My Trip To Israel: Part Two

I triiiiiiied. I tried to narrow down the photos. I really did. Just to prepare you for what’s ahead, we’re looking at 57 photos. Just scroll fast and take it in! You don’t even have to read my blab session. I’ll keep it brief, I swear! (<–hahahaha)

This is the Magic of Israel, Part Two. Today we’ll cover two more days. One spent in Nazareth, and the other, Jaffa! Both towns just ooze personality, detail, charm. (just wait for the rugs.)

Like I said in Part One of this recap (go read that if you missed it!), I had the unbelievable opportunity to meet seven other food bloggers from the US in Tel Aviv for a week with the super fun Vibe Israel, a non-profit influencer agency that’s been bringing people from all over the globe to Israel since 2011! (minus the pandemic) It was a trip like nothing else in the world. Let’s take a look at two more days, shall we?

Nazareth. It’s a bajillion years old, narrow and stacked, studded with terracotta roofs and creamy stone. Obviously I loved it. Located in the Galilee region of Israel, it’s the largest Arab city and has a ton of historical religious sites. We met up with the charming Esam from My Souk, and we basically did a Nazareth nibble crawl. I’m sure there’s a more eloquent way of saying it, but you know who you’re dealing with here.

We walked, we snacked, we walked, we snacked, we walked, we snacked. And then we had LUNCH. *blorb*

In other words, it was wonderful.

Coffee, all the time and everywhere. It’s the way of life there. I approve.

This is Esam! He was so sweet. Thorough, tender, funny – he won us over.

(I SWORE to myself I will not tell you about the public bathroom in Nazareth. I’m not gonna do it! I WILL NOT put you through it. I’m trying hard not to tell you about the bathroom.)

There’s no way I’ll remember all the names of the places we went, besides glancing at signs, because there were so many! But I loved the whole vibe of this tiny café we started in. Just adorable.

All the yes.

We snarfed that delicious shakshouka within seconds.

Why doesn’t my neighborhood look like this? Ohhhhhhh right, biblical times.

My favorite thing about perusing these tiny streets were the people. Everyone had a vibe. Like, look at this dude. He clearly knows how to party.

And this dude. No one had to direct him on how to stand and how to hold his phone and how to BE. He is dialed.

And this bro. Just living his day with the ultimate sweat pant swagger. I’m in.

I asked Esam if they leave Christmas decor up year round, it being freaking NAZARETH, and he laughed. Then said, “Yeah, I mean, they like Christmas here. What can I say?” (I still don’t know when they take the decorations down.)

Little moments of people living their days makes my heart go pitter patter.

Why doesn’t my house look like this? (I WILL SAY, the bathroom at this gorgeous restaurant was great. Don’t ask me about the other one. Just don’t do it.)

Nazareth, being cute Nazareth.

Scenes like this were everywhere. Baskets and barrels filled with every delicious thing imaginable. Can you imagine?

I wanted them to give me these cushions for my carry-on, but they just gave me a look.

This woman was an artist, and we dropped into her studio for a hot minute before snacking on the rooftop terrace above. Isn’t she jaw-droppingly beautiful? I like her eyes, right under all the eyes in the painting above her. Did you notice it too?

Scenes like this . . . I mean . . .

I’m going to make this my backyard this summer.

So, so good.

We did end up shopping a tad in Nazareth! I wanted to buy every single thing my eyes fell upon.

After eating for hours, we ended up at lunch and everyone laughed hysterically because HOW. HOW.

Yet we made it happen. We dined at the sun-soaked fine dining restaurant Luna Bistro. And I am telling you, it was an explosion of every sort of flavor ever. Creamy things, crunchy things, savory things, sweet thing, coffee and tea and wine – oh my! (I called it the Holy Trinity. Ha.)

Let’s take a moment of peace for the dishwasher, shall we?

The desserts were orbitally good. Nothing overly sweet. Everything was subtle, creamy, tangy. Had elements of texture that you normally don’t find in dessert. Just unreal.

A couple more quaint street scenes, before we leave Nazareth.

Paaaaa-lease.

