Ammos Hotel

Sheer Genious!

2012-02-15T04:03:00.000-08:00

Demis Roussos - Forever and ever, 1973

2012-02-14T05:34:00.000-08:00

Demis Roussos & Petula Clark - From Souvenirs To Souvenirs

2012-02-14T05:32:00.001-08:00

Photo of the Day

2012-02-11T05:35:00.000-08:00

Greek mother worrying that her protesting son would catch a cold....

Kouzina e.p.e.

2012-02-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

A small eatery at Daskalogianni strt (opossite the church of Agios Nikolaos) at the atmoshperic neighborhood of Splatzia (the old turkish quartier of the old town), Kouzina e.p.e serves mouthwatering local food (chestnuts stifado, snails with Bulgar, goat in lemon and egg sauce amonth others!!).

"Aspro Mavro" by Alexia (Eurovision 1987 Cyprus entry)

2012-01-27T22:50:00.000-08:00

I wonder: did we, Greeks, finally invented camp?????

"Orkisou" by Alexia (Greek early 90s)

2012-01-27T22:30:00.000-08:00

Yes i believe we did!!!!!!!!!!

My Heavenly Breakfast

2012-01-27T01:57:00.000-08:00

Barley and multigrain bites (i will try to get these divine bites for ammos this summer), local avocado (ok i know that you probably think i exaggerate but the local avocados are the best in the world and as an obsessive avocado eater i went all the way to Latin America to compare:-!!! Sadly this is a winter fruit so any avocados you eat in Crete in the summer are imported), vinegar olives made by the mother of a friend, aubergine moutabel (bought by my favorite local delicatessen), mountain oregano (harvested during a hike) and feta cheese (the real one made from sheep and goat milk not like the disgusting Dutch cow milk cheese imitation!!). One thing i realize i forgot to add is pomegranate seeds.....

Favorite Shop of All Times!!!

2012-01-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

The absolutely chic (for the last 40 years) of Eleni Vernadaki can be found at her shop at Valaoritou Street in Athens. As Mrs Vernadaki is around 80 years old (but so young in her art and such a joy to talk to) and without an obvious succession situation we all fear that this iconic greek brand might soon come to an end........

Stunning Teapot

Meeting Paola Navone at Maison&Objet (Paris)

2012-01-22T22:29:00.000-08:00

Paola has an amazing summer house in the island of Serifos.

Driving in the White Mountains and eating a Super lunch at a tiny Village "kafeneion"...

2012-01-16T04:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday i took my friend, Manousos Chalakiadakis, and we drove around the snowed mountains. More precisely, for the ones who want to do the same route, we went past Argyroupoli village (famous for its water cascades), Asi gonia village, Kalikratis village where the snow was so much that we had to turn and take the road down the mountains towards Fragkokastelo (named after the old still standing Venetian castle) and then drive up again towards Askyfou where we ended having a superb lunch (the local sausages, rabbit in the casserole and gold french fries were to die for!!!!!) at this tiny "kafeneion" run by 2 brothers.

Summertime is coming soon Folks!!! (Vicky Leandros getting Paranoid in the second Half..)

2012-01-12T23:03:00.000-08:00

Mind the Waves (old harbor this morning)

2012-01-10T00:51:00.000-08:00

A precious part of my daily winter routine is walking from my house (off the old town, at the seafront neighborhood of Koum Kapi) to ammos hotel, along the coast, and back....Despite what people believe Crete can experience cold and rainy winters. This winter heavy snow arrived to our mountains earlier than in the Alps!!!!

Sakis Rouvas, Greece biggest male PopStar turned 40 yo (tones of water and good greek genes apparently...)

2012-01-07T02:12:00.000-08:00

Sakis Rouvas (20 years ago-love the Hair and the high-waisted Trousers!!!)

2012-01-07T02:10:00.000-08:00

Walking Around Ammos in a Sunny then Cloudy then Rainy then Sunny again Day

2012-01-06T06:44:00.001-08:00

200 meters walk east of ammos hotel (westwards there are mostly some unattractive beachfront restaurants) and one can find among others a beautiful small grove (the local flora here consists of many Pine, Nerium oleander, Palmaes and Eucalyptus trees), a ruined army camp, the historic little chapel of Agii Apostoli, a succession of small sandy coves, a cave and many locals walking or jogging or even fishing....

