Athens Insider 98

THE CITY MAGAZINE OF

October 2011 Year 9. Issue 98 â‚Ź4.50 ISSN 1790-3114

ATHENS

Towards greener pastures Green Initiatives / Parks in Attica / Photography: George Apostolidis, Athens House of Photography / Gastronomy at Mt. Athos / World Animal Day Special German Supplement: Interviews with: German Ambassador Dr. Roland Wegener, heads of Lufthansa, Henkel Hellas, Kosmocar and Hellenic Brewery / The German School of Athens / Oktoberfest PLUS: ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD & WINE, NIGHTLIFE, SHOPPING, NOVELTIES, MAPS AND MORE

The world of tomorrow needs answers that last.

That’s why we’re building them today, with customers all over the world.

It’s why we’re designing our technology to last longer and use fewer resources. It’s why we’re helping our customers reduce their CO2 emissions. And it’s why we’re pioneering new answers with one of the world’s largest environmental portfolios.

As a result, we were just named the best in our business sector by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. And recognized as the top company overall by the Carbon Disclosure Project,

the world’s largest independent database of corporate climate change information.

Yet we’d never claim to have all the answers. That’s why we’re working with 190 countries. Thousands of cities. Tens of thousands of companies. In energy, industry and healthcare.

We’re working with the world today to create answers that last for the world of tomorrow.

siemens.com/answers

Sudha Nair-Iliades

While holidaying in Brittany this summer, a tourist who overheard my children speaking in Greek, turned around and looked at me with disgust – ‘you’re vacationing while we bail you out’ - was the gist of the conversation. Much of the suspicion and mistrust among our fellow Europeans has been exacerbated by the vitriolic tit-for-tat that the Greek and German media have been engaged in, with stereotypes of frappe-drinking Greeks being pulled out of the morass by hard-working Germans. As Greece waits with bated breath on news of the rescue package, a lot of perspective has been lost in playing the blame game. Yes, Greece has serious structural problems and Germany, whether it likes it or not, will have to reluctantly shoulder its responsibility as the EU’s richest member.

publisher’s note But for all the heated exchanges, Greece and Germany have so much common history. From archaeologist Schliemann’s excavations to Ernst Ziller’s architectural legacies that grace Athenian avenues, Greeks and Germans have shared a mutual admiration for each other’s languages and culture. German is foreign language number two in Greece, just after English. German companies have long been regarded as pillars of Greek industry and with 3 million vacationers visiting Greece annually, Germans form the largest group of incoming tourists into the country.

As German Ambassador Wegener states (p.34), “Greek and German destinies are intertwined.”

In our special German supplement, just ahead of Germany’s Economic Minister, Philipp Roesler’s visit, Insider interviews four influential heads of German companies on the strategies they have adopted to counter the negative sentiment and cope with the crisis. One of Roesler’s objectives is to pump up the confidence of German investors and to encourage investments in green energy.

In some way the economic crisis has inadvertently nurtured the green movement, handing Greece an opportunity to make a great environmental leap. While the state looks for ways to trigger green growth, private enterprises have been taking initiatives to educate the public but the most remarkable change has been at the grassroots level. More Greeks have turned to eco-friendly solutions from recycling to bicycle-riding. This shift in attitude has undoubtedly been a by-product of current economic problems, pushing us to consider options that would have been inconceivable before.

As Athanasios Syrianos of Hellenic Brewery (p.42) observes, “It is an opportunity for Greece to rid itself of its old mindset and embrace new ideas.”

Towards greener pastures, then. Prost!

Sudha Nair-Iliades

Publisher - Editor Sudha Nair-Iliades Art Director Eliza Mouzenidou Client Relations Eleni Setta

Contributors in this Issue Eleni Kefalopoulou, Tania Kollias, Renee Pappas, Marq Riley, Mike Sweet, Christina Tsiliakou Web Coordinator Michel Devanakis Interns Katie Prentiss, Royce Gavrias

Distribution Hellenic Distribution Agency Subscriptions * Athens Insider - 10 issues a year in Greece € 40, Abroad € 80 * Bonjour Athènes - 5 issues a year in Greece € 20, Abroad € 40 * Both magazines in Greece € 60, Abroad € 120

Insider Publications Ltd. located at Markou Botsari 16 A 117 41 Athens, Greece.

Telephone: 210.729.8634 Fax: 210.729.8635.

Tax: No. 099747145.

Email: info@insider-magazine.gr Reproduction in whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, is forbidden except with the express written permission of the publisher.

Photos Angelos Giotopoulos, Marq Riley, George Apostolidis

Founder Steve Pantazopoulos Legal Counsel Christos Christopoulos

info@insider-magazine.gr www.insider-magazine.gr www.bonjour-athenes.com

Although Athens Insider has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions it may contain. Athens Insider maintains a strict policy of editorial independence and preferential treatment is never guaranteed to advertisers.

Web Design www.studiozip.com

Prepress, Montage and Printing Ellinoektipotiki

Athens Insider is published monthly and its brand, logo and all editorial content is held worldwide by:

Athens Insider: Monthly Publication ISSN 1790-3114 Code: 6548

Prices include VAT and postage.

insider athens | October 2011 1

contributors Angelos Giotopoulos

Born in Australia, Angelos is currently based in Europe working as a freelance photographer. He is the co-founder of “Falcon Photo Agency” (www.falconphotoagency.com) which specializes in documentary, conceptual and travel reportage. His photographs and texts have been published in magazines such as Italy’s Travel Panorama, Australian Traveller and Florida International Magazine in America, as well as in various Greek publications

As a media and PR consultant, Renee has successfully presented her clients in international media such as CNN and the New York Times. In her chequered career in the entertainment industry, she has encountered music greats and media moguls who might find their way into a book on rock history she is currently working on. Renee moved to Greece in the early nineties and has since been actively involved in raising gala fund-raisers and contributing regularly to Athens Insider.

Mike Sweet

A documentary producer for the BBC Television in the 1990s, Mike worked in broadcasting in South Asia before relocating to Australia in 2002, where he established his TV production business. A correspondent for the English language edition of Australia’s largest circulation Greek newspaper Neos Kosmos, Mike combines his writing with producing independent documentary films. Having lived in Athens since 2007, Mike is now the contributing editor for Opa, a recently launched magazine in Australia.

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

Tania Kollias

Eleni Kefalopoulou

Half Scottish & half Greek Christina studied Management but soon after found her passion was marketing. Former Marketing Manager of Classical Hotels and current Marketing Director of Travel Plan in Greece, Christina enjoys highlighting all around the world the wonderful experience of travelling. Her restless spirit, artistic character and love for Athens drive her to discover new aspects and hidden treasures of a city that is nothing less than breathtaking.

Eliza Mouzenidou was born and raised in Athens. She studied Technology of Graphic Arts and graduated with the highest GPA amongst her colleagues. For the last four years she has been working as a graphic designer and has attended numerous seminars on the subject. Her true passion is photography and during her free time she enjoys playing tennis.

2 insider athens | October 2011

Marq Riley

Tania Kollias is an accredited journalist from Vancouver, Canada, and is based in Athens. She has worked in media for more than a decade, at a daily-turned-weekly newspaper and monthly magazine, writing guidebooks, and freelancing for the foreign press. After getting a degree (BA-SFU), she travelled through Europe, Australia and Asia, staying on in Tokyo to write feasibility studies at an engineering firm. She travels at every opportunity

Eleni Kefalopoulou born in Thessaloniki studied drama and civil engineering. Working as an actress and translator for TV and cinema, she loves travelling, wine-tasting and discovering secrets of regional cuisines. She has followed many wine seminars in Greece and enjoys discovering the fruits of small wineries, both in Greece and further afield.

Christina Tsiliakou

Renee Pappas

Eliza Mouzenidou

contents

10

Features Poetry and Art Odysseus Elytis’ 100th anniversary at the B&M Theocharakis Foundation

Departments 10

Lasting Impressions 12 Revati Kapoor’s exhibition at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation

14 22

George Apostolidis 14 Mike Sweet meets the jetsetting photographer Photo Shop 18 A new centre for photography in Metaxourgeio Green initiatives 22 Companies go green and Tania Kollias gives out a few DIY tips Shades of green in a grey city 26 Angelos Giotopoulos on the city’s green spaces The German Supplement

32

Clean and Green 40 Francesco Burei of Henkel Hellas on finding sustainable solutions

Culture

4

Art

10

Photography

14

Ecospeak

22

Prost to a new Greece 42 Athanassios Syrianos of Hellenic Brewery of Atalanti on the promise of a new, transparent era

Diplomacy

34

Business

38

Learning by Heart 44 Thomas Fischer speaks to Insider on the role of an educator

Travel

46

Shifting into high gear 41 Kosmocar’s Steven Sirtis on the enduring values that Audi and Volkswagen project

Wellness

50

Earthly pleasures on Mt. Athos 46 Eleni Kefalopoulou reports on the area’s culinary heritage

Agora

52

Perfect whites 50 Dr Koveos creates a perfect smile make-over

Restaurant lndex 59

Shared History, Common Future 34 Dr. Roland Wegener, the German Ambassador on sharing a common destiny

Maritime chic Zorbas at Mikrolimano for seafood and wine against a nautical backdrop

56

Taking off to new heights 38 Paulo Yoshikawa, Lufthansa’s General Manager on the airline company’s success trajectory

Oktoberfest 58 Christos Manolopoulos celebrates the German tradition of raising a mug of frothy beer

Restaurant reviews 56

Area-wise listings 60 Kaleidoscope

80

26 34 38 46 80 Cover picture: istockphoto.com

insider athens | October 2011 3

Arts & events

01

02

06 october

until

10 october

12 october

Megaron Mousikis

Museum of Cycladic Art

French Institute

The Kitchen 01 In a live broadcast from the National Theatre in England in collaboration with the British Embassy and the British Council, The Kitchen is the second project in line after ‘One man, two guv’nors’. Set in the ‘50s, viewers get a peek into the grimy kitchen of a fancy restaurant in the West End, where chefs and waiters from across Europe - English, Irish, Germans, Jews – frenetically weave their busy professional lives with their dreams and aspirations for a better life. www.megaron.gr

The Last Grand Tour The Museum of Cycladic Art presents for the first time the works of internationally renowned artists who have lived and worked in Greece during the 20th century. Looking at Greece as a source of inspiration over the last seventy years, the works included reflect the different ways in which the country’s long cultural history and geography continue to be a source of artistic innovation. The exhibition highlights the striking discrepancy in contemporary culture that has apparently witnessed the end of the traditional Grand Tour so closely associated with Byron and his fellow Romantic artists.

The curator of the exhibition is Jessica Morgan of Tate Modern. www.cycladic.gr

The Laughing Club of India

by Mira Nair Academy Award nominated director Mira Nair explores the power of laughter through the incredibly popular laughing clubs in Bombay.

Founded in 1995 by an Indian doctor, the movement has over 6000 clubs in 60 countries today. These clubs bring hundreds of people together, beyond caste or class, to laugh each day. The film meets founder Kataria, a stockbroker, a widow laughing to cope with her loss, and two old friends who meet to laugh on a daily basis. www.ifa.gr

4 insider athens | October 2011

15 october

Technopolis, Municipality of Athens Athens Tango Day 02 For the second consecutive year, Technopolis at the City of Athens presents an event dedicated to the Tango. Participants will have the opportunity to attend free introductory lessons in Argentine Tango from the best schools and teachers in Athens! The event also includes video projections on Tango and ends with a concert and dance night! For a swinging Saturday, visit www.tangoingreece.com for more details

On the town

06

03

04

05

1216 20 2021 22 until

october

october

october

october

Onassis Cultural Centre

Megaron Mousikis

Badminton Theatre

Vamiali’s

Robert Lepage / Ex Machina The Far side of the Moon Known as the alchemist of modern iconoclastic theatre, Robert Lepage is one of the most exciting filmmakers of our time. Robert Lepage, in his first appearance in Greece, presents The Far side of the Moon, a spectacular one-man show that has played in over 45 countries worldwide and won an Oscar Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in its cinematic version. The multilayered, autobiographical and imaginative work which premiered in 2000 in Quebec, recounts the turbulent relationship between two brothers after the loss of their mother while unravelling the mysteries of the universe. www.sgt.gr

Jonas Kaufmann Tenor Jonas Kaufmann returns to Athens after a two-year hiatus to sing arias from Italian composers such as P. Mascagni, A. Ponchieli, F. Cilea, R. Leoncavallo, U. Giordano amongst others. Critics who have followed Jonas Kaufman’s rise as a musician since the ‘90s have raved of his unique interpretative approach to the characters, rendering each a different personality. www.megaron.gr

Spartacus, Grigorovich Ballet theatre of Russia 03 The Grigorovich Ballet theatre of Russia comes to Greece with 70 players, plush sets and lavish costumes to present the ballet based on the legend of Spartacus, a gladiator of Thracian origin who led a major revolt of slaves and other socially oppressed people against the Romans in the first century BC. www.badmintontheater.gr/

Reveries Of Will 04, 05, 06 A group exhibition comprising the works of artists Evelyn Anastasiou, Savvas Christodoulides, Elina Ioannou, Sotiris Kallis, Stelios Kallinikou, Phanos Kyriacou, Angelos Makrides, Panagiotis Mina, Vicky Pericleous, Alexandros Pissourios, Socratis Socratous, Lefteris Tapas and Philippos Vasiliades, curated by artist Polys Peslikas.

The exhibition’s curator, Polys Peslikas with a brief reference to Gaston Bachelard writes about the idea behind the exhibition: “Perhaps one of the most dangerous elements for an artwork is if it is created within narrow geographical contexts. Any reality tends to swell, as it happens with desire. The objective of the exhibition is to define the image of an identity that responds to contemporary artistic production and creation of Cyprus. www.vamiali.net

insider athens | October 2011 5

Arts & events

08

07

09

2223 29 until

october

october

until

30 october

until

30 october

Badminton Theatre

The Breeder

Astrolavos

Astrolavos

Swan Lake, Grigorovich Ballet theatre of Russia A touching story that made Tchaikovsky immortal. Yuri Grigorovich modifies the classical choreography of the previous century to make Swan Lake one of the most enduring ballets of all time. The tale recounts the romantic adventures of a young prince and a beautiful girl, who a malicious magician transforms into a white swan. It embodies the full range of human emotions, from hope to despair, from terror to tenderness and from melancholy to ecstasy. www.badmintontheater.gr

Gabriel Vormstein, News of today: Die feeling 07 The Breeder presents Gabriel Vormstein’s first solo exhibition in Athens, entitled “News of today: Die feeling”. Death and failure are recurrent elements in Vormstein’s work, along with the use of newspaper as the artist’s chosen canvas. The traces of time characterize the aesthetics of this material and at the same time allude to contentwise references. In Gabriel Vormstein’ s works newsprint remains an index of ‘already passed’ events of the day and at the same time becomes alienated by its ‘new’ presence as an art piece. www.thebreeder.gr

Kaleidoscope, Effy Chryssi 08, 09 With emphasis on the form and geometry of form, subject to constant changes and transformations, lines and tones, Effy Chryssi creates a fictional universe. In painting this world of patterns, the artist connects shapes with concepts – such as the circle with life - and these different symbols are interwoven together in configurations where the negative and positive reveal a deep, unbreakable bond between them. www.astrolavos.gr

Land – Escapes, Nikos Vandouros Shown as part of the Athens Photo Festival, in his new work entitled Land - Escapes, Nikos Vandoros aims to decode the self-evident representation of everyday landscapes. The landscapes of Nikos Vandorou reveal a mystical figure, dark in most cases, hiding from daylight recording visual phenomena that can and should be changed. Nikos Vandorou’s photographs are almost illusional in nature, often blurring the lines between the real and the imagined. www.astrolavos.gr

6 insider athens | October 2011

On the town

10

11

until

31

until

october

12

05 november

Museum of Cycladic Art

K-art

DESTE Prize 2011-04-14 The six shortlisted artists - Alexandra Bahzetsi, Anastasia Douka, Irini Miga, Eytixis Patsourakis, Theodoros Stamatoyannis, Jannis Varelas – for the DESTE Prize 2011 will show their work in an exhibition that, for the second time, will be presented at the Museum of Cycladic Art. The DESTE Prize was established in 1999 and is awarded every two years to a Greek artist living in Greece or abroad. The Prize aims to showcase the work of a new and emerging generation of artists and it is an integral part of the Foundation’s policy in supporting and promoting contemporary art in Greece. www.cycladic.gr

Emmanouil Bitsakis 10 K-art presents the third solo exhibition of Emmanuel Bitsakis who combines disparate motifs, reverses meanings and deconstructs familiar iconographic types to make a personal comment about reality with humor. www.k-art.gr

until

05 13 05 november

Ekfrasi-Yianna Grammatopoulou From aquarium to diving 11, 12 Kallirois Maroudas captures the void of modern life where picture perfect happiness is but superficial. The viewer realizes that behind this seeming perfection and happiness, something is amiss. www.ekfrasi-art.gr

october

november

Zoumboulakis Gallery Maria Filopoulou, Waterfall Maria Filopoulou presents a new series of works on waterfalls. The liquid element and the love of water is captured in the bubbles, drops, splashes and reflections that contrast with the serenity of the landscape. The viewer has the sensation of water thrown everywhere. www.zoumboulakis.gr

insider athens | October 2011 7

Arts & events

13

14

november

27

TAF

Bernier-Eliades Gallery

Benaki Museum, Pireos St

Eleni Marneri Galerie

The Fish and guest artists from Granada 13, 14 TAF in cooperation with the Embassy of Spain, the Cervantes Institute and curator Pablo Berzal, presents nine participating artists from the School of Fine Arts in Granada that represent new trends in contemporary Spanish art. According to the curator, ‘the exhibition is divided into 9 rooms (site specific) in which each artist will display his work’.

