ABOUT US
XpatAthens
Tuesday, 12 February 2019 07:00
'The Favourite' Takes Home Seven BAFTA Awards
Yorgos Lanthimos's tragicomic royal drama “The Favourite” won 7 awards at Sunday's British Academy Film Awards. “The Favourite” received the outstanding British film and screenplay awards as well as prizes for production design, costumes, hair and makeup. Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz were also awarded for best and supporting actress respectively.
"Thank you for celebrating our female-dominated movie about women in power," said Deborah Davis, who won the original screenplay award alongside co-writer Tony McNamara.
Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma," won awards for best picture, director, cinematography and foreign-language film. Rami Malek won the best actor trophy for his gripping performance as Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
The BAFTAs, will be scoured for clues on who might triumph at the Academy Awards on February 24 as this year’s frontrunners, Yorgos Lanthimos’s "The Favourite" an Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” have each received 10 Oscar nominations.
Published in
Greece In The News
Tagged under
Monday, 11 February 2019 07:00
Top 10 Reasons To Love Living In Greece in 2019
Every year on the anniversary of moving to Greece, an American expat and a good friend of XpatAthens puts together a list of reasons why she loves living in Greece. Seven years ago, she left her job and life in San Francisco and decided to make the move to Athens, Greece. She has never looked back! Here are her top 10 reasons of what she loves about living in Greece:
- The buskers along Dionysiou Aeropagetou. The pedestrian zone near where I live is filled with street performers so it becomes like a progressive concert most days as I walk my dog Andromeda. I never know who will be there or what to expect-we have bubble blowers, musicians, an African bongo group, silk performers and dance troupes, just to name a few. There is even a woman who will put your hair in a stylish braid or updo for 5 euros. It’s on my list to try in 2019…
- Beach Volleyball. Last spring I decided to learn beach volleyball. I wanted to be trained by professionals so I asked my friend Sakis Psarras where to go, and he directed me to the Attica Beachvolley Club. I love my lessons–we practice outside in the fresh air, barefoot in the sand. My teammates and coaches are so encouraging (bravo Lynn!) that in the beginning I got confused and thought I had real talent. But then one day, when I hit the ball right and the entire team clapped, I realized, no. It’s the opposite. I’m really bad, and they are trying to keep my spirits up…It’s ok, I wasn’t planning to go pro. But one day, I would like to play in a beginners tournament.
- The Athens Riviera. This year I discovered the Athens Riviera and the beaches south of Athens in Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni. I didn’t realize seaside near Athens could be so good. Lots of them are blue flag beaches and on par with many islands…The water is clean, the beach clubs are fun, and best of all, we have SUP Yoga at Astir Beach with one of the best sunsets in town.
- Things get cheaper. The longer I live in Greece, the cheaper things seem to become. All around Athens, I now get discounts–discounts because I’m a yoga teacher, discounts because I live in the neighborhood, discounts because I’ve been coming a long time, discounts for reasons I can’t even identify, but I hear it often -μια άλλη τιμή για σένα! (another price for you!). This was not the case in San Francisco. It must be a Greek thing…
- Athens is becoming a health food mecca! When I moved to Athens in 2012, if I asked for “quinoa” and “nutritional yeast” I got blank stares. Now I get quinoa in the regular supermarket, and I choose between two brands of nutritional yeast in my favorite bio store. I can eat at Vegan Beat, Vegan Nation, Avocado and Nice and Easy—all an easy walk from my apartment. This was also the year I discovered Yi, the super healthy vegetarian raw food restaurant in Glyfada. If I could create a restaurant, it would be Yi. Everything is sugar-free and gluten-free, and the restaurant allows dogs. For me, it is a small paradise.
- My new doctor. My new doctor, Nikoleta Koini, is one of the few US-trained functional medicine doctors in Greece. Functional medicine is science based, 100% individualized, holistic preventative medicine. It matches my medical philosophy almost perfectly so I was thrilled to find a highly trained functional medicine doctor in Athens. Now I have supplements that are precisely matched to my situation. It might take some research, but you can get great medical care in Greece.
