Cookies!!!

January 2, 2006 - 7:22 PM by · 2 Comments
Filed under: Food, General 


As part of the quest to fill up Hannuka vacation time, we busied ourselves with fun and interesting adventures and outings this week. A trip to the mall to check out the traveling Press Photos of the Year, treks to the playground, a train ride to Aunt Babe and Uncle Irving’s for spaghetti lunch and TELEVISION !!! (we don’t have one) and a playdate with not one but two of Raphael’s female classmates.

On the playdate, a note: When they say “three’s a crowd”, believe it.

For exactly 22.3 minutes the three yukked it up, enjoying each other’s company immensely. Then, everything went potty.

Raphael’s Mom? She insulted me
Raphael’s Mom? He yelled at me
Stop looking at me
Don’t touch me
Go away!
Ouch!

There were tears, declarations of never playing with each other again and a breakdown into physical assault just as the mothers showed up to take their darlings home.

A very right decision on the excursion front, on the other hand, was yesterday’s trip to the Roladin Cookie Factory in Kadima, organized by Amit Women. Joined by friends Steve & Natasha, their twin, 8-year-old boys and about 30 fellow tour participants, we eyeballed the baking floor through a 2nd story, glass window, viewed a mouth-watering film about the delights Roladin produces and then did a hands-on with the kids rolling chocolate mousse balls in sprinkles and coconut, cutting hearts, stars and rounds from butter cookie dough, dousing chocolate crinkles in powdered sugar and then inhaling the magnificent aroma as the goodies baked.

In business since 1987, Roladin is a mid to upper tier bakery supplying cakes, cookies, bread, quiche, mini-mousse desserts, and during Hannuka donuts, to 19 shops in Israel. Their “gimmick” is that each and every one of the thousands of delicacies shipped out each day is made by hand. There are literally, no machines.

The factory offers year-round tours and my advice is to GO GO GO! It’s more than worth the NIS40 for the fun and as an added bonus, parents get complimentary coffee – the good stuff: espresso/latte, etc. – after the tour and kids get a bag of their own, personal-baked loot to enjoy later. Watch out when the sugar high kicks in!

Roladin: 09-899-1001

Stop by the Drive Thru…Always open, coffee’s always hot…

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Things I’ve Noticed

December 17, 2005 - 9:06 AM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, Immigrant Moments 

After being away from anything for ten, fifteen or more years – a person, hobby, vacation destination or home – the changes “the other” has undergone leap out preliminarily because the frozen image within the mind is simply outdated.

Accordingly, the first months and years upon re-entry are “fresh” ones. Impressions and mental images are sharp, crisp and clear but it’s a limited time deal: Blurring sets in rapidly and once a daily routine develops, the images can dull and fade away altogether.

So before mine starts going fuzzy, how’s about a few snapshots from the Steph Collection?

1) Everyone’s Aged and Gained Weight!!. You run into old friends or meet them on purpose. You’re feeling a bit anxious because over the years you’ve had a kid, put on a few pounds and that 20-something svelte is long gone. But criminy how the friend or acquaintance looks! You couldn’t possibly have greyed that much or be protruding so prominently in the pooch, could you?….hmmmm.

2) Kudos to the Service Industry (sic). Okay so that’s an anomaly here in Holy Land Central (HLC) but doing business with the young, with-it sales reps of Cellcom or talking to 012 tech support or Help lines? No different than being back in the U.S. of A. No lengthy waits in hold-hell listening to Musak, no indifferent clerks who discuss evening plans over the phone with boyfriends while you wait impatiently. It’s efficiency without the mindless automaton, U.S. customer service voice. (Not everywhere, of course. For nostalgia’s sake, stop by any government office)

3) Ha’Yarkon Park Promenade is Gorgeous. The entire upgrade from the promenade to the rowing club across the river, to the arching, wooden bridges adorned with fairy lights is simply gorgeous. I feel like a character out of Zhang Yimou’s Raise the Red Lantern whenever I walk or ride my bike alongside the willow graced, river banks.

4) I Still Have an Aversion to Jerusalem. Call me godless. But man is that city frenetic and full of zealot energy and I don’t mean the Roman era kind (Oh am I gonna get it for that one, I can feel it already). Yes it is beautiful and for living, fascinating history can’t be beat. But it has always been too intense for me so why would ten years within a few millenia make a difference? Silly me for being so self centered.

5) Israeli Women are Still Hot. I didn’t make that up. The guys concur too. Ask Tonny (my husband). They dress to accent, show it off and certainly not to cover it up. And good on ‘em is what I say. Why else have it, huh? That being said, however, there are higher numbers of heavy people around than in days past. Computers, sedentary lifestyles, comforts, high stress…Same stuff the world is grappling with.

6) Less Aggro. You just don’t see the screaming and yelling that used to be sooooo commonplace. Sure it’s around but somehow, it’s more shocking nowadays. People turn around and stare. And when I’ve tried it on a few times, instead of a screaming match, I’ve been quickly leveled with a simple: “Don’t talk to me that way if you want me to help you”. Makes for quiet in the room very quickly.

7) Still Provincial. Sorry but…(I’m going to get it for that one too)

8) Men Have Come Out. Not only in the gay pride, boyfriends holding hands in public sense but also in the beauty bits. Strolling past Tel Aviv day spas, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the sight of men getting manicures. Metro-Sexual is where it’s at, gents!

