Filistron is a taverna on the Apostolou Pavlou pedestrian path – access the rooftop via the stairway to the side of the main entrance. The night I was there, the rooftop was packed, and they only just managed to fit three of us at a small table for two. We did not mind at all, as the view was worth it. I must say, even minus the view, Filistron has a delicious ‘higher end’ taverna menu. It’s not the cheapest taverna around, but I would go back for the octopus alone. Definitely book ahead here.

Lazy as I am, I then took my friends about 10 metres away from Filistron for a drink at Chocolat Royal. This one is a lounge/café/restaurant, with a labyrinthine interior, that takes you up elevators and stairs and even past the kitchen, until you emerge onto the rooftop. The night we were there it wasn’t busy at all – friendly service, restaurant menu. I wouldn’t hurry back, but it was certainly a place to keep on the list for a quiet evening with a glass of wine.

Sunday afternoon with foreign visitors in town means one thing: a visit to A For Athens. By now this has become Athens most famous rooftop, and the place is worth a visit for the view alone. Which, given its popularity, is all we managed on Sunday. No available tables, but worth the effort for the Instagram shots.

I’ve listed a few great rooftops below – most are quite well known. Some are always busy (A For Athens), others are less so (Central Hotel), and some are must-dos for every visitor and resident of Athens (Lycabettus Hill at sunset). All have great views, and are great spots to take visitors – and even pass muster for most of us locals…

Some say Athens looks better from 20 meters up. I’m starting to believe it.

Filistron (reservation recommended)
23 Apostolou Pavlou
+30 2103422897
www.filistron.com

Chocolat Royal
27 Apostolou Pavlou
+30 210 346 9077
www.chocolatroyal.gr

Thissio View
25 Apostolou Pavlou
+30 2103476754
http://www.thissioview.gr

A For Athens
2-4 Miaouli Str., Monastiraki Square
+30 210 32 44 244
www.aforathens.com

360
2 Ifaistou Str., Monastiraki Square
+30 210 321 0006
www.three-sixty.gr

Central Hotel
Apollonos 21, Plaka
+30 210 3234357
www.centralhotel.gr

Lycabettus Café
Head to Lycabettus Hill, and go up :)

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

This past weekend was just like that. We threw a few things in a bag on Friday afternoon, filled up the gas tank, and took off. Destination: the island of Poros.

We have all heard of the island chain nearest Athens – the Argo-Saronic islands of Aegina, Hydra, Spetses, Poros, Salamina. These are close enough to Athens to make a single day trip ferry crossing (morning to evening) absolutely easy and a real pleasure. There are numerous companies offering ‘one day cruises’ to 2-3 of these islands, leaving from Piraeus or Flisvos – also well worth it, especially with out-of-town friends.

We decided to head for Poros, but not via Piraeus. We drove around the coast into the Peloponnese, past Corinth, through Epidauros, and ended up 2 hours later and after a breathtaking coastal drive in the little town of Galata. Galata, as it happens, is directly across from Poros, not more than 300m across a narrow strait, with ferries and water taxis taking you across every 15 minutes, all night long… The ferries take you over with your car (€5.00 for car + 2 passengers), or the water taxis take you over if you are on foot (€1.00). 

We stayed in Galata on the mainland, only because I found a good deal on hotel rooms.  It’s equally convenient to stay on either side of the strait – find a place that you like and book it.

Poros is a lovely island – small, relaxed, quaint and home to lots of mooring yachts and sailboats. I would not call it ‘posh’, but it was certainly a nice place to be. It really came alive at night (as does most of Greece!), when everyone was out to enjoy a nice meal and a wander around the town. It’s an easy place to stay, it feels like a Greek island, and it’s even a place that families with young kids would enjoy. A ‘no brainer’ destination, as I like to say – no thought needed, just go.

After 24 hours there, and feeling ambitious about my Sunday, we decided to take the scenic route home, driving further along into Porto Heli (really liked!) and parking the car in the tiny port of Kosta, before jumping on the 15 minute ferry across to Spetses. Yes, 15 minutes and €2.00 to cross. Another no brainer.