Happy New Year from Snowy Cretan Mountains

2011-12-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

Immortal Chic

2011-11-13T06:15:00.000-08:00

Lola Zolotas in her living room today

Lola and Xenofon Zolotas in another corner of the same living room (looking towards Acropolis) back in 1967

Sarkozy to Obama: Papandreou is “crazy” and “depressive”

2011-11-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Sarkozy allegedly describeb George Papandreou’s mental state. According to Le Parisien, Sarkozy told US president Barack Obama, in a corner of G-20, that Papandreou is ‘crazy” and ‘depressive”.

Dodeka-An mou tilefonouses

2011-11-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

"Dear....we are the Bold and Beautiful" says the communisticaly eccentric (and dressed like a 70s Olympic Airlines stewardess) Liana Kaneli.......with the lit Acropolis always as a backdrop........

2011-11-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

Room with a View

2011-11-02T22:53:00.000-07:00

Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis

2011-10-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

Marios, a huge fish, Greek dramas and a job vacancy

2011-10-23T02:17:00.000-07:00

I know I have been quite lazy lately with my blog writing: i guess I might have what people call blog fatigue…I hope that after this short break I will be, again, inspired!

Guests always ask me about the Greek situation: if crisis is affecting ammos hotel and how is real life when lights turn off. Well....life is really hard at the moment for the biggest percentage of Greek population. Greeks feel angry for the misery and feared for the future (and the absolute impotence of the corrupted political system to react and show us the way-out). Still life is going on and actually the islands are much less hit by the crisis. Cafes and restaurant are still full of people and tourism had one of its best years (with a 10% overall raise). Greeks, now more than ever, appreciate all foreigners who decide to come and spend their holidays in Greece (and thus help the economy in the most tangible way!).

Mario, our pool and beach boy, has been a favorite among ammos guests for the last 4 years. When he is not busy serving club-sandwiches and healthy smoothies at the beach, Mario is spear fishing in front of ammos….his (gorgeous) recently born baby-girl is a genuine fresh fish addict!!!

Ammos is looking to recruit for the 2012 season hard-working, interesting looking, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, experienced in customer service, bilingual (Greek-English) staff (preferably living in Chania area). To apply please email us at ammos@otenet.gr with a complete (please also attach a recent photo) CV.

Ammos hotel is closing a very successful summer 2011 season in 1 week time, on November 1^st. As it is almost always the case we are experiencing an everlasting summer with high temperatures. Locals always say that the best time of the year to enjoy the sea is late October!!!

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

2011-10-20T04:09:00.000-07:00

Greek youth protesting in the streets of Athens

Mariza Koh

2011-09-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

Carcass of a wild goat

2011-09-04T23:48:00.001-07:00

Photo taken in Polyrinnia gorge by ammos guest Karl Haeusgen

Thalassa Platia (Wide Sea)

2011-08-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

Music written by the greatest Manos Chatzidakis and song performed by the most iconic (and controversial) Greek actress of all times, Aliki Vougiouklaki....

Papoutsosika (Cactus Figs)

2011-08-25T03:28:00.000-07:00

God, how much i love cactus figs!!!!! This rare and by large unknown fruit, known in Crete as papoutsosika (shoe size figs), can be found everywhere in the island in late August. As you can see from the photos, the fruits too are covered in glochids, gloves being a must when handling them. The fruit is ready to harvest when is turned into an intense orangey-red colour. The taste is amazing!!! Sweet and melon-like, with a texture similar to kiwifruit. I also eat it as salad with local graviera cheese (and i believe i am the one who invented this dish!!!).

Looking at the Sea

2011-08-22T03:17:00.000-07:00

Maggie and her Dolls

2011-08-14T02:05:00.000-07:00

Old World Charm

2011-08-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

Old warm charm to be found in the heart of the old city of Chania. Owned for 50 years by the same family of brother and sister, both now in their 80s, this quirky cave of Ali Baba is filled with original 50s and 60s crystals and glasses. Upstairs one can also find an amazing collection of vintage tea pots and china.

13th Century Amazing Frescoes

2011-08-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

Christ Pantocrator

Ammos Little Guests

2011-08-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

Is This the Nicest Ring of All???????

2011-07-30T22:53:00.001-07:00

By Lalaounis......

