio road Sailing to Aegina just 45 minutes by motor boat for an island experience

Did you know: .… the Lake of Vouliagmeni is about 50 cms above sea level and is replenished by the hot springs beneath it? A small freshwater lake fed by underground currents seeping through the mass of Mount Hymmetus, it maintains a constant 24 degrees celsius temperature all year long and functions as a year-round spa.

insider athens | February

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Insider guide SHOP Beauty & Cosmetics Nyhi-Nyhi Kifissias 230 Tel: 210.623.2824 Stop by for a quick mani-pedi

Fashion

21 Kifissia Kifissias 265, Tel: 210.801.3594 Extreme sport parafernelia Gap Kifissias 328, , Tel: 210.623.1571 Casual American fashion Vassilis Zoulias Argyropoulou 1-3, Tel: 210.801.7023 Unique designs reminiscent of times past

Food & Wine Aristokratikon Argyropoulou 8, , Tel: 210.801.6533 Decadent handmade chocolates Bakaliko Ola Ta Kala Kifissias 238-240, Mela Shopping Centre, Tel: 210.808.9908 Quality Greek delicacies Il Salumaio di Montena Poleone Panagitsas 3, Tel: 210.623.3934 Milan based company selling high quality produce Sorpresa Italiana Kiriazi 6-8, Tel: 210.801.7886, Authentic fresh Italian pasta, sauces, truffles & more

Stefanidis Finest Foods Dimitrios Square 13, Tel: 210.808.2191 Excellent European delicatessen Varsos Kassaveti 5, Tel: 210.801.2472 Milk products & patisserie Vinifera Kifissias 317, Tel: 210.807.7709 Selection of wines from all over the world

EAT Acqua Azzurra Panagitsas 3, Tel: 210.623.3934 Specially-prepared Italian meals Apla 135 Charilaou Trikoupi Tel: 210.620.3102 Chrysanthos Karamolegos creates refined Mediterranean dishes

Nargile Harilaou Trikoupi 50 Tel: 210.808.3333 Lebanese cuisine in a cosmopolitan ambiance O Tzitzikas Ki O Mermigas Drosini 12-14, Tel: 210.623.0080 A modern taverna serving traditional dishes at reasonable prices Piazza Mela Kifissias 238, Mela Shopping Centre Tel: 210.623.6596, Classic & traditional Italian dishes Prytaneion Kolokotroni 37, Tel: 210.808.9160 Generous portions of Mediterranean fare Royal Thai Zirini 12, Tel: 210.623.2322 Thai cuisine in an opulent setting

Berdema Vas Amalias 20, Tel: 210.801.3853 Traditional dishes from Greece & Asia Minor

Salumaio di Atene Panagitsas 3, Tel: 210.623.3934 Authentic Italian food & fabulous deserts

Common Secret Kifissias 324, Tel: 210.623.3810 Coffee and light Mediterranean meals in a pleasant setting

Semiramis Restaurant Semiramis Hotel, Harilaou Trikoupi 48, Tel: 210.628.4500 Mediterranean cuisine in a hip atmosphere

Dos Hermanos Kyriazi 24, Tel: 210.808.7906 Excellent Mexican food & super margaritas Gefsis Me Onomasia Proelefsis Kifissias 317, Tel: 210.800.1402 Divine food from all over the world

Gourounakia Kifissias Kifissias 289, Tel: 210.801.1093 Delicious salads, appetizers, souvlakia & grilled platters Ichthyes Evagelistrias 36, Tel: 210.620.1572 Seafood taverna

72 insider athens | February 2011

Meat Me HarilaouTrikoupi 92 Tel: 210.623.2358 Simple yet discerning cuisine in a funky Greek taverna

Barceloneta Kifissias 267, Tel: 210.801.3448 Spanish cuisine in a fun atmosphere

Golden Phoenix Harilaou Trikoupi & Gortinias Tel: 210.801.3588, Chinese classic popular for the brunch buffet

The Mall

Northern Athens

Kastelorizo Platanon 2, Tel: 210.807.5408 Part of a chain of upscale seafood restaurants that is sure to please

Shogun Philadelpheos 2, Tel: 210.623.3622 Promises authentic Japanese cuisine for the truly discerning Telemachos Barbeque Club Fragkopoulou 22 Tel: 210.807.6680 Rare meats char-grilled to perfection Tike Harilaou Trikoupi 27 Tel: 210.808.4418, Watch chefs prepare Turkish kebabs and other treats before your eyes Vardis Deligianni 66, Pentelikon Hotel Tel: 210.623.0650-6, Cornerstone of French cuisine in Greece

DRINK Boudoir Deligianni 50 & Georganta Tel: 210.801.8384, Massive club for dancing & sipping on signature cocktails

Divine Kifissias 239, Tel: 201.801.0810 Chic lounge serving classic concoctions Menta CafĂŠ Ag. Theodorou 10, Tel: 210.808.0193 Traditional home turned stylish cafe

Maroussi

Kifissia

Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

SHOP Golden Hall Kifissias 37A, Tel: 210.680.3450 131 high-end (and highstreet) stores for anyone with a passion for fashion The Mall Athens Andrea Papandreou 35 Tel: 210.630.0000 Shops, cinemas and food

EAT Aneton Stratigou Lekka 19, Tel: 210.806.6700 Traditional cuisine in a comfy-chic setting reminiscent of the 50s & 60s El Taco Bueno Ethnikis Antistaseos & Psaron 1 Tel: 210.684.0460 Mexican flavours in a traditional setting Jaipur Palace Ag. Konstantinou & Themidos Tel: 210.805.2762 Indian cuisine and fine wines Leptes Gefseis Fine French food at affordable prices Pindou 22, Pefki, Tel: 210.802.4817 Mauzac Alamanas 1, Tel: 210.619.9902 Clean lines and a beautiful garden make this cafĂŠ, bar, restaurant a must Oinopathia Aghias Paraskevis 79 & Diogenous Tel: 210.685.5375 Great selection of wines with Greek and international cuisine Pausa Ag. Konstantinou 46 & Ifestou 3 Tel: 210.617.9290 Italian cuisine accompanied by a selection of Greek & Italian wines Wagamama Kifissias 37A, Tel: 210.683.6844 Fresh, nutritious Asian fusion food in a sleek yet simple setting

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partner hotels ARION RESORT & SPA

ATHENS LEDRA MARRIOTT HOTEL

DIVANI PALACE ACROPOLIS

METROPOLITAN

The legendary beauty resort is part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Breathtaking views of the Saronic Gulf, elegant and sophisticated décor in all 123 rooms and suites, private swimming pools and beaches, spa and gourmet restaurants.

