BUSINESS CENTRE
XpatAthens
In Greece - There's Always A Church Nearby
Fabrika Tou Efrosinou In Koukaki
Telephone: 210 924 6354
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday - 13:30 to 23:00, Friday through Saturday - 13:30 to midnight, Sunday - 13:00 to 22:00, Closed Monday
Athens International Airport Welcomes Over 10 Million Passengers
The Program Of The Summer Nostos Festival Has Been Announced
Every June, the week-long SNFestival invites us to travel back to our favorite summers, guided by music, dance and melodies, stories and laughter, exercise and play, and live yet another unforgettable beginning of summer!
The Summer Nostos Festival (SNFestival) is an international multifaceted arts, sports and education festival. Admission is free for all, and the festival is addressed to visitors of all age groups and interests, aspiring to become a friendly creative platform where people can get together, express themselves and exchange ideas.
The open events of the 2019 SNFestival will take place from June 23rd to June 30th, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), with free admission to all. As every year, on June 23rd, on the occasion of World Olympic Day, the evening race SNF RUN: Running into the Future will be held.
Download the full program of events, here.
Source: www.snfestival.org
Interesting Facts About The Flag Of Greece
There is a blue canton in the upper left-side corner bearing a white cross which represents Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the official religion of the Greek nation, and follows a proportion of 2:3. Even though there is no designated shade of blue, most flags in Greece tend to feature dark or royal blue.
March 25th Amid Covid-19 - A Reason To Smile
- The Goo Goo Dolls’ lead singer held a porch concert to help local small businesses impacted by the coronavirus.
- Formula 1 race car teams work with UK authorities to repurpose their expertise to build ventilators, which are required and in short supply for those with serious cases of COVID-19.
- Fashion designer Christian Siriano and Dov Charney repurpose their workshops to make face masks and medical gowns.
- 300 Chinese doctors and 31 tons of medical supplies arrived in Italy from China to help the Italians battle the coronavirus.
- Spanish police sing to families in lockdown in Mallorca.
- L’Oreal starts a solidarity initiative and is arming health care, pharmacy, and food distribution workers with hand sanitizer to help fight the coronavirus.
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk is gearing up to donate 250,000 N95 face masks for hospitals and to begin production of ventilators with the goal of having 1,000 ready by next week.
Athens Named Best Brunch Spot In Europe
In fact, Athens has risen to the best city in Europe for brunch, according to new research by Uswitch.com. Amazingly, the Greek capital appears to have surpassed even places with a long-established brunch culture, like the UK.
To establish their rankings, the company analyzed data from Tripadvisor for all major cities in Europe, taking into account the number of restaurants and their ratings, as well as prices. Besides the many options and high average quality of the food served in Athens, the affordable rates secured its spot. “With 1,136 restaurants to choose from, the average price of a brunch in the ancient city is just €16.66 on average, the fifth cheapest of all capitals analyzed,” a press release for the study stated. For true lovers of the pre-midday munch, these low prices make brunching an option for every day, rather than just a Sunday tradition. Meanwhile, cities like Copenhagen, known as a foodie’s paradise with gourmet options for the meal in question (Smørrebrød anyone?), received lower ranking due to their high rates.
Athens climbed from second to first place this year, having placed just below Tirana in the same study last year.
Originally published on: greece-is.com
Timeless Greek Philosophy: 5 Must-Read Works For Enduring Wisdom
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"The Symposium" by Plato
- Genre: Philosophy, Dialogue
- In this philosophical dialogue, Plato explores the nature of love and desire through a series of speeches delivered at a banquet. "The Symposium" provides profound insights into the different aspects of love, with themes that continue to resonate in discussions on relationships, beauty, and the pursuit of the ideal.
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"Nicomachean Ethics" by Aristotle
- Genre: Philosophy
- Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics" remains a cornerstone of ethical philosophy. Delving into the nature of virtue, happiness, and the moral character of individuals, this work serves as a timeless guide for contemplating the principles of a well-lived life.
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"The Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius
- Genre: Philosophy, Stoicism
- Penned by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, "The Meditations" offers a series of personal reflections on Stoic philosophy. Through these introspective writings, Aurelius explores the importance of reason, virtue, and the acceptance of life's inevitable challenges.
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"The Bacchae" by Euripides
- Genre: Tragedy, Drama
- Euripides' tragedy "The Bacchae" delves into the conflict between rationality and primal instincts, embodied by the god Dionysus. Exploring themes of ecstasy, liberation, and the consequences of denying fundamental aspects of human nature, this play invites profound philosophical reflection.
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"The Consolation of Philosophy" by Boethius
- Genre: Philosophy, Consolation Literature
- Composed while imprisoned, Boethius' work engages with philosophical questions on fate, free will, and the nature of happiness. "The Consolation of Philosophy" takes the form of a dialogue between Boethius and Lady Philosophy, offering solace and wisdom in the face of adversity.
Kids Beds
City Weekend
With Athens locals slowly trickling out of the city – as tourists continue to pour in – I spent most of Saturday in house cleaning mode. With the air conditioner working overtime, and my back already gone on vacation, I ventured out for a late afternoon drink to one of my favourite places in Athens – Moma Café. On Adrianou Street, it’s a nice change from the run of the mill tavernas on the strip – I’ve mentioned it before I’m sure.
Sunday came with an invitation for sushi lunch. No need to ask me twice – I love tavernas, but I never decline an offer for sushi. Sushi is not so common (and not so cheap) in Athens, but there are a few places to go. We went to Koi, which is in the Syntagma neighbourhood. The menu is simple, the food is good, and there are even a few native English speakers on staff. The best part here was the price – good value for an otherwise pricey commodity.
One of our group of expats brought along a friend named Grigoris. Our sushi afternoon quickly turned into an exploration of the expat experience versus the ‘native’ Greek experience – what are the differences, what are the similarities? Someone made the point that, as expats, we have chosen to live here (in most cases), and so our mindset is immediately different from a local Greek who has emotional/familial ties to ‘home’ here.
While this may be the case, Grigoris had a different perspective. Grigoris was born and raised in Athens. Now in his late-30s, he juggles 2 jobs - as a realtor and as a production coordinator in the movie business. As he puts it, ‘…and still it’s not enough…’ Having lived in Greece his whole life, he nonetheless speaks perfect almost unaccented English (I even asked where he had lived abroad). He has had several opportunities to move abroad, especially to the UK and the US, but has chosen to stay here instead, and try his best to make a life in the place he loves most. He has had many moments of confusion, where he wasn’t sure if he should stay or leave, fight or flee. So far, he chooses to be here.
Grigoris has strong views about what needs to change in Greece – and what needs to remain forever unchanged. He regaled us with everything that is absolutely backwards about the Greek film industry. Not to mention the real estate field. But he has chosen to live his life here and work for change.
So, between spicy tuna rolls and sashimi, we agreed that making a conscious choice about living here is key to one’s mindset and to one’s ability to navigate crisis and post-crisis life in this amazing city. Clearly, having a job helps too.
In case you choose sushi, here are just a few choices around Athens:
Koi Sushi
Nikis 15, Syntagma
Furin Kazan
Appollonos 2, Syntagma
Yoko
Patriarchou Ioakeim 39, Kolonaki
Godzilla
Flisvos Marina, Palio Faliro
Inbi
Iraklitou 21, Kolonaki
Enjoy!
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…