- Filotimo is part of the culture. The word “filotimo” exists only in Greek, and it means doing the right thing without expecting anything in return. I’ve seen it acted out time and time again.
There was the time my taxi driver Dimos came to pick me and my friends up in his personal car on a taxi strike day. He took us to the port but refused to accept money (ever) for the journey, because he wanted to respect the rules of the strike but also wanted us to have our holiday.
There was the time when I got sick in a mountain village on a weekend trip. All pharmacies were closed, but the souvenir store owner gave me his full package of Panadol. He was worried about me and wasn’t sure when I’d be able to get to an open pharmacy. He didn’t accept my offer to pay him, and in fact, he seemed confused when I tried to give him money.
There was the time I was out with my friends late at night on a Greek island holiday. The taxis had all stopped, and we were eight kilometers from our hotel stranded without a clear way to get home. One of my friends approached a group of men sitting at a café and within minutes, one of them was driving us to our hotel. This time I knew better than to offer money, and my friends confirmed, yes, he would have been horrified if we tried to pay him.
I could go on and on, but you’ll see for yourself. Even people here for short visits usually experience filotimo in one way or another. - Greece ignites your creativity. I think it was Lord Byron who said “If I am a poet, the air in Greece has made me one.” I would say the same—if I am a writer, living in Greece has made me one. I’ve written two books since coming to Greece and before living here, I was an accountant who never planned to write anything. It is hard to describe, but there is something in the air or energy that sparks your creativity. And it feels so nice.
- The olive culture. It seems everyone in Greece is within three degrees of separation from an olive grove—their parents have one, their uncle has one, their best friend has one. The thread of olives runs all throughout the country as part of the social fabric. I’ve even been scolded for buying olive oil—it is usually gifted around. I should also mention the variety. I used to think that Greek olives meant Kalamata olives. Not so. There are dozens of varieties, in all shapes, sizes and colors. I have included a picture for you here. Olive oil is even used in baptisms—which leads me to my final favorite thing.
- I am a Greek Nona! I have saved the best for last. This year I became the Nona (godmother) to my friend Maria’s daughter. The godmother’s role is to be a spiritual advisor, and apparently she bestows some of her traits to her godchild. I’m not sure about how that works, but if I get to choose any traits, I’ll give Alexia the gifts of resilience and joy. If she has those two, I think she’ll have a good chance for a happy life. And as part of this process, I’m getting baptized Greek Orthodox myself this Easter. The transformation is almost complete. Θα είμαι Ελληνίδα.
Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.
Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons. She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.
“I remember getting on the plane to leave San Francisco. My dog and two cats were in cargo below and I had packed a suitcase full of clothes. Almost everything else I had sold or given away. There wasn’t anyone to meet me in Athens because I didn’t know anyone. But it was one of the calmest moments of my life. I was totally sure I was making the right choice. And I haven’t regretted it at all. I love Greece.”
To learn more about Lynn and all the great things she does in Athens please visit her webiste: Lynn Roulo
Published in
My Week In Athens
Tagged under
Wednesday, 13 February 2019 00:57
Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019
The deadline to apply to join the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019 has been extended!
GES 2019 invites the world’s most exciting entrepreneurs who offer transformative solutions in one of our five focus areas - Agriculture/Food, Connectivity, Energy, Health, or Water - to this year’s ninth annual summit hosted by the United States and the Netherlands in The Hague, the Netherlands, June 4-5, 2019.
If you are an entrepreneur with a scalable enterprise in one of this year’s focus sectors this could be a game-changing opportunity for you! Entrepreneurs who apply and are invited will join investors, business leaders, policy makers, and ecosystem partners at this premier global event.
Apply to join by March 1st HERE!
GES 2019: The Future Now
At GES 2019, we expect 2,000 participants, including 1,200 entrepreneurs, 400 investors, and 400 policy makers from over 120 countries. Business, government, and non-government leaders will bring billions of dollars of investment funding to distribute to GES entrepreneurs.
