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Eating Out in Tel Aviv

I did not come to Tel Aviv to cook, and so far, I am succeeding admirably on that score.  It is possible that this is the most densely “restauranted” city I have ever visited. Even more so than Paris. You may recall I marvelled at the number of hair salons…well, restaurants and cafes outnumber them exponentially. And they are all full, pretty much all the time, and this is the “off season”! There are days when I wonder if anyone eats at home. Or goes to work for that matter.

There are some establishments that are really clear (to say the least) as to what is on offer, and I have been collecting photos of these commonly themed restaurant signs which I will share throughout the post. I find them to be a fine example of the direct approach for which Israelis are famous.

Like I said…is there any doubt what is happening here?
Or here

Over all, we notice less take-out than at home; it seems that Israelis prefer to eat freshly made food, right away. I am not sure if it is the “fresh” part or the “right away” part that is the deciding factor; I suspect the latter.  With such a temperate climate you can eat outside most of the time, and people do.  In fact, many restaurants have more outdoor space than indoor…and there are more than a few casual eateries that look a lot like someone’s main floor kitchen with a bunch of tables on the sidewalk. The joy of eating al fresco can be somewhat dimmed by the fact that this also tends to be the smoking section, and also by the proximity of some of the outer tables to the bicycles and other motorized vehicles that whizz by ON THE SIDEWALK, narrowly avoiding your table.

Classier…but still to the point

In all but the really “upscale” places, portions are huge; it is not unusual for us to take half home.  Pastries and baked goods are delicious and abundant, and the gelato is excellent and widely (too widely) available… but people are mostly thin. This is an irritating trait that Tel Aviv shares with Paris, where we used to observe pencil-slim young women ask for extra whipped cream on their third course desserts (requisite dog at their feet), with a complete and utter lack of concern for weight and/or diet. The other day, the same thing happened as I ate my salad at Aroma.  The thin young woman next to me had to sit down and savour a giant, and I mean giant, piece of cake. It happens all the time and it is really not fair.

Getting the picture?

In our immediate neighbourhood, just around Rabin Square, we have a 24 hour French-style brasserie, (although the French themselves would NEVER eat around the clock), a Vietnamese restaurant from France (kosher), a Hawaiian Poke place (built around marinated raw fish, and also kosher), 5-6 Italian places, a fine dining international style restaurant, several meat places, and at least 20-30 casual cafes with a wide range of menu items.

The Hebrew letters are the transliteration of the word “red”…

And that is all within a 10 minute walk…within 20 minutes we are numbering well over 100 places, maybe more, and so it goes.  So much choice…so little time. And don’t get me started on the bakeries.

This is quite a classy place in Neve Tzedek

Our current favourite for a late breakfast or lunch is actually a book store on Rabin Square; it has a small, eclectic selection of English and Hebrew books, with maybe 12-15 tables wedged inside, another 6-7 or so outside, and a dairy/vegetarian menu as long as your arm. The first time we went there, I had 2 slices of challah french toast, with fruit, crème fraiche and date honey to die for.  It was in the “small breakfast” section of the menu. (BTW, date honey is amazing…move over, maple syrup.)

Nice

I cannot really account for the prevalence of unambiguously “meat-based” restaurant signs but I sure enjoy seeing them.

 

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Florentine…Trendiest Neighbourhood in Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is consistently ranked as one of the coolest (or hottest) cities on the planet, and even though Mike and I are not in a position to judge the nightlife here (which I gather is a key component in this evaluation), I am going to agree that this is the case.

And while Tel Aviv has any number of trendy, hip, cool neighbourhoods, the most achingly Uber-cool of them all is currently Florentine.  It is home to the Levinsky market (spices, dried fruit and nuts, olives etc), countless artist studios and old workshops, (often in disrepair), wonderful mid-century modern furniture stores, extensive graffiti, and a nightly party that starts soon after Mike and I go to bed. The neighbourhood is a blend of long-time residents (who are somewhat bemused by all this) and the newly arrived young, creative, partying class. I am not sure that new residents are allowed to move there if they are over 40. Think “La Boheme” or “Rent” in Hebrew (minus the fatal illness).