In Fiore’s Julie Elliott shares her Secret Relax Destination with Style.com Readers

2011-07-27T23:40:00.000-07:00

The Relaxation Destination: Crete

“I make my home here during the summer at the Ammos, an elegant boutique hotel situated right on a beautiful beach. The personalized service by owner Nikos is unsurpassed, the local food delicious, and day trips to other famous beaches such as Falassarna and Elafonisi accessible.”
Read the whole article at http://www.style.com/beauty/beautycounter/2011/07/the-411-in-fiores-julie-elliott/

Mihalis Kakogiannis (RIP)

2011-07-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Mihalis Kakogiannis (Greek: Μιχάλης Κακογιάννης) (June 11, 1922 – July 25, 2011) was a prominent Greek-Cypriot filmmaker best known for his 1964 film Zorba the Greek. He was known in English-language countries as Michael Cacoyannis. He directed the 1983 Broadway revival of the musical based on the film. Much of his work was rooted in classical texts, especially those of the Greek tragedy writer, Euripides. He was nominated for an Academy Award 5 times, a record for any Greek artist. He received Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film nominations for Zorba the Greek , and two nominations in the Foreign Language Film category for Electra and Iphigenia.

Alemagou Beach Restaurant

2011-07-19T00:39:00.000-07:00

Playing with the notion of Greekness (and charmingly blending the Cycladic islands' visual stereotypes) talented K-studio came up with a refreshingly new concept for a beach bar-restaurant in Mykonos.

Photos by Giorgos Kordakis (courtesy of K-studio).

Ammos Sunset (by Michael Cullen)

2011-07-12T04:40:00.000-07:00

In Fiore Rocks!!!

2011-07-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

Julie Elliott, a very good friend and an ammos hotel aficionado, is the master mind behind the sleek apothecary brand In Fiore. Julie loves Greece and she has recently acquired a crush on Grecian sandals (bought in dozens at her secret shop in Athens), Lalaounis 22k jewelries and Cretan oregano!!! Her unique line of body balms, cold-pressed herbal infusions and facial oils are a healing treat to all, us, tired bodies and faces (mostly faces!). Read more about her work at The New York Times.

Democracy’s Cradle is Changing (again) the World

2011-07-01T05:09:00.000-07:00

By Mark Mazower (copied by the New York Times)

Yesterday the whole world was watching Greece as its Parliament voted to pass a divisive package of austerity measures that could have critical ramifications for the global financial system. It may come as a surprise that this tiny tip of the Balkan Peninsula could command such attention. We usually think of Greece as the home of Plato and Pericles, its real importance lying deep in antiquity. But this is hardly the first time that to understand Europe’s future, you need to turn away from the big powers at the center of the continent and look closely at what is happening in Athens. For the past 200 years, Greece has been at the forefront of Europe’s evolution.

Greece became an early symbol of escape from the prison house of Ottoman empire. For philhellenes, its resurrection represented the noblest of causes. “In the great morning of the world,” Shelley wrote in “Hellas,” his poem about the country’s struggle for independence, “Freedom’s splendor burst and shone!” Victory would mean liberty’s triumph not only over the Turks but also over all those dynasts who had kept so many Europeans enslaved. Germans, Italians, Poles and Americans flocked to fight under the Greek blue and white for the sake of democracy. And within a decade, the country won its freedom.
Over the next century, the radically new combination of constitutional democracy and ethnic nationalism that Greece embodied spread across the continent, culminating in “the peace to end all peace” at the end of the First World War, when the Ottoman, Hapsburg and Russian empires disintegrated and were replaced by nation-states.
In the aftermath of the First World War, Greece again paved the way for Europe’s future. Only now it was democracy’s dark side that came to the fore. In a world of nation-states, ethnic minorities like Greece’s Muslim population and the Orthodox Christians of Asia Minor were a recipe for international instability. In the early 1920s, Greek and Turkish leaders decided to swap their minority populations, expelling some two million Christians and Muslims in the interest of national homogeneity. The Greco-Turkish population exchange was the largest such organized refugee movement in history to that point and a model that the Nazis and others would point to later for displacing peoples in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and India.

It is ironic, then, that Greece was in the vanguard of resistance to the Nazis, too. In the winter of 1940-41, it was the first country to fight back effectively against the Axis powers, humiliating Mussolini in the Greco-Italian war while the rest of Europe cheered. And many cheered again a few months later when a young left-wing resistance fighter named Manolis Glezos climbed the Acropolis one night with a friend and pulled down a swastika flag that the Germans had recently unfurled. (Almost 70 years later, Mr. Glezos would be tear-gassed by the Greek police while protesting the austerity program.) Ultimately, however, Greece succumbed to German occupation. Nazi rule brought with it political disintegration, mass starvation and, after liberation, the descent of the country into outright civil war between Communist and anti-Communist forces.