The intention of this project is direct communication between the public and artists, over and above the role of criticism or the art market.’ Participating artists include Angeles Agrela, Pablo Capitan, Paloma Gamez, Marisa Mancilla, Joaquin Pena Toro, José Pinar, Miguel Angel Tornero, Alejandro del Valle, Santiago Ydanez www.taf.gr

Pier Paolo Calzolari Pier Paolo Calzolari has widely been considered as a leading figure of the Arte Povera movement and as a seminal artist whose works cover sculptures, paintings, videos, installations, text performances and architecture. In his fifth solo exhibition at the Bernier-Eliades Gallery, Calzolari transforms quotidian rituals into aesthetic experiences, focussing on the fragility of objects and materials. www.bernier-eliades.gr

Damien Hirst, New Religion After a very successful presentation at the Museum of Macedoniann Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki, the Benaki Museum in collaboration with the British Council, hosts the first solo presentation of works

by Damien Hirst in Greece, and exemplifies the art practice of the most famous member of the Young British Artists who dominated the British and global art scene of the 90s with his provocative creations. www.benaki.gr

Post-Motion 15 Post-motion is an attempt to approach the subject ‘after the operation.’ Artists and viewers explore the vitality that hides inside every new beginning. www.elenimarneri.com

until

06 november

8 insider athens | October 2011

until

17

until

november

until

30 november

On the town

15

16

17

0304 29 until

november

december

Angelos & Leto Katakouzenos Foundation Christos Kechagioglou, The Ark of the Mind 16 The ‘Ark of the Mind’ is an artistic installation, a microcosm, which develops within the premises of the historic Katakouzenos house on Amalias Avenue and includes 25 paintings, 15 photographs, 12 watercolours and video installations. The exhibition is a poetic contemplation of art itself, a creative play and a journey of remembrance rolled into one. What makes the exhibition even more special is that the house is strewn with beautiful art and images of leading personalities from Athens of the ‘30s. http://www.katakouzenos.gr/

december

until

31 december

until

29 january

Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum

Art & Culture Wishes

Herakleidon Museum

Best of: Highlights in Jewellery and Couture The best of the permanent collections of the Lalaounis Museum and the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation are brought together in an exhibition structured as a visual dialogue between jewellery and couture - two distinct but interrelated facets of the world of design.

Jewels from 50 collections created by Ilias Lalaounis and the Lalaounis house between 1947 and 2008 are presented alongside selected highlights from the extensive costume collections of the PFF. Through a display that addresses fashion as evidence of material culture, the exhibition challenges distinctions between high art and low art, elitist and mass culture, the contemporary and ‘the classic’ as well as between ‘eastern’ and ‘western’ forms and styles. www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr

Athens International Airport The cultural organizations that the Athens International Airport has collaborated with throughout the years are participating in “Art & Culture Wishes”, a cultural initiative with a “Voyage” theme accompanied by wishes for the airport’s 10th anniversary. Participants include the Foundation of the Hellenic World, the Museum of Greek Folk Art, the Benaki Museum, the Goulandris Natural History Museum, the George Zongolopoulos Foundation, the Museum of Greek Children’s Art, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, the Herakleidon Museum, the Museum of the Hellenic Nobel Collection, Militos Editions, the Onassis Cultural Centre and the B&M Theocharakis Foundation. www.aia.gr/aia10years

Sol LeWitt Line and Colour Photo credit: © 2011 The LeWitt Estate / ARS (Artists Rights Society, N.Y) OSDEETE, Athens 17 The exhibition comprises 15 works by Sol LeWitt - mainly prints (such as lithographs, etchings, and woodcuts), but also his first oil painting as well as gouache, monotypes and photographs. The artist’s works are known for their geometric shapes and rich colours. He became known in the late 1960s for his wall drawings and his sculptures or “structures” as he called them. He is considered by many to be the father of Conceptual Art. His works are in the permanent collections of many major museums all over the world and is also installed in public parks and buildings. www.herakleidon-art.gr

insider athens | October 2011 9

Art

Odysseus Elytis: Poetry and Art The B&M Theocharakis Foundation present poems and works of art related to the celebrated poet Odysseus Elytis on the occasion of his 100th anniversary

T

he exhibition presents for the first time all the paintings of Nobel laureate Odysseus Elytis. It comprises imaginative collages, temperas and watercolours, highlighting his unique artistic personality and reflecting his aesthetic perception. Moreover, representative artworks by leading Greek artists he admired and for whom he has written excellent texts will be on display as well, among them: Picasso, Theofilos, Tsarouchis, Ghika, Matisse, Kapralos, Kanellis, Moralis, Derpapas and Fassianos. The exhibition is also accompanied by manuscripts and editions belonging to the poet’s private collection, along with published and unpublished photographs.

Most of the artworks are loaned from the Gennadius Library, the Benaki Museum, the Athens National Gallery and numerous private collections.

Organised by Ioulita Iliopoulou and curated by Takis Mavrotas in cooperation with the Athens Concert Hall, the exhibition runs from September 22, 2011 to November 27, 2011 at the B&M Theocharakis Foundation at 9 Vas. Sofias and 1 Merlin St.

10 insider athens | October 2011

Melina’s Kindergarten is the Pre-School of the International School of Athens (ISA) and provides an international education to children aged 2 through 5 in a secure and nurturing English-language environment.

Three gracious villas located in the Kifissia area with attractive gardens serving as playgrounds, house our young students.

At Melina’s Kindergarten, we recognize the fact that all students differ in their needs and abilities. Therefore we are committed to helping each child discover their interests and attributes at their own developmental pace, enabling them to become confident, independent and well-balanced life-long learners.

The curriculum at Melina’s Kindergarten is designed to maintain high standards of learning as well as to nurture the children’s social and emotional well being and help them reach their greatest potential in a stimulating and caring environment. The children are encouraged to develop a sense of identity, self-esteem and independence. Through an interdisciplinary curriculum and by using an inquiry-based approach with handson activities, the programme creates opportunities for the children to make meaningful connections. Emphasis is put on the communicative importance of language. Children are taught to respect others and their natural environment and to develop an awareness and appreciation of different cultures.

Melina’s Kindergarten promotes cooperation between parents, staff, students and the community.

Internationalism is an important feature of Melina’s Kindergarten. Early exposure to multiple languages and diverse cultures fosters open-mindedness, advanced cognitive skills and a better understanding of the world, laying the groundwork for a global future.

Operating Hours Melina’s Kindergarten operates 365 days a year from 7:00 in the morning until 19:00 in the evening.

Normal school hours are from 09:00 to 15:00. In order to meet the needs of working parents, we offer a free-of-charge babysitting programme in the morning from 7:00 until 8:30 and in the afternoon from 15:00 until 19:00 on a daily basis.

Info: www.melinaskindergarten.gr Melina’s 1: Harilaou Trikoupi 16, Kifissia, tel.: 210 – 8012719 Melina’s 2: Harilaou Trikoupi 22, Kifissia, tel.: 210 – 8017032 Melina’s 3: Leof.Kifissias & Spartis 6, Kifissia, tel.: 210 – 6205001

Art

Lasting Impressions Artist Revati Kapoor uses her evocative and colourful paintings to capture the people and landscapes encountered during her journeys to distant destinations. Insider finds out more about her travels and inspirations just ahead of Kapoor’s upcoming exhibition at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation from 3 to 10 October.

I

n comforting shades of raw sienna, terra cotta, and burnt browns with rich yellow highlights, Revati Kapoor’s paintings evoke a strong earthiness and are a festival of muted colour. Kapoor’s soothing compositions, the intense colours and the numerous thin layers of oil paint create a sense of depth and invite the viewer inward.

An artist who graduated from India’s prestigious J.J. School of Arts in Bombay, a venerable institution set up in 1857 that has produced some of India’s finest artists, and the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Kapoor works with oils, pastels and acrylics and experiments with mixed media.

Describing her style as ‘impressionistic’, one of Kapoor’s great inspirations has been M.F. Husain, perhaps India’s most well-known artist, alongside whom she has exhibited with on one occasion. She shares the same passion for horses as the late Husain, whose works were almost exclusively associated with stallions and steeds. For Kapoor, a passionate horse rider, no other animal captures the strength and grace as eloquently as a thoroughbred. Of the thirty seven paintings on display at the Cacoyannis Foundation, almost five are devoted to horses.

Kapoor uses the palette knife extensively and deftly to acquire an impasto effect inducing her horses to almost gallop right out of the canvas. This three-dimensional effect not only lends movement to her works but adds vitality and power to her equine subjects. She uses the same thick layered effect, so masterfully used by Van Gogh, to capture Greece’s unique beauty and incredible light, lending feeling and fluidity to her landscapes.

12 insider athens | October 2011

Kapoor often prefers large canvases that ‘give me more colours to play with and wider horizons’ to depict the landscapes and people she has encountered in her itinerant existence. (Kapoor splits time between her homes in London, Athens and her native India and has traveled extensively in the Middle East.) Her powerful portrayal of a group of Yemeni men huddled together or her fascination for old wooden doors in Saudi Arabia reveal facets of these countries little known to the outside world.

But it is her human figures that carry a vast potential and history of meanings. Her rendition of the human form is almost irresistibly stylized to state something about the human condition – the silent communion between two women going about their daily chores, a potter immersed in drawing beauty and fragile sustenance out of humble clay, the weary eyes and deeply etched lines on a villager’s wrinkled face – drawing the viewer to walk alongside the subject on searing hot sands or hide behind swathes of colourful fabric. Her figures sometimes appear to be veiled in darkness, obscuring inspection, at other times, well lit and available for scrupulous observation. The responsiveness and subsequent introspection that her paintings provoke, stay with the viewer long after the first viewing.

Kapoor’s paintings form part of several private collections, including that of the Sultan of Brunei. ‘Impressions’ by Revati Kapoor runs at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation from October 3 to 10. For more details, visit www.mcf.gr

The Big Shot from Down Under George Apostolidis has been one of Australia’s leading commercial photographers for the past twenty-five years. Known for his dynamic compositions and precise lighting, this globetrotting Grand Master of Photography talks to Mike Sweet about light, lenses and his birthplace - the village of Laimos.

r

Molon Exterio

14 insider athens | October 2011

G

eorge Apostolidis is just about to head to Bangkok when I catch up with the award-winning photographer at his home in the prosperous Melbourne suburb of Kew. A two week shoot in Thailand will be followed by work in Paris and then Barcelona, all for the same client: Mandarin Oriental - the five star luxury hotel group with whom George has worked for over twenty years.

Photography

Bedarra Island Luxury Resort, Australia

He will spend three months away with his producer-stylist, who just happens to be his wife Cathy. The inconvenience of their extended trip is somewhat mitigated by the fact that they’ll be put up and pampered at the Mandarin’s fabulously luxurious hotels at each location.

“I never bother telling people the job is hard,” says George, “because they’d never believe me, so I tell people it’s easy.” Is it? “No,” he says emphatically.

George Apostilidis was born in in 1956 in Laimos, a village cornered

by Greece’s border with Albania and what is now FYROM. “I’m a hundred per cent Greek,” exclaims George with a chuckle. He laughs easily and often. With a reputation for professional integrity that matches his artistic prowess, Apostolidis exudes the confidence of a man at the summit of success, but this naturally modest artist is anything but ostentatious.

He talks with an understated passion about his family’s story. “My grandfather had a general store in Laimos which was doing very well until the communists closed the borders. Then they lost eighty per cent of their trade. Those villages became ghost towns.”

George describes his background as that of “a typical migrant family.”

“Mum and Dad married in Greece and took an incredible gamble. Dad came to Australia in 1960, we came three years later. Dad joined the

Atrium Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona

insider athens | October 2011 15

16 insider athens | October 2011

Photography railways as a labourer, worked for two years, bought a house and then brought the family over. Mum worked as a fabrics machinist.”

“The goal for my parents was for their sons to succeed. They worked day-in, day-out to finance our education. We always spoke Greek at home. Even in our adult years we still spoke Greek with mum and dad. I’ve noticed that since they’re not around anymore, our Greek’s going backwards.”

The photographic process first fascinated George as a child. “My aunt Anastasia gave me a camera when I was eleven. I loved animals, and I remember the first thing I tried to photograph was a canary. It was a point and shoot camera in those days.” With the canary in the can, so to speak, George’s passion for photography was sealed.

After leaving school, he completed a BA in Photography at Melbourne’s RMIT University, the period during which he met Cathy, who was studying ceramics. They’ve been married for thirty years and have three daughters: Anastasia - a jeweler, Christina - who works at Melbourne’s Centre for Contemporary Photography, and Alexandra - who is in her final year studying fashion design.

Lake Orestiada, Kastoria

Soon after his own graduation in 1979, George was working as an assistant for a leading Melbourne studio and won the Australian Institute of Photography’s award for Professional Photographer of the Year. It would be the first of many accolades: from that point on he never looked back.

Soon after setting up on his own, big-budget clients from luxury-end tourism to multinational mining corporations lined up to hire Apostilidis for the extraordinary images he could create.

George describes commercial photography as the art of creating a mood, “reflecting a place where someone would yearn to be, creating drama.” George specialises in big projects.

As corporate photographer for Mandarin Oriental, he spends up to six months of the year photographing the hotels’ remarkable properties in Asia, Europe and the Americas. For ten years he shot for Tourism Tasmania. He’s just back from Peru, where he photographed the operations of a zinc mine for global metals conglomerate Nyrstar.

Epic industrial environments, luxurious locations and breathtaking landscapes are Apostolidis’ signature dishes. “I like vast spaces,” says George, “I look at everything as a shape, whether it’s a drill, a diamond, the Taj Mahal or Ayers Rock.”

Bold compositions, dramatic lines and an almost painterly approach to using light, both natural and artificial, are the hallmarks of Apostolidis’ art. “It’s all about lighting. You have to shoot at the right time of day. First you find your location, an angle that you like, then you analyse how that angle is going to work in better light. Late afternoon is my favourite time for shooting exteriors - you can watch the light go down and make the picture, whereas at sunrise the light’s getting stronger.”

For someone who grew up in the days of light-sensitive film, darkrooms and noxious chemicals, George feels that digital technology has changed photography, and not for the better.

“Too often today it’s just digital illustration. I don’t miss the chemicals, but I miss the slow process of developing something, just watching it form from nothing. In those days you had to construct in front of the camera, make it happen. Something’s been lost in the craft.”

After Bangkok, Barcelona and Paris, George’s Frequent Flyer status isn’t in any danger of a downgrade: the calendar is as full as ever, with projects in Honduras, Chile, Canada and Macau to complete by year’s end.

Barchelona Landscape

He and Cathy will squeeze in a holiday too, in the foothills of the Himalayas, which “will clear the head,” says George. One thing is for sure though, clarity of vision is something George Apostolidis will never be short of.

insider athens | October 2011 17

18 insider athens | October 2011

Photography

Photo Shop A new space dedicated to photography opens in Athens at Metaxourgeio

O

f all the visual arts, photography is arguably the most accessible to a wide audience. Time and time again, photography exhibits all across the world draw in huge crowds. Whether hanging on a wall in the house in the form of a poster or figuring prominently on some coffee table book, art photography already has a presence in most houses. And of course, even if only as an amateur, almost everyone has, at some point or another, taken a photograph.

Yet, surprisingly, Athens does not have an art space that is dedicated to photography open to the public. Although there are plenty of galleries, they are rather limited in scope and are more interested in selling limited prints rather than attracting a wider audience. In contrast, many museums host photography exhibits occasionally, but they are not specialized in this particular art, nor is the work for sale.

Aiming to bridge the gap, a new art space has emerged in the centre of Athens, focusing exclusively on photography. Located at the corner of Kerameon and Elefsinion streets, next to Karaiskaki Square, ‘The Athens House of Photography’ was launched in December 2010 and comprises a gallery, a bookstore, a library, a print sales archive, as well as rooms for seminars, presentations and projections.

insider athens | October 2011 19

Photography

The Athens House of Photography is the creation of Iason Demos, Aurelia Antoni and Nina Stavropoulos and has been designed by the architectural firm 4S Construction.

The ambition was to create a space that would become a reference and meeting point for anyone interested in photography. In its first ten months of operation, the gallery has already hosted four significant exhibitions of both Greek and international photographers. Specifically, in December and January there was the group exhibit of Constantine Manos, Nikos Economopoulos and John Demos. In March there was a portraiture exhibit of young talented Hollywood actors by the agency Outline. In April there was George Georgiou’s work on Turkey, which this fall will be shown at the MOMA in New York. Most recently, the gallery showcased the work of Giorgia Fiorio ‘The Gift’, which has been touring Europe.

For the summer of 2011, from July until the end of September, the gallery hosted its permanent collection, which includes works of both international photographers and Greeks. Art buyers and photography fans can purchase prints of Herbert List, John Demos, Constantine Manos, William Abranowicz, George Georgiou, Nikos Economopoulos, Stefanos Paschos, Giorgia Fiorio, as well as those of more contemporary Greek photographers such as Dimitris Mihalakis and Kamilo Nollas.

20 insider athens | October 2011

The collection covers all price ranges and styles, and both digital and fiber prints are available. All the works are signed and stamped by the photographers or their estate.

The gallery is not aimed solely at art collectors or specialists, but is also targeted towards people who want to purchase a very affordable work of art as a souvenir from their time in Greece. In addition, there is an extensive photography bookstore with both Greek and English titles, which includes high quality photography books about Greece.

During these ten months, The Athens House of Photography also hosted numerous workshops, photography lessons, portfolio reviews, projections, lectures and photography competitions. The plan this fall is to increase these activities, with more lessons and seminars. There will be workshops and lectures by Constantine Manos and Ed Kashi, as well as regular classes in basic photography, theory and practice, Photoshop, darkroom techniques and portfolio development.

The Athens House of Photography Kerameon and Elefsinion Street, Metaxourgeio (next to the Metaxourgeio metro stop) Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Open from Wednesdays to Fridays from 16:00 to 20:00 and from 12:00 to 18:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, visit, www.phototheatron.com

Eco speak Private enterprises lead the way in creating eco-consciousness Green engines Almost exclusively made of recycled materials, Citroen has designed a range of vehicles with extremely low environmental impact, intelligent design and advanced construction techniques resulting in a lightweight yet sturdy means of transportation. Using an innovative hybrid system, Citroen aims to offer an affordable and pleasant driving experience while providing solutions for a cleaner future.

The French brand’s latest technology known as “e-HDi” has been applied to diesel engines and basically combines several advanced features such as a Stop & Start system, energy recovery system in the case of slowdown, advanced automatic transmission, and low-resistance tires. Apart from creating «green» cars, Citroen has implemented a trade policy known as “Green Bonus”, where old automobiles are taken in exchanged for new, low emission vehicles. The policy makes economical, environmentally friendly transportation solutions for both passenger and commercial use more attractive than ever.

Minding your money Piraeus Bank’s green branch, the first of its kind in Greece and the Balkans, opened for business in 2008 on Panepistimiou Street in the centre of Athens. As one of many green business initiatives championed by Piraeus Bank, the branch is in line with the company’s environmental policy as applied through its wider Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, considered more of a ‘strategic investment’ than a ‘cost’ by the company.

