rebecca elia.com - It's All Greece to Me

La-i-ki

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:33:06 +0700

Where am I, and what, on earth, is that man screaming?

I rolled over and almost fell onto the floor. Two red cats slinked by. Couch…red cats…must be Thessaloniki.

I thought that I had closed the door out to the balcony, so where was all the noise coming from? The door was closed, but another door in the kitchen was open…for the cats. The noise was coming from outside. It almost sounded like the laiki (pronounced “lie-ee-kee”), the Greek street market that occurs once a week—except for that man’s voice. Weird. It was like a combination of podosforo (European football) and the laiki. Take away that irritating male voice that sounded like a broken clock tower bell, and it would be a laiki. The bustling noise of the neighborhood crowd was discernable. Even his irritating voice was familiar, but instead of yelling “ANGANARES!! (ARTICHOKES!!)” or “FRESKA PSARIA!! (FRESH FISH!!)” or “OLA ENA EVROOOO!! (ALL ONE EUROOOO!!)” he was yelling something else, something that my sleep-deprived brain couldn’t quite make out.

I remembered back to my first laiki experience in Athens. I thought it was the best, even better than the Acropolis! Apparently, my shopping addiction extended to fruits and vegetables, but to say that the laiki is composed only of fruits and vegetables would be misleading. The laiki is to a Greek home what a periptero (kiosk) is to all of Greek life. Beyond fruits and vegetables are plants, little trees, flowers, olives, fresh fish, olive oil, nuts, grains, household items for the bath and kitchen, bedding, pillows, rugs, clothes (from bras to jeans) and Bunsen burners. Between the peritero and the laiki, you’ve got just about everything covered.

I remember spending hours wandering up and down the four packed street blocks, squished between vegetable stands and mad Greek women pushing upright shopping carts. (A word of advice: Wear strong protective shoes, such as those for hiking, and “steer” clear of those shopping carts on wheels. Part of me wonders how many laiki customers have lost toes…) I was mesmerized by the assortment, the quantity, and the prices. More words of advice: If you buy less than a kilo of anything, the sellers will take pity on you and refuse to charge you—since anyone who buys so little must be devastatingly poor. The longer you wait, the lower the prices. After my first trip, my thoughts were filled with just what could I do with two kilos of lemons? (other than make lemonade, of course).

But even the vast display of fruits, vegetables and wares was eclipsed by the bizarre cacophony of voices screaming just about everything one could imagine. One of our first assignments in Greek class was to attend the neighborhood laiki and write down what we heard.

Cigarette smoke pierced my nose, and brought me out of my daydream. My friend was up. I appeared in the kitchen as he asked me if he had woken me. I answered “no.” He said, “It must have been the laiki, then?” I answered that it was that man yelling God knows what. He said, “Oh, the one yelling “OLYMPIAKOS!!”?

That’s why it sounded like podosphero! Olympiakos is one of the Greek teams; they had evidently won the night before. Why he was yelling it at the laiki the next day is still a mystery.

Octopus Lovers

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:24:12 +0700

Thank you, @greekfood, for this link.

Greeks Eat Mice!

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0700

When you envision Greek desserts, what do you see? Baklava? Loukoumades? Anything with fillo dough, honey, and nuts? What about mice?

I was reminded of the extraordinary array of Greek sweets this week when one of my friends asked me if I had eaten a sweet boughatsa yet. Sweet boughatsas have a creamy custard filling, encased in fillo dough, served sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. One should not visit Thessaloniki without experiencing one; miss this, and your taste buds will never forgive you.

