When it rains Art!

Gentle rain...Time for wet walks. And our steps lead us to the possibly most famous spot of the city. The "Umbrellas" by George Zoggolopoulos, a Greek sculptor who's also known as "the eternal teenager".

The hydrokinetic version of this piece of art, participated in the 1993 Bienale exhibition in Venice.
The static version of it -the one we've got here- was selected to be set on a floating platform in Venice in 1995, the year the institution of Bienale was celebrating its 100th birthday.
Same year the "Umbrellas" were the ones that recieved the First Price in the competition about the best artwork to adorn the European Union's headquarters in Brussels.

However, it was 1997 when this work of art found its home and took its place by the sea, here in Thessaloniki, Cultural Capital of Europe for that year.

Zoggolopoulos had stated then: "There is always a vision for the work of all artists who truly love their art. To see it placed somewhere they would like to put it themselves. A work of art has a constant need for its own vital space. It could not survive just anywhere (...) This one is much better in Thessaloniki. I can't really tell how that occurs. Is it the wide horizon, the perspective, or the strict look of the paved seafront?..."

Forty swaying umbrellas made of steel, gracefully supporting each other, over us all...
They've seen us sad and lonely, they've seen us giggling with friends, they've seen us in couples, holding hands. And then maybe lonely again. We're growing older together, we've welcomed the new century along with them. It's a hot spot for dates, for orientation. It's a benchmark.

"The umbrella as an object of protection, is known and familiar worldwide. We all feel safety and geniality under its delicate cove...storms, wild sun, tender encounters...They could all be seen as objects common in use and imaginary in art"  Zoggolopoulos once quoted.

No matter what these umbrellas have experienced, no matter how renowned they've become or how many eyes have marveled at them, their home will always be here. Because home is where you're loved the most. And there's no place they've been loved more, than this city.

I've read somewhere that it is the most-photographed sculpture in a public place in Greece. Every citizen in this city that happens to own a camera, professionally or not, has shot at least a sunset taking place at the back of them...

One day the 40th umbrella was stolen. It's said it's gonna be replaced, even if Zoggolopoulos is no longer alive. Until then, mine is available!!

Coat: RAXEVSKY
Dress: ZARA kids
Belt, ring, earrings: ROY'S from old good beloved "KOSTI"

Tights: PHILLY 

Umbrella: OCTOPUS from "KOSTI" to...

Boots: Fly Londonfrom Amazon

Photos by PyThEuS

These are my favorites...

Photo by Eleni Vraka

Photo by Johny Trouanti

What else! The heart under the Umbrellas...

Halkyon Days

Well, how about some Greek mythology for today...

There is this myth about a beautiful lady named Halkyone, who lived by the sea. She was married, madly in love, very happy and apparently annoyingly fortunate! One very windy day, her husband went fishing in the open sea, regardless of Halkyone's words, who had a premonition and vainly tried to stop him. Something that always has been and always will be happening with couples...
Sadly, her premonition was right. Something that always has been and always will be happening with bad feelings...The strong winds sank his boat and poor Halkyone, who watched it all from the shore, just couldn't take it and threw herself on the rocks.

Zeus-father of Gods- who's always been a huge fan of pretty ladies, had an obsession with transformations, was compassionate when it came to love affairs and was fond of minding other people's business, took pity on them. And he turned them into birds.
But a divine intervention was not enough for Halkyone's suffering to end. The rest of Gods could not easily bear too much happiness for the mortals, even when it was already ruined. Some people have to pay too much for love... Something that always has been and always will be happening...

So every January that she laid her eggs on the rocks by the sea, the wild sea waves would harshly destroy her nest along with her happiness, again and again. But Zeus was large-hearted for once more. And from that time and on, every year around mid-January, he commands the waves to be gentle, the weather to be calm and the sun to shine so that Halkyone's eggs can be warm and safe. And everyone lived happily ever after!

God bless Halkyone! (Or should I say "Gods"?!) It's her we should thank for those wonderful days in the middle of winter. And even if we don't have any eggs, we surely can use some sun so we can leisurely stretch ourselves and feel the warmth, with eyes half closed, dazzled by the light...
A nice preview of Spring, which is only one and a half month away...

 Dress: JUDITH MARCH from ModCloth

Clutch: vintage from Etsy

Ring & earrings: made by me

Sweater: ZARA Kids

Belt: CARPISA

Sunglasses: MICHAEL KORS

Shoes: Fly Londonfrom Amazon

Tights: CALZEDONIA

Photos by PyThEuS

However, as you can see, the beauty of Halkyone was never stolen!

Stone in Thessaloniki, Greece

Hats On!

If my winter hats had a voise, they'd shout at me to stop putting them on and off the top shelves of my closet. Spring, they go up. Fall, they come down. And on my head? Never!

It's not my fault! Winters here have been so cool the last years, that I wore my scarves mostly for reasons of style. And about gloves? Not even a word!

However, this winter came in a wild mood and it immediately showed us its teeth! God (and the meteorologists) knows how many years it's been, since we had whole days with the temperature remaining around zero. And now my hats smile at me with delight! Back to business!

Most of them -like today's one- are gifts from my beloved friend Ania, who used to own a huge collection. But my wise friend holds that "we should collect things unashamedly until we are 40. And then gently start giving away".

And she's so right! Thank you Ania!

The only thing I really wish, is for a little miracle to happen, so that the microclimate of my city will let my hats get white! I know, I'm repeating myself! I've been obsessed with snow! But it is also something that hasn't happened in years and although there was a light snowfall some days ago, it just couldn't deliver.

So, I wear my hats and I keep my fingers crossed!

 Scarf & flower on the hat: Knitted by my mom.

Bag: OSTIA

Ring & earrings: Made by me

The beautiful bitter-orange trees are like a dazzling kind of disharmony amongst the dull hardwoods...

 Dress: How ironic! This is a HEEL dress, a greek brand, but I bought it from U.S.A.! Simply because there is no official store, or availability in any other store, here, the country's second biggest city. I should thank ModCloth...

Shoes: KICKERS

Tights: CALZEDONIA

A tip against dullness: how about wearing your dotted tights inside-out? They turn into a new, different pair! Sometimes a nicer one. And sure thing is, nobody else wears the same!  

While leaving the Pasha's Gardens, a bird, a boat, the sun, the sea and the city, granted us this...

Photos by PyThEuS

Tree in Belgrade, Serbia

A joyful wait in a dull month...

I'm sorry to say this, but January is the dullest month! The "before" and "after" everything-month. It's before the Carnival and after the winter holidays, not having any festive touch of its own. It just places us back to our routine.
Every year, I find it so uneasy to pull my self together and re-organize my daily life. It takes me days to make the river flow again like before and return from sloth, back to creativity. And I have this "have to's" list swaying over my head...
Luckily, this whole situation is saved by the light feeling of anticipation...
I'm waiting -in vain, apparently- for a snowfall that will let the entire city become white, after 9 years!
I'm waiting -most likely- for the "Halcyon days" to come, bringing alongside the sweet promise of Spring...
I'm waiting -the only sure thing- for the almond trees to bloom!

And when you're expecting joyful things from nature rather than humans, the chances to actually be happy are dramatically so many more...

Coat: TULLE from ModCloth

Vest: MAGIC STREET

Turtleneck: YAMAMAY

Skirt: R 867

Shoes: COCONUTS from ModCloth

Tights: CALZEDONIA

Bag: Attr@ttivo

Earrings: Made by me

Ring: Old...

Pocket-clock: DAKOTA from ''Kosti'' (for those who remember...)

Photos by PyThEuS

Half nut in Vienna, Austria