Things People Like To Do In Tel Aviv, Israel With A Little Help From My Friends

Posted on October 1, 2016 by jaynezak

Things People Like To Do In Tel Aviv With A Little Help from My Friends

“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles” David Ben-Gurion

I like TA for the reasons I like any big city. I like to start at one end and just walk around and walk and get lost and learn a new neighborhood with each turn. TA is as varied as they come. And last time I was there, I got introduced to NAMAL, the sports center which now house restaurants and pubs,tons of music each and overnight of the week and has enough for little kids to do as well. They host an oneg shabbat apparently that gets thousands of people each Friday night. And you can spend time there, walk down the beach, through the gay area, down past the fancy hotels, where you might find Israeli Dancing and then keep on walking through ice cream spots for tourists and down right into Jaffa. A mass of odd delights and history. MA

Go to this gallery: http://www.alonsegev.com/
Stay at the Hotel Diagalev if you can. Go to a concert or ballet at the big performing arts center. IT”S AMAZING THERE. SH

Shopping in Neve Tzedek. Cute trendy stores. I bought great sandals there.
Also there are fabulous museums. The Palmach Museum is interactive. Don’t know how far it is from Tel Aviv. JL

Though Tel Aviv has a number of attractions, sitting in an outdoor restaurant at the seaside eating fresh fish is one favorite. Also going to the flea markets and seeing what treasures I can find. HM

Falafel falafel falafel oh and hummus. it never tastes the same anywhere else. JZ

Tel Aviv is the most special city! I did a Bauhaus walking tour. I think it started from the Bauhaus center/bookstore/museum on Dizengoff Street. I also liked walking around Jaffa and visiting the different markets. Of course, the beach.RA

The Hacarmel market is a large lively market selling fresh produce, fish, meat, cheese, flowers and souvenirs. It gets very crowded with locals and tourists so go early.Its fun to pick up food and head over to Hayarkon Park for a picnic lunch. GP

I loved going to HaTachanah, the Ottoman Train Station. It is a delightful place to spend a day. I loved walking on the promenade at the beach at sunset/twilight.There are very cool restaurants like Hazaken v’Hayam for a great lunch (dinner, too, but we loved lunch there). Messa and Deca are both very hip and very cool spots! LOB

Tel Aviv has amazing beaches. There are more relaxed local beaches to the South and fancier beaches near the five-star hotels. SL

I love old Jaffa. There are artist’s workshops gardens,
restaurants, cool stores and flea markets. Tel Aviv is one of the best party cities in the world. There are so many clubs, bars and restaurants to try. EC

Fly safe,

JAZ

Last Ten Things I Googled

Posted on September 26, 2016 by jaynezak

Last Ten Things I Googled

Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.” Neil Gaiman

Weather in Petra, Jordan.

What is apple cider vinegar good for?

How are the teams shaping up on the Voice?

Did the brother kill JonBenet Ramsey?

Best things to buy in Portugal.

Are there Starbucks in Jordan, Israel and Portugal? (for my collection not for the coffee)

Guy who asked me out in Lisbon.

Best stain removers.

How much water has to leak before you have mold?

Fernando Pessoa quotes.

Best falafel in Tel Aviv

and that was just this morning.

Fly safe,
JAZ

Ten Reasons To Go To Lisbon, Portugal

Posted on September 21, 2016 by jaynezak

Ten Reasons To go To Lisbon, Portugal

It is important when in Lisbon to eat as many pastries as possible. There is a bakery on almost every corner. I had pastel de nata for the first time at a Portuguese bakery with a very long line in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I cant wait to try them here.

Lisbon is one of the cheapest European cities.

Lisbon gets 3000 hours of sunlight every year.

Lisbon is well-known for its excellent street art. Everywhere you turn you will be amazed to see a creative masterpiece.

Fado is the traditional folk music of Portugal. It is probably the most melancholy music you’ll ever hear and still somehow makes the ideal soundtrack for every trip to Portugal.

