XpatAthens
Monday, 29 June 2015 07:00
Anthony Quinn Art Exhibition At Chicago’s National Hellenic Museum
Artwork by late actor Anthony Quinn will be exhibited at the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago. Quinn played the emblematic role of Zorba in the movie “Zorba the Greek.”
The exhibit entitled “Transcending Boundaries: The Art of Anthony Quinn,” opened at the museum in Chicago’s Greektown neighborhood on Friday. It features more than 80 of the actor’s paintings and sculptures along with a replica of the studio where he worked.
Quinn started drawing and sculpting at the age of 17 and continued to practice his art until his 80s. His art talent was rewarded by gaining an apprenticeship under architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
To read more, please visit: The Greek Reporter
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Greece In The News
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Monday, 14 November 2016 07:00
Skyros - The Sporades Islands
Skyros, located in the Sporades islands, is famous for its traditions - carved wooden furniture, delightful pottery, embroideries - and its miniature ponies! Skyros is also known all over Greece for its Carnival traditions, which may have their origin in Dionysiac revels.
This island can almost be considered two islands, its two halves being so different. Most of its 3,000 inhabitants live in the northern half, which is wooded and fertile, while the southern half is barren, mountainous and wild.
The island’s port, Linaria, midway between the two halves, has a number of good fish tavernas, while the best beaches are to the south-west and north-east, though the latter can be windblown. Those on the north-west are pine-shaded but stony.
To read this article in full, please visit: Hip Greece
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Travel Greece
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Monday, 29 May 2017 07:00
Cafes Amidst The Athenian Gardens
Finding a greenspace in Athens is harder than it looks, but thankfully, Culinary Backstreets searched for us and found a few delightful garden cafes, perfect for a coffee, tea, or snack.
Just behind Parliament lies the Ethnikos Kipos, or National Gardens, the indisputable green heart of the city. The gardens’ café sits at the Irodou Attikou entrance, with retro green tables arrayed symmetrically in the relaxing shade of the alleyway.
The Black Duck Garden, located on Klauthmonos square between Omonia and Syntagma, is housed in one of the city’s oldest surviving neoclassical buildings. Constructed in 1833, it was the temporary palace of King Otto and Queen Amalia. It’s an ideal getaway for a quiet coffee or a glass of wine paired with a Greek cheese platter.
Hidden behind high walls, away from the noise of the busy touristy area of Anafiotika in Plaka, the nonprofit Alumni Association of the School of Fine Arts (Enosi Ptichiouchon Scholi Kalon Technon), with its old marble statues and lovely details, has the artiest green courtyard in the city. The old-fashioned coffee-shop tables and the built-in benches under the tall, leafy trees contribute to a warm, convivial atmosphere.
To read this article in full, please visit: Culinary Backstreets
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Pubs, Bars & Cafes
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Monday, 28 August 2017 10:01
New Wave Cafes In Downtown Athens
Autumn is right around the corner and enjoying a hot cup of coffee is even more enjoyable with a crisp in the air. Culinary Backstreets gives us a tour of the new wave cafes in downtown Athens with trendy aesthetics and hip baristas!
Despite (or perhaps because of) Greece’s ongoing economic crisis, the number of quality coffee shops in Athens has mushroomed in recent years, and a rising cadre of professional baristas – a trendy title to hold nowadays – is taking pleasure in sharing their knowledge of coffee making and drinking.
Regardless of what kind of coffee you like to drink, make sure to head first to Kaya, without a doubt the best espresso bar in the city. Located in Stoa Bolani, an arcade close to Syntagma Square that hides some of central Athens’ best secret spots, this tiny coffee workshop is always teeming with locals.
To Dentro tou Cafe (The Coffee Tree) in Exarchia doubles as a cozy coffee shop and a retailer of freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee sourced from all over the world.
To read this article in full, please visit: Culinary Backstreets
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Pubs, Bars & Cafes
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Sunday, 12 November 2017 13:26
October 24th - Staying Up-To-Date
Discover the history behind the Aegean sea, find out which Greek Airline is in the Top10 list worldwide and learn all about the most popular food products in Greece!
Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletter, Facebook, and Twitter
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletter, Facebook, and Twitter
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Newsletters
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Monday, 14 May 2018 08:25
Athens To Canada Flights In High Demand
Air Transat, Canada’s leading leisure airline, has recently increased their flights from Athens to Canada by 14 percent compared to 2017. Stating that the Athens market has a high demand for Canadians wanting to visit the Greek capital, the airline's Director of Sales announced that the airline would specifically add flights from Athens to Toronto and Montreal.
