CityView Magazine

24 May 2023 Above, the Kalogerinis family — Maria, Peter, Nia and Letna — loves to explore Greece. Contributed photo. Below are the Meteora Monasteries. Photo by Igor Poluchin via Canva We also stay in family homes in Crete and Neapoli," Peter says. "Maria also has a family home in Athens and Chania. We love to frequent our favorite beaches, outdoor restaurants and cafes. We tend to have late-night dinners and gelatos." e family visits Athens as well as areas of Greece where their ancestors lived. Peter's family is from an area south of Sparta called Neapoli in Laconia in the Peloponnese peninsula. It is a seaside city with quaint mountain villages. Her family is from the island of Crete. e Kalogerinises love to explore Greece. "We like to visit a new island or area we have not been to, as Greece offers a diverse culture and every area or island may have a unique dialogue, cuisine or customs," says Peter. "We also have a tradition of visiting well-known churches when we go, some of which have saints that are entombed on site with shrines dedicated to them." e family has visited churches such as St. eodora, which has a tree growing out of the building, and a series of monasteries in central Greece called Meteora. "ose are built on top of large mountains and have been used in television shows like 'Game of rones,'" says Peter Kalogerinis. ey indulge in sweets at local zaxaroplasteios, Greek for patisseries. "ere are many baked goods, desserts and dishes that are difficult to come by in the United States unless you live in a city with a large Greek population like New York or Chicago," says Maria. "is gives us a chance to enjoy these dishes." All of the families say they bring back patisserie treats that represent respective regions of Greece. e Kalevas family picks fresh oregano and tea leaves in the mountains of their hometown. e Pantelakoses bring back Greek spices, honey mountain tea, olive oil and olives. "We have olive orchards and get the first press of olive oil before selling to a co-op. When you first press olive oil, it is green, not the yellow you see in stores. e green is the meat of the olives. It is liquid gold," says Angelica Pantelakos. e Kalogerinis family also treasures Greek olive oil. "Peter's uncles care for his familial olive groves and provide us with oil. Likewise, my family also provides oil from our familial groves. We also like to bring back cheeses, wines, honey and spirits that are either made locally by our families or regions or that are difficult to find in the United States. My cousin sent us back with a wheel of cheese he made from his sheep, and Peter's cousin sent us back with pistachios from her husband's island of Aegina," says Maria Kalogerinis. All three families are active members of Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Fayetteville. ey celebrate their Greek heritage through the annual Greek Fest and Athena Night. "Our kids get a taste of our traditions through our church. ey went to Greek school. ey speak the language but are completely immersed in our culture when they are in Greece. ey are comfortable here, so they don't feel different there," says Angelica Pantelakos. For Maria Kalogerinis, Greece should be on everyone's itinerary. "Greece and her people are always warm and welcoming," she says. "Everyone should try to visit at least once."

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