Only a few years after Hitler’s defeat, Greece found itself in the center of history again, as a front line in the cold war. In 1947, President Harry S. Truman used the intensifying civil war there to galvanize Congress behind the Truman Doctrine and his sweeping peacetime commitment of American resources to fight Communism and rebuild Europe. Suddenly elevated into a trans-Atlantic cause, Greece now stood for a very different Europe — one that had crippled itself by tearing itself apart, whose only path out of the destitution of the mid-1940s was as a junior partner with Washington. As the dollars poured in, American advisers sat in Athens telling Greek policy makers what to do and American napalm scorched the Greek mountains as the Communists were put to flight.
European political and economic integration was supposed to end the weakness and dependency of the divided continent, and here, too, Greece was an emblem of a new phase in its history. The fall of its military dictatorship in 1974 not only brought the country full membership in what would become the European Union; it also (along with the transitions in Spain and Portugal at the same time) prefigured the global democratization wave of the 1980s and ’90s, first in South America and Southeast Asia and then in Eastern Europe. And it gave the European Union the taste for enlargement and the ambition to turn itself from a small club of wealthy Western European states into a voice for the newly democratic continent as a whole, extending far to the south and east.
And now today, after the euphoria of the ’90s has faded and a new modesty sets in among the Europeans, it falls again to Greece to challenge the mandarins of the European Union and to ask what lies ahead for the continent. The European Union was supposed to shore up a fragmented Europe, to consolidate its democratic potential and to transform the continent into a force capable of competing on the global stage. It is perhaps fitting that one of Europe’s oldest and most democratic nation-states should be on the new front line, throwing all these achievements into question. For we are all small powers now, and once again Greece is in the forefront of the fight for the future.

Mark Mazower is a professor of history at Columbia University.

Baby It's Over

2011-06-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hiking the Mountains of Crete

2011-06-25T04:15:00.000-07:00

Michael Cullen-one of the founders and editor of i-escape.com, keen traveller, mulitlingual, hiker and photographer, proud dad (Oscar) and husband (Maike)- shared with us those great (great!!!) pics from his recent hikes in the mountains and the south shores of Chania....

ΚΟΥΡΑΣΜΕΝΟ ΠΑΛΛΗΚΑΡΙ 1961

2011-06-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

First sung by Nana Mouskouri

Apres Toi - Vicky Leandros - Eurovision 1972

2011-06-04T05:18:00.000-07:00

Ammos beach by Philip Bloom

2011-05-30T07:08:00.000-07:00

Chania Beach HDR Tone Map timelapse from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Victoria Hislop and the Leper Colony of Spinalonga (East Crete)

2011-05-29T01:30:00.000-07:00

"I met Manoli Foundoulakis on 20 January 2007, in a hotel in Crete. It was at exactly six o'clock in the evening. His punctuality was only one of the many differences between Manoli and every other Greek I had ever encountered. We met because I had written a novel set on Spinalonga, a small island off Crete, which was a leper colony from 1903 until 1957, and Manoli had been asked to write a foreword to the Greek edition. He was a former leprosy sufferer, and still lived in the village opposite the island..."
Read the rest of this fascinating article published in Guardian here

The Sunday Times Travel Magazine Value for Money Awards

2011-05-27T01:56:00.000-07:00

We are more than delighted to find out that Ammos Hotel has been named Runner-Up Best-Value Hotel, Europe in this year’s The Sunday Times Travel Magazine Value for Money Awards.

Battle of Crete (celebrating 70 years)

2011-05-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was a battle during World War II on Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur ("Operation Mercury"). Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island.
After one day of fighting, the Germans had suffered appalling casualties and none of their objectives had been achieved. The next day, through miscommunication and the failure of Allied commanders to grasp the situation, Maleme airfield in western Crete fell to the Germans

The Battle of Crete was unprecedented in three respects: it was not only the first battle where the Fallschirmjäger ("parachute rangers") were used on a massive scale, but also the first mainly airborne invasion in military history; the first time the Allies made significant use of intelligence from the deciphered German Enigma code; and the first time invading German troops encountered such a mass resistance from a civilian population.

The resistance of Cretans — by women and priests and as well as men young and old — offended the Nazis’ sense of how war should be waged and their commander, General Kurt Student, ordered reprisals to be carried out “with exemplary terror”. The sites of these massacres are marked by monuments across the island, some of them displaying the skulls and bones of victims behind glass.