GES 2019 will be a two-day interactive event, with an inspiring program aimed at facilitating new partnerships. Matchmaking and networking at GES 2019 will give entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their solutions, share their insights and, perhaps, to meet that next partner or investor to help scale-up and make a deal that matters! For selected entrepreneurs, hotel accommodations are provided in The Hague.
Published in
Business
Tagged under
Friday, 08 February 2019 00:42
Katakouzenos Museum - Pericles' Funeral Oration
It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few.”
On the 28th of February Katakouzenos Museum is hosting a unique event that will give the English speaking audience an opportunity to explore one of the greatest political speeches of history.
The successful staging of Pericles’ Funeral Oration, translated into Modern Greek by Eleftherios Venizelos and directed by Dimos Avdeliodis at Katakouzenos Museum, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, captured the attention of the audience, making its own mark in the cultural life of Athens since January 2018 and is continuing to do so successfully in the current season.
Pericles’ Funeral Oration, a true rhetorical masterpiece that deeply influenced Western culture as an hymn for democracy, will now be presented in English both as a staged performance and as the main subject of a lecture. Leonee Ormond, Professor Emerita of Victorian Studies, King's College, London, will speak about 'Victorian Responses to Pericles' "Funeral Oration" and Ioanna Spanou will perform the Funeral Oration translated by Benjamin Jowett. We are honoured that Lily Venizelos will join us and will speak about the enduring power of El. Venizelos’ work.
On the 28th of February Katakouzenos Museum is hosting a unique event that will give the English speaking audience an opportunity to explore one of the greatest political speeches of history.
The successful staging of Pericles’ Funeral Oration, translated into Modern Greek by Eleftherios Venizelos and directed by Dimos Avdeliodis at Katakouzenos Museum, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, captured the attention of the audience, making its own mark in the cultural life of Athens since January 2018 and is continuing to do so successfully in the current season.
Pericles’ Funeral Oration, a true rhetorical masterpiece that deeply influenced Western culture as an hymn for democracy, will now be presented in English both as a staged performance and as the main subject of a lecture. Leonee Ormond, Professor Emerita of Victorian Studies, King's College, London, will speak about 'Victorian Responses to Pericles' "Funeral Oration" and Ioanna Spanou will perform the Funeral Oration translated by Benjamin Jowett. We are honoured that Lily Venizelos will join us and will speak about the enduring power of El. Venizelos’ work.
Published in
Art
Tagged under
Sunday, 17 February 2019 19:07
Athens Fashion Film Festival
The 1st Athens Fashion Film Festival presents a selection of fashion films and documentary films, which will take place on February 25, 26 and 27 at the Athens 'Megaron' Concert Hall (Nikos Skalkotas Hall) and brings together internationally recognised professionals and emerging talents from the fields of cinema, fashion, art and advertising.
The Athens Fashion Film Festival (AthensFFF), organised by Athens Cultural Creatives, aims to offer an innovative perspective to the innovative world of fashion films, to support animation, fashion and communication artists, and to transfer to the Greek and international audiences the latest trends in cinema, fashion and art.
The programme of the newly established festival includes, among other things, actions from the Milano Fashion Film Festival, projections, presentations and a round table with Constanza Cavalli-Etro (founder of the Milano Fashion Film Festival) and Orsola de Castro (founder of Fashion Revolution), as well as the presentation of the book "Firenze. Fashion Atlas " by Maria Luisa Frisa (curator and fashion critic).
The programme of the newly established festival includes, among other things, actions from the Milano Fashion Film Festival, projections, presentations and a round table with Constanza Cavalli-Etro (founder of the Milano Fashion Film Festival) and Orsola de Castro (founder of Fashion Revolution), as well as the presentation of the book "Firenze. Fashion Atlas " by Maria Luisa Frisa (curator and fashion critic).
Published in
Art
Tagged under
Thursday, 07 February 2019 07:00
Greece Expecting Twice As Many Visitors From The US In 2019
Great news for tourism as Greece is expecting the number of visitors from the US to double in 2019!