Apollonos 40,Vouliagmeni.Tel: 210.890.2000

314 deluxe guest rooms, 18 suites. Rooftop swimming pool and bar, health club, Kona Kai Polynesian - Tepanyiaki Restaurant and sports bar. Syngrou 115.Tel: 210.930.0000

Located at the base of the Acropolis and close to Plaka. Pool with bar, roof garden restaurant with Acropolis view. Parthenonos 19-25. Makrigianni.

Tel: 210.928.0100

Beautifully renovated property with views of the sea and the Acropolis. Ten minutes from central Athens, the port of Piraeus and main exhibition centers. Syngrou 385. Tel: 210.947.1000

ATHENS LIFE GALLERY

GRANDE BRETAGNE

NJV athens plaza

ATHENAEUM INTERCONTINENTAL ATHENS

543 rooms with renovated Deluxe rooms and suites. Dedicated business centre facilities and 3.500 m2 of extensive & flexible meeting space.

New I-Spa and renovated gym. Award winning restaurants. Syngrou 89-93.Tel:210.920.6000

Where modern architecture finds its expression among Zen gardens and ethnic elements.

30 ultra-modern rooms and suites. Avenue 103 restaurant trendy Pisco Sour Bar. Two pools, full-service Ananea Spa. Thisseos 103, Ekali.

Tel: 210.626.0400. www.bluegr.com Crowne plaza

Boutique-style hotel with 182 rooms including 23 suites with breathtaking views of the Acropolis, ideally located in the heart of the business and shopping district within walking distance of Plaka. 2, Vas.Georgiou A’ St, Athens Tel: 210 3352400 NOVOTEL

Holiday Inn Attica Avenue

ATHENIAN CALLIRHOE HOTEL

66 state-of the-art rooms, 15 executive rooms and 3 suites. The acclaimed Etrusco Restaurant serves top quality Mediterranean cuisine.

Kallirois 32 & Petmeza.Tel: 210.921.5353

Newly renovated, the former Holiday Inn Athens is at a very convenient location and attracts both business and leisure travellers.

Amenities include restaurant, bar, rooftop swimming pool, conference and business facilities, garage parking. Michalakopoulou 50.

Tel: 210.727.8000, www.cpathens.com

ATHENS ELECTRA PALACE HOTEL

DIVANI APOLLON PALACE & SPA

Located in historic Plaka beneath the Acropolis.

Facilities include bar, restaurant, spa area with indoor swimming pool, business centre, garden and underground parking. N. Nikodimou 18-20, Plaka.Tel: 210.337.0000

This city landmark is part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts. All 265 rooms and 56 suites are decorated with original artwork and antiques.

Reception areas, ballrooms, roof garden with Acropolis view. Luxury spa, indoor and outdoor pools. Syntagma Sq.Tel: 210.333.0000

Located seaside with a magnificent view of the Saronic Gulf. All rooms with balconies and sea views. Indoor and outdoor pools, boutiques, beauty parlor, business centre and spa.

Ag. Nikolaou 10 & Iliou, Kavouri-Vouliagmeni.

Tel: 210.891.1100

ATHENS HILTON

New five-star property on Attica Avenue linking Athens with the international airport. State-ofthe art conference facilities, restaurant, two bars, pool and fitness center. 40.2 km Attica Road, between exits 17 & 18. Tel: 210.668.9000, www.hiathens.com

The newly renovated Novotel is designed for natural living. Close to Omonoia square and the National Museum. Open plan bar and rooftop bar and restaurant and pool.4-6 Mikhail Voda Street Tel: 210.820.0700 www..novotel.com Royal Olympic

Holiday Suites

Elegant, all-suite hotel offering high standard accommodation. Each suite provides guests with a separate living room and kitchenette. Arnis 4.Tel: 210.727.8000, www.holiday-suites.com KEFALARI SUITES

Near the Acropolis Museum. 265 rooms and 45 unique Panorama Suites, overlooking the Temple of Zeus and the Acropolis. Pool, business center, convention and banquet facilities. Roof Garden Restaurant/Bar “Ioannis”. 28-34, Ath. Diakou Str., 11743 Athens, Greece. Tel. 210 9288400, www.royalolympic.com SEMIRAMIS

DIVANI CARAVEL

508 renovated rooms, two pools, banquet rooms restaurants, convention facilities, business centre & spa. The rooftop Galaxy bar has gorgeous city views.Vas. Sofias 46.Tel: 210.728.1000

74 insider athens | February 2011

situated close to major tourist attractions with , rooftop restaurant and swimming pool.

Vas. Alexandrou 2, Tel: 210.720.7000

Turn-of-the-century hotel in Kifissia, part of YES! Hotels.Themed suites with modern facilities. Pentelis 1, Kifissia.

Tel: 210.623.3333

YES! Hotel designed by Karim Rashid. 51 luxury rooms, 4 suites and 6 poolside bungalows.

Ultra-trendy bar-restaurant. Harilaou Trikoupi 48, Kefalari-Kifissia.Tel: 210.628.4400

SOFITEL ATHENS AIRPORT

TwentyOne

virgin sandy beach and pristine hillside landscape. Its 445 deluxe rooms and suites, 123 with private infinity pools, offer access to an extensive common pool areas, and reflect Westin's soothing aesthetic

Herodion

THE ROMANOS

Brand-new airport hotel. Executive floor, business center and conference facilities.Two bars and two restaurants. Health club and covered swimming pool. Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, Spata.Tel: 210.354.4000

A member of YES! Hotels. Modern design and simple architectural charm. 16 ergonomically designed rooms and 5 loft suites. “21” Bar Restaurant for indoor and outdoor dining.

Kolokotroni 21, Kefalari-Kifissia Tel: 210.623.3521. www.twentyone.gr

ST. GEORGE LYCABETTUS HOTEL

A CATEGORY

Located at the base of the Acropolis and a five minute walk to Plaka. 90 guest rooms, meeting facilities and a lovely atrium barcoffee shop. Rovertou Galli 4, Makrigianni.

Tel: 210.923.6832 HOTEL ELECTRA

AVA HOTEL & SUITES

Located in the upper part of Kolonaki, not far from the Lycabettus (Lykavittos) funicular railway. Excellent restaurant, Le Grand Balcon.