The banking centre offers information pertaining to what is meant by a company’s ‘ecological footprint’, how this affects the environment and society, and what benefits derive from its reduction. In addition, visitors are able to find out about European Union environmental policies, trends, obligations, and new opportunities to invest in renewable energy and also green technologies and services, and of course, benefit from the green products Piraeus Bank has designed and offers to its clients.

22 insider athens | October 2011

More neighbourhood recycling bins There’s even less excuse not to separate your garbage and rinse out the plethora of plastic bottles.

More blue bins have appeared in neighbourhoods which is a very welcome development, not least for those dedicated to doing their bit for the planet who’ve been carting recyclables to a distant lone bin.

A census-taker noted anecdotally that about 7 out of 10 households he visited said they recycled. If true, there’s much to celebrate with that sea change in attitude. With more than 4,000 blue recycling bins placed in Athens’ neighbourhoods, entire recycling centres landing inside and in front of super markets and in squares throughout the city, and bell-shaped collection bins for paper and glass becoming a familiar sight around town, it seems the city of Athens is making it as easy as possible for its citizens to mind where they dispose of their rubbish. But in addition to the bins, the municipality has made an effort to establish several programmes, in cooperation with recycling facilties, for making Athens a cleaner, more pleasant city: n A designated phone line, 1960, allows citizens to call and make arrangements for the deposit electrical items at a specific time and place for pick-up by municipal staff. n The City of Athens cooperates with an approved old vehicle recycling operator and forwards abandoned vehicles for recycling. n All oil products and vehicle tires from the municipality’s own mechanical equipment is forwarded to recycling facilities. n An underground recycling system, for all types of recyclable materials, has been installed at Petroula Square, in the area of Kolonos. n Paper recycling bins for interior spaces of public and private entities, are provided by the city at no cost.

For the past three years, Avra (the mineral water branch of Coca Cola 3E), in cooperation with the NGO Arcturos, have led an initiative to raise awareness and educate citizens through organized forest protection seminars held all over Greece. With an overwhelming turnout and equally strong response, the seminars proved that education is the key to tackling Greece’s environmental issues. The programme has adopted 22,140 trees in 5 forest areas of Greece and educated than 50,000 students in Athens and Thessaloniki regarding the value of forest and water in our life. In 2011, Avra enriched its environmental program “Some forests have their own Aura” with the new “Clean Forests” activities which included the cleaning of forests in 6 Greek cities. The objective was to remove waste and organic materials from forest areas for fire safety reasons and to inform people about the important role that urban forests play in the quality of their everyday life. Through this initiative,9.5 tons of organic mass were collected, 3.1 tons of waste were recycled, 172.000 square meters of forest were cleaned,1.420 volunteers participated and 6 forests were cleaned.

Trams team up with bikes

Corporates go green

Corporates go green

Avra: Protecting Greece’s green cover

The tram company in Greece Tram S.A has encouraged commuters to travel with their bikes to promote an eco-friendly ride to the office. All restrictions on days and hours of travel with bikes have now been lifted. In a bid to promote bikefriendly public transportation, TramS.A along with other public transport companies operating bus lines and the metro have launched programmes to encourage bikers to cycle and rent bicycles at Flisvos Park in Paleo Faliro. The idea is to emulate similar programmes in other European metropolises that have been received resoundingly well by urban communities. For more information, consult www.tramsa.gr and www.pamemetram.gr or call 210-9978000 on working days and hours.

insider athens | October 2011 23

Eco speak

DIY tips

by Tania Kollias Money-saving household tips Pat yourself on the back for not using a dryer. Now go a step further with homemade soap. People who make their own washing detergent swear by the results and the money they save. One recipe for powdered soap calls for 1 soap bar, 1 cup washing soda and half a cup of Borax. Break the soap bar in pieces and process or grate until powdered, then mix ingredients. Use 1 tablespoon for light loads and 2 for heavy/soiled ones. You can buy washing soda and Borax at Kalogeropoulos Chemicals, Gounari 35, Piraeus, Tel: 210 417 9316, 210 422 1559, www.kalogeropoulos-chemicals.gr, while some pharmacies may sell Borax, which is also effective against cockroaches.

Leave it in a small container and sprinkle under the sink…

Enviro-friendly holidays Extending the green philosophy while on holidays is easy when you know where to look. Whether that means staying at an organic farm, horseback-riding, wind-surfing, wine-tasting or beachside relaxing, check www.ecotourism-greece.com, which also lists the latest eco-developments, www.guestinn.com, a network of traditional and rural accommodations which includes special offers, and the Organic Places to Stay site, which lists places in Greece: www.organicholidays.co.uk/Country/0/Greece.htm.

Planet-friendly volunteer initiatives, eco-warriors Get involved at the local level, cleaning up neglected patches around town, tree-planting or taking part in Sunday beach cleanups on weekend mornings. Help out the Atenistas, which literally take matters into their own hands, usually tackling an eyesore a week. Or on a little bigger scale, check the next eco-action that Skai TV is arranging: kathariellada.skai.gr.

Trade-ins The electronics shop Kotsovolos has a few green initiatives, such as taking your old appliance free of charge when they deliver a new one, give you cash on the spot or to use toward purchasing a new mobile phone, and may give money back for laptops, subject to certain conditions such as age or Celeron-type motherboard, unbroken screen, battery and charger. www.kotsovolos.gr, Tel: 801 11 33 600, or 210 289 9600 from a mobile.

24 insider athens | October 2011

Donate your (un)used stuff If your children’s toys, accessories and clothes situation is out of hand, consider donating to charity organizations, such as to one of the Child’s Smile homes, or Street Children in central Metaxourgio.

Green spaces Insider does a tour of some of the city’s ‘lungs’ that provide relief to the eye and the soul and provide a great outlet for jogging, biking and the odd weekend picnic.

Angelos Giotopoulos captures the magic of Attica’s parks.

National Gardens The incredible woodland canopy provided by the mature trees in the National Gardens still amazes the average passer-by. It is one of the most positive things about Greece’s first organised modern gardens, set out by Queen Amalia in the early-19th Century.

Queen Amalia’s original plan incorporated many exotics sourced and planted by her German gardener Friedrich Schmidt. The magnificent South American Phytolacca tree near the Botanical Museum dates right back to Amalia’s day. Modern plantings have often followed this example –the 40-year-old Ceiba indica, a spreading deciduous tree from India, is believed to exist nowhere else in this country.

The National Gardens are a window on Greek gardening, and as such, the focus should be on providing a microcosm of the Greek landscape. It would be wiser to replace flashy showbeds of coloured annuals, which are currently changed two-to-three times per year, with droughttolerant Greek perennials, such as salvias.

Until recently, an insufficient number of gardeners in the National Gardens meant that they were not properly managed or maintained: dead or diseased branches were not removed and pruning was infrequent and harsh – bordering on savage. Gardeners who have deep-rooted trees and shrubs that respond to deep watering should follow the National Gardens’ flooding system, whereby water is channelled around a flowerbed and, once a week or so, a sluice gate is dug through, allowing the bed to fill completely with water.

Probably the most important lesson, though, is to plant with vision. Queen Amalia created these gardens 170 years ago for the future. We should be brave and plant trees for the future: even if we don’t necessarily see them reach maturity in our lifetimes, future generations will benefit.

26 insider athens | October 2011

Eco speak

Park stats Location Behind the Parliament, flanked by Vas Amalias, Sofias, Olgas and Irodou Attikou Size 15.8 hectares (158 stremata).

Facilities Open-air cafe, children’s library and playground, botanical museum, running tracks Flora Original plantings included Gingkobiloba from China and Californian Sequoia, natives like Holm Oaks, carob, Judas and mastic trees. Between 2006 and 2008, 700 indigenous trees, 1,750 bushes (including 300 rosebushes) and 1,300 groundcover species were planted.

Fauna Birdlife includes hoopoes, parrots, sparrows, blackbirds and crows. A small zoo features donkeys, chickens, geese, ducks, rabbits and wild goats. The gardens are home to tortoises, abandoned cats and terrapins, as well as packs of dogs neutered and released by the municipality. The estimated 10 percent of dumped felines that survive the dogs are fed and neutered by www.ninelivesgreece.com Past D esigned by Amalia, first queen of Greece, the Royal Gardens were constructed between 1838 and 1840. Renamed the National Gardens after the monarchy was abolished in 1974.

Present T he gardens came under the jurisdiction of Athens municipality in October 2004.

With the National Technical University, the municipality plans a 7.5 million euro overhaul of the gardens. Works will include a new perimeter fence, irrigation, lighting, sewage, water filtering and wiring systems.

Do Go for a jog or stroll. Have an excellent Greek coffee at the cafe Don’t bring your dog, motorbike or skateboard. Don’t feed the animals at the zoo, but do hand over fruit or veggie scraps to Costas, the zookeeper, for him to enrich their meagre diet Open Sunrise to sunset daily (except during demonstrations and public holidays) Access By metro, bus or tram, it is just a stone’s throw from Syntagma Square.

“It is the quintessence of a park, the thing one feels sometimes in looking at a canvas or dreaming of a place one would like to be in and never finds” Henry Miller, 1939

insider athens | October 2011 27

Tatoi estate Going to the Tatoi estate is like an excursion: it feels far away from Athens, yet it’s only 10 minutes away from Kifissia. It’s a great open space to bike for about an hour and discover the estate, which is beautiful in a wild, natural way.

The path winds right up to the impressive graves where one can read the history of the last two centuries in Greece engraved in stone. But like the buildings, the graves too have been neglected. There was a strong call for the renovation of the buildings and for increasing fire defences, which are currently non-existent. The build-up of undergrowth and rubbish left by visitors contribute to making this unique estate a powder keg waiting to blow. The estate should ideally be transformed into a National Trust-style visitor centre. The outbuildings could become lovely cafes and tea-shops and the revenues could go towards the estate’s upkeep. But for now, it still is a fabulous escape into the wild.

Park stats Size 3,000 hectares Location Approximately 25km from central Athens, in the foothills of Mount Parnitha Flora More than 1,000 plant species are recorded in the National Park of Parnitha, which includes the Tatoi estate. Many are endemic, and some critically endangered, such as white peonies, red lilies and red tulips Fauna Parnitha is home to over 130 bird species (including hawks, woodpeckers, kestrels and shorttoed eagles), 30 reptile species, and 45 mammal types including hares, foxes and the sole red deer population in southern Greece Past Developed in the late 19th century as the Greek royal family’s country estate, it was abandoned when the royal family fled the junta. In 2002 the Greek state paid compensation to King Constantine to ensure full rights to the estate Present The state has set aside the sum of 800,000 euros in the 2009 budget for renovation, with the aim of opening the palace as a museum in 2012 Do Bring your bicycle or running gear to try out the trails. Do bring refreshments if you need them, as there are no shops in the vicinity. Do bring your dog Don’t Join the moto-cross bikers who snarl around the estate, terrorising wildlife and churning up the trails. Don’t leave evidence of your visit (ie no plastic bags of picnic leftovers, no doggy deposits) Open There is no gate or fence, so visitors can visit at any time Access By car. Take the Varimbombi turn off the National Road north of Kifissia.

28 insider athens | October 2011

Eco speak

Nea Smyrni Nea Smyrni park is a peaceful oasis in a densely populated suburb. Though accessible, it has retained a neighbourhood quality that makes it all the more charming. After renovation, it has many new facilities, including play equipment for children, a giant chessboard, jogging lane and summer theatre (where the Karaghiozis Shadow puppet festival is held in May and Ionian cultural events in September). The park is child-friendly with free play activities for children (6.30-8.30pm) such as tag and bowling organized by the local municipality. There is a trainer at the park at 3.30pm on weekdays to give visitors advice about exercising as well as a notice board for special fitness events at the park. It would be nice if they had a special skateboarders’ area and organised chess tournaments at the chess board, which is currently being used as a meeting spot for breakdancers. Though the renovations look nice, many trees were cut down and most of the stray cat colony mysteriously vanished. Another negative thing about the renovations is that the play equipment is now scattered, making it harder for mothers to supervise their children. It is sad to see the same facilities being torn down and fixed again every few years rather than being properly maintained: three summer cinemas have been demolished in six years, including an amphitheatre that was much nicer than the current one.

Park stats Location Bordered by Eleftheriou Venizelou, Efessou, Kordeliou and Patriarhou Ioakim streets Size 5 hectares (50 stremata) Facilities Playground, jogging track, snack-shop, open-air 2,500-seat cinema, stage, WCs and giant chess set.

The revamp Remodelled between March 2006 and June 2007. Work included tree planting, lawn-laying, building stone walls, shrub0cutting and resurfacing.

Future plans The park will ultimately be linked to an adjacent green space at Karyllos Square above an underground carpark.

This expansion, expected to cost 1.5-2 million euros, will increase the park’s size by 8.5 stremata.

Do Bicycle or jog Don’t Bring your dog or your skateboard Opening hours In summer, the gates are open 6am-11pm (the park is spotlit) and in winter 6am-9pm.

insider athens | October 2011 29

Eco speak

Syngrou Estate Syngrou Estate is a paradise in Attica. It is a place of amazing beauty, where you can find rare plants - even wild orchids in December. And the people who visit respect this park. The park is clean, devoid of rubbish and free of drug addicts even though it is accessible day and night through small entrances in the perimeter fence.

The only problem is that from time to time the municipality comes out with plans to build in the park. Luckily, so far these efforts have been stymied by the Friends of Syngrou Forest. Also, it is a shame that the fabulous buildings inside the estate are suffering from neglect.Thankfully, the neo-Gothic church of Agios Andreas has been restored, but the Ernst Ziller mansion is falling to pieces.

30 insider athens | October 2011

Park stats Location Off Kifissias Avenue, Maroussi Size 97 hectares umerous tracks for running, walking, rollerblading or cyFacilities N cling, including a 6km perimeter trail. Also a football pitch and playground facilities for children Planting M ainly Aleppo pines and cypress trees; also meadows and olive/fruit orchards Past Syngrou Estate was owned by banker and philanthropist Andreas Syngros (1830-1899) and bequeathed to the Greek public by Iphigenia Syngrou in the 1920s for the training of gardeners and agronomists Present I t is under the auspices of the Municipality of Maroussi, but cared for by volunteer groups the Friends of Syngrou Forest (www.dasosygrou.gr) and Kontra Ston Kairo, who carry out fire-prevention, planting and litter clean-ups Do Bring your bicycle and your dog (plus a poop-scooper) Don’t Bring your car, motorbike or moped Open Main gate open from dawn until sundown daily Access By ISAP, get off at KAT station. Take the 550, E7,A7 or B7 bus from central Athens and get off at KAT

The German supplement In this special supplement to coincide with Oktoberfest and the heightened attention on Greek-German relations, enjoy a candid interview with seasoned diplomat and German Ambassador to Greece, Dr. Roland Wegener about the unique ties that bind Greece and Germany. Four German businesses in Greece from the sectors of aviation, consumer goods, the automobile industry and food and beverages that have been an integral part of Greek life, reveal their strategies in seeking new opportunities in a changed Greece while headmaster Thomas Fischer takes pride in the unique academic offering at the Deutche Schule Athen.

Info Box • German School of Athens • German Embassy Karaoli & Dimitriou 3, Athens Dimokritou & Ziridi, Maroussi 210 728 5111 210 619 9261-5 www.griechenland.diplo.de www.dsathen.gr •G reek-German Chamber of Commerce Dorilaou 10-12, Ambelokipi 210 641 9000 www.german-chamber.gr •G oethe Insitute Omirou 14-16, Athens 210 366 1002 www.goethe.de

• German Archaelogical Insitute Fidiou 1, Athens 210 330 7402 www.dainst.org • German Academic Exchange Service Omirou 14-16, Athens 210 360 8171 www.daad.gr

Tastes of Germany!

Come and experience the traditional tastes of Germany in the Zephyros Restaurant from October 3rd to October 9th, 2011.

Enjoy authentic German food, beer and wine accompanied by live entertainment.

At the end of the German week celebration we will draw three vouchers for complimentary accommodations for two at the Munich, Hamburg and Cologne Marriott Hotels.

Sunday Brunch: 12:30 - 17:00 Dinner Buffet: 18:30 - 23:00 Price: a 29.00 per person 50% discount on parking!

For reservations please call: 210 930 0060

Athens Ledra Marriott Hotel 115, Syngrou Avenue, 117 45 Athens, Greece Tel: 210 930 0000, Fax: 210 935 8603 Email: athensledra@marriott.com Website: www.athensmarriott.com • www.ledramarriott.gr

Shared History,

Common Future

34 insider athens | October 2011

Diplomacy As Greece awaits the message from abroad about another €109 billion bail-out package, Germany’s Ambassador to Greece, Dr. Roland Wegener, tells Marq Riley why the destinies of both nations are entwined in a continued common unity.

T

he German term for Ambassador is Botschafter, in a very literal translation meaning a messenger. He’s the modern day equivalent of Hermes, sans winged sandals, a mediator, facilitator, peacekeeper and patron of commerce, culture and travel. As Homer put it, a Polytropos.

Given the state of affairs in which host and home country have found themselves for the past year and a half, the communiqués and responsibilities of the current German representative in Greece can be considered eventful, to put it mildly. Yet Ambassador Dr. Roland Wegener appeared calm and collected in the Athens Embassy library. The hallmark of a good diplomat perhaps, with years of experience in mediating international affairs, be it as Germany’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Chief of Staff to the Secretary General of NATO or the Christian Democratic Union’s Head of Office for International Relations under Chancellor Helmut Kohl. Wegener is certainly qualified to see Greece and Germany through this term of economic suspense, a drama of debts, cuts, hikes, strikes, billion-euro bailouts and a looming default. It has strained relations, jeopardized a European ideal, burdened a common currency and divided governments.

“In my profession, we have a lot of work to do,” says Wegener pensively, “but we also have to find the time to relax in between, to view the happenings in this country from a certain perspective, to evaluate it with a great amount of distance.” Maintaining his Germanic composure, the Ambassador only hints at what goes on behind closed doors. “This is not exactly a vacation post here,” he smiles. “Lately it has been interesting assignments all over, and I have been quite content to live this life.”

Having joined the Foreign Service in 1975 at the age of 27, Roland Wegener admits that as a young Law, Economics and Political Sciences graduate, he was attracted by an international lifestyle and “the possibility in that context to shape the foreign policy of my country which was part of western history and civilization in these last 50 years.” The fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain in 1989 was probably the most significant event in Wegener’s service term, as the unification of East and West Germany became a precursor to European unity in 1993, and the introduction of the Euro in 2002.