Needless to say, this has attracted all kinds of gentrification projects, so the neighbourhood is now an odd amalgam of ramshackle workshops, old gritty walk-up flats, brand new mid-rises, and future brand new mid/high-rises, aka construction sites. It could not be more different from the quaint neighbourhood of Neve Tzedek which is right next door. After the almost Disney-like charm of Neve Tzedek, it is at first jarring, and then refreshingly real, to step across Eilat Road into Florentine. How long this will last is anyone’s guess, since prices are rising here as new buildings go up. On the one hand, not everything old is worth saving. On the other hand, too much new could ruin the atmosphere.

On a recent walk-through I took some photos of the graffiti, (pardon me…street art), for the which the neighbourhood is justly famous.

The next one looks like nothing much but if you look closely you will see that it is in Braille!

Graffiti in Braille

I also went to THE ABSOLUTELY MOST ON TREND place to get coffee, and more importantly vintage “GAZOZ”, sparking cold seltzers, blended on the spot with fresh herbs, fruit preserves, and other delicious ingredients. This was once a tradition in Tel Aviv, and is now single-handedly being revived by one Benny Briga, a former chef (of some renown).  A tiny and humble looking kiosk, with seating in a truck parked out front, see pics below, it attracts people from all over town. (I was introduced by Ben who has a friend that works there, and given its size, only one person at a time CAN work there.) Café Levinsky 41…the only one of its kind.

Back of the truck: The seating area.
Front of the truck. Every so often the parking police take exception to this arrangement and the owner has to drive the truck around the block, to the amusement of the neighbours.

 

The kiosk at 41 Levinsky

Finally, I went by the original workshop of the family that makes the wooden rackets, for the game of Matkot (beach paddle ball), that is ubiquitous on Israel’s beaches.  You can often hear it before you see it, and the distinctively loud sound is due to the fact the paddles are hollow!  (Thankfully I was with my Hebrew teacher, otherwise I would not have known that this was the original family that started making these, nor would I have been able to understand anything the young man tried to explain). Needless to say there are several grades of these rackets from the everyday plain wood, to the carbon fused, often custom decorated, “Mercedes” versions for the serious player.  I am always a sucker for buying things from the original source, so I bought a pair of the “starter” paddles…which I hope to see in action when my nephew and niece come to visit.

 

 

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Tel Aviv: Hair Salon (and Barber Shop) Capital of the World.

In every extended absence from your home town, there comes a time when you have to take on the really tough assignments; and finding a hairdresser falls squarely into that category.  (Men, I know this does not really apply to you, but among my women friends, most of us are convinced that there is only ONE person who can really understand our hair, and that is the person in the salon we currently go to…even if we just started going there in the last year.)

In Tel Aviv, the anxiety around seeking out a new stylist is amplified by the sheer number of hair salons that are sprinkled liberally throughout the city. Mike and I sometimes amuse ourselves as we walk about, by doing a running count of the number of hair salons that we pass by.  Recently we walked around Medina Square, and I think we got to 10. (Okay…it was a quiet day). But really, you cannot walk more than a block or two anywhere without seeing one and often you will see three or four in quick succession.  There is even one in the Shuk, and at the beach!  Note the scissors.

There is no excuse for messy hair anywhere in Tel Aviv.

You would think, from this example, that the streets here would be full of “beautiful people”, or at least people with beautiful hair, but I can’t say as this has particularly struck me.

After much research, (complete with the requisite horror stories), I finally obtained a recommendation that struck me as safe, and I phoned for an appointment.  Being flexible with my time, I asked for something mid-week… on a Wednesday…any time during the day. What could be easier to fit in?   In Toronto that would be a piece of cake…but here…Nope…fully booked.  But they did have time to fit me in… at 4:30… on December 31!!! Nothing on Wednesday, but on New Year’s Eve, no problem.  (Well, Toto, I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore.) This, if nothing else, will prove the point that New Year’s in Israel is totally a non-event.

