A Fork And A Suitcase

I am a big fan of Raz Rahav, the young chef behind the spectacular OCD restaurant in the Noga district in Tel Aviv.  About a year ago, Rahav started to hint about a new venture, something much more low-key than his elaborate nine course dinner at OCD.  So, for months I have been following on Instagram as Rahav posted little hints; a photo of a tomato, bread, a yellow duck, etc.  Finally, he announced that he would be opening a sandwich shop on Tchernichovsky street, a few steps away from the very pretty Meir Garden. We were there a few days after Barvazi Urban Sandwich Shop opened, when they were still unpacking boxes and decorating the space.  There was excitement in the air as Rahav himself was chatting with eager costumers and making sure that everything was going smoothly. The menu at Barvazi is simple; sandwiches, fries, coleslaw, and ice cream for dessert. We ordered two sandwiches, the roast beef with avocado, roasted pepper cream, and pickles, and the smoked corned

It's safe to say that I can eat my weight in hummus, falafel, and shawarma, but after a certain time, I do crave something totally different.  I have been longing for sushi or ramen in the worst way, and my husband came through for me, as he always does.  While walking back home from a meeting, he stumbled upon a lovely residential neighborhood of Basel in the Old North of Tel Aviv.  Basel, named after Basel, Switzerland, where the first Zionist congress took place in 1897, is not a touristy area, but is well worth a visit.  Ze Sushi is located on Basel Square, an area filled with restaurants, boutiques, cafes, gourmet shops, restaurants, and many maternity and baby stores. Ze Sushi has some tables inside the restaurant and in the enclosed outside area. I only took a few photos of the extensive menu, which offers a nice variety of freshly prepared dishes. We really enjoyed our salads and sushi.  Interestingly, this was the first time that I ate sushi in Israe

I have been to Israel over ten times since 1989 and I still marvel when I discover something new.  My first time visiting Zichron Yaakov was this past summer, and I was taken by its beauty, simplicity, and charm. The hills, beautiful coastal views, a nice pedestrian street, the art galleries, wonderful restaurants, the ice cream shops, vineyards, pretty little boutiques; it all has a very quaint California vibe.  This picturesque town which is located just a touch over 40 miles north from Tel Aviv, will have you under its spell in no time.  The two museums that we have visited are: First Aliyah Museum (not pictured) and The Aaronsohn House (below). The Aaronsohn House contains the story of the fist Jewish underground called NILI, which operated in the country during WWI. There are plenty of great restaurants in Zichron Yaakov.   Tishbi Winery and Restaurant, which is located on the pedestrian street. The restaurant pic

In an effort to explore Israel a bit more on this trip, we decided to head to Zichron Yaakov, a lovely town located some 22 miles south of Haifa, or a one hour drive north from Tel Aviv.  Zichron Yaakov (more on the town in my next post) was founded in 1882 by 100 Jewish pioneers from Romania. Since we were going to be spending two days touring the area and my friend and I were in need of some spa treatments, we decided to stay at the Elma Arts Hotel. The walls at the Elma Arts Hotel are filled with paintings by contemporary Israeli artists.  Elma also has a really beautiful 450 seat concert and recital hall. Since we booked at the last minute, they only had the Deluxe ($340) room available. The bed was super comfortable and we each had a choice of a soft or a firm pillow. Our room had two balconies, two chairs, and the views were of the Mediterranean coastline and farms. The bathroom was fine, but it definitely did not match the modern decor of th