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What Airlines Fly to Israel (and which are the best)?

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:35:01 +0000

EL AL Israel Airlines

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Like a Prayer, Answered! MADONNA Announces Second Israel Concert

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 19:06:24 +0000

Gaga who? Seems Madonna has stolen yet more pop thunder from the Lady, with Israeli press sources reporting that Madonna is planning a second concert in Israel in May. The ...

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What Can Lady Gaga Teach You About Israel?

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 14:31:23 +0000

Not Lady Gaga, in Tel Aviv.
Photo: Anthony Grant

After a morning swim in the Dead Sea, Lady Gaga declared that she felt like "motherfucking Superwoman." Put that ...

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Cathouse: The City (yes, that means you, Tel Aviv)

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:21:55 +0000

What is up with Tel Aviv and the cats? They're everywhere! According to Anat Rosenberg, writing in the delectable City Guide Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv's countless stray cats rank right up there with "the smell of jasmine or honeysuckle that wafts out of nowhere" and "lingering over a coffee and snack at one of the many cafes around town" as among the city's principal sources of joy. Well, maybe not so much if you're a dog person, but the truth is that cats are almost everywhere you look in this town. You'll see lots in the fun Kerem quarter.

The way I see it, the more cats, the fewer rats. Let's turn 'em loose on New York City! Seriously, if I were a cat, I'd be one happy camper in any of Tel Aviv's neighborhoods. Which is not to say that I wouldn't also be happy with my tail in the air over in Italy.

When Will You Write About Jerusalem, Paul Theroux?

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:14:31 +0000

In an age when so much travel writing is nearer to dreck than it is to exegesis, a double serving of kudos goes to The New York Times for publishing Paul Theroux's latest piece about Nogales, Mexico, called The Country Just Over the Fence. I once interviewed Theroux for the once resolutely Bostonian Atlantic Monthly (a mag that's been reduced to making a cover story of serial dating), about his novel Kowloon Tong, in which he captured the flavor of Hong Kong like no other writer save Jan Morris.

But how has Jerusalem eluded the guy behind The Great Railway Bazaar, The Pillars of Hercules and almost too many other great travel tomes to mention? I don't know, but if Theroux can make a little wall between Arizona and Mexico so compelling, there's no telling what he'd do to Jerusalem -- a city that trades on walls, and almost ferociously defies facile description. What would he think about the holy sites? The generally overpriced and not universally welcoming hotels?

So come on Paul, get thee to Jerusalem! And if you do, I promise to take you for a nice locavore lunch at the best restaurant in town.

Take a Walk on the Mild Side...in Jerusalem

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:28:06 +0000

Is Yoko Ono Secretly Backing New Middle East Peace Initiative?

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:25:34 +0000

Is Yoko Ono working behind the scenes to revive the Middle East peace process? At a time when Madonna surprises us with collaborations with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. on the ...

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Is This the World's Best Airport Hotel?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:26:50 +0000

The world's best airport hotel? Could this be it? Why, just the other day I was on the tarmac at Rome's ridiculously unlovely Fiumicino Airport, gazed out the window at some awful-looking airport Hilton and reached for the air sickness bag: the place looked about as alluring as Paris Hilton's debut album. The absolute antithesis of everything travel is supposed to be about.

But then I remembered hearing about a new airport hotel outside Tel Aviv. Yes. This city of eclectic and sometimes awesome hotels has sprouted yet another, and it's hard by Ben Gurion Airport. But not actually at the airport, for that is not something one actually wants in an airport hotel. What you want is a free ride to the airport, free indoor parking, free wifi, and for God's sakes, free happy hour drinks. And the Sadot Hotel has all that.

Just minutes from Ben Gurion Airport and a few miles from Tel Aviv, the Sadot is surrounded by flowery fields and not by accident the decor draws on that de-concreted scenery for a natural, earthy ambience. And just 37 rooms folks, so better book yours now.

NYC City Council Speaker Christine Quinn Seen in Jerusalem

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:07:53 +0000

True, Madonna has a special relationship with Israel, but New York City also has a special relationship with Israel. Charismatic New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn -- who herself has a special relationship with my own official stomping ground in Gotham, the endlessly amazing Chelsea/Flatiron District -- is now in Israel on a week-long tour along with a delegation of other New York city council members.

Today Quinn visited Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) Media Quarter, one of Israel's most successful hi-tech hubs, combining technology, culture and social activism. Israeli high-tech pioneer Erel Margalit, founder of JVP (pictured with Quinn above), related to council members the importance of blending different disciplines.

Quinn, mentioned by many as a leading candidate for the NYC's 2013 mayoral elections, said she was impressed by Margalit's vision. "The thing we heard that was very useful to us particularly... is: look at the assets you already have... your young people, your theater... and figure out how you bring that all together to create a bigger and better energy that will propel your investments and your companies forward."

No word yet on whether Quinn had time to take in some of Jerusalem's famous holy sites, but hopefully she had a chance to get a taste of what many consider to be Israel's best restaurant which, yes, is in Jerusalem.

Is This the World's Best Hummus?

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:26:37 +0000

I've talked a lot about restaurants on these paperless pages, notably what I consider to be some of the best tables in Tel Aviv, but to be frank I've not paid too much attention to those twin pillars of Israeli street food, falafel and hummus. Falafel is very openly not a personal favorite, and the hummus I find is usually ho-hum.

Sometimes, for the best hummus, you have to go to little out of the way spots, of which there are more in Jaffa than Tel Aviv. And sometimes, you have to haul your lazy urban tukas up Highway 65 to the Ein Ibrahim junction, near Umm el Fahm, unlikely location of the fantastic Arabic restaurant El Babur.

Power chef Husam Abbas is one of the chief figures of the Slow Food movement in Israel, and from the mustard seed and spinach leaves to zataar and goat cheese and pomegranates (squeezed into divine nectar that puts POM Wonderful to shame) everything here comes from the land around. Consider this a preliminary dispatch, but I'm calling out Husam's hummus now as a likely candidate for the world's best.

Incidentally, El Babur is packed on weekends, particularly Saturday, though getting a table midweek is much easier. If in Israel, call 04-6110691.

Photo: AG