Musing in Athens

Jannis Kounellis will be exhibiting his new and site specific work at the Stathatos Mansion of the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens from April 5th. Kounellis, one of the most important artists of the Arte Povera movement, left Greece...

My laptop always freezes when I need it most. When Firefox has at least ten tabs open, when Facebook chat has four heated conversations going, when there are six Word documents minimized, and when the one I am furiously...

When home for the holidays, I initially welcome the onset of New York’s holiday season, but as it progresses, I find myself packing my bags for Timbuktu. Christmas lights, goofy-looking Santa Clauses, and jeering reindeer envelop our neighborhood all...

The ruins of the Parthenon crown the modern city of Athens with a hazy ambiguity. To the world outside of Athens, the stunning monument identifies the birthplace of Western civilization, reflecting its founding ideals and embodying absolute perfection. It...

Every college campus has its local hang-out place. Aside from the fact that this place probably offers the cheapest food around, it is also the place that stays open after everything else has closed, serving irresistibly greasy foods. For...

To most who arrive in Athens, the city resembles something between a complex of industrial factories, and the dodgy areas of Detroit. Smokestacks shooting out dark clouds pepper the skyline, above the endless maze of concrete and cement. It...

Look up the Greek word philotimo and you will find one of the longest entries in your dictionary. Ask a Greek what he means by philotimo and you will see this dictionary  entry personified. The individual you have chosen...

For two and a half weeks, my commute to work has involved step-stoning through wide expanses of trash. Plugging my nose has become second nature. Like the rest of Athens, I have started to forget that there were once...

When Americans arrive in Athens, there are a variety of typical reactions. My, what tiny cars you have! No toilet paper in the toilets- you’re kidding, right? My, I've never smelt more strongly of cigarette smoke! What do you mean, you...

To the American abroad, Starbucks is a sort of haven, an oasis of familiar civilization amidst the wilderness of foreign cultures. You can order the very same drink you order back home, and it will be served exactly the...