This time, she had an entire morning to spare, and we made the most of it. Since she considers herself to be very much a visitor in Athens, and has never really liked it here, I suggested that we take an easy stroll around my ‘hood: Thiseio, Philopappou, Plaka – the places I love and see every day. We walked towards the Asteroskopeion, up the hill and headed for the lookout near the Pnyx monument. (If you’ve never been there, I highly recommend it for the best views of the Acropolis!) We continued down the hill towards Plaka. Instead of heading into Plaka proper, we took a detour away from the crowds and went into the Anafiotika neigbourhood.

(Footnote: I have had many debates about the ‘tell’ or ‘do no tell’ approach to Anafiotika. Do we want everyone to know about it, or do we want it as our little secret? Not sure where I stand on that one…)

Then we descended into Plaka and stopped for a much-needed coffee at a curbside café, watching the crowds pass by.

It was her reaction to all of this that made my day. She said, unprompted, “All those people who say they don’t like Athens – it’s simply because they don’t know Athens!” I couldn’t agree more. After that epiphany, we said our goodbyes…

I went home, jumped on my bike, and rode (yes, all the way) to Marousi for a late lunch with family in my old neighbourhood. On the ride back home, I passed by the Philippino Festival at the Fokiano Gymnasium site near the Zappeion – lots of people, lots of food & music.

Full, exhausted and happy, I returned home later in the evening and spent the last moments of a great day entertaining those terrible thoughts of Monday morning… ☺

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…

Now RIEN, her storefront, sits next to Dior and Prada. Her handmade leather handbags sell for 180 to 450 euros, rather steep for the crisis-stricken Greek market, but Vomva says business is good and it would have been better if it wasn’t for the crisis.

The 35-year-old designer started in 2008, at the beginning of the Eurozone crisis. She began showcasing her clothes in a hotel suite and now has two stores, one in Athens and the other in the cosmopolitan island of Mykonos. Like many other new Greek business owners, she is focusing on exports. Switzerland and Saudi Arabia are her key targets, selling through an online shopping site and keeping costs low. Vomva has two employees, so she does most of the work herself. Sales are up, however, so she is optimistic.

“It is really difficult to work in this crisis,” she said. “If I hadn’t studied business administration before getting in the fashion industry, I wouldn’t have made it.”

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Philip Chrysopoulos

3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek, trimmed and chopped, including the green part of the stalk
1 garlic clove
1 cup Greek nihaki or other short grain rice
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup water

Pinch of turmeric

1/4 teaspoon saffron powder or a pinch of saffron threads
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small egg
½ – 1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese
Flour for dredging
Oil for frying
Arugula and some parmesan or other hard cheese, shaved for a simple salad

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot and cook the leek and garlic until soft and lightly colored. Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil, and add turmeric, stock and water. Season with salt and pepper. Dilute the saffron threads if using, in a tablespoon of warm water and add to the rice. If using saffon powder, mix it into the simmering rice. Stir to distribute the saffron evenly. Simmer the pilaf covered until the rice absorbs all of the water. Remove from heat, remove lid and cover pot with a kitchen towel. Let the rice cool completely.

Mix the egg and cheese into the cooled rice. Add enough breadcrumbs to form a mass firm enough to hold its shape when formed into patties.

Shape the rice into small patties, about 2 ½ in./ 6 ½ cm in diameter. Dredge lightly in flour. Heat two inches of cooking oil in a medium pot and fry the patties a few at a time. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot or warm with a simple arugula – parmesan salad.

By Diane Kochilas

dianekochilas.com