Spetses is even a cut above Poros – lots of nice shops, a bit of a ‘higher end’ feel, no cars (99%...) and seemingly plenty to do in terms of beaches, activities.  But we stayed 2-3 hours, had a nice coffee and a bite of lunch, wandered around and snapped some picture, and then headed back across to my car.  The drive back to Athens from Kosta took about 2.5 hours, but still an easy drive – and I must say another beautiful picturesque drive.

The point is this: these islands are nice, they are easy to get to, and you wouldn't need to spend more than a day or two there – so maybe it’s time to plan your next weekend away? If you’ve been, you know what I mean. If you’ve never been, you should.

I didn’t mention the other constant element of the Weekend Away: the fact that most other people had the same idea, and that the traffic leaving the city was almost enough to make me want to turn back.

Almost.

Until next week,

Jack

Athens One Day Cruises
http://onedaycruise.gr/

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

We are fiercely loyal to our Local, and love bringing our friends and visitors there – although sometimes, if we’re honest, they might not understand our fascination with the place!

My own local is a place called Riza. Technically, I would say it qualifies as a ‘tsipouradiko’ or ‘rakadiko’, a place one goes to drink tsipouro or raki, accompanied by a little snack to off-set the booze (!).

So yes, you can get tsipouro here – or raki, or ouzo or wine. But this is not the whole story.

Riza looks cool. The owner has an obvious creative flair, and has infused the little place with whimsical touches, a careful understated aesthetic, creative musical choices (on vinyl!), and a undeniable feeling of ‘post-modern Athens’. So your eyes and ears and drink cup will be satisfied.

But what has kept me going back has nothing to do with the above. Riza has what is clearly a magician in the kitchen. The food is absolutely simple and absolutely delicious. (And, to be clear, nobody is paying me to write this.)

Here’s the thing – the menu is tiny. With no more than 8 or 10 selections, it is handwritten into recycled/repurposed books – lately, old children’s readers – literally scribbled and erased with the changing menu. And the menu does change, all the time, with whatever is fresh and local.  I would normally say ‘Oh, try the ___’, but at Riza that doesn’t always work. So, instead, without hesitation, ‘Oh, try everything…’  Delicious little sharing plates, a basket of fresh bread, and a wine-soaked afternoon in a friendly place under a tree – seriously, this what the Local is all about.

And the prices? I wont bother printing them here, since they are too good to be true. Let’s just say your wallet will thank you.

So next time you’re in Thisio and want a drink under a tree, and some lip-smacking meze… See you at my Local ;)

Riza
Iraklidon 7, Thisio, 11851
Phone: 213 023 7101
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/opef866

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

It’s a good 30km trek (and yes I am helmeted, protected and very careful!). Along the way I often think about how nice it would be to have even a few bicycle-friendly streets, a few more green spaces, maybe something architecturally interesting to look at along the way, basically anything that looks like development, change, renewal.

At the same time, I have equally frequent parallel thoughts about all the things that are happening around – painted buildings, new cafes/restaurants, cleaned up streets, start-ups, entrepreneur help-groups, etc.  It’s not a 180-degree change, and it doesn’t mean the problems are solved, but it’s certainly ‘something’…

In truth, there are some significant large-scale projects underway and announced, that promise to re-vamp and re-invent the face and reputation of Athens.

The Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center, already well underway, will include a new home for the National Opera and the National Library of Greece – amid lots of green space, all the way down to the waterfront… Take a look here: http://tinyurl.com/q248ju9

The Rethink Athens project is by now quite well known. I’m not sure what the progress is on this one, but it’s got a lot of eyes on it! http://www.rethinkathens.org/eng/project

And in case you haven’t heard yet, the old airport land at Hellinikon has been slated for redevelopment – unarguably a massive investment by Lamda Development, and one that surely has ‘world class’ stamped all over it. Check out the promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BmNlh2g_W8

I love what Willem Sodderland has to say in his blog – definitely some food for thought: http://tinyurl.com/nx58nep

But is all this ‘development’ or ‘dreams’? Why can’t it be both? My glass may not be half full, but it’s getting there…

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

There is something special about the start of May – it’s the weather, it’s the greening of the landscape, it’s the flowers in bloom everywhere, it’s the great energy of everyone, it’s the promise that summer is around the corner. It’s also the crazy cats doing their business on every corner and some interesting looking bugs on the street…

