GREECE I LOVE YOU!
And so I have lived through another dreamy trip to Greece…this time it took me to Athens and Syros Island in the Cyclades. Finally! My first Greek island teeming with delicious seafood, sweets and other tasty morsels manwise and otherwise.
ATHENS:
Arriving in Athens around 9pm I was welcomed at the airport by the Rokos brothers Stefanos and Dimitris who are two of the founding fathers of Kormoranos, the non profit arts organization who first brought me to Greece in 2005. Almost immediately following the ride home, the feasting began and so continued for every night (always dining between the hours of 10pm-1am!). Amongst the many activities we attended film screenings of D-movies, I did a radio interview with Legal Tender from a rooftop overlooking Athens, ate many little ice creams, did a photo shoot with a Belgian photographer named Max, had my first DJ set ever with Legal Tender, wooed the crowd at Tiki bar and attempted to go jogging (never again!) at which point I realized that jogging in/around Athens is idiotic and akin to a death wish.
Here I am sound checking and playing a show at Bar Tiki:
In the Rokos’ backyard serenading the plants, dirt and the odd neighbor:
PORTOFINO NIGHT, ATHENS:
After hearing so much about Portofino (traditional Canadian pizza and purportedly the best in Athens since 1970) the Kormoranos’ gang hosted a feast the night after the show. We all fasted during the day as this pizza is most definitely “hardcore” in nature. Here is a little play-by-play of the meal:
The salads have arrived. They are enormous. The salads at Portofino are insanely huge! And fresh and delicious – one with a nice hint of dill and melt in your mouth feta. The fries are crispy and delicious and the sauce is rumored to be a mix of mayo and ketchup.
The first impression of the pizza is that they are indeed "hardcore". The crust is quite thick and greasy much like deep dish pizza and the cheese is very crispy and not like a classic mozzarella. A special Greek cheese perhaps? My only criticism is that the pizza lacks sauciness.
The meal ends with a delicious offering of *Mazz-tee-kah from the island Chios – the only island where the plant grows and where they distill this grassy and earthy flavoring/oil for liquor, gum, loukoumia and other treats. A perfect aid in digesting the hearty, greasy Greek-nadian pizza.
Much to our surprise a Greek version of crème caramel arrives at the end. The waiters gracefully poured burnt caramel and chocolate sauce from copper pitchers over the perfect white delight. The food coma is now complete! Bravo Portofino!
SYROS: Here I had the most amazing time swimming in the sea, feasting on fish, drinking ouzo, attending an art opening (of members of Kormoranos and many other friends/artists), playing a surreal delicate show by the sea, body surfing and rocking out until 5 am most mornings as well as learning how to cut, weigh and box the local delight pronounced “loo-koo-myah.” I will return to you in 2009 for a month or two to write new Greek music as well as work at the artesinal candy shop and reunite with my new friends whom I already miss…
At the opening...Dimitris Rokos (Kormoranos founder) in the front.
Our lovely host Iassonas (Kormoranos 'gang' member) packing heat.
Stefanos Rokos (Kormoranos founder) with his Greenburger piece. Mmmm...
An original sign dating back to the 1920's. Yummy...traditional candy!
Cutting the Loukoumia!
Weighing in! Everything is done by hand...the last sweet shop to do this in Syros...Bravo!
The final step...stamping the date and hand-wrapping with cellophane.
Hanging with the boys on Syros - Harry, MeliMelo and Stefanos...
LONDON: I was there for five days and don't have any pics as my camera is dead. If you have any photos from the shows please send them to me...