Antonis Tritsis Park

A few weekends before James was born, we were stuck for ideas on what to do on a gorgeous day in Athens with a toddler. Museums, planetariums and amusement parks were out of the question as Henry's still too young to really appreciate them (and stay entertained!) and while the zoo had been a big hit, we had gone quite recently.

I knew our requirements: sun, shade and a big field for Henry to play football in. We had visited quite a few parks on our location scout for the short film Hubby and I are in the process of finishing and one of our favourites was the Antonis Tritsis Park in Ilion.

The park had everything we wanted: wilderness, a large pond with ducks and turtles (which Henry loved), canteens scattered around for easy access to snacks and water, an environmental education centre, a mysterious abandoned railway track, picnic tables, lots of trees and an unexpected reggae festival. It was so fun to bop around to Bob Marley with Henry, the sun shining and a beer in hand (well, Matt's hand!).

On the weekends they also hold an organic fruit and veg market where you'll also find locally produced honey and other bits and pieces. 

The park is definitely worth a visit for a chance to get away from the hubbub of the city and suburbs -- and it's great for small and older kids alike. We'll definitely be going back with our new addition!

All photos taken with my iPhone and edited with the Afterlight app.

Do you have any recommendations for Athenian excursions?

Summer Days

Last week was one of those weeks where you think "this is what life is all about". Hubby's parents were over from the UK to meet their new grandson who was only days old. We spent our days up on the pool terrace having BBQs, going to the zoo, taking walks through the town and having lovely lunches in the sunshine. This is what life, and summer, is all about.

James turned three weeks old yesterday and he's been a wonder baby so far. We've hardly heard him cry and he sleeps for up to 5 hours straight at night -- and during the day! He's a hearty eater (I'm breastfeeding) and he's gaining weight like a pro. I could not love my little beans any more than I do!

Looking forward to more summer days -- and finally properly taking Henry to the beach!

Strawberry & Nutella Waffle Popsicles

Have I mentioned how much I adore frozen yoghurt popsicles? They're my favourite go-to healthy snack, and yet they feel so indulgent. It's like eating ice cream without the guilt.

One of my absolute favourite recipes is my own Strawberry & Nutella Waffle creation. It includes everything you'd put on a waffle, only in popsicle form. They're so much fun to eat and are perfect for satisfying any chocolate and/or sweet cravings.

Ingredients:

6-8 strawberries

2 cups yoghurt (full-fat or 2%)

Maple Syrup

Waffles

Nutella

What you'll need:

Mixing bowl

Popsicle molds

What you do:

1. Thoroughly wash your strawberries and chop them into very small pieces.

2. Mix about 2 cups of yoghurt with as much Nutella as you wish. While you do this, you can be toasting your waffles.

3. When your waffles are ready, cut them into small pieces and mix them with the strawberries, yoghurt and Nutella drizzling as much maple syrup as you like over the mixture. You can also use honey.

4. Once the mixture obtains a nice consistent colour fill your popsicle molds and pop them in the freezer for about 4 hours.

Voila! The beauty of this recipe is that you can add as much or as little of each ingredient as you like. And just think of all the magical combinations you can make!

 Photos edited using the Mara Lightroom preset from A Beautiful Mess.

Do you have any wonderful popsicle recipes to share?

Wise Words

I just totally loved this. It's based on a poster that Swiss Miss came across at her daughter's school and someone from the comments turned it into a proper typographic poster which you can purchase here.

I'm not much of a talker, so I like to think that I go through these steps unconsciously before opening my mouth. But I know a fair few people who should heed this advice.

It reminds me of this article about extroverts and introverts. Admittedly, the writer is rather harsh towards extroverts. But as a die-hard introvert myself, I'm totally loving his description of my kinfolk:

"Are introverts arrogant? Hardly. I suppose this common misconception has to do with our being more intelligent, more reflective, more independent, more level-headed, more refined, and more sensitive than extroverts...." 

And an example of the harshness towards extroverts:

...The worst of it is that extroverts have no idea of the torment they put us through. Sometimes, as we gasp for air amid the fog of their 98-percent-content-free talk, we wonder if extroverts even bother to listen to themselves." 

Do you know anyone who should have this poster taped to their bathroom mirror?