Air Transat's service from Greece to Canada will begin this summer season 2018. They will offer six direct flights every week to Montreal and Toronto. For passengers wanting to go to Vancouver or Calgary, Air Transat will offer connecting flights via Athens three times a week.
The flight schedule will run until October 2018.
Published in
International Travel
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Monday, 21 January 2019 07:00
Fried Feta With Sesame Seeds And Honey
A mouthwatering veggie dish, that will amaze you. An extraordinary combination of juicy, salty fried feta covered with crispy, golden-brown sesame seeds with sweet honey sauce! Quick and easy to prepare, this dish will definitely become your favorite appetizer!
Fried feta with honey is a delicious meze that has it’s origins in Cretan cuisine, where one can find lots of recipes that combine salty cheese with sweet, or sour-sweet honey sauces.
Ingredients
- 250g feta cheese (9 ounces)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 1 tsp of freshly ground pepper
- 70-80g of flour, enough to coat the feta (3 ounces)
- 160g sesame seeds
- Olive oil for frying
- 4 tbsps of honey
Photo Credit: My Greek Dish
Published in
Greek Food & Diet
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Wednesday, 18 September 2019 13:44
ACS Athens Virtual School Lauches Its Programs For The 2019-2020 Academic Year
The ACS Athens Virtual School officially inaugurates its programs for the academic year 2019-2010, under the auspices of The Institute of ACS Athens.
Today’s high school and middle school students need to be prepared for a world that exponentially depends on technology, an ever-changing environment with multi-faceted demands.
Well-designed courses provide great opportunities for students to learn through authentic and diverse teaching and learning modalities that constitute and further extend the i²Flex methodology. Developed 12 years ago at ACS Athens, this blended teaching methodology specifies that student learning occurs in the following dimensions:
· i: independent, yet teacher-guided learning;
· i: inquiry-based learning;
· Flex: flexible learning in a continuum from face-to-face to virtual classroom settings
The Virtual School offers online courses that come to meet the individual needs of students worldwide for high school credit. The exceptionally skilled faculty of ACS Athens, trained to teach both i²Flex and online courses, bring the academic excellence of ACS Athens courses to the online mode by promoting learner-centered instructional designs and experiences, while at the same time maintaining student-teacher contact through synchronous and asynchronous virtual class projects and meetings. Continuous support and monitoring of the student provides a holistic approach to student learning and performance.
The first group of 11 online courses begins this October and runs for 15 weeks in order to secure up to one high school credit. The second group begins in February 10, 2020 and, again, runs for 15 weeks for up to one high school credit.
Accelerated summer courses are offered, beginning in the second week of June 2020 and will end the last week of July (8 weeks) for a one-semester, 0.5 high school credit.
In the following semesters, the ACS Athens Virtual School will be offering Undergraduate College credit courses and Graduate credit courses in collaboration with top US Universities. Moreover, EFL/ESL modules, IB modules, and AP preparatory courses will be available in the following academic year 2020-21.
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Local News
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Monday, 14 December 2020 07:00
My Lessons From Quarantine
I remember the day before the second quarantine started. It was Sunday and my 8-year-old daughter kept on repeating "#nightmare, #nightmare" – apparently she had heard it in a girl series on TV. She had no clue what “#” meant but she knew pretty well the word “nightmare.” That’s how she felt when we told her she would have to attend online classes again as schools were closed.
A week later she commented: "Anyway mom online schooling has its good part too." "What do you mean?" I asked full of surprise. "At school, we have to show hands when the teacher asks a question and this can be tiring at times. Now if I want to show my hand I just need to press a button.” Great progress, I thought to myself. "I'm so happy you can see there are positives as well," I told her. It was not long before her second positive comment: "You know something, mom? Now you do not need to apply lice spray to my hair before I go to school. I was freezing when you’d spray me in the morning." Then another day she added: "Dad works from home now so we see more of him. Of course, I'm not saying that I like being in this quarantine, not at all, but at least there are some positives."
When you hear your daughter talk like this you realize how much we have that we do not actually see or do not give them the attention they deserve. But also how much more there is to discover. An otherwise "ordinary" walk in the neighborhood park that brings unexpected meetings with friends that you haven’t seen for a long time. An impromptu last-minute picnic just because the day was sunny. One more hug because you took a quick break from online. Ten more valuable minutes to sleep in the morning as you don’t have to drive to work. Less traffic, less honking, less "come on, get ready, let’s go…".
