What does a typical day for a Greek-Australian dwelling in California’s Bay Space appear to be? For actor George H. Xanthis, it’s a day by day routine of staying true to his roots.
”Bathe. Sh*t. Shave. Is that simply an Aussie phrase? Anyway, all of us do it. However let’s concentrate on the bathe half. I by no means used any ‘beauty’ merchandise earlier than entering into the movie trade, however I used to be in dry, arid situations on The Chosen and hydration was a should. I’ve performed round with a number of issues, however settled on a model that my spouse used throughout her being pregnant: Australia’s very personal MooGoo. The Pores and skin Milk Udder Cream makes me really feel like I’m washing my face with a sweet-scented cream dessert.”
”For hair care, the story is each attention-grabbing and boring. My spouse and I discovered our favourite model of hair merchandise whereas staying at a flowery island resort. Coming from a completely Greek household, my spouse and I honeymooned throughout the Greek Islands to rejoice our Large Fats Greek marriage. While in Crete, a model referred to as APIVITA was the product used at our resort. It smells wonderful and left my hair feeling clear and contemporary after a salty day within the Mediterranean. Greek exports are few and much between, and once I noticed suppliers carrying APIVITA in america, we stocked up. Go Greece!”
“I usually do my hair and make sure my lips aren’t dry, especially during filming. The lip balm I use is apparently famous worldwide, and it’s another Aussie product: Lucas PawPaw ointment. It was the ‘Windex’ of my household growing up in Sydney. Insect bite, sunburn, cracked lips—just rub some PawPaw on it.”
“Uppercut Matte Pomade is a cheat code for people with curly, wavy hair like myself. It’s not too oily—it sets in a ‘dry’ look—but it’s also very malleable and easy to apply. A neat little trick with curly hair is to apply a small amount of this very water-soluble, matte pomade to your hair and then rinse with water immediately. The residual oils from the pomade leave the hair bouncy and dense—perfect for that beachy, ‘Alexander the Great’ look. It is an Aussie fave, and it’s used by every fancy barber Down Under.”
”Now that I look half first rate, it’s time for a espresso. Scratch that, a ‘barista- style’ espresso. Fortunately my barista-trained spouse labored in one of many espresso capitals of the world: Melbourne. We each lived there whereas I used to be filming the Aussie sketch sequence Open Slather.”
“Anyway, a good day starts with a good cup of coffee, and she taught me the art of making a great, Aussie-style flat white. We bought the same Aussie coffee machine we use back home in Oz, a Breville Barista Touch. It’s easy to use, even for a layman like me.”
“Don’t blame the tradie, blame his tools. A good coffee machine needs good coffee beans, which is why I always seek out fellow Aussies for the best coffee beans to grind. Bluestone Lane brought Aussie, Melbourne-inspired coffee to New York, and while I was visiting my best mate of over 25 years— he’s also my entertainment lawyer; #squadgoals—his apartment was walking distance to a Bluestone Café, and we both became obsessed. Luckily, they’ve expanded operations to California. So, when I need coffee beans, I’ll drive an hour into downtown San Francisco to restock my supply. And if I’m in LA for work? There are plenty of Bluestones to choose from. They even serve Aussie-style wedges with sour cream and sweet chili!”
”If the caffeine is getting too loopy, I’ll bask in a zesty, fastidiously steeped South African–model Rooibos tea, normally housed in my Sydney-inspired T2 infuser mug. T2 is one other Melbourne- based mostly firm, which makes a speciality of tea leaves and teaware equipment. My spouse is South-African so rooibos tea is a should in our family. It’s so candy and creamy! No want for sugar—only a splash of milk and also you’re able to rumble.”
”Snacking is essential on set, and the very best snack you will get is that true-blue Aussie Vegemite. It’s excessive in protein, low in energy and packs a salty punch that may drive away your starvation when these lengthy shoot days take their toll. It’s so tasty, and makes my Californian condominium really feel like my childhood house.”
”Lastly, It’s time to wind the day down with a bottle of wine. Whereas within the Sonoma County/Napa area, I used to be shocked to stumble throughout a wine maker with a well-known identify, Levendi, which is a time period of endearment in Greece. Lo and behold, the house owners had been Greek, and earlier than lengthy, I used to be having fun with wonderful Cab Savs and studying a few profitable and touching Greek immigrant story. The wine pictured right here is their Mazaika vary of Cabernet Sauvignons—wealthy and refreshing, but daring and true.”
