Warm up

Every once in a while on a chilly afternoon, consider trying a Salepi (traditional Turkish hot beverage with cinnamon) or roasted chestnuts from a street vendor.  You can find these treats in Aristotle Square while the cold weather endures.  Spring is coming, but until then...

If you've never tried Salepi - it's like nothing you've ever had!

Grab a Burrito at Saltsa Bar

If you're craving a nice chili salsa in Thessaloniki, check out the brand new Saltsa Bar.


The restaurant (subtitled "Meat and Beer Inspirations") can be found on the corner of Iktinou and Tsimiski, right across from Everest.  It's prices are reasonable, and the staff is friendly - even unusually friendly.  Saltsa Grill does salads, sandwiches, burgers, etc. with some unusual menu items.  Going there with the hopes of finding something in the Mexican department, my friends and I were really happy with our chicken burritos.  The flavor isn't spicy, but the burrito is delicious, and go ahead and order extra salsa on the side - no charge.  With a nice side salad, it's a great lunch meal for 7.50E.

Really guys?

I find the Greek people to be quite fashion-forward in general.  Compared to central PA where I'm from, most of the clothing and furniture in Thessaloniki has more of an edgy style.  Part of that is city life, but Greeks often do have an eye for style.

Which is why I couldn't be more shocked to find that plywood is all the rage in home and store decor.  I've seen it lining the walls of designer's shops.  I've seen it in trendy computer lounges.  I've seen it used as the window display for Zara home.  And finally, the icing on the cake.. the entrance of IKEA.  Call me old-fashioned, but I find this trend a little strange.

What's your take on plywood as decor?

Doors

Spotted:

Two doors right across the street from each other.

Brought to you by the Thessaloniki Pit Bazaar, where bazaar doesn't even come close to describing it.

Imports!

For those of you looking for American import food in Thessaloniki, here's a great place to stop!

I stumbled upon this store completely by accident the other day.  It's right by the City Hotel, on Komninon, close to the corner of Komninon and Mitropoleous in the center.  I went in assuming it was your basic grocery store - only to find out there were tons of American imports throughout the shop!  Check out some of my finds...
(excuse the terrible photography by the way - I'm pretty sure I wasn't allowed to be snapping photos!)

Celestial Seasonings has the best Chai tea

Ritz Crackers

A+W Root Beer - first time I've seen it.  No more float cravings.

Great selection of soups - I was looking for cream of mushroom forever for a recipe.

Some of the cake stuff is affordable, some not so much...

Extracts - definitely hard to find!

No need to ship over the pumpkin pie filling!

Other finds include saurkraut, a variety of salsas, peanut butter choices, real maple syrup, and stovetop stuffing. We all know the food in Greece is amazing, but sometimes you just crave that one thing you can't have easily - hope this helps all my fellow ξένοι living in Thess!

Happy shopping,
Andrea

Above the City

Have you ever had coffee at the OTE tower?  We see it all the time, but in case you didn't know, there's a rotating cafe at the top. 

I went with a girlfriend the other night and we had a really nice time checking out the views of the city while we had a chat.  We went after dark, but I recommend watching the sunset from here.  A great place for the 7 pm coffee if you stay a while.  My friend and I stayed for hours, and it was funny because the cafe turns slowly over time, but the bathroom doesn't because it's in the center.  I had a little trouble the 2nd time I searched for it...but this is an Andrea thing, not a cause for concern.

I got an excellent frappe with ice cream, but it cost me nearly my entire life savings.  Okay, just 8 Euros.  But that's a lot for people who don't have money to burn.  I mean - I could eat a decent meal for that - which is how I gauge whether or not a coffee is too expensive.  If you go the OTE tower, go for the experience of seeing the lovely Thessaloniki light up at night and grin and bear the price. 

Just one of the many views

Crepes to write home about

Well after a two-month absence (sorry) I am back to blogging about the best of our dear Thessaloniki.  My friend Ryan says that a blog is like a pet - you have to feed it and take care of it faithfully for it to survive.  If my blog were a pet, it would be dead by now.  Fortunately, it's not a goldfish and I've found it right where I left it.  The hiatus has given me plenty of time to explore some new things in the city, and I've got lots to share.

Today, the topic is crepes.  Thessaloniki is famous for its many crepe shops, particularly in the Kamara area.  There is something about the combination of the smell of crepes and the incense being sold in the platia... it's a pretty great experience overall.

I've asked my university friends where to get the BEST, and they have recommended Valentino time and time again.

Most people like the classic sweet crepe with nutella and bananas/strawberries, but I like to go against the grain.  I have decided to bless the "world-wide web" with my contribution to the crepe world: a buffalo chicken crepe.

Okay don't knock it 'til you try it!  Order a crepe with breaded chicken and get them to put a bunch of tabasco sauce on it.  Add cheddar cheese, a little yogurt, tomatoes, green/red peppers, lettuce, and voila.  It's not ideal for buffalo chicken lovers like myself, but it does the trick when you're having a craving and you can't afford Friday's. : )

What's in your favorite crepe?