Okay, so we all know about delicious delicate leaves of pastry doused in honey and nuts or encasing creamy custards. But do you know about the other Greek pastries, or about their chocolate, or--when you put both together--their chocolate pastries? When it comes to these confections, every pastry chef is an artist. I remember being surprised by a sweet Greek boyfriend who, knowing that I was a bit pissed off at him, showed up one night with the most beautiful heart-shaped chocolate cakes I had ever seen. They were almost too beautiful to eat…almost. Or another time, during my first trip to Greece after my mother came for a short stay, on the island of Hydra. What does she remember the most about her Grecian travels? The pastry shop that was hidden from view, several hundred winding meters from the port. We turned a corner, and there it stood. It was something out of her gourmet chef dreams. Every pastry was a little miraculous fantasy, daring all to eat it. I don’t remember how many different ones we tasted. There were tarts with every fruit imaginable, hazelnuts galore, caramels and chocolate…lots of chocolate. Then there are the chocolate-covered sweets wrapped in foil that should read, “Surprise inside,” because you never know what you’re getting. My fav are the Volos figs wrapped in chocolate…a sheer dream. And there’s the homemade sweets from any and all things imaginable—quince, sour cherry (another fav), watermelon...even olives!

Sorry, my concentration was disturbed by some of the locals (goats) passing by. Bet you thought that only cows wear bells.

Where was I? Ah yes, Greek sweets. As a rule, I stay away from most za-cha-ro-pla-stee-o-s (sweet shops) out of necessity. I’m so bombarded with daily offers of sweets that it is a bit overwhelming. Anyway, I was reminded of this yesterday when my Greek friend treated me to a mouse. She said that her boss would bring us two mice—one for her and one for me--and that she would place mine in the hotel refrigerator with my room number on it, because she did not trust that the nightshift personal would know me by name. I was mildly curious as to why she was offering me a mouse to eat. She went on to say that the mice are so very cute that she could not help but devour hers, instantly and completely, as soon as it arrived.

So I ate my overstuffed two kilo souvlaki in pita with tzatziki (yogurt-garlic sauce), onions, tomatoes and fried potatoes and forced myself to walk around (looking for an evil eye pendant) to make room for this mouse that was awaiting me in the hotel refrigerator.

I got back, announced to the hotel clerk that my friend had left me a mouse, and gave him my room number.

I had no idea that mice tasted like this, and I, like my friend, devoured it whole.

I think that I may come back as a Greek cat in my next life.

Mouse from Itea Zacharoplastio, 28th of October Street #121

The Evil Eye

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:11:17 +0700

Who do these eyes belong to? Click here to find out: The Evil Eye

Ena Frappe Sketo meh Gala—Horees Kapnos! (One Iced Coffee without sugar, with Milk--No Smoke)

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:23:49 +0700

Less than twenty-four hours in Athens, and I was feeling rather proud of myself…wait, this feeling was more than pride; it was arrogance. I had managed to pull myself out of bed at 10:00am (midnight California time), drag myself through the heat to the trolley, ride to the center, and pick up the numbered white slip of paper from the machine at the National Bank. Being the only traveler who still uses travelers checks has its advantages. Although the twenty Euro charge per exchange is a bit hard to swallow, when one is paying rent, that translates to less than two percent—and it’s rare to find a debit card that allows more than $1000 (translated, 690 Euros) withdrawal per day. Even better, what used to be a four-hour stent at the bank is now accomplished in less than one. The exchange had gone without a hitch (job longevity, a third advantage, means the same two tellers for the last fifteen-plus years—so they both knew me already…helpful when you’re handing over $2100). The Euro prize was now safely stored in my money belt—which could only be stolen through personal violation.

I was seated in my usual chair at the cheap but good coffee shop Gregoris (which roughly translates “the one who is quick/prompt/fast”), sipping my cold frappe (with milk, no sugar), eating my cinnamon and powdered sugar-drenched bougatsa (crème pastry) and reflecting on how well my morning had gone. Barely noon, and I had accomplished so much. But, wait, something was off. What was it? Something was different. Surely this was just a trick of my mind—the same trick that made me check my personal belongings repetitively in the Frankfurt airport during my four-hour layover. It felt like I was missing something…but, no, it was just lack of sleep and that ungrounded, uprooted feeling. It didn’t help that my mind and spirit were in Athens from the beginning of the fires, days before my body joined the rest of me.

No, something was different. I looked up and saw this:

“We kept the enjoyment; we left the cigarette.”

