Artichoke season

Each visit is different.
This time it's spring, it's a holiday and a birthday. One big fat festival.

Hertzeliya minus the daily - swim factor. Still, pretty damn good.

From the seamstress' house, you can see the beautiful turquoise-blue Mediterranean sea, with the Onagraceae and the mosque, of Sidney Ali.

I spent the last night of my 20s in my childhood bed, where I spent most of my teens. In a room where everything is almost the same as it was, in my memory. It's confusingly cozy and at times, romantic. I still have a room of my own.



Eggplant with tahini, zucchini salad with basil and goat cheese on rye. amazingly sweet cherry tomatoes, spinach shakshuka, everything salad and The Brownies.

At Noam's, last week.

crazy bats, had a party the other night, circling the neighbors' loquat tree. I watched from behind the windshield, how close they were flying to my flat-tired car.
Tired, and finally - a week later - just tired, not jet legged.

20 beautiful sockless days

winterbreak

My First "Time of My Life"

I will never forget the first time I saw 'Dirty Dancing'. Or at least a part of it. It was in the late 80’, I was in fifth grade or sixth. I walked in, late at night (must have been past 8 pm) to our next door neighbors’ apartment. We lived in Neve- Amirim, in Hertzelia and a new couple just moved across us. South-African woman, Israeli guy and a blond curly baby, named guy.

I only remember I loved hanging out at their place, can't really tell why. They were cool and showing affection. I came to their apartment that night, probably with my mom, just for a few minutes, I think they had friends over. It was dark and they were watching a movie.

The next moment I am looking at the screen and seeing baby walking on a long tree log bridging a huge river. Or was it a lake? a puddle? And after the log, they were in the water, with their cloths and Johnny catches her in the air, like the prince in a classical ballet fairytale. That was all I saw. I wanted to stay longer but we had to leave. I will never forget the darkness, and the excitement, and the lift in the lake.

A few years later I would see the whole movie. Over and over again.

Another hero, another classic is gone, but these memories are as vivid as ever.