Travel: Ambrosia...the food of the Gods in Athens

A Fine Dining and Wine Experience in Athens

When I planned our recent trip to Athens, I asked my hubby one question: "Is there something special you want to see or do there?"

We hadn't had a chance to properly celebrate his birthday back in Toronto, so I thought I'd try to plan something while we were travelling. Plus- having been there before, I thought it only made sense to see what was on his Athens bucket list.

He replied that he would love to eat or have a drink somewhere with a view of the Parthenon.

(I like the way he thinks!)

It sounded like an amazing idea and so I started my research. 

I was surprised to learn that there are quite a few places where you can dine with an acropolis view. The place that appealed to me the most however, was the Grande Bretagne Roof Garden Restaurant. 

You should dine here if you're looking for:

• an unbelievable view 
• outdoor seating
• upscale fine dining with an elegant atmosphere
• beautifully plated dishes made with fresh, local ingredients

GB Roof Garden Restaurant

The restaurant is an open terrace on the rooftop of the Hotel Grande Bretagne where we were staying.

As we had just arrived that same day, this was our first glimpse of the glory of Athens. 

We were so lucky to be seated right at the edge of the terrace, directly in front of us was the unobstructed view of the Acropolis. It was stunning!

My husband and I were in total awe of the sight in front of us as we sat down. 

We were greeted by the Head Chef, Asterios Koustoudis, Executive Chef, Asterios Koustoudis and the Head Sommelier, Evangelos Psofidis.

We decided to go ahead with the Chef's Tasting menu with suggested wine pairings and our minds were subsequently blown.

Evangelos suggested we start with some cocktails as the GB Roof Garden Bar serves some of the best in the city. It's an open air bar with a spectacular view.

If you can't dine here, definitely consider stopping by for a drink - the combinations are truly special and these are some of the most delicious (and beautiful) cocktails I've ever tasted.

(I tried an incredible combination of pear, gin, prosecco, soda and rosemary simple syrup)

It's also important to note, if you are a wine drinker - for three years in a row, the restaurant has been awarded by Wine Spectator Magazine.

Just chatting with Head Sommelier Evangelos Psofidis, we could see why! He's so knowledgable about the Greek wine region as well as international grape varieties. We learned so much from him and he made our dining experience that much more enjoyable.

Also, value add: We felt we got a Greek wine tasting lesson and a beautiful meal in one place.

The Menu

The food served at the restaurant is "New Mediterranean" and the chefs pride themselves on the fresh ingredients prepared with their slow-cooking methods. The result is super fresh, local food with incredible flavour.

We tried a few things but some standout dishes were seared tandoori scallops with pea puree, coconut milk and lemongrass, fresh grilled local calamari with oregano and lemon as well as the saffron risotto with octopus, eggplant chips and aged balsamic.

We also had their delicious lamb cutlets with stuffed potato, parsley sauce and smoked peppers. Everything is plated so uniquely with presentation and taste at the forefront.

For dessert, we tried their house made macarons (these were to die for!) and a light and airy choux pastry with homemade hazelnut praline, praline cream and caramelized hazelnuts.

Note: If you're not staying or dining here, I would still suggest popping into the lobby gift shop to try their macarons - honestly, they were amazing!

When in Greece, Ouzo is a must after dinner

Each course was more delicious than the last and we were in heaven with our senses in overdrive. Just imagine: an incredible view and some of the most flavourful food....I was on cloud nine!


You can join us for this incredible experience and watch the sun set behind the Acropolis in my vlog below.






All that being said, if you're looking for an inexpensive, quick meal - this is probably not the place for you.

The GB Roof Garden is best enjoyed on a special occasion and when you have some time to relax and enjoy the experience. If you can't stay too long or you're on a tighter budget, I'd suggest having a cocktail or mocktail at the Roof Garden Bar instead so that you don't miss this special spot.

Once in a lifetime kind of moment

It was truly a dream to dine in front of the ancient Parthenon. I still can't believe we were lucky enough to experience this magical moment.

Dining at the GB Roof Garden Restaurant was undoubtedly our most memorable food experience of 2016. From their gorgeous plating, to the incredible food, knowledgeable staff and that majestic view - I'd highly recommend dining here for a once in a lifetime type of meal and experience.

If you are planning a trip to Athens, make sure you check out this post on 24 hours in Athens. If you want to read about our experience staying at the Hotel Grande Bretagne you can read the article here. Bon Voyage!

Thanks so much to the Hotel Grande Bretagne and the GB Roof Garden Restaurant for partnering on this post. As always, all views and opinions are my own.

Lifestyle: Spending less, living more

The Art of Minimalism

Lately I've been super attracted to the art of minimalism. It's so intriguing- having less but living more. Feeling free in your space and in your skin without being bogged down by too much "stuff."

I know the blogging world can tend to focus on consumption, but as a general practice, I only share what I truly love and when I write it's because I feel I have something to say. I strive to create content that adds value and I know many other bloggers who can confidently say the same. 

So I wanted to share one lifestyle choice I have recently made, that has been a complete game changer...

and that is to:

Stop. Buying. Random. Stuff.

Here's why

Over the last six months, I've been drawn to the idea of being a minimalist. I watched lots of Ted Talks on the topic and I was in awe of what I learned. 

Did you know the average North American home holds over 300, 000 items in it?

 I did not.

That's a lot of accumulation. 

All of a sudden, I was hit hard with the urge to purge. 

This was right before I moved from a condo into a house and so there was a big draw to get rid of things that no longer served me. I really didn't want to pack a bunch of things I didn't want, only to unpack and never use them in my new home. 

Random things also felt like a waste of time.

