Eclectic Trips

Lala Land

We are sitting at a place called Lala Land on the Tel Aviv beach, listening to mellow atmospheric music played by an attractive DJ, and watching the beautiful sunset. I am on my third glass of wine, and really savoring this time- I leave tomorrow, and as it happens on really incredible trips, I am completely not ready to return home. The events of the past week in Tel Aviv run through my head, and I realize that this was indeed one of my favorite trips- ever. I fell in love with Tel Aviv, and am already looking forward to returning here sometime soon.

The first nice surprise upon my arrival in Tel Aviv was the Hotel Vital. Though the pictures looked nice on the website, the hotel was very affordable compared to most others, so I wasn’t expecting much. But it was very well designed, modern, and the staff was very nice. The room was spacious and clean, simple but nice. The breakfast buffet which was included in the price was very impressive. Plenty of selections- salads, fresh fruit, Israely specialties, eggs- pretty much any item you can think of for breakfast, in abundance. The hotel was pretty centrally located, so I decided to take my favorite” discovery walks” Which is just me, walking around without a map or any of my travel research, and taking in  new city and it’s sights, smells, language and culture. I really liked what I saw- Tel Aviv has a great “Cafe culture”- people sitting around in outside cafes, relaxed, talking, drinking coffee. All the cafes have their unique character and design- some are modern, some have a more classic vibe, some are a bit kitschy. There are fresh squeezed juice stands everywhere, and I loved getting a fresh juice every day a very healthy habit. The food in Tel Aviv is good pretty much everywhere- I haven’t had a bad meal the entire time I was here. It’s one of  those great cities, where you can walk in to any Falafel stand, cafe, fast food joint or a fancy looking restaurant and expect good, quality meal. Some places that are particularly noteworthy are

Nanuchka- my favorite restaurant in Tel Aviv- it’s Georgian (the ex USSR republic, not the state;) food, and it’s really delicious- but the atmosphere and the decor is REALLY special- it feels like you are in Georgia in the 40′s. After dinner hours the place turns into a sceney bar, with pretty loud music, and lots of drunk people having fun. We had a very memorable meal here, and stayed on to listen to music for a couple of hours- a really fun night.

Address: 28 Lilenbloom St.
Tel: (03) 516-2254

At Nanuchka

Goocha- delicious fresh seafood, creatively done. Goocha is located on a great street Dizengoff, one of the nicest walking streets in TA. Eating at Goocha at the end of your walking tour is a welcome treat. They have tables outside, nice people watching, fast, friendly service and excellent affordable food.

Address: 171 Dizengoff St., 14 Ibn Gavirol St
Tel: (03) 522-2886, (03) 691-1603

“Benedict” – a great brunch place. They have a nice selection of local and Western brunch items- everything we ordered was simply delicious! It is right on the corner of Rotschild blvd  and Allenby street. It was pretty busy when we went, and we waited for about 20 minutes for the table- but it was very well worth it! Rotschild blvd is a beautiful street, lined with famous Bauhaus buildings. Architecture in Tel Aviv is very noteworthy, there lots of beautiful buildings everywhere, so don’t forget to look up.

Tel Aviv boardwalk

LaLaLand is a really nice restaurant lounge located on the beach. With tables right on the sand, the space is very cute inside, the food is pretty good, and they have very nice mellow music- lovely place to watch the sunset and unwind  (located at Gordon st on the boardwalk). A walk on the famous Tel Aviv Boardwalk is a pleasure, and not to be missed.

The sun has almost set over Tel Aviv beach, and the DJ was timing his set to the music- it was pretty magical. My friend and I exchanged a sad, knowing glance- it was time to go back to the hotel and pack for our return trip, we had an early morning flight and needed to brace ourselves for ElAl security procedures, which in case you haven’t heard, are very strict and thorough. I promised myself to have the mental image of this beautiful  evening inspire me to return to Tel Aviv very soon, and explore this wonderful city a lot more.

Brunch at Jacques

The name of one of the loveliest neighborhoods in Manhattan, Nolita sounds like a pretty girl’s name, but it simply means “North of Little Italy”. This lovely area has some of the best cafes and boutiques in New York City, all concentrated around a several block radius. You can spend a lazy Saturday afternoon here, walking around the small cobblestone streets, window shopping, and popping into some boutiques. The restaurants and cafes are abundant, and most of them are great. One of my favorites is the classic and always packed Cafe Gitane on Mott and prince. Small, with a few tables outside, Gitane has simple, inexpensive French- Moroccan fare, and I love the small details here- the Gitane chocolate they serve with your cafe au lait is not only a lovely touch, but it is indeed a very tasty piece of chocolate. Order the baked feta appetizer, and the couscous, get a lillet, a kir or a cafe’…and sit around for a bit enjoying the gorgeous foot traffic passing by.