Now, on the eve of the Euro’s 10th anniversary, Wegener is an active participant in saving that unity. “I’m glad I can do something for these relations of my country to Greece. It’s a tall task, it is a challenge.” The Ambassador says his most eye-opening revelation since presenting his credentials to the Hellenic President in September 2010 was the velocity at which events unfolded in Greece. “When I arrived this was still very much in the making, but it has opened up at enormous speed.”

But in Greece’s case, Wegener sees this as a favourable development.

“What also impressed me are the many structural problems this country has and the short period of time it has to deal with them. I was told

by Greek observers that in the tradition of this country, reforms have only been implemented under great pressure, For the people who live through this here its certainly a great hardship. The pressure might lead this government to prevail over privileged interests which have in the past always made it impossible to achieve those reforms.”

The Greek crisis has not only put the European ideal under duress, with Portugal, Ireland and now Italy following in Greece’s indebted footsteps, but is also testing the cohesion of Germany’s centre-right coalition government. Chancellor Angela Merkel, (along with France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy), has been clear about her stance towards Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou that leaving the Euro is not an option, even as calls for a Greek retreat from the Euro grow within her coalition’s right factions. Wegener says this is however a healthy practice of the ancient Athenian principle of democracy. “There is a lot of funding at stake, most of which will have to be carried by the German people in case the aggravation of the Greek situation will continue.

I believe that the line of Mrs. Merkel is clear and has no alternative.”

Not being an oracle, the German Ambassador can not say whether Greece will be able to bridge the gap in the demands placed on it by the troika of lenders until 2013 - the European Central Bank, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. But the Ambassador points out that Greece in the future will still have to repay its loans in euros. “It would be hard to imagine where these Euros would come from, certainly not from an exchange with the drachma.” Even a double-currency system whereby visitors would pay for services in euros would require “a lot of imagination” in the Ambassador’s mind.

“Reality would tell us very soon that nobody would want to have the drachma. I think those that want it the least are the Greeks themselves.

For them, this is a currency of the past.”

insider athens | October 2011 35

Diplomacy A few good arguments As discussion about Greece and Europe’s future rages on across the continent, and indeed across panicky global markets, its worth looking back at why Greece joined in the first place, and why other member nations needed Greece to be on board. “Germany at the time accepted arguments made by the Greek government, led at that time by Costas Simitis, that Greece needed to enjoy the same status in the Euro cooperation because otherwise it would be isolated and could not, over time, survive economically.”

The indication was that Greece, much like former East Germany at the time, would not only survive but flourish as part of the Union. So Greece became part of the gang, and flourish it did, at least until the summer of 2004. Greece benefitted from EU development funds for infrastructural projects, and in turn German companies won prestigious contracts for building, supplying and owning many of these, including the new International airport and the Athens Metro. But postOlympic Games, confidence and morale waned. Greeks nevertheless continued their new-found lifestyle, largely on long-term credit.

Now that payback time has come, the question is how to reinvigorate the economy to create jobs, trust and a secure future, and for that, Greece needs foreign investment. According to Wegener, the interest of German investors in Greece still continues, especially in renewable energies. But as can be expected, they are circling in a holding pattern until the runways are cleared for touch-down. “In general, German enterprises are waiting for the conclusion of the reforms which the

36 insider athens | October 2011

Minister of Development and Competitiveness, Michalis Chrisohoidis has proclaimed. Certainly if these are carried through it would overcome a lot of red tape and would open this market to a transparent approach.” Germany’s Minister of Economy, Phillip Roesler has already taken up an initiative to give an impulse to German private investment in Greece.

According to Wegener, the German community in Greece has been very loyal to their host nation, despite feeling the pinch of the crisis.

“They are generally content, also needing to make ends meet, but so far they are staying in Greece.” Latest indications are also that German tourism numbers to Greece were up this year.

For those who live here or visit will know the Greek experience is multi-layered. The Ambassador, like many of his fellow Germans, draws inspiration from Greece’s ancient cultural heritage. “It’s an important part of European history, brought to us initially by the Romans, and whenever I look at the Acropolis I understand this to be the tradition of democracy, an integral part of Greece, its landscape and its hospitality. We owe a lot to the Greek classics, and we think modern Greece will have to be part of the European history of the future.”

The final message Ambassador Wegener sends out to his countrymen who have not set foot on Hellenic soil. “Greece is part of the same European history as ours, and there is a commitment which goes beyond our national borders to retain this Greek contribution to European history.”

Φέτος, τα Χριστούγεννα έρχονται νωρίτερα.

Προθεσµιακή κατάθεση

ΕΠΕΝ∆ΥΤΙΚΕΣ ΠΡΟΤΑΣΕΙΣ

Emporiki Για τα Xριστούγεννα Με απόδοση όλων των τόκων στις 16 ∆εκεµβρίου. Επενδύστε τα χρήµατά σας στο Emporiki Για τα Χριστούγεννα και εξασφαλίστε ένα σηµαντικό, επιπλέον ποσό για τις γιορτές, ανεξάρτητα από το πότε θα ξεκινήσετε την επένδυσή σας. Με διάρκεια 6 ή 12 µήνες. Ισχύει για ποσά από €20.000. ∆ιάθεση έως 27/10.

Πραγµατικές λύσεις για πραγµατικές ανάγκες. Από την Εµπορική, µε τη δύναµη της Crédit Agricole.

801 11 11 247 +30 210 6505000 www.emporiki.gr Επισκεφθείτε ένα από τα καταστήµατά µας

Taking off to new heights Paulo Yoshikawa, General Manager of Lufthansa in Greece and Cyprus on blazing new trails in the airline industry

38 insider athens | October 2011

Business In a competitive airline industry that saw the closure of several national airlines in Europe, Lufthansa has retained its customer loyalty and has expanded its presence by acquiring stakes in other airlines in Europe– to what do you attribute its success?

Sustainability is at the centre of our decision making, whether we invest in other airline companies, place an aircraft order or introduce a new onboard product. What we do must make business sense in the mid and long term. Our prudent business philosophy coupled with our commitment to deliver a consistently high product and service quality is a key driver of our success and one of the main reasons for the strong financial foundation of Lufthansa. And here we come full circle: Because of our strong financial basis we are in a position to invest with a long term view.

In 2011 we are installing some 32.000 seats on 180 European aircrafts. The new seat is made of high-tech material, allowing for a thinner backrest – without a loss in travel comfort – and a significant reduction of the seat weight. This in turn contributes to reducing fuel consumption per transported passenger. It’s s a win-win-win project, for our customers, for the environment and for Lufthansa.

The company is currently investing into new aircraft as well, which will both have better economics and introduce new cabin products for our customers. The latest addition is the Airbus A380 superjumbo, which features a beautiful, all new First Class product and our latest Economy and Business Class seats. In addition, the first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental recently emerged from the paint hangar at Boeing’s Everett factory near Seattle resplendent in the Lufthansa livery. Lufthansa has ordered 20 Boeing 747-8s, which will be delivered starting 2012. With the new 747-8 Lufthansa will unveil a brand new business class product.

What has been the most challenging and the most rewarding aspect of conducting business in Greece and how has Lufthansa’s strong corporate values helped you cope with the crisis?

Obviously we are doing business in a very challenging environment right now. The Greek economy is experiencing strong headwinds and going through very difficult times. We are hopeful that the measures taken by the Greek government and the EU will move the country back to more stability and eventually growth.

For more than 50 years, Lufthansa has been present in Greece and needless to say, we remain committed to the Greek market. Lufthansa first started to operate in Greece in 1959, half a century ago, with a Vickers Viscount 814 flying once daily from Athens. Today, Lufthansa offers a total of 50 weekly flights from Athens to Frankfurt, Munich and Dusseldorf. Together with its group affiliates SWISS, Brussels Airlines and Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa serves the Greek capital with a total of 126 weekly flights from its gateways in Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf, Zurich, Geneva, Brussels and Vienna, offering best connections to 274 destinations in 104 countries in 4 continents.The group also flies from the northern city of Thessaloniki and Larnaca in Cyprus.

The biggest reward is the positive feedback we receive from our customers. We are stronger than ever in Greece and we continue to invest. Just recently we opened the revamped Lufthansa Business Lounge at Athens International Airport where premium Greek quality products are provided to our HON’s, Senators, Miles & More Frequent Travelers and business class flying customers, who can also enjoy an enhanced meal service on our flights.

What are the most significant changes you have witnessed in the airline industry in the past ten years and would you care to predict trends for the next five years?

One game changer was certainly the rise of low-cost carriers in Europe. On the one hand, this brought a lot of dynamics into the market place and actually fuelled demand for air travel. On the other hand, the additional capacity deployed led to high pressure on yields and stiff competition. Another significant change was the consolidation of the industry, which picked up momentum in Europe. There were a number of mergers and Lufthansa is one of the key drivers of this consolidation. Today Lufthansa Group consists of Lufthansa German Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Midland International and SWISS, and holds a stake in Brussels Airlines.

Thanks to the network synergies of the Lufthansa Group, customers from Athens, for example, can fly to Vienna on a nonstop Austrian Airlines flight and later travel back to Athens directly from Frankfurt, without having to return to their original port of arrival, i.e. Vienna, first. Even a complex itinerary, with multiple trips in Europe or to intercontinental destinations, our customers have multiple choices flying within Lufthansa group airlines with simple ticketing and joint loyalty programs.

Certainly, a worldwide trend is the increasing consciousness of our environment. Lufthansa is a pioneer here, with its company-wide commitment to environmental and sustainability. The latest one is Lufthansa’s recent launch of the world’s first long-term, commercial biofuel trial in its effort to further reduce carbon emissions through research and investment in fleet modernization. The tests are currently being conducted on eight flights per day with an Airbus A321, one of the engines of which run on a 50-50 mix of biofuel and traditional kerosene. Reducing CO2 emissions by around 1,500 tonnes during the six months test phase is one of the targets.

Environmental responsibility has been an integral part of Lufthansa’s corporate culture for decades. Since 1994, Lufthansa has offered a comprehensive look at the company’s environmental and sustainability practices through the publication of Balance. This annual Sustainability Report presents the company’s various activities, advances and goals in the areas of social responsibility, climate and environmental responsibility, and corporate citizenship.

insider athens | October 2011 39

Green and clean Francesco Burei, General Manager of the Laundry and Home Care division of Henkel Hellas on innovating to find responsible and sustainable solutions

How has the Greek crisis affected Laundry & Home care business and what are your strategies for the future to cope with the challenges of the Greek market?

The Greek crisis and the consequent shrinking of available income directly affect consumer’s behavior even towards first need goods like Laundry and Home care products. Consumers are seeking more and more for promotional offers, lower cash outlay per store visit, to reduce stocks at home and, in general, rationalize their budget.

But this is only one side of the coin, because, they do not want to compromise on quality and they seek for the reassurances that only strong brands can give.

And in times of recession, relatively low involvement categories like detergents, become more relevant to consumer’s lives. Our efforts as branded goods producer is in two directions: on the one hand we develop products responding to the changing needs, like the recently launched Neomat ECO, while, on the other hand, we keep on strengthening the power of our brands keeping high the investment behind our Marketing initiatives and we make sure to match always consumer’s expectations in terms of quality.

Is the Laundry & Home Care area open for innovations? Can these innovations matched with sustainability become the factors for surviving the crisis?

Innovation is a key definition of our vision as well as a precondition for all our new launches. Innovation should always be combined with sustainability and social responsibility. These words are part of our DNA and our daily work. We do not try to make reference to them or to remember them, as they are part of our commitment to the consumer for products that can offer a better future.

Customers & consumers nowadays are savvier on environmental issues. Do you think that they are willing to pay more for eco-friendly detergents?

It is evident that more and more consumers are interested in environmental issues and in eco-friendly products. Henkel products, respecting the international guidelines for environmental protection, contain ingredients and materials that are environment friendly and recyclable.

Being consistent to our vision, we develop product by alternative raw materials, eco friendly packing materials and ingredients trying to simultaneously maintain the same price levels, responding in this way to consumer needs and to the difficult economic environment.

40 insider athens | October 2011

About Henkel Henkel operates in the Greek market since 1968, initially distributing its products through dealers. In 1989 the German Henkel KGaA bought 57% stake in the Greek company “T. Trifon & P. Kastrinis SA “and the company was renamed Henkel Hellas SA. In 1998, Henkel Hellas acquired 51% stake in SA Rilken, which now is a member company of the Henkel Group in Greece and is active in the commercial sector of professional and consumer cosmetics / personal care products and is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE).

Today, Henkel Hellas is established as one of the most successful suppliers of well known brands in Greece, in detergents and household cleaners, cosmetics / personal care products, consumer adhesives and Industrial Products. The company produces and promotes marketleading products such as: Dixan, Neomat, Persil, Schwarzkopf, Palette, Igora, Taft, Fa and Pritt.

The Henkel Group in Greece employs approximately 270 people, most of whom work in the area of Athens.

Business

Shifting into high gear Steven Sirtis, General Manager of Kosmocar, SA on the challenges in the automobile industry and how brands such as Audi and Volkwagen lead the way in innovative technology and high quality services

Kosmocar has been present in the Greek market with Audi and Volkswagen for over forty years. How powerful are these brands and what are the positive associations Greeks have with these two German carmakers?

Volkswagen and Audi are brands with a huge history in the automobile world. Our broad model range aims for the best possible results through solid consistent steps focusing on quality, credibility, technology and innovation.

Having in mind all the above facts, the Greek public opinion for the brands is very high. The mottos we have in Volkswagen: “The Democratization of the car” and in Audi: “Progress through technology” are clear differentiators from the competition.

The above have broadly bolstered the image of Kosmocar and considerably strengthened its name to an extent that it has become a household name. We have seen this emotionally influence buyers who witness our commitment to maintaining high standards worthy of the brands we represent. Our goal has always been the customers’ satisfaction and peace of mind and on this is we have built our success.

In the past five years, Kosmocar has also taken on the representation of luxury brands such as Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti. Was this a strategic move to tap into the premium segment of the market?

Yes, it was a strategic move, but not just to “tap into the premium segment of the market”! Tapping into what in essence is the most difficult market segment merely to exploit it is a recipe for disaster. One has to have the right people, the know-how, the means, the resources and the endurance, for that matter, to represent brands such as Bentley and ably serve the most demanding customers.

Continuing our 40-year partnership with the Volkswagen Group, a relationship we are immensely proud of, we felt that it was important

for Bentley to be represented in a new comprehensive way, worthy of the name and reputation of the brand. It was important for us firstly to strengthen the confidence of the very few existing Bentley owners and secondly to give new buyers more reasons to buy a Bentley.

As a result, since 2006, Bentley Athens has sold over 60 new Bentleys, achieving along the way a luxury segment market share of 15%. Meanwhile, our Bentley / Lamborghini Service Point is annually servicing over 120 vehicles from Greece and the Balkans.

The automobile industry has had a difficult two years. What are your plans to cope with the crisis? What would you like to see changed at the policy level?

We are trying to handle each brand we represent with caution since the future customer will have different habits and preferences and therefore, we have a different policy and strategy in order to satisfy every single customer.

For us the crisis is not only a challenge but also a great opportunity to increase our market penetration. The automotive environment changes as everything else, and hence we are trying to comprehend and adjust instantly to the new market conditions by offering honest prices for our products, maintaining the highest level of services through our dealer network together with absolute transparency so as to preserve the values of each brand we represent and fulfill every customer expectation.

Obviously, one of the main issues concerning the car market is overtaxation, especially when we consider that the customer due to high taxation, in many cases, purchases a car that does not fully fulfill his needs. A shift from taxes imposed on the purchase price of the car to taxes imposed for the usage would be a step in the right direction along with the continuation of the existing scrappage system.

insider athens | October 2011 41

Business

Prost to a new Greece Athanasios Syrianos of Hellenic Brewery on his dual Greek-German nationality and on new frontiers and opportunities to be siezed as Greece goes through its current economic restructuring Hellenic Breweries has well-known brands such as Krombacher in its stable. How well received is Krombacher in the Greek market?

Hellenic Brewery of Atalanti is active in the Greek market since 1989. Our brewery possesses long-standing experience in the production and representation of famous beer brands. In March 2011 we announced with great pride, a new development for our company based on an exciting new strategy to develop our operations into a major independent brewery in South Eastern Europe. We now produce two of our own brands, Berlin Premium Lager and Pils Hellas, and we have developed the cooperation with selected independent European breweries, that have proven to be successful in competing with multinational companies. Accordingly, we represent the brands of Krombacher, Bavaria, Arcobräu and Goulden Draak in Greece. Indeed we are privileged to represent Krombacher, the No.1 premium beer in Germany. Our objective is to achieve for Krombacher the brand awareness and market share that it deserves.

Krombacher is now offered at an increasing number of premium outlets with freshness and outstanding draught quality appreciated by Greek consumers.

Last year, you launched Berlin with a cheeky tag line, ‘Break the Wall.’ Do you hope to evoke the same emotions with Berlin - of breaking the wall of suspicion between Greeks and Germans?

The launch of Berlin Premium Lager followed a successfully concluded, lengthy preparation and trial period. The city of Berlin is the centre of new generation trends and art expression. The peaceful unification process is well known to all Greeks, especially to young people, who, according to our findings do not reserve any suspicion and negative feelings for what is happening in the media. Our tag line, “Break the Wall”, refers mainly to the challenge that Greek consumers face towards altering consumption of oligopolistic suppliers with new options, like the Berlin Premium Lager, that offers them superior quality and pleasure. Berlin Premium Lager is a contemporary beer brand that uses a modern recipe while safeguarding the strict application of the German brewing tradition – the famous Reinheitsgebot (Purity Law) of 1516. Its production process necessitates a long maturation period using water from our own artesian springs sourced in Parnassos, highest quality malt, aromatic hops and a specific sting of yeast. The consumer is assured that Hellenic Brewer-

42 insider athens | October 2011

ies of Atalanti enriches every batch of Berlin Premium Lager with the same superior ingredients and the full, characteristic flavour, sparing no cost. This decision of ours, is a proof of our target to supply the market with the best possible product and to continue without any compromises our search for quality improvement and attention to each and every detail.

You have practically had an alternate career as a TV commentator in the past two years reflecting on the Greek crisis in the German media. How difficult has your position been in striving to present an objective point of view?

Being half Greek, half German, and married to Dorothea, a German citizen from the city of Cologne, where I studied business administration, I am privileged to be the natural owner of both cultures. Indeed, trying to preserve a clear judgment has not been an easy task.

Frequently feelings have prevailed over logical arguments and it was my mission to understand and communicate the facts objectively and honestly. Under this fairness spectrum, I am expressing my opinions through a positive view on a situation that everybody wishes to improve.

What are your predictions for the immediate future?