Oh my God! No smoke!! I could breathe. It wasn’t a fantasy. It had actually happened—the taste of a pastry, of a coffee, unsmoked!

Heaven!

Italian-American Goes Greek: Interview with Patricia Volonakis Davis, Author of Harlot’s Sauce

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:14:32 +0700

You may have noticed by now that I have a love-hate relationship with Greece, one that I value immensely. Whenever I’m there I want to be here, and whenever I’m here I want to be there. If only there were some great books to transport me there. It isn’t that there aren’t books available about Greece, but most modern attempts fall short, way short. Foreigners just don’t get it, even when they live in Greece. They fall into two categories. There are those who love everything Greek, fantasize about everything Greek and ignore things like the 3:00am earthquake garbage collection or the bin of used toilet paper that stinks up the bathroom. And then there are those who thoroughly detest everything about Greece and Greeks (Why on earth, then, do they go there?).

This means that most books are disappointing, at least to me…since I know the real story. It is so rare that someone “gets Greece” that my expectations have fallen deplorably low. As a matter of fact, the last Greek book I read, which happened to be recommended by a trusted friend, was so hideous that I had to force myself to finish it. Even worse, only one out of every ten Greek words was correctly translated or accurately reflected its phonetic equivalent. Sorry, one of my pet peeves. The Greek language is so extraordinary that I feel like I’m the one suffering the rape, along with the Greek tongue.

So, you can only imagine my absolute joy when, after the first ten pages of Harlot’s Sauce, I was not feeling my usual arrogant disgust but actually marveling could it be true? Had I finally found a book that would not disappoint?

Patricia Volonakis Davis gets it. She gets Greece. She gets the Greeks. And she gets the arrogant foreigners. She gets all of it. What a joy! And, today, you are all in for a treat, because Patricia has actually agreed to share her brilliant insight into all things Greek with us!

[Rebecca Elia] What about Greece/Greek life/living do you miss the most?

Patricia Volonakis Davis: The more relaxed pace, the endless sun, the family relationships, the political discussions, the food, the frappes, the taxi drivers driving by recklessly as you shout at them to stop for you, please. (Okay - I’m joking about that last one)

[Rebecca] What is the single most important thing that a foreigner needs to know when traveling to Greece? when moving to Greece?

Patricia: Same thing you need to know and accept when you travel/move anywhere – you are not in your own place, so expect surprises in the food, habits, store hours, perspectives, etc. And when they occur, don’t sniff, “That’s not the way we do things at home.” If you want home, stay home.

[Rebecca] What “pearls” can we learn from the Greeks and their way of life?

Patricia: They value both children and education very highly, more than they do money or fame. I sure wish it were that way here.

[Rebecca] What can the Greeks learn from Americans and our way of life?

Patricia: Not to be so steeped in traditions that they drag you down like quicksand. If you’re not happy with the way government is, education is, your global position is (and many are not) allow them to change. Welcome some change, instead of viewing change as the end of “all things Greek”. Keep the 'good Greek things', and discard the things that, though they may be what you’re used to doing, are holding the country (and its youth) back.

[Rebecca] What are the most important things that your experience in Greece (including your relationships there) have given you, personally?

Patricia: The idea that a life ─a simple life, can be lived so passionately and regally. For example, in Greece, a person who is “only a mom” is as revered for what she does as is a priest or a doctor. People don’t have to multi-task, or be financially successful, politically powerful, in order to earn respect or to be considered crucially important to Greek society.

[Rebecca] Do you have any other Greek projects in the works?

Patricia: Yes! Right now, we are working on podcasting a number of chapters of Harlot’s Sauce, with actors, Greek music, the whole works! I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be terrific fun!

[Rebecca] Thank you Patricia!

Patricia: THANK YOU, Rebecca! I so enjoyed this interview!

So, if you haven’t read Harlot’s Sauce yet, you’re in for a treat! And for those of you who have, hurry over to Amazon.com and post a review of her book there or on your website to be entered into a drawing for dinner for two at your fave Italian or Greek restaurant!