About a half hour by train from Lisbon is the fairytale town of Sintra. it is filled with castles, estates, palaces and amazing scenery. The monarchy came here to enjoy the summer.

One of the 20th century’s great philanthropists, Armenian Calouste Gulbenkian, left much of his art and historic artifacts to his favorite city, Lisbon. The museum now houses one of Europe’s most epic collections. There’s also an affiliated modern art museum nearby which I am interested in seeing.

Portugal seems to be in the second-tier in the wine world, right after France, Italy and Spain despite the famous Port Wine and even though Portuguese wines win the most prestigious awards every year. Chances are there is a great quality wine at a very reasonable price waiting for me.

See the Toree de Belem and the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. This 15th-century monastery was built to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s “discovery” of India. This Byzantine and Gothic tower stands out over the mouth of the Tejo, guarding the entrance to the city’s harbor

Go to the beach. Water is a big part of the Portuguese identity and mine too.

Fly safe,
JAZ

Things I Carry In My Day Bag When Traveling

Posted on September 17, 2016 by jaynezak

Things I Carry In My Day Bag When Traveling

“You have to travel to see new light, find new hope, renew the mind and revitalize the soul.” Lailah Gifty Akita

Chances are good that if you need something, you will find it in my purse. It is a bit of a black hole. You would not believe the things I find. There is always food (not always fresh), usually chocolate, loose cosmetics, foreign coins from countries I haven’t been to in a long time, loose credit cards that have fallen out of my wallet, old car tickets that I couldn’t find when I needed them, foreign bills from my last trip, more than one coffee card, business cards from people I do not remember, receipts, loose tic tacs, eye drops, theatre tickets, a toothbrush without a case, keys to I don’t know what, rubber bands and band aids.

I’m not good with a purse. i do love them and have many. I believe that each new one will be different.This will be the one where I become neat and organized. Within in a week I have enough stuff in it to flee the country. The only time I am reasonably organized is when I travel. I always start with a clean purse.

I usually leave in the morning for a whole day with a purse and light tote. I can’t fit everything I need into a purse and the tote is good for shopping.

Lip gloss – Terry clear gloss. if its sunny something with a sunscreen as well.

Cover stick – works for everything

Eye drops – because I need them,

Clear glasses – because I need them also.

Tiny umbrella hooked onto something if rain is a possibility

Small or large camera

iPhone

Sometimes sneakers or extra shoes

Pen and moleskin notebook or paper if I misplace the notebook.

Candy

Floss for after the candy

Water

Paper map. Technology doesn’t always work.

Business cards

Change for street performers and rest rooms. I give to every musician and every restroom. Trust me, in some countries you will want to pay.

Tissues – for those same countries.

Hand crème and hand sanitizer, because I have hands.

Allergy pills and Tylenol.

Ipod and noise cancelling headphones

Protein bars, almonds, cheese or something wrapped in a napkin from breakfast which always involves crumbs .

When I get home I clean out my travel purse. There are always cookie crumbs, loose cosmetics usually without the tops, loose pills that have fallen out of the bottles, loose coins, foreign bills, loose credit cards that have fallen out of my wallet, business cards from people I do not remember, loose tic tacs, eye drops -some are empty, a toothbrush without a case, stones and shells I picked up from somewhere, airline and hotel “giveaways”, loose jelly bellies and m and ms, loose crinkled tissues, gum wrappers, hotel keys, boarding passes, and papers from museums, galleries and stores.

Yes my purse usually ends up as a reflection of my disorganized brain. I’m not ashamed of it. Who has time to organize a purse when there are so many exciting things to do in the world? I carry my baggage with me.

Fly safe,

JAZ

Roots

Posted on September 13, 2016 by jaynezak

Roots

“There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children – one is roots, and the other, wings.” Hooding Carter

When I moved, I got rid of a lot of stuff that connected me to my past. I feel uprooted. You only miss your home, when you don’t have it anymore.