For further one can read the touching article in Telegraph.

Tzamia Krystalla

2011-05-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Initially opened in Chania, back in 1995, this legendary art gallery moved to Fira on the island of Santorini in May of 2008. “Tzamia-Krystalla” means “Glasses and Crystals”. The name comes from the special history of the handicraft industry that initially occupied the art gallery. This whimsical cave of Ali Baba is a must visit for all who go to Santorini not only to admire (and why not....buy) their collection of paintings from the most acclaimed Greek artists but also to find sophisticated gifts, jewelery from selected artists and favorite Manousos Chalkiadakis unique ceramics!!!

Philip Bloom

2011-05-16T23:35:00.000-07:00

Cinematographer and director Philip Bloom is currently staying at ammos in order to celebrate birthday with family. Cleaning maids have difficulty entering his deluxe sea view studio as it is packed with cameras, tripods and all this subtle machinery. While we have not yet exchanged one word Philip was so polite send me over emails these great photos ....thank you Philip!!!!

Litsa Diamanti

2011-05-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

Yannis Parios

2011-05-07T06:24:00.000-07:00

Nelly's

2011-05-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Nelly is one the most celebrated Greek photographers of all time, and during the interwar period became one of the world's most celebrated female photographers (many called her "the Greek Leni Riefenstahl" also for her political relations). Her pictures of ancient Greek temples against sea and sky backgrounds shaped the first visual images of Greece in the Western mind.

Her nude photos on the Parthenon with Nikoska, a Hungarian dancer, around 1930 created a sensation and shocked the puritan society of Athens.

Unexpected Bather (at ammos beach)

2011-04-29T00:42:00.000-07:00

Evdokia's Zeimbekiko

2011-04-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

"Evdokia" (1971) is another Greek drama (how many dramas in this country!!!) of passion whose main characters are a sergeant and a prostitute (both characters played by amateurs who never again appeared in another film).

The inner struggle of the heroes, the conflict of desires and values, the straightforward narration, vigorous pace, immediacy and sound construction constitute one of the most important works of the Greek cinema.

In Greece, the film is mostly known for this scene in the "kafeneion" and the instrumental piece "Evdokia's Zeibekiko", written by Manos Loizos. In 1986, Evdokia was voted by the Greek movie critics as the best Greek film of all time.

Kokoretsi

2011-04-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

Kokoretsi is a oversize sausage that we traditonally eat on Easter day (and not only). It is made from lamb offal (heart, liver, kidneys, sweetbread) with the intestine wound around the coarsely chopped meat, skewered and grilled for hours over a charcoal burner.

The cooked kokoretsi is chopped, sprinkled with lemon and oregano, served on a plate and washed down with village red wine.

Uninitiated might find it disgusting and appalling but trust me it's delicious....

Camp Greek Commercial from early 90s

2011-04-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day

2011-04-09T23:28:00.001-07:00

Summer Starts Now!!!

2011-04-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Summer starts officially (for us) today as we open in a few hours....

A Matter of Dignity

2011-04-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

A Matter of Dignity (2)

2011-04-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

Some 50 years ago, Oscar 5 times nominee Michael Cacoyannis, created a poignant and cynical portrait of Greek upper class life with "A Matter of Dignity". Chloe (heartbreaking performance by unique Ellie Lambetti) is the beautiful daughter of a distinguished Athenian industrialist who finds himself drowning under a sea of debt (so similar to modern Greece itself!). The family, proud of their prominent social position, struggles to maintain a facade of wealth... but with bankruptcy imminent, their only hope is for Chloe to accept a marriage proposal from a Greek-American millionaire despite her love for another man. Torn between passion and duty, Chloe must choose her destiny....(so much like modern Greece.....)

Katina's Paxinou Star at Walk of Fame

2011-03-30T23:01:00.000-07:00

Drama Galore: Greek Katina Paxinou as an Overdressed Sinful Mother at "Mourning Becomes Electra"-i love her accent!!!

2011-03-30T22:54:00.000-07:00

Venetian Watchout (on top of a Gorge)

2011-03-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

Greek Interiors

2011-03-28T04:53:00.000-07:00

Sea Snails

2011-03-28T00:05:00.000-07:00

Collected one by one from the salty rocks of the western coast and cooked with potatoes and fennel, sea snails is a rare delice!!!

