Every so often, we at the eCool Compound leave our happy little Roman domus and head on over to Greece just to take in the reverse classical view. And while we love to stroll about the ruins and muse upon the foundations of western civilization as much as any good classics geeks, we’ll freely admit that we also like to indulge in a bit of shopping.
So, imagine our delight and surprise when we discovered that those darn Greek gods have gone off and founded themselves a little boutique full of hard-to-find, one-of-a-kind unique gift items that are sure to delight any deity! Heavens! A divine shop right in the heart of Ancient Athens!
In keeping with traditional labor practices, the gods have enslaved a group of mortals, forcing them to invent, produce, and market objects that will please and entertain the Olympians. Calling themselves the “Greece is for Lovers” collective, the mortals toil day and night, fueled only by an occasional ration of ouzo and pita distributed by Dionysus and Demeter. And yet they invent mighty and marvelous toys for the deities!
Take, for example, the “Build Your Myth” barbells (top photo) made of solid brass and sold in 1.5 and 3 kilogram weights. Finding it hard to cope with the demanding demigod lifestyle? Does everything feel like a Herculean task? It’s probably time to start pumping iron in the Ionic style! Why hoist the world upon your shoulders when you can bulk up with just a few columnar reps?
Then there’s the Zeus-Endorsed Thunderbolt which can be thrown by both left-handed and right-handed deities (or used as a letter opener to rip through hatemail with the stealth and fury of Zeus!) It’s available in both solid or silver–plated brass (see above and below) and is signed by the King of the Gods himself!
And for the god whose street cred is on the wane? The mortals at Greece is for Lovers suggest that any deity who’s a bit compromised in the cred department should strap on a leather skateboard and hit the pavement. (See below) Socks optional.
Headed to Athens and want to pick up a few little pretties for your own patron god? The studio/shop of Greece is for Lovers is located at 13a Karyatidon Street in Athens, very near the New Acropolis Museum. The closest metro stop is Akropolis, on Line 2/Red). (Oh how we mortals love that new Athenian metro that lets us tour the underworld in safety!) Open from 10:00am to 6pm on weekdays and from 11:00am to 3:00pm on Saturdays.
You can also contact the mortals in charge of this divinely inspired endeavor by email at info@greeceisforlovers.com and by phone or fax at +30 210 9245064.
And, if you’re headed to Germany rather than Greece (for reasons that we could never understand–but, hey, to each his own), you can pick up products by Greece is for Lovers in the Museum Shop in the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin. Good luck with the Cimbrians!
