Tenia Christopoulos reflects on how the pandemic has been a catalyst for positive change, and in that sense truly embodies the Easter spirit of renewal and rebirth. An old friend called me from southern California. She unnerved me. She complained about this period of isolation, whining about her lack of freedom, being home wit...
Read moreIrish journalist, writer and founder of the Corfu-based Durrell Society, Richard Pine on why lockdown isn't a hostile term anymore, even in traditionally anarchic Greece. There are two focal points in Greek life: the kafeneion or local bar, and the kitchen table. Both have been transformed by coronavirus. The kafeneion, the tr...
Read moreSherri Moshman-Paganos traces the history of the deadly plague that almost decimated Athens in the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides, who so clearly etched the horrors of the Black Death in the ‘History of the Peloponnesian War’ stated that ‘the perceived impact of the Athenian plague was such that people ceased fearing the law since they fel...
Read moreThe lockdown tested “The I’d never ever” claim in more ways than one. Shirkers became DIY-freaks, workaholics slept in, fashionistas stayed in their pjs, fitness-freaks raided the refrigerator, loud-mouths meditated, junk-food junkies cooked, the slobs tidied up, the OCDs became even more compulsive, everyone hand-washed, binge-watched, ...
Read moreWho would have thought that when we were asked ‘to give up jolly taverna nights and replace them with family fights,’* Greeks, the eternal anarchists, would comply? Greece’s remarkably stoic response as a people has evoked praise and rekindled pride in our country’s handling of the pandemic. It will be a poignant Easter, but here’s our fe...
Read moreAcclaimed chef, cookbook author, TV host and passionate culinary ambassador Diane Kochilas dons her apron to create Easter delicious recipes and an Easter menu. Cretan Braised Lamb & Greens with Egg-Lemon Sauce - Arni Fricasse This dish is made all over Greece, but this particular version, the original of which calls for a ...
Read moreChristina Vlahoulis, private chef and culinary expert, is spending quality quarantine time in her Athens kitchen, whipping up a storm of savoury and sweet delights. She’s sharing some of her recent Greek dishes with Athens Insider, hoping to bring out the budding chef in us all. TARAMOSALATA – FISH ROE DIP (Serves 4) INGREDIENTS:...
Read moreAs we approach an Easter-like-no-other, and our second month of isolation, Amanda Dardanis ponders how lockdown is changing us all. Madonna passes the time by posting bizarre social distancing videos of herself bathing in rose petals. Ivanka Trump, by extolling the virtues of indoor camp-outs from her luxe lounge via Instagram...
Read moreWhat a treat to have Chef Asimakis Chaniotis of London's Pied-a-Terre restaurant, guide us through our baking basics in Lockdown, this time with a quintessentially Mediterranean flatbread – crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Ingredients: 570gr bread flour 340gr of very ripe tomato juice (or water if you ...
Read moreA pandemic, especially one that imposes isolation, raises a barrage of existential questions - about change, values, identities, choices, the future. What answers would the icons of ancient philosophy be able to give? Are their precepts still relevant? Life Coach Dr. Nancy Mallerou on why philosophy might hold the key to soothing your anx...
Read moreThis Poetry Month, look no further than John Carr, Insider’s in-house bard, for curative metaphors and imagery. Sing, Muse, of the pestilence That out of China hastened hence, Attacking all, both young and old Who thought they had just caught a cold. Yet it turned out to be much worse, A veritable viral curse That ...
Read moreHow telling that in an era when the barometer of success is to ‘go viral’, the very thought now evokes doom and gloom! From the real concerns the pandemic conjures - the corrupt posturing of populist politicians to the extraordinary challenges faced by cultural institutions – we dive into the everyday anxieties that manifest as google se...
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