While the abundant supply of hair salons is indeed striking, the real story is the evolution of the humble barber shop. In Israel it is “de rigueur” for young men to sport a handsome beard…and a beard must of course be groomed on a regular basis (or it quickly gets biblical).  So there are a number of specialty places that have sprung up to attend to this very need.  Our son Ben, has done the research, frequents one of the coolest of these establishments “Barberia”…and now, not to be outdone, so does Mike.  Fear not, even though he is again a student, Mike has NOT grown a beard. This place will also trim regular hair, boring as that may be.  But I call your attention to the ancillary services!

And these shops have a fifties beer fridge, a ruggedly masculine interior, and a logo to go along with it…the perfect companion to the one at the beach. Needless to say, this has proven to be a winning concept and the chain is popping up all over Israel.

Ladies
Gentlemen

 

I went  along with Mike to his appointment to see it all this was really as advertised, and the proof is below. Mike, beer in hand…and then coming out the doors.  And check out the door handles… this barber shop would fit nicely into Northern Ontario “Lumberjack” territory!

 

 

So in the hair department, I think the men have the better deal…herbal tea simply does not cut it next to free beer. However, for anyone who might be interested, Highlights, on Yehuda Maccabi is an excellent salon.  Really, I can’t imagine going anywhere else.

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Or You Can Take the Bus

When I feel like a break from dodging the various motorized contraptions that rule Tel Aviv’s sidewalks (see earlier post), or if it rains, the bus can be a life-saver. We are lucky to be living in the centre of town, so there are lots of bus lines at our disposal. You can pay cash…(5.9 shekels…about C$2.30) or you can get a “RAVCAV” card and load it with money, which saves you from carrying change, getting transfers etc. It is very useful of course…but the important thing is that it makes me feel like I actually belong in this town. This is a charming fiction that lasts as long as no one asks me anything in Hebrew, (at which point I freeze like a deer caught in the headlights. This happens with alarming frequency.) The card even has my picture and my name transliterated into Hebrew.לילי שיין , in case you ever wanted to know. (You can probably spot the Lili part!)

By the way…to my surprise…a lot of people in Israel are called “Lili”. I found this out when I went to Aroma where they call out your name when your order is ready. In the 15 minutes I sat there, I heard “my name” called at least three times. I barely stopped myself from getting up.

Back to the bus, getting the RAVCAV card, like most things in Israel, in a “process”. You can buy an “anonymous” card right on the bus for 5 shekels, but if you think you might be eligible for a discount, you must go to an official office, where your ability to wait…patiently… for attention, will get you one for free, and where you will also get a fare discount if you are eligible. Since I am the proud holder of an A4 visa (issued to spouses of students or clergymen…hmmm), I thought I would try for the personalized card and so set off to the office for an interview, with all my official documents in hand.

Before going, I practiced what I would say in Hebrew. As some of you might know I have a reasonable grasp of Hebrew grammar; unfortunately this does not mean I can actually SAY anything, much less understand the average Israeli. So usually one of two things happen when I am in a store: either I do manage to say what I have carefully rehearsed at home, at which point a torrent of Hebrew greets me; or I don’t even get to what I have to say, and a torrent of Hebrew greets me. After some time, the person who is talking to me takes note of my panicked expression, at which point it dawns on them that I don’t have a clue what they are saying. From there, we determine if English or French is a possibility, and if not, some combination of fractured Hebrew on my part, and goodwill on theirs, usually leads to the desired outcome.

So I now have a RavCav with a 25% discount, which works more like a bonus. When I load my card with shekels, by paying the bus driver, (a rare example of the “grumpy Israeli” stereotype), I am credited with 25% more; so 100 shekels gives me 125. I am not really sure why I get a discount, but I suspect it may be due to my advanced years.

Since buses do not make for good photos, I also attach a picture of the tallest Lego tower in the world, erected just yesterday in Rabin Square. After all…why not?

