Mid October and it's still hot!

By Laura Goldstein
Well it’s the second week of October in Tel Aviv, Israel and it is still mind numbingly hot! I can't help feeling jealous of friends at home and cooler parts of Israel putting on their fall sweaters as I sweat just walking down the street in the blazing sun. To avoid the overwhelming heat I have been exploring Tel Aviv after nightfall and/or indoors. 

Last Wednesday night I went to a concert at Levontin 7 featuring the lovely Shiri Hadar. She was performing songs from a solo project apart from her successful, world touring band Izabo.  She uses her sweet voice and plays her keyboard set to pump out spacey electronic notes to create her unique brand of dreamy indie pop. It was hard to believe it was her first time playing a solo gig! During her performance she also showed a video about how she produced the music video for her recent single Water.

Shiri Hadar at Levontin 7

             I heard about the concert through my friend Shoshanna who works with a band manager in Tel Aviv. Another artist that she recommended to me is Karolina, a well known indie-funk-reggae rocker in Tel Aviv. Her new music video for Smile 2 Me (sung in English) is an ode to the city's street artists

The night after the Shiri Hadar concert, I ventured out after dinner to visit the Gutman Museum in Neve Tzedek for their free gallery opening. Currently they are featuring Nachum Gutman’s paintings of scenes from the Galilee. Walking to the museum was my first venture into the Neve Tzedek neighborhood. It lives up to it’s reputation as having some of the hippest Tel Aviv Restaurants. While walking I passed great looking restaurants, bars, and ice cream shops all lively and with people spilling out into the street. I can’t wait to go back and explore the area further and see more of the nightlife!

Friday morning I went into the nicely airconditioned Dizengoff Mall to escape the heat. Inside I discovered the weekly international food market. If you are not in the mood for sitting down to eat, a good alternative to a Tel Aviv restaurant is the international food market.  The market is open Thursday from 16:00-22:00 and Friday 10:30-16:00 in the bottom floors of the mall.

The international food market offers a multitude of stews, stir fries, and other traditional fare from all over the world. The flag at each stand marks the country of origin and most of the stands are equipped with huge tubs full of real stick to your bones food.

I opted for what appeared to be, and tasted like chulent from the Morroco stand.  I got an average sized take away tupperware container for 50 NIS. It was a bit pricey but was a good value for me because the hearty stew of meat, beans, and potatoes, when stored and reheated, sustained me for a good part of the weekend. I look forward to trying the other types of foods available such as argentine empanadas, Chinese chicken dishes, and Indian curries. 

Also this week I had my first interview with a restaurant owner for Taste TLV! I was very excited to review Café Barnash as it is one of my favorite neighborhood haunts. Keep your eyes open for the publication of the review on our website!