A Fork And A Suitcase

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. ...

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 de...