9) Where are All the Palestinians? Funny what a decade of stalled talks, ill faith and bombings can do. They are not to be seen anywhere It’s a little bit bizarre…On the other hand:

10) Marked Upsurge in the Asian Population They originally came to work and now they’re settling down. This thrills me to no end having just transplanted from a near-50% Asian city. I’m fascinated with various cultures and cuisines so it’s nice to know that the influence isn’t far away.

11) Raised Animal Awareness Last time I was here, it was to work a stint on a goat farm. The owners actually instructed us to “throw rocks at them to get them to do what you want”..and as added insult, they would “teach the dogs a lesson” for stealing food from the kitchen by tying them to a fence in the blazing sun. THAT gig didn’t last. How refreshing nowadays to see all of the men and women adopting animals and feeding the street cats.

12) She Still Got it Goin’ On. Despite all this country goes through year after year, there’s still a vibrant buzz. Sort of akin to my friend Karina saying she lives in Manhatten because It lights a fire underneath her ass. There’s a spark of life and energy that’s almost electric. Good thing because it’s a positive element transplants to HLC site most often.

Stop by the Drive Thru…Fresh, hot and always open

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So Why Stay?

November 14, 2005 - 1:21 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, Immigrant Moments 

Often, my entries are jaded jabs at the system and disgruntled commentary. When I’m feeling reflective, however, I’m forced to ask myself:

What keeps us here in lieu of the headache, hassle and bureaucratic hell?

It’s home – the short answer. Nowhere else has felt this much like home. In fact, the entire concept of “home” comes into question, I believe, when a person has grown up in one place and yet finds the feeling of well being in another place altogether. Almost like a calling or longing. Very deep.

Medium length answer: Gorgeous, sea-side sunsets, sleeveless dresses and sandals in November, an un-bridled sense of freedom, subsidized education, not being afraid of walking through the park after dark, subsidized agricultural and dairy goods, not feeling terrified of letting my son out of sight on the playground or in public.

The long answer shortened: To loosely borrow from David Horovitz’s A Little Too Close To God, The Thrills and Panic of A Life in Israel , being alive at a time when Israel actually is in a state of statehood, impinges a sense of obligation regarding dwelling here. And no, I’m not religious. That’s the more philosophical, not hugely in-depth but could lead to a lengthy discussion answer.

Stop on by the Drive Thru. You may be glad you came!

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And Then There Was Culture Shock

November 5, 2005 - 4:26 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, Immigrant Moments 

We’ve now been back in Tel Aviv for a number of months. What would my evaluation include at the moment?

For the most part, we are faring well. I’m getting published regularly, my son Raphael is in school, hubbie Tonny and I barely bicker and we are all adoring the weather, the beach, the sunsets, the immersion and the culture. Raph & I have had some heated tussles over his obsessive, Spiderman costume habit, but it could be worse (no it couldn’t, i.e.: guilt)

People – my mother, friends who made aliya, other friends who have moved on a global scale, etc. – cautiously ask how I’m doing. Optimistically I report about goings-on, providing upbeat accounts of the day-to-day and marveling over the apparent culture shock gone missing. I effervescently relay to friends and relations: “I keep expecting the floor to drop out, but so far it hasn’t happened! Wow! Did I escape it?”

And then yesterday, whilst listening to an NPR Radio report my San Francisco pal Jo e-mailed, I startle to find tears streaming down my face. “What brought this on?” I internally muse.

And the retort, much as I loathe admitting, is that culture shock has been lurking somewhere in the shadows simply waiting for Jo to send that link. The link with the radio announcer whose voice oozes ease, fingerpaintings taped to the fridge, dry cleaning, car pools and over-sized mugs of freshly brewed, horrible tasting Folger’s coffee.

A lifestyle I would slash my wrists over. But one, nonetheless, that doesn’t involve screaming at government clerks, sitting in a car for four hours in darkness on the Jerusalem/Tel Aviv highway awaiting roadside aid or attending an upscale fundraiser in a cheap, chiffon style (okay, polyester blend), ankle-length skirt/ matching top and being the most over-dressed female in attendance.

Yes, my old friend culture shock has arrived for a visit, or so the symptoms would indicate. “Why have I been in such a crap mood these past few days?” I ask Tonny innocently. And now I know.

So the floor didn’t fall out, after all. There was simply a thunderstorm and the roof leaked.

Wheel on by the Drive Thru for a spell…you’ll be glad you came!

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SHEKET!!

November 2, 2005 - 2:51 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, Israeliness 

A Special, post-holiday anecdote:

It’s early morning – before 10 – on Rosh Ha’Shana. Rapha, my 4-year-old, wants to wear his Spiderman costume but…

1) it’s in the 80′s (30-something Celsius) outside and long, sleeved polyester doesn’t breathe (go explain THAT to a 4-year-old)
2) because it doesn’t breathe and said 4-year-old wears the costume from morning to night, it’s well overdue for a visit to the laundry

I tell him no, explaining the above reasons. A temper tantrum ensues.

Suddenly, from the neighboring apartment a woman screams: “SHEKET!” (QUIET in Hebrew)

I say: “She’s right, Raphael. It’s a holiday morning and you’re waking people up.”

He goes very quiet and seemingly contemplating the matter, walks to the window sill and peers out to ostensibly get a look at the neighbor. Instead, he throws back his head and shrieks: “SHEKET!” into the silence.

That’s my Pride & Joy…Doubled over with laughter, I failed to hear the neighbor’s shouted reply…

Visit me at the Drive Thru…You may be glad you stopped by!

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