I hated the feeling of staring into my closet and feeling like I "had nothing to wear" - even though it was full to capacity with jeans, sweaters and other items of clothing. 

I really hated the feeling that I was spending a lot of money on my wardrobe but I still didn't feel like I could put an outfit together quickly enough. 

Staring at that overly stuffed closet was a big waste of time, so I decided to do something about it. 

Minimize

I took what I had learned from different sources and started to implement it into my daily life.

Here are some of my best practices:

1) Get rid of anything that doesn't serve you or make you happy

If you don't love that orange sweater, trust me- you'll never wear it. On the same token, if you haven't worn it in over a year - you probably never will. If the things you own don't make you feel good/happy or make your home more beautiful - you don't want or need them around. 

2) Spend on only what you need or what makes you feel really good

If you have to buy something, buy only necessities or things that you really love. A good way to gauge this is to try everything on before buying it. If something just feels "ok," I leave it in the store. 

If I feel great in it and see myself really loving it, then I'll purchase it.

My trick is: it has to look good, have the right fit/colour/fabric etc and I have to feel good in it, in order to want to own it. 

3) Purchase clothing that you can wear in multiple settings and that pairs with what you already own

Figure out the colours you love and try to buy within your colour palette.

For me, I know blacks, neutrals, greys and pinks work well, so I tend to stick in this colour family. It also helps me match a lot of my pieces as a lot of them have similar tones. (My television wardrobe is generally brighter, but I usually invest in pieces I can layer with my everyday wear too).

4) Buy less often but buy quality pieces

A lower ticket item doesn't really mean you're spending less in the long run. Fast fashion is truly meant to be on trend and accessible. So it's not going to last more than a season or two and I'll be stuck replacing those $30 pants, sooner rather than later. 

I'd much rather spend a little more at the onset but know that the piece fits well and makes me feel good when I pull it out to wear or use it. The endgame of this strategy is definitely better, as you don't have to constantly pull worn-out clothing from your closet. 

This is also very true for furniture buying, or buying anything really. I'm so grateful that when we set up our first home, my husband and I carefully selected each piece. It took forever to have a furnished living room but when we did, the room was cohesive and consisted only of things we truly love. 

Now all those pieces have transitioned beautifully into our new home. In the short-term, it was tempting to just settle on anything that was affordable and that looked ok. But being selective with our purchases, really took our time and money further in the long run. 

6) Find alternatives and think outside the box

Maybe you really don't need a bunch of cake platters.  Perhaps a friend can lend you some. Talk to your people before making those 'extra' purchases - maybe you can save a little by sharing with a friend. 

Or perhaps the thing you "need to buy" is actually something you can rent. It really is amazing what is available to rent these days. I recently found a company that allows you to rent Indian formal wear. Buying new formal outfits that you can only wear once or maybe a few times really felt wasteful to me, so I decided to check out Dress to Empress.

The company is all about renting formal wear for a one time use at a fraction of the cost of buying. The rental also comes with paid packaging to mail it back after a week when you're done.

Last summer, I purchased one of their ready-made blouses in a colour I could mix and match and I've been so glad that I did. I've already paired it with three outfits and it has looked completely different each time.

I often get compliments on my outfit and you know what? It's usually something I have worn before but styled differently.

It just goes to show, you don't have to make a huge investment every time you have a special event. Sometimes a small, well thought-out purchase can go a long way. 

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

I've really found after learning more about Minimalism, my quality of life has improved. I can see what I own and get ready a lot faster. I don't spend money on random things I don't truly love, so most of what is in my closet, makes me feel pretty good when I wear it. This subsequently means I can save my money for things that truly enrich my life (read: travel). 

This change of perspective has also made me come to appreciate what I have a lot more.

When I'm at home and look around, everything has a purpose and it truly brings me a sense of calm.

While I'm not a true "minimalist" by any means, (I don't believe I could sell everything and live in a 200 sq foot tiny house), I do believe learning about it has helped me make some positive changes in my daily life.

As a result of my own "Minimalism Project," life feels a little less cluttered and a lot more peaceful and purposeful. 

If you're interested in learning more about the idea of having less, check out some of my favourite resources below:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (you can listen to it for free here)

Minimalism (documentary), Netflix

Tiny House, Big Living, tv show on HGTV

I hope one of these links inspires you in some way too.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic of minimalism. Reach out to me on Instagram @angeliesood or leave me a comment in the box below!

Recipe: Stuffed Jalepeno Peppers

Easy Appetizer

Sometimes it's nice to have a few go-to recipes in your back pocket. These are dishes you can default to when you have unexpected company or you just feel like having a delicious bite with drinks on a random evening.

These stuffed jalapeno poppers are quick, easy crowd-pleasers. They are also vegetarian which helps me out as many of my family members don't eat meat or fish. 

If you like spicy eats, this is an app you will love and it comes together in no time.

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

fresh Jalapeno peppers
garlic and herb cream cheese

shredded cheese (I like to use something with spice like a tex-mex mix or pepper jack)

bacon bits (optional)

panko bread crumbs (optional)

Directions

1) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each pepper in half. Using a grapefruit spoon or serrated knife, remove the white pith and seeds (this is the spicy part of the pepper)

2) Place all the peppers cut side down on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes or until softened

3) Let the peppers cool so you can work with them and then using a spoon, fill them with the cream cheese

4) Add additional toppings like panko for crunch and shredded cheese. (I've also tried them with bacon bits and the meat-eaters were all about it)

5) Put them back in the oven for another ten minutes or until the cheese has melted

6) Serve on their own or with marinara sauce (chopped green onions would also make a great garnish)