Hollywood movie star and heart-throb, Matthew McConaughey, recently appeared on Jimmy Fallon's 'The Tonight Show' to promote his new film called 'White Boy Rick.' While they did talk about the film, what caught our attention was his mention of his love for Greece!

McConaughey and his family, including his mother, father-in-law, wife, and kids, as well as Woody Harrelson's family, recently spent 3 weeks in a house in Antiparos this summer, relishing the Greek lifestyle. In the funny clip below, McConaughey tells Fallon about how his family loved Greece so much, that they decided to extend their holiday. However, when his mom was prepared to leave as planned, it didn't take too much convincing for her to stay!

Due to extreme weather conditions, the 3rd Athens Coffee Festival Shall be postponed from this Saturday to Sunday, September 30th. The Festival is extended until Tuesday, October 2nd.

The Athens Coffee Festival is a large celebration of coffee and its surrounding culture, addressed equally to industry professionals, home baristas and the general public!

From its very first iteration, in May 2016, the Athens Coffee Festival managed to become one of the world’s finest coffee festivals! The potential of its dynamic is also confirmed by the impressive number of visitors, the statements of satisfaction by participating companies, as well as the positive comments by sector professionals from Greece and abroad.

At a time when the coffee market is at the height of its growth, going through its most mature phase, the Athens Coffee Festival is now a reference point for professionals, but also for the general public, interested in learning about all the innovations and market developments, from flagship espresso houses and distinguished Greek and international specialty coffee roasters.

In order to meet the needs of coffee businesses more effectively, the Athens Coffee Festival takes place every year at the end of September, in view of the winter season.

This year, Technopolis-Athens, in Gazi, will host the 3rd Athens Coffee Festival between September 30 and October 2. The aim is to attract as many sector professionals as possible, from every corner of Greece, along with a selection of major international visitors. At the same time, the festival will continue to appeal to the dynamic audience of consumers who are coffee aficionados and are interested in the latest trends and developments in the field of coffee.

Get cozy, curl up with a good book and a coffee, and voila! You have the recipe for a brilliant afternoon (or morning, or night...we like it all). According to the popular app Foursquare, these are the 15 coziest places in Athens!

Users said: "I loved this place, small and cozy and friendly service." "Makes you feel like home with friendly staff, good music, and good prices."

Address: Evinou 3
Telephone: 21 1012 6765
Facebook

Users said: "A very cozy corner near the Acropolis museum where you can enjoy TAF coffee and be surrounded by books."

Address: Kavalloti 2
Telephone: 21 0924 3762
Facebook

Users said: "Cozy and beautiful. Authentic ambience and positive energy all around." "Really great and cozy cafe with a Parisian atmosphere!"

Address: Kolonaki, Halandri, Kifissia, and Pagrati (please see website for specific addresses)
Telephone: Halandri - 210 6814825, Pagrati - 215 5519685, Kolonaki - 210 3613169
Website

To read this article in full, please visit: Foursquare

In a recent report by the Wind Energy in Europe: Outlook to 2022, Greece is about to see a 50% increase of about 1,300 MW between the period of 2018 and 2022. This is compared to Greece's wind energy capacity at the end of last year.

Panagiotis Ladakakos, president of the Hellenic Wind Energy Scientific Association is committed to promoting green energy in the country stating, "Greece needs to multiply its efforts and to exceed significantly the current estimate for new wind power installations in the near future."

The Wind Energy in Europe report also stated that 2019 is looking like it will be a record year for new wind energy installations. Currently, Germany is the leading country in the EU for the production of wind energy.

Article source: Greek Reporter

From September 29^th to October 2^nd, Athens welcomes the largest gastronomical event in Greece at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center!

Taste of Athens, brings the best restaurants, food and drink brands of the city together and invites its guests to get to discover them through immersive experiences. From cooking lessons by world-class chefs, to wine tastings and cocktail preparation classes, Taste of Athens offers numerous experiences that inspire, educate and entertain.

Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of a luxurious picnic that will mark the end of the summer on the calendars of foodies everywhere.

A rare exhibition on China's Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) is going on display at the Acropolis Museum, with a first time presentation to the public of remarkable artifacts representing over 100 years of Chinese culture of the 18th century.

One of the most renowned emperors in Chinese history, Qianlong (Qing Dynasty, 1644-1911) is the Emperor who reformed China,doubled its size and population, tended to the well-being of its citizens and nurtured the arts and letters with passion. He remained on the throne for sixty years (1736-1795) leaving his personal mark on the art of China.

This Acropolis Museum exhibition design was inspired directly by the buildings, colors and forms of the Palaces of the Forbidden City. The exhibition boasts 154 exquisite works of art, ceremonial robes, furniture and functional objects from the Emperor's private apartments in the Palace of Many Splendors (Chonghua Gong) where, as he himself wrote, he spent his youth and drew inspiration for his subsequent plans for the successful management of his vast country.

On first entering the exhibition the visitor meets the Emperor's embroidered gold ceremonial attire and the huge portrait that depicts Him immediately after his ascent to the throne. The Empress’ impressive ritual dress follows, and immediately after, the complete presentation of the Imperial throne with all its accompanying furniture and accessories. A next display presents the tea services used by the Emperor and his guests, his poetic texts and theatrical costumes from the private performances held at the Palace.

The Room of Fragrant Orchids that follows reveals the heated bed of the Imperial couple, wall screens with rare floral decoration and ornamental works of art of the Emperor’s personal choice. Two large exhibits, a second brocaded throne with accessories and the Emperor's study decorated with white jade plaques come after, and it at this desk that the gifted leader spent many hours of his day writing texts about his country's beauties, human relationships and the proper exercise of royal powers.

The exhibition ends with exceptional Buddhist artworks of precious materials: ritual vessels, tributes and great proverbs, but dominating are the statues of the young Buddha, the third Dalai Lama and a Buddhist missionary, demonstrating the predominant role of Buddhism in the Emperor's life.

The exhibition “from the forbidden city: imperial apartments of Qianlong” is organized in cooperation with the Palace Museum in Beijing as part of the cultural program set forth by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture for the “Year Greece-China”.

The exhibition aims to draw the western world closer to a deeper appreciation of Chinese culture, revealing its distinctive qualities during the glorious period of Emperor Qianlong's reign.

This educational video from National Geographic details Greece's impression on world history, explaining why Greek and Roman gods share many similarities, how the alphabet got its name, and how the legacy of Ancient Greece has evolved over thousands of years. Watch the video below!

According to TripAdvisor's 2018 Traveler's Choice Awards, the Acropolis was listed as the 6th best museum in the world. TripAdvisor gave a brief description of the Acropolis, saying, "The brand new building is as stunning as the treasures it houses. A clear glass walkway reveals the ruins and current excavations...”

The Acropolis Museum opened to the public in 2009 and has since welcomed thousands of visitors and won numerous awards. The museum covers about 14,000 square meters of space and is home to nearly 4,000 objects.

Also featured in the top spots for the top 25 museums in the world include the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum in NYC, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, and The British Museum in London.

Sophie left her high-flying PR career in Paris to settle on her paradise island Sifnos from where she set up The Yoga Mama Club – a boutique event company organizing yoga retreats in Greece and across Europe.

 

Back in 2013 though, something changed. On paper my life was perfect; glamorous meetings across the globe, beautiful events, great money, a rewarding boss and company, cool friends and living in Paris! Inside me however, I was bored and felt totally empty. Was this my life for the rest of my life?