In this second quarantine, both my family and I are all consciously much more flexible. This doesn’t mean we are not worried about COVID-19 and our safety. We are very cautious and take all necessary measures. But what I notice is that we’re calmer and it is easier for us to take things as they come. I admit I took my lesson but I also admit I do not forget to repeat it every day!
If there’s a topic you’re interested in and would like to learn more about you may contact me via email. For more information about me and my work check the XpatAthens Directory or visit my website. Because this is your life!
Published in
Mind
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Tuesday, 01 June 2021 07:04
Tourism On The Rise & Greece's Top Destinations
Home to some of the world's most iconic landmarks and countless beautiful islands, Greece has always appealed to travelers as an ideal holiday destination. Renowned for its natural landscapes, rich history, and delicious cuisine, it's not surprising that tourism continues to be one of the most important sectors contributing to the Greek economy today.
In 2020, the Greek tourism industry was devastated by the pandemic, but this year the country has been topping the lists of ‘safe destinations for travelers’. As the world begins to slowly begin traveling again, the below destinations are still among the most popular among Greece's visitors.
Are you living in Greece right now? What destinations would you recommend for visitors to explore in Greece?
1. Athens
Considered the historical capital of Europe, Athens brims with historical monuments, from the Ancient Agora to the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The most visited site, however, is the Acropolis, a rocky mound rising in the heart of modern Athens, crowned by the Parthenon, the most famous ancient Greek temple. A symbol of Athens, Greece, and the Western Civilization, in general, Acropolis justifiably is Greece's most famous tourist attraction.
2. Santorini
Greece’s number one island destination for tourists, Santorini is a volcanic island in the Cyclades, mostly famous for its cliff-top towns of Fira and Oia hanging above a sea-filled caldera. Traditional whitewashed cubic houses, black volcanic sand beaches, picturesque villages, and magical sunsets, it's no wonder Santorini is the most romantic of all the Greek islands.
Greece’s number one island destination for tourists, Santorini is a volcanic island in the Cyclades, mostly famous for its cliff-top towns of Fira and Oia hanging above a sea-filled caldera. Traditional whitewashed cubic houses, black volcanic sand beaches, picturesque villages, and magical sunsets, it's no wonder Santorini is the most romantic of all the Greek islands.
3. Nafplio
Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece, is considered by many the most beautiful city in the whole country. Indeed, its uniquely distinctive character and romantic aura are sure to take your breath away. Neo-classical mansions, hidden churches, the Palamidi Fortress, a true architectural masterpiece offering mesmerizing views of the Argolic Gulf, and the water castle of Bourtzi, Kolokotronis' first prison, are only some of the town's major attractions.
Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece, is considered by many the most beautiful city in the whole country. Indeed, its uniquely distinctive character and romantic aura are sure to take your breath away. Neo-classical mansions, hidden churches, the Palamidi Fortress, a true architectural masterpiece offering mesmerizing views of the Argolic Gulf, and the water castle of Bourtzi, Kolokotronis' first prison, are only some of the town's major attractions.
4. Meteora
Located in Thessaly, Meteora is an awe-inspiring sight that has been attracting visitors from all over the world. A vast terrain of rocky formations, Meteora is known for its dozens of Eastern Orthodox monasteries situated on top of massive boulders. In addition to visiting the Monasteries, one can engage in a variety of outdoor activities, including rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking.
5. Mykonos
Also known as the "Greek Ibiza", Mykonos is undoubtedly the most glamorous island in Greece, the epitome of cosmopolitanism. With its plethora of beach bars and super clubs, Michelin-starred restaurants, and high-end boutiques, "the Island of the Winds" is the ultimate Greek destination for international celebrities, party animals, and sun worshippers.
6. Delphi
A UNESCO world heritage site, Delphi used to be considered as the center of the world by Ancient Greeks. Located at the foot of Mount Parnassus, the sanctuary of Delphi, dedicated to Apollo, was for many centuries home to Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The site consists of the ruins of many temples, a theater, and a stadium, built between the 8th century BC and the 2nd century AD.
A UNESCO world heritage site, Delphi used to be considered as the center of the world by Ancient Greeks. Located at the foot of Mount Parnassus, the sanctuary of Delphi, dedicated to Apollo, was for many centuries home to Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The site consists of the ruins of many temples, a theater, and a stadium, built between the 8th century BC and the 2nd century AD.
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Travel Greece
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