On the last day in my house, I picked a plant and pulled it out of the ground carefully keeping the roots. It is an old country tradition. I’m not sure from what old country it stems from. “Always carry a plant and you will have roots somewhere.”

People aren’t plants. Why do we speak of having roots? Roots are deep and hard to tear apart. Roots are your past They are where you came from and in them is the direction you are going.

You can change a lot of things about yourself – the clothes you wear, the things you say, the knowledge you have, the places you visit and live, the people in your life, the degrees you earn and businesses you start. But roots are the foundation of your existence.

Will I ever have roots again? The unease of not having a home makes you have to learn to embrace the struggle to make a home wherever you may live. Home may not always be a place. Home is an experience of belonging, a feeling of being whole and known. Traveling a lot makes me feel that I may not be defined by one place anymore. .Maybe home is leaving a piece of your heart wherever you live and wherever you go.

Fly safe,

JAZ

My Selfie, My Life or People Taking Selfies Around The World

Posted on September 9, 2016 by jaynezak

My Selfie,My Life or People Taking Selfies Around The World

“I will go so far as to say without Instagram, there may never have been the word, ‘selfie.”

Ken Poirot

What happens when almost every phone has a built in camera? There are a lot of people taking selfies. Is it a sign of being self absorbed or self reliant? Either way for some people, no day is complete until the selfie is posted.

Netherlands

France

South Africa

USA

Australia

Brazil

Japan

England

Turkey

Norway

South Korea

North Korea

Fly Safe,

JAZ

Banksy’s First Night In The New House

Posted on September 5, 2016 by jaynezak

Banksy’s first night in the new house

“She took a step and didn’t want to take any more, but she did.”
Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

Dogs don’t understand concepts like moving. They don’t even understand that when you leave the house you are coming back. Moving can be more stressful on a dog than kids. I have a particularly nervous puppy. He is small and he can squeeze through most little spaces when in panic mode. Also Banksy is – to put it delicately, not that smart. I don’t think he is well equipped with coping mechanisms.

He did not do well with the packing and sorting stage which went on for a while. It was a big house. People were coming and going and he was not happy as big pieces of furniture that I gave away left the house. He did not like all the plastic bags and boxes of stuff around. He fell into psychological chaos – barking much more, having a lot of accidents, following me around the house and never leaving my side, except to rip up any paper he could find.

Also, he is not a fan of stairs,. Both small and large flights elicit heavy breathing then crying followed by piercing yelps.

The new house has two and half flights of steps and one of them is not small dog or child friendly. Banksy is not a problem solver. When he thinks there is a problem the heavy breathing/crying begins.

Banksy stayed with a friend during the three days of moving and packing. Moving is the most stressful thing a person can do and he was already feeling it. An open door is the time for him to flee if someone decides to go out and leave him in the kitchen with music on. it was better not to have him around during the actual move.

Banksy arrived at the new house with workers there. I had set up a space with his stuff. He looked around and fell asleep.

I took him outside and within one minute he had a found a way out to the street and was running down the block. I’m sure he was trying to get home. All the stairs were freaking him out. He went back to sleep. He didn’t feel like playing with toys. He woke up again ate something and looked around. He saw that we were still here and he went back to sleep. I say it’s ok every five minutes.

. Banksy is a hyperactive puppy and while all this sleeping makes him a good neighbor, he is clearly depressed. He doesn’t want to walk. He doesn’t like the sand, wind, cars and bikes and people.

Instead of quiet Mandeville Canyon we are living in a beach community in the middle of the summer. There are loud scary noises coming from every direction. He is exhausted from being on alert all the time.

Banksy has a lot of fears of things that don’t really present any harm to him. Today Banksy played with his toys and has reluctantly gone up and down the steps a few times. Life is getting better. Once he learns to stay positive and embrace the full reality of the move he will be fine.