Prince street tiny market

Favorite brunch spot is Jaques French Bistro on Prince. Only $12.95 for a pre fix brunch, which includes a mimosa is a true steal around Nolita. The food is solid, good every time. I usually order the simple choice- eggs benedict with smoked salmon, and it’s lick your plate delicious. And the fries- let’s just say these fries are not for sharing, they are that good.  Cafe Havana is a very popular Nolita establishment, loud, rowdy, always super packed, and always a a wait for the table here. Their cheesy corn is legendary, and if you are in Nolita, I recommend you checking out Habana to find out exactly why. You will always see folk sitting or congregating outside, waiting for tables or eating their cheesy corn, and it’s always a fun scene.

The Market NYC sign

There is some truly great shopping in Nolita is great if you can afford it. Sigerson Morrison on prince has the hippest, and very well made shoes. There is the legendary Calypso on Mott with their beautiful bohemian light as air wares and accessories. And the newly opened Botkier store next to Cafe Gitane is small and cute – a true “boutique” and has very pretty handbags. But for those that can’t quite afford the price tags at these upscale wonders, Nolita, luckily offers some pretty great alternatives.

Laser cut jewelry at Market NYC

The Market NYC is a small indoor market that consists of young, up and coming designers selling their mostly one of a kind pieces. It’s mostly about jewelry, but there is also clothing, leather goods, and all kinds of random things.  In my opinion the jewelry is the main draw here. There are so many beautiful, unique things in all price ranges. Everything from semi precious stones, to knit jewelry, to laser cut pieces, to things made out of vintage findings and old beads. At least half of my jewelry collection is comprised  of Market NYC finds, I love every single piece, and they have lasted me a while. It’s also really nice to buy a piece  directly from the designer and hear the story behind it. “It took me 6 hours to make this necklace” said Olga with pride of the silk and gold necklace that I purchased from her. “If it ever gets tangled up, and you can’t untangle it- come here and I will do it for you”. You don’t get that kind of service in Saks Fifth Avenue:)

Inside The Market NYC

And if The Market NYC is not enough to satisfy your shopping cravings, Prince street between Mott and Mulberry is lined with eclectic stands selling everything from hats, and tees, to children’s clothing, to more jewelry.

The red light indicating that I was running dangerously low on gas has lit up a while a go, and I was starting to get more than mildly worried. The highway was closed. We were not moving- at all, not even a touch and go bumper to bumper misery, for which I would have been eternally grateful right about now. There was a serious accident a few miles up, and we wouldn’t be moving until they cleared it up. The question I was now asking myself is whether my car will be moving at all when it was time to move. I tried to distract myself by thinking about dinner. We had plans to go for Mexican food with friends tonight- something I was looking forward to all day. My mind started drifting a bit, as it tends to- “Guacamole and cheese quesadillas, margaritas, yum! I won’t run out of gas, I am sure we’ll be moving any minute now. That quesadilla in Playa Del Carmen was definitely one of the top culinary delights i’ve ever experienced.”

It’s funny how every time I think of Mexican food, I inevitably think of our friend’s beautiful beach wedding in Playa Del Carmen. We were only there for 3 days, and it was one of the most whirlwind, and most memorable trips. There were 25 of us, and we all stayed in the same sweet boutique hotel, which brought on memories of Summer camp. Hanging out in other people’s rooms and drinking Modelo, trying (not very successfully) to organize day trips, and waiting for everyone for way too long to get together for dinner- all good campy fun. The beaches in Playa were beautiful- clear turquoise water, soft sand and pinacoladas. Towards the end of the first day my husband and I realized that eating on “the strip” was for suckers, and taking along 2 of our more adventurous friends wondered off looking for “signs”. As the houses got progressively smaller, the peeling paint more noticeable, and cruise-ship passengers with oversized “to go” drinks disappeared from view, we stumbled upon this tiny treasure. I don’t remember the name of the place, nor am I sure it had a name. There were no English menus, and the waiter, very friendly, but looking a bit surprised came up to us prepared for difficult communication. My Espanol is mui mui mal. But luckily I speak near perfect “restaurant” and “cab” Spanish, and though I know I sound pretty awful, I am not shy. We had one of the most delicious, fresh, perfect in every way meals, and paid something around $45 for the 4 of us, with drinks, and dessert. The word got out, and at our next meal here we were joined by 4 more friends, and so on until it was dinner for 25 the following night. It was the same waiter every time, and when he saw the crowd of us coming down the street, the surprised look on his face turned into an all out wonder- of course they didn’t have 25 menus, but we made do.

The traffic was finally moving. The hope of not running out of gas in the middle of a huge highway on this 90 degree day was starting to seem more realistic. I cursed myself quietly for everything I have done wrong this day. Snoozed an extra 20 minutes, and didn’t stop for coffee on the way to work, which usually makes my day go not as smoothly as it should, nor did I stop by the three gas stations I passed by. “Later”. “Later”, however I  was running late for dinner and margaritas, and figured I had just enough gas to get me home. So now I was in this predicament-all because of the cursed “snooze” button.

The evening of the wedding we walked to the beach through a winding path lined with picturesque  houses painted pastel colors. There was the simple, beautiful and deeply memorable ceremony with shamans blowing in conch shells and everyone dressed in white. The  sky changed a thousand different colors from soft peach to crimson red with the setting sun as our friends said their vows. The dinner that followed was a true feast, complete with a wild performance in Mayan theme. We came back to our hotels as the sun was almost starting to rise, drunk as much on the beauty and uniqueness of the evening, as on mezcal.