According to pre-bookings so far and data collected at the New York Times Travel Show, travel professionals in Greece are expecting a double-digit rise in 2019. In 2018 more than 1.2 million travelers from the US chose Greece for their holiday destination while direct flights to Athens increased by 10%.
Last spring, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) held its Destination Expo in Athens, where US travel experts reiterated the increasing demand by American holidaymakers for Greece. It is also worth mentioning that the year-round direct flights between Athens and New York have greatly facilitated traveling to Greece from the US.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages
Published in
Greece In The News
Tagged under
Tuesday, 05 February 2019 07:00
Exquisite Pan-Asian Cuisine At E&O Athens
E&O Athens first opened its doors in October and has already managed to become a favorite among the city’s most discerning foodies.
Located on the panoramic rooftop of the Athens Marriott hotel, E&O serves top-quality, delicious pan-Asian food in a stylish but casual setting with breath taking views.
At E&O Athens only the best local produce is used to create an enticing fusion of flavors from Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia. The food here is innovative, fresh, and beautifully presented. Some of our favorite dishes are the succulent Thai Beef Salad, the delicious Kimchi Butter Edamame, the Pork San Choi Bao, and the cooked-to-perfection Crispy Duck & Pancakes.
There is also a bar that serves expertly crafted drinks and cocktails, an outdoor plunge pool, and The Playroom – a party area which is ideal for private parties and events.
In addition to its à la carte menu, the restaurant also offers set menus for early evening dinner and business lunches.
Address: 385 Syngrou Avenue, 175 64, Athens
Address: 385 Syngrou Avenue, 175 64, Athens
Telephone: 210 9471234
Published in
Restaurants In Athens
Tagged under
Monday, 04 February 2019 07:00
Promising Greek Startups
Last April Equifund drastically changed the picture of the Greek start-up ecosystem after announcing that almost €500 million will be poured into new businesses in the next five years.
This amount of money may seem small in comparison to funding in other countries, but for Greek standards it is an enormous step, especially, given the circumstances in Greece during the past few years.
A couple of months ago, Found.ation, a leading technology and innovation enabling platform in SE Europe, partnered with EIT Digital, a leading European digital innovation and entrepreneurial education organization, and Velocity. Partners VC to release the 'Start-ups in Greece' report for the 2nd consecutive year.
The report is mainly focused on the 10 most funded start-ups in Greece – some of them already well known in the international start-up community – such as Softomotive, Workable, and Viva Wallet. The report also includes start-ups that still haven’t gained popularity but have the potential to become the next ‘game changers’ of the local start-up scene!
Get the full report here.
To read this article in full, please visit: Forbes
Published in
Greece In The News
Tagged under
Monday, 04 February 2019 07:00
Valentine's Day Giveaway - Win A Romantic Experience In Athens
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and Athens is about to be filled with love!
We wanted to make sure that this year is extra special so we've teamed up with Clio Muse Tours – an award-winning, local Greek self-guided audio tour app - and L'Audrion Wine & More - one of Athens' best wine bars in Plaka - to bring you a wonderfully romantic experience in Athens - dinner and a tour!
We wanted to make sure that this year is extra special so we've teamed up with Clio Muse Tours – an award-winning, local Greek self-guided audio tour app - and L'Audrion Wine & More - one of Athens' best wine bars in Plaka - to bring you a wonderfully romantic experience in Athens - dinner and a tour!
Enter and win a chance to celebrate Valentine's Day in Athens in a unique and romantic way!
HOW TO ENTER:
1. Like us on Facebook HERE and/or follow us on Instagram HERE.
2. Tag the person you'd like to share the experience with in the comments on the contest post on Facebook HERE and/or on Instagram HERE.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 12. Good luck lovebirds!
THE EXPERIENCE:
Clio Muse Audio Tour
1. Like us on Facebook HERE and/or follow us on Instagram HERE.
2. Tag the person you'd like to share the experience with in the comments on the contest post on Facebook HERE and/or on Instagram HERE.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 12. Good luck lovebirds!