What strategies does Hellenic Breweries of Atalanti hope to adopt to cope with the economic situation?

Every crisis has definitely an ending. Therefore, we should not be affected to such a great degree by the negative and oppressive news that many of us have been tired of listening to. It is time to recognize, that in this negative situation, with all the threats that scare us, there is the chance of a new era. It is a period that is going to be characterized by the thought and action of all of us, who have not stopped believing in the imperative need for Greece to dismiss all the mindsets and attitudes, called “Greek peculiarities”. Our strategic intent is to build our competitive edge offering product differentiation, enriching the market place with quality products in order to grow regardless of the economic situation. The forthcoming liberalization of the existing anachronistic framework that among other laws - prohibits breweries from bottling mineral water and soft drinks - offers great additional sales and cost improvement opportunities. Hellenic Breweries of Atalanti sees in the current economic restructuring new frontiers and opportunities for sustainable and profitable growth.

Incoming

by Travel Plan

Image caption from Santorini

30 years of countless trips, unique destinations & magical accommodations under the Travel Plan brand guarantee; introduce you to Greece‌ the vivid cultural history, the breathtaking landscapes, the exquisite Mediterranean gastronomy & the Greek hospitality.

Travel Plan, Quality that meets your expectations!

incoming@travelplan.gr • www.travelplan.gr

Learning by “Heart” Mr Thomas Fischer, Headmaster of the Deutsche Schule Athen on the unique offering of the school and on the changing role of educators in today’s competitive world

Sir Ken Robinson once said “Education is meant to take us into a future we can’t grasp.” In an ever-changing world where we can hardly predict what our lives will look like in 10 years time, his contention is that education should put equal amount of weight on developing a child’s creativity as well as literacy. What is your opinion on this view, and in which ways does the DeutscheSchule facilitate expanding a pupil’s imagination?

The time when education was only responsible for the transmitting of knowledge are long gone. In a modern school – as Deutsche Schule Athen – the teachers accompany the learning process of the students.

They use lesson forms and provide techniques and methods that allow students to acquire additional knowledge on their own and to take a critical point of view. Academics and shaping of the student’s personality have to go hand in hand to allow the education process to succeed.

The quality of work at the DS Athen is tested regularly by independent inspectors from Germany. The last exhaustive testing was conducted successfully in February 2011. For a whole week the inspectors had intensive discussions with all members of the school and visited many classes. As a result, DS Athen was awarded a certification signed by German president Christian Wulff, distinguishing our school as “excellent German foreign school”.

Graduates of the DS Athen are welcome by German and Greek universities, they have a good reputation thanks to the teachers who have given them strong studying abilities.

Nations) and send delegations to the different UN conferences worldwide. They participate in exchange programmes with schools in Germany, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Hungary. They learn three of four languages in which to communicate. They go for educational trips to Paris, London, Berlin, Aachen and Hamburg. They learn to appreciate dance, theatre or music and to perform with self-confidence. And last but not least, we provide our students with two diplomas :the Greek high school baccalaureate and the general German “Hochschulreife”, a passport for access to all university areas.

What is your personal view on the state of private and public education in Greece? Does commercial tuition better your competitive skills?

DS Athen is a recognized German foreign school. It is financed both by the student fees as well as by substantial subsidies from Germany. This gives it its particularity: participating in the pedagogic development in Germany and benefitting from the regular support of teachers from Germany but also customer oriented in the competition with other private schools in Athens. A private school is, according to me, not “per se” better than a state school but it can react faster to new developments in the pedagogic world , it is often better equipped with modern media tools and can select their personnel independently.

In your opinion, “The role of an educator is…………………..

What is the attraction for international and Greek students to study at the DeutscheSchule? Could you elaborate on the school’s courses and extra-curricular activities and how does your school give children that extra advantage?

DS Athen offers students a large selection of courses in the regular program but also in a number of extracurricular activities. Our students take successfully part in numerous competitions in the fields of natural science, arts, languages and culture. They organise annually – together with the supervising teachers- a conference assembling over 600 students from all over the world (on the model of the United

44 insider athens | October 2011

The role of teacher has changed a lot in the last decades. We need well educated pedagogues who adapt to the students and their possibilities, who are convincing and motivating while also enjoying teaching, who are close to the students without losing their professional distance, who participate in pedagogic development without running after each latest trend. We need pedagogues to whom teamwork, evaluation and peer review are not foreign words.

A lot of these requested abilities are tools that can be acquired if one takes the teaching profession seriously. Then it is a wonderful profession.

Education

The German School of Athens The school was founded in 1896 and hence is one of the oldest German schools abroad.

It is a school and also a meeting place for Greeks, Germans, Austrians and Swiss living in Athens, for bicultural families and everybody else who has got a particular interest in German language and culture.

Currently 964 students, from kindergarten to graduating class, live and learn at the school.

The school offers of a variety of extracurricular activities and public events to create space for encounters beyond the lessons.

The German and Greek staff provide for a modern, target-oriented education of high quality guaranteeing individual support. The collective goal is diversified general education to make students enjoy going to school. Later they should be able to lead a fulfilled life and to take over responsibility in leading positions.

The German School of Athens offers every student the possibility to acquire a school leaving certificate allowing him/ her to study at a university in Greece, and particularly in Germany.

For this reason the German students sit their Abitur (approx. equivalent to the A level), whereas the Greek students take the Panhellenic Examination, as well as a complementary examination in the German language.

Last year, all 21 German students passed the Abitur and all 78 Greek students, the Panhellenic Examination. Moreover, 76 Greek students additionally passed the German Abitur.

The German School of Athens aims for a future joint school leaving examination which is approved as an admission qualification to Universities in both countries, Greece and Germany.

insider athens | October 2011 45

Earthly pleasures on mountain highs

46 insider athens | October 2011

Travel Eleni Kefalopoulou takes us on a gastronomic and oenological tour at the foothills of the holy Mount Athos

L

egend has it that during the fight between the Gods and Giants, Poseidon threw a huge rock against giant Athos and killed him.

The rock became Mount Athos and its wild beauty attracted religious men in the 10th century who started building monasteries. A unique place forbidden to women! The area north of Athos, leading to Mount Holomontas is known as the land of Aristotle. It is a blessed land full of olive groves, vineyards, orchards, dense forests and a coastline of 300 km. An area so fertile that it has been inhabited for 4000 years and has a great culinary tradition that reflects its rich history. The ancient Greeks based their diet on fruits, nuts, fish and wine. This tradition is still kept alive in the monastic kitchens of Mount Athos and that of the local inhabitants.

I got a taste of the richness of the ascetic land in the gastronomic event organized by the Mount Athos Gourmet Festival in early September.

For a week, chef Dina Nicolaou worked with local chefs and produced dishes based exclusively on local products such as cheese, organic honey and olive oil, figs, walnuts and herbs that grow in abundance in the region. I will never forget the chicken with prunes and pomegranate sauce, accompanied with wild greens and walnuts, prepared by Dimitris Polyzos. Vefa Alexiadou offered a dreamy octopus with organic vegetables, wine, dried figs and honey. John Kritikos brought us all the perfumes of the sea with his seafood dishes. Father Epifanios from the Milopotamos monastery transformed the kitchen of the luxurious

Eagles Palace Hotel into a culinary hermitage. I tried, for the first time, authentic monastic recipes based on fish, vegetables and herbs from Mount Athos.

All dishes were accompanied by wines from the three wineries of the area.

Claudia Papayianni offered an excellent wine tasting in the impressive cellar of her winery. An exciting find was the aromatic Alexandra, made from the Malagousia variety and the Red Claudia Papayianni, a blend of Syrah, Merlot and Xinomavro, charmed us with its gentle tannins and rich bouquet.

White and red wines from the Livadiotis estate were served with homemade cheese pie and bread. And despite the fact that as a woman, I could never hope to visit the winery of the Milopotamos monastery, I had the pleasure of tasting its aromatic white and red wines at the local restaurants.

The next Mount Athos Gourmet Festival will be held between May 15 to June 15, 2012. You should try it, a great gastronomic discovery but also a wholly different Greece to explore! The region is amazing.

Stunning endless beaches and beautiful mountains. Men, spiritually inclined or otherwise, can visit the Athos monasteries while women can enjoy a cruise around Athos from Ouranoupoli. Visit archaeological sites, walk or cycle on the four mapped paths or engage in water sports, or head by ferry to Ammouliani’s inviting sandy beaches, a mere 15 minute ride away. Ideal for visits all year round.

insider athens | October 2011 47

Travel

stay Try staying at: Eagles Palace Resort & Spa in Ouranoupoli: One of the best Greek hotels across the Mount Athos bay with magnificent gardens, gourmet restaurants and unbeatable service.

Aristoteles Holidays Resort & Spa in Ouranoupoli: Overlooking Ammouliani and Mount Athos. Its Macedonian architecture harmoniously blends tradition with modernity.

Agionissi Traditional Hotel in Ammouliani.

The small island offers a quick escape from the mainland.

Platanorema. An agrotourist farm between Mount Panagia and Gomati. Organic products and home cooking by the owner.

Ikies Alexandrou in Arnea. Walk the cobbled streets of this amazing little town and enjoy good wholesome food.

Worth eating at: Bakatsianos in Arnea.

eat

It’s a must. Dimitris Polyzos is a creative chef with extensive experience in Europe. Haute cuisine with local produce.

Kritikos in Ouranoupoli.

Highly recommended for sea food lovers and equipped with a good wine list too.

Akroyali in Olympiada.

Overlooking the walls of ancient Stagira, the restaurant blends local cuisine with influences from Asia Minor.

48 insider athens | October 2011

Perfect whites Dr Efthimios Koveos uses his years of experience and the aid of an extraordinary new technology, Smileography to create a perfect smile. Renee Pappas visits his state-of-the-art facility in Kolonaki

L

ast spring I was invited to a Saturday lunch at a new Italian restaurant. I arrived on time and discovered that only the hostess and another couple were seated. I was introduced to Theo and Evi Koveos and we were all delighted to find that we were expats from Los Angeles. After many courses, I discovered that Dr. Koveos had recently opened an office in Kolonaki while retaining his practice in Beverly Hills and Miami. I was in need of a great dentist and somehow fate had seated us next to each other.

To say that Theo Koveos is a citizen of the world is an understatement. His father, Emmanuel, is a Byzantine choirmaster born in Rhodes, while his mother, Joanna, is of Greek descent, born and raised in Morocco. Theo was born in West Germany and moved with his family to the United States at the age of five. He finished high school in Concord, New Hampshire and attended Arizona State University majoring in Architecture. He discovered that he enjoyed working with his hands and found that dentistry offered him a perfect opportunity to fine tune this talent. He subsequently transferred to Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire and received a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Natural Sciences.

From 1989 through 1994 he attended the Prestigious Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston where he received his Doctorate degree. During his final year he was ranked first in his class while receiving a large majority of the awards and honours. He

50 insider athens | October 2011

received advanced surgical training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in the division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery under the direction of lifelong mentor, Dr.George Sotereanos.

With his degrees in hand, Dr. Koveos started a practice in the Boston area and then decided to move to a warmer climate and settled in Miami. It became obvious that he had to come to Greece to fulfil his military obligation and secure his Greek citizenship. It was while stationed on the island of Rhodes that he met his wife, Evi. He then returned to the U.S. and trained as a resident in the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Connecticut Health Center Hospitals where he received his fellowship certificate.

After the birth of their first son, Dr. Koveos decided to open a practice in Rhodes where he dealt with difficult reconstructive and cosmetic dentistry patients. He dealt extensively with congenital deformities as well as rebuilding the faces of individuals disfigured by accidents. At the same time, cosmetic and implant dentistry became a major part of his practice both in Rhodes and Miami.

Aware that Los Angeles had now become the centre for cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Koveos moved his family there in 2006. Opening a practice in Beverly Hills, he soon became the dentist of choice for many members of the entertainment community. His clients included a hip-hop star who asked for diamonds to be embedded into his

Wellness

four front teeth, as well as a dedicated “fashionista” who insisted on hot pink veneers on her teeth to match her outfit.

He had a “close encounter” with an elderly “underworld” figure who was in need of drastic reconstructive dentistry, complicated by diabetes. He informed Dr. Koveos that if he didn’t survive the treatment, neither would the doctor!!! Thankfully his other patients were not so eccentric.

His Beverly Hills and Miami practices began to include European and Middle Eastern patients who travelled to the United States for treatment. Dr. Koveos began to seriously contemplate the establishment of a practice in Europe. Dr. Koveos and his wife decided to move their two boys closer to both sets of grandparents and to give them an opportunity to experience the customs and traditions of their mother country. In late 2010 he opened his practice in Athens.

For Dr. Koveos this was an opportunity for him to provide a wide range of innovative dental services in Greece as he is fully trained, board certified and actively licensed in the United States . He continues to see patients, by appointment only, in Beverly Hills and Miami and commutes across the Atlantic several times a year.

One of the innovative services he offers is the Smile Design Center which gives the patient an opportunity to preview their new smile

before any treatment begins. This entails taking a digital photograph and impressions of the teeth, as well as a 360 degree negative which enables the doctor to put together a three-dimensional computerized smile make-over. During this process, the patient can see and evaluate their new smile and along with the doctor, making any adjustments on the color, shape and size of the teeth.

Dr. Koveos works with Smileography, a company based in Los Angeles,that utilizes this unique technology to assist the doctor in designing the patient’s new smile. Dr. Koveos has developed his own “blueprint” process which allows the doctor, the laboratory and above all, the patient, to be completely satisfied and to have no surprises when the work is completed.

Only a select number of dentists have the skills and capabilities to utilize this extraordinary technology. Dr Koveos has been selected

by Smileography to use their design capabilities and he is one of the first in the world to do so.

In addition to his professional skills, Dr. Koveos is an accomplished amateur athlete. He competed in the 2000 Balkan Athletic Championship Games winning a Gold Medal in the 100 and 200 meter races. He plays soccer, baseball and football, and while still in college was offered professional contracts in each sport. A true Renaissance man if there ever was one.

insider athens | October 2011 51

AGORA

Earrings in 18-carat rose gold from the Happy Diamonds collection with a heart and one mobile diamond by Chopard

Reflections shoulderbag

by Folli Follie

Butterfly ring in yellow gold, brilliants and rubies

by Liana Vourakis The Gloucester duffle bag, in both the smaller and the original size

by Longchamp

52 insider athens | October 2011

Heart4Heart, women’s watch, with rose gold steel strap, with crystal stones by Folli Follie

Egée clutch in box. An original jewel clasp for this clutch with its sober and slender lines

by Hermès

Medium Makeup Palette with 33 shades, 12 lipsticks, eyeliners and 2 blush bronzers

by Sephora

A one-off interpretation of the Gloucester

by Kate Moss for Longchamp

Stores:

A sophisticated and ultra-feminine evening sandal

by Hermès

Cartier, Voukourestiou 7, Athens 210 331 3600 Longchamp, Boutique Longchamp Golden Hall 210 683 6220 Sephora, www.mysephora.gr Hermès, Voukourestiou 1, Athens 210 323 3715 Liana Vourakis Pindarou 42, Kolonaki 210 361 9441 Chopard, Voukourestiou & Stadiou 2, 210 325 0555 Folli Follie www.follifollie.com

Sandal in suede goatskin, also by Hermès

insider athens | October 2011 53

Special Promotion

Cheeky glamour

Benefit, the quirkiest brand in Sephora’s make-up kit, that matches catchy product names to retro San Francisco chic, is here to arch eyebrows and put the whimsy into Athenian fashion The brainchild of Jane and Jean, better known as the Calgon Twins, Benefit immediately caught the attention of American women as a refreshingly irreverent brand that not only added glow to ones cheeks but also brought a smile to ones face.

The brand grew exponentially with a highly focused assortment of products and has built itself through a unique retailing channel – its wildly successful brow bars. With over 500 brow bars spread across the world and over 1.2 million brows plucked in 2010 alone and even a specialized Benefit Beauty University, brow bars have proven to be a unique point of difference for retailers, a great traffic builder and instrumental in creating a special emotional bond with the brand.

Benefit’s Brow Bar now comes to Greece at Sephora’s outlet at The Mall with a whole range of eyebrow-arching services and make-up tips to camouflage flaws and dark circles. Enjoy the Benefit experience.

Services include: • Eyebrow waxing 17€ • Eyebrow Formation with tweezers 17€ • Upper Lip Wax 11€ • Upper Lip and Eyebrow Waxing 24€ • Eyebrow Colouring 12€ • Eyebrow Colouring and Waxing 26€ • Eyebrow Colouring and Waxing and Upper lip wax 34€ • Installing Fake Eyelashes 17€ Benefit offers 50% off on all eyebrow services from October 5 to 8. Insider readers can avail of a 20% discount on all Sephora brands. Just cut the coupon and look beautiful.

Book an appointment at Sephora, The Mall Athens, by calling 210 630 0125

54 insider athens | October 2011

20% Off!

Cut this coupon & avail of 20% off on all exclusive brands at Sephora’s stores in Greece.

Restaurant review

Maritime chic For seafood and wine, along with a nautical backdrop, Christina Tsiliakou recommends Zorba’s by the sea

W

ith a waterfront view that is a distinctive destination unto itself, Zorba’s features a fusion of classic and contemporary Mediterranean seafood fare in a setting that celebrates the area’s waterfront heritage. Mikrolimano retains its unpretentious island charm right through the winter and it is definitely a place worth taking first-time visitors to.

In what is clearly a labour of love, chef and restaurateur Christoforos Boutsikakis has fashioned a place that immediately distinguishes Zorba’s from its tourist-trap neighbours. It’s a putatively Greek seafood house, but with the gastronomic muscle and decor of a modish restaurant. Its white tablecloths, fresh flowers and candles by dusk, lend Zorba’s an air of studied maritime chic and fine dining - rivalling the elegant Nautical Club a few metres down the harbour.

Its hard to tell if the meal, delicious as it is, is incidental to the view but it certainly seems to be the perfect setting, feet in water, to savour the catch of the day. We started the meal in true Greek fashion with a flurry of mezes (you have to get into the Greek spirit of things, especially at a restaurant named Zorba’s). Choices range from a light and elegant sea urchin salad to a much more assertive smoked octopus dish, the gorgeous, meaty hunks surrounded by an artful arrangement of sliced lemon and drizzled with some delicious olive oil and a pinch of vinegar. Other perennials include fried calamars (its hard to resist the wafts sailing out of the kitchen across the street) just the right texture – mercifully not too chewy, earthily flavoured fava and taramosalata (not the ludicrous strawberry pink of the supermarket variety but a deliciously natural hue of beige). For mussels fans, try the ‘moules a la mariniere’ version in a steaming casserole.

