Athena Pappas

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  • Monthly Archives: February 2019

    • Adventures in New York: Red Hook Day

      Posted at 11:30 am by athenapappas, on February 27, 2019

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      A throwback to the industrial past of the Brooklyn waterfront, the neighborhood of Red Hook is one of the most unique places to explore in New York City. Not accessible by subway (only bus or ferry), Red Hook offers a plethora of delicious places to eat and drink. On beautiful Saturday, I gathered a group of friends, and we set out on Red Hook Day…a plan to explore as much of the neighborhood as we possibly could. We started the day with baked goods and coffee at the tasty Baked. Not only was this the perfect place to fuel up, but we got treats to have later, too.

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      Housed in one of Red Hook’s former coastal warehouses is the Red Hook Winery. No, the grapes are not grown in Brooklyn. However, they use all New York State grown grapes in order to produce wine in their winery. Offering tours and tastings with very knowledgeable guides, the winery has wines with both a great taste and interesting stories behind their creation.

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      Next stop, the Waterfront Barge Museum. This is an actual railroad barge that was built in 1914. This unique museum is dedicate to history and preservation of the New York waterfront along with being an event and performing arts space.

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      Taking an early lunch, we just managed to beat the crowds at legendary temple of smoked meat. Hometown BBQ. Seriously, even on off hours, their line can be out the door. Pictured here are the brisket tacos and pulled pork tacos. Hometown is a big, open warehouse space with communal wooden picnic tables and cold beer on tap. I would highly recommend getting a variety of things to shares.

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      After lunch, it was time for more tours. In a two-for-one stop, the Window Jane Distillery and Cacao Prieto chocolate makers are located in the same warehouse. There, you can buy goods from both craft-makers…and also tour the facilities! Hairnets were required since this is a working distillery and chocolate maker. On display were historic machines used in these processes.

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      The also had chickens! There was plenty of chocolate and whiskey to sample during and after the tour.

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      In addition to delicious food and drink, Red Hook is home to a thriving arts scene. Pioneer Works is an artist run cultural center that hosts exhibits and events. In their outdoor space, they had plenty of funky art exhibits.

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      Jared Mogil and I got a picture in front of their beautiful garden wall.

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      Final stop of the day…Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie’s! Using only freshly squeezed key limes (no fake coloring or concentrate here), Steve’s mini pies are a Brooklyn staple. The Swingle, a mini tart dipped in chocolate, is a must-try.

      Although Red Hook is off the beaten path (and probably best know for being the home of the NYC IKEA), I cannot recommend highly enough spending a beautiful spring or summer day exploring the neighborhood.

      Posted in Adventures, Free Stuff, New York, Restaurants, Review | 0 Comments | Tagged Brooklyn, Cafe, Museum, New York, Red Hook, Winery
    • Adventures in Greece: Part III

      Posted at 10:00 am by athenapappas, on February 20, 2019

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      From Athens, our Greece adventures continued to the Cycladic islands. Although there are plenty of ferry boats, both fast and slow, to Santorini, we decided to fly in order to maximize our time there. Another strategic planning choice was staying outside the smaller town of Oia, at the Ambelia Villas, instead of staying in the larger town of Fira. Not only was the price right, but we were a short distance from all Santorini had to offer.

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      Even on a cloudy day, Oia is spectacular. The island of Santorini as we know it now with its breathtakingly unique geography was formed by the collapse of the center of the volcano that originally formed the island. This is how the crescent caldera was formed. The architecture is informed by this cliff-like landscape with white painted houses to reflect the hot Mediterranean sun.

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      No island adventure would be complete without seafood! Fried calamari and the Greek beer Mythos make for a delicious lunch alfresco.

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      Wandering the twisty streets of Oia, there is plenty to explore. Small shops, cafes, and bars are everywhere along with plenty of curious sights. The donkey is a symbol of Santorini, they were (and still are) used to carry things from the old port up to the towns atop the caldera.

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      As you can see, the landscape of Santorini is fascinating! Check back for more exploration of the island.

       

      Posted in Adventures, Greece, Restaurants, Travel | 1 Comment | Tagged Europe, Greece, island, Oia, Santorini, spring, Travel
    • Adventures in Greece: Part II

      Posted at 10:00 am by athenapappas, on February 13, 2019

       

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      Waking up early in Athens, our goal was to explore the ancient sites. First stop, the Acropolis! The center of ancient Athens, the Acropolis has always been a scared place. While most know the iconic Parthenon, there are many other monuments and structures throughout the park. On the walk to the top, you pass two different theaters: the Theater of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (left and right above). How can you tell the Odeon is Roman? The arches!