 

The tallest lego tower in the world, erected by volunteers in honour of a young boy who died of cancer
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Walking in Tel Aviv. Not for the Faint of Heart.

Walking in Tel Aviv can be a perilous activity.

Tel Aviv is great for walking, especially in the non-summer months when it is so temperate.  It is flat, and it is not that big…so you can get to most places on foot. Lots of streets go on an angle and can take you diagonally across town on a direct line.  But… and this is a big BUT… there are a few things you need to keep in mind when you are out and about.

First, Tel Avivis love their dogs and they walk them frequently.  And you know what dogs do when they are out and about. The concept of picking up after your dog has not taken hold in this town, and therefore in the interests of keeping your footwear clean, you must keep your eyes on the sidewalk, ready to take evasive action when necessary.

BUT, it is also necessary to keep your eyes up:  looking forward, and sideways (and it would also be helpful if you could also see behind you).  This is because Tel Aviv has become a cycling city.  The same reason it is such a good walking city (flat and contained) also make it a good biking city.  There is an extensive trail of bike lanes throughout the city, and for the most part they are located…yes…believe it or not…ON THE SIDEWALKS! Any sidewalk wider than 4 feet, has a line painted down the middle and bikes get one side and walkers allegedly get the other. Of course the cyclists here are just as anarchic as anywhere else, so there is no saying where they may decide to ride; keeping to the painted path would be boring!  And it is not just bikes.  Any motorized vehicle short of a full-on motorcycle can and does use these paths. And it’s amazing what is motorized… bikes, stand-up scooters, three-wheelers, skateboards,  segways, and today I saw a motorized unicycle!!  Seeing them come at you is unnerving to say the least. But worse is when they come up behind you. You cannot hear them, so you can inadvertently step in their way…and since riders are often on the phone, and otherwise not paying attention, walking has become an extreme sport.

Having established that bikes belong on sidewalks, you therefore also find bikes (and related vehicles) coming towards you on any sidewalk, even those without lines…  The only place you are not at risk of this kind of close encounter is in the shuk (market) because the crowds are so dense there, a bike has no hope.

So eyes up, down, sideways…and keep your wits about you.

And where do they park all these vehicles?  On the sidewalk of course.

 

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Goodbye Soufganiot…Hello Shabbat

This week Hanukkah ended, and like magic, all the amazing soufganiot (doughnuts) disappeared from the shelves of the bakeries.  When I first arrived in November, there were lots of doughnuts around, but only the jelly-filled ones…this was apparently just a lead-up to the explosion of fanciful doughnuts that appeared during the actual holiday of Hanukkah. (See example below). Now, however, there is not a doughnut to be seen anywhere. Probably just as well. Not exactly health food.

Now these are doughnuts!

Most of the Hanukkiot also came down…they were everywhere in town; at the Shuk (below), on the streets, and in virtually every store window, apartment lobby, office etc.  And unless you are in Jaffa, which has several churches, there is no indication whatsoever of Christmas.  On the one hand it is refreshing not to be surrounded by endless ads and harried shoppers in the shops; on the other hand, I have to confess, I miss the carols.

On the Friday during Hanukkah, Mike and I joined a friend for a Kabbalat Shabbat service at the International Synagogue (housed at Beit El). It is the only congregation, close to us, that includes some English.  It is, however, Orthodox and I had some reservations about this since, among other things, men and women are separated, to which in principle, I object.  I was assured it was a very welcoming and open-minded congregation, (and modern), so off we went.

When we arrived at the designated time…(always a mistake), they were still chanting Mincha (the afternoon service), and even Mike, who leads this service at Holy Blossom, could not figure out where they were in the prayer book.  (So I had no hope.) There was almost no one there either, especially on the women’s side, but this was, of course, because they knew better than to come too early. Not a promising start.

However, a little while later, in came the young cantor…in full Breslover attire, black silk coat, shtreimel, (large fur hat)..etc. With him, was his lovely young wife carrying a very large hat box.  The fur hat was removed to the hatbox, the cantorial headgear affixed, and then…(just as I was thoroughly doubting the notion that this would be “modern orthodox” ), he took his place, began to sing, and a most joyful and uplifting Kabbalat Shabbat service ensued.