And no, I will NOT tell you about the public bathroom. (leave me a comment if you really, really wanna know.)

Such a rich, soulful day. (besides the public bathroom, omg)

Next up, JAFFA!

And by next I mean NEXT DAY because it was late when we got back to Tel Aviv and we severely needed some Zs. (also don’t ask me how it’s legal that city construction can happen at 2:30am.)

This is Magical Hadas and her Magical Blazer. She was enchanting. As our tour guide through the markets, streets and homes of Jaffa, we got a good taste (quite literally) at what the whole scene is like. And I absolutely loved it.

We started the morning at a spice shop where we tasted fresh dates and nuts, smelled spices, and tried this little pink dessert that we had more than once and I cannot remember the name for the life of me. But I have a photo!

Oh wait, it’s after this one. This dude is the owner (with his fam) and this iron pot is like a hundred majillion years old. He wouldn’t let me take it home.

Here’s the dessert! Yes it looks like a neon loogie on top, but it’s actually really, really tasty. Like, pudding-ish on the bottom, a syrup on top and then chopped nuts. Don’t ask me for the recipe. I was too focused on the iron pot.

Little scenes that make my heart go pitter patter.

So next up we walked the streets as Hadas explained to us the different social statuses side by side, the different religions side by side – all so incredibly interesting. Then we POPPED INTO AN APARTMENT and I was not fully prepared.

Oh, that’s right after this photo. I loved these colors.

So this is a friend of hers and he threw his KEYS DOWN out this majestic window so that we could all come up and stalk his place.

Windows. My heart could barely take it.

Plants and string lights and stained glassed and arches and fresh fruit and his black glasses. Yes to all of it.

Like I said, this was everywhere. My eyes exploded.

Also this. This makes me very happy.

OKAAAAY so here’s a force you need to know about. We ended up at Doris’ place for lunch where we cooked and drank and danced and it was so surreal and magical that it was entirely too beautiful to process. Here’s a reel on it!

Don’t ask me what this is because I was focused on her silky green kimono while she was cooking.

This was the spread that we started with. We all chopped herbs, roasted eggplant (so much eggplant!), refilled our cocktails and stood in the sun. It was heaven.

And here’s the feast. Hardly my best photo, but you get the picture. (ha) IT WAS SO GOOD. All vegan, too! I’m starving just looking it.

Homemade hummus, tabouli, baba ganoush, breads with oils and other things that I can’t remember because I was in a coma.

I’ll just leave this right here.

After lunch we had dessert and coffee as she sat us in a semi-circle on her couch (that SJP once sat on!) and she told us her story. And I mean, if you can imagine a bunch of captivated middle-aged women listening to a story of a culture not of our own, a woman empowering herself to rise up and start her own business, it was something else. No one filmed it because we were equal parts fascinated and terrified. Ha!

Really.

Blurry photo, but you need to see this dessert. It was something creamy and pudding-like on the bottom. More nuts and syrup on top, but not at all like the other dessert. I said I was having just the one bite and 84 bites later there I was.

After that we had some free time in the Jaffa market! I SWEAR we are getting to the end of this post.

Maybe.

Look at these dudes. Just living their joy. Or talking about toenail fungus. Who knows.

HELLO.

No, I got nothing. Cry with me?

They were each 50 gajillion dollars.

Later that night we had a beach walk before a fancy dinner! I don’t really do sand that well, but I did take in the sunset. It was nothing but glorious.

This building made me smile.

We ended the night at Animar restaurant, serving exquisite Mediterranean cuisine. My word, you just have no idea. I’ll show you the chef!

Chef Hillel Tavakuli is a big deal in Israel, and I cannot believe we got to taste (read: snarf) his food like animals. It was perfection.

Look how cozy.

As we walked home stuffed and happy (and buzzed), we took in more of the night life, as it never seemed to stop. People are just everywhere! Such a fun energy, that Tel Aviv.

We made it to the final photo! How are you holding up? You just want to know about the public bathroom in Nazareth, don’t you.

(the final Israel installment comes two weeks from today!)