Fly safe,

JAZ

Tip Jars In America

Posted on September 1, 2016 by jaynezak

Tip Jars In America

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Mahatma Gandhi

If you come from another country, one of the first things you notice is how much tipping is expected in the United States. Tipping at a counter when I’m ordering take out is not what I am accustomed to. I worked for tips, when I was growing up, so I am a big tipper for good service. We now have electronic tipping when you are paying a bill at a register. I’m not quite sure what I am tipping for – that you are ringing up a juice I took from the case and handed to you? The first time I was intimidated and did it but I don’t anymore. Tipping for limited service is definitely becoming part of the American culture. There are tip jars everywhere. It’s a conundrum. What is the tip for stuffing a bagel into a paper bag? or for an already overpriced five dollar latte? My personal rule now is that it just depends on the experience or the creativity of the tip jars. There is a website called funnytipjars.com. I am a sucker for a creative tip jar.

Juicecrafters

New York Bagel

funny tip jars

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 9.59.07 PM

M Cafe

funny tip jars

Daily Dose

Starbucks

Kreation

Fly safe,

JAZ

Safest Countries To Visit Now

Posted on August 28, 2016 by jaynezak

Safest Countries To Visit Now

“These are all I have.I do not have the wide,bright beacon of some solid old lighthouse, guiding ships safely home, past the jagged rocks. I only have these little glimmers that flicker and then go out.” Rebecca Wells, Divine Secrets Of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood

“A person isn’t safe anywhere these days.” How often have I heard that lately – terrorism, zika, gun violence. Before that it was the fear of aids, dengue, swine flu and malaria. So for those of you who would like to lessen the odds, these are some of the safest countries to travel to.

Slovenia is a relatively safe country to visit. They have a strong economy and a stable democracy. The days of being part of communist Yugoslavia ended when they established their independence in 1991. They are members of both NATO and the EU. You should probably use tick repellent in the beautiful national parks.

Japan is safer than most countries. It is definitely safer then the countries we come from. They have a very low crime rate and Japanese don’t worry about locking their doors or walking home late at night alone which is a nice way to live. Is it 100 per cent safe ?- no.

Americans believe that Canada is a crime free oasis. Violent crime is very low but purses and wallets do often go missing. Don’t leave your things unattended,

There is very little crime in Switzerland but most of it is geared to tourists. Car theft, pick pocketing and purse snatching are common in tourist areas. Sometimes football games get a little rowdy and you might see police in riot gear.

I’m surprised that the Czech Republic has such a high safety rating. I’ve been to Prague a few times and I didn’t feel that safe. Then again, nothing happened to me. Don’t exchange money on the street. Petty theft is very common in tourist areas and taxi drivers are known to cheat you. It’s always best to get a taxi in front of a hotel. If you have a problem, the police station is open 24 hours a day and has English translators.

Portugal is one of the safest countries to visit. That is good for me to know because I am going there soon. If you get very drunk and it is late at night, you could become a target for thieves. Violent crime is rare but they do have a few gangs that hang out on the beach late at night. A late night beach walk toward a group of people who look like they might be trouble is probably not a good idea. Also if anyone approaches you to buy drugs or anything on the street like sunglasses, which could turn out to be drugs, just say no.

New Zealand is a very safe place to travel with few diseases, a great healthcare system and a low crime rate. The terrain can be challenging outside of the main city. You need to be reasonably fit to enjoy the new Zealand bush. New Zealand’s clear, unpolluted atmosphere and relatively low latitudes produce sunlight stronger than much of Europe or North America, so if you don’t wear sunblock, be ready for a major sunburn.

There is no travel advisory in effect for Austria and it is one of the safest countries in the world. You might get a stomach ache from eating all that schnitzel, sacher torte and strudel. There are very few violent crimes but bicycle theft is becoming a problem. Also don’t walk in the bike lanes. As in the Netherlands, you could easily be hit by a cyclist. I just read that racism is a problem (not a violent one) especially in villages where there are no non-white people. What exactly is considered non-white to an Austrian anyway? Could be anything. I think I have to disagree with this one though all the lists say it is very safe.