The whole weekend I was struck by something that seemed unusual, or rather ‘unseasonal’: the huge number of tourists in the city!  I began to notice this a couple weeks ago, but this past weekend left no doubt. Athens is back on the tourism map. Having been through the airport a few times over the past couple weeks, I can also say that the place is packed…

It seems Greek tourism is in all the headlines too – locally and internationally. Even the New York Times put Athens on its must-see list for 2014 (http://tinyurl.com/mgsgllo). That must deserve a thank-you from someone…

Here are some more recent headlines from a random search:

·      ‘Greece’s Market Return mirrors return of tourists’

·      ‘Tourism in Greece beats competition’

·      ‘Tourism Boom drives Greece to first surplus’

·      ‘Greek Tourism set for a record year’

·      ‘Greece sets positive signs for tourism’

Is it possible? Is it possible that all those people scared off by tales of violence and empty ATM machines are booking their EasyJet flights? Should we believe this out-pouring of positive feeling from abroad? Will this summer be one for the record books?

Well, it’s May and the answer – for now at least – seems to be a resounding yes. So hats off and smiles on for the tourists – they are everywhere…

In the meantime, if you’re looking to freshen up your springtime nightlife, or for cool new places to take your visiting friends, check out some of the many new bars that have popped up around the city: http://tinyurl.com/lbxgstp  (in Greek, but you’ll get the picture…)

Kalo mina to all…

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

By Saturday evening, I was itching to get out of the house (as unadvisable as it may have been), so I gave in to the insistence of my neighbourhood friends and joined them for the pre-midnight Anastasi service.  We went to Agia Marina, the church at the top of the hill in Thiseio – the one that is lit up every night and can be seen from the Apostolou Pavlou pedestrian path…
 
I’ve been there before; it’s a beautiful church built around the actual cave from the original structure. On the night of the Anastasi service, there was a special feeling at the church – lots of people, darkness inside, chanting – a ‘religious’ feeling to be sure.
 
After midnight, after the candle lighting and well wishes, most of the people poured out of the church and made their way to their homes and to their cars, down the quiet, deserted streets of Thiseio, candles in hand. This, for me, was a sight to see - almost romantic with the flickering of little flames and whispering voices…

On Sunday I joined a small group of ‘orphaned expats’ for a nice midday meal (lamb yes, but the kind one cooks in the oven – we are not so talented as to know how to operate a spit!). We went out for an afternoon stroll, expecting to find the city empty and shut down. What we saw was quite the opposite: many restaurants and cafes were open in the area, catering to the tons and tons of tourists that seemed to be everywhere. I guess at least that much of the news is true! The day was beautiful, the city was quietly humming, and one had the feeling that – for this one special afternoon - everything was right in the world.
 
(I didn’t mention the midnight firecrackers in the packed churchyard the night before and the stray dog that was going out-of-his-mind barking his little head off. It would just ruin the moment.)
 
Xronia polla to all!
 
Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

My perception over the past several weeks is that Greece, somehow, has turned a corner. At least on a macro level, the economy seems to have eased away from the brink, and all signs are pointing to a slow pattern of recovery. At least this is my perception, and those of many others I’ve spoken with.

However, looking outside and overhearing conversations on the street or in the café, I’m not quite sure…

Here is my problem with perception vs. reality: I don't know which one to believe! So, as with most things, I turn to Google for help. I have a bunch of news feeds set up on my internet homepage – from around the world, but also from Greek news sources. The headlines from this week are oh-so-confusing:

Cost of borrowing via T-bills drops to pre-bailout levels

City Hall's anti-graffiti campaign reaches Monastiraki

IBM to open New center in Athens for big data analytics

Benefits to all single-parent families and new unemployed

But also:

Supermarket chains sense worst is yet to come

GDP falls by €40bn in four years

Golden Dawn MP praises Hitler as a 'great personality'

My own strong perception is that Greece is changing. In small steps, to be sure, but changing nonetheless. This perception is also echoed by my international friends and colleagues who seem to believe that Greece is getting its act together. And many of whom, it seems, have already booked a holiday here this summer. 