Rooftop swimming pool. Kleomenous 2, Dexamenis Square, Kolonaki.Tel: 210.729.0711 THEOXENIA PALACE HOTEL

Santorini

Luxurious apartments and suites in Plaka.

Magnificent views of the Acropolis, Hadrian’s Arch and Zeus Temple. Short walk to Syntagma and Monastiraki. Lysikratous street 9-11, Plaka. Tel: 210.325.9000, www.avahotel.gr

Within walking distance from all major archaeological sites, business and commercial districts. Includes bar, restaurant, lobby and meeting areas. Ermou 5, Syntagma. Tel: 210.337.8000

THE MARGI

Mystique is an 18 villa hotel, designed by Frank Le Fevbre. Mystique, Oia.Tel. 22860 81786 VEDEMA, SANTORINI

In the heart of the commercial and historic centre of Athens. The restaurant Athinaios, serves gastronomic delights in an elegant setting. Stadiou 22. Tel: 21­­­­­0.323.8001

Designed for people who wish to be part of all that goes on in the city. 17 rooms, 4 junior suites and a super-lux penthouse suite. Part of YES! Hotels. Haritos 22, Kolonaki. Tel: 210.729.7200, www.periscope.gr Vedema has 45 rooms converted from a 100 year old neo-classical captain’s house and a private swiming pool for all the suites. Vedema, Megalohori.Tel. 22860 81 796

Philippos

CORAL HOTEL

Boutique hotel with 90 spacious rooms and suites and great views to the sea and pine forests.

Café Tabac Restaurant offers a unique dining experience while Malabar and J-lounge are perfect for a glass of champagne. Close to the lake, beach and tennis courts. Litous 11,Vouliagmeni.

Tel: 210.892.9000. ww.themargi.gr THE WESTIN ATHENS

The Coral’s 86 rooms and 2 suites offer all modern conveniences. Poseidonos Avenue 35, Paleo Faliron. Tel: 210.981.6441 Fresh Hotel

Recently refurbished, all 50 rooms are wellappointed and comfortable. Offers good value for money in the Acropolis area. Mitseon 3, Makrigianni.Tel: 210.922.3611-4

COSTA NAVARINO THE WESTIN RESORT

Part of the Astir Palace Complex with 162 guest rooms and suites and views of the Saronic Gulf. Sea view lounges, trendy bars, fusion and Mediterranean cuisine restaurants and private gazebos by an Olympic-sized pool. Apollonos 40,Vouliagmeni.Tel: 210.890.2000

MYSTIQUE SANTORINI

PERISCOPE HOTEL

BEST WESTERN ESPERIA PALACE HOTEL

In an elegant neoclassical building in Kefalari, this hotel has a restaurant, bar, gym, sauna and outdoor pool. Business centre, internet and conference facilities. Filadelfeos 2, Kifissia.

Tel: 210.623.3622-6

The Romanos Hotel boasts of 289 exquisitely appointed rooms and 32 suites with private infinity pools. Traditional Greek design with contemporary touches sets the tone in each space, where the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean is the preferred hue.

Situated in the heart of old Athens within walking distance of the Plaka, Psirri and Monastiraki. Enjoy the hip Orange Bar, rooftop restaurant and pool. Sophocleous 26 & Klisthenous. Tel: 210.524.8511-6.

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insider athens | February

2011

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Global Business Services Kifisias 90, Maroussi. Tel: 210.876.4876 IBS - International Business Services Michalakopoulou 29, Tel: 210.724.5541

AUDIOVISUAL OTE video conference service 7.30am-10pm. Patission 85. Tel: 210.883.8578, 210.822.0399 TCS M. Antipa 20 & 2 Prometheus, Tel: 210.976.7086

COMPUTER & CELL-PHONE RENTAL TrimTel Mobile Communications Michalakopoulou 41, Tel: 210.729.1964

COURIER SERVICES

ACS Tel: 210.819.0000 DHL Tel: 210.989.0000 Express City Tel: 210.821.9959 Geniki Taxydromiki Tel: 210.485.1100 Interattika Tel: 210.540.5400 Speedex Tel: 801.11.000.11 UPS Tel: 210.998.4000

ALBANIA Vekiareli 7, Filothei, Tel: 210.687.6200 ARGENTINA Vas. Sophias 59. Tel: 210.724.4158 ARMENIA K. Palaiologou 95, Tel: 210.683.1130, 210.683.1145 AZERBAiJAN Skoufa 10.

Tel: 210.363.2721 AUSTRALIA Kifisias & Alexandras, Tel: 210.870.4000 AUSTRIA Vas. Sofias Avenue 4, Tel: 210.725.7270 BELGIUM Sekeri 3, Tel: 210.360.0314 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Hatzikosta 3. Tel: 210.641.0788 BRAZIL Filikis Etaireias Sq. 14.

Tel: 210.721.3039 BULGARIA Stratigou Kallari 33A, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.674.8105 CANADA Ioanni Gennadiou 4.

Tel: 210.727.3400 CHILE Rigilis 26. Tel: 210.725.2574 CHINA Krinon 2A, P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.677.1212 CROATIA Tzavella 4, N. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.677.7033 CUBA Sofokleous 5, Filothei.

Tel: 210.685.5550

Embassies

Business services

useful information

TRANSLATIONS / INTERPRETING Executive services, translation & interpreting All EU and Balkan languages - legal, technical and medical documents. Athens Tower B. Tel:Â 210.778.3698 www.executiveservices.gr

CYPRUS Xenofontos 2A. Tel: 210.373.4800 CZECH REPUBLIC G. Seferi 6, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.671.9701 DENMARK Mourouzi 10.

Tel: 210.725.6440 EGYPT Vas. Sofias 3. Tel: 210.361.8612 ESTONIA Messoghion 2-4.

Tel: 210.747.5660 FINLAND Hatziyianni Mexi 5.

Tel: 210.725.5860 FRANCE Vas. Sofias 7. Tel: 210.339.1000 FYROM Papadiamanti 4, P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.674.9585 GEORGIA Ag. Dimitriou 24, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.674.2186 GERMANY Karaoli & Dimitriou 3.

Tel: 210.728.5111 HUNGARY Karneadou 25.

Tel: 210.725.6800 INDIA Kleanthous 3. Tel: 210.721.6481 INDONESIA Marathonodromon 99, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.674.2345 IRAN Stratigou Kallari 16.