For mains, we opted for grilled sea bream with boiled vegetables and a lemon/olive oil sauce, typical fare at any seafood restaurant, but only they’re more adventurous, and possibly even more enjoyable here.

The wine list doesn’t disappoint either. And it reflects a sensitivity to lower budgets as well as to the restaurant’s cuisine. We’d recommend a crisp moschofilero to accompany your meal.

What makes Zorba’s particularly appealing is that it offers an amphitheatrical view of the harbour with all the commotion and bustle that adds up to the untainted charm of the place. And if the sea views weren’t enough to transport you back in time to the summer and in space to a remote island, the recently renovated rooftop of the restaurant offers illimited possibilities of hosting events and parties for around 200 guests on balmy evenings under the stars.

Capitalising on its unique setting, Boutsikakis has been focussing on events and has a trained staff that plan everything from the menu to the décor for wedding receptions and corporate parties.

Zorba’s is located at 14 Akti Koumoundourou, Mikrolimano. Τel: 210 4111663. For more information, visit www.zorbasrestaurant.gr

56 insider athens | October 2011

Following on the success of the food festivals held last year, The Astir Palace Resort, home of the hotels Arion, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa and The Westin Athens, has opened new possibilities for future gastronomical events.

For the upcoming months, Astir Palace will host the following events: 14-25 October 2011 - Turkish food Festival For the first time, The Westin Athens hosts a Turkish Food Festival. This wonderful event showcases the rich cultural heritage of fine Turkish cuisine and offers an opportunity to enjoy traditional and contemporary dances from Turkey.

February 2012 - Chocolat, mon amour Enjoy a magical journey into the world of chocolate as The Westin Athens invites you to the sweetest of celebrations this winter, its 4th Chocolate Festival.

Taste secret recipes & chocolate-treats, create your own chocolate surprise with our Chefs and register for chocolate seminars.

March 2012 - Thai Food Festival For the third consecutive year, The Westin Athens hosts the Royal Thai Food Festival in collaboration with Thai Airways International and the Royal Thai Embassy in Athens. Thai Chefs at the Al Fresco restaurant will create unique dishes combining the most exotic of flavours to tickle your palate.

May 2012 - Spanish Cuisine Festival The Arion, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Resort in cooperation with the Embassy of Spain and Iberia Airlines hosts a Spanish Cuisine Festival at The Grill Room restaurant for the second consecutive year. The Festival will also feature classical Flamenco dancing and music and lyrics from the Andalusian area. This combination of exquisite gastronomy and passionate dance is bound to create a stir.

The Astir Palace Beach Resort 40, Apollonos street, Vouliagmeni 16671, Greece Tel.: 2108902000

Restaurant review

Oktoberfest!

Christos Manolopoulos of Oktoberfest in Aghia Paraskevi speaks to Insider on the two centuries old Bavarian tradition of beer-drinking and merry-making

I

t all started as a party to honour Princess Theresa of Saxony’s marriage to Prince Ludwig 1 of Bavaria. The festivities lasted for 16 whole days and just like that, the tradition of Oktoberfest was born. By 1815, tents were erected and beer was sold to 60,000 visitors. By 1835, the figure stood at 100,000 visitors who drank 240,000 litres of beer.

Today, over 7 million visitors participate at the Oktoberfest and cities across the world have adopted the tradition as their very own.

Christos Manolopoulos started Oktoberfest in 2000 in Agia Paraskevi, a beer haven for real beer connoisseurs, making it an annual event that has grown both in the fun department but also in attendance. You’ll be stumped for choice as Oktoberfest serves beer from all over the world in every hue imaginable: blond, black, red, sweet, dry, fruity, monastic, lightweight, powerful and even without alcohol.

And the choice in what to drink it in can be equally baffling. Mugs range from traditional glass beer mugs to those in clay, 2 litre pitchers and even tubs of 3 litres and the infamous 5 litre ‘flamingo’!

Oktoberfest is as much about beer as it is about food. Bavarian specialities including brezn (pretzel), potato salad (kartoffelsalat), soups, Nuremberg sausages (wurst), a wide variety of traditional food such as

58 insider athens | October 2011

Hendl(chicken), Schweinebraten (roastpork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Rotekraut (red cabbage) along with schnitzel served with mushrooms or gorgonzola sauce – all reminiscent of the original festivities in Munich, are served here to give the festival a truly authentic look and feel.

For those who aren’t lager fans, Oktoberfest also has a full range of wines to choose from including German mulled wine with cinnamon and cloves. And for those a tad more adventurous, experiment with your own beer cocktails.

But what is an Oktoberfest without any contests? The ‘Down in One’ contest draws the most number of participants where guests are expected to down a litre of beer as fast as possible.

For collectors, Oktoberfest has a whole variety of selected editions of handmade glasses to choose from.

All in all, a great way to unwind and keep alive a merry tradition.

Oktoberfest, Ag. Ioannou 82, Agia Paraskevi. Tel: 210 6082999

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

ASIAN Golden Phoenix Halandri Saipan Halandri

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

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

FISH TAVERNAS Almyra Halandri 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 Kifissia Fuga Mavili Square Funky Gourmet Kerameikos

P-Box Kolonaki, Kifissia Polly Magoo Metaxurgeio PremiEre Syngrou

GREEK 2 MAZI Plaka ATHIRI Kerameikos CUCINA POVERA Pangrati DAKOS Kolonaki DIPORTO Psyrri EDODI Acropolis ELAEA BISTROT Acropolis FASOLI Exarhia IDEAL Omonia 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

GRILL 1920 Halandri Meat Square Glyfada & Halandri

INDIAN Indian Masala Thissio 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 DA VINCI Ag. Paraskevi DVLCIS IN FVNDO Voula GENOVESE Voula LA CASA DI GIORGINO Gyfada IL SALOTTO Glyfada IL SEGRETO Voula MEZZA LUNA Vouliagmeni MULTI 22 Syntagma Nanninela Ag. Paraskevi Novo Romantico di Antonio Halandri 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 BEREKET Glyfada BRACHERA Monastiraki BYZANTINE RESTAURANT Hilton CAFE AVYSSINIAS Monastiraki CAFE BOHEME Kolonaki CAFE TABAC Vouliagmeni DalI Halandri DAPHNE’S RESTAURANT Plaka DORIS Monastiraki Essence Kifissia FATSIO Pangrati GALAZIA HYTRA Vouliagmeni GB CORNER Syntagma GRILL ROOM Vouliagmeni IDEAL RESTAURANT Omonia KITRINO PODILATO Gazi KOUZINA CINE-PSIRRI Psyrri MAGEMENOS AVLOS Pangrati MAGIREVONDAS Kolonaki MEIDANIS Monastiraki OCHRE & BROWN Psyrri Olio by Portofino Ag. Paraskevi Omikron Kifissia PARLIAMENT Syntagma PRYTANEION Kolonaki PSARAKI Vouliagmeni 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 Santa Fe Halandri

PUB RESTAURANTS BAYERN BIERHAUS MICROBREWERY Glyfada BEER ACADEMY glyfada BIER HAUS Vouliagmeni MOLLY MALONE’S 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 L’Enoteca Halandri Whispers of wine Maroussi

Westin Kids Club

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

MULTI ETHNIC Altamira Kolonaki

POLYNESIAN KONA KAI Syngrou

Register Now!

210.890.2000 insider athens | October 2011 59

Insider guide SHOP Children Damigos

Central Athens

Salero

Prosopa

Valtetsiou 51, Tel: 210.381.3358 Spanish and mediterranean cuisine in the heart of Exarhia

Meg. Vasiliou 52 & Konstantinoupoleos 4 Tel: 210.341.3433, Delicious dishes in a warm atmosphere right beside the train tracks. A popular gay haunt.

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

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

DRINK Bars, Clubs & Lounges Almaz Skoufias

Mani Mani Falirou 10. Tel: 210.921.8180 Peloponnesian specialities with Mediterranean touches

Lontou 4, Tel: 210.382.8206 Exceptional entrees you are unlikely to find elsewhere

Tramezzini

Yantes

Mani Mani

EAT

Exarhia

Hatzichristou 8, Tel: 210.921.1770 All day italian café bistrot with gourmet street food

Asimenia Bakery Beles 1 and Androutsou Tel: 210.924.7655 Raisin bread, almond shortbread, yummy cookies & tasty loaves

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

Aglio Olio & Peperonicino Porinou 13 , Tel: 210.921.1801 Authentic Italian pasta in a cozy setting, accompanied by luscious salads and homemade dolci

SHOP

Vinyl Microstore Didotou 34, Tel: 210.361.4544 New vinyls & cds; also reissues from the 60s & more

Elaea Bistrot Makriyanni 19-21 , Tel: 210.921.2280 Greek chic coffee and tempting snacks beside the Acropolis Museum www.elaea.gr

Gelato-Café Makriyanni 19-21, Tel: 210.923.8124 Homemade ice cream and waffles

60 insider athens | October 2011

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

Yesterday's Bread Kallidromiou 87-89, Tel: 210.881.1233 Imported second-hand clothes; individuality guaranteed

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

Valtetsiou 44, Tel: 210.330.1369 Modern Greek cuisine prepared with organic ingredients. 20 Euros per person

Butcher’s Shop

EAT Fasoli

Mamacas

Kavouras Themistokleous 64, Tel: 210.381.0202 Dine while enjoying live Rebetika music

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

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

EAT Persefonis 19, Tel: 210.341.3440 Traditional psistaria serving grilled meat dishes

Emanouil Benaki 45 , Tel: 210.330.0010 A great meal in an uplifting environment

Triptolemou 12, Tel: 210.347.4763 Lounge in a modern atmosphere while listening to music from around the world

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

Hilton

Greece is for Lovers

Vitonos 5, Tel: 210.346.4204 Fresh seafood creations

Gazi

Gifts

Thalatta Ilias Lalaounis museum

Acropolis

Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

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

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr Milos

To Varoulko

Jack in the Box

DKNY

Pireos 80, Tel: 210.522.8400 Seafood prepared by Michelin star-winning chef Lefteris Lazarou

Haritos 13, Tel: 210.725.8735 Beautiful wooden toys and more

Solonos 8, Tel: 210.360.3775 Classic American sportswear

Marie Chantal Boutique

Elina Lebessi

Spefsippou 11, Tel: 210.722.2029 Old-fashioned chic for little princes and princesses

Iraklitou 13, Tel: 210.363.1731 Ethereal frocks, pretty tea-dresses and accessories from around the world

Mouyer

Ermenegildo Zegna

Kanari 8, Tel: 210.361.7714 Good-quality orthopaedic shoes as well as funkier styles

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

Kolonaki

Athens Hilton Vas. Sofias 46, Tel: 210.724.4400 Simply prepared local flavours.

Guaranteed value for money

Milos Garden

Vlassis Neandrou 15, Tel: 210.646.3060 & 210.725.6335, Family-run taverna serving traditional Greek food

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

Beauty & Cosmetics Apivita

Fashion Atelier Loukia Kanari 24, Tel: 210.362.7334 Fairytale dresses in lace and embroidery from Greece's doyenne designer

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

Children

Incrocio

Amerikis 19, Tel: 210.360.0516 Smart separates for a work wardrobe Kanari 8, Tel: 210.362.7768 Menswear from Armani, Boss and Allen Edmonds brogues

Kalogirou

Frattina Kanari 21, Tel: 210.360.4481 Casual clothing and gifts for kids

CHILL

Bespoke Athens

Hiltonia Health & Wellness Club

Anagnostopoulou 15-17 Tel: 210.364.5518, Made-to-measure suits and shirts from top international tailors

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

Kerameikos

Giorgio Armani

Hugo Boss

Bespoke Athens

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

Carouzos Kanari 12, Tel: 210.362.7123 Designer items from Prada, Brioni, Donna Karan, Fendi and other top-flight brands

EAT Funky Gourmet Paramythias 13 and Salaminos, Tel: 210 524 2727 Haute cuisine in art deco interior

Coach

Athiri

Kanari 18, Tel: 210.361.4155 Greece's design ambassadors create structural separates and heavenly bridal gowns. www.deuxhommes.gr

Tsakalof 28, Tel: 210.362.5669 Leather totes and luggage in easy American style

Deux Hommes

Plataion 15, Tel: 210.346.2983 Greek & Mediterranean cuisine in beautiful surroundings

Diesel Skoufa 3, Tel: 210.362.2748 A treasure trove of denim, and all the hip accoutrements to go with it

Nixon Agisilaou 61B, Tel: 210.346.2077 Burgers, a private cinema & an artsy crowd. Open for brunch on Sundays at noon

Voukourestiou 50 Tel: 210.364.1308 A haven of hip, carrying labels from Balenciaga to Martin Margiela to Marlene Birger Koumbari 8, Tel: 210.361.3603 Suit- and dress-maker to the stars

Kanari 5, Tel: 210.339.2597 Designer togs for tots

Galaxy Bar

Free Shop

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

Bambineria

DRINK

Central Athens

Dior Boutique Hiltonia

Voukourestiou 18-20, Tel: 210 361.3014 High-end designer fashion

insider athens | October 2011 61

Insider guide Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

La Perla

Paul & Shark

Home

Spefsippou 14, Tel: 210.729.9720 Lingerie to flaunt

Anagnostopoulou 6, Tel: 210.339.2334 Casual yachting styles

Christofle

Lacoste

Preview

Solonos 5, Tel: 210.361.8030 French take on American sportswear

Lanvin

Patriarchou Ioakim 19 Tel: 210.722.4731 High fashion designer shoes

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

Puma Concept

Linea Piu

Skoufa 62, Tel: 210.364.4300 Distinctive creations by two young Greek women and other international imports

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

Kanari 17, Tel: 210.361.0516 International sportswear for all ages

Rere Papa

Thalassa Collection Patriarchou Ioakim 30-32 Tel: 210.725.8525 Original silk designs for scarves, ties, shawls & blouses

Vlassis Holevas

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

Jewellery Apriati Pindarou 29, Tel: 210.360.7878 Smartly designed necklaces, bracelets and rings

Anagnostopoulou 19 Tel: 210.361.6167, Elegant fashion with a contemporary twist

Elena Votsi

Nike

Flowers

Fanourakis

Tsakalof 34, Tel: 210.363.6188 Trainers, tracksuits and other swoosh-marked sports paraphernalia

Fleria

Marc by Marc Jacobs Xanthou 3, Tel: 210.363.6030 Budget knick-knacks and must-have casuals from America's fashion hero

Patriarchou Ioakim 35 Tel: 210.722.9697

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

Eclipse

Octopus

Observatory Attitudes Solonos 9, Tel: 210.364.6910 The ultimate fashion store www.attitudes.gr

62 insider athens | October 2011

Xanthou 7, Tel: 210.360.0936 Conversation-starting pieces in gold and stone 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 highstreet 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 Handcrafted bijoux and one-off designer pieces. www.liliansyrigou.gr

Magia Haritos 18, Tel: 210.724.0697 Ileana Makri's silver jewellery amid eclectic pieces from New York

Central Athens 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

Altamira (Multi-ethnic) Tsakalof 36A, Tel: 210 361 4695 Flavours of multiethnic cuisine

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

Coo Dinokratous 1, Tel: 210.725.4008 A Mykonos favourite now in Athens

Dakos Tsakalof 6, Tel: 210.894.7040 New-age Cretan specialties

Eclipse (Bar restaurant) Alopekis 21, Tel: 210 364 1545 Fabulous cocktails and creative Mediterranean cuisine by Yiannis Baxevannis

Filipou Xenokratous 19, Tel: 210.721.6390 Home-cooked Greek taverna dishes

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

Oxette

Gifts

Ozzi

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

Skoufa 30, Tel: 210.364.2139 Greek silver fashion jewellery

St George Lycabettus Hotel Dinokratous, Tel: 210.721.4368 Exotic cuisine in the heart of Athens

Van Cleef & Arpels

Freud Oriental

Skoufa 37, Tel: 210.339.0547 Trendy, affordable jewellery

Pindarou 42, Tel: 210.331.1107 The jeweller of the international jetset

Frame

Xenokratous 21, Tel: 210.729.9595 Sushi in a cool setting

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr

Central Athens

Inbi

P-BOX

TGI Friday’s

Iraklitou 21, Tel: 210.339.2090 Sushi fusion

Haritos 24, Periscope hotel Tel: 210 7298556, Simple ingredients, special flavours in a setting designed

by Theodore Zoumboulakis

Kolokotroni 35, Kefalari sq.

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

CHILL

Pizza Pommodoro

DRINK

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

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

Le Grand Balcon St George Lycabettus Hotel, Kleomenous 2, Tel: 210.729.0711 Gourmet Greek cuisine

Alopekis 9, Tel: 210.729.6500 Great Italian specialties

Prytaneion

Bars, Clubs & Lounges Central

Milioni 7, Tel: 210.364.3353 Generous portions of Mediterranean fare

Kolonaki Square, Tel: 210.724.5938 The place to see & be seen while sipping on coffee or cocktails

Ratka

Mai Tai

Haritos 32, Tel: 210.729.0746 Popular haunt of the rich and almost famous, with cosmopolitan cuisine

Ploutarhou 18, Tel: 210.725.8306 Early evening cocktails in a laid-back atmosphere

Sale e Pepe

Ploutarhou 10, Tel: 210.321.7836 One of the most popular hot spots in town

Aristipou 34, Tel: 210.723.4102 Authentic Italian trattoria

Ten

W

Kanari 24, Tel: 210.360.1550 High-tech beauty treatments in a clinical setting

Mavili Sq

Jackson Hall

La Prairie Day Spa

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

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

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

Baraonda Tsoha 43, Tel: 210.644.4308 Gourmet cuisine and funky beats

Briki Dorileou 6, Mavili sq.

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

Flower Dorileou 2, Mavili sq.