For more information about Patricia please go to her website at: www.patriciavdavis.com

You can also follow her on Twitter: @HarlotsSauce

Greece Prep 101

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:56:14 +0700

Don't expect this

Expect this

***
If you’re traveling to Greece from the United States or one of the many “civilized” European countries, you may be surprised by unique, independent Greece. Although Greece has been accepted into the EEC, to assume that Greece is like any other European country will, alas, leave you grossly unprepared.

But, don’t worry. I’ve put together a brief list of helpful preps for your next trip. It’s best to give yourself plenty of time—some recommendations require three to five years to be effective—so read this list early. Oh, and, WARNING: many of these recommendations are, indeed, hazardous to your health, but, hey, your trip to Greece will be so much more enjoyable:

1. Noise Pollution—Greece is the poster-child for pollution, all types of pollution. The EEC has published noise standards for all of Europe, and Athens fails these standards, miserably. Combine screams, traffic, horns and the 3am garbage collections from hell, and you’re well above the decibel limit. At one point I contemplated whether or not all the yelling that goes on is because everyone is deaf. But don’t worry, we have a plan. Take your iPod ear buds, place them in your ears, and over the next four weeks gradually increase the volume until close to max. (This will most definitely destroy your hearing, but will come in quite handy when in Greece-as you will be yelling as loudly and effortlessly as the rest of the population.

2. Nefos (air pollution)—move to Los Angeles or next to a coal plant approximately three to five years before your first Grecian trip. If neither of these is possible, then move to that town in China where our used computer parts go—yes, the one with the green water where everyone is dying of cancer.

3. Lower your time expectations--Purposely stand in very long crowded lines that do not move for hours. The only difference in Greece is, well, there are no lines.

4. Conversely, avoid standing in lines; practice elbowing your way to the front of every crowd, especially if you are elbowing older pushy women out of the way.

5. Cigarette smoke—If you aren’t already smoking or breathing in second-hand-smoke on a daily basis—what are you waiting for?

6. Prepare to stop for goats—not sure where or how you would practice this. Suggestions, anyone?

7. Do not telephone anyone or conduct any business between the hours of 3pm and 7pm.

8. Skip breakfast, unless it’s coffee and a cigarette, and eat lunch and dinner later—at 2pm and 10pm. Start napping mid-day and staying up ‘til at least 2am. When you do fall asleep between 2am and 4pm, make sure an extremely loud noise, such as a crowing rooster, or an earthquake wakes you up approximately 1-2 hrs after you have fallen asleep—or as soon as you’ve entered REM stage.

9.   Practice sitting as close as you can to the people dining next to you—and standing as close as you can to the strangers next to you--without actually touching them.

10.   Practice saying, “Ooh-hee! Then say thel-loh (No! I don’t want you)” as you click your tongue and jerk your head up. And “Ooh-hee! Then sah-gah-poe (No! I don’t love you).”

11.   Withdraw all of your money from the bank in cash and store it under your mattress (just in case the banks strike for the next two months).

If you successfully complete all of the above, you will have a fighting chance of truly enjoying your Greek experience. Good luck, and remember, no physician in their right mind would suggest #1, #2, #5 or #8.

***For those of you who made it to the bottom of the post without a migraine, I apologize for the cut-off left margin. I have reported it to the Weebly police, and, hopefully, it will be corrected soon. Now, please excuse me while I take a Maxalt.
I can't believe it! When I went to post this apology the left-hand margin reappeared!

Opening Ceremony at the New Acropolis Museum

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:15:18 +0700

Can't wait to be there! Not to miss on your next trip to Athens:

What's in My Carry-on?

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:39:34 +0700

One of my fave rings from Thallo in Kolonaki, Athens

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for…What precious or nonexpendable non-liquid items are in my Greek carry-on? You’ll find some treasures and some necessities. Just to be thorough, I’ll include purse and on-body items in this grouping, as well. Also, I assume you’re interested in the contents of my return trip home, rather than my outbound trip there. It’s probably of less interest to you to hear about the items I take to Greece, although how to pack for Greece could fill up several blog posts. Let me know if you’re interested. Otherwise, though geared towards treks, you can gain some extremely useful information and tips on packing from my friend and author Cara at her website Girls Trek Too!