Tel: 210.674.1436 IRELAND Vas. Konstantinou 7.

Tel: 210.723.2405 ISRAEL Marathonodromon 1, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.670.5500 ITALY Sekeri 2. Tel: 210.361.7260 JAPAN Ethnikis Antistaseos 46, Halandri.

Tel: 210.670.9900 JORDAN Papadiamanti 21. P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.674.4161 Kazakhstan Imittou 122, Papagou Tel: 210.654.7765

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT ATHENS

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76 insider athens | February 2011

D. Areopagitou pedestrian street next to the Acropolis, in listed art deco building, 3rd floor apartment 210sq.m. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 guest bathroom, large kitchen, large reception, dining room, unique view, high quality furniture available. Call owner: 0030 6945373066, olvia@hol.gr

KOREA Messoghion 2-4, Athens.

Tel: 210.698.4080 KUWAIT Marathonodromon 27, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.674.3593 LEBANON 6, 25th Martiou, P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.675.5873 LIBYA Vyronos 13, P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.674.2120 LITHUANIA Vas. Sophias 49.

Tel: 210.729.4356 LATVIA Vas. Konstantinou 38.

Tel. 210.729.4483 LUXEMBOURG Vas. Sofias 23A & Neofitou Vamva 2.Tel: 210.725.6400 MALTA V. Sofias 96.Tel: 210.778.5138 MOLDAVIA Georgiou Bacu 20, Filothei.

Tel: 210.699.0660 MOROCCO Marathonodromon 5, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.674.4210 MEXICO Filikis Etaireias Sq. 14.

Tel: 210.729.4780 NETHERLANDS Vas Konstantinou 5-7. Tel: 210.725.4900 NIGERIA Dolianis 65, Maroussi.

Tel: 210.802.1188 NORWAY Vas. Sofias 23.

Tel: 210.724.6173 PAKISTAN Loukianou 6.

Tel: 210.729.0122 PALESTINE Giassemion 13, P. Psychiko. Tel.: 210.672.6061-3 PANAMA Praxitelous 192 & II Merarchias, Piraeus. Tel: 210.428.6441 PERU Semitelou 2. Tel: 210.779.2761 PHILIPPINES Antheon 26, P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.672.1837 POLAND Chrysanthemon 22, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.679.7700 PORTUGAL Vas. Sofias 23.

Tel: 210.729.0096 / 210.723.6784 ROMANIA Emm. Benaki 7, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.672.8875 RUSSIA Nikiforos Lytra 28, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.672.5235 SAUDIA ARABIA Marathonodromon 71, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.671.6911 SERBIA Vas. Sophias 106, Tel: 210.777.4344 SINGAPORE Aigialias 17, Paradissos Amaroussiou. Tel: 210.684.5072 SLOVAK REPUBLIC G. Seferi 4, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.677.1980 SLOVENIA Mavili 10.

Tel: 210.672.0090-091 SOUTH AFRICA Kifissias 60, Maroussi.

Tel: 210.610.6645 SPAIN Dionysiou Areopagitou 21.

Tel: 210.921.3123 SWEDEN Vas. Konstantinou 7.

Tel: 210.726.6100 SWITZERLAND Iasiou 2.

Tel: 210.723.0364-6

Emergencies

TAIWAN Marathonodromon 57.

Tel: 210.677.5122 THAILAND Marathorodromon 25 & Kyprou, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.674.9065 TUNISIA Antheon 2, P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.671.7590 TURKEY Vas. Georgiou B’ 8.

Tel: 210.726.3000 UKRAINE Stephanou Delta 4, Filothei.

Tel: 210.680.0230 UNITED KINGDOM Ploutarchou 1.

Tel: 210.727.2600 UNITED STATES Vas. Sofias 91.

Tel: 210.721.2951 URUGUAY Menandrou 1, Kifissia Tel: 210.361.3549 VATICAN Mavili 2, P. Psychiko.

Tel: 210.674.3598 VENEZUELA Marathonodromon 19, P. Psychiko. Tel: 210.672.9169

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Ambulance Tel: 166 Doctors SOS Tel: 1016.

They will issue an invoice to claim reimbursement from your insurer.

Duty Pharmacies Call 1434, Also check newspapers for listings.

Emergency Hospitals Tel: 1434 Fire Brigade Tel: 199 Forest Fire Tel: 191 Poison Hotline Tel: 210.779.3777 Police Tel: 100 Tourist Police Tel: 171 Coastguard Tel:108 Air Police Tel: 210.964.2000

Weather Attica, Tel: 148 www.hnms.gr Citizen’s Rights Ombudsman: 5 Hatziyiannis Mexis (near the Hilton Hotel) Tel: 210 72 89 640

ROAD ASSISTANCE ELPA Tel: 10400 Emergency Service Tel: 104 Express Service Tel: 154 Hellas Service Tel: 1057 Interamerican Tel: 168 Tourist Information Tel: 174

public Hospitals ASKLEPIEION HOSPITAL Vas. Pavlou 1,Voula. Tel: 210.895.8301-4 EVANGELISMOS Ypsilantou 45-47, Kolonaki. Tel: 210.720.1000 KAT HOSPITAL specialized trauma unit. Nikis 2, Kifissia. Tel: 210.628.0000 TZANNEIO Afentouli & Tzani, Pireaus.

Tel: 210.451.9411-9

PHYSICIANS (ENGLISH SPEAKING)

Ioannis Bitzos, MD Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Harilaou Trikoupi 62 Kifissia. Tel: 210.808.0682 Paediatric A.J. Kanellopoulos, MD Eye Surgeon, Mesogeion 2, Athens Tower B’ Hospitals Tel: 210.747.2777 EUROCLINIC PAEDON Dimitris Linos, MD FACS General Lemessou 39-41 & Aharnon 209, Surgeon, Kifissias 227, Kifissia.

Kato Patissia, Tel: 210.869.1900 Tel: 210.612.5001-2 PAEDON AGIA SOFIA heart & vascular centrE HOSPITAL E.N. Deliargyris, MD FACC Mikras Asias and Thivon, Goudi. FSCAI Interventional cardiologist.

Tel: 210.746.7000 Southern Athens. Vakchou 2 & Vas. Kostantinou PAEDON AGLAIA KYRIAKOU Tel:210.897.6276. www.heartline.gr HOSPITAL Livadias 3 and Thivon, Goudi. Tel: 210.772.6000 & 1535

Private Hospitals Advanced Medical Services, Symmetria Building Ethnikis Antistaseos 66, Halandri.