The accident was all cleaned up, and we were driving full speed now. I still didn’t have the time to go home and change, and drove instead straight to El Rancho Grande to meet our friends. As I drove up to the restaurant, I made a mental note to talk to my husband about planning a trip to Playa Del Carmen some time very soon- to visit it’s azure water beaches, laid back life and most delicious and simple food.

Art at Nicholas Roerich museum

It’s not often that I come all the way uptown above 110th street, but when I do I really enjoy every moment. The long commute makes it feel like a day trip, and thus makes the experience even more special.  One of my favorite places in the City is The  Nicholas Roerich Museum . The museum is housed in a historical brownstone, a beautiful old house that reminds me of the phrase ” if walls could talk”. I feel like in this old house they would certainly have stories to share. Nicholas was a Russian born artist, writer and anthropologist who got fascinated with India and Himalayas and dedicated  many of his paintings to the beautiful mountainscapes. I love roaming the museum for a while and then spending some time downstairs looking through the cool postcards and prints of Roerich’s paintings. Picking up a few cards- for friends and for refrigerator art has become a part of my ritual of coming here.

Right outside of the museum is the mysterious Riverside park. I am convinced this park is the quietest place in the city. Riverside park runs along the Hudson River, it’s long and narrow with many alleyways and bike routes. It is built on several different levels, it overlooks the river, opening up  gorgeous views of Manhattan from in between the trees. It’s always a bit dark on the upper levels of the park because of the lush vegetation, and the park is filled with a different air- I always feel like it’s an air of time gone by. They have many different events here- jazz in the park and other fun things taking place in the Summer. A walk along Riverside park, with it’s ever changing views of the city and overgrown ivy running along the brick walls of the gates is always a treat for me- very peaceful and calming.

There is old, beautiful architecture all around this part of town- walking along the streets you notice incredible unique buildings, many of which have plaques on the entrances informing us that a famous poet, architect or a political leader has once upon a time lived here. I always get lost walking around the streets here, and always find new architectural treasures to behold.

After all the walking and taking in the Arts, I usually pay a visit to Community Food and Juice on Broadway and 110th street. I love the food and atmosphere here. They use seasonal, organic and local ingredients whenever possible. And they cook these ingredients to perfection. Last time i had the wild salmon with sweet and sour vegetable broth, and it was pitch perfect- large portion, the fish was extremely fresh, and the delicate flavor of the broth was the perfect compliment to the crispy skin salmon. Their ‘bowl of beets” is a delicious starter. The service is also impeccable- friendly, knowledgeable, very attentive but not annoying. Love this place!

Inside the museum

Concerts in the Park schedule

Brick wall with overgrown Ivy at River Side Park

A beautiful building on 114th street

So if you have a few hours to spare take the 1 train to ” Cathedral Parkway” stop to experience, and possibly fall in love with a different part of Manhattan

Corner of 6th and Bleecker

The most amazing thing about New York is the ever changing variety of scenery as you walk through the city. Between union square, lower east side, park avenue and upper west side there is such a world of difference it is truly fascinating. From the people populating these neighborhoods, to the types of restaurants and the feel of the streets to subtle differences like how delis in different parts of NY are stacked with different items.

Being very much a downtown girl myself, one of my favorite corners in NY is the corner of 6th Avenue and Bleecker street. One of the reasons I am impartial to this particular corner is Grom. Grom is a gelato shop we discovered in Florence last Summer, and with which I have been mildly obsessed- I woke up every morning in Florence dreaming up the gelato flavors from Grom I will be having that particular day. When they opened an outpost in NY I cried happy tears- their gelato is that good. It is made with organic ingredients grown on their own organic farm, no preservatives, no coloring, no yucky stuff. “Il gelato come una volta”- gelato the way it used to be. All the flavors are really good, but you must try pistachio- I promise you’ve never had anything like it.

There is lovely small park with a big fountain in the middle, conveniently located outside of grom, where you can sit, enjoy your gelato and drink in the sights and sounds of New York city. And if you feel more like a recluse, there is the tiniest park with 2 benches, it is completely shaded with big trees and pretty romantic if a nit dark just to the left of Grom on Downing street. It’s quite lovely if you want to get away from the sounds of the city for a few minutes.

Grom

Across the street from Grom, on 6th avenue is Bar Pitti- a New York institution. Always packed on nice days, always sporting the best looking crowd around, and celebrity sightings here are a plenty. The food is rustic Tuscan, the menu is brought to your table on a blackboard, and read out loud by good looking wait staff with heavy Italian accents. Bar Pitti is one of those places where you end up sitting for hours, ordering more wine, and time kind of dissipates, as the vibe here is lazy and fun.

A lovely park on 6th

in Grom through the window

Bar Pitti

Street Art meets music in New York

An awesome new addition to my favorite corner is an installation right outside of bar Pitti. It’s a bright pink piano that has the words “play me, I am yours” painted on it’s side. Those who know how to play take it for a spin, and those who don’t-like me, take pictures with it:) It’s pretty cool to hear beautiful live piano music in the middle of the street…