Athens: Streets Made for Lingering
One could say suburban America was designed for the car; Venice optimized for the boats and gondolas; Paris for the flaneur / pensive walks — and Athens for outdoor seating at restaurants (and maybe motorcycles). Yet it’s not so much something by design, but an episodic nonnegotiable takeover of the streets: the pavement is not for walking, but for lingering — maybe listening to music, maybe with a glass of wine or ouso, maybe enjoying some yum seafood.
Ouso for lunch ~
There is live music — simple, lively piano with folk-like vocals; full of people at 4pm, a humdrum of voices I don’t really understand; casually social — omg octopus; omg grilled feta what was my life until now; more playful french / old saloon live music; passers-by selling things — perhaps lotto tickets, incense, maybe film tickets?; music that draws people in; tables on the sidewalk — in the middle of it all, imposing; everyone clapping for the musician — a pause in conversations, first name basis; slow but yet lively; what is that milky drink people are having omg is it my drink but with ice?! — reordering tzatziki because reasons; I am intrigued by my new milky drink; music that makes you clap — opa — and sing along; I feel weird taking photos because I didn’t ask for permission; lol the sidewalk is on a slope, I just noticed when I moved to see the musician better; intimacy beyond the neighborhood vibe; the tzatziki is spicy — also olives; I have no idea what the songs are about but there’s passion intensity a bit of gravity a sort of nostalgia / longing and romance; I feel like I 10% belong by clapping along ~
aggressive honk to remind us we’re still on the street life is still happening traffic still happening; music louder to ignore it / drown it out — omg the garlic is so spicy I’m getting slight tears
taking your time; empty plates on the table; mid-conversation mid-song lingering your leaving; the women look beautifully diverse; music that gives rhythm to the restaurant the waiters the conversations & eating; alert but relaxed at the same time; soft smell of cigarettes in the air; singing for / with friends — even if just ‘restaurant friends’ — hug before we leave friends; get up and dance music; the coffee is interesting / weird very earthy full feeling very dense — it’s unusual & yet I somehow remember tasting & smelling it before; I vaguely regret not asking for sugar — next time?
I feel like I’m the only foreigner here but that’s ok; if people are like this at 5pm on a Saturday, how are they at 5am?? side: I think I have a thing for brunettes; women drinking ouso; allowing other to watch me; smoking inside as well apparently — it’s funny how I always notice this now;
you don’t need me to make you famous
but I’d like to understand
your vibe better
your aesthetic
your flex
I’d love to learn to find you beautiful; to love your specific type of grunginess; your strong flavors; your type of almost imposed intimacy; the wild yet calculated yet rustic yet artful mix — iPad for scores and songs aww; the old yet modern the mix of ages the inside yet outside; the feeling of I can just linger on this chair forever; the friendships the romance the family; the strangers the regulars the happy the pensive the tired the beautiful the laughter