Tel: 210.677.3573 www.symmetria.gr CENTRAL CLINIC OF ATHENS Asklipiou St. 31. Emergency number 1169 or Tel: 210.367.4000 www.centralclinic.gr EUROCLINIC diagnostic, surgical and treatment centre. Athanasiadou 9. (near Mavili Sq.). Tel: 210.641.6600 EURODENTICA Specialized dental care Patision 150, Tel: 210. 866.3367-8 Alamanas 3, Maroussi. Tel: 210.619.5760-1 El.Venizelou 162, Kallithea. Tel: 210.956.5365 HYGEIA Kifissias & E. Stavrou 4, Maroussi. Tel: 210.686.7000 www.ygeia.gr

Newspapers

The International Herald Tribune carries the English version of Kathimerini, with a weekly newspaper Athens Plus The local Athens News comes out Fridays.

Radio Antenna 97.2 FM news at 8.25am, Flash Radio 96.0 FM 8.55am, 3pm and 8pm daily.

ERA public radio 91.6 FM for bulletins at 5am and 9am, full news coverage at 9.30pm.

Athens International Radio 104.4 FM Offers news bulletins in 13 languages, as well as interviews, music and current affairs programmes.

SYLVAIN GATEAUD Osteopath (France, UK) MKDE- C0 ( France) HP (Germany).

Energy management.

Karaiskaki 42, Pallini.

Tel: 210 60 33 622 M. 6937 20 44 72 sylvain.gateaud@hotmail.co.uk www.whyosteopathy.com

Money

Water Supply & Sewage (EYDAP) In case of water cut: Tel: 1202. www.eydap.gr

Public Services Administration Information Center (paperwork assistance) on weekdays 8am-3pm (KEP): Tel: 177 ww.kep.gov.gr

General and cranial osteopathy

LOST OR STOLEN CREDIT CARDS

Phone Post

Public Power Corporation (DEI) In case of power failure: Tel: 210 523 9939 www.dei.gr

Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) www.oaed.gr , Tel: 210 99 89 000

IATRIKO KENTRO (ATHENS MEDICAL CENTER) Areos 36, P. Faliro.

Tel: 210.989.2100-20. Distomou 5-7, Maroussi. Tel: 210.619.8100 METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL Ethnarou Makariou 9 & El.Venizelou, N. Faliro. Tel: 210.480.9000 www.metropolitan-hospital.gr IASO Kifissias 37-39, Maroussi.

Tel: 210.618.4000 MITERA Kifissias & E. Stavrou 6, Maroussi. Tel: 210.686.9000

English media

Road Assistance ELPA: 104

Social Security & Health insurance (IKA) www.ika.gr

Health

Telephone & Internet Services (OTE) New tel: 138, Tel. (defective): 129 OTE customer service: 134 International call information (English, French & German): 169 www.ote.gr

Post offices operate weekdays 8am-2pm. The main post offices in Athens are located at SYNTAGMA SQUARE and OMONIA SQUARE at Aeolou 100 and open weekdays 7:30am-8pm, Sat 7:30am-2pm, and Sun 9am-1:30pm.

AMERICAN EXPRESS Tel: 210.326.2626 DINERS CLUB Tel: 210.929.0200 EUROCARD Tel: 210.950.3673 MASTERCARD Tel: 00800.1188.70303, VISA Tel: 00.800.1163.803.04

!

Country Code: 30 City Code: 210 international calls first dial 00, then the country code. To call from a Public payphone buy a phone card at the kiosks

advertise in our listings,and reach thousands of customers

email us at ads@insider-magazine.gr

insider athens | February

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Art galleries

Tel: 210.322.9705

A. Antonopoulou Art Aristofanous 20, Psirri Tel: 210.321.4994 Astrolavos Dexameni Xanthippou 11, Kolonaki Tel: 210.729.4342 Astrolavos ArtLife Irodotou 11, Kolonaki Tel: 210.722.1200 Bernier/Eliades Gallery Eptachalkou 11, Thisseio Tel: 210.341.3935 Beyond Art Gallery Haritos 10, Kolonaki Tel: 210.721.9744 B&M Theoharakis

Foundation for the Fine Arts & Music

Vas. Sofias 9 & Merlin 1, Athens Tel: 210.361.1206 (The) Breeder Gallery Iasonas 45, Metaxourgio Tel: 210.331.7527 Gallery 7 Zalokosta 7, Syntagma Tel: 210.361.2050 Herakleidon Herakleidon 16, Thissio Tel: 210.346.1981 Jill Yakas Spartis 16, Kifissia. Tel: 210.801.2773 www. yakas.com Kalfayan gallery Haritos 11, Kolonaki Tel: 210.721.7679 Kourd Gallery Kassiani 2-4, Tel: 210.642.6573 ww.gallerykourd.gr Skoufa Gallery Skoufa 4, Kolonaki Tel: 210.360.3541 Stavros Mihaliaras Art 260 Kifissias & Diligianni, Kifissia Tel: 210.623.0928 Thanassis Frisssiras Gallery Kriezotou 7, Tel: 210. 364.0288 The Art Foundation (TAF) Normanou 5, Monastiraki Tel: 210.323.8757 Titanium Yiayiannos Vas. Konstantinou 44, Pangrati Tel: 210.729.7644 Zoumboulaki Gallery Kolonaki Square 20, Kolonaki Tel: 210.360.8278 Zoumboulaki Gallery Graphics & Editions Kriezotou 7, Syntagma Tel: 210.363.4454

78 insider athens | February 2011

Ancient Agora was the heart of ancient Athens - the focus of political, commercial, administrative and social life for centuries.

Athinais Cultural Centre formerly a silk factory, this space has been converted into a large cultural centre. Kastorias 34-36, Votanikos.

Tel: 210.348.0000.

Byzantine Churches many churches dating from the 11th and 12th centuries are found around the city.

Noteworthy examples include: Agios Eleftherios, next to the cathedral on Mitropoleos Street; Kapnikarea, halfway down Ermou Street from Syntagma; Agi Apostoli, Agora area south of Stoa of Attalos; and Agia Triada (Russian Orthodox church) on Filellinon Street.

Churches are open to the public on Sundays and holidays, also usually for daily prayers 7am-1pm and 4-6:30pm. Dress soberly when visiting. Technopolis (Gazi) a 19th century gas factory turned major cultural centre for performing arts and installation works. Pireos 100 & Ermou, Gazi. Tel: 210.346.1589.