THE EXPERIENCE:
Clio Muse Audio Tour
First you'll enjoy a self-guided English audio walking tour in central Athens called "Love as Chimera | Α Valentine Tour in Athens" that follows the steps of four passionate stories. All Clio Muse tours are written by accredited professionals in the unique Clio Muse ‘storytelling’ manner. All you need to do is download the tour to your smartphone device (Android & iOS), plug in your headphones, and head out to discover some of the most fascinating Athenian love stories! This romantic tour will take you to some of the city's most exciting locations such as the Acropolis Museum, Ermou, Psiri, and the National Archaeological Museum area. (*See note at bottom).
Learn more about Clio Muse on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
L'Audrion Dinner For 2 - Early Evening Reservation
Having set the mood with love filled stories from the city's fascinating past, head to L'Audrion - a most romantic French restaurant and one of Athens' most talked about wine bars, to indulge in a delicious meal prepared by Chef Alain Parodi! Your dinner will include 2 glasses of Crémant sparkling wine, a first course to share, a main course of your choice (each), a Valentine's dessert, water and coffee. (*See note at bottom)
Learn more about L'Audrion on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Note to Participants:
* The Clio Muse audio tour does not include a tour guide, earphones/headphones, transportation to/from attractions, food and drinks, hotel pickup and drop-off, or entrance fees to museums and sites. It includes offline content with offline interactive map to avoid roaming charges and to enjoy at your own pace, anytime. The app is not compatible with Windows phones.
** The reservation for dinner at L'Audrion must be made in the early evening; the table will be available for you to enjoy your meal strictly until 22:00 on February14th, 2019.
Published in
Local News
Tagged under
Sunday, 10 February 2019 11:11
World Spay Day - Sponsor A Cat Today
Nine Lives Greece is a network of volunteers dedicated to the reduction of the stray cat overpopulation through trap-neuter-return programmes.
Unneutered tomcats can create many problems on the streets - to themselves and also those unfortunate enough to get in their way. Five-month-old Gretel was found with a serious scratch wound on her face. And Snow White, who is only 9 months old, was attacked by an unneutered tomcat, likely either trying to mate with her or scare her off his turf.
Unneutered tomcats can create many problems on the streets - to themselves and also those unfortunate enough to get in their way. Five-month-old Gretel was found with a serious scratch wound on her face. And Snow White, who is only 9 months old, was attacked by an unneutered tomcat, likely either trying to mate with her or scare her off his turf.
Unneutered male cats spray everywhere to mark their territory, annoying their human neighbours and thus increasing the risk of poisoning. They roam further in search of females to mate with, heightening the probability of being run over and risking the lives of the female cats they chase.
They can father potentially hundreds of kittens in their lifetimes, adding to the overpopulation of stray cats in Athens.
Each February, Nine Lives participates in the Humane Society International’s World Spay Day – a global campaign that spotlights the importance of spaying/neutering.
Spaying/neutering is a proven way to reduce stray cat populations and improve their everyday quality of life. To mark World Spay Day, Nine Lives issues a challenge to supporters: help spay/neuter as many cats possible in one month!
For as little as €35, you can become a Friend of Nine Lives today and a cat will be spayed/neutered, get anti-parasite treatment and receive much-needed medical attention, all thanks to you!
Click HERE to read their stories and choose a cat (or cats) that you would like to sponsor!
They can father potentially hundreds of kittens in their lifetimes, adding to the overpopulation of stray cats in Athens.
Each February, Nine Lives participates in the Humane Society International’s World Spay Day – a global campaign that spotlights the importance of spaying/neutering.
Spaying/neutering is a proven way to reduce stray cat populations and improve their everyday quality of life. To mark World Spay Day, Nine Lives issues a challenge to supporters: help spay/neuter as many cats possible in one month!
For as little as €35, you can become a Friend of Nine Lives today and a cat will be spayed/neutered, get anti-parasite treatment and receive much-needed medical attention, all thanks to you!
Click HERE to read their stories and choose a cat (or cats) that you would like to sponsor!
Published in
Community
Tagged under