Wondering Around Athens: a walk through the National Garden

 Almost every european city has a large public park in its centre. Athens' public park is the so-called National Garden, a 38 acre green park right behind the Parliament building.
The National Garden was formerly known as the "Royal Garden" because it was commissioned by the first Queen of Greece, Amalia.  It was completed in 1840 and it was actually a private refuge for the Queen and her spouse King Otto.

There are more than 510 species of plants and a variety of animals such as peakocks, ducks, turtles, goats etc. There are also a duck pond and a very small zoo!

Almost 400 species of plants were imported from all over the world!  You can gather a lot of information on the plantation and the history of the National Garden visiting the Botanical Museum near Herodou Attikou Street.  Inside the Garden there is also a Children's Library , a playground and a lot of benches to relax and listen to the bird's singing! An oasis in the centre of the Greek capital!



 Walking around the National Garden you will see a lot of ancient ruins and mosaics. You will also see a lot of statues and busts of governors and poets such as Dionysios Solomos, the poet who wrote the Greek National Anthem.

My thing to do when I visit the Garden is to enjoy a glass of chilled beer at the traditional "Kipos" café.

Don't forget you can stay at the National Garden all day long! It opens every day from sunrise till sunset!!!

Room No 109: The Fashion Suite

   Among all the celebrities, who have stayed in this hotel is the famous French fashion designer Pierre Cardin. Pierre Cardin have stayed at the room 109 on the first floor. Now this room is the so called Fashion Suite of the hotel.

The whole concept of the room is based on the designer's favourite colour, green.

There a lot of decorative elements in green. 

The bathroom is luxurious and all covered with green marble.

The sketches and photographs that decorate the walls are designed by Cardin. All accessories and objects have the designer's logo "P. C."

Sunday Brunch @ SGL : a family thing!

The Sunday brunch at the hotel is not just for adults. 

Every month the hotel organises happenings for the little ones. A few months ago, took place a cookie and cupcake decoration event where all kids decorated their own cookies and got their personal Cookie/Cupcake Decoration Certificate along with a goodie bag full of surprises !!!





Don't forget to like the hotel's facebook page to be updated for the next happening!

[ART] The Generation of the 30s in S. G. Art Gallery!!!

  Many of you know that art is my passion! I literally love modern art and particularly greek modern art. One of my favourite greek artists is Yiannis Moralis, a very important member of the group of the "Generation of the 30s". 

  I just found out that there is an exhibition of this important group of artists in S.G. Art Gallery. The exhibition presents 27 early drawings, from Ifigeneia Lagana's collection, which are actually the preparatory studies from the School of Fine Arts in Athens during the early 30s. The exhibition consists of three parts ; the first part contains 6 study portraits rendered in charcoal, the second part consists of studies on male nudes with sangine executed in paper and the last part consists of studies of male and female nude executed in pencil.                                                                             
I can not wait to visit this exhibition and see all these preparatory studies of such important artists that formed modernism in Greece. 

So if you are an art lover like me don't miss it! 

27 March -19 April 2014 
TUE-THU-FRI 11:00-14:00 & 18:00-21:00
WED-SAT 11:00-16:00

S. G. Art Gallery Kleomenous 2, Kolonaki  

St. George Lycabettus Hotel

+30 2107242240  

s.g.artgallery@gmail.com

Aesthetics, Fashion and Gastronomy in St George Lycabettus!

 On Wednesday 19th of March 2014, at 8.30pm, get ready for Spring's most Stylish Fashion Dinner whilst enjoying the stunning view of Le Grand Balcon, St. George Lycabettus.

You will have the opportunity to enjoy in Live Private view , the new SS14 collection of 'Pinelopi' and the new Resort collection 'Baby oh Baby' by the designer Pinelopi Vasiliadou, in an exclusive event of high Aesthetic, Fashion and Gastronomy. Models wearing the latest collections of Pinelopi, will be 'catwalking' among the guests to offer an up-and-close experience of the aethereal creations. The event is curated by the one and only Shopqueen, Vassiliki Papanastasiou!!! 

Pinelopi's Fashion Menu

Baby oh Baby!

(welcome champagne cocktail)

Fresh green salad with strawberries  in a Parmigiano nest

Tender fillets with aromatic herbs and baby potatoes

Lemon mousse on a crispy almond base with fluffy meringue

Wine, coffee & choco fashion Migniardises

25€/person

Reservations +30 210 7416 191

Wondering Around Athens [Part 2] Kolonaki Area

 Going down the hill of Lycabettus , one meets Dexameni Square, a large square with a picturesque cafe where  important poets and writers used to relax in the past such as Costas Varnalis and Alexandros Papadiamantis.

Descending the southwestern slope of Lycabettus hill,  there is Kolonaki area which is considered to be one of the most prestigious areas of the Athens. The official name of the Kolonaki Square is Plateia Filikis Etairias which means the "Friendly Society" square, and took its name from the secret 19th-century organization whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece and establish an independent Greek state.  
Kolonaki is also one Athens' leading shopping areas with a number of high end brand boutiques such as Dior, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton etc. most of them situated in Voukourestiou Str., also known for its jewellery shops.

This high-end area of the capital  is the choice of every bon-viveur, an eclectic variety of cafes bars and restaurants makes it more alluring than ever to the visitor!
But Kolonaki is not only an area for people watching and coffee sipping!

There are a lot of museums situated in Kolonaki that one can visit such as the Benaki Museum  that houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the modern times and the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art, one of the most important museums in Greece, with a notable collection of artifacts form the Cycladic Art. Two minutes walk from Kolonaki Sq., across Vasilissis Sofias Avenue there is the Ilisia Manor , that houses the Byzantine Museum and the War Museum of Athens.  

TIPS:  

•  Drink your capuccino in Da Capo Cafe in Kolonaki Square 
• Visit the St Dionysius the Areaopagite church
• Have drinks in Haritos street.
• During the summer, watch a old movie at the "Athinaia" open air cinema   in Haritos street and do not miss the traditional cheese pie during the intermission. 
• Visit the Museum of the History of Greek Costume in Dimokritou str.