Travelers do not worry about their safety in Denmark. Denmark is the second most peaceful country in the world according to the Global Index. it score very well in the level of violent crime and likelihood of violent demonstrations, political stability, freedom of the press, hostility to foreigners and respect for human rights. This makes it a great place to live and travel.

Iceland is beyond safe to travel to when it comes to crime .However you should pay attention to natural dangers. Signs like Do Not Drive Up The Glacier Without A 4×4 or Do Not Go Here – mean it. There is no cell service in many places so you may experience a bit of technology withdrawal but the beautiful scenery will easily fill up the time.

Other safe countries include Norway, Sweden, Finland, Ireland and Bhutan. So if you’re feeling nervous, you still have many great options to travel.

Fly safe,JAZ

Things I Will Miss, Things I Will Not Miss

Posted on August 24, 2016 by jaynezak

Things I Will Miss, Things I Will Not Miss
“Anyway, it doesn’t matter how much, how often, or how closely you keep an eye on things because you can’t control it. Sometimes things and people just go. Just like that.” Cecilia Ahern

Things I Will Miss

Wide open spaces, all my big art, large rooms, my kitchen table that I made from collecting sea glass on the beach with my family and friends one summer, walking down my driveway to get the paper on Sunday, high ceilings, green everything outside, nature, flowers, avocado and lemon trees, my stuff, not needing window coverings, my big bedroom, Chickenman, my garbage cans, my gas station, Miripolsky, my big driveway to park in, my photo albums, parrot sculpture, from old car parts, funny chair, Mandeville Christmas “kindergarten sex”, lights, all my record albums on the wall, Twenty Sixth Street Mart, my large wall construction, quiet, walking my dog in the country, lots of trees and flowers, nearby hiking trails, cello, safety, smelling jasmine ( always reminds me of Greece).

Things I Will Not Miss

Water damage, middle of the night coyote kills, screaming animals, smoke alarm going off in the middle of the night for no reason, setting my burglar alarm off, rattlesnakes, more water damage, weird bugs, mice, lizards in the house, bees, ants, dead animals in the driveway, big orange garden snakes, brush clearance, fire safety, broken pipes, even more water damage, phone problem that no one can fix, laundry problem that took weeks to diagnose and fix, mold, mold testing, mold repair, more ants, constant house maintenance, backyard and pool maintenance, big animals running alongside my car at night.

Things I Will Miss

Vicente foods, neighbors, my gas station, my Dry Bar girls, art I will have no more from for, kid art, my gym, Fear No Art, cute deer in driveway, morning light, family memories, living in the country in the city, Ernie, coming home to my beautiful house after a long trip, nests with baby birds, my squirrels, the way the light hits my green vintage vases on my kitchen window in the morning when I’m making coffee, cheap art from our first house, the parrots that fly by around 5pm, my juice bar, Brian Andreas, family memories, photographs I have no room for, walking my dog up on Westridge and watching the sunset, my kids stopping by to hang out in their rooms, my giant closet and all the other closets, the space to keep everything,

Things I Will Not Miss

Coyotes in driveway stalking my dog, deer jumping in front of my car (sorry), the drive to Silverlake, actually the drive to anywhere I have to be, having to pass the 405 on Sepulveda, rush hour traffic on Sunset ( which starts at 230), 0possum, raccoons, seeing dead animals on the road every morning, more broken pipes, BIKERS, house construction blocking the road- all the time, my air conditioning units, seeing prisoners do brush clearance, weird refrigerator leak, dark roads, driving up the canyon at night in the pouring rain, fallen trees blocking the road, something is broken and needs to be repaired, fixed or replaced for a lot of money.

Fly safe,

JAZ