All Greek to Me
Hi everyone, happy Wednesday!
At the end of last year, I promised myself I’d plan a trip somewhere bright and sunny while it was still winter, in order to shake off any lingering doldrums. Seduced by images of cerulean-domed churches and magenta bougainvillea, I picked Greece. Well, go figure that the weather would improve right before I jet off, and also turns out Greece and New York aren’t that far apart latitudinally, so at the moment the temperatures between the two are fairly comparable. But nevertheless, it’ll be nice to have a change of scenery — I plan to do lots of eating, lots of sightseeing, and, of course, lots of shopping, having already gotten a head start with the brands below. If anyone has any more recommendations, please let me know!! See y’all in a few weeks!
Dyed in the Wool
RED RIB RUFFLE WOOLEN JUMPER - NONNA LIETTA (€128)
I discovered Lietta Kasimati’s slow-fashion brand Nonna Lietta right in time to make it to their NYC pop-up back in November, where I snagged this darling rib-knit jumper with crimson-trimmed ruffles. I loved it so much that I then rushed to secure the matching flared pants when she dropped them a month later. They’re spun out of pure raw sheep wool that’s all-natural, unprocessed and unsoftened, which makes them a little rough and itchy at first, but they’ve softened up considerably with repeated wears and washings. Visiting Lietta’s Athens studio to stock up on more sweaters wasn’t the sole reason I chose to go to Greece, but it wasn’t not not a factor…
Tapestry of Tchotchkes
TABLE OF OBJECTS - TATIANA MAY (PRICE UPON REQUEST)
Is it at all possible to frame a blanket? I was just wondering, because Athens-based fiber artist Tatiana May’s rugs and textiles are so lovely, with their elegant, large-scale line embroidery, that I’d hate to see them unceremoniously draped over some sofa arm. (I mean sure, I could hang it up on its own, but a tacked-up tapestry just gives too much of a college dorm vibe, imo.) This hand-sewn drapery featuring a conch, an Ionic dagger, and a… fig? bulb of garlic? could absolutely hold its own as the centerpiece of a gallery wall.
Skin Superfood
GREEK YOGHURT NOURISHING PROBIOTIC GEL-CREAM - KORRES ($42)
As a kid, I was gifted this Klutz book filled with “recipes for natural body care” (think: banana hair masks and granulated sugar lip scrubs) that, in retrospect, might’ve kick-started my beauty journey. I have distinct memories of rooting around in our refrigerator, slicing up cucumbers to stick over my eyes and smearing dollops of Greek yogurt over my face. Of course, I probably wouldn’t do that today — why would I, when this probiotic yogurt moisturizer from Korres exists? The Greek beauty brand, which offers all-natural ingredients derived from medicinal herbs and flora, draws inspiration from homeopathic remedies stemming back centuries; the moisturizer, with its cooling gel-cream texture and infusion of passion flower and sea water, promises to be a bit more of an elevated experience than slathering on yogurt straight from the fridge.
Tried one of my recs and loved it (or hated it)? Wanna get something cool on my radar? Drop me a line at kittylguo@gmail.com!
I remember staying at a hotel in Athens and was thrilled when they had Korres products in the bathroom. You know I was shoving those in my bag every night!