Tel: 210.643.2111, Fun, funky and affordable watering hole

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

Tea To Tsai

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

Scala Vinoteca Sina 50, Tel: 210.361.0041 Mediterranean restaurant ideal for wining & dining

To Tsai

Showroom Milioni 12, Tel: 210.364.6460 Missoni-designed interiors, serving unique Mediterranean flavours

Square Sushi

Karneadou 25-26, Tel: 210.729.5484 Traditional Greek appetizers & ouzo

Deinokratous 65, Tel: 210.725.5236 High-quality sushi & other Japanese favourites

Papadakis

Ta Kioupia

Fokilidou 15 & Voukourestiou 47A Tel: 210.360.8621 Paros' legendary gourmet restaurant serving seafood in the heart of Athens

Dinokratous & An Polemou 22 Tel: 210.740.0150 Superb set menu of Greek classics with refined touches

Ouzadiko

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

Baraonda

insider athens | October 2011 63

Insider guide Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

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

Pangrati

Central Athens SHOP Beauty & Cosmetics Korres Ivikou 8 & Eratosthenous Tel: 210.722.2774 Natural Greek products made using Mediterranean herbs

Kol Tuv

Normanou 4, Tel: 210.524.4049 The only kosher restaurant in Athens serving traditional shabat meals

EAT

Meïdanis

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

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

Fuga Vas.Sofias & Kokkali 1, Tel: 210 724 2979 Italian inspired menu by chef Andrea Berton at the Athens Concert Hall

Ginger Dorileou 10-12, Tel: 210.645.1169 Original dishes and innovative combinations in an elegant atmosphere

St’Astra

Metaxurgeio

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

Miran

EAT

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

Polly Maggoo

Paleovivliopolio Hiotakis

Leonidou 80 & Salaminos, Tel: 210 524 1120 Gourmet cuisine in a post-modern and industrial setting.

New hot spot for the trendy

64 insider athens | October 2011

Karavitis

Thanassis

Magemenos Avlos

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

To Kouti

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

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

Puerte de Espana

DRINK

Spondi

Orea Ellas

Pandrosou 36, Tel: 210.321.3842 An eclectic cafe & bookshop

EAT

EAT

Bacaro

Monastiraki Square 2 Tel: 210.321.3036 Old-world taverna serving traditional Greek fare

Efroniou 5, Tel: 210.721.7421 Greek food & political gossip Arktinou & Pausaniou Tel: 210.721.5155 Classic Greek cuisine in a dining room lined with wine casks

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

Bairaktaris

Fatsio

Monastiraki Sq. 2, Tel: 210.321.3036 Century-old restaurant serving a variety of fresh dishes

Sigalas-Bairaktaris

Omonia

EAT

Monastiraki

Fuga

Cucina Povera

Antinoros 42, Tel: 210.725.8666 Spanish cuisine & live music Pyrronos 5, Tel: 210.756.4021 A mix of European & more exotic flavours. Voted one of the best in Athens

SHOP Department Stores Hondos Center

Omonia Square, Tel: 210.528.2800 Cosmetics, perfumes, luggage, clothing, & much, much more

Ideal Restaurant

Panepistimiou 46, Tel: 210.330.3000 Greek classics in old-world decor Sophokleous 1 & Aristidou Tel: 210.321.1882, Lavish Italian and contemporary dishes

Athinaikon

Themistokleous 2, Tel: 210.383.8485 A traditional Greek ouzeri

Spondi

Trata o Stelios Anagenniseos Sq. 7-9, Tel: 210.729.1533 The best grilled fish in town

Plaka

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr SHOP

Home

Antique

Notoshome

stores

Kratinou 5, Tel: 210.374.3000 Home décor superstore

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

Food & wine

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

Diporto

Nikis 52, Tel: 210.322.9146 Packaged & fresh speciality foods

Theatrou & Sokratous Tel: 210.321.1463 Old-world tavern offers bargain basics like salads, sardines & fava

Gifts

Kouzina Cine-Psirri

Mesogaia

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

Sari 44, Tel: 210.321.5534 Mediterranean fare & eclectic music

Nara Nara Karaiskaki 26, Tel: 210.331.2091 Lebanese food & dancing

EAT

Ochre & Brown

2 Mazi

Leokoriou 7, Tel: 210.331.2950 Mediterranean/French cuisine

Daphne’s Restaurant Lysikratous 4, Tel: 210.322.7971 Refined classic Greek dishes in a resplendent atmosphere

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

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

Scholarheio Tripodon 14, Tel: 210.324.1605 A traditional tray taverna with old fashioned decor & prices

Ydria

Psyrri

Adrianou 68 & Eolou Tel: 210.325.1619 Taditional Greek cuisine

SHOP

Books

Gadgets

Eleftheroudakis

Public

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

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

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

Department Stores

DRINK

Attica

Bars, Clubs & Lounges

Panepistimiou 9, Tel: 211.180.2600 Home to an array of luxury goods

Soul

Fokas

Evripidou 65, Tel: 210.331.0907 Show off your groovy disco moves

Syntagma

Nikis 48, Tel: 210.322.2839 Creative gourmet dishes that change monthly

Central Athens

SHOP Accessories Bag Stories

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

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

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

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

Fashion - Men’s

Antiques

Flowers

Jewellery

Antiqua

Dromoloulouda

Apriati

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

Fashion Christoforos Kotentos

Beauty & Cosmetics

Sachtouri 3, Tel: 210.325.5434 Glamorous & unique designs

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

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

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

Food & Wine Aristokratikon Karageorgi Servas 9, Tel: 210.322.0546 Handmade chocolates

Cellier Kriezotou 1, Tel: 210.361.0040 Speciality wine shop

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

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

insider athens | October 2011 65

Insider guide Gofas

Vassilis Zoulias Old Athens

DRINK

Stadiou 3, Tel: 210.331.7540 High-end timepieces

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

Bars, Clubs & Lounges

Ilias Lalaounis

Filellinon 15, Tel: 210.323.1315 Popular Athenian night spot

Cellier Le Bistrot

Explorer’s Lounge

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

Panepistimiou 10, Tel: 210.363.8525 Excellent dishes accompany the extensive list of international wines

NJV Athens Plaza, Syntagma Square, 210.335.2400, Magnificent cocktails and live jazz in an intimate atmosphere

Marathianakis

Dosirak

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

Voulis 31-33, Tel: 210.323.3330 Japanese & Korean cuisine in the heart of Athens

Zolotas

Nikis 58 & Kydathynaion Tel: 210.322.2839 Traditional Greek cuisine combined with modern elements

Kessaris

Stadiou 2 & Vas. Georgiou 210.325.0555 Legendary time pieces and jewellery.

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

To Ergastirio to Baxevani

Far East Stadiou 7, Tel: 210.323.4996 A mix of Asian cuisines in elegant surroundings

Shoes

Furin Kazan

Folli Follie

Spiliopoulos

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

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

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

Club Eat

See

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

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

George Economou collection at the new municipal gallery in Metaxourgeio

Multi 22

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

Noodle Bar

Vanilla Club at Kanari 24 Villa Mercedes at Andronicou & Zafeiri 11, Rouf Messiah Rebirth at Karneadou 25 in Kolonaki Baraonda, Tsocha 43, Ambelokoipi

66 insider athens | October 2011

Boutique

EAT

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

Chopard

Central Athens

Ermou 116 & Leokoriou Tel: 210.331.6766 Italian fare served in a neoclassical house 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

Paul Panepistiomiou 10, Tel: 210.722.4824 A true French patisserie

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

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

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

Syngrou

Zolotas pendant in gold with diamonds

Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

EAT Peacock Hotel Hera, Falirou 9, Tel: 210 923 6682 Traditional food with an inventive dash and breathtaking Acropolis views

Kollias

Syngrou Ave. 303 Tel: 210 940 8620 Diverse excellent seafood in a pleasant Mediterranean atmosphere

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr Plous Podilatou

Syngrou Ave. 156, Tel: 210 923 2918 Original seafood dishes, fresh ingredients and simple elegant interior

Ak. Koumoundourou 42 Tel: 210.413.7910 Sumptuous seafood & mouth-watering deserts on the waterfront

Kona Kai Athens Ledra Marriott, Syngrou Ave. 115, Tel: 210 930 0000 Polynesian, Teppanyaki and Sushi cuisine in an original luxury setting

Café Zoe

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

Athenaeum InterContinental, Syngrou Ave 89-93 Casual dining and terrific buffets for lunch and on Sundays Tel: 210 920 6655

Vassilenas

Première

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

EAT

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

Indian Masala (Indian) Ermou 129, Tel: 210 321 9412 Amazing Indian food at affordable price in a pleasant environment

Kirki Apostoplou Pavlou 31 Tel: 210.346.6960 Ideal for a lunch break

Kuzina Adrianou 9, Tel: 210.324.0133 Inspired traditional recipes in a cozy arty environment

SOUTHERN ATHENS

Piraeus

Zefyros

EAT Captain John's Ak. Koumoundourou 16A, Tel: 210.417.7589 Traditional seafood

Dourambeis Ak. Protopsalti 29, Tel: 210.412.2092 Classic fish taverna

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

DRINK

Food & Wine

Big Apple South

All about Whisky

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

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

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

Ak. Dilaveri 15, Tel: 210.407.8861 Playing disco & techno tracks until 6am

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

Provence Posidonos 80, Tel: 210.898.1435 Gourmet French delicatessen

EAT Ache

SHOP

Kypriou 57, Tel: 210.894.2949 International cuisine & delectable deserts

Books

Aioli Restaurant

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

Fashion Enny di Monaco

Iguana

Artemidos 9, Tel: 210.894.0181 Mediterranean cuisine with an excellent “secret” seafood sauce

Amigos

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

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

Laodikis 41, Tel: 210.894.0153 Carefully selected designs by various international designers

Beer Academy

Ensayar Donna

Beirut

N. Zerva 14, Tel: 210.898.0121 International cuisine in a cozy setting

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

Faliro

Thissio

Athenaeum InterContinental, Syngrou Ave 89-93, Tel : 210 920 6981 Gourmet cuisine with splendid views

Etolikou 72 & Vitolion Tel: 210.461.2457 Friendly food and atmosphere

DRINK

Glyfada

AiNikolas

Southern & Northern Athens

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

Iskandar

Amphitheas 6 & Poseidonos Tel: 210.988.6474 Authentic Indian cuisine

Kitchen Bar

Kyprou 55, Esperidon Square Tel: 210.894.3034 Top lines from leading designers with an English touch

Obervatory Attitudes A. Panagouli 17, Tel: 210.894.2113 The ultimate fashion store www.attitudes.gr

Poseidonos 3, Tel: 210.981.2004 Comfort food overlooking the sea

Jewellery

Le Petit Sommelier

ZerTeo

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

Metaxa 24-26, Tel: 210.894.6682 Unique jewellery designs

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

insider athens | October 2011 67

Insider guide Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

Kiliza

Vincenzo

Konstantinopoleos 13 Tel: 210.894.4648 Delicious kebabs & decadent deserts

Giannitsopoulou 1, Tel: 210.894.1310 Value for money Italian specialities with a Southern Italian touch

Southern & Northern Athens

La Casa Di Giorgino Lefkosias 42A, Tel: 210.963.85770 Authentic Italian pizza made in a traditional wood-burning oven

DRINK

La pêche

Babae

Meat Square (Grill) Lambrakis 63 & Ag. Nikolaou, Tel: 210 961 1160 Juicy steaks in pleasant family environment

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

Posidonos 88, Tel: 210.894.1629 Beachfront dancing all night long

Balux Posidonos 58, Tel: 210.898.3577 Waterfront lounging

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

Cafes Chocolat Zisimopoulou 9, Tel: 210.894.3442 Satisfies even the most discerning coffee connoisseur

Cosi

Il Segreto

Zisimopoulou 12, Tel: 210.894.5746 One of the first cafes to inspireGlyfada's coffee culture

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

Nest Café Bar

CHILL

Lazaraki 45, Tel: 210.898.6035 An all-day hangout for locals & visitors

Seiza

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 fresh-water 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.

68 insider athens | October 2011

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

Voula

Sip

Zen Moorings Great for coffee or a meal by mega-yachts 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

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

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

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

Vouliagmeni

Posidonos 58, Tel: 210.894.1620 Creative seafood dishes combining Greek & French techniques

Bars, Clubs & Lounges

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

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

Italian

Ithaki

Genovese

Apollonos 28, Tel: 210.896.3747 Beautiful sea view, fresh seafood & great service

Vas. Pavlou 99, Tel: 210.895.8400 Italian eats al fresco

Naiades Vas. Pavlou 74, Tel: 210.965.7706 Popular family grill joint

Louizidis Ermou 2, Tel: 210.896.0591 Traditional Greek taverna popular with the locals

To advertise, contact ads@insider-magazine.gr

Matsuhisa Athens Astir Palace, Apollonos 40, Tel: 210.896.0510, Celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa serves up sushi favourites with a Latin-American flair

Mezza Luna Orpheos 2, Tel: 210.967.1046 Chic Italian restaurant

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

DRINK En Plo Posidonos 4, Tel: 210.967.1770 Cocktails overlooking Vouliagmeni Bay

NORTHERN ATHENS EAT Da Vinci Ag. Ioannou 23, Tel: 210 600 0102 Delightful dishes in fantastic ambience

Nanninela Peloponnissou 13 Tel: 210 600 5622 Authentic Italian cuisine in traditional decor Ag. Ioannou 63, Tel: 210 639 1666, Mediterranean flavours in a chic interior

EAT Apsendi Kifissias 250-254 & Serres Tel: 210 671 7890 Refined cuisine and cocktails in stylish urban atmosphere Pendelis 133, Tel: 210 689 0238 Choice of 600 wines to accompany memorable meals

Almyra Filikis Eterias 39, Tel: 210 6819109 Refined seafood and magical summer garden

27th klm Athinon-Souniou Tel: 210.965.3809 Award-winning cuisine & an unmatched location with views of the Saronic Gulf

Kifissias 336, Tel: 210 685 4004 Multi-ethnic cuisine with original suggestions in arty set-up

Sofa Bar

Ag. Georgiou 30’B, Tel: 210 685 9690 Mexican food in traditional setting

Arion Spa Astir Complex, Apollonos 40 Tel: 210.890.2000

Divani Apollon Palace & Spa Ag. Nikolaou 10, Tel: 210.891.1100

Saipan K. Varnali 9, Tel: 210 685 0644 Exquisite dishes from China, Japan and Indonesia

1920 Ag. Paraskevi 110, Tel: 210 681 3029 Accent on meat in an elegant setting

Psaroma Sokratous 23, Tel: 210 683 9348 Imaginative parade of seafood and fresh fish

L’Enoteca

Dali

CHILL

25th Martiou 21, Tel: 210 689 6891 Authentic Italian cuisine with a modern twist

Olio by Portofino

Island

The Westin Hotel Apollonos 40, Tel: 210.890.1709 Modern lounge bar serving up delectable cocktails

Novo Romantico di Antonio

Kifissia

Apollonos 28, Tel: 210.967.1184 Traditionally prepared seafood dishes presented exquisitely

Halandri Ag.Paraskevi

Maistrali

Southern & Northern Athens

SHOP Beauty &

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

Cosmetics

Kassaveti 5, Tel: 210.801.2472 Milk products & patisserie

Nyhi-Nyhi

Vinifera

Kifissias 230 Tel: 210.623.2824 Stop by for a quick mani-pedi

Kifissias 317, Tel: 210.807.7709 Selection of wines from all over the world

Fashion

EAT

21 Kifissia

Acqua Azzurra

Kifissias 265, Tel: 210.801.3594 Extreme sport parafernelia

Panagitsas 3, Tel: 210.623.3934 Specially-prepared Italian meals

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

Apla 135 Charilaou Trikoupi Tel: 210.620.3102 Chrysanthos Karamolegos creates refined Mediterranean dishes

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

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

Santa Fe

Golden Phoenix Leof. Pendelis 85, Tel: 210 682 5017 Asian cuisine and sushi bar in luxury environment

Kitchen Bar K. Varnali 6,, Tel: 210 689 2015 Delightful gastronomic tour in a relaxing atmosphere

Meat Square Ethnikis Antistaseos 9-11, Tel: 210 683 1300, Juicy steaks in pleasant family environment

Matsuhisa

insider athens | October 2011 69

Insider guide Shop, Eat, Drink & Chill!

Northern Athens

Common Secret

Nargile

Tike

Aneton

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

Harilaou Trikoupi 50 Tel: 210.808.3333 Lebanese cuisine in a cosmopolitan ambiance

Stratigou Lekka 19, Tel: 210.806.6700 Traditional cuisine in a comfy-chic setting reminiscent of the 50s & 60s

Dos Hermanos

O Tzitzikas Ki O Mermigas

Harilaou Trikoupi 27, Tel: 210.808.4418 Watch chefs prepare Turkish kebabs and other treats before your eyes

Kyriazi 24, Tel: 210.808.7906 Excellent Mexican food & super margaritas

Drosini 12-14, Tel: 210.623.0080 A modern taverna serving traditional dishes at reasonable prices

Vardis

Ethnikis Antistaseos & Psaron 1 Tel: 210.684.0460 Mexican flavours in a traditional setting

Dragoumi & Andrianou 28 Tel: 210 623 3900, Gourmet cuisine with Mediterranean influences by chef Christos Markopoulos in a cool urban setting

Gefsis Me Onomasia Proelefsis Kifissias 317, Tel: 210.800.1402 Divine food from all over the world

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

Golden Phoenix

Royal Thai

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

Zirini 12, Tel: 210.623.2322 Thai cuisine in an opulent setting

Gourounakia Kifissias

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

Kifissias 289, Tel: 210.801.1093 Delicious salads, appetizers, souvlakia & grilled platters

Ichthyes Evagelistrias 36, Tel: 210.620.1572 Seafood taverna

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

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

Mauzac

70 insider athens | October 2011

Salumaio di Atene

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

Shogun Philadelpheos 2, Tel: 210.623.3622 Promises authentic Japanese cuisine for the truly discerning

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

Telemachos Barbeque Club

EAT

Fragkopoulou 22, Tel: 210.807.6680 Rare meats char-grilled to perfection

Altamira

El Taco Bueno

Jaipur Palace

DRINK

Maroussi

Essence

Deligianni 66, Pentelikon Hotel Tel: 210.623.0650-6, Cornerstone of French cuisine in Greece

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

Perikleous 28, Tel: 210 612 8841 Multiethnic cuisine in funky environment

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

Whispers of wine Ag. Konstantinou 48, Tel: 210.617.9051 Gourmet food with rich wine list and vintage decor

see & do Art galleries

A. Antonopoulou Art Aristofanous 20, Psirri Tel: 210.321.4994 Artzone 42 42 Vas. Konstantinou, Agalma Troyman, 11635 Athens, Tel: 210 725 9549 Astrolavos Dexameni Xanthippou 11, Kolonaki Tel: 210.729.4342 Astrolavos ArtLife Irodotou 11, Kolonaki Tel: 210.722.1200 Athens Art Gallery Glykonos 4, Dexameni Sq., 106 75 Athens, Tel: 210 721 3938 Badminton Theatre Olympiaka Akinita, Goudi 157 73, Athens, Tel: 211 101 0020 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 Ekfrasi Gallery Valaoritou 9a, 10671 Athens, Greece Tel: 210 360 7598 EMST National Museum of Contemporary Art Vas. Georgiou B 17 - 19 & Rigilis Str. Athens 10675, Tel: 210 9242 111-3 Fizz Gallery Valaoritou 9c, Athens 10671 Greece, Tel: 210 360 7598 Gagosian Gallery Merlin 3, Athens 10671, Tel: 210 364 0215 Gallery 7 Zalokosta 7, Syntagma, Tel: 210.361.2050 Gialino Music Theatre Sigrou 143, N. Smirni, Athens Tel: 210 9316 101-4 Herakleidon Herakleidon 16, Thissio, Tel: 210.346.1981 Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre 48 Armatolon-Klephton st.

