I think it’s safe to say that after two-and-a-half years in Jerusalem, I’ve tried most of the best cocktails in the city. That’s not saying a whole lot, because Jerusalem isn’t particularly known for creative cocktails and cool bars, although Tel Aviv is. We mostly drink cocktails from our own bar cart, which always features […]
A few days before we left beloved Madrid, I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop attempting to order a filter coffee. I knew this place didn’t sell filter/drip/pour-over coffee, but still I liked to ask because how else will they know there’s a demand for something other than bitter espresso drinks? A guy sitting next […]
I can be hard on myself about certain ways in which I handle living abroad. Awkward language-barrier encounters, not being assertive enough, not having local friends. But one thing I’ll say outright that I deserve kudos for: Driving a car in foreign countries. To know why this is especially commendable in my particular case, we’d have […]
It’s finally here: The day when I feel happy enough about the state of our apartment to take pictures and share them with you all! When we first arrived to Jerusalem (almost two years ago to the day), I was in tears when I saw our drab apartment out in the West Jerusalem suburbs, but […]
In 2014, when I was living in Spain, I published a blog called Great Hikes Near Madrid that I hoped would be useful for English-speaking hikers because almost all of the online info about hiking around Madrid was in Spanish. Four years later, that post gets more traffic, by far, than any other post on this […]
A first glance, Machane Yehuda market – or simply the “Shuk” to locals – looks shabby, a sort of a slapdash jumble of stalls selling bright vegetables, fresh fish, dried fruits, spices and a few shops selling kippas, plastic housewares, conservative clothes, Ethiopian baskets. But don’t let the junky exterior fool you: The Shuk is […]
The saying goes that Jerusalem is about 40 miles and 200 years away from Tel Aviv. So its always a welcome reprieve to drive less than one hour from the monochrome ancient city of Jerusalem and to arrive in colorful and modern Tel Aviv, with its beachy vibes, exposed butt cheeks (it’s the year of […]
There are two Ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in the center of Jerusalem – Geula and Mea Shearim – and I’ve been too nervous to venture in to them during my nearly three years in Jerusalem. Every new arrival to the city hears horror stories about unknowing motorists driving into these neighborhood during Shabbat and being met with […]
It’s been a while since I completed the Boho Bar project, and we’ve been enjoying the heck out of our home bar. (Even more so these past few days as we just received our second consumables shipment, which contained beaucoup booze). But almost as soon as the bar was set up, I could see that […]
Adam and I recently hosted our 4th Annual Holiday Spirit Party and it was our most successful yet. It’s a holiday soiree with a cocktail making competition mixed in. We started this annual tradition back in Jerusalem after being inspired by another Foreign Service couple who have hosted a holiday dessert competition for well over […]