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      Even in early May before the tourist season really kicks off, crowds can get heavy at the Acropolis. I would recommend going early before it gets really hot and packed with tour groups, as you can see happening on the walk through the Propylaea (the gateway to Acropolis).

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      Here is the view of the grand entryway as seen from walking up the marble stairway. It’s not hard to imagine how majestic it must have looked in ancient times.
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      Remember the caryatids from the Acropolis Museum?Here are the reproductions standing proudly at the Erechtheion, a temple dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon.

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      Of course, the most iconic monument on the Acropolis is the Parthenon, the ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena. Here I am in front of the scaffolding side (reminds me of being in New York!).

       

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      Here is the view from the less scaffold covered side. Even though many of the decorative elements have been pilfered over the ages, it isn’t hard to imagine how magnificent it must have looked when first constructed.

       

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      Around the base of the Acropolis are a plethora of historic ruins and sites. One that you can’t miss is the Ancient Agora. The Agora, translating to marketplace, was much more than a place where goods were bought and sold. This was a center of the city, a place for everything from religious festivals to philosophical debate. Here you can see the replica of the Stoa of Attalos, basically a covered marketplace. There are also statues of noted figures from centuries of use.

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      One of the most fascinating ruins on this site is the Temple of Hephaestus, the ancient god of the forge. What makes this temple so unique is how incredibly well preserved it is.

       

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      As you can see from these details, the marble friezes are remarkably intact. How did this happen? The temple was used throughout the ages as a religious site, becoming an Orthodox church around 700 AD. The last church service was held in 1833.

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      Various monuments and structures can be found throughout the site.

       

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      I know…this doesn’t look like Greek food! Walking down from Syntagma Square, we stumbled across Taqueria Maya, an adorable Latin food restaurant. Of course, I had to get a quesadilla, but this was with a Greek twist! By twist, I mean lamb. They also had refreshing and tasty margaritas.

       

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      As our first full day in Greece came to a close, we strolled through Athens, taking in the eclectic street art. Check back for more as we head to the Cycladic Islands.

       

      Posted in Adventures, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Acropolis, Athens, Greece, Travel
    • Restaurant Review: Snowday in Brooklyn

      Posted at 10:00 am by athenapappas, on February 6, 2019

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      One of my favorite Williamsburg restaurants, Sunday in Brooklyn, is hosting a pop-up bar within the restaurant called Snowday in Brooklyn. Snuggled in the back bar of the restaurant is this innovative space that would make any hygge snow bunny lover swoon! Each of the menus are adorable little books filled with themed craft cocktails. It was hard to pick which one to start with.

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      My date started with the Czech Point: bourbon, aged cachaca, Czech spices, sweet vermouth, maple, and angostura bitters. A wintery take on the Manhattan.

      I went a little bit more fruity and fun with the Flock of Snowbirds: barley shochu, capari, coconut, pineapple, line, and coffee bean. It tasted as beautiful as it looked!

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      Cocktail hour wouldn’t be complete without some bar snacks. We started out with the winter peanuts which were coated in a thick layer of sumac, black pepper, and cayenne. They were a savory, spicy companion to our drinks.

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      For round two, I went with a bit more tropical with the Dude, Where’s my Sled?, which was a concoction of pineapple rum, poblano pepper, nutmeg, lime, and tiki bitters. Served on pebble ice (aka the best kind of ice), this drink was a delight.

      My partner in crime tried the Moon-Watcher: blended Scotch, Madeira wine, allspiace, banana, and spiced cranberry bitters. This was a potent take on a Rob Roy.

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      And what better to serve with craft cocktails than cheese? That’s right, they have a Raclette dish where the server melts the cheese over potatoes, pickled chilies, bacon, and sour cream. So much hot cheese! This decadent dish was over the top deliciousness.

      Snowday will be running at Sunday in Brookyln through February. I would recommend a reservation.

      Posted in Adventures, New York, Restaurants, Review | 0 Comments | Tagged Brooklyn, New York, pop-up, restaurant, Snow Day
    • Recent Posts

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