It was the full “Carlebach”; the cantor’s voice was outstanding, and the congregation joined in with gusto.  I was quite startled at the volume of sound.  I was also relieved that even I could participate, since we sing many of the Carlebach melodies at HBT.  Except for the Torah commentary the entire service was in song, in Hebrew, start to finish. It was abetted by a very participatory, and more or less in tune, congregation, with an occasional pause for extravagant cantorial improvisation, some of which definitely drew its melodic line from some well known opera arias. (This, I did not expect.)  Early in the service, about half the congregation got up and danced a hora, through the aisles.  It was standing room only throughout…and the large crowd filled the lobby, spilling out into the street.  And everyone was young!  Well… almost everyone.  Mike and I did our bit to bring the average age up.

Since this was an enhanced (i.e. longer) Kabbalat Shabbat Service for Hanukkah, there was another cantorial soloist to provide harmony, and a guest appearance by a boy soloist, who had the powerful vocal quality of a young Edith Piaf.

In honour of Hanukkah, the champagne Kiddush, (a weekly event, which can be attributed to the French influence, and which might possibly also contribute to the outstanding attendance), featured a extravagant 30 foot table of soufganiot the likes of which I have never seen.  Had it not been Shabbat, I would have taken a picture. It was impossible for us polite Canadians to get near the table, or the champagne.

We went back again a week later, and it was even more crowded than last week. This time, it was a regular, shorter service., The cantor was on his own, but the congregation sang out even louder to ensure he had a good base with which to harmonize. The  joyful atmosphere and the dancing were the same, and at the end, there was still no getting near the champagne.

I subsequently learned that the cantor, Israel Nachman, who is only 24, is well known and has sung in a number of concert venues around Europe. I am not surprised.

So, it looks like I will be compromising my egalitarian principles, because we’ll be going back! Not exactly how we expected to fill the Holy Blossom gap, but Tel Aviv is full of surprises.

 

 

 

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Shopping…or It costs WHAT ?!#?…Really?

When Ben first came to Israel, I was somewhat skeptical about his frequent claims about the high cost of living. Now that I am here, I can see that, if anything, he understated the case.

It is shocking how much things cost, and this is not just because of our weak currency…it is expensive here relative to Europe and the US as well. Not infrequently you hear of Israeli products that are cheaper in Europe (and in euros) than they are here! (Those little peanut biscuits, Bambas, for example).

Mike has developed the “six dollar” rule which, put briefly, is that no matter how trivial your purchase, it is likely going to come out to at least six Canadian dollars…to wit: A small box of local cereal, a small jar of JIF, a 4 pack of small yoghurts, a loaf of bread… you get the idea.

A small ice-café from Aroma…$6, a take-out roast chicken with potatoes $25-$30 depending on where you get it, a nine-roll pack of toilet paper $9 on sale. A single box of Kleenex…on sale…$3.40. I could go on…

After a while, I just forget about currency conversion, and buy what seems reasonable relative to everything else. I did that recently at a “40% off” shoe sale, and came home with what turned out to be a C$ 450.00 pair of boots. And that was the SALE price, after 40% off and with an extra 7% for joining their frequent buyer club…what was I thinking! I console myself with the recollection that since I put them on our US credit card, the bill will show only US$ 356.00. That looks much more reasonable. I bought them to wear when it rains, but now that I see what they really cost, I realize they are way too expensive, and much too nice, to wear in the rain, so now I have to go out and get a pair of real rain boots…sigh…

In my partial defense, I had not realized that when Israeli stores have a sale, the prices you see on the items are already marked down, so I thought the ridiculous price would be reduced to just slightly over the top…and by the time I realized my mistake, I was at the cash register with my extremely charming, young, and patient Israeli salesgirl, who turned out to be at the same school as my son Ben… so there was no backing out…

They really are very nice boots…and from Italy.

A moment of madness