Dilapidated House and a Great 70s Cake (with many jelly pieces)

2011-03-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Incoherent photos highlighting my last visit in Athens.....people who seemed to know me think i have 3 obsessions: Ruined buildings, great food (No the 70s cake do not follow into this category but i love the visual madness) and __________???

Manousakis Winery (and old Family House)

2011-03-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

Successfully positioned among the most respected Greek wines, the Manousakis wines are made in this small old winery in the beautiful village of Vatolakos (on the foothills of the famous "White Mountains"). The super friendly Alexandra Manousakis, the daughter of the founder, is always there to show you the winery (few lucky ones can also have a fast look at the charming old house if not used by the family). At a symbolic rate guests can try the full range of their wines (2 of which can also be found in ammos wine menu) and with some prior notice people can also enjoy a great supper cooked by local village women. If you visit make sure to call first and do not leave the place without buying their Syrah and Roussanne.

the great great grand mother of the family

Alexandra Manousakis

The old grape press

Olive tree planted by the crusaders in 1200 ac

It is All Greek to Them!!!

2011-03-13T00:18:00.000-08:00

...."The real secret of the Ammos, however, lies not with the facilities, fancy furnishings or food, but the staff. Nothing is too much trouble. That included manageress Nasja's nightly obligation to take Zachary to feed the hotel fish and water the plants. And another staff member's patience when asked by the same small boy for the 25th time to show him the workings of the orange juice machine. And Nikos managing to smile and be helpful even when asked about the best restaurants in Chania or how to get to the Samaria Gorge for what must be the thousandth time in his life.

It is how it should be - to serve without being servile.".....

Read the rest of this super praising article written by Michael Hanlon and published at Daily Mail at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1365417/Crete-holidays-A-family-extravaganza-Ammos-Hotel-Chania.html


Mike, Elena and Zac enjoying luch at some local seaside taverna

Old Hamam in need of Restoration

2011-03-02T23:51:00.000-08:00

According to the doctrines of Islam, the cleanliness of the body is a very important religious duty. The cleansing of the body symbolizes the cleansing of the soul, according to the Koran. The public bath (hamam) is a very old Ottoman institution and public baths were established in all the regions of the Ottoman Empire, including the island of Crete. Therefore, many public and private baths (hamams) and fountains were constructed in the city of Chania during its Ottoman time. Nowadays only 3 have survived; sadly none is operating!!!

The hamam located on the street "Zambeliou", next door to the famous "Tamam" tavern waits patiently all these years that someone from the municipality decides to restore it to its original glory!!!

Mikis Theodorakis sings "Ομορφη Πόλη", lyrics inspired from Chania of the 60s and written by his own son

2011-02-11T22:39:00.000-08:00

Same song by Edith Piaf for the french movie "les amants de teruel"

2011-02-11T22:29:00.000-08:00

Symposium: A Ceramic Dinner Set (after Plato)

2011-02-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

Monastery of Kesarianis (in Athens)

2011-02-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

Moni Kesarianis is a magical place, built in one of the nicest small forests (great for mountain bike) i have been in my life (full of indigenous trees, bushes and wild flora). The views towards the overbuilt modern city of Athens are mesmerizing and the serenity and beauty of the place makes it, justifiably, one of Athens' best kept secrets!!!


Isn't Byzantine art the chicest of all??

Astrid in the Balcony on a Windy day

2011-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

A summer photo to warm us up as the count-down has already started (we open the first days of April for the 2011 season!).

Tessa Kiros new Greek food Book is a total Must-Have!!!!

2011-01-26T23:58:00.000-08:00

I know Tessa for many years. I met her through a mutual friend when i was 18 (and now i am 40). She has always been different from the others. At that time she was very bohemian (and pretty) boyish looking girl traveling Europe in trains and sleeping in youth hostels (or at least this is kind of what i remember). We have met on several occasions since then, we always liked each other, and i was very happy to know that her life has taken-off with a great family in Italy and success with her food books. 2 years ago she came to ammos and stayed for a couple of nights. Over wine and mezedes eating (she was so sweet to say that she loved ammos food!!!) she told me that she was writing, at last, a book on Greek food (Tessa has kind of a crazy pedigree; born to a Finish mother and a Greek-Cypriot father raised in UK and South Africa, working as chef around the world and now lives her husband and 2 daughters in Tuscany). The book just came in my hands and it is a hammer feast for the eyes!!! A huge contributor to the book's success is the super talented illustrator and art director, Mihail Douros, who is also a very old friend of mine (and who has also been to ammos several times). I might have never seen before a book that so perfectly and idealistically encaptures the notion of "Greekness". This is a must-buy book now!!!!