Hadrian’s Arch a Roman arch that marked the boundary of ancient Athens and the new city. Located at the corner of Vas. Olgas and Amalias Avenues.

Lykavittos Hill is the highest point in Athens. Take the teleferique from the top of Ploutarchou St. Megaron Mousikis (The Athens Concert Hall) live concerts, operas and other performances. Vas. Sofias Ave. & Kokkali. Tel: 210.728.2333 Odeon of Herod Atticus built in 161 AD, this is where the Athens Festival takes place. Accessible for e1.50 and open daily from 8:30am.

Panathenian Stadium “Kalimarmaro”was the site of the first modern Olympics in 1896. Located at Vassileos Konstantinou and Agras, across from the National Garden.

Pnyx Hill here, for the first time in history, every citizen could vote, giving Pnyx the name the “birthplace of democracy”. Close by is the beautiful Old Observatory.

Presidential Palace formerly the Royal Palace, this building is used by the President of Greece to host dignitaries.

Irodou Attikou Street.

Stoa of Attalos shopping arcade built in the 2nd century BC and totally reconstructed in the 1950s. Tues-Sun 8:30am-3pm. Admission to the Agora and museum e3.50.

Adrianou 24. Tel: 210.321.0185 Syntagma (Constitution Square) is the heart of the city and the best spot for new visitors to orient themselves.

The Evzones, dressed in traditional uniforms, guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament. The changing-of-the-guard ceremony takes place every hour.

Temple of Olympian Zeus once the largest temple in ancient Greece, its ruins lie just behind Hadrian's Arch.

Mon-Sun 8am-7:30pm. e2.00.

Vas. Olgas and Amalias Avenues Tel: 210.922.6330.

Theatre of Dionysus built in the 5th century BC is where the plays of Aristophanes, Euripides, Aeschylus and Sophocles were first performed.

Tower of Winds the octagonal tower, representing the eight directions of the wind, was built in the 1st century BC by the Syrian astronomer Andronicus.

Mon-Sun 8am-7pm. Just east of the Ancient Agora. Tel: 210.324.5220.

Agora Museum Located in the Stoa of Attalos.

Tel: 210.321.0185.

Atelier Spyros Vassiliou Webster 5A, Athens.

Tel: 210.923.1502 www.spyrosvassiliou.org Athens University History Museum Tholou 5, Plaka Tel: 210.368.9502 www.history-museum.uoa.gr

Benaki Museum Koumbari 1 & Vas. Sofias Avenue Tel: 210.367.1000. www.benaki.gr Benaki Museum of Islamic Arts Dipylou 12, Kerameikos.

Tel: 210.325.1311 www.benaki.gr Benaki Museum, Pireos Pireos 138 & Andronikou Tel: 210.345.3111, www.benaki.gr Byzantine Museum Vas. Sofias 22, Tel: 210.721.1027.

Hellenic Cosmos Foundation of the Hellenic world Pireos 254, Tavros. Tel: 212.254.0000. www. hellenic-cosmos.gr

Frissiras Vlassis Museum of Contemporary European Art Monis Asteriou 3-7, Plaka.

Tel: 210.323.4678. www.frissirasmuseum.com Goulandris Foundation Museum of Cycladic Art Neofytou Douka 4.

Tel: 210.722.8321. www.cycladic.gr Herakleidon Herakleidon 16, Thissio.

Tel: 210-346.1981. www.herakleidon-art.gr Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum Karyatidon & Kallisperi 12, Makrygianni.

Tel: 210.922.7260. www.lalaounis.com Jewish Museum Nikis 39, Plaka. Tel: 210.322.5582. www.jewishmuseum.gr Keramikos Museum Ermou 148, Monastiraki, Tel: 210.346.3552.

Maria Callas Museum Technopolis, Pireos 100, Gazi. Tel: 210.346.1589 National Archaeological Museum Patission 44, Athens, Tel: 210.821.7724 National Gallery and Alexandros Soutsos Museum Vas. Konstantinou 50.

Tel: 210.723.5857, 210.723.5937 Numismatic Museum Panepistimiou 12, Athens.

Tel: 210.363.5953. www.nma.gr The Acropolis Museum Dionysiou Areopagitou Street Tel: 210.924.1043 www.theacropolismuseum.gr

Just for kids

ASSOCIATION OF GUIDES

Acropolis is open daily and entrance, includes archaeological sites. Tel: 201.321.0219

Museums

ORGANISED TOURS

Attractions & Sites

see & do

Allou Fun Park Kifissou & Petrou Ralli, Ag. Ioannis Rentis 210.425.6999, www.allou.gr Children’s Museum Kydathinaeon 14, Plaka.

Tel: 210.331.2995.

Goulandris Museum of Natural History Levidou 13, Kifissia.

Tel: 210.801.5870, www.gnhm.gr Greek Folk Art Museum Daily Karaghiozis puppet shows! Kydathinaeon 17, Plaka.

Tel: 210.322.9031.

Museum of Children’s Art Kodrou 9, Plaka, Tel: 210.331.22621 www.childrensartmuseum.gr U Summit The Wall Sport Climbing Center Ag. Athanasiou 12, Pallini Tel: 210.603.0093, www.summit.gr Westin Kids Club Apollonos 40, Vouliagmeni, Tel: 210.890.2000 http://www.westinathens.com/en/westin_kids_club/

getting around

Ada Rent-a-Car Tel: 210.322.0087 Arena Tel: 210.894.6883, 210.614.7400 Auto Union Tel: 210.922.1211/1213 Avis Tel: 210.322.4951 Budget Tel: 210.921.4771-3 Europcar Tel: 210.924.8810-8 Hertz Tel: 210.998.2000 Michael Stamou Luxury Rentals Tel: 210.922.2442/43 Sixt Rent-a-Car Tel: 210.570.6895, 210.922.0171

24 HOUR VIP TRANSPORT SERVICE

WSW Skycap Services at Athens Airport provides Meet & Greet, Baggage Hauling and Transport Service. Tel: 210.353.0100 www.skycap.gr For info about the public bus lines please check our section Getting Around

LIMOUSINES

Public transport

AAA Royal Prestige Tel: 210.988.3221 Astra Limousine Service Tel: 210.922.0333/807.9996 Convecta Travel Agency & Limousine Services Tel: 210.322.5090 Limousines Kakaya Tel: 210.323.4120 Combined tickets for metro, buses and trolleys (e1) are available from metro stations and central ticket booths, valid within 90 mins of validation for all public transport - except the airport service, which costs 6e.