1. One-pint ziplock bag with small portions of liquids, crèmes and toothpaste consistent with security requirements on U.S.-bound flights. I will take this opportunity to mention one indispensible item that you should take to Greece: ziplock bags. The Greek variety is grossly inferior and will thoroughly disappoint. Beside the pint size for U.S. security, I also take several sandwich and quart-sized bags. They come in handy for packing all that olive oil, ouzo, and Greek honey. They also serve as an easy organizer for clothes, toiletries and other various items, liquid and solid.

2. My travel-sized tempurpedic pillow, which is neck-saving, back-saving and life-saving. I not only use it on the plane but in the Frankfurt airport, pretending to nap in the smoke-infested air during my six hour layover to Athens. I have also used it in Greece. Have I mentioned their atrocious rock-hard beds and pillows? Another post.

3. Money belt, worn right across my private parts. It seems to be very safe there, since there aren’t usually many available Greek or Italian men on the flight out of Athens. I may be the only person on the plane who still wears a money belt, but I don’t care. If nothing else, it makes me feel secure and powerful. Inside are all the travelers’ checks that I brought with me “just in case” but never used, because my ATM card actually worked. (BTW-ATM cards are the way to go now. Cashing travelers’ checks will run you an extra 20-25 Euros plus commission per transaction. Just another way to screw tourists.) Also inside are a couple credit cards, my passport and any cash that I managed not to spend. I always bring back Euros so that I’ll have them for the next trip.

I tend to carry a lot more in my money belt since that fated airplane restroom episode…I had finally made it into my seat for my flight to Athens (by way of some European city that I don’t remember—all the trips blur together after awhile). I decide that this would be a good time to go to the restroom. I grabbed my wallet, quickly did my thing, and returned to my seat. I buckled up my seat belt and prepared myself for the seventeen or eighteen or twenty-hour journey. I was feeling rather pleased; everything was going so well. Then I heard, “Will Rebecca Elia please press her call button.” OMG, what’s happened? Are they going to kick me off the plane? Did they break the lock on my packed-to-the-brim suitcase? Was my fancy string underwear now strewn across the tarmac for every airport baggage handler to see? After taking a deep breath I pushed my call button and tried not to look guilty (of what, I don’t know). The flight attendant suddenly appeared next to my seat (did she glide? Where did she come from?) “We found something of yours in the restroom.” In her hand was my wallet. I just about had a heart attack on the spot. I couldn’t imagine arriving in Greece without my credit cards or ID. Just the hassle, alone, to cancel the cards from overseas was enough to kill my entire vacation. And we hadn’t even left the ground yet. Jeez, I was still in San Francisco!

4. Okay, are you still with me? We get to the fun stuff now…Greek jewelry. Oh, but not just any Greek jewelry. Not the Greek key in every possible variation. Not thick gold chains.

Here are my faves:
Thallo—Yes, the ring in the picture is from Thallo. I have one just like it. My mother has an entire dresser drawer filled with their jewelry. I am addicted to the stuff. Here’s the catch. See that daisy (margarita, the Greeks say)? It is a real daisy! The actual flower is inside. Now, others have done this with leaves and more solid plant parts, but flowers? It’s remarkable. I usually bring back one or two items for me and several for the women in my family. Christmas is really boring for them, because they already know what their gift will be. They are located in Kolonaki in Athens. For more beautiful examples, see their website: http://www.thallousa.com

No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. It is 007 with Peggy, one of my mothers away from home, in the entrance to her family's amazing jewelry shop on Skopelos

          Giannakopoulos—If you happen to travel to Skopelos, you must take a look at this jewelry. Lefteris is one of the finest jewelers I have ever seen. He makes beautiful pieces in ancient designs and patterns that are unmatched. His daughter is also a jeweler and creates more modern pieces. I’m not the only one who returns there year after year. Lefteris’ wife Peggy is one of my mothers away from home. Her incredible energy and generosity attract people from all over the world. Even Pierce Brosnan and his family couldn’t stay away. When he was filming Mamma Mia on Skopelos, he’d drop by daily to give Peggy a kiss. They are located on the main street at the port behind the yellow chairs.