11471 Athens, Tel: 210 643 9466 Jill Yakas Spartis 16, Kifissia. Tel: 210.801.2773 www.yakas.com K-Art Gallery Sina 54, 106 72, Athens, Greece Tel: 211 401 3877 Kalfayan Gallery Haritos 11, Kolonaki, Tel: 210.721.7679 Kourd Gallery Kassiani 2-4, Tel: 210.642.6573 ww.gallerykourd.gr

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

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

Tel: 210.322.9705

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 €1.50 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 8:30am3pm. Admission to the Agora and museum €3.50. 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 changingof-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. €2.00. 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.

Museums

ASSOCIATION OF GUIDES

Pallas Theatre Skoufa 77 & Staikou 2, Kolonaki Athens, Tel: 210 364 0783 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 The Eynard Mansion Aghiou Konstantinou 20 & Menandrou, Athens 104 31, Tel: 210 322 1335 The National Art Gallery and Alexander Soutzos Museum Michalakopoulou 1 - Vas. Constantinou 1, 115 28 Athens, Tel: 210-7235857 Titanium Yiayiannos Vas. Konstantinou 44, Pangrati, Tel: 210.729.7644 Tsatsis Project/ Artforum 12 Mitropoleos st. & Venizelou PC 54624 Thessaloniki, Tel: 231 025 7552 Xippas Gallery Sofokleous 53D, 105 52 Athens, Greece, Tel: 210 331 9333 Zoumboulakis Gallery Kolonaki Square 20, Kolonaki Tel: 210.360.8278 Zoumboulakis Gallery Graphics & Editions Kriezotou 7, Syntagma, Tel: 210.363.4454

Attractions & Sites

ORGANISED TOURS

Allou Fun Park Kifissou & Petrou Ralli, Ag. Ioannis Rentis, Tel: 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

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/

insider athens | October 2011 71

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

NEW

GRANDE BRETAGNE

NJV athens plaza

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

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

Holiday Inn Attica Avenue

NOVOTEL

New five-star property on Attica Avenue linking Athens with the international airport.

State-of-the 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

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

Designed by the Campana brothers, NEW, the latest venture of YES! Hotels has 79 luxury rooms, including 18 Studios and 6 Junior Suites. NEW Taste, is the Hotel’s innovative restaurant concept. Filellinon 16, Syntagma.

Tel: 210.3273000 Crowne plaza

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 ATHENS ELECTRA PALACE HOTEL

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 ATHENS HILTON

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 DIVANI APOLLON PALACE & SPA

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

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

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

KEFALARI SUITES

SEMIRAMIS

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

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

72 insider athens | October 2011

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

Vas. Alexandrou 2, Tel: 210.720.7000

Royal Olympic

partner hotels SOFITEL ATHENS AIRPORT

TwentyOne

Herodion

COSTA NAVARINO The Westin Resort Costa Navarino

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 ST. GEORGE LYCABETTUS HOTEL

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

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

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

Inspired by old Messinian mansions, the Westin resort’s low-rise villa clusters use natural stone and local design elements to create a motif in perfect harmony with the 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 The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort

PERISCOPE HOTEL

CORAL 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 MARGI

The Coral’s 86 rooms and 2 suites offer all modern conveniences. Poseidonos Avenue 35, Paleo Faliron. Tel: 210.981.6441 Fresh 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. www.themargi.gr THE WESTIN ATHENS

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

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

Would you like TO see your 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

hotel LISTED here?

CONTACT US at: info@insider-magazine.gr

Santorini MYSTIQUE SANTORINI

Philippos

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.

The Romanos Resort boasts of 289 exquisitely appointed rooms and 32 suites with individual 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.

@

Mystique is an 18 villa hotel, designed by Frank Le Fevbre. Mystique, Oia. Tel. 22860 71114 VEDEMA, SANTORINI

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

insider athens | October 2011 73

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

Denis Kasimatis - Driving School Zografou, Papagou, Ilissia, Psychiko, Cholargos and Goudi - Tel: 210 778 3157 210 779 6981 Trochokinisi Driving School 28th Oktovriou 126, Ambelokipi, Athens Tel: 231 072 9092 Driving School Highway Amfitheas and Ag. Triados 30, 175 64 Paleo Faliro - Tel: 210 988 8098 / 6997 722 777 Vlachos Bros 25th Martiou 11, Peristeri; Xenofodos 17, Peristeri; Afroditis 39, Ilion Tel: 210 574 4895 / 210 576 9190

Relocation Agencies

Commercial Office spaces Regus Tel: 210 727 9000 Global Business Services Tel: 210-8764 876 Kifissias Ave. 90, Maroussi

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

THE CITY MAGAZINE OF

Driving Schools in English

Allied Pickfords Tel: 210 610 4494 Mourouzi 7, Athens Athens Relocation Centre Tel: 210 96 50 697, Zakynthou 10, Attica Movers Tel: 210 922 7221 19, Syngrou Ave Celebrity International Movers 102, Kapodistriou Ave, Tel: 210 272 0106 Corporate Relocations Athens Tel: 210 800 3510, Ag. Saranta 32 Nea Erithrea Orphee Beinoglou Tel: 210 9466100 27th km Old National Road Athens-Korinth Location Elefsinia, GR-19200 Elefsina Omega Transport Thesi Kyrilos, 19300 Aspropyrgos Tel: 210 947 5500 Octopus Relocation Services Ygeias 7, Marina Zeas, Tel: 210 4599530

June 2010 Year 8. Issue 85 €4.50

insider ISSN 1790-3114

insider athens | June 2010

ATHENS

Summer Fest The Athens Festival’s annual culture–fest / The FIFA World Cup kicks off / Interview with Ambassador Dona Marasha Mandisa of S.Africa / Cycladic Islands Guide On the sets of The Island / Greece has talent / Designer Jans Hansson Plus: Book & Music reviews, spas, beach-side dining at Balux PLUS: ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD & WINE, NIGHTLIFE, SHOPPING, NOVELTIES, MAPS AND MORE

MISSED THESE GREAT ISSUES? 35.000 readers get the best of Greece each month.

Subscribe to Insider and never miss another issue! send us an e-mail at: subscriptions@insider-magazine.gr or give us a call at: 210.729.8634 or 210.721.3450

74 insider athens | October 2011

TRANSLATIONS / INTERPRETING Executive services, translation & interpreting All EU and Balkan languages - legal, technical and medical documents. Athens Tower B. Tel: 210.778.3698 www.executiveservices.gr Global Business Services Kifisias 90, Maroussi. Tel: 210.876.4876 IBS - International Business Services Michalakopoulou 29, Tel: 210.724.5541

Travel Agencies Travel Plan Tel: 210 333 3300 www.travelplan.gr Amphitrion Tel: 210 900 6000 Meg Alexandrou 7 & Karaiskaki, www.amphitrionholidays.gr TravelPlanet24 Tel: 211 107 9684 241, Syngrou Ave. & 2, Alikarnassou 171 22 Nea Smyrni, Athens www.travelplanet24.com Mid-east Travel Tel: 211 211 8888 Vas Sofias 105-107 / www.mideast.gr

Embassies Cultural Institutes

Business services

useful information

French Institute Sina 31, 10680 Athens Tel: 210 339 8600 Hellenic American Union Massalias 22, 10680 Athens, Tel: 210 368 0900 British Council 17 Kolonaki Square 17 106 73 Athens Tel: 210 369 2333 Instituto Cervantes Mitropoleos 23, 105 57 Athens Tel: 210 3634117 Goethe Institut Omirou 14-16, 100 33 Athens Tel: 210 3661000 Onassis Cultural Centre Syngrou Ave. 107-109, 117 45 Athens, Tel: 213 017 8000 Instituto Italiano di Cultura Patission [28 Oktovriou] 47 Tel: 210 369 2333, 210 524 2646 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 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 KOREA Messoghion 2-4, Athens.

Tel: 210.698.4080 KUWAIT Perikleous 2, 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

useful information

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

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

Paediatric Hospitals

EUROCLINIC PAEDON Lemessou 39-41 & Aharnon 209, Kato Patissia, Tel: 210.869.1900 PAEDON AGIA SOFIA HOSPITAL Mikras Asias and Thivon, Goudi. Tel: 210.746.7000 PAEDON AGLAIA KYRIAKOU 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

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 A.J. Kanellopoulos, MD Eye Surgeon, Mesogeion 2, Athens Tower B’ Tel: 210.747.2777 Dimitris Linos, MD FACS General Surgeon, Kifissias 227, Kifissia.

Tel: 210.612.5001-2 heart & vascular centrE E.N. Deliargyris, MD FACC FSCAI Interventional cardiologist. Southern Athens. Vakchou 2 & Vas. Kostantinou Tel:210.897.6276. www.heartline.gr

DR. KOVEOS D.M.D. DENTAL OFFICE

Cosmetic, Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry 20-22 Ipsilantou str., Kolonaki 106 76 Athens-Greece Tel: 210 7242211 Fax: 210 7242212 E-mail: info@drkoveos.com Website: www.drkoveos.com

English media

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

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 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

Newspapers The International Herald Tribune carries the English version of Kathimerini 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.

Schools

Greek Language

Emergencies

VATICAN Mavili 2, P. Psychiko.

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

Health

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 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

The Athens Center 48 Archimidous Street, Mets, Athens 11636, Greece 210 7015-242 CELT Athens 77 Academias Street, 106 78 Athens, Greece, Tel: 210 3301455 Greek House Dragoumi 7, 145 61 Kifissia, Tel: 210 808 5186 Hellenic American Union 22 Massalias str., 106 80 Athens, Tel: 210368.0900 Omilo Greek Language And Culture Panagi Tsaldari 13 (4th floor), 15122 Maroussi, Tel: 210 6122706

insider athens | October 2011 75

Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) www.oaed.gr, Tel: 210 99 89 000 Public Services Administration Information Center (paperwork assistance) on weekdays 8am-3pm (KEP): Tel: 177, ww.kep.gov.gr

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

Weather Attica, Tel: 148, www.hnms.gr

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

Citizen’s Rights Ombudsman: 5 Hatziyiannis Mexis (near the Hilton Hotel), Tel: 210 72 89 640

Universities University of Indianapolis Ipitou 9, Athens, Tel: 210 323 6647 DEREE Gravias 6, Aghia Paraskevi, Tel: 210 600 9800

76 insider athens | October 2011

ALBA Graduate Business School Athinas Ave. & Areos 2A, Vouliagmeni Tel: 210 896 4531 American University of Athens Kifisias & Sochou 4, Neo Psichiko, Tel: 210 725 9301 Business College of Athens Tatoiou 2 & Othonos 77, Kifissia Tel: 210 808 8008

International Kindergartens

International Schools

St Catherine's British Embassy School Sofoklis Venizelou 77, Lykovrissi Tel: 210 282 9750 St. Lawrence College Anemon St, Koropi Tel: 210 891 7000 American Community Schools of Athens Aghias Paraskevis Ave. 129, Halandri, Tel: 210 639 3200 Campion School Aghias Ioulianis, Pallini Tel: 210 607 1700 Byron College Filolaou 7, Gerakas Tel: 210 604 7722 International School of Athens Xenias and Artemidos, Kifissia, Tel: 210 623 3888 Lycée Franco-Hellénique Eugène Delacroix Chlois & Trikalon, Ag. Paraskevi Tel: 211 300 9121 Scuola Statale Italiana Odos Mitsaki 18, Ano Patissia Tel: 210 228 2720 German School in Athens Homatianou & Ziridi, Maroussi Tel: 210 619 9261 Greek German School 25 Martiou & Vernardou, Vrylissia Tel: 210 682 0566

English kindergartens The Cottage Kindergarten Psaron 74, Halandri Tel: 210 682 7629 Early Learning Rizountos 53, Elliniko Tel: 210 961 8763 Hopscotch International Kindergarten Ag. Triandos 93, Vari Tel: 210 965 3985 Kifissia Montessori School Ellinikon Stratou 5, Kifissia Tel: 210 620 7481 Melina’s Kindergarten Harilaou Trikoupi 16, Kifissia Tel: 210 801 2719 Peek-a-boo PreSchool Vougliameni Tel: 210 967 1970 Peter Pan Lakonias 4-6, Voula Tel: 210 895 9654 Prince Allen The English Nursery School Lysimahou 8, Vari Tel: 210 965 6800

Au petit bonheur 50 Iraklitou, Glyfada, Tel: 210 9658 207 Les Alouettes Spartis 36 & Harilaou Trikoupi, Kifissia Tel: 210 80 11 570 L’Air des Contes 11, Cycladon, Glyka Nera, Tel : 210 600 3196 Le Castelet 18 Gortinias, Kifissia, Tel: 210 808 7760 Mary Poppins 4, Kodrou, Filothei, Tel: 210 677 3803 Play and Learn Kassaveti 22, Kifissia, Tel: 210 801 1428

German kindergartens O mikros Antonis Barbayiannis, Pallini, Tel: 210 603 2527

Italian kindergartens Scuola maternal italiana de Atene Mitsaki 18, Ano Patissia, Tel: 210 202 0274 Il Mulino magico Troados 23, Ag Paraskevi, Tel: 210 600 3148 British Council Library Kolonaki Sq. 17 Tel: 210 363 3211/5 American Library Masalias 22 (4th floor) Tel: 210 363 8114 American School of Classical Studies Blegen Souedias 54, Tel: 210 723 6313 Athens College Library Stephanou Delta, P. Psychiko Tel: 210 671 4628 Hellenic American Union Greek Library 22 Masalias St (7th floor), Tel: 210 362 9886 French Institute Library 31 Sina St, Tel: 210 362 4301 German Archaeological Institute Library Pheidiou 1, Tel: 210 362 0270 Goethe Institute Library Omirou 14-16, Tel: 210 360 8111 Italian Institut Library Patision 47, Tel: 210 522 9294 EU Library Vas. Sophias 2, Tel: 210 724 3982 National Library Tzavella 25, Tel: 210 382 0657 Benakeios Library Anthimou Gazi 2, Tel: 210 322 71

Libraires

Road Assistance ELPA: 104

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

Money

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

LOST OR STOLEN CREDIT CARDS

Post Phone

useful information

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

Incoming

by Travel Plan Quality that meets your expectations!

www.travelplan.gr incoming@travelplan.gr

!

advertise in our listings, and reach thousands of customers

email us at ads@insider-magazine.gr

getting around

24 HOUR VIP TRANSPORT SERVICE

Car rental

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 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

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 (€1) 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 6€.

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 €3.20 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 (EgaleoDoukissis 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 €20 to Syntagma Square, €25 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

Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, Spata.

Tel: 210.353.0000, 210.353.1000. www.aia.gr.

LIMOUSINES

Public transport

Airport

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:

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 G & E

Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Spetses, Crete: Gate A Aghios Nikolaos, Chania, Iraklio, Kastelli (Kissamos), Rethymno, Cycladic Islands:

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 Thessaloniki: 2310.560.700 www.superfast.com

insider athens | October 2011 77

sales points For central Athens points, 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 Athens-Lamia, 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 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

www.mysephora.gr

For central Athens stores, see on map ASPROPIRGOS Filis 100 & Bouboulinas, Tel: 210.558.0989 ERMOU Ermou 24 Tel: 210. 331.3167 & 325.7744 KALLITHEA Thisseos & Davaki, Tel: 210.956.5959 - 956.5446 KIFISSIA Kassaveti 6, Tel: 210.623.1741 & 623.1742 KORYDALLOS Taxiarhon 110A, Tel: 210.569.5270 569.5998 THE MALL, Notios Paradromos Attikis Odou, Tel: 210.630.0125 & 630.0126 AVENUE Kifissias 41-45, Tel: 210.610.9739 & 610.9740

78 insider athens | October 2011

GOLDEN HALL Kifissias Av. 37A & Sp. Louis, Tel: 210.683.7343 PANGRATI Ymittou 110 & Hremonidou, Tel: 210.751.8005 GLYFADA A. Metaxa 33-35, Tel: 210. 894.3378 & 894.5884 KOLONAKI Milioni 2, Tel: 210. 361.2666 & 362.9925 NEA MAKRI Marathonos Av. 117, Tel: 229.409.9661 PERISTERI Ethnikis Antistaseos 12, Tel: 210. 571.0755 PETROU RALLI Petrou Ralli 97, Tel: 210. 569.6596 & 569.7316 PIKERMI 21oklm. Marathonos Av., Tel: 210. 603.9987 PSYCHIKO Kifissias 210, Tel: 210. 677.5527 & 674.0178 VRILISSIA Pentelis Av. 72, Tel: 210. 810.1971 & 810.1972

city map

Map courtesy of Emvelia Publications

insider athens | October 2011 79

K A L E I DOSCOP E 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Pet stories On the occasion of World Animal Day on October 4, a few pics of our in-house pet lovers and volunteers who strive hard to find loving homes where abandoned strays can rest their weary paws and live long and fulfilling lives. Featured here are: 1. Brownie, whom the Greek Animal Welfare Fund tried to re-home 2. Contributor Romy de Courtay with her cat Misha 3 and 4. A volunteer releasing an injured bird after nursing it and a baby hedgehog receiving some TLC at Alkioni’s Animal Welfare Centre on Paros 5. Cordelia Madden-Kanellopoulou of Nine Lives rescuing a tortoise after the fires in Pendeli 6. The cover of the 2012 Nine Lives calendar shot by pet photographer extraordinaire Carlo Raciti 7. seen here with his own pet 8. Bob ready to take the tram with his dog Jack and 9. Eleni with her rescued stray Cinna. The 2012 Nine Lives Greece calendar costs just 10 euros and is available this month with every single cent of profit going straight to Nine Lives’ neutering and feeding programmes for stray and abandoned cats in Athens. For more information about Nine Lives, see www.ninelivesgreece.com

80 insider athens | October 2011