EXPRESS BUS from/to airport To and from Syntagma Square (bus X95, 70 min. approx.), Ethniki Amyna metro station (bus X94, 50 min. approx.) and Piraeus (bus X96, 90 min. approx.). Tickets available at the Arrivals Hall; validate on board.

Buses leave every 10-15 minutes.

Fare is e3.20 and the ticket is valid for 24 hours on buses, trolleys and metro. For further information dial 185 or visit www.oasa.gr, www.ametro.gr.

For info on trains see www. proastiakos.gr

HELLENIC RAILWAYS ORGANIsATION Karolou 1. Tel: 210.529.7002 www.ose.gr

ATHENS METRO Line 1 (Piraeus-Kifissia) 5am-midnight, Line 2 (Agios Antonios-Agios Dimitrios) 5.30am-midnight, Line 3 (Egaleo-Doukissis Plakentias) 5.30am-midnight Line 3 (Egaleo-Airport) 5.30am-22.52pm and 06.30am-23.30pm.

The last itinerary is 2 hours later on Friday and Saturday night than it is during the week. www.ametro.gr

tram Tram itineraries are only from Syntagma to S.E.F (in Neo Faliro) and from Syntagma to Asklipio Voulas. From Monday to Thursday, trams operate from 5.am until midnight and non-stop from Friday morning to Sunday midnight. www.tramsa.gr

TAXIS from the airport cost about e20 to Syntagma Square, e25 to Piraeus, depending on traffic. Between midnight and 5am double tariff applies.

Note: If you suspect that you have been overcharged, you can call the tourist police 0n 171

INTERCITY BUSES Terminal 1: Buses for Igoumenitsa, Ioannina, Kavala, Loutraki, Patra, the Peloponese, and Thessaloniki. Kifissou 100Tel: 210.512.4910-1, www.ktel.org Terminal 2: Buses for Delphi, Evia, Galaxidi, Karpenisi, Katerini, Lamia, Livadia, Thiva and Volos. Liosion 260.

RADIO TAXI Enotita Tel: 210.645.9000 Ermis Tel: 210.411.5200 Ikarus Tel: 210.515.2800 Kifissia Tel: 210.801.4000 Piraeus Tel: 210.418.2333 Radio Taxi Glyfada Tel: 210.960.5600 There is a booking fee of e1 added to the meter.

Sea ports Piraeus Tel: 210.422.6000-4 Rafina Tel: 22940.22300, 22940.28888

Sea ports & Ferries

Airport

Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, Spata. Tel: 210.353.0000, 210.353.1000. www.aia.gr.

Car rental

Airlines

Aegean Tel: 801.11.20000 Air France Tel: 210.998.0222 Air Malta Tel: 210.965.2300-22 Alitalia Tel: 210.998.8888 American Tel: 210.361.3373 Air Taxis (Helicopter and plane charters) Tel: 210.938.4149 Austrian Tel: 210.960.1244 British Airways Tel: 801.11.56000 BMI Tel: 210.960.0942 Continental Tel: 210.353.4312 Cyprus Airways Tel: 210.353.4100 Delta Tel: 210.331.1673-6 Easy Jet Tel: 210.353.0300 El Al Tel: 210.934.1500-1 Emirates Tel: 210.933.3400 Etihad Tel: 210.960.56.08 Gulf Air Tel: 210.322.0851 Iberia Tel: 210.353.6004 KLM Tel: 210.998.0333 Lufthansa Tel: 210.617.5200 Olympic Airways Tel: 210.966.6666 SAS Tel: 210.353.0373 Swiss / Crossair Tel: 210.617.5320 Turkish Tel: 210.353.7280-2

Ferries Ferries run year-round. For information on seasonal schedules contact a travel agent or call the Port Police on 210.422.6000 From the Port of Piraeus Northern and Eastern Aegean Islands: Gates A & B Chios, Ikaria, Lesvos, Samos, Dodecanese Islands: Gate E Kalymnos, Kos Leros, Patmos, Rhodes, Saronic Gulf Islands: Gates G & E Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Spetses, Crete: Gate A Aghios Nikolaos, Chania, Iraklio, Kastelli (Kissamos), Rethymno, Cycladic Islands:

Thessaloniki: 2310.560.700 www.superfast.com Hellenic Seaways 210 41 99 000 www.hellenicseaways.gr, Anek Lines www.anek.gr Domestic lines: 210 41 97 420 International lines: 210 41 97 430 Minoan Lines www.minoan.gr Tel:801 11 75 000

YACHT CHARTERS A1 Yacht Trade Consortium Akti Themistokleous 8, Marina Zeas, Piraeus.

Tel: 210.458.7100 Ghiolman Yachts Filellinon 7, Syntagma. Tel: 210.323.0330 Nava Yachts Loudovikou Sq. 6, Piraeus.

Tel: 210.417.7728 Northstar Poseidonos 54, P. Faliro. Tel: 210.988.4000 PGA Alimou & Poseidonos, Alimos.

Tel: 210.985.9400 Seahorse Alkyonidon 83 (Marina), Voula.

Tel: 210.895.2212, 210.895.6733 Seascape Poseidonos Ave. 29, Alimos.

Tel/Fax: 210.985.8301 Valef Yachts Pl. Chatzikonstanti 2, Piraeus. Tel:210.451.2010 Vernicos Yachts Posidonos 11, Kalamaki.