5.       Breakables that I’m too scared to place in checked luggage. There is a lot of crap-pottery in Greece, but there are also some really beautiful pieces. Each location has its own unique type. On Skopelos, Rodios creates amazing black pottery in ancient forms. They’ve recently branched out and have created some with a silvery tint and others with a khaki army look. They are located in the main town at the end of the harbor (on the road that heads out of town) between Hotel Eleni and Skopelorama Holidays agency. Watch him in action, and listen to some Greek at this site. Warning: this youtube video will make you want to take up ceramics! The pottery on Skyros is also quite beautiful and unique. Their museum shop has a lovely selection.

6.     Mamma Mia poster ads, all rolled up

And last, but not least, probably the most essential items:

7.      Cell phones—yes, plural—and appropriate phone cards. I have my American, unlocked phone and my Greek phone (in case my American phone goes on the fritz or has inconsistent service). Words of caution: just because it says “world phone” doesn’t mean it will work everywhere. One of my phones only worked in towns and cities, not on the water—which was a problem since so much travel in Greece is on the water. Phone cards includes: a sim card for Greece (remember, your phone must be unlocked to use a different sim card), sim card for the U.S., prepaid phone card for cell phone service in Greece (there are many; I use Vodafone ala carte), and a phone card for public Greek phones. I always bring back one of each so that I won’t be caught without on my return trip. The type of prepaid card I have for the cell phone requires purchasing one card minimum each year—so (if hell freezes over) I don’t make it back to Greece within a year, I will still be able to keep my cell phone coverage.

Let me know what you bring back from Greece in your carry-on!

Future post: My fave Greek gifts.

Greek Duffle Bag Contents-or-What the Heck is in This Thing?

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:42:30 +0700

Pebbles in Duffle Bag...Toes, carried on.

I used to marvel at the huge boxes, suitcases, bags, and packages that the typical Greek traveler carries with them. I often wondered why they seemed to need three times the amount of luggage that everyone else had. I used to wonder, that is. I realized, after my first trip to Greece, that I had become one of them. Friends often ask me, “What do you bring back from Greece?” When I answer, their eyes glaze over, and they wonder if I’ve heard their question correctly. This is why.

I always go with one suitcase and return with at least two. Towards the end of my Greek stay, I make my annual trip over to Platia Kanigkos (in Athens) , around the corner from where all the drug addicts hang out, and purchase another duffle bag from the same Greek man--some twenty plus years my senior--despite the fact that he tried to pick me up after my fourth yearly visit. What do I fill this duffle bag with? Ah, contents that are guaranteed to confound California agricultural inspection agents and add a minimum of thirty extra minutes in customs.

So, here’s what’s inside:

Greek sea salt—yes, it tastes different and is different. (And I hope a certain cousin reads this, as we had a rather heated debate about this several years ago in Athens; it took a Nutritionist PhD to put him in his place! Yes, you know who you are. And of course I still love you and think the world of you—you’re still a food God—just not a Greek salt God.)

Greek nutmeg (whole)

Bottles of Greek cinnamon—tastes great on everything! Today, I accidentally shook some (I thought it was pepper, woke up with blurred vision) on my tuna salad. It was fantastic! Take note: that’s how you know you’re Greek—when you start putting cinnamon and lemon on everything, and it tastes better.

Greek saffron—probably the best in the world.

Greek pinenuts—really sweet. I’m partial to this flavor, because my special island, Skopelos, is covered in short fat stubby pine trees, and everything smells like them, including the wonderful Skopelos honey.