Doogtooth

2011-01-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

After 3 decades of deep sleep Greek movies are, again, hot!!! Last September it was "Attenberg" by Athina Rachel Tsagari which won the best women's performance for her female protagonist in the Venice film festival and now it is "Doogtooth" by Yiorgos Lanthimos which is nominated for best foreign film in the Oscars and i cross my fingers it will win!!!

Below is a review copied from IMDB:
"If you are easily offended by bold unusual film-making especially in the areas of sex and violence do not see this film. That said I just saw this at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and thought it was a very interesting and very brave film. Well worth seeing if you can like strong, unusual films. Probably close to 30% of the audience walked out, but I was encouraged by the 70+% that remained, especially since most of the audience were 60+ Americans. The 20-somethings I talked to on the way out were very enthusiastic. The woman sitting next to me said "What did it mean? I don't understand" but to me there were enough deep meanings and points to ponder on a 30-minute drive home and I can't wait to tell friends about it. Everything from the dangers of creating a "perfect family" to "the mechanization of capitalism and upper middle class life" to metaphors for the dangers of repressive families and governments. At it's simplest, it proves that people, especially young ones, are in so many ways what their parents make them. This is not a film you will forget!"

The Kallikantzaroi and the World Tree

2010-12-25T23:48:00.000-08:00

Kallikantzaros is a malevolent goblin in Greek folk Christmas tradition. They dwell underground but come to the surface during the twelve days of Christmas, from 25 December to 6 January.
It is believed that they stay underground all year round sawing the World tree, so that it will collapse, along with Earth. However, when they are about to saw the final part, Christmas dawns and they are tempted to leave work and come to earth for some fun (which is torturing mortals). On the Epiphany day (6 January) and with the Great Blessing of the Waters the nasty goblins run to escape underground and back to continue their sawing. Sadly for them, during their absence the World tree has healed itself, so they must start working all over again.

There were ways people could protect themselves during the days when the Kallikantzaroi were loose. They could leave a colander on their doorstep: if a Kallikantzaros approached for his evildoings, he would instead decide to sit and count the holes until the sun rose and he was forced to hide. The Kallikantzaroi also could not count above 2, since 3 is a holy number, and by pronouncing it, they would kill themselves. Another method of protection is to leave the fire burning in the fireplace all night so that they cannot enter through there.

Legend has it that any child born during the twelve days of Christmas was in danger of transforming to a Kallikantzaros for each Christmas season, starting with adulthood. The antidote: Binding the baby in tresses of garlic or straw, or singeing the child's toenails.

Melina Merkouri and Anthony Perkins

2010-12-16T23:18:00.000-08:00

The Archaelogical Museum of Chania

2010-12-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

The Archaeological Museum of Chania (2 euro entrance ticket!!) is a small museum located in the incredibly pretty former Venetian Monastery of Saint Francis right in the heart of the venetian harbor of Chania.

The museum contains a substantial collection of Minoan and Roman artifacts excavated from around the city of Chania and the surrounding prefecture.

Among my favorite artifacts are the clay mourning female figurines and the Roman floor mosaic depicting Dionysos and Ariadne.

If you find yourself in Chania this is a definite must-do!!!!


i love the motorbike in front of the very old Turkish fountain

Out of this World Beach

2010-11-28T02:43:00.000-08:00

My friend Angela from queenproduction send me those amazing photos of my favorite secret beach, at 30 minutes drive from ammos hotel.

Dogs taking a Beauty Nap under the Hot Sun (in the Old City)

2010-11-24T23:16:00.000-08:00

Dourakis Winnery

2010-11-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

I had a great Sunday visiting one of my favorite local wineries (which wines we also sell at ammos restaurant). Andreas Dourakis after a long wonder around the world as an enologist decided to return to his home village, the beautiful venetian village of Alikampos, and open a unique winery. He is a very sweet and caring man (with a great family who all work in the winery with him) who happily showed us around, proudly named us all the herbs in his botanic garden, walked us through the dark and humid storage rooms filled with French oak barrels, explained us the brand new machinery, gave us 'manousakia':the wild flowers with the dazzling smell and finally offer us his great wine together with his home baked bread, feta cheese and fava beens. Dourakis winnery is open to the public for wine tasting (do not leave without buying some of his great wines). Upon notification you can also dine here!!