Tel: 210.985.0122-8

Gates B, G & D

Astipalea, Folegandros, Kimolos, Kithnos, Milos, Serifos, Sifnos: Gate B Amorgos, Donoussa, Ios, Iraklia, Koufonissi, Mykonos, Santorini, Schinoussa, Syros, Tinos: Gates G&D Naxos, Paros: Gate G

Superfast Ferries Daily departures, Greece - Italy: from Patras and Igoumenitsa to Ancona and Bari Head office: 23-125 Syngrou Avenue & 3 Torva Street 11745 Athens. Tel:210.891.9000 Reservations: Athens: 210.891.9130

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athens citysales mappoints Central Athens

See i on map EASTERN SUBURBS Gerakas: Mini Market Milionis: 131, Marathonos Avenue Pallini: Bookshop Bouzas: 63, Marathonos Street Peania: Bookshop Tangopoulos: Agias Triados Street

NORTHERN SUBURBS AG.PARASKEVI: Mini Market Avarakis: 3, Themistokleous Street, Kiosk Theodoropoulos: 8, Polytechniou Street DIONYSSOS: Kiosk Michail: 4, Mitropolitou Kydonion Street EKALI: Kiosk Kyrpoglou: Vassileos Pavlou Square FILOTHEI: Kiosk Roupa: Drossopoulou Square, Super Market Kyriakopoulos: 11, M. Renieri Street, Mini Market Plati: 27, V. Georgiou Street HALANDRI: Mini Market Kyriakou: 3, Lykourgou Street, Kiosk Drizos: V. Konstantinou & V.Georgiou Street, Bookshop Evripidis: 11, V.Konstantinou Street, Mini Market Bakatsia: 46, Pendelis Avenue, Bookshop Vivliostyl: 34, Olympou Street, Mini Market Tsakiri: 76, Ag.Antoniou Street HOLARGOS: Kiosk Bekiaris: 212, Messogion Aveue, Kiosk Tambouridis: 256, Messogion Avenue KEFALARI: Kiosk Glentzis: Patr.Maximou & Apergi Square KIFISSIA: Kiosk Karadouman: 36-38, Kyriazi Street, Bookshop Gioggaras: 34, Elaion Street, Kiosk Koutsodimou: 308, Kifissias Avenue MAROUSSI: Tobacco & Gifts Tsitsilonis: 41-43, Kifissias Avenue, Tobacco & Gifts Raptis: 64, Kifissias Street, Kiosk Stefanopoulos: 46, Kifissias Street, Mini Market Kitsios: 43, Grammoou & Dionyssou Street MELISSIA: Kiosk Manikas: 75, Dimokratias Avenue, Mini Market Koufopandelis: 28, Pigis Street NEA ERYTHREA: Kiosk Anastassopoulos: 142, Harilaou Trikoupi Street, Bookshop Giannaki: 169, Eleftheriou Venizelou Street, Newsstand: 20 klm National Road AthensLamia, Kiosk Konidakis: Thisseos Avenue & Papadaki, Kiosk Kallergis: 130, Tatoiou Street NEO PSYCHIKO: Kiosk Katichidis: E. Makariou & Michalakopoulou Street, Kiosk Doukas: 44, Diamantidou Street, Kiosk Gionis: 25, Chr.Smyrnis & Ag.Georgiou Street

80 insider athens | February 2011

PAPAGOU: Mini Market Papavassiliou: 16, Ellispontou Street PALEO PSYCHIKO: Kiosk Kyriakou: Solomou Square, Kiosk Gialama: Efkalypton Square, Kiosk Polydoros: Kifissias & Ag. Dimitriou Street, Kiosk Kalogeropoulos: V. GeorgiouSquare, Kiosk Kontabasis: 2, Amaryllidos & V. Pavlou Street, Kiosk Kalfagian: V. Georgiou B’ 11 POLITIA: Kiosk Vovlas: Politia Square VRILISSIA : Kiosk Theodoropoulou: 5, Analypsi Square, Kiosk Aggelopoulos: Pendelis Avenue & Omirou, Bookshop Karystinaiou: 69, Alefiou Street

SOUTHERN SUBURBS GLYFADA : Kiosk Tamourantzis: 3, Metaxa & Maragou Street, Kiosk Tsakanikas: 3, Lambraki Street, Kiosk Mavraki: Pandoras & Ioanni Metaxa, Kiosk Adamopoulos: 20, Ioanni Metaxa Street, Kiosk Papadakou: 7, Ioanni Metaxa Street, Kiosk Haikal: 1, Ioanni Metaxa & Fivis Street, Kiosk Bolota: Gounari & Iraklitou Street, Kiosk Bellou: 5, Saki Karagiorga Street, Mini Market Agiokatsikos: 24, Ilias Street HELLINIKO : NewsStand: 43-47, Vouliagmenis Avenue ILIOUPOLIS : Super Market Kokossis: 5, Glastonos Street LAGONISI: Kiosk Vassiliadis: 37,5 klm Athinon-Souniou Avenue NEA SMYRNI: Kiosk Manoussos: 28, Eleftheriou Venizelou Street VARKIZA: Kiosk Paraskevopoulou: Varkiza Square VOULA: Kiosk Leontopoulos: 12, Sokratous Street, Mini Market Pournara: 33, Pringipos Petrou Street, Kiosk Christopoulou: V. Pavlou & Ag. Ioanni Street VOULIAGMENI: Kiosk Andrioti: Armonias Square, Kiosk Chryssikos: 1, Ermou Street, Kiosk Kylitis: 14, Thisseos Street PALEO FALIRO: Kiosk Kombogianni: 1, Ag.Alexandrou Street, Kiosk Kapetanou: 24, Achilleos Street, Mini Market Nikouli: 9, Pliadon Street, Tobacco & Gifts Berekos: 1, Possidnos Avenue & Moraitini Street PIRAEUS: Hand Delivery Telstar: 57, Akti Miaouli, Tourist Chop Siatras: 46, Akti Koumoundourou Street, Kiosk Samarogiannis: 7, Merarhias B’Street, Kiosk Siaho: Akti Moutsopoulou (Kanari Square), Kiosk Kentros: 73, Iroon Polytechniou Street, Kiosk Fotis : 1, Loudovikou Street, Kiosk Spalas: 111, Karaiskou Street, Newsstand: Railway Station Loudovikou Square

city map

Map courtesy of Emvelia Publications

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KA L E I DOS COP E

In the lead up to Easter, February and March are dotted with customs unique to Greece. Tsiknopempti (February 24 this year), is traditionally the last day to gorge on meat before the Lenten fast begins. Street corners get converted into make-shift stores selling masks, costumes, wigs and other accoutrements ahead of the Carnival weekend – the country’s largest one being in the port city of Patras. On Clean Monday (March 7 this year), Greeks young and old can be seen in any available patch of green indulging in the traditional beginning-of-Lent activities of kite-flying and picnicking. Setting a kite in the air – and then releasing it – is said to symbolise the freeing of the body from sin. In a similarly purifying spirit, no meat or fish must be consumed on Kathara Deftera. Although many Athenians take a day trip to the hills or beaches around Attica, a popular kite-flying hub in the centre is Filopappou Hill.

82 insider athens | February 2011

insider athens | February

2011

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84 insider athens | February 2011