Greek pistachios—the ones from Aegina are famous, but there are many wonderful ones from other Greek locations

Greek basil—the dried variety, of course. A sprig of the live variety is given to visitors when they leave, in order to guarantee their return to Greece.

Greek oregano—another great herb, tastes different from our varieties.

Minerva olive oil (as many bottles as I can drag)—There are many wonderful Greek olive oils. Other than my friends’ homemade varieties, Minerva happens to be my favorite.

Greek Muesli cereal—what can I tell you? I like their cereal too, and, no, it doesn’t taste like ours. Not at all.

Several jars of Skopelos honey (heavy breakable glass jars, of course) YUMMMMM. Worth the ridiculous amount of effort to carry, cushion and pack, not to mention the toll on my back.

Several evil eye pendants—come in handy for all occasions. I have one in every room, nook, cranny, corner, car, suitcase, purse, duffle bag…

About 2kg of yummy chewy fruity candies from Thessaloniki (with flavors like peach, pineapple, raspberry)—my favorite sugar high. I allow myself this unhealthy extravagance only in Greece, since I’m usually walking eight hours a day and burn the quick energy.

Several bags of Gigantes (giant beans)—Mom and I are still trying to figure out whose recipe is the “right” one. Each of my friends cooks them differently. Oh, and yes, California Agricultural Inspection allows them into California—whew!

Greek suntan lotion—it’s just better. What can I say? (Even though it’s made by Johnson & Johnson in the EU somewhere—France?—has some fancy EU name, and is probably really bad for your skin.)

Greek dishwashing soap—now, I’m pretty sure this is made in Greece. I prefer Ava. Their hand dishwashing liquid, as well as their dish sponges, are just plain better than ours. I guess I’m the only American that uses her hands to wash the dishes. (That reminds me of a visit from my then three-year old nephew, who wandered into my kitchen, stared intensely at the stove, then turned to look at me and asked where my dishwasher was. I answered that he was looking at it.)

Plomariou ouzo—this is also heavy and breakable and has to go into checked luggage, because it's liquid. I still haven’t figured out the duty-free shopping. I imagine, if I were on a direct flight from Athens to San Francisco, I could probably purchase it in the airport’s Duty-free shop and then carry it on; however, there is no direct flight from Athens to San Francisco—so we’ll never know.

Caprice hazelnut chocolate-filled cookies—several cans—These are cigar-shaped and taste better than any cigar I’ve ever tasted or smelled. Highly addictive, though—once you open a can, be prepared to eat its entire contents in one sitting.

A few clothes items from Zara and Bershka—(Yes, I know, neither are Greek, but the prices are too good to pass up.) I used to fill up my entire duffle bag with clothes; I’ve gotten much better. My shopping addiction, as you may have noticed, as turned to food items. So, yes, I’m naked, fat and happy these days.

A couple pairs of new Greek shoes—hard to resist—no relation to their American counterparts—I mean, you will have an incredible urge to burn (or give away to charity, please!) your entire domestic shoe and clothes collection when you return from Greece. Sorry, European fashion rocks! And Greek shoes are amazing.

A handful Greek music CDs—my lifesavers! When things get bad, put on the Greek music, break open a bottle of ouzo, create a party—real or virtual (plenty of Greece-lovers on Twitter who are willing to comply) and dance. OPA!

Several stones from my fave Skopelos beaches (Yes, there are rocks in my duffle bag) and (shhhhhhh!—did you see that, I mean shhhhhhhhh) from Delphi. (No, I can’t tell you where, exactly, in Delphi, or I might get thrown off a Greek cliff, quietly, when no one is looking. That’s right, that form of punishment is reserved for more than the physically impaired, and, yes, these “rituals” still exist in modern times. They outlaw smashing dishes, but it’s still perfectly legal to throw a foreigner off a cliff. Oh, for heaven sakes, NO IT’S NOT. I’M KIDDING. IT WAS A JOKE, OKAY?)

Are you still with me? Have I convinced you to pack light? Believe me, you’ll wish you had—or you’ll be paying for that third checked bag!

Future post: What’s in my carry-on?