Stathas
Hello!
You have reached my personal webpage. It was hastily hand-coded in 2017 and further vibe-coded in 2026, though I assure you this prose is all painstakingly handwritten.
My place of employment is OpenAI, where I design LLMs, train them on massive supercomputers, and help get them deployed in case they are useful to you.
I hail from Greece and now live with my partner in the Mission District of San Francisco. In my spare time, I go on long walks with friends, cycle, and lift weights – but all of that is really only cross-training for my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions.
Previously, I worked on high-frequency trading, on high-speed autonomous racecars, and on high-performance machine learning.
Take a looksie and have a nice day!
Portfolio
Selected projects and work — click any row to expand
Athens & Beyond
Getting There & Around
Getting In
Fly into Athens International Airport (ATH). Taxi (~€40 flat rate, ~40 min), metro Line 3 to Syntagma Square (~40 min), or private transfer. If you’re heading straight to an island, many have direct international flights — worth checking before defaulting to ATH.
Getting Around
Athens is very walkable in the center. FreeNow has the best local driver availability. The metro is clean, cheap, and efficient. Google Maps works great for transit.
Where to Stay
We recommend Plaka (charming village feel, narrow streets) and Thiseio (laid-back, beautiful Acropolis views from the promenade). Both are centrally located.
Things to Do in Athens
Ancient history and modern energy sit right on top of each other.
Nick’s Restaurants & Bars
Tried and true picks in Athens.
Restaurants
Bars & Nightlife
Island Escapes
Each island has its own personality.
Mykonos
Glamorous, loud, and unapologetically fun
Beach clubs, DJs, late nights, and beautiful people. But old town Chora is genuinely charming, and there’s a real archaeological gem nearby.
Beaches
Good but below average by Greek island standards. You’re here for the scene. Paradise and Super Paradise are more party than swim.
Don’t Miss
Eat & Drink
Santorini
Dramatic cliffs, legendary sunsets, real depth
Built on a volcanic caldera — cliffs into deep blue water, white buildings stacked together. Romantic, photogenic, historically rich.
Where to Stay
Fira is lively. Oia is fancier with the iconic sunset. Stay along the caldera coast between them for a middle ground.
Things to Do
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Eat & Drink
Crete
The largest island — feels like its own country
Gorges, beaches, Venetian harbors, ancient palaces, incredible food. Plan at least a full week.
Getting There
Where to Stay
Chania (west) — Lively Venetian harbor town, best base for the gorge and beaches. Try Riviera Suites. Elounda (northeast) — Quieter, upscale, closer to Knossos and Spinalonga. These are opposite ends of the island — pick one based on your itinerary.
Things to Do
Eat & Drink
We’ve barely scratched the surface. Do your own research — or better yet, ask a local.
Paros & Naxos
Close neighbors, easy to visit together
Ferries between them take 30–45 minutes. Either is great on its own.
Naxos
The most well-rounded island — beaches, history, mountain villages, great food, youthful energy.
Paros & Antiparos
Paros has charming Parikia and pretty Naoussa. Antiparos has a great secluded cliff beach hike. Ask around when you arrive.
Other Islands Worth Knowing
Milos
Volcanic coastline, sea caves, colorful beaches. Sarakiniko’s white lunar landscape is iconic. Quieter, rugged — great for couples.
Rhodes
Medieval Old Town is a UNESCO site — a walled city for hours. Beaches, ancient Lindos, different vibe from the Cyclades.
Corfu
Northwest, closer to Italy. Venetian influence, lush green hills, elegant architecture around Corfu Old Town. Longer journey but completely different.