Rocky Beach in a Cloudy Day

2010-11-15T08:53:00.000-08:00

Despite Greek financial woes we continue enjoying an everlasting summer with high temperatures. As i have so much free time i wonder around some of my favorite local beaches. This is a great small rocky beach, in Apokoronas region (a region filled with pretty, Venetian origined, villages and Tuscanesque landscapes ) with a cement platform (from which you dive into the crystal clean water) and a great small waterfront taverna to drink beers and wash them down with 'dakos' when sun is hallucinating hot....

Ammos (and last guest-little Bryan) Say Goodbye (and see you all next season!!)

2010-11-01T02:40:00.000-07:00

A very very busy season came to an end this morning as we, sadly, close ammos for the winter. The sun is ironically super hot and the sea looks nicer than ever (i still swim 1 hour every day). We need to take some time off, rest and think all the new things we will present next year. Opening date for the 2011 season is the first dates of April. Have a nice winter and stay tuned with my blog!!

Moni Arkadi

2010-10-30T02:25:00.000-07:00

Read more about this fascinating monastery and its dramatic story here!

Breakfast at Ammos

2010-10-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, renowned journalist, book writer and world class expert in Greece and Turkey, Rachel Howard, enjoying her breakfast at ammos....

Tolis Voskopoulos-the King of the 70s

2010-10-23T22:53:00.000-07:00

An Old Farming Estate in Chania (Metohi Kontoudakis)

2010-10-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

i love these furnitures!!!!

Summer as Always!!

2010-10-01T03:05:00.000-07:00

Cretan Women by Irving Penn

2010-09-29T02:49:00.000-07:00

Published in American Vogue (during the reign of DianaVreeland) in 1964.

Where is Hot Now??

2010-09-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you Guardian!!!!

Mary Katrantzou

2010-09-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

Greek Mary Katrantzou was born in Athens in 1983, to an interior designer mother and a father who trained in Textile Design. She moved to America for a BA in Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2003, before transferring to Central Saint Martins to complete her course, transferring to Textile Design. Graduating from her BA course in 2005, Katrantzou shifted her focus from prints for interiors to prints for fashion. Working with Sophia Kokosalaki for two seasons in 2006, she also developed her portfolio for the Central Saint Martins MA Fashion Textiles course.
Accepted onto the course in 2007, Katrantzou opened the Central Saint Martins graduating show in 2008 and the collection mapped out her signature style. It was themed around Trompe l’oeil and digital prints of oversized jewellery (inspired by Russian Constructivism and early 70s movie posters) featured on dresses. These pieces created the illusion of wearing giant neckpieces that would be too heavy in reality.
Katrantzou has developed her interest in Trompe l’oeil, basing collections on perfume bottles, blown glass and eighteenth century society paintings, while keeping the printed image central to her aesthetic.
For her Spring 2011 show, Mary Katrantzou came up with a conceit so dazzling, so artful, but so elementary that it made you wonder why no one else had attempted it. She'd been looking at the highly stylized seventies photography of Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin when it occurred to her that the interiors in the pictures were just as important as the models. "With this collection, I wanted to put the room on the woman, rather than the woman in the room," Katrantzou said after the show.

Wedding Broom

2010-09-23T04:37:00.000-07:00

For a wedding broom like the one above and many more you visit the e-shop of Ethnological Museum of Thrace.

Cretan Priest

2010-09-12T02:14:00.000-07:00

More Kakanias Plates!!! (sadly not in my possession)

2010-09-06T01:14:00.000-07:00

A real feast for the eyes (i want to buy them all!!!!), those amazing plates come from a complete 35 piece crockery set that Konstantinos created for his close friend Christian Louboutin. Photos are courtesy of Konstantinos Kakanias and they are not to be used without permission!

Infamous Madame Tependris as Saint Symeon (the Stylite) by Konstantinos Kakanias

2010-09-05T03:14:00.000-07:00

I am completely blown away by ammos latest arrival.....

Young, Hot and (ex) Royal!!!

2010-08-27T01:47:00.000-07:00

Royals from around the world have descended upon the beautiful island of Spetses, Greece, where (ex) Prince Nikolaos and Tatiana Blatnik got glamorously married this Wednesday.

Chania Beaches!!!

2010-08-24T03:04:00.000-07:00

Manousos Chalkiadakis, whose amazing ceramic studio/ house i strongly advise my guests to visit, sent me photos of his favorite Chania beaches. Enjoy!!!