Perception is reality. Western self-help psychology tells us that changing our perception can change our reality. And I tend to agree. I feel (want, hope) that Greece is changing, slowly crawling to a better place. And maybe if we all started to believe this, our perception would slowly shift, our mood would slowly change, our interactions would improve, and our overall experience of Greece would improve is subtle ways. Thus, by believing we have turned a corner, we will have changed our reality.  Naïve? Perhaps…  Effective? Most likely…

In the end, I suppose we have to make our own reality, and our individual perception will constantly shift depending on where our day takes us. Maybe the trick is to ‘manage’ our perception like we manage our news feeds.

One thing is for sure: this weekend’s perception (long weekend) and reality (long weekend) are very much in line.  Happy Easter to all  :)

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

I finally decided it’s time to replace my slowly dying laptop. Seeing as though I’ve been out of work for some time now, buying a new laptop really wasn’t on the list of purchases for the month. But after deciding which computer to buy and researching the best price, my husband and I decided that we’ll do it; really the only way we were able to afford the new computer is with what Greeks call ‘doseis’ (or monthly installments). Most of us know these words all too well.

Anyway, after much paper work (signatures, photocopies of ID cards, credit checks, etc.,) the sales person told me that I’ll receive a telephone call once everything is confirmed so that I can pick up my new computer. Excellent! So I’ll be patient a couple days and then I’ll get my new computer.

A few days later I get a call saying that there is a missing piece of paper in our file (OF COURSE THERE IS…isn’t there always!), and the helpful gentleman, who turned out to be a fellow expat here from Australia, explained to me that I gave them a copy of our 2011 tax return and not 2012. So I went through all my files and papers (you all know what that feels like – frustration at its max!) and found nothing!

I called the store back and told them that there must be some kind of mistake because I gave them the most recent tax return that I had on file…and well we haven’t filed taxes for the 2012 year right? I was very confused. Not to mention impatient ‘cause I was worried I wouldn’t get my new computer.

But the sales person explained to me that I was wrong and that I’ll have to get a copy of the last tax return from the tax office. OMG! You could imagine my blood boiling with the thought of lining up at the tax office for a copy of my tax return. I was ready to cancel the order just because of that.

Thankfully my new Australian friend, the helpful sales person who helped me initially, explained that I must have filed last year’s taxes electronically and that’s why I don’t have a printed copy of the return. He was right, I remember having to stand in a line up last year to get codes for our online taxes. Then he told me that if I log on to the government tax website that I can download a copy of the document and then just fax it to him.

Hmmmm, did he just say log on to a government website and all of my information will be there for download? Of course I didn’t believe him. But since I had the codes in my hand and my slowly dying old laptop was working well with me at that moment, I decided to try.

So yup, right, the website loaded and it was a very decent website. It allowed me to log in with my own username and password and lo and behold there was an option to view and print the PDF version of my tax return. OMG! It actually worked!

I felt like calling everyone I knew who ever had a problem with the ‘Greek system’ (that’s everyone I know who lives in Greece – Greek and non) to tell them that it works! It actually works…!

So this is my story…and now I’m sitting in my living room with my new laptop (paid by ‘doseis’) writing to you and searching for jobs online. Greece is comin’ around. I just know it!

Thanks for reading…

Anna

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Sounio is one of those destinations that ‘some’ people love to hate. It’s quite a hike from Athens, and the reward is ‘just’ a 5^th century BC Temple of Poseidon. There is no huge site, no museum, not much but the temple ruins. 

But the position on the edge of the cape, the spectacular drive en route, and the famous sunset make the trip a worthwhile one to have on ‘repeat’ whenever friends visit the city.

If you’re heading in that direction, Vouliagmeni is about half-way down the coast. There are numerous tavernas and cafes along the way, but one that I especially like is En Plo. It’s perched right on the seaside, with a great view of the coast, and lots of sporty activity in the water nearby.

The place itself is modern, ‘cool’, relaxed. There is a full menu – from the interesting to the every day (seared wasabi salmon or club sandwich?). Prices are reasonable, service is acceptable. And the whole experience – seaside, sunshine, coffee, snacks, music – is priceless.

For everything else there’s Mastercard, as the saying goes. And they do accept it.  Bring on the spring!

Hip Café
Mitropoleos 26
http://hipcafe.gr

En Plo
Poseidonos 4, Vouliagmeni
http://